ah, finally, a question on something i know a good bit about....
the wranglers are great vehicles.....depending on who you talk to.
i drove and wheeled an '88 wrangler, 2.5 4 banger, 5 speed. 200k on the odo, in rough shape.
they dont handle all that great. the older YJ's are leaf springs, so you'll feel the bumps when you hit them. if you're hoping for a plush ride....you will be sorely mistaken.
the steering, at least compared to my WJ, seemed very slow. i did a u-turn when wheeling, felt like i'd never stop turning the wheel.
if you end up getting a YJ (86-97 i believe), and it is a 2.5 model, AVOID THE PEUGEOT 5 SPEED MANUAL. dont mess around with me on this- the poo-got tranny is a heap. i'm not sure if the one i drove had the peugot trans or the jeep AX-5, but it had very long gear throws and a good bit of slop. however, despite driving in the middle of the Pine Barrens of Jackson, i was able to find every single gear every time. i'm pretty sure it's almost impossible to miss a shift, the gates are simply that far from one another. if you do end up with one with the peugot trans, plan on swapping it, because it will most likely **** the bed on you , and parts for them are not cheap.
overall though, they are VERY fun to drive. i'd own one in a heartbeat. and chances are my next jeep will be a TJ with a 5 speed manual. the engines are bulletproof, provided simple maintenance is done. by the way, the 4 cylinder is gutless.