Looking for a TJ

rancholago

rancholago

TJ Enthusiast
Joined
Oct 31, 2020
Messages
159
Location
CA
I have been looking for a TJ to buy. I could write a book, mostly a horror book, with the TJ's I have seen.
I need some opinions on a couple of TJ Jeeps I have found but have not shown interest in yet.
Jeep 1,
2000 Jeep Wrangler SE, it has a hard top and comes with soft top, two sets of doors, over all looks like a nice vehicle.
Its a 4 cyl, automatic, with AC. If it was a 6 cyl, I would be all over it. I am beyond old and speed is in the rearview mirror, but I would still not want to get run over on the interstate. Most, but not all highway miles would be behind our RV.
Jeep 2, 2002 Rubicon 6cyl. stick, AC nice looking vehicle. No hard top, just doors that came with it, nothing beyond being a seemingly nice vehicle.
Of course the Rubicon is about $4k more, but is acceptable if its worth it? Both vehicles have about the same mileage.
I can see using the jeep on the back roads, maintenance roads, logging etc. maybe looking for ghost towns sight seeing. No rocks, no hard wheeling trails, no rubicon, nothing an old man could get hurt doing.
Any one have some ideas about what would be the better jeep for me, I also could see us selling in about 5 years or so if heath holds out.
 
To review...
The 4cyl auto will be a slug. Big time.

You mention twice about a top.

I'd take a soft top all day long and I live in the cold in winter. It warms quicker in the winter and much easier to take off or partially off.

If the soft top is in good condition great!!!

Resale

Without question you'll sell a Rubicon stick much faster than a 4 cylinder automatic no matter the top. All day long!!
 
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I would avoid the 4 cylinder, definitely go for the 4.0L inline-six. You will appreciate the extra power even if you keep the Jeep stock.

I wouldn't bother with a hard top unless you plan on never removing the top. The hard top requires a place to store it, and two people to remove/install it. I found just having a soft top is MUCH easier.
 
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As a 2.5L owner, if you can get the Rubi for a little more, go for it!

Having said that though, it sounds like you could get by with the 2.5L. It will cruise at 65 - 70 mph on the highway as long as there are no hills. Off-Road, from the way you're describing it, you may never tell the difference. My little 2.5L with very few mods can go almost anywhere off-road.
 
My first Jeep was a 2.5L. 18 Jeeps later and I've never bought another one.

p.s. A 4 cylinder auto with a hardtop and the AC on would feel like this when driving up hills.

Fat man car.jpg
 
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I live in SoCal and bought mine off craigslist. After looking and driving a lot of bad cr@p for about a month. Finally found the perfect Rubi for me. I wanted a 05-06 TJ Unlimited with a manual, less than 120000 mi and mild upgrades. I did travel to western Co to get it but this was not an issue for me. Very happy with it so far.

The more I look the easier it was to know I found the right one for me.

The trick with craigslist is search wide, several times per day (good deals go fast) and have cash in hand.
 
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I miss wrote.... the rubicon is a 2003 thanks for bringing it to my attention. You had me scared for a minute, I thought here we go another scam, but I miss wrote the year.

Thanks for the advice I appreciate it
 
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bucky said:
The trick with craigslist is search wide, several times per day (good deals go fast) and have cash in hand.
Click to expand...
The '01 TJ Sport 4.0L that I purchased for 6K was on Craigslist. the ad had been placed the night before; no one had called or looked at it because it was a sad looking Jeep and needed a lot of TLC, but otherwise was in good condition mechanically.
 
I picked up a 2004 TJ hard top, 6cyl with 160k miles on it last month.
I had been looking for months and everything I found was over priced and trashed..
So I took a shot and posted a want ad on a regional Facebook jeep page and got a lot of replies. One reply was an owner that was thinking of selling but hadn't listed their jeep yet.... A couple weeks later that owner contacted me and asked if I wanted to check out the jeep.
So I drove 3 hours to check it out and chat with the owner who was a Snowbird that towed it behind his motorhome.
It's in very nice condition. Well..., it needed new tires, no biggie.
After an hour of talking/negotiating we agreed on a price. I handed him $6k and he handed me a title.

