Hey Ferm......

[THEFERMANATOR]

Originally Posted by C YENSEN

i have heard the front ends and axles are bad? and the fuel mileage is 15 on the highway

The front ends are troublesome if it is a full time 4WD model, the 2WD didn't give alot of trouble. If it has the aluminum rear axle in it, then it is a PITA MFer that is forever giving trouble. Most of the V8's in 97 and 98 got the aluminum housinged DANA 44 that was a constant nightmare of problems due to CHRYSLER assembling them incorrectly from the factory. The good news is that a reman from CHRYSLER didn't use to cost much because of all the issues with them. Since you say it's a 98 with a V8 and I don't see the hood scoops on it, that it is a 5.2L. If so there a good proven engine that gave minimal trouble. The common problem on the 5.2L/5.9L's were the intake gaskets, but CHRYSLER now has a revised steel gasket you can put in them to fix them. If it is a full time 4X4 then the transfer cases also gave trouble in them if you put straight ATF back in them. They need a limited slip additive added to them although CHRYSLER didn't put that in the owners manual. The transmission in that thing would be my biggest fear of any. 60,000-100,000 is considered the life of them, but many failed ALOT sooner. Those 44RE's kept the tranny guy busy at the dealership I worked at. Although most all of the GRAND's from 93-98 used that same POS CHRYSLER slush box design.

$3800 sounds reasoneable, but with the way those things use gas(15MPG is considered good, 17MPG is considered excellent, and I knew one lady who got 20 out of hers but she NEVER hit the throttle in it) there resale has plummeted. I would have the tranny serviced in it first and see what the inside of the tranny pan looks like.