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Understanding what jeeps are worth

3K views 13 replies 9 participants last post by  Rock2Top 
#1 ·
So I've been spending a lot of time looking at Wranglers for sale, I have been looking at every 97-2016 Jeep in my area, and they all seem overpriced. I don't know a ton about jeeps and I have never owned one before, but from what I have read on here, they would all be considered to be overpriced. And I'm trying to figure out why and see if there is a way around it. Could it be where I live? I live in Northern California and well it seems like everything is more expensive here. I recently found a 2009 4 door Rubicon, very nice looking wrangler, It has some upgraded wheels and tires, and a hard top, but other than that everything appears to be stock (the post on craigslist isn't super detailed) and it's black. But heres the catch, It has a salvage title, Seems like everyone on here says to avoid salvage title wranglers and I would agree with that. But just for the hell of it, I decided to look into it a little more, immediately I thought it was overpriced, It's got 130k miles and they are asking $17,000. I went on kelly blue book and the recommended price for a Wrangler of this year and mileage is around $15,500, but thats with a clean title?? So why is it most jeeps in my area are overpriced? Should I look to buy in other states? Some of my friends recommended I tried doing that but I'm not sure how feasible it is to buy a car out of state and register it in California, especially if I'm already a resident.

Any input is appreciated,
Anyways thanks for reading and enjoy your day =)
 
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#4 ·
I think it's all about supply and demand. The supply is low and the demand is high. They are the "in" vehicle. New they cost as much as a 1/2 ton 4x4 and don't ride as good or as quiet. I have seen used ones for as much as new. Their MPG is sad. They have the best off road ability but many never see more than a dirt road if that. The roofs can leak, they have some wind noise. The options and aftermarket items cost like they are gold. Yet, I am drawn to them like a moth to the flame.
As far as the Cal register, I think all vehicles are made with Cal smog now and have for some time now.
 
#5 ·
As far as the Cal register, I think all vehicles are made with Cal smog now and have for some time now.
Correct. I've bought six or so vehicles, new and used, out of state and have never had a problem registering them. Even bought a Canada spec BMW and had the dealer drive it over the border, importing it on the way. That one was California legal, albeit with a metric instrument cluster. Warranties all apply, even the Canada car.

The way it worked in Utah was they financed the car locally through Wells Fargo, including estimated sales tax for the vehicle. Once the financing cleared, they mailed me the check for sales tax. I then went to DMV to pay fees and have it inspected.

Other than the derpy mud flaps, there was nothing different about a Utah vehicle.
 
#6 ·
The problem with hot selling models, like Wranglers are, is that everyone who own one thinks s/he can get whaterever they want for it.

There are gems to be had, even in California, but you need to be patient and look for them. It's not uncommon to spend 2-4 months looking for the right one at the right price to pop up. And yes, sometimes it'll be out of state.

Good luck.
 
#9 ·
People love Wranglers. There is not really anything else like them on the market. This causes them to hold their value.

The salvaged title is a concern for obvious reasons, and makes financing difficult. However, I have seen Wranglers with a salvaged title sell for close to the same price as a clear title.
 
#10 ·
Pricing on used wranglers is a bit of a crap shoot. I did quite a bit of reading on here and got a pretty good idea of what I should pay if buying new, and also got a pretty good idea of what used values should be. I thought that certainly in Colorado, where there are more jeeps than people, I would be able to find a reasonably priced, well taken care of Jeep that was close to what I wanted. After 6 months or so of looking at overpriced beaters and barely used machines with $10k of mall bling I started expanding my search nationwide using Autotrader. It may have taken over a year, but I did manage to find the exact Jeep I was looking for. I had to fly out to San Francisco last weekend and drive it back to Colorado. Even with the plane ticket and return fuel cost, I probably still paid $3500-4000 less than if I had found the same Jeep locally.
You've found a great resource in this forum. If you see a Jeep that isn't local, you may be able to get someone on here to check it out for you. There are a ton of used keeps out there. Be patient and you will find what you are looking for.
 
#14 ·
Buying a Jeep is like buying a horse.... the Jeep ends up being cheap... compared to all the other stuff you end up buying for it in the long run that gets expensive. Jeeps and horses are not cheap hobbies. So find your best deal and go enjoy it!!!!!
 
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