..and are they reliable enough for a daily driver with a ~10 mile commute. I dont want to spend more than $8k..
All of the above comments are very good. Here are some additional thoughts. I drive my 1985 CJ almost daily, weather permitting.
Yes, a CJ can be reliable enough as a daily driver. One challenge is that many CJs will been modified in various ways (large tires, higher lift, heavy bumpers, etc) that make them less than ideal as a daily driver. Ideally a daily driver should have stock sized tires or at least not too large (31" is good). Once you start running larger tires and higher lift, you're decreasing the fuel economy, making the handling worse, and possibly introducing other undesirable issues to the geometry and mechanics of the original design. A suspension or body lift makes the Jeep taller which increases wind resistance which theoretically hurts the MPG. (Note that your fuel economy will never be great, even with an all-stock Jeep) When a Jeep is lifted, the steering geometry is changed and this causes many people a lot of steering problems.
Also regarding a daily driver, be aware of the following issues: Most CJs will not have air conditioning. Many will not have a working heater. These can of course be repaired or added. CJs are noisy to drive without a top. A soft top or hard top make for a quieter drive. Having a basic tool kit and some auto repair skill is a big plus.
An other issue, as was mentioned, is that CJs are 30+ years old. This means that parts that were originally intended to last for 10 or 15 years are way past their expected lives. Examples are axle seals, steering box, electrical connections, rubber parts (ie: body mounts), master cylinder, and dozens of other things. Even a good running CJ will start having intermittent problems once you start driving it daily as weak parts wear out under the daily load. An example of this is the brake system: Say you install new brake pads and shoes on week 1. After a few months of driving, you notice a new leak and determine that a wheel cylinder is leaking brake fluid. Now you have to replace that which means pulling apart the drum brakes again. Or, maybe the leak isn't brake fluid, but gear oil leaking from the axle because the seals are bad. How do you know if it's brake fluid or gear oil? At what point do you replace all of the suspect parts and hope you fix the issue? More time and money are spent.
Also as was mentioned, rust comes into play here. After 30+ years you may need the replace something like the worn out rubber body mounts and find that you can't get half the bolts out because they're rusted into place. CJs will also likely have rust in common areas on the frame and body. A glossy paint job and 1/2" of body filler will hide rusty body areas for a couple of years but the problems will always reveal themselves again.
As with any old vehicle, basic regular maintenance can be neglected by all of the previous owners. Don't assume anyone has changed the oil in the transfer case ever. On a Jeep this includes belts, hoses, brakes, engine/transmission/differential/transfer case oils, and engine coolant.
CJs have some inherent weak areas that make them less ideal than modern vehicles. Specifically, this includes the older technology ignition systems/distributors, and carburetors. These problems can be reduced or avoided in a number of ways. You can get a number of different new ignition systems from a "one wire" GM-style unit from DUI to other units from MSD. On the carburetor front, you have many options from rebuilt used to new such as the Weber 38. You can also ditch carbs totally and install an expensive but more reliable fuel injection-based system.
If it's not obvious already, being your own mechanic for a CJ is the only way most of us can afford to own and drive a CJ. There is nothing wrong with paying a mechanic to work on your CJ, however. Most general auto repair shops won't work on a vehicle that old for various reasons. So, you're looking at a 4x4 or specialty shop for service. If you do find a regular repair shop that will work on a CJ, they might make it their lowest priority and you might find it takes 2 weeks to get it back. So there goes your daily driver. So that restricts your options if you pay a mechanic to work on the CJ. If you're your own mechanic, that's a
money saver but not a
time saver. You can spend hours under the CJ to fix one problem.
On the repair issue, Jeep CJ parts (especially the 1977 and newer) and fairly cheap and easy to find both new and used. AMC used many common parts such as GM steering columns, so the parts and tools for that are common. Brake parts, alternators, lamps, belts, hoses, and those kinds of things are common and reasonably priced. Aftermarket parts are available from various vendors, although some of them are of poor quality like shift boots. Other vendors that specialize in things like steering shafts, ignition systems, suspension lifts, and similar make great products.