Need advice on possible TJ purchase

JWalker

JWalker

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Supporting Member
Joined
Jul 30, 2020
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38
Location
Colorado
Hi Everyone,
I absolutely love this forum and have been trying to gain as much knowledge as possible while I'm trying to buy my first TJ. I've wanted one forever and finally am able to get one as my daughter starting driving (yikes!) and is taking my commuter car. I've been obsessively watching craigslist, facebook marketplace, cars.com, autotrader, etc trying to find a good, clean stock TJ with around 100k miles and around $10k and it's proving to be harder than I thought. The resale value on these things are insane! I wanted to get your thoughts on this 1999 TJ I may have an opportunity to buy.

Here are the details:
-price is $10,000 although I've been talking to the owner and might be able to get them down to $7,500 unless someone else offers them more
-1999 Jeep Wrangler Sport
-2 owners both in CO
-gun metal blue color, which I is my favorite
-144,000 miles
-all stock except for new stereo and speakers
-4.0L with manual transmission
-everything works (a/c, heater, etc.)
-interior and exterior look to be in really good condition and no rust
-has both soft and hard top
-new tires
-sounds like it's been maintained okay, they say not really any repairs except for ignition switch
-small oil drip, but not sure where from (rear main maybe, I have to look at it closer?)
-original clutch, but shifts into 2nd gear a little hard the owner says

My concerns are the miles and the transmission\shifting issue. What do you all think? Should I try and get it or wait for a better one to come along? Do you think more will come available as it gets closer to Winter? Thanks in advance!

jeep.jpg
 
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Check for frame rust. Look in the resources pages for what to look for. 4WD's typically get more expensive as "real" winter approaches.
BTW, that one almost looks a pretty as mine when I bought it.
Don't worry so much about the mileage, somebody here had one go over 600,000 before they sold it!
They're basically tractor motors. Put fresh Redline MT-90 in the tranny and that issue should go away.
If you like it, and it's within your budget, jump on it.
Looks super clean from the one pic.
Good luck!
 
scottgraham said:
Check for frame rust. Look in the resources pages for what to look for. 4WD's typically get more expensive as "real" winter approaches.
BTW, that one almost looks a pretty as mine when I bought it.
Don't worry so much about the mileage, somebody here had one go over 600,000 before they sold it!
They're basically tractor motors. Put fresh Redline MT-90 in the tranny and that issue should go away.
If you like it, and it's within your budget, jump on it.
Looks super clean from the one pic.
Good luck!
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Thanks, I appreciate it!
 
Rust. Then check for rust. Then check for rust. After all that, then worry about the other problems. An oil drip can be as simple as a loose bolt or screw, or more involved like a rear main seal or trans input seal, tho neither is much of a deal breaker to me (from NY). Hard shifting into 2nd is often the center console needs to be moved. Or it could mean needing a whole new transmission. Either way, not a deal breaker. If she runs good, idles smoothly, tracks well down the road @ 60 mph and has good paint and sheetmetal then odds are pretty good you can solve any minor problems that come along. And they will. TJs are old vehicles. Which means they will need new parts. But it also means those parts are easier to work on, and are simpler to maintain.
In my area it is getting difficult to find a good TJ that hasn't been hopped up by some teenagers and driven hard. As long as you start with a (mostly) stock TJ with minimal rust and no damage that runs well then you have found a great ride. You will know it when you see it. A good vehicle will talk to you when you get close up.
 
at $7500 with a clean frame grab it. RMS if you have to pay someone it is at most a $400 job. Good suggestions above on the tranny, at 144K miles I might be inclined to do the clutch anyway especially if you can do it yourself.
 
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What they said! Being in CO, you're more likely to find one with surface rust, but you should still get down on the ground with a good light and check the entire frame over carefully for cancer.

When I was looking, I used the FCA Equipment Listing site to discover what each one came with from the factory. In my case, I found a Rocky Mountain Edition (came with some nice upgrades) that was missing the sticker so the PO didn't realize what they had and I got it for a nice price.
 
Nice looking Jeep. A little detailing and turning the faded plastic black again and it will be a real jewel. As long as the frame is solid, the likely mechanical issues you will face in the future are all surmountable. Good advice above on trying Red Line MTL in your gear box. It may smooth it out. If not, a new or good used one may be in your future, no big deal.
 
It will need a lot of small things and maintenance , possibly a cooling system..7500 is a score if it needs a transmission. 2nd gear syncro may be going. Expect to work on it and spend some money. Remove the splash guards at the front wheels day 1.
 
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JWalker said:
Thanks everyone! I'll try to go check it out soon and see if I can make a deal.
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That was my favorite color too. I miss mine. Good luck.
p.s. Grinding going into 2nd gear is a normal brass synchro issue for the AX-15 trans. Mine always did it and never got any worse.
stockjeep1.jpg
XMAS JEEP1.jpg
 
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AndyG said:
It will need a lot of small things and maintenance , possibly a cooling system..7500 is a score if it needs a transmission. 2nd gear syncro may be going. Expect to work on it and spend some money. Remove the splash guards at the front wheels day 1.
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Thanks! I was thinking the same thing about the splash guards, probably remove front and back ones.
 
TheBoogieman said:
That was my favorite color too. I miss mine. Good luck.
p.s. Grinding going into 2nd gear is a normal brass synchro issue for the AX-15 trans. Mine always did it and never got any worse.
View attachment 187755View attachment 187758
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I know, something about that color with me. I just hope it's not tempting me to buy something I normally wouldn't. Thanks for the heads up about the AX-15 issue...that makes me feel a little better. Nice looking Jeep!
 
JWalker said:
I know, something about that color with me. I just hope it's not tempting me to buy something I normally wouldn't. Thanks for the heads up about the AX-15 issue...that makes me feel a little better. Nice looking Jeep!
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Thanks. Don't impulse buy, even if it will be gone if you don't make an immediate decision. I've had 19 Jeeps and loved the desert sand color too. I found one with decent miles (98,000 ) that looked great for $6,000. I saw how clean it was inside and out and bought it without checking out the normal stuff like rust. They have rust even in the south. I drove it home 2 hours and had plans to lift it. When I crawled under it I noticed they had patched the frame with some terrible welding. It passed inspection, but I ended up selling it a month later for $7,000 to a guy who just wanted to flip it. He got $9,000 for it 3 months later. Another one will always come up eventually. It takes me 6-12 months to find a nice one and they sell within days, if not sooner.
SAHARA JEEP4 (2017_11_20 00_38_12 UTC).jpg
 
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,
JWalker said:
Thanks! I was thinking the same thing about the splash guards, probably remove front and back ones.
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If you don't, we will.

We stopped allowing those in 2015... You'll see it in the permissible mods section of the forum guide book that goes out each February.

Part of our job is to protect the TJ Wrangler image. We take it seriously.
 
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