2000 TJ Opinions

[NOVA-Jeep]

Everyone,

The pictures below are from a 2000 TJ (4.0L - Manual - 86k miles) from PA the seller is asking $8300 for. The pictures were provided by the seller who clearly knows what TJ buyers are looking for since he put undercarriage pics in his listing.

The frame has clearly been painted/coated and when I asked the seller he told me that he bought it like that (he did say he is the second owner). I've scheduled a meeting for tonight and will be bringing my endoscope to look inside since from what I can tell, the rust that was painted over doesn't look too bad, but I don't enough experience to evaluate that as well as some of you all. Obviously, if everything looks good, I'll do another inspection in daylight.

Opinions — worth a look or hell no or grab this right now

 

[SvtLdr]

Definitely worth a look. From what I'm seeing from these photos, I'd remain optimistic. I've been thru multiple frame repairs on my own rig due to rust. In my experience, even when you try to freshly paint over rusty spots, they're pretty obvious when you get up close. Paint will only hide the color of a rusty spot but not the texture of it. If you see anything that feels rough or looks uneven, that's where I'd focus on. Take a good flashlight and get up underneath that Jeep. Put your eyes and hands on everything you can. Put your fingers inside the slots in the frame and feel for anything that's peeling / flaking inside or chunks that have piled up inside on the bottom surface of the frame. Bring along a ball peen hammer. With just some light tapping you can easily hear the difference between solid frame (loud ping sound) and soft rusty frame (dull thud sound). You may want to ask permission first before you go banging around. My opinion is if the seller doesn't have anything to hide, he should offer to swing the hammer for you! Good luck.

 

[glowell222]

NOVA-Jeep-you know our winters and how much salt is put down even if there is a threat of precipitation at temps below freezing. Take a good hard look, and be sure to look into the torque boxes as well. The torque boxes are part of the body and are found where the 6 side chassis mounts connect to the body. If you can get a look at a small piece of the interior part of the fuel tank skid plate, look there as well. Good luck.

 

[sahara2000]

Most of the frame looks great, but I agree that they definitely painted over some rust. Checking inside the frame with your finger is the only way to know for sure.

But that's a great price if it's a good frame.

 

[NOVA-Jeep]

NOVA-Jeep-you know our winters and how much salt is put down even if there is a threat of precipitation at temps below freezing. Take a good hard look, and be sure to look into the torque boxes as well. The torque boxes are part of the body and are found where the 6 side chassis mounts connect to the body. If you can get a look at a small piece of the interior part of the fuel tank skid plate, look there as well. Good luck.

You're right about how much salt gets dumped on the roads here, the level of paranoia about snow/ice is amazing. I guess our traffic sucks so much even when the pavement is dry.....

I was wondering what level of rust is "acceptable"? I agree that flaking rust in the frame is an immediate walk away, but I haven't seen a Jeep in NOVA without some level of rust.

 

[SvtLdr]

That's really only gonna be your call, based on personal comfort level. After doing my own frame repair work, I've leaned a lot and wouldn't hesitate to tackle it again if needed. That being said, my Jeep is a permanent fixture in my life that has been around longer than my marriage, kids, and mortgages...

My point is, if it's the right Jeep for you and the right price, I wouldn't hesitate to purchase one with a little rust on the underside. Just be prepared to address it when the time comes and don't lose any sleep in the meantime.

 

[glowell222]

I was wondering what level of rust is "acceptable"? I agree that flaking rust in the frame is an immediate walk away, but I haven't seen a Jeep in NOVA without some level of rust.

That is an excellent question. There will certainly be some rust, and if it's mostly surface rust then that's a win-buy it.

To me the critical tell will be the transmission skid-plate mounts and/or the torque box mounts. Torque boxes can be repaired easier than the frame, in my opinion, but if you have to pay someone to do it, it will not be cheap.

The center torque box and rear torque box mounts tend to rust away, as well as the trans skid mounts, or they rust into solid pieces and you can't tell the bolt from the mount or nutsert. This means that if you need to do any transmission or transfer case work and the skid needs to be dropped for access, you will have a very real, very expensive situation on your hands since the skid either won't come off or can't be reinstalled without major frame repair. However, if these all look ok, then I think you are good to go.

Also, if there is a Mopar frame-mounted hitch, I would check those mounts and mounting points closely as well. Not a deal killer but worth checking and noting.

Note that if there is real rust, the brake hard lines will also be in very poor condition, as well as the fuel return line (found on the manifold side of the Jeep).

 

[NOVA-Jeep]

Just thought I'd update everyone on how things went. Met up with the owner and the Jeep looked fine. First thing I did was stick my finger in the passenger side frame and all I felt was rough flaking rust. Got up and told the owner, he checked then hit the frame a couple times and said it felt solid. I said thanks for meeting me, but I'm not interested.

 

[Rubicon88]

Just thought I'd update everyone on how things went. Met up with the owner and the Jeep looked fine. First thing I did was stick my finger in the passenger side frame and all I felt was rough flaking rust. Got up and told the owner, he checked then hit the frame a couple times and said it felt solid. I said thanks for meeting me, but I'm not interested.

Whoa...hold the phone.

What does rough flaking rust feel like? How about dried flaking mud? What does it feel like? Those holes aren't very big hence you can't see in them so good. I have a snap on camera that would fit to see in there but if the inner frame is any condition to It's counterpart outer frame...
It would be silly to pass on this because you aren't feeling a brand new frame on the inside with your pinky finger.

It's your money but from the pictures you posted that frame is fine. If you take care of it that's at least 20 years plus of good frame. Probably more.

 

[NOVA-Jeep]

It felt like rust - flakes not crumbling like I'd expect dirt to. Also there was a ton of rough spots right where the skid pan connects to the frame that were painted/coated over. The owner told me he'd been using the Jeep as a daily driver, not off roading.

Reading the forum has me paranoid about rust which makes my search incredibly difficult, but in a perverse way I'm actually enjoying searching and researching TJs.

 

[Rubicon88]

It felt like rust - flakes not crumbling like I'd expect dirt to. Also there was a ton of rough spots right where the skid pan connects to the frame that were painted/coated over. The owner told me he'd been using the Jeep as a daily driver, not off roading.

Reading the forum has me paranoid about rust which makes my search incredibly difficult, but in a perverse way I'm actually enjoying searching and researching TJs.

A lot on here will tell you to nit walk away but RUN away with your hair on fire if...ajd if...and if....

Those rough spots are surface rust. A frame can have A LOT of surface rust and still be structurally sound.

Allow me to explain how I can tell from your pictures that this frame is good.
You want to look for significant high/low spots. Not minor ones but significant ones. That means the metal has really deteriorated away at a spot or two or three.

That frame is solid.



Just remember this...anything can be repaired/repkaced on these Jeeps but the equipment it came with sometimes can't be added or is a nightnare and very expensive to add.

If that Jeep is equipped exactly as you'd hoped I wouldn't hesitate to get that one bit.

Let's do some math.
If you bought it....there's no way you can't get 2 years out of that frame as it sits. I guarantee that.

Let's say it needed a repair in 2 years. (It won't) but let's say it did.

I promise if the rest of the jeep is nice you could still fetch 5-6 grand out of that.

Sssoooo you just ran a Jeep TJ for 2 years at a cost of 1k-1.5k per year as average.

That's winning.

Big time.

Good luck