Buying a used TJ, need a second opinion on frame
- Thread starter Lopez4163
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It's the right place to ask, unless you want to buy a TJ with a crap frame and need someone to tell you what you want to hear. I drilled drain holes in my frame when I bought it 3 years ago and it still looks the same.
Ok, but these days, you're not realistically going to get a rust-free Jeep for $6500. Yeah, yeah, everyone knows someone who got the deal of a century. For the average buyer who has the average amount of free time, prepare to spend over $10,000 for a good example.
The members on here are usually more cautious about frames with good reason. Like others have said get an endoscope and run it through the frame. For being in the North-east, on the outside it looks fine except for the fact that like Bromel was saying it's been patched awkwardly.
Everyone want's a rust free stock jeep, but sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and deal with some minor issues. For some people a frame that's had to be repainted is a deal breaker. For us in salt belt painted frames are a reality of life, it's your job to look and see how well they cleaned it up. Take a hammer and a screwdriver and tap the parts of the underside you're concerned with. It'll be pretty apparent whether you have a solid frame in front of you or a bondoed out pos. And the owners shouldn't mind a few taps here and there if they're selling and the frame is "rocksolid" lol.
I have access to dealer auctions so my situation is a bit different, but the majority of the time what the members on here are saying should be followed. Even down south frames that look great on the outside can have internal issues eating away. I may or may not be thinking about looking out of state in a few years when I'm ready for another TJ.
BTW 6500 dollars here in NY gets you a 4 cylinder 5 speed in good condition that's a 2001 with 150k miles. Or 6 cylinder with holes in the body.
Someone in my area is trying to sell a 98 4 cylinder with 34s stock axles and no regear for 7500.
Everyone want's a rust free stock jeep, but sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and deal with some minor issues. For some people a frame that's had to be repainted is a deal breaker. For us in salt belt painted frames are a reality of life, it's your job to look and see how well they cleaned it up. Take a hammer and a screwdriver and tap the parts of the underside you're concerned with. It'll be pretty apparent whether you have a solid frame in front of you or a bondoed out pos. And the owners shouldn't mind a few taps here and there if they're selling and the frame is "rocksolid" lol.
I have access to dealer auctions so my situation is a bit different, but the majority of the time what the members on here are saying should be followed. Even down south frames that look great on the outside can have internal issues eating away. I may or may not be thinking about looking out of state in a few years when I'm ready for another TJ.
BTW 6500 dollars here in NY gets you a 4 cylinder 5 speed in good condition that's a 2001 with 150k miles. Or 6 cylinder with holes in the body.
Someone in my area is trying to sell a 98 4 cylinder with 34s stock axles and no regear for 7500.
exactly, especially in lower NY what people want is crazy. If I do it again I am going west.
I forgot to mention the guy with the 4 cylinder on 34s also stated it was rebuilt at 200k.
It would suffice to say the ads been up for more than 2 weeks now.
Yup. The Long Island Jeep ads are especially outrageous.
"runs good I no what I got, no lowballers. frame mint patched up no problems"
Come on man! This picture has a time stamp of 2006. You posted a picture of a new Jeep to make a point on frame rust 15 years later. My parents purchased their first home for $33,000. Should I use that as a comp on my new home purchase?
Problem I have with it is most of the frame looks quite good. Way too good to need repair. So what's happened is it was falling apart and someone cut the worst out, welded in some plates, and painted it all up.
I can pretty much guarantee in the near future some other section of the frame will rust through.
I can pretty much guarantee in the near future some other section of the frame will rust through.
236,734 TJs rolled off the assembly line between 2004 and 2006 alone. They aren't rare and they aren't special so there is no reason to buy a problem or a likely problem.