Here in the 'Great' Northeast Jeep prices have always risen with spring and the soon to be topless weather and fallen when it starts to get cold in a vehicle with a fabric roof and marginal heater.
Random TJ comments
- Thread starter AndyG
- Start date
I started the hunt for my first Wrangler in the latter half of 2019. I knew I wanted a manual TJ and I kept an eye on the market for 2-3 months. The prices at first had me in shock, but some good deals would occasionally pop up and they’d be snatched within a few hours. The more I looked though, I gradually steered towards an LJ and got a good deal on one in November.
When the money is there, I would love to get a TJ. I have no real reason to have two Jeeps other than I love them. I got hooked on being subscribed to for sale listings, so I burn some time reading through all that continue to show up.
When the money is there, I would love to get a TJ. I have no real reason to have two Jeeps other than I love them. I got hooked on being subscribed to for sale listings, so I burn some time reading through all that continue to show up.
Brian83
TJ Enthusiast
Rubicon John
TJ Enthusiast
Love scrolling ebay and looking at the low milage TJ’s/LJ’s. Most, when under 30k miles, usually go for around $20k-$25k. Which I think is fair for such a low milage Wrangler.
Also, often, its 03-06’s that get posted on eBay with the sub 30k milage. Very rarely do I see 97-02’s with those kind of miles.
Also, often, its 03-06’s that get posted on eBay with the sub 30k milage. Very rarely do I see 97-02’s with those kind of miles.
Brian83
TJ Enthusiast
You can find early JKs cheaper than TJs here. There is a 03 Rubicon for 10k with body damage, no carpet and a super rough interior.
Doesnt surprise me, those early JK’s are terrible. Interior aesthetics are lacking and the engine is not what the 12’s have in regards to reliability and drivability.
@AndyG You nailed it when you said the biggest problem is usually the PO. It seems most guys in the southeast throw on a cheap lift and mudders, then when it rides horrible they claim "it's a Jeep". I shopped around for about 8 months before I bought mine. The prices weren't the problem, the conditions were. Lots of Jeeps in the 10k-12k range but the quality is all over the place. I finally broke down and bought my 02 from the guy who owns the company I work for. He's 80 and he had 5 different Jeeps at one point and this was the last one except for his DD JL. It had 24k on the clock when I bought it and I paid 15 grand for it. More than I wanted to pay but I knew the Jeep and I know how meticulous he was/is. That was Labor Day weekend 2018.
Hi, here in Italy things are different, the more we go on and the more the prices of the Tj are increasing. To date, a Tj sport in excellent condition is sold more expensive than a Jk rubicon in good condition. Two years ago I bought my 2006 sport for 13,000 euros because its owner could no longer keep it and had to give it away by force, today it is not possible to find it in the same year for less than 20,000 euros, not to mention a few rubicons that there they are, starting from 25,000 thousand euros in good condition. The worst Tj 4.0, in the most disastrous conditions, is sold for 10-12k euros, sometimes even with missing pieces that do not make it functional for road traffic. Here things are very different, the TJ is considered the last real Jeep before it joined the FCA, and this is a great advantage. The Tj due to its 4.0 displacement is considered a luxury item here, and its running and ownership costs are very high and expensive. 
If I was into car flipping, I’d definitely sell my LJR for a nice profit in my almost 2yrs of ownership. But I’m not and I envision my kids learning to drive a stick in it when they are some of the last manual drivers around. It’s hard to not have that dream with such a fun vehicle.
I do plan to supplement it soon enough with an XJ though, since I need 4 doors with young kids.
I do plan to supplement it soon enough with an XJ though, since I need 4 doors with young kids.
Funny you mention XJs - clean ones are going up up up on price while TJs seem to be going down.
When I bought my TJR last spring, I looked at a lot and typical prices in my area was 11-16K for all conditions. I still watch the local market and see these people continually lower prices. I see them now for 8-10 usually, sometimes lower.
I bought an 04 with 200k that needed a little work for under 5.6K out the door from a dealership. “They aren’t popular here” is what they said. Knowing what I know now, I would of just bought a clean stock one and started fresh. Had the cash to do it, just got caught up in the price of the one I bought. But it’s a off road / country cruiser. Didn’t really need a cream puff... It’s a great Jeep, and all things said and done when I finish I’ll have about 11k in it including purchase price but still kinda regret not holding out for a stock or LJ.
