New member from Spain!

[Yoshi]

Hi everyone!

I’ve been lurking here for a bit and finally decided to join the community. Im a woman writing from Spain and I’m currently on the hunt for my first Wrangler TJ.

To be honest, I’m a bit shocked at the market prices here in Europe compared to what you guys have in the US. Finding a clean, well-maintained, and completely stock TJ is like looking for a needle in a haystack. When you do find a good one, they are incredibly expensive—we’re talking around €20,000 ($21,500+) for a stock unit in good condition.

Since it’s such a big investment, I want to make sure I make the right choice. This won’t be my daily driver; I want it strictly for weekend fun, road trips, and enjoying the coast.

I have some doubts about the engine:

• Is the 4.0L straight-six a "must-have" for someone who just wants to cruise and travel?
• Or is the 2.4L / 2.5L enough if I'm not planning on doing any extreme rock crawling?

My vision for the Jeep is a clean, "beefy" look but keeping it simple. I’m planning on doing a 31x10.5 R15 tire setup with spacers and a 1" body lift. I want that aggressive stance without sacrificing too much comfort on the road or getting into trouble with our very strict Spanish regulations (ITV).

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the engine choice for my specific needs and any tips on what to inspect when paying these "European prices" for a TJ.

Can't wait to finally have one in my garage, become part of the community, and share some photos with you all!

Cheers!

 

[MikekiM]

Welcome to the forums!!

What kind of terrain are you looking at? Is it hilly, flat, dirt, paved? Winding hilly coastal roads?
The four banger will struggle with any long uphill. Add in oversized tires and you'll like be unhappy on anything that isn't flat and/or with a tailwind.

 

[rasband]

Welcome to the forum!

I would personally want the 4.0L, no matter the terrain. Largely because it's a very well supported engine platform and there's a ton of great knowledge around it. The angry squirrel 4 banger options were both short windows, so my expectation is that the support would dry up sooner than later.

Thread '1997-2006 Jeep Wrangler TJ Model Year Production Numbers'

Sep 19, 2019

EDITIONS

• PLMCRZY
• Replies: 12
• Forum: TJ Resources

• 

 

[Woodrow]

Hi everyone!

I’ve been lurking here for a bit and finally decided to join the community. Im a woman writing from Spain and I’m currently on the hunt for my first Wrangler TJ.

To be honest, I’m a bit shocked at the market prices here in Europe compared to what you guys have in the US. Finding a clean, well-maintained, and completely stock TJ is like looking for a needle in a haystack. When you do find a good one, they are incredibly expensive—we’re talking around €20,000 ($21,500+) for a stock unit in good condition.

Since it’s such a big investment, I want to make sure I make the right choice. This won’t be my daily driver; I want it strictly for weekend fun, road trips, and enjoying the coast.

I have some doubts about the engine:

• Is the 4.0L straight-six a "must-have" for someone who just wants to cruise and travel?
• Or is the 2.4L / 2.5L enough if I'm not planning on doing any extreme rock crawling?

My vision for the Jeep is a clean, "beefy" look but keeping it simple. I’m planning on doing a 31x10.5 R15 tire setup with spacers and a 1" body lift. I want that aggressive stance without sacrificing too much comfort on the road or getting into trouble with our very strict Spanish regulations (ITV).

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the engine choice for my specific needs and any tips on what to inspect when paying these "European prices" for a TJ.

Can't wait to finally have one in my garage, become part of the community, and share some photos with you all!

Cheers!

Welcome. I would almost say the six is a must. TJs are slow by modern car standards, even with the 6. The 4 just makes it worse. Even slightly larger tires like 31s will exacerbate that. However, if you find a clean 4 cyl TJ, you might be able to get it cheaper. As far as what to look out for, the number 1 thing is rust. Body and frame. Stick your finger in the frame holes or use a borescope to look. Post up some pics of prospects including underneath and lots of folks here will be happy to opine.

 

[Yoshi]

Welcome to the forums!!

