Bought this Sahara about 6 months ago and figured I'd share what it's up to.
1997 Wrangler Sahara. 139k. No leaks mechanically, but plenty of issues with the interior. Purchased from a dealer who bought it at auction. 1 actual owner before me.
I sold my Transit van that I converted and spent weekends in while I flew around the country for work for a year and a half. I did a power line trail near Sedona with three JK Wrangler couples that really sold me on the idea of a Jeep. After driving a big van — I knew the TJ would be the right Jeep for me. Never again will I fear turning around on the side of a mountain.
I set aside $20,000 to get the rig and do repairs / upgrades. Given PNW pricing, this of course meant that I'm foregoing lockers and axle shaft upgrades. I also decided that given the age of the rig and the fact that I was perfectly happy with what I got in my van with 2.5" lift, I'd pass on any significant lift for now. I will have solar, a "house" battery that I'll build with LFP cells, small refrigerator, and some other things that I really enjoyed having while camping in my van.
THE GOOD: 5 brand new Cooper AT3 tires. No leaks. CarFax shows routine maintenance at dealer and single owner prior to auction/dealer purchase. No apparent leaks after sitting for extended period on concrete showroom. Completely unmolested other than the rear bumper. Minimal rust on frame in common areas pointed out on various youtube channels.
THE BAD: Moderate rust in passenger floor pan. Interior is mildewed — clearly water leaks. Misfire code in memory. Shocks are shot. Shitty steering wheel, bad clockspring. Failed clearcoat on fender flares, hood, cowl, and fenders (though I like this weathered look so it's not that big of an issue to me). Dents in driver door and windshield frame.
The awesome:
I reached out to several shops listed on the CarFax to get a more complete idea of what maintenance has been done. Surprisingly, two of them responded with information. The rig has only been driven 5,000 miles since 2015.
Maintenance performed in the 15,000 miles prior to my purchase:
Gear oil changed all around
5 new 31" Cooper AT3 tires
Brake Fluid Flushed
Battery replaced
Fuel Pump Replaced
New Clutch, Flywheel, and Transmission rebuild
Starter Replaced
New Catalytic Converter
Radiator & hoses replaced, coolant flushed.
Belts replaced
I've made some progress - but for now, here's dealer photos of its original state. I assure you that it looks worse in person.
1997 Wrangler Sahara. 139k. No leaks mechanically, but plenty of issues with the interior. Purchased from a dealer who bought it at auction. 1 actual owner before me.
I sold my Transit van that I converted and spent weekends in while I flew around the country for work for a year and a half. I did a power line trail near Sedona with three JK Wrangler couples that really sold me on the idea of a Jeep. After driving a big van — I knew the TJ would be the right Jeep for me. Never again will I fear turning around on the side of a mountain.
I set aside $20,000 to get the rig and do repairs / upgrades. Given PNW pricing, this of course meant that I'm foregoing lockers and axle shaft upgrades. I also decided that given the age of the rig and the fact that I was perfectly happy with what I got in my van with 2.5" lift, I'd pass on any significant lift for now. I will have solar, a "house" battery that I'll build with LFP cells, small refrigerator, and some other things that I really enjoyed having while camping in my van.
THE GOOD: 5 brand new Cooper AT3 tires. No leaks. CarFax shows routine maintenance at dealer and single owner prior to auction/dealer purchase. No apparent leaks after sitting for extended period on concrete showroom. Completely unmolested other than the rear bumper. Minimal rust on frame in common areas pointed out on various youtube channels.
THE BAD: Moderate rust in passenger floor pan. Interior is mildewed — clearly water leaks. Misfire code in memory. Shocks are shot. Shitty steering wheel, bad clockspring. Failed clearcoat on fender flares, hood, cowl, and fenders (though I like this weathered look so it's not that big of an issue to me). Dents in driver door and windshield frame.
The awesome:
I reached out to several shops listed on the CarFax to get a more complete idea of what maintenance has been done. Surprisingly, two of them responded with information. The rig has only been driven 5,000 miles since 2015.
Maintenance performed in the 15,000 miles prior to my purchase:
Gear oil changed all around
5 new 31" Cooper AT3 tires
Brake Fluid Flushed
Battery replaced
Fuel Pump Replaced
New Clutch, Flywheel, and Transmission rebuild
Starter Replaced
New Catalytic Converter
Radiator & hoses replaced, coolant flushed.
Belts replaced
I've made some progress - but for now, here's dealer photos of its original state. I assure you that it looks worse in person.