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1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 5.2 V8 Quadra-drive 4x4 No Reserve! Extra T-case on 2040-cars

Year:1996 Mileage:172000 Color: The exterior of the vehicle has seen better days
Location:

Morgantown, West Virginia, United States

Morgantown, West Virginia, United States

Up for sale is a 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo with approximately 172,000 miles on it.  I have owned the vehicle for about two years now and it has treated me well and never left me stranded, however I am selling because I am heading back to school soon and am running on a tight budget and would like to save a little bit more money beforehand.  

Let me start by saying the vehicle is not perfect and does have some flaws, however it runs and drives absolutely flawlessly.  I will provide a brief description of the engine, transmission, transfer case, interior, exterior, and miscellaneous items in the description.  


Engine
The engine is the 5.2L Naturally Aspirated 318 V8 engine.  The radiator, A/C compressor, crank sensor, cam sensor, battery, and all of the relays have recently been replaced.  The engine runs strong, is very powerful, and does not overheat.  The radiator fan clutch operates as it should and engages on hot days when the coolant temperature starts to increase.  In addition, the engine does not leak any fluids.  Although not present in any of the pictures, the check engine light is not lit during operation.  

Transmission
The transmission is the standard Torque-Flite 44RE, that was taken off of a 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo.  When I purchased the vehicle, the transmission made a horrific grinding sound during acceleration.  Because of this, I purchased a new (but used) transmission and torque converter and installed them myself last summer.  Now, the transmission shifts flawlessly, and has no problems whatsoever.  The transmission does not leak any fluid, and a new transmission oil pan and gasket were installed as well.

Transfer Case
The transfer case on this vehicle is the model NP249 "Quadra Drive".  This is one of the best AWD systems even by today's standards.  The transfer case works perfectly, and does not make any grinding sounds whatsoever.  The Viscous Coupler (VC) is also in good working order, and the vehicle does not hop or skip even when moving around sharp turns.  The vehicle also comes with an additional NP249 transfer case, which can be installed in this vehicle when the VC does eventually wear down.  The current transfer case has approximately 144,000 miles on it and the additional transfer case has approximately 177,000 miles, however, the VC was replaced around 100,000 miles.   

Brakes
The brakes on this vehicle have been completely redone.  The rotors are still in great condition and were not replaced, however the calipers and pads have been replaced on all four wheels.  Brakes are definitely not an issue with this vehicle.  

Exterior
The exterior of the vehicle has seen better days, however it is still not in "terrible" condition.  The biggest problems are that there is some rust on the tail-gate, some rush on the front of the hood (hence the bug-shield on the hood), and the clear coat is starting to peel on the roof of the vehicle (see pictures).  Also, some the paint on the wheels of the vehicle is starting to peel as well, although the tires themselves are still in good condition, and probably have another 15,000 miles left on them. I would rate the exterior of the car to be "average" for the cars age.  It is not "rust free", however it is not "filled" with rust either.  

Interior
What this vehicle lacks on the outside, it makes up for on the inside.  The inside of the vehicle is perfect.  The headliner does not sag at all, and the seats are in mint condition and are not torn at all.  The dash does not have any cracks or tears in the material.  The interior of this vehicle looks absolutely brand new.  Also, the radio works perfectly, as it should, and in addition, two brand new speakers have been installed in the two front doors.

Climate Control
The climate control on this vehicle works as it should.  The heater core is still in good condition and blows nice, hot air even in extremely low temperatures.  The Air Conditioning also performs its duty in the summer months, however I do believe there is a small leak in the A/C system.  Upon changing out the A/C Compressor (Summer 2013), I completely recharged the A/C.  Almost a year later (Summer 2014) I noticed the air conditioning wasn't as cold as it usually is.  After adding a small amount of refrigerant, the A/C system now performs as it should and blows nice cool air so you aren't roasting on a hot day.  The blend doors open and close as they should and have no problems whatsoever.  

