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Did I just buy a complete POS or do I have a chance?

16K views 172 replies 49 participants last post by  ives 
#1 ·
I'm probably going to take it over to the body shop sometime tomorrow but with all the upgrades and everything, is this worth saving? I picked it up for less than what everything is selling for around here so I have some room to fix everything but should I abandon ship or what?
Check out my profile for most of the specs (for all I know it could have a SYE and CV driveshaft and I don't know it) on everything.
Did I Buy a POS? - YouTube

Thanks guys!

Also, Here's the thread where a few guys pointed out about having the frame checked.
http://www.wranglerforum.com/f5/hood-adjustment-205643.html
 
#4 ·
I already took it over to the body shop to have them look at it so hopefully tomorrow I can take it over there and have them put it on the frame machine and see how bad it really is. I really would rather keep it because of the upgrades.

That's one of the reasons I posted this video trying to figure out what exactly it's doing when I put it into gear. That way I'll have an idea of what else needs to be done.
Any ideas?
 
#7 ·
x2. I don't know what your complaints are regarding shifting. I assume it's an auto by the way it shifted. Does it drive ok? Any slipping? You can't see the frame damage by just looking at the hood angle. You could be nose high just from rear sagging suspension. Do you have issues with hood or doors opening/closing properly? Only obvious damage I see is the bumper. I would take it to 4x4 shop that specializes in Jeeps to have them test drive it and check it out and to a 2nd frame shop. Although you did buy a rebuilt Jeep.
 
#8 ·
Looks like your jeep is somewhat shifting normally, maybe idled just a little high from looking at the video. A little good news is the tires look like they are wearing evenly. Maybe if you run a carfax on the vin you might find out more about the damage your jeep has sustained. Also rememebr that when you buy a vehicle with a rebuilt or salvage title, don't be surprised at what all problems you will encounter.
 
#9 ·
Looks like gear shifting is normal. Post up what the frame machine finds. x2 on carfax, but we all suspect it's been wrecked / took a nose dive while wheeling possibly.

Other than that, doesn't look too bad. Keep it and fix it.
 
#10 ·
I would say the prices on frames from that other thread were way high! A frame will run you somewhere between $ 400.00 and $ 900.00 in my area. Tubs go for around $700.00 to $1000.00. Car-parts.com is your friend. With some friends you can swap frames in a weekend.
 
#11 ·
I XJ trans did that at 70K, its not your t-case. its your trans, at least thats what my old mechanic told me about my XJ. my XJ didn't do it that bad but still did it. I'd say straighten the frame and drive it, if the trans goes then upgrade or rebuild. its a Jeep with an Atlas 2 keep it and beat it like the last guy did. =D
 
#12 ·
I'm probably going to take it over to the body shop sometime tomorrow but with all the upgrades and everything, is this worth saving? I picked it up for less than what everything is selling for around here so I have some room to fix everything but should I abandon ship or what?
Check out my profile for most of the specs (for all I know it could have a SYE and CV driveshaft and I don't know it) on everything.
Did I Buy a POS? - YouTube

Thanks guys!

Also, Here's the thread where a few guys pointed out about having the frame checked.
http://www.wranglerforum.com/f5/hood-adjustment-205643.html
If you have an atlas transfer case it doesn't have a slip yoke, so doesn't need a sye and most certainly has a dual cardan drive shaft.
 
#14 ·
Personally I would dump it. It seems like a major headache that might continue to give you problems and drain your pocket. Part of the reason I say dump it is because you seem young and this jeep does not seem fit to be a daily driver, in the future if your driving a distance everyday to college or a job you could really find yourself in a tough spot because I don't believe it will hold up. Especially if you find a job and are working to pay back college loans you don't want to headache!!
 
#16 ·
You seem to be pretty good at making videos. Can you make a video of the underside of the Jeep? Move slow and include the driveshafts and angles, control arms and mounts, axles, shocks, springs and mounts, and everything else.

This would greatly help us see exactly what you have, determine whether it is worth keeping, selling outright, or parting out.
 
#19 ·
#21 ·
Thanks for all of the answers such short noticed everyone! I'm uploading a video right now which will address most of the questions you have asked. I'll go ahead and answer a few questions here though until the video is up.

I'm only a Junior in High School. I work three part time jobs (Assistant Sound and Media Technician for my Church, Work the storefront for a bakery and I'm also a soccer ref but that's seasonal) but most of them are close by but if I'm ever down and out I can catch a ride with someone.

To address the video thing. I run a YouTube channel of Paintball, Airsoft, and real steel shooting. I do a lot of video for that and I'm always buying, selling and trading guns so it helps to just make a video of everything to explain the item.

It's a Automatic Transmission and it's geared to either 4.88 or 5.13 (Mechanic said it was going to cost extra to open up the differential covers but he confirmed it was re-geared and probably to either one of those gears because it didn't have much power loss if any at all).

I guess I won't use the stop leak then and just foot the bill for a new radiator...

