Jeep Shopping

[sbspence]

Hey All~

I want to pick your collective brain(s)!

I'm in the process of recovering from a major open heart surgery that was a surprise to say the least. I'm only 48 and i didn't expect this yet and the prognosis is a little iffy the way they had to do the bypasses. Needless to say I've done some soul searching and the one selfish thing that I want to do is to start a Jeep build. I've owned Cjs, FSJs, 3TJs, and I still have an XJ that my son is driving.

Ideally I'd like a cream puff low mile Rubicon Tj maybe TJL. I'd like to keep purchase price reasonable,,,like say 15k for a TJ or maybe 20k for a JK. This is where the big question comes in. I prefer the looks of the TJ and that is where my knowledge base is for mechanicals , but, the JK is tempting due to the size, the drivability(this will be my DD), and availability. I've never driven a JK and I've heard some bad things about reliability compared to the TJ.

A quick local search has netted 2 ultra low mi 04 TJ X models, a coupe of two door JKs, and even a couple of TJLs that appear to be in great shape with good miles. I really don't know which way to go at this point. I like the idea of the ultra low X models , but as a build platform they leave a lot to be desired as you probably know. i like the idea of the TJL for ride, room, and future collectibility , but they're kinda ugly until you get em lifted.... ;)

I'm open to any and all suggestions during my search. I know that you all all have been in the same boat as i am as far as searching so any tips, tricks, what to look for what to avoid. I'm all ears! Thanks in advance.

[prerunner1982]

I like the TJs and LJs (TJL)... their mechanicals are similar to the XJs.

I would suggest driving a JK or two to see how you like them first. It may narrow down your decision on it's own.

[4.3LXJ]

As far as the JKs are concerned, the 3.7L engine is almost universally considered a low power engine on that platform, especially the JKU. Something to consider for a DD

[xj-jake]

Hey All~

I want to pick your collective brain(s)!

I'm in the process of recovering from a major open heart surgery that was a surprise to say the least. I'm only 48 and i didn't expect this yet and the prognosis is a little iffy the way they had to do the bypasses. Needless to say I've done some soul searching and the one selfish thing that I want to do is to start a Jeep build. I've owned Cjs, FSJs, 3TJs, and I still have an XJ that my son is driving.

Ideally I'd like a cream puff low mile Rubicon Tj maybe TJL. I'd like to keep purchase price reasonable,,,like say 15k for a TJ or maybe 20k for a JK. This is where the big question comes in. I prefer the looks of the TJ and that is where my knowledge base is for mechanicals , but, the JK is tempting due to the size, the drivability(this will be my DD), and availability. I've never driven a JK and I've heard some bad things about reliability compared to the TJ.

A quick local search has netted 2 ultra low mi 04 TJ X models, a coupe of two door JKs, and even a couple of TJLs that appear to be in great shape with good miles. I really don't know which way to go at this point. I like the idea of the ultra low X models , but as a build platform they leave a lot to be desired as you probably know. i like the idea of the TJL for ride, room, and future collectibility , but they're kinda ugly until you get em lifted.... ;)

I'm open to any and all suggestions during my search. I know that you all all have been in the same boat as i am as far as searching so any tips, tricks, what to look for what to avoid. I'm all ears! Thanks in advance.

First off welcome back and I wish you a speedy and safe recovery from your surgery. Hopefully everything goes well and you're up and about shorty.

I'm going to put my 2 pennies in here for what it's worth. IN MY OPINION, if I was looking for a JK I would not buy one with the 3.8L engine in it. From what I've seen here at the dealership they CAN start to used oil. Not all of them will do it but some will. We had a 2010 JK Rubicon here with 50,000 miles on it that was using a quart to every 3000 miles. The guy that traded it in babied it, I know him personally. Complete pavement pony probably never even saw a gravel road. The 3.6L is a better motor with more power and is reliable. Again these are my opinions take them for what they are worth.

If you can find a TJ Rubicon for under $15,000 I'd be all over that like a fat kid on a cupcake. The last one we had here was stock but had been driven on trails (like they're supposed to be), not beaten but very well maintained, looked good and mechanically was 110%. It sold in less than a week for $19,500 with 54,000 miles and service records from day 1.

Again these are just my opinions. I hope it helps you out in some way. Good luck with your recovery!!

[prerunner1982]

I'm going to put my 2 pennies in here for what it's worth. IN MY OPINION, if I was looking for a JK I would not buy one with the 3.8L engine in it. From what I've seen here at the dealership they CAN start to used oil.

I will concur, same engine in my wife's Dodge Grand Caravan.. (yep, the JK got a Minivan engine) also uses oil.

[abebehrmann]

That's a tough decision. My girlfriend really wanted a Wrangler a few years back so we went out and test drove a few JKs and a few TJs/LJs. The JKs we drove definitely were a bit more comfortable but the TJs were more fun to drive. My girlfriend says it's like driving a go-kart and that's one reason why we bought one. (Ended up buying a 2006 TJ Golden Eagle)

As far as reliability goes, the TJ is a lot simper compared to the JK and I tend to see that as a good thing especially in the electrical systems. The JK has a CAN-BUS type system. Members of my Jeep Club in Florida seemed to always be having some sort of electrical issue with their JKs. I've heard the 3.8L engines can have problems with spun bearings and burning oil. The 3.6L engines seem to be better but I know a few people who bought the one of the first year or two of this engine and they had problems with the cooling system because Jeep had some sort of problem getting all the sand from casting out of these passages, although this is probably a moot point considering I don't think you'll see a 3.6L JK under $20k for a few years. The sheetmetal on TJs seems a bit thicker than the JKs too but that just could be my imagination.

The JKs do have some positives though, like I said they seem to be more comfortable. The JK Dana 44/30s are stronger than the TJ Dana 44/30s. You can fit a whole lot more tire under a JK than you can a TJ, I've seen people run 35-37''s with not too much cutting and a 2.5'' lift which would require a lot more with a TJ.

If I had a do over for our purchase, I probably would do my best to find a 1999 TJ with the 4.0L and the Dana 44 rear end. You can find these for less than $10k usually, they still have a distributor so you don't have to deal with the coil-on-plug of the 2000-06 Wranglers, and you don't have to worry about the OPDA of the 04-06 Wranglers which have been known to seize and lose all oil pressure cooking the engine. (I knew a guy who didn't replace his OPDA in time and burned up one motor, spent $3k at the dealership having a used one put in, didn't have the OPDA changed on that one either even though a few of us warned him to do it and cooked the second engine within a few months of replacement).


*And these have been my rambling thoughts on a Monday*

[sbspence]

Thanks guys! Still looking and I on agree on the TJs being and looking more fun! That's what I will get if and when I find the right one! [emoji5]. Thanks for the recovery thoughts and prayers! It's been 7wks today and I'm feeling about 50% back. I still can't use my arms much or lift much but everything else doing well!


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