Cons
As mentioned above, the car is not perfect and does have some flaws to it.  These gremlins have never been a huge issue to me, however they are still there none the less.  Please note that some of these issues will be fixed before the car is picked up, however I would like to make note of them in case you wish to come view the car beforehand.

1)  Exterior Problems - As mentioned in the "Exterior" section, the car does have some rust on the bottom of the tailgate, and on the hood of the vehicle, and also the clear coat of the roof is starting to peel away.  These do not in any way affect how the car runs or drives, just the way it looks. 

2)  Lug Nut - One of the lug nuts was is so stripped and so seized up that it has to be drilled out by the dealership.  This problem will be fixed before the car is picked up at no additional charge to the buyer.

3)  Floor-Shifter - The floor shifter is currently out of align, so whenever the position lever reads "Drive", the car is really in neutral.  In order to get the car in drive, you have to shift all the way down to "2", which will engage the transmission to the "D" position.  The good news is that there is a recall on this part and it will be performed before the car is picked up.  

4)  Dash Lights - Something goofy is going on with these lights that I have not yet found a solution for.  Basically when you turn the headlights on, the dash lights (rather than staying bright and lit up), will sometimes flicker from being bright, to dim, bright, to dim.  I have suspected a bad ground somewhere, however I have personally checked all the connections and I have not found the culprit yet.  However, this problem goes away when the lights are set to the dimmest setting possible.  The headlights themselves do stay on, and do not flicker.  It is only the dash lights that flicker.  I will try to fix this problem before the car is picked up, however please plan on this problem not being fixed if you decide to place a bid.  

5)  Tow Hitch - The tow hitch is extremely rusty.  The only reason I feel this is a problem is if you have to tow something, I would be careful about the possibility of the hitch rusting out.  The car would be safe to tow a personal watercraft or a fishing boat, however I wouldn't recommend towing 6,000 lbs or greater.  Doing so would be pushing the car, and the tow hitch to it's limits.

6)  Drivers Side Door Lock - The keyhole in the driver's side door is completely seized up, although the lock itself still works on the driver's side door.  If you use the keyless entry (remote) with this vehicle, this will not be a problem, however it is only when you have the spare key is when this could potentially pose a problem.  The passenger side key-hole still works just fine, so it is possible to enter the car with just the spare key even when fully locked, however it can be rather annoying if done repeated times.  

Before Pickup
A state inspection will not be performed on the vehicle because the registration is currently expired.  However, I will personally have a trusted, certified mechanic of mine check everything over and perform any repairs necessary to pass.  In addition, before the vehicle is picked up, the following services will be performed by myself.  

1)  Wash and Wax
2)  Thoroughly clean out the interior
3)  Recheck that no fluids are leaking and perform any repairs necessary
4)  Flush the heater core
5)  Completely recharge the A/C
6)  Clean the engine bay
7)  Check all connections, make any corrections if necessary
8)  Test drive the vehicle and make sure it is safe, and will pass a state inspection


Personal Guarantee 
I have tried to give as much information possible regarding this vehicle, and if you have any questions as a buyer, please do not hesitate to message me.  However, I do understand that buyer a car over the internet can make you skeptical as a bidder since you may not have the chance to test drive it beforehand.  Because of this you have my personal guarantee that if you are the winning bidder, and after test driving are unsatisfied with the vehicle's condition, you will be completely refunded of your deposit, and will not be required to pay the remaining balance of the item.  The vehicle will then be re-listed. This is to protect you as a buyer so you will not have to worry about being scammed, and can bid with confidence!

I will be out of town until Monday the 28th, so if you wish to view the vehicle in person, it will have to be on Tuesday the 29th or later.  

I am not opposed to shipping, however, the only way I will ship the vehicle is a) If the buyer pays for all shipping costs and b) if the buyer makes all the shipping arrangements necessary.  International shipping is not an option.

Last but not least, I have the title in hand, original operator's manual, and two sets of keys.  

If you have any questions at all regarding the item, please don't hesitate to message me.  I will be more than happy to answer your questions.  Thank you for viewing my auction, and happy bidding!  

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