Frame Rust Purchase Opinion

[TJwill24]

I'm currently looking at a 1998 Sahara with 50k Miles and a perfect vehicle service history. The price is negotiable however I received photos of the frame and I am looking for your thoughts about this. This particular TJ spent its life in Ohio, so I expected some rust but not sure how bad this is compared to an average TJ. I'd like to know your opinions.

 

[Duck Doctor]

Looks to me that the owner covered the rotten frame in spray paint or some type of coating. I bet that frame is rotten.

 

[TJwill24]

Thanks that's what i was thinking too.

 

[TheBoogieman]

Plenty of rust-free Jeeps in N Florida. One of mine came from there.

 

[tnjeepguy]

Run away; do not walk, run. Look at TN/SC and south. Be careful in FL, salt air is also a killer.

"Cheap" and rusty is not cheap. D

 

[Rubiconned]

Florida frames are great if they from inland and away from the beaches.

 

[Msteel]

I’m in NY the where the love to cover the roads in salt. I looked online for a couple of months and found an essentially rust free 2004 TJ in SC. Flew down and drove it home. They’re out there, happy hunting!

 

[macleanflood]

Parts car!

-Mac

 

[DuckNut]

Everything on a jeep is relatively inexpensive to fix...except framework.

Go find a rust free one and have it for many years. Or buy this one and know you will be disposing it in a few years.

 

[macleanflood]

Everything on a jeep is relatively inexpensive to fix...except framework.

Kinda disagree...whole frames are reasonably inexpensive. I bought one in Oregon for $1300 and a former forum member gave me another.

Swapping everything to a new frame is straightforward, but easy enough to accomplish in a week or so. Especially if you don't get distracted with a lot of while your theres.

Now... paying someone to do the work... absolutely agree.

-Mac

 

[DaveC]

Shocks, control arms and muffler all look new, and skid plate bolts look newish. Someone painted or coated the frame and it looks like that's peeling off showing the rust they were trying to hide. Looks like a 'lipstick on a pig' scenario from a southwest 'rust snob' perspective. I'd keep looking.

 

[TheBoogieman]

Looks like a 'lipstick on a pig' scenario from a southwest 'rust snob' perspective.

 

[DuckNut]

Kinda disagree...whole frames are reasonably inexpensive. I bought one in Oregon for $1300 and a former forum member gave me another.

Swapping everything to a new frame is straightforward, but easy enough to accomplish in a week or so. Especially if you don't get distracted with a lot of while your theres.

Now... paying someone to do the work... absolutely agree.

-Mac

I am quite handy with tools, but even thinking about a project like this makes me want to drive for the last time and park it at the junkyard.

 

[macleanflood]

I am quite handy with tools, but even thinking about a project like this makes me want to drive for the last time and park it at the junkyard.

Here's mine...8 day thrash...



-Mac

 

[zebra12]

The skid plate bolts look like VW wheel lug bolts.