View Full Version : Jeeps, how cheap?
I'm talking about something old & used. Weekend fun car, etc. not daily driver. Wondering what pricing is like on the used market and is something potentially doable in the $3k range to get a functioning vehicle? If not, how cheap would I need to go?
I hear Suzuki has some really affordable products in the price range you are interested in...
Are you only wanting to stick with Jeep? or are you looking into other possibilities? We can assume you at least want 4X4. Is big power a concern, or is mileage in the package too, or does it really matter there?
I think you will find prices very all across the lower 48. If your willing to travel, find something in a low income state, and make a little vacation out of it.
Just food for thought.
travistheone
03-11-10, 11:08
3k can get you something good. body damage and rough interior kill used value, but don't harm usability.
Rob,
You can probably pick up a decent Jeep for 5-6K. All I can say is you'll love it.
2WD, auto. This is for a female for jetting around town on the weekends and such.
Yes, it has to be a Jeep.
A 2wd jeep? Look into older cherokee's the inline 6 is a torquey, bullet proof motor that will last a long time with normal maint. But why a 2WD?
A 2wd jeep? Look into older cherokee's the inline 6 is a torquey, bullet proof motor that will last a long time with normal maint. But why a 2WD?
I second the I6 motor, its bombproof, and then some.
A 2wd jeep? Look into older cherokee's the inline 6 is a torquey, bullet proof motor that will last a long time with normal maint. But why a 2WD?
Cherokee is not a "jeep" to a woman. ;) 2WD isn't a requirement, but 4WD won't be used.
The I6 motor is also easy to work on.
my previous jeep wrangler gave me 228k in reliable service- was still running fine when I gave it up. Got a note from the guy i gave it to still running just fine at 240k. Got a new wrangler now and like it very much but i do not have the emotional attachment (yet) to it that i had with the old one.
Go for the 4wd. you never know if it will come in handy some day!
Cherokee is not a "jeep" to a woman. ;)
So more specifically you want a wrangler, that will definitely be 4wd. With some shopping you should be able to find a nice one between 3k and 5K.
Yea. Wranglers didn't come in 2WD.You can find them fairly cheap. Look for rust under the carpet. Leaking front axle seals. High mileage Jeeps are everywhere, don't be afraid of them. Especially if they have the 4.0 I6. Can she drive a stick? That expands your choices even more. I'm guessing she wants a Jeep because it's "cute", so that means a soft top and the price comes down even more. Shouldn't be hard to find one at all.
Yup, only XJ - Cherokee, ZJ & WJ - Grand Cherokee's, Patriots, KJ - Liberty's and Compass's come in 2WD. The YJ and TJ - Wranglers never came in 2WD. Depending on where you are, you can find some TJ's with high mileage with little or no rust for under $5000. Problem with going with something older then a TJ (1997-2006) is maintenance. YJ's (1987-1995.5) are get old and if it hasn't been kept up it could be a basket case. Also, there is a higher chance of rust. I've seem some YJ's that looked great from 15 ft but when you start looking under it you find it's full of holes.
The 4.0L is a good engine but don't dismiss the 2.5L. It's a bit underpowered but for around town and on trails, it's fine. it should also save you $1-2000.
The TJ will ride smoother then the YJ since it uses softer coil springs then the YJ's leaf springs. I recommend getting one with a factory hard top and doors. You can always remove the doors and top. It will be cheaper to buy an aftermarket soft top then it will be to buy used OEM hard top with matching doors. On the TJ you can store the soft top in the Jeep with the hard top still on. On the YJ, the soft top will need to be removed.
my daily is a '93 Jeep Cherokee that just clicked 245,000. all original drivetrain with routine care. even on the coldest days this winter that trusty girl fired right up, and plowed through drifts 3 and 4 feet tall. cant beat a Jeep imo
Kentucky Cop
03-11-10, 15:43
Rob, This might help you a bit to get an idea of what your getting into as far as price. I have had several CJ-7s that ran like a scalded dog. The inline 6 cant be beat and if you can you want to get one of the last years of the CJ-7's. They ended in 1986. Me, I want a older Rubicon Unlimited model with the factory lockers, Dana 44's front and rear and would love to find a Hemi out of a wrecked truck or charger to drop in it. :D
I just read that it is for a female. I am clear now, yep, I would go for a used wrangler with automatic. Cheap.....!
www.jeep-classifieds.com
Ky Cop
What everyone else said. You're looking for a Wrangler. "Jeep" is a bit nebulous.
Wranglers hold value really well. Depending on your local market, you will be paying no less than $3-4k, more likely $5k+, for somethinr you probably want to own.
The beauty is that you can work on them yourself, they will go seemingly forever, and when they do give up they are infinitely repairable.
There were indeed 2WD variations, but they are rare and were almost all service vehicles IIRC.
2wd is usually more affordable and if you are never gonna use it why not!
2wd is usually more affordable and if you are never gonna use it why not!
