Jeep Experts: 2 easy questions...pls

[Zapp22]

was reading up on wheelbases etc looking for a smallish Jeep ... it seems the consensus, skewed by what's available on the market/affordable, is the TJ? and the later the better? supposedly range '97-2006 and avoid the first two years? is that even close?

as example, what would be reasonable to pay for a clean '99 TJ, 6, 5-speed?



but then... i saw a custom uber-large wrangler 4D "mountaineer" build a few days ago... man it was impressive...

[RedDogAlberta]

I had a '05 TJ bought new. I had it five years and by the end it was lifted 2" with modest 31's, wider flares, Warn Winch, lights, etc. Good vehicle and never a stitch of trouble. The new Jeeps are too large IMO. We had a guy in the club with a 1940's Willys and you really see how ridiculously large new Jeeps have gotten. New side by side ATV's are the size of original Jeeps.

If' I'm looking at a new JK Unlimited it's just too large for tight trails in the Rockies. I may as well have a Grand Cherokee and more comfort. They need a new smaller Jeep off road product.

[STUFF2C]

Burned many hours here The best place for Jeep info. My 97 before winch and bumpers.

Just
Empty
Every
Pocket

[WVhillbilly]

There is no reasonable prices for used Jeeps.
I've seen stock 4 cylinder models that I would give $2K for priced at $6K just because it's a Jeep.


Clean 99 TJ will probably be $5K to $8K.
That is the prices I see here, hopefully they are lower there.

My wife has a '12 4 door. We were able to get a new one for less than a 2-3 year old one.
Great, but pricey aftermarket support for about any of them.

[backwoodsKLR]

Jeeps are growing in popularity lately, at least around here and that drives up the prices, even for older models... I've got a friend with a 97/98 Wrangler, 350TBI, all kinds of suspension and whatnot upgrades, but is a trail rig in rough shape in appearance, and would part with it for $4000... Not pretty, but very functional. Then another friend send me a pic of a 1980 CJ he was considering online for $14,500, all chromed and polished show rig... Wide range... Just keep looking and you will find something.

here is my rig:

[moodfart]

2000 TJ with the 4.0 and 5 speed manual here. I've had it for 5 years and put over 70k miles on it.

Pros:
-Will go anywhere you want it to, bone stock
-Simplest vehicle I've ever worked on
-Small wheelbase
-Rides better than the leafsprung YJ (86-95) and obviously cheaper with less plastic than the JK (2007-present)
-4.0 is max torque right off idle, I've never had an issue with mine in all the time I've owned it.
-Girls love it
-Resale value is incredible. I had offers on mine last winter for $1k less than I paid for it 5 years ago.

Cons:
-Still a Jeep, and rides like shit
-Fuel economy
-Cargo room
-Since you presumbaly ride motorcycles, I'm guessing you'll go through the 'build stage', AKA 'mod bug' and spend a ton of money replacing shit with better, shiny shit that will empty your wallet, hence the acronym Just Empty Every Pocket. Any lift you buy will make the Jeep steer and handle worse than stock, though I've never had a long arm lift. I paid out the nose for OME suspension, and it's not all it was cracked up to be. The -3mpg hurt as well... I'm back on stock suspension and loving it. Not to mention you'll pay XX for the lift, but then you also need a ton of other shit which adds up quickly (if you want to do it right). 4" lift, for example, you'll need; lift, tires, track bar, SYE (assuiming you want to do it right and don't have a Rubi), new driveshaft, possibly a MML and gearing if you can't live with the stockers.

I haven't heard anything about the first two years TJ... I do know if you're looking for a M/T you're better off getting the NV3550; which I *believe* runs from 2000-2003ish? I would double check that. I do know you'll regret buying the 2.5L TJ so don't consider it, You'll wish you had bought one with the D44 rear if you don't and that the 2005-2006 4.0 motors have an issue with oil distribution IIRC. Also don't even THINK about buying 3.07 gears... you can check this by the little tag on the rear differential. You'll want 3.73 or 4.11 as it comes with the Rubi. If I were you, I'd hold out for a 2003-2004 TJ Rubicon, keep stock lift and tires, maybe add a winch, some recovery points and some skids and you'll be amazed with it's capability. The seats in the 2003+ TJs are better than earlier models and cruise control would be sweet. Any more questions; shoot. I know more about Jeeps than I do about my girlfriend.

[DrLewall]

make sure it has the TDI in it!

[Zapp22]

WOW.. typical ADV wealth.
this place always has smart people on the important things.

that tip on the rear diff is valuable. me don't want no more troubles than are requisite. I was just thinking of grabbing another pickup truck, having sold my other one several years back, then I started thinking a jeep would be interesting since I never had one. I did have a few Beetle-chop buggies including one rail job with which I delighted in leaving Jeeps in the dust on rough roads.. but then we killed the reverse gear, and brakes were a constant problem haha.. who needs 'em.

[Zapp22]

so here's one to pick at:
says craigslist:
"...1999 Jeep Wrangler TJ, 6 cylinder 5 speed. Great vehicle for the summer time!! Jeep has suspension lift kit, oversized tires (33inch), and low miles. Only 111,500 miles..."

i really prefer to start stock. I don't plan to go mudding... we need our water to go underground here these last few years....
drought is serious bizness

[ramblin66]

Originally Posted by DrLewall

make sure it has the TDI in it!

