Few automotive enthusiast communities are as devout as Jeep fans. I have a friend from Fort McMurray, Alberta who drives all the way to Moab, Utah for a “Jeep Safari” in his Wrangler each year – a distance of about 1,500 miles one-way. He refers to his comrades as his “Jeeple,” and they are more like family to him than car-club friends. I totally get it. I view my Acura people the same way.
If you have ever thought of joining the Jeep family, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better vehicle to do it with than this one:
The Pick of the Day is a 1986 Jeep Cherokee Laredo 4WD listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a dealer in Denver, Colorado. (Click the link to view the listing)
The selling dealer operates on consignment and says that this Jeep has only had two owners. It will check a lot of boxes for enthusiasts, especially those who prefer manual transmissions.
For about 50 years and five generations, the Cherokee was a beloved symbol of adventure. First launching in 1974, the Cherokee has developed early on a reputation as a rugged sport-utility vehicle. In more recent years, it evolved into a crossover, and after 2023, it was unfortunately phased out of production (the Grand Cherokee and Grand Wagoneer do remain).
One of the most popular generations of the Cherokee was the “XJ” platform. It had a lengthy lifespan from 1983 through 2001, although there were some incremental design and engineering updates along the way. Today’s featured Cherokee is a 1986 Laredo model in attractive red with black accents and fender flares. It comes with fog lamps, roof rails, a swing-away rear spare tire, and prominent Cherokee Chief rocker panel decals.
Under the hood, power comes from a 2.5-liter inline-four that was rated at 117 horsepower and 135 lb-ft of torque when new. Jeep’s “Command-Trac” four-wheel drive system with shift-on-the-fly capability was noted for its all-terrain capabilities. The chassis also came with a Quadra-Link solid axle front suspension, power front disc and rear drum brakes, and front and rear stabilizer bars.
This Cherokee is ready to serve its new owner for many more miles. It’s boxy, but it’s beautiful. Most XJ Cherokees have been used (and abused) by now, so you better act swiftly to make a move if it catches your eye. The asking price is $15,900.
Find this listing in the Pick of the Day archives on ClassicCars.com.
Source: www.classiccars.com