MountaineerTom
LJ Enthusiast, Retired USAF Weapons Loader
Supporting Member
Ride of the Month Winner
Yes, stamped. Mine looked like it was done with an old dot matrix printer from the 80's. Just a bunch of dots forming the numbers. LOL
Need Advice on Bad 2004 Rubicon Purchase
- Thread starter Gergg
- Start date
Yes, stamped. Mine looked like it was done with an old dot matrix printer from the 80's. Just a bunch of dots forming the numbers. LOL
You could walk outside, roll the Jeep in 4wd a few feet and be back here with an answer in 10 minutes.
Man, you guys are demanding....lol...The Jeep is back at the dealer already, but I will be checking that if needed.
MountaineerTom
LJ Enthusiast, Retired USAF Weapons Loader
Supporting Member
Ride of the Month Winner
Working out options, I will update the thread as things work out. This thread has been helpful in bringing to light potential problems which may ultimately affect resolution choices.
MountaineerTom
LJ Enthusiast, Retired USAF Weapons Loader
Supporting Member
Ride of the Month Winner
Honestly, I think I'd ask for my money back and look for something else. It's sounding like a lot of work is going to need to be done to make it right. Lots of opportunity for them, or whoever they pick to fix it, to mess it up. Good Jeeps, including Rubicon's, are out there.
Unless they give you money back and you want to do the research, purchasing and work, or have a trusted shop to do the work for you. I hope it goes well for you.
Unless they give you money back and you want to do the research, purchasing and work, or have a trusted shop to do the work for you. I hope it goes well for you.
Yes, my thoughts as well.
Well, a great outcome, the dealer decided to buy back the Jeep at full purchase price. I am torn as I really liked the darn thing, but obviously the right decision considering all of its "warts". Now I need to find another one, thanks to this forum and the helpful tips, I feel much more qualified to catch out of place parts/components. Really appreciate all of the help in this thread, I learned a ton, thanks again!
Which one is it so someone else doesn’t buy the same thing?
MountaineerTom
LJ Enthusiast, Retired USAF Weapons Loader
Supporting Member
Ride of the Month Winner
I have seen this sort of thing a couple of times before.
When someone turns in a Jeep he/she had built up custom, the stealership usually won't give them anything near like what it's worth with all the added performance parts on it. So off they come when they can't sell it for what they need out of it, they bust it back to stock-like condition and trade it in on the next vehicle.
The custom parts like Atlas II transfer cases, Chromolly shafts, custom suspension & trussed 1-ton axles come out and these built axles get swapped for more stocker replacements. Then it gets traded into a dealership for something else and bye-bye, never look back.
I know of at least 4 Jeeps that were traded in that way by 1st hand knowledge.
I wouldn't do something like this without full disclosure to the dealership or used car lot, but many will and NOT THINK TWICE DOING IT. Now to top it off, most dealerships especially those that are not Jeep dealerships don't even know who to ask or what to look for when taking the used Jeep in on trade. Even their SERVICE DEPARTMENT simply doesn't know what they are looking at. They simply go by what the VIN is on the vehicle and the NADA, EDMUNDS or KELLY BLUE BOOK value sheets, rough out what they think they need out of it to either whole-sale blow it out, or to put it on the lot so they can make a little money on it. Or many stealerships just bury the loss in the price and negotiated purchase deal of the new vehicle that the customer is buying or leasing at the time of trade-in.
Remember most of these suits at a dealership don't know anything that they can't see in their guide pages on the computer..... Period.
I'll bet a previous owner busted that Jeep back to stockish looking/running and traded it in for another ride, sold off the performance parts to help "recoup" their money and are driving something else as we type this......
RR
When someone turns in a Jeep he/she had built up custom, the stealership usually won't give them anything near like what it's worth with all the added performance parts on it. So off they come when they can't sell it for what they need out of it, they bust it back to stock-like condition and trade it in on the next vehicle.
The custom parts like Atlas II transfer cases, Chromolly shafts, custom suspension & trussed 1-ton axles come out and these built axles get swapped for more stocker replacements. Then it gets traded into a dealership for something else and bye-bye, never look back.
I know of at least 4 Jeeps that were traded in that way by 1st hand knowledge.
I wouldn't do something like this without full disclosure to the dealership or used car lot, but many will and NOT THINK TWICE DOING IT. Now to top it off, most dealerships especially those that are not Jeep dealerships don't even know who to ask or what to look for when taking the used Jeep in on trade. Even their SERVICE DEPARTMENT simply doesn't know what they are looking at. They simply go by what the VIN is on the vehicle and the NADA, EDMUNDS or KELLY BLUE BOOK value sheets, rough out what they think they need out of it to either whole-sale blow it out, or to put it on the lot so they can make a little money on it. Or many stealerships just bury the loss in the price and negotiated purchase deal of the new vehicle that the customer is buying or leasing at the time of trade-in.
Remember most of these suits at a dealership don't know anything that they can't see in their guide pages on the computer..... Period.
I'll bet a previous owner busted that Jeep back to stockish looking/running and traded it in for another ride, sold off the performance parts to help "recoup" their money and are driving something else as we type this......
RR
Ya, it did.
Bring a friend who knows Jeeps if you're going to buy a used Jeep and aren't sure of what to look for.....
RR
Bring a friend who knows Jeeps if you're going to buy a used Jeep and aren't sure of what to look for.....
RR