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06 Silver LJR with Pintlers
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I just checked out the build sheet off the VIN. Originally shipped to New Hampshire and now for sale in Massachusetts so I wouldn't be surprised if it has a good amount of rust. Thats a really good catch. I didn't zoom in and almost commented on how nice the frame looked...
Also, side note but I've really never understood those ARB bumpers. Super expensive and super heavy. And they block your tires from getting over any real obstacles. I guess if you hit an old roo' with one they'll be fine though.
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All the holes have what appears to be painted over rust around them. Not smooth like it is supposed to be.
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Oh DAMN... That's some bad rust too, especially with as much as it's bubbled up.
That's beyond surface rust.
That thing isn't worth near what they're asking IMHO. Not after seeing those photos.
I agree. Once I see nearly any rust on the outside of the frame, I'm out. If the outside of the frame has rust, the inside is most likely too far gone to even consider buying. My Jeep doesn't have very much outside surface rust, but the frame has a hole in it from internal rust. If you looked at the outside of my frame, you wouldn't be very concerned at all. The inside is a different story.
Yep, I’m the same way. I sound like a snob because of it, but if there’s anything beyond slightly brown surface rust in one or two spots, I won’t touch it for any price.
When the rust starts to actually bubble like it is on this one, that’s how you know it’s really bad. And if that’s what the outside of the frame looks like, you’re right, the inside is probably worse.
No one smart will pay anything close to 20k for that.
A lot of people may see your view on rust as snobby because they plan to use the Jeep differently. If you plan to drive it through Michigan winters to work and never modify it, then a little rust is fine. But, if you're going to dump thousands into the Jeep modifying it, keep it for many years, and never drive it in the salt, then you would be smart to start with a completely rust free Jeep.
I wouldn't touch this LJ for anything more than $5,000 since I plan on keeping any Jeep I buy for many years. If I have to go through the hassle of organizing another frame swap, then I better be getting AT LEAST $10k off what the Jeep would normally sell for. But I'm 100% sure someone will give them way more than $5k for this LJ.
Yep, I agree. I'm looking at it like if someone is going to ask 20k for their TJ Rubicon (or LJ), then it had better be damn near pristine as far as rust goes.
The other issue is that some of these TJs are rusted so badly that I'd actually be afraid to take it off-road. If you give those rust bucket frames any sort of real flex, they might actually snap in half... no joke.
It's worth more than 5k for sure. The parts alone are worth that, and you could always drop 5k or so on putting in a new, rust free frame.
It’s definitely worth more than $5k but I just couldn’t be bothered to deal with another frame swap for any less of a deal than that. Finding an LJ frame has got to be literal hell on earth. I could barely find one east of the Mississippi for my regular old TJ. All in all I bet you’d be around $8k in for a frame swap if you had a shop do it (this is including the cost of getting the frame).
Frame swaps are a total pain in the neck to orchestrate. Finding a frame, transporting the frame, it goes on and on.
Good point. I was thinking about TJ frames being easier to find, but for an LJ frame, that's got to be a needle in a haystack since they only made them from 04-06.
I'll bet you're right, 8k or more for a frame swap, plus all the down time. I'd rather just take that extra 8k and buy a clean one from the start.
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