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Aspiring TJ Owner

3K views 46 replies 22 participants last post by  Area51 
#1 ·
Hey guys! Brand new to the WranglerForum and really wanted to get some help from the real experienced people enjoying their TJ's. I've been looking around for a month now with a few good looks but the sellers didn't seem very motivated to sell (Can't say I blame them!) Right now i'm between two Jeeps:

a 99' 4.0 with 66K miles on it, completely stock (No lift etc.) Soft top and half doors. The individual was asking for 11K but I've managed to convince him enough to bring it around KBB Price.

vs

a 98' 4.0 with 140K has a new sound bar, besides that the car is stock. HAs some rust but from the looks of the pictures not too bad. He's asking 6k Obo (KBB says 5K)

I want this car to be my DD, but I want to know if I should just plunge for the lower mileage TJ that's a little more expensive vs the cheaper one. Sorry for the lengthy post but I want to know as much as I can before hand to make a solid decision and anything else that'll help for negotiating.

Thanks!
 
#3 ·
X2, grab the 99. Soft doors, unmolested, no rust.

Just know that you are looking at an 18 year old vehicle. Dont be surprised when your spending alot on maintenance to get it in tip top shape.
 
#7 ·
This is what I did. Very good tactic

Look around craigslist in ( CANADA )

Its cheaper, and better. No offense, but they take care of their jeeps, compared to the dealers in the states.

I picked up a beauty in Montreal this summer
Around 6000 canadian dollars, (extra 1k USD of work in the past months)
It was a Jeep Wrangler TJ 1999
Came with 4.0 bluetooth
New soundbar + bass boos
Custom LED's on headlights

I'd say this is the way to go if you want a jeep, but don't have the large budget.
 
#8 ·
Make sure you check very carefully for rust. These TJs are notorious for rust, and if you see some on the outside of the frame you can bet that the inside is even worse because they rust from the inside out. Try to find one with no rust, and if you can't then bring a little inspection camera and make sure the inside of the frame looks ok.
 
#10 ·
Thanks for the idea, i'm out in Washington DC so buy a car in Canada would be difficult but it can't hurt to look around. I've been warned about the rust so i've asked every TJ that i've been interested to send me pictures of the frame. Most are honest and will send them, but i've had a few get upset at me asking the question.
 
#14 ·
Check out this FB page:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/JeepPartsClassifieds/

Do you have mechanical knowledge & welding/cutting/grinding skills? If so, the rust is not a huge deal as Auto Rust Technicians make frame repair caps:

Jeep Frame Repair | Quadratec

I just did this on my TJ 2 weekends ago. Now, if you do not have that type of experience or do not want to pay a shop to do it, start looking south. Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina. It will be worth the trip to find a nice rust free TJ if you are planning to keep it for a long time. Just make sure to get a lot of photos and have them verify both the outward and inward side of the frame is good.

-Rick
 
#15 ·
When i was looking for a TJ i stayed very patient, actually took me 2yrs.
Finally found exactly what I was looking for, low mileage, rust free.
If the Jeep was well maintained you won't have to worry about the longevity of the 4.0 as they just keep on going.
Don't compromise, get the options you like, it's out there.
 
#16 ·
Whatever you do, make sure you GET IT INSPECTED! I can't believe how many people buy vehicles without an inspection and then complain when they have major problems with it after bringing it home. I would never, ever spend thousands of dollars on a vehicle without taking it to a mechanic to get checked out. Depending on the mechanic, you may pay up to $100 for an inspection. That's a drop in the bucket compared to what you'll pay if you get it home and find several puddles under it the next morning.
 
#29 ·
Found a 99 TJ Sahara with 165000, although he claims the previous owner (70 year old man) would haul in around on an RV so the miles might be inflated. He owned it for a month but found out he needed more space. Checked it out today and it looked pretty nice, she drove well and had no problems (That I could notice at least) and she did need a little TLC but i guess that's what to expect from a 18 year old car. He originally wanted 7500 but talked him down to 6500. Should I take it?
 
#37 ·
I own both a TJ and an XJ (just bought one). Now rust is certainly a major concern but it's not the end of the world. The XJ I just bought I learned was titled in NJ (didn't even think to look) it's spotting rust all over the undercarriage but it's just surface rust. Now the components look awful but if you like working on cars then who cares, replace as needed. Crawl under it and check the frame with a flashlight, surface rust can be dealt with but look for bubbling, cracking, and holes. Those aren't worth the trouble.

