1988 Jeep Cherokee review from North America

Truck has overheated countless times due to failing thermostats, but we fixed that.

Transmission started to slip towards the end of ownership.

We bought it at an auction, and the miles on it had been rolled back, so it read 38,000. By the time we sold it, it had to have had over 200,000 on it. We drove it everywhere, all the time.

Truck has been very durable and reliable. The engine and the transmission were of rock-solid dependability and reliability.

Truck had ample low end torque, and would have made a decent tow vehicle. It was not refined, but rather a rugged and noisy workhorse; it's what gave the truck character and made it fun.

The interior was somewhat cramped, especially the rear seats, but the materials used were of industrial grade and were very tough. Everything on this truck was bullet-proof.

The exterior was built of solid materials, but the stock paint was of poor quality. The paint bubbled on the hood from all the overheating it did, so we repainted it. It ended up doing it again anyway, but we still loved it.

In the end it had been a very good "buddy". It always got us where we were going and never ceased to amaze us with its tremendous level of endurance towards harsh punishment and abuse. Our mechanic says he has seen them come in with almost no oil and transmission fluid, and they still run fine. Old jeeps never die. What makes them tick is a mystery.

Sadly we had to sell it because the transmission started to slip, and the repair bill cost more than the vehicle was worth. We miss our old "jeepster".

I would highly recommend one of these Jeeps to anyone looking for a cheap and reliable offroad vehicle, tow rig, or family SUV. Our Jeep did it all, we were very pleased Jeep customers.