The XJ price trend is why I haven’t jumped on any yet, though with the economic challenges ahead the prices of these may reverse. It seems somewhat cyclical, though I may have missed it. I’m not wishing for ill on others, just to be clear
I bought mine about a year and a half ago, 52k miles. Not great mods as I’ve been fixing the PO’s mistakes, but the Jeep was everything I was I looking for. ‘04, Rubi, red, manual, lower miles, rust free.
I paid $16k for it, thought it was a bit over priced cause I knew I had to fix some things but it wasn’t abused and the fixes are easy to do as it’s just bolt on stuff....
if I was offered $20k, I would turn it down. Don’t think I’ll find another like it. I have the original window sticker, someone paid or close to, $29,800 or so new for it. Amazing to think about back in 2004 it cost that much, I bought a used 2002 loaded sport in 2004 for $15k, I wanted the Rubi but twice the money, nope. And here I am, almost 15 years later paying the same amount....for a used Rubi. Lol.
I paid $16k for it, thought it was a bit over priced cause I knew I had to fix some things but it wasn’t abused and the fixes are easy to do as it’s just bolt on stuff....
if I was offered $20k, I would turn it down. Don’t think I’ll find another like it. I have the original window sticker, someone paid or close to, $29,800 or so new for it. Amazing to think about back in 2004 it cost that much, I bought a used 2002 loaded sport in 2004 for $15k, I wanted the Rubi but twice the money, nope. And here I am, almost 15 years later paying the same amount....for a used Rubi. Lol.
Thank you - when you look at the cost to buy a clean , well cared for rig(and you will pay for that ) plus the cost to build it like you want , it's considerable ...but you know you aren't throwing good money after bad , and if your goal is nice and what you want , you get there.
The heartburn comes when someone doesn't know, the TJ appears built , and they buy it , and the Gremlins come out fast (AMC actually made a Gremlin) . Then it isn't a planned build , it's a maze of sorting out vibes, squeaks , pops , steering , gears , check engine lights, and on and on and on, just to be happy and enjoy it . If you didn't expect this , it's frustrating. If you didn't budget for it , it's horrifying . I call those forced or involuntary builds ...it just becomes a game of whack a mole.
The smart move is to get one built well , but that one usually isn't for sale , because of the above to paragraphs...once someone goes through that they are attached , upside down , or just don't want to start over.
The clean , stock TJ is hands down the safest choice usually ...to buy otherwise , you have to know what you are looking for ....and the snag with that , is you learned that the hard way , and it's parked outside .
I really did better on my second Rubicon overall , because I new what to look for , and evaluated it better.
$29,000 in 2004, when adjusted for inflation would be $40,000 in today’s money. So the new JK’s and new JL’s are not much more than TJ’s were when they were new. Interesting, because I constantly read that the JK was overpriced and the new JL is overpriced.
https://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl?cost1=29,400&year1=200401&year2=202002
I look at my LJR and its mods and think about all the stock I could've had.I look at my stock portfolio and think about all the LJR's I could of had.
lafittejeep
TJ Enthusiast
I was lucky enough to find my 05 LJ still stock after 4 owners in 2018. Only thing one of the PO's did was remove the rear seat belts. Southern Jeep that started its life in Florida and has never been north of Mobile according to the carfax. Always wanted a Jeep and considering the longevity of the 4.0 it maybe the last vehicle I own as long as I can swing my leg high enough to clear the door sill.
Off topic for a second.
Can the stock drivetrain of a 4 banger hold up to a small diesel swap? A VW 1.8 tdi or the Cummins 2.8? If I should find a bargain these TJs are where it's at. Certainly don't want to rip my TJR down for a swap unless the 4.0 blows up. (
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Can the stock drivetrain of a 4 banger hold up to a small diesel swap? A VW 1.8 tdi or the Cummins 2.8? If I should find a bargain these TJs are where it's at. Certainly don't want to rip my TJR down for a swap unless the 4.0 blows up. (
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Hey man you're fine this is a multi topic TJ related thread hope Chris will let us keep it alive as a dumping place...for opinions and stuff that falls between the cracks.Off topic for a second.
Can the stock drivetrain of a 4 banger hold up to a small diesel swap? A VW 1.8 tdi or the Cummins 2.8? If I should find a bargain these TJs are where it's at. Certainly don't want to rip my TJR down for a swap unless the 4.0 blows up. (
I know you're highly mechanical... I would say that you're in the right direction and sometimes the four cylinders have 4:10 gears ... Also we've got some diesel guys out there that may chime in .
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