Looking at a TJ 2005 Rubicon with 137,000 miles: Thoughts?
- Thread starter colby0805
- Start date
Starrs
TJ Guru
Totally agree, but when you don’t have all the money up front and you find the exact one you have to have financing or hooking is the only way. I had mine paid off in 7 months I think it was. Car payments in general arnt a good investment. They should never be a “monthly bill” but everybody seems to have them. Not me! Lol
I guess I view these as secondary car purchases (not a DD) and that to me, is not a financed option. I am old school and If I don't have the $$ I don't get it. Younger generation lives for now...not later....not sure what generation is right anymore, they seem to be having more fun than me!
Starrs
TJ Guru
No your totally right. It just takes others longer to figure that out. I’m all about living life and having fun, but gotta think about the future for sure. Getting the house paid off has to be a remarkable feeling.
Yeah that’s a spot I look at on all of them. That’s the worst I could find on this one. Figured I could get the dremmel out and prime it. Lol.
yes, paid it off by age 47...could have lived much higher, but had to put away every year to max out 401K for both of us, $5k/year for both kids in 529 college funds etc....
I didn’t plan on it being a Rubicon. I actually went there for something else and saw it. Then I starting going over it and when the wife actually liked it I thought I would see what would happen. I was actually looking at another one in Lexington. 2011 sport. Guy at work sold it to the dealership a couple of months ago before I started looking. 87,752 miles and brand new tires (5 of them). They’re at $16,000 plus tax, license, and fees.
Starrs
TJ Guru
Yea I owe 80k on my house yet and I really think I can have it paid off in 2 yrs. will my willpower hold up...I’m not sure haha
Starrs
TJ Guru
Don’t do the 2011. 2012 or up if your going JK. 3.8 liter engine is a turd. I have never driven it, but everybody that has driven one hates it.
That seems to be general consensus but since I know the guy that had it he told me it was good to go. I also know everything he’s done to it. Like new shocks and the tires etc. I test drive it and it was very responsive and seemed to have good power.
I totally didn’t expect to buy one today. I just got two of me three cars paid off and planned on using all that money to get a few other things paid off. Then I was looking at buying. It did seem to good to pass up. Didn’t work out today and no I don’t want to get in to deep on it that’s why I walked away.
this would be the sons daily driver to school and baseball. I looked at NADA and clean trade was $8,900 and clean retail is 11,550. They were asking 12,500. I offered 13,000 out the door and they told me they had 12,996 in it and wouldn’t take cash they wanted me to finance it with them so they would get their kickback from the bank. They actually told me this. The wife and I just looked at each other in disbelief. They saw us pull up and even got the Jeep and moved it next to our car and had it running when we left. I told them wasn’t paying more than what it was worth. Especially when they said they had $1,300 in service and it was leaking oil, parking brake didn’t work, and needed new brakes (felt them during test drive). It did have brand new tires but only 4 of them.
The search continues. No hurry just thought we found something. It happens.
The search continues. No hurry just thought we found something. It happens.
we went to the same school, couldn't agree more; this is probably why I didn't get a TJ until I was 50, all those other things were higher on the priority ladder. I've had other toys & I've enjoyed life quite a bit all along the way, but only after all that other stuff was paid for & saved for.
When I look back at the road I travelled covered in student loans, houses, cars, marriage, kids 1-18, kids/college, divorce... it almost seems impossible, I don't envy kids today with the costs of all that & the ever changing economy. I have to believe it makes these kinds of choices even more difficult.
I bought my first "toy" car an 81 Corvette (still have it) for $8K just after my first son was born 20 years ago but had from what I remember about $80K in the bank at the time. My TJ came at age 51. We were lucky as we did not have much college loans to be paid off....something I hope to be able to say about both my kids in the future. If grad school comes into the picture for them then that will probably be on them, undergrad is on us. I have been lucky so far as to not have hit the "reset button" (divorce) in my lifetime...that is truly a game changer in so many ways, especially financially. As the saying used to go: "to love is grand, to divorce is a hundred grand" add a couple zeros to that now!
Similar story here except 20 years ago my toys were Harleys, was never really a car guy – in fact the TJ is the first ‘car’ I’ve ever owned just for fun. My youngest begins her final semester of college in a few weeks & it was accounted for some time ago so I’ve been done for a while, the only one left on my payroll now is the stray cat that lives on my porch. Sounds like you have a good one, you are lucky! I count myself lucky in a different way having been paroled from a bad one, it cost me dearly but the return was beyond priceless
yeah we have 2 of those as well....except they go wherever in the house they want...ok Thread derailment over...sorry
Brianj5600
TJ Expert
Brianj5600
TJ Expert