In keeping with the advert, at this time’s Good Value or No Cube Cherokee wants “some love.” Extra exactly, it wants a brand new or rebuilt transmission. Let’s see if it’s priced to miss that sizable flaw.

There are specific issues in life value hanging onto: that first greenback you ever earned; a cushty pair of previous blue denims for the weekends; and many others. You get the concept. Sadly for its vendor, few of you felt yesterday’s 1980 Datsun 510 wagon was a automobile value protecting round. Good because it was—described within the advert as being in “unbelievable unique situation”—it didn’t appear to search out favor at its $13,900 asking worth. That substantial sum resulted in an equally substantial 88 % No Cube loss to kick off our week.

The 1998 Jeep Cherokee 2-door, the destiny of which we’re considering at this time,e seems simply as good as yesterday’s Datsun, however it’s nearly 20 years newer and is a mannequin that enjoys an honest following so it’s not sudden to need to have it stick round.

The issue, nonetheless, is that it would simply stick round—actually—owed to a nasty gearbox. In keeping with the advert, the five-speed handbook in query seemingly “works superb and shifts easily” The grievance is that when underway it whines loudly and, including insult to damage, it apparently additionally leaks oil.

Now, you would possibly suppose that this being a Jeep and Jeeps, on the whole, being 4WD, coping with transmission bother can be a serious ache within the butt. The excellent news right here is that this Jeep seems to be poverty spec and is 2WD solely. Which means no switch case to wrestle with so the transmission should simply be yanked in the midst of a morning and a alternative shoved again up in earlier than it’s even beer o’clock.

The higher information is that the Aisin-Warner AX5 gearbox appears fairly plentiful on eBay with examined items going from anyplace from $500 to $1,000 plus transport. Alternatively, an area junkyard would probably have a slew. For the formidable with time on their arms, rebuild kits can be found for even lower than a used field.

However is the remainder of the truck definitely worth the funding and time? Once more, that is the cheap-seats version of the old-school Cherokee. Which means Armstrong window winders and, extra worryingly, Jeep’s 2.5-liter OHV 4 beneath the hood. That solely makes a modest 121 horsepower and 139 lb-ft of torque, a lot lower than its six-cylinder massive brothers. Then once more, it is a 2WD truck so it’s unlikely that any heroics shall be requested of the engine and, of their help, these are fairly dependable mills.

One luxurious on the truck is air-con and that apparently works. The passenger door lock and radio don’t, making this, within the vendor’s phrases a “Nice venture for the house mechanic.” There are solely 113,400 miles on the ol’ ticker, and the truck comes with a really first rate presentation and a clear title. For weekend runabout responsibility this could serve admirably as soon as the transmission and different minor points are addressed.

That every one brings us again to the advert. It states that the Jeep shall be on sale for one week at its present asking worth, however after that, the vendor will repair the transmission (however not the door lock nor radio) and can then “modify the value accordingly.” That was two weeks in the past and the advert nonetheless stands. That asking worth with the leaky, whiny transmission is $5,000.

What do you consider that worth and this elbow grease-needing Jeep? Does that appear like a deal for some DIY? Or, does the remainder of the Cherokee not add as much as being value that a lot even after the repair?

You resolve!

Phoenix, Arizona, Craigslist, or go right here if the advert disappears.

H/T to Don R. for the hookup!

Assist me out with NPOND. Hit me up at remslie@kinja.com and ship me a fixed-price tip. Keep in mind to incorporate your Kinja deal with.