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Willhe

Willhe

TJ Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 13, 2018
Messages
113
Location
Glencoe
Looking for a Wrangler with soft top preferably lifted with 33" s maybe up to $15,000. Reading that stock 5th gear gets weird for bigger tires.... Last Jeep was a 1978 CJ5 and I loved it. Retiring in about a year.... Now want a daily driver to keep the miles off of my TRD pro. Currently searching for what to look out for in my new purchase. Is it okay to show what I find and ask opinions here?

Thx
 
Welcome to the forum. It’s perfectly ok to solicit advice for buying a Jeep. @Chris (the founder of this fine place) made a thread in FAQ’s a pot what to look for in buying a new Jeep.


More than one member has started a thread to document their search and ask for advice. I would recommend that you start the thread in the TJ general discussion section. You’ll get a much better response posting questions there.
 
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Willhe said:
Looking for a Wrangler with soft top preferably lifted with 33" s maybe up to $15,000. Reading that stock 5th gear gets weird for bigger tires.... Last Jeep was a 1978 CJ5 and I loved it. Retiring in about a year.... Now want a daily driver to keep the miles off of my TRD pro. Currently searching for what to look out for in my new purchase. Is it okay to show what I find and ask opinions here?

Thx
Click to expand...

Check out this thread I wrote: What should I look for when buying a used Wrangler TJ?

With a budget of 15k, you should be more than able to find a completely rust free TJ. The number one thing you'll want to lookout for is rust... trust us on that one. Don't even think about buying a TJ without seeing the frame up-close and in-person. Inspect it thoroughly, because rust is what kills these things.

Check out that thread though as it has a few other things to watch out for as well.
 
Chris said:
Check out this thread I wrote: What should I look for when buying a used Wrangler TJ?

With a budget of 15k, you should be more than able to find a completely rust free TJ. The number one thing you'll want to lookout for is rust... trust us on that one. Don't even think about buying a TJ without seeing the frame up-close and in-person. Inspect it thoroughly, because rust is what kills these things.

Check out that thread though as it has a few other things to watch out for as well.
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Thanks for the advice I'll do that...I assume posting pics is straightforward?
 
Willhe said:
Thanks for the advice I'll do that...I assume posting pics is straightforward?
Click to expand...

Yep! All you have to do is click the "Upload a File" button, which is right next to the "Post Reply" button.

Simple as that!
 
Willhe said:
Thanks I'll get going?
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I look forward to seeing what you find!

Hint: try and stay away from TJs in rust belt areas unless the owner was smart enough not to drive it in the Winter.

Here on the West Coast we are spoiled. Almost all the TJs you find over here are rust free, since they don't salt the roads.
 
Willhe said:
Im in the St. Louis area so it will be more difficult I'm sure.
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It will indeed. However, there are rust free ones in those areas. You just have to look a lot harder and find one that preferably had as few owners as possible, and also one that was garage kept in the Winters.
 
Welcome, I'm new too and just went through this process. Looking forward to see what you have in your area and to what the prices are. I was looking at a lot of lifted Jeeps with larger tires already installed. I was in your price range as well. I ended up going with an unmolested and very clean stock specimen with a Dana 44 for 13k. Now I am busy putting about 3-5k into it so I can build what I want (32" wheels/tires, 2" lift, manifold-back exhaust, tune-up, LED headlamps, stereo etc., etc. Just Empty Every Pocket LOL).
 
Chris said:
It will indeed. However, there are rust free ones in those areas. You just have to look a lot harder and find one that preferably had as few owners as possible, and also one that was garage kept in the Winters.
Click to expand...

Yeah, mine came from NJ and must have been garaged all the time for it to be in the condition it is (paint luster, lack of frame rust , no tub rust etc). They are out there Willhe! Or maybe NJ isn't as bad as Northern Ohio, dunno. The Jeep had a great Carfax service record history as well, so don't forgot to look at that. Many BMV's allow similar vehicle checks by VIN for free. The only clue I found about the previous owner in the central console was a temple piece off someones sunglasses and it said "Prada" on it. If they can afford Prada sunglasses, they likely had a garage I thought, and maybe a nice one...haha! I'm a 20$ sunglasses kind of guy...I save the rest for car parts.
 
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