Help! Buying a Jeep and it may have problems! Advice!

Hey there. My first post and I know nothing about cars. And sadly, I live about 2,000 miles away from any friend/family that could help me.

I may buy a used 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee TSI (V8), however the owner says that there *might* be something wrong with the differential, he's not sure. He says it runs great, but when you go over 45 miles an hour it makes a "swooshing" noise.

Its a beautiful SUV, exactly what I've been looking for-including a great price.

Does anyone know what this "swooshing" sound might be? And if its the differential-how much would that cost me? The price is right for the Jeep, but if I have to pay a ton of money to have it fixed, I can't afford it. I driven the car yet as its about 100 miles away and I can only go down once. Should I request from the seller that the car be inspected before I purchase it?

Please respond as soon as possible-I have to let the guy know right away. Thanks to everyone for any help!

Niki

Should I request from the seller that the car be inspected before I purchase it?
Niki

Without hesitation! And have it inspected by someone of your choice not by somebody he knows or one of his buddies. A dealer although pricy would be my choice as it would be cheaper for them to inspect it then it will be for you to replace when goes out on your way home.

go to a 4x4 shop that specializes in 4x4 they would be your best bet

45237? wow, i used to live in amberly village up until a few months ago. now i'm in southern california. anyways, there's a shop called donovans on ridge road. their number is in the book. they are one of the best mechanics i've used. i would give them a call. i would guess it's a drive shaft. maybe a u-joint. hard to say without seeing it obviously. i assume it's 4x4. i would recommend a selec-trac versus the full time 4x4 quadra-trac or quadra drive models if you have the option just because of long term maintainence costs. test drive it and listen to the car. i always ask the dealer or owner to leave it off before i get there so i can cold start it. listen for any ticks or weird noises. drive the car on a highway and around slow speeds, look at the brake pads (if you know what they look like) and see if they look worn. turn the car around in a tight radius if it has full time 4x4 and listen for any noises from steering or driveline. check the cd player and all the electronics. accelerate slowly up through all the gears and make sure they all shift smoothly. ask for maintainence records as well.

TSI's & 5.9 Limited models are a rare find. I was looking for a TSI when I found my 5.9 Limited. It is the best vehicle I have owned in over 30 years. By all means, have it checked out. Hopefully it's nothing serious. Good luck.

Always look for an independant guy who specializes in Jeeps, I have a great one in The OC (CA) but don't know anyone in your neck of the world.

Thanks for all of your help. I've found a very nice guy who is willing to look at it and has helped me with the entire process.

We pick it up tomorrow and I couldn't be more excited!

Enjoy & Congrats!

If you end up buying it, Happy Jeeping! =)