I've been waiting for just that... Had 2 Wranglers previously...
Lusting after a 4-door with diesel.

[DirtyRider]

Originally Posted by moodfart

2000 TJ with the 4.0 and 5 speed manual here. I've had it for 5 years and put over 70k miles on it.

Pros:
-Will go anywhere you want it to, bone stock
-Simplest vehicle I've ever worked on
-Small wheelbase
-Rides better than the leafsprung YJ (86-95) and obviously cheaper with less plastic than the JK (2007-present)
-4.0 is max torque right off idle, I've never had an issue with mine in all the time I've owned it.
-Girls love it
-Resale value is incredible. I had offers on mine last winter for $1k less than I paid for it 5 years ago.

Cons:
-Still a Jeep, and rides like shit
-Fuel economy
-Cargo room
-Since you presumbaly ride motorcycles, I'm guessing you'll go through the 'build stage', AKA 'mod bug' and spend a ton of money replacing shit with better, shiny shit that will empty your wallet, hence the acronym Just Empty Every Pocket. Any lift you buy will make the Jeep steer and handle worse than stock, though I've never had a long arm lift. I paid out the nose for OME suspension, and it's not all it was cracked up to be. The -3mpg hurt as well... I'm back on stock suspension and loving it. Not to mention you'll pay XX for the lift, but then you also need a ton of other shit which adds up quickly (if you want to do it right). 4" lift, for example, you'll need; lift, tires, track bar, SYE (assuiming you want to do it right and don't have a Rubi), new driveshaft, possibly a MML and gearing if you can't live with the stockers.

I haven't heard anything about the first two years TJ... I do know if you're looking for a M/T you're better off getting the NV3550; which I *believe* runs from 2000-2003ish? I would double check that. I do know you'll regret buying the 2.5L TJ so don't consider it, You'll wish you had bought one with the D44 rear if you don't and that the 2005-2006 4.0 motors have an issue with oil distribution IIRC. Also don't even THINK about buying 3.07 gears... you can check this by the little tag on the rear differential. You'll want 3.73 or 4.11 as it comes with the Rubi. If I were you, I'd hold out for a 2003-2004 TJ Rubicon, keep stock lift and tires, maybe add a winch, some recovery points and some skids and you'll be amazed with it's capability. The seats in the 2003+ TJs are better than earlier models and cruise control would be sweet. Any more questions; shoot. I know more about Jeeps than I do about my girlfriend.

All of what he said^.....apparently he knows jeeps!!

[acesandeights]

TJs are pretty good. I'd get one with the 4.0L and Dana 44 rear axle. The first year was 1997, but came out mid-1996. The Dana 44 came out...maybe 1998 if I remember right.

Personally though, I would go with the newest iteration (JK), Rubicon, with Dana 44 axles front and rear. TJ/Wranglers are finicky and quirky. You'll have bumpsteer issues, right rear spring issues, likely driveline vibes, etc. If you find a well-sorted TJ it'll have a significant price tag because there will have been significant work done to it. Every mod leads to an issue that leads to another mod to correct it. Otherwise, leave it stock, maybe some 31" tires with stock suspension and go 90% of the places the big Jeeps go. If you find a modified Jeep, consider the fact there is probably thousands of dollars in modifications (suspension, steering, driveline, better axle(shafts), u-joints, etc). I would say I had ~$5,000 in modifications to my Jeep and most people (that don't know Jeeps) would look at it and notice only that it was lifted, but it was one of the most fun four-wheeled vehicles you can own (or most frustrating depending on your perspective).

[131unlimited]

97 - 99 TJ's that came with the 4.0 six came with the AX-15 manual 5 speed or an auto 3 speed. transfer case is the np231, front axle is a dana 30 , rear axle is a dana 35, some did come with a dana 44, but they were rare.

the dana 35 is known to break axles if abused and/or lockers and tires bigger than 33's are used and it gets wheeled.

The AX-15 5 speed was a better tranny in terms of durability than the NV3500 that replaced it in 2000. If you seach the web, you'll oftern hear the comment about the nv3500 sounding like a box of rocks during shifting, due to brocken shift forks and other maladies if wheeled hard. The AX-15 lived a long time behind the 4.0 and complaints were much less in terms of durability.

Has a 99 bought new - replaced the d35 with a d44, regeared to 4.10's with detroit tru tracs front and rear, currie steering, dodge durango steering box and stereing brace. JB SYE for the T-case, tom woods cv driveshaft, Daystar poly transmission mount, upgraded radiator, Currie 3" lift with adjustable arms front and rear, Currie adjustable trackbars, full skids , armor and warn winch running on 34" TSL super swamper LTB's. It was an animal in the woods of PA. I miss it a lot , it was basically a street legal ATV.

Have an 07 Unlimited rubicon now that just sees street duty and the winch is only used to recover my friends who get thier commerical vehicals stuck at a site or when snow plowing. But If I were to get a 2 door to wheel again, it would be a 97-99 TJ with the AX-15 5-speed. In addition, those years still had a cap, rotor and plug wires, much cheaper and easier to maintain than the "upgraded" sytem jeep went to where they put coil pacs on each cylnder, those do fail and they cost a lot to replace...

[Uncle Pollo]

I wish I still had my 97 sahara with 31's stock suspension and all

[STUFF2C]

I wouldn't own one for my daily driver.

MPG suck
Ride rough

FUN AS HELL ON THE WEEKENDS THO!