Rad Luxury: 1989 Jeep Cherokee XJ Wagoneer – Sold?

February 23, 2021 Update – We just confirmed the listing for this “Classifind” expired, so with no replacement found we’re assuming this ride “Sold?” While this one got away, please reach out either by email or call Rudy directly if you’d like to be informed when we come across something similar.

There’s no doubt that the XJ-series Jeep Cherokee has been a modern collectible for quite some time. But if you wish to stand out from the crowd with an XJ that doesn’t come around too often, then check out this rare Cherokee Wagoneer original listed in January 2021 on Craigslist on Florida’s Space Coast for $8,500 with 161,000 miles and a nicely preserved leather interior. Comparing this price against the Hagerty Insurance Online Valuation Tool (which, admittedly, doesn’t break out the Wagoneer trim specifically) confirms this private seller has his Cherokee priced between the #2 “Excellent” appraisal of $15,000 and the #3 “Good” estimate of $7,100. A minor fender-bender that left the title branded as a “Rebuilt” example has much to do with the lower asking price, so plan on an in-person inspection if you want to take this Wagoneer home. 

The big brother to this truck, the Grand Wagoneer, has been a staple of the collectible SUV crowd for quite some time. Loved by Jeep enthusiasts for their go-anywhere abilities and impressive hardware right out of the box, the Grand Wagoneer has also seen its values spike as a result of the vacation property owners wanting a vintage square body SUV parked out front as the perfect coastal accessory. It’s not surprising to see the occasional bit of virtual eye-rolling when a Grand Wagoneer pops up for sale with an asking price north of $50K, but it’s also not uncommon to see the better examples trade hands for that amount. With that in mind, a Cherokee in Wagoneer Limited trim offers a similar high-grade experience, but typically for a much lower cost of entry.

The King Rose Archives YouTube Channel currently has this vintage footage of a similar XJ Wagoneer been driven around:

As this example shows us, the Wagoneer Limited trim gets you the fake woodgrain paneling along the sides; leather seats with custom embroidery; and simulated woodgrain trim on the dash. It’s a nice package, and it still looks the part today. Despite residing in Florida, this truck doesn’t appear to suffer from any major sun fade or other heat-related damage, and the leather seating surfaces appear to be in fine shape as well. The seller notes it has been repainted and that it was originally a South Carolina truck with no rust damage before or after the respray, but that it was hit 40,000 miles ago, which is what caused it to have a rebuilt title. While he’s correct that it’d almost certainly be worth more with a clean title, there’s no getting around it – but it’s a great opportunity to get into one of these miniature Grand Wagoneers for well under $10,000. Good luck with the purchase if you decide to make this Cherokee Wagoneer your own!

Here’s the seller’s description:

“1989 WAGONEER LIMITED OPTION FOR CHEROKEE – THIS IS A SMALLER VERSION OF THE GRAND WAGONEER – LOOKS LIKE THE GRAND WAGONEER ONLY SMALLER…SAME STYLE AND FEEL…40,000 MILES AGO A MINOR REAR END ACCIDENT RENDERED THE TITLE AS REBUILT – CARFAX LISTED IT AS MINOR – IF TITLE WAS CLEAN THIS WOULD BE $5 TO $8,000 MORE – NEW TIRES, NEW BRAKES, NEW PAINT – A CAROLINA CAR WITHOUT ANY RUST EVER – RUNS GREAT AND LOOKS GOOD…A CHANCE TO GET INTO THE CLASSIC CAR HOBBY FOR A SMALL PRICE.“

Do you have a Jeep Cherokee Wagoneer story you’d like to share?  Comment below and let us know!