Now, more importantly, once you buy it pull up the carpet....all of it. Inspect the tub in there, your inspection underneath didn't find any holes so the inside should be clean or simply surface rust. Now if there is surface rust, (my TJ and the XJ both had lots of surface rust on the driver's seat foot area) sand it and bedline. I took this time to do a full bedline of the inside of the TJ (I will be doing the same for the XJ). At these time you could put the carpet back in but most don't as it holds moisture, salt, and water. If you want to run them run some good rubber mats and empty them out when they fill with snow.

Lastly, the XJ I just bought has 123k miles on it. For the mileage and clean stock set up it was worth it to me (despite the rust). I do all my work, and I enjoy little projects. From what I've always known, this isn't high mileage for the I6. When I brought her home the coolant was backed up and bubbling everywhere. Had to do a huge flush, it was a pain and clearly hadn't been maintained. Things to check:

-frame (front, back, middle -- check closely where the tranny skid meets the frame)

- body (check for bubbling, especially fenders, pull up carpet where you can, check from underneath. Also, look for mud, scratches, dents under the jeep in places it shouldn't be. that will tell you if they wheeled it, assess from there...)

- leaks (it's common, easy fix, but be aware of what may need some maintenance...engine/oil pan, transmission, transfercase, and axles)

- check the rear axle, dana 44 is preferable if you're wheeling, usually comes with a dana 35 which is ehh but if you're not wheeling it won't matter. check the steering components on the front, do the joints look ripped, old, or super rusty

- check interior (AC, heat (this could hint about coolant, my XJ had poor heat and as such the coolant was a mess), window cranks, lights, radio, dash codes

-check engine bay, oil dipstick, general cleanliness (engine bay will be very dirty if they went mudding)

- during your test drive, test the 4 wheel drive, 4 hi and 4 lo (test by doing a tight turn in 4 hi and the jeep should bind up -- don't hang onto the steer wheel, just feel for a slight bind and you'll know it works), does it shift smoothly, how does the engine sound, listen for clicking, squealing, and clunking (signs of ujoint failure, bad brakes, bad ball joints), how's the steering, do the headlights work, radio, all the vents blowing air, do the selectors work....lastly get it on the highway if you can (I didn't) and see how it drives, will the wheels need balanced etc.

I know I'm missing stuff but you get the idea, checking all this stuff doesn't take long it's just thorough. When I popped the cap off the coolant reservoir it looked disgusting so I knew I was going to have some work to do. That's all you're doing here, assessing what may need to be done. If you catch some items (say a bad ujoint) don't turn it down, the jeep will not be perfect. Just know you'll need to do some work on it, or put a few extra bones down to have it done. I made some mistakes on the XJ, I was a little lenient with the rust, I have some work to do haha. The TJs go for a premium, the XJ you can find for much cheaper just FYI.

Lastly DO NOT BUY ANYTHING WITH AN INLINE 4. Everyone always regrets it, it has no power. On top of that, no one wants it so you'd never sell it if you really had to. Hope this helps, I urge you to take the time to look at Jeeps, there's no free lunches in the world, if something is cheap it's because something is wrong with it. be careful!
 
#40 ·
I own both a TJ and an XJ (just bought one). Now rust is certainly a major concern but it's not the end of the world. The XJ I just bought I learned was titled in NJ (didn't even think to look) it's spotting rust all over the undercarriage but it's just surface rust. Now the components look awful but if you like working on cars then who cares, replace as needed. Crawl under it and check the frame with a flashlight, surface rust can be dealt with but look for bubbling, cracking, and holes. Those aren't worth the trouble!
You sir are my hero, this is amazing information. Thank You! I've been looking around a lot for TJ's (I turned down the one I spoke of previously in the thread) and now am looking at one that's about 3 hours from where I live. Before I make the trip down there I want to make sure the Jeep is worth actually going to see in person. The guy has sent me pictures of it,

