I have owned Fords my entire life as my family has. We have never had any issues with Ford standing by their products.
We bought our 99 Sahara for my wife to use as a commuter vehicle. It is what she wanted. Our TJ gets driven about 60 miles a week.
Comparing new with old, it's the little things. Decent cup holders, back up camera, AC that was an option on TJ/JK Wranglers and hands free calling are all things that were must haves on our Sahara. I got the AC but had to add the other things.
When buying used, the more specific you are with what you want, the smaller the pool of available vehicles.
I wanted: Unmodified, 6 cylinder, AT, AC, light color, hardtop, airbags. I looked at many Wranglers, TJ's and JK's before I settled on our 99. I am sure I overpaid, but I got what I wanted. New paint, no rust and mechanically sound were also bonus points.
Good luck in your search.