We ran a carfax on it before we bought it. Said it had been wrecked so we had the mechanic check the frame and he said it was fine. It drives straight and you would never know there's a problem until you start looking at the small details.

I'm going to be taking it over to the auto body shop today so I'll post the outcome of that.

I'm looking at the video now and it doesn't cover everything (mainly the skid plates and driveshaft). Here's a video where I go over the whole Jeep so that may help give a bigger picture along with the video I'm about to post.
Lifted 2000 Jeep Wrangler TJ Sport Overview (My New Project) - YouTube
 
#25 ·
I'm not trying to convince myself to keep it. I'm trying to see figure out if its worth keeping or not and if I keep it, what all will need to be done.

I bought it for almost $8,000 and I don't want to take a huge loss if I can at least fix it.
 
#26 ·
You can fix it, it is going to be expensive but on the other hand you will know alot about your jeep when you are finished. If you ran a carfax and went ahead and bought it after knowing that it had been wrecked you only have yourself to blame. I bought a 55 chevy when I was 16 and spent all my time working on that car but I enjoyed every mimute of it. Wish I had kept that car many many times.
 
#27 ·
A little late now, but you should of noticed all the body panel fitment problems as a big red flag before you shelled out $8 Grand! But, you are young and it's a buying experience you will learn from that will stay with you forever. Doubtful you will make that mistake again.

What are your plans for it? If it is going to be your daily driver, or your only source of transportation, I would get rid of it and cut your losses.

If it is going to be a trail Jeep/toy only, it might be worth hanging on to. Take it out and beat on it. You already have a SYE, DC shaft, gears, D44 and lift already.

In hind-site, I wish I would of bought an older, less perfect Jeep. Mine was almost new, expensive, and all stock when I bought it. I have spent a ton more $$ on mods. I'll probably never be done sinking money into it, and it sits in the garage most the time until I take it to the dunes or the mountains.

Good luck with whatever you decide.:)
 
#28 ·
When we ran the Carfax and found out it was wreck, we told the owner we had to get it inspected. It was wrecked and then rebuilt but we had it inspected to make sure it was correctly rebuilt. The shop we took it to said everything checked out so that made me feel better about buying it. I took all of the necessary steps before buying so that's why I'm really put out that all of this is coming up.

Like you said, I wont be making the same mistake again.

Being that I don't have a long commute or anything. This will be for getting me to and from work as well as being a weekend warrior. I won't be using it for any long trips or anything (1 1/2 hour trips max probably).

I bought a Jeep because I wanted to learn how to work on it myself. I was looking for one that wasn't perfect because I knew I would be replacing the bumpers, fenders, suspension, etc out and I would be keeping it for a long time. This one had everything I was wanting and then some already on it so that was the reason I was drawn to it. It also had a hard and soft top as well as a Dana 44 which I searched forever for. The fact it was a little beat up and needed some TLC didn't bother me.
Like you guys said, I'm young and hopefully I won't make the same mistake.

Just got back from dropping it off at the body shop. They were technically closed today but one of the shop workers called us and said he would meet us so we could drop it off and then it would be in the shop, ready to go on Wednesday.
 
#29 ·
Well hopefully they can pull it around if yer plannin on keeping it, ive pulled on sum pretty bent stuff, and jeep frames arent extraordinarly tuff to pull. Now if it was a toyota 4x4 truck frame its a different story. Best of luck and be prepared to spend probly close to $1000. Frame rate is around $75 per hour with about a $200 set up
 
#31 ·
Senior year highschool I bought my jeep with my dad and we knew it had a leaky transfer case and manual transmission so we took down the price on it but we should have dropped it even more, its been fine for now, I'm always making Sure there is enough oil in the tc and tranny. My point is I was young and my dad told me it wou.ld be a head ache because of the leaks (bad seal) but I pulled the trigger on it regardless. I do regret at times not pulling the price even more Down, but I'm happy about it. If you believe you got a good price on it then you're right. If you want to fix it up then all the power to yah. If you want to throw money at it, its your call. Obviously this jeep means something to you. Even though my jeep lacks a D44, lift, 4.0, it would take a rig and a half for me to trade my heep afterwhat we'be been through. Happy New years bud.
 
#32 ·
I got the guy down to his lowest number and tried to get it for lower. It was a real PITA working with the guy but knowing the amount of aftermarket parts on it was the reason I bought it. I'm not saying I'm attached to it but I don't want to go and dump it for $4,000 after I just blew $8,000 for it. That's why I'm trying to explore all possibilities. Most Jeeps around here are going for about $10,000 with 150k miles and a soft top. If they are cheaper then they have 175k+ and a worn soft top and those normally go for like $9,000.

This one was low miles, soft top, hard top, and a ton of aftermarket parts.

If anyone wants to read what all I went through to get this, here's a thread.
http://www.wranglerforum.com/f5/help-going-to-check-this-out-soon-201379.html
 
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