What kind of terrain are you looking at? Is it hilly, flat, dirt, paved? Winding hilly coastal roads?
The four banger will struggle with any long uphill. Add in oversized tires and you'll like be unhappy on anything that isn't flat and/or with a tailwind.

Welcome to the forum!

I would personally want the 4.0L, no matter the terrain. Largely because it's a very well supported engine platform and there's a ton of great knowledge around it. The angry squirrel 4 banger options were both short windows, so my expectation is that the support would dry up sooner than later.

Thread '1997-2006 Jeep Wrangler TJ Model Year Production Numbers'

Sep 19, 2019

EDITIONS

• PLMCRZY
• Replies: 12
• Forum: TJ Resources

• 

Welcome. I would almost say the six is a must. TJs are slow by modern car standards, even with the 6. The 4 just makes it worse. Even slightly larger tires like 31s will exacerbate that. However, if you find a clean 4 cyl TJ, you might be able to get it cheaper. As far as what to look out for, the number 1 thing is rust. Body and frame. Stick your finger in the frame holes or use a borescope to look. Post up some pics of prospects including underneath and lots of folks here will be happy to opine.

Thanks for the feedback! It's settled: the 4.0L is the way to go.

The Jeep I'm looking at is a completely stock 1997 TJ Sahara 4.0L with 160,000 km (around 100k miles). It’s located in a very dry area (Girona), so it should be rust-free.

However, I'm hesitating to even go see it because of the price: they want €20,000 (~$23,260 USD). I know that sounds crazy for the US, but that's the European market right now for a clean stock TJ.

Since it's a big investment for a weekend car, what would you do? Is a rust-free '97 Sahara worth that money, or am I overpaying too much? Should I take the trip to inspect it?

 

[Woodrow]

Not knowing the market in your area, I have no idea about the price. It’s certainly a lot for here. You don’t need it. You want it. Its a luxury purchase. If you have the funds, then its just money.

As far as the Jeep goes, If the frame, and body are straight and rust free and the interior is good, everything else is generally fixable. I like 97s. The transmissions were good (AX-15 manual and 32RH automatic). The emissions stuff was simple compared to later at least in the US market. They are first year TJs and do have some quirks (especially the early ones like mine which was built in 5/96). There were some carry over YJ parts (especially electrical) that got used up on them. There is a thread on here about the oddities of that year which is helpful.

Take a trip and check it out, if you want. Send us pics. You might ask the seller to send more pics of the frame before you go. Rust is often worse inside than outside and common places are around the transfer case skid and rear control arm brackets.

 

[Yoshi]

Not knowing the market in your area, I have no idea about the price. It’s certainly a lot for here. You don’t need it. You want it. Its a luxury purchase. If you have the funds, then its just money.

As far as the Jeep goes, If the frame, and body are straight and rust free and the interior is good, everything else is generally fixable. I like 97s. The transmissions were good (AX-15 manual and 32RH automatic). The emissions stuff was simple compared to later at least in the US market. They are first year TJs and do have some quirks (especially the early ones like mine which was built in 5/96). There were some carry over YJ parts (especially electrical) that got used up on them. There is a thread on here about the oddities of that year which is helpful.

Take a trip and check it out, if you want. Send us pics. You might ask the seller to send more pics of the frame before you go. Rust is often worse inside than outside and common places are around the transfer case skid and rear control arm brackets.

You’re absolutely right—this is definitely an expensive whim, and that’s why I’m so excited about it. However, I need to think it over and run the numbers carefully.

Right now, I’m looking at two options. The first one is the Jeep I mentioned earlier: there are no photos of the underbody yet, but according to the owner, it’s rust-free. He’s the 4th or 5th owner, it’s mostly stock, and he has kept it in great condition. The price is €20,000, though I’m not sure if he’d go down to €19,000.