98 TJ Sahara I6 with 150k
here are some of the things it comes with:
9000 lb, 100 ft Winch
- 2" diameter tubing bumper system
- CB Radio hook up.
- Bushwacker Flat Style Flares
- 2" Lift
- Skyjacker Shocks
- 32x12.50x15 All-Terrain Tires
- Skyjacker Steering Stabilizer
- LED Headlights
- Option (wiring/switch/relay) for Fog/aux lights.
- 2" receiver hitch
- Quick disconnect sway bar links
- Waterproof Kenwood Stereo w/ AUX and USB hookup.
-Soft Top
-Full hard doors
-Upholstery in Excellent Condition
-Heat works exceptionally well
-No AC
-Oil changes done every 5,000 miles
-interior is 9/10

Now the AC concerned me but he said that it didn't come with AC from the factory
The guy has been nice enough to send me some picture of the belly and from my rookie knowledge doesn't look bad (I'll post if anyone is willing to give me insight) he's asking 7500 or OBO but like I said i'd like to know what to ask him prior to going out to see it.
thanks!
 
#43 ·
Good Deals (for a jeep) can be found if you are patient and are ready to jump on it. If you procrastinate it will be gone.

Lots of good advice above. Looking at as many jeeps in as you can (your price range) well you know a good deal when you see one.

I didn't see where you posted your mechanical knowledge so If you are able to do a lot of maintenance and repairs your self then you have a little flexibility i.e. you see small problems that you know you can fix. If on the other hand you can not do your own repairs finding a lower mileage (possibly one owner jeep) is definitely worth a few extra dollars. It doesn't take to many trips to the shop to burn up a couple thousand dollars.

Just remember once you buy it you own it, if the owner threw a lot of shinny stuff on it to attract attention it might not be worth your time.

Regarding the specs of the last jeep you posted, these are my thoughts
- 2" diameter tubing bumper system (if you plan to off road these are not that strong)
- CB Radio hook up. (is this just the wiring, if so not much value there)
- Bushwacker Flat Style Flares (great product)
- 2" Lift (spring lift and brand? If this is a Budget boost not a big deal they are cheap, other than install)
- Skyjacker Shocks (not the best brand on the market)
- 32x12.50x15 All-Terrain Tires (are the tires in good condition?)
- Skyjacker Steering Stabilizer (not the best brand on the market)
- LED Headlights (are these the cheap no name lights or a quality product?)
- Option (wiring/switch/relay) for Fog/aux lights. (if this is just wiring it isn't much bonus)
- 2" receiver hitch (kind of standard on most bumpers and certainly nice to have)
- Quick disconnect sway bar links (are they a quality brand?)
- Waterproof Kenwood Stereo w/ AUX and USB hookup. (nice to have)
-Soft Top (is it in good condition i.e. no tears etc. Also should be a quality brand)
-Full hard doors (awesome)
-Upholstery in Excellent Condition (Good)
-Heat works exceptionally well (that is great)
-No AC (not un common but if you need AC then wait)
-Oil changes done every 5,000 miles
-interior is 9/10 (That is great)
 
#44 ·
Good Deals (for a jeep) can be found if you are patient and are ready to jump on it. If you procrastinate it will be gone.

Looking at as many jeeps in as you can (your price range) well you know a good deal when you see one.
Great advice here. Bought my first Jeep last week, and realized real quick that if you hesitate in reaching out to the seller, it will gone by the time you do. On the flipside, though, if you do miss out on one that you liked, don't fret, as they are a dime a dozen and you will see others listed in no time.

I missed out on a nice LJ because I hesitated, but then found a LJ Rubicon 2 days later with less miles and better add-ons and knew to jump on it. I was glad that I missed out on the first one in the end.

Be patient and keep looking at as many as you can. You'll find the right one.
 
#46 ·
Rust is the worst thing ever.
Unless you enjoy dealing with it, avoid it at all costs. Research which states use salt on the roads. Don't buy a Jeep from those areas if you can avoid it. Travel a little farther south and get one that's 100% rust free. Where you can see the white inspection marks on the diffs and anodizing still on the hardware. (stay away from the coast, people love driving their jeeps in the surf)
And jeeps are very personal things, customizing them to your individual taste is part of the fun in owning one. So buying one that already has lots of mods will not only rob you of that fun, it's usually a sign of a jeep that's been used a little harder than the average commuter. Something I would stay away from.
As far as the price, if you can somehow "wrangle" it, don't worry about the cost. Just focus on the condition. You can always make more money, you can't make the cheaper Jeep be in better shape without a lot more work.
 
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