Buying a used Jeep and looking for any red flags / opinions

Hi All. I am new to the forum.

In short, I had a 2001 Jeep 60th Anniversary edition when I was a kid, and sadly, I was in a 4 car accident and through no fault of our own, my Jeep was flipped (with my now wife in it!) and was totaled. It was crushing, especially as I was pretty broke at the time and only had about a year left to pay it off. It sucked - but luckily we were ok physically.

Fast forward to know, 16 or so years later, and I want to get my same Jeep back (midlife crisis - weekend local car). These Jeeps are fairly hard to come by at least in original condition which is how I want it, so I can do the things I want with it. I found one, but I don't really know what I am looking at and it is located pretty far from my house so I cannot get a mechanic that I know to take a look at it. Basically buying as is - after I road test it.

From all I have read, the biggest issue with Jeeps of this age that are in the northeast is body rust. So I was wondering if I could get some opinions on that, and also on the pic of the engine submitted. To me, it looks pretty ok based on other threads I have looked through with similar questions - the Jeep appears to be unmodded and the skid plates, I believe, look clean. I was told it was simply used as a local every day car, I don't think it ever saw a trail. But I really don't know a ton about what I am looking at short of reading and looking at videos for some education.

Thanks a lot all, I really really appreciate it.

So, this goes with out saying but you guys are wonderful - and quick as hell! Thank you. I am going to pass.

I really want the car I had as a kid, and I have a real love for the TJ's - but maybe I'm not cut out for a used car. I'd like to have something I can use for the next 15 years or so, and can't imagine putting a ton of mileage on it, but maybe new is more my speed. Fantastic education.

Vtx531 said:

The engine bay looks great. Many components that are rusted on mine look good on that Jeep. As said, the frame has been patched. I would ask questions about what was done and who did it and try to get a discount if that type of thing doesn't bother you. Midlife crisis weekend Jeep - maybe you want to spend a little more and get one that is rust free. I would. Is it a 60th ann. Jeep? That's what I would be looking for! Don't worry too much about mods, it is not to hard to get one back to stock if thats how you want it. That's what I did to mine. The rust is something that is not easy to go back to stock!!

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Yeah, I've been clinging to the idea of the 60th Anniversay edition because it is what I had - but maybe at 22 years away from that model year I am better off just getting a more functional vehicle. Thank you. Frame issues scare me, mostly because my old Jeep in the accident was actually rebuilt by a shady auto shop, and the insurance company had to pay out twice as after the rebuild we realized the frame was bent. Thank you.

97' 4 Popper said:

I am also in New York, and a few years ago before covid you could still find some clean TJ's. I still beat myself up for letting go of some of the TJs I bought over the years. Now the market here is really bad, everything is abused, rusted, or poorly modified, and/or overpriced. You don't see TJs out on the road much or in parking lots. When you do, they usually have a bunch of random modifications with rusted frames, rusted body mount channels, windshield frames, rocker panels, fenders. If you are looking for a weekend only jeep that will be garage kept when salt is on the road this is definitely not the one. Your best bet is to get one from out of state/out of the north-east. However, if you are looking for something on the cheap that you will be driving every day and taking out to trails then maybe a local example that is cleanish would be best. I still wouldn't buy a jeep with a patched frame unless I was 110% sure it was done professionally. You should buy an endoscope for your jeep hunt to look inside the frame and body mount channels, they are like 25 to 50 dollars, nothing in comparison with what you will be spending on your future jeep. Good luck and I hope you find what you are looking for.

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Thank you. Yeah everything I am seeing out there is pretty beat. I'd rather not deal with something modded too, which makes the search for a vehicle they made a limited amount of, even more difficult. Thanks again.

Vtx531 said:

New Jeep in the same color as your old one sounds like an idea. 20+ year old vehicles are a pain.

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Yeah, I am selling myself on that idea. Now I have to sell the boss on it

cpwolf said:

There is rust, and as others stated, the frame rail where I put arrows, have been repaired, a bracket around it etc. That means there was rust, they put this on, welded it, and rust is in there.
The frame that connects to the body I put an arrow, that is pretty bad as well.

I'm in Texas, I wouldn't purchase a Jeep like this for any amount of money.
You should listen to the folks that live in the rust belt, they can tell you. I would be careful, some of them are into fixing this etc. If you're looking for a weekend fun car, I'd shop for one with no rust, maybe in the southwest, and get it shipped if you can. You can garage and keep it off the salt etc, and not have to deal with this.

From what I've seen, this will be a major effort on everything you do, changing shocks takes an hour or so on mine, maybe 90 minutes because the rear top bolts are a pain to get to kind of, on this Jeep it would be an all weekend affair fixing broken rusted upper nuts etc.


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Thank you! I wish I had the ability to spot what you spotted in like, 2 seconds. Lol.