It's actually pretty difficult to find most pre-'95 Jeeps (any model) in 2WD.
travistheone
03-11-10, 23:02
My old '97
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q2/travistheone/n1317074_33335593_3027.jpg
lethal dose
03-11-10, 23:11
I have had several CJ-7s that ran like a scalded dog.
HAHA... what a visual...
Wranglers do hold their value well. Mine pre half the modes I've done. Used to be not much more to than buying new unless you are going for aftermarket add-ons. And after market add-ons make the Jeep as customizable as an AR.
Oh, and there is on one Jeep - and it is green and has round headlights!!!4456
There are 2wd Wranglers out there, rare, but available. You will quickly find most Wranglers are a tight market with few sitting on a casual car lot waiting to be sold. Cherokees are cheaper, but actually harder to find. If you have one, you're keeping it.
Cast a wide net and don't be afraid to look out 2-300 miles. Some search engines like Edwards, etc suffer from local computer illiterate "Black Holes" where there is no listing at all in 50 miles - like SW MO. Then you have to basically network the local 4WD clubs for something that is still streetable.
60% of Wranglers will be 6 with a manual or automatic. Most of the 4 cylinders will be manual. A lightly driven one will still need close checking of ball joints, u-joints, shocks, etc because owners put huge oversized tires on them that create stress wear. Clutches are usually worn, floorboards will have rust spots, engines dirty, mud might be caked onto the chassis rails, etc. All those are nice indicators of how it was used and parked.
Mud is a tell tale that the owner did that - drove it in deep water or slime. It's especially a liability because the Jeep is rated HUB DEEP from the factory, regardless of the propaganda. Getting in deep water or muck will bypass the seals and get into gearcases, transmissions, and the electronics that festoon the underchassis of later models. Then things don't work. The best answer for the shopper is to avoid mudders - they will develop pernicious issues as bad as any Katrina submersible. Plus, if the Jeep was in that good a shape, why sell it?
Older Jeeps are just that, carbureted, somewhat finicky, and usually have major repairs already done. The 92 up Wranglers have had Chrysler vet most of the annoying quality issues, they can be pretty reliable. Later models suffer from too much plastic in the interior, and the Chryco steering column with the multiple switches is a potential trouble area. It's practically all plastic and the aftermarket doesn't have many of the various and quite different options.
Have fun looking, Jeepsters are a fun crowd.
Rob Haught
03-12-10, 08:45
A few years ago I was able to buy a used Jeep Wrangler for 5k. Its been a great vehicle for around town, range use etc. Now I dont think I will ever be without one. They are relatively trouble free and are kinda like a big boys ATV thats street legal. Get a soft top and take it off whenever you can.
I'm talking about something old & used. Weekend fun car, etc. not daily driver. Wondering what pricing is like on the used market and is something potentially doable in the $3k range to get a functioning vehicle? If not, how cheap would I need to go?
YJ ( 1987-1995) will be more in your budget, but will be most likely beat. YJ's are very utilitarian, leaf sprung and some consider them to be the Jeep bastard due to their square headlights.
TJ's (1997-2006) hold their value very well, and are much more comfortable to drive.
Coil sprung, better creature comforts...
Both models use the solid 4.0L motor.
Good luck
Kentucky Cop
03-12-10, 09:00
Speaking of modifications. Some of the best stuff in the business.
www.poisonspyder.com
www.rubiconexpress.com
Good stuff for the hardcore Jeeper.
Ky Cop
This has been touched on a bit, but with that budget ($3k), you'll likely be forced into a 4-cylinder YJ (square headlights) with a stick shift. Better make sure you wife can drive a stick. Plus keep in mind at that price you are going to get a Dana 35 rear axle, which I wouldn't trust with anything bigger than a 31" tire. You shouldn't need anything bigger than that is you are only mall crawlin'. Better drive the 4-cylinder before you buy, as it is likely a dog. My 2006 6-cylinder is certainly nothing to brag about so I can only imagine what kind of performance one would get out of a 4-cyl. Certainly these things aren't race cars, but when you have your foot through the floor trying to get on the highway or trying to pull out onto the street in traffic things seem different. Just food for thought.
If you want to do a 2wd Wrangler, you can save some money, but you'll be saving on a 4-door new body style wrangler that will still be $15,000+. Those are the only 2wd Wranglers that I'm aware of. Those were also the only Wranglers you could find on the lot when the new body style came out.
Just
Empty
Every
Pocket
:cool:
Weird timing on this post because i've had Jeep lust for the past couple of weeks. :D
I need a vehicle, my Ranger pickup is dying, so i'm starting to poke around for a replacement and (because i get to drive virtually every make & model car & truck out there for work) i've always enjoyed driving the Jeep. Seen a bad ass new 4 door Wrangler a while back and i cant get it outta my head, it was awesome! So, it's all Ford Escape vs Jeep, Escape vs Jeep, Escape vs Jeep in my brain. Hmmmm. Dammit.
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