It was the right color inside and out I wanted, 6cyl, hardtop etc..

Posting a want ad is one way to take a shot at it.

Try a want ad on a Facebook jeep group, you may find what you want.

Good luck
 
rancholago said:
Jeep 2, 2002 Rubicon 6cyl. stick, AC nice
Click to expand...
03 is by some considered the best TJ Rubicon model due to some opda and PCM glitches in 04-06 , but I have an 03 and 06 and love them both.

Really you need neither , you need a good, clean sport or x, basically stock, for what you want to use it for. Transmission type is personal preference, I have and like both but would lean toward an auto most of the time...at the same time the manual makes you get involved and I like that as well. Helps me leave the world behind a little.

With current SE values being 6500-9500, any clean Rubicon 4k more may be a race horse deal, and they are always a sought after vehicle and will continue to be.
 
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I got my TJ off of craigslist after using Search Tempest and refreshing ~152 times/day; I had to fly to Utah to get it (then had it shipped back, because I'm the World's Laziest Man). Lots of scammers, lots of bullshit ads, and the overwhelming majority were Dealer offerings. Used TJ's are a Dealer's DELIGHT, because they are so desirable, and are still priced low enough to attract high school & college students...

The only advice that I can add is to be ready, willing, and able to either travel, or purchase remotely using a wire transfer or the like. You can use an Escrow Service for added safety, or get the seller to send you the title ahead of picking it up, then have him/her sign it after you get there...
 
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TheGanzman said:
I got my TJ off of craigslist after using Search Tempest and refreshing ~152 times/day; I had to fly to Utah to get it (then had it shipped back, because I'm the World's Laziest Man). Lots of scammers, lots of bullshit ads, and the overwhelming majority were Dealer offerings. Used TJ's are a Dealer's DELIGHT, because they are so desirable, and are still priced low enough to attract high school & college students...

The only advice that I can add is to be ready, willing, and able to either travel, or purchase remotely using a wire transfer or the like. You can use an Escrow Service for added safety, or get the seller to send you the title ahead of picking it up, then have him/her sign it after you get there...
Click to expand...
Good post.
 
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rancholago said:
I have been looking for a TJ to buy. I could write a book, mostly a horror book, with the TJ's I have seen.
I need some opinions on a couple of TJ Jeeps I have found but have not shown interest in yet.
Jeep 1,
2000 Jeep Wrangler SE, it has a hard top and comes with soft top, two sets of doors, over all looks like a nice vehicle.
Its a 4 cyl, automatic, with AC. If it was a 6 cyl, I would be all over it. I am beyond old and speed is in the rearview mirror, but I would still not want to get run over on the interstate. Most, but not all highway miles would be behind our RV.
Jeep 2, 2002 Rubicon 6cyl. stick, AC nice looking vehicle. No hard top, just doors that came with it, nothing beyond being a seemingly nice vehicle.
Of course the Rubicon is about $4k more, but is acceptable if its worth it? Both vehicles have about the same mileage.
I can see using the jeep on the back roads, maintenance roads, logging etc. maybe looking for ghost towns sight seeing. No rocks, no hard wheeling trails, no rubicon, nothing an old man could get hurt doing.
Any one have some ideas about what would be the better jeep for me, I also could see us selling in about 5 years or so if heath holds out.
Click to expand...
Where are you in CA?
 
I've got both - an 05 Rubicon for me and an 03 Sport for my 16 year old son. Both are stock except for 31" tires and some shock and brake work. Both have 4.0 engines.
The Rubicon feels like a move up to first class when driving - I know it's mostly mental, but just feels completely different and a bit "higher end". Spend the money on the Rubicon.
 
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