The second option is €16,700, but it has had 7 previous owners, which makes me a bit hesitant. I’ve asked for photos of the frame to see what’s going on down there. On the plus side, this one comes with hard and soft tops, plus full and tubular doors, and it already has the larger tires I like. However, the high number of owners and the fact that it needed some repairs to pass the local inspection (ITV) are concerns. Both are 4.0L engines

1.
https://wallapop.com/item/jeep-wrangler-1997-1061515027?utm_medium=AppShare&utm_source=ShareItem

2.
https://wallapop.com/item/jeep-wrangler-tj-4-0-1265752039?utm_medium=AppShare&utm_source=ShareItem

 

[Woodrow]

You’re absolutely right—this is definitely an expensive whim, and that’s why I’m so excited about it. However, I need to think it over and run the numbers carefully.

Right now, I’m looking at two options. The first one is the Jeep I mentioned earlier: there are no photos of the underbody yet, but according to the owner, it’s rust-free. He’s the 4th or 5th owner, it’s mostly stock, and he has kept it in great condition. The price is €20,000, though I’m not sure if he’d go down to €19,000.

The second option is €16,700, but it has had 7 previous owners, which makes me a bit hesitant. I’ve asked for photos of the frame to see what’s going on down there. On the plus side, this one comes with hard and soft tops, plus full and tubular doors, and it already has the larger tires I like. However, the high number of owners and the fact that it needed some repairs to pass the local inspection (ITV) are concerns. Both are 4.0L engines

1.
https://wallapop.com/item/jeep-wrangler-1997-1061515027?utm_medium=AppShare&utm_source=ShareItem

2.
https://wallapop.com/item/jeep-wrangler-tj-4-0-1265752039?utm_medium=AppShare&utm_source=ShareItem

The ‘97 looks nicer. “Total Restoration” may be a stretch. More like new paint and seat covers with some maintenance items. But it looks pretty in the pics. Definitely needs closer inspection. You want to make sure that new paint doesn’t cover bodywork and it well done. Frame condition would still be my biggest area of attention.

 

[Yoshi]

El modelo del 97 se ve mejor. Quizás "restauración total" sea una exageración. Más bien se trata de pintura nueva, fundas para los asientos y algunos retoques de mantenimiento. Pero se ve bonito en las fotos. Definitivamente necesita una inspección más detallada. Hay que asegurarse de que la pintura nueva no cubra la carrocería y que esté bien aplicada. El estado del chasis seguiría siendo mi principal preocupación.

¡Gracias por tu opinión! Coincido en que el modelo del 97 se ve un poco mejor conservado. Sin embargo, mi principal preocupación con el otro es la gran cantidad de dueños que ha tenido.

Ha pasado por siete manos diferentes, y eso me hace dudar. ¿Debería preocuparme tantos dueños anteriores al comprar un Jeep? Ahora mismo estoy esperando a que el vendedor me envíe fotos del chasis para ver si está realmente limpio y si vale la pena correr el riesgo.

 

[Woodrow]

The ‘97 looks nicer. “Total Restoration” may be a stretch. More like new paint and seat covers with some maintenance items. But it looks pretty in the pics. Definitely needs closer inspection. You want to make sure that new paint doesn’t cover bodywork and it well done. Frame condition would still be my biggest area of attention.

I was thinking about this while riding my mountain bike this morning. It’s important to realize what buying an old Jeep involves:

I think most people are attracted to the idea because it looks fun. And it is. But, the care and feeding of a nearly 30 year-old vehicle will add a lot to the purchase price, particularly if you pay someone else to do it. Forgive me for assuming you are not a professional mechanic. Maintaining a TJ is an opportunity to get your hands dirty and learn a lot about vehicle maintenance and repair. It’s difficult to overstate the sense of pride and independence that that can give you. Also, this forum is a good place to learn (it has been for me).

If money is no object, disregard the above. You will get to know a local mechanic and help him or her send kids to college

 

[Yoshi]

Estaba pensando en esto mientras montaba en mi bicicleta de montaña esta mañana. Es importante comprender lo que implica comprar un Jeep viejo:

Creo que a la mayoría de la gente le atrae la idea porque parece divertida. Y lo es. Pero el mantenimiento de un vehículo de casi 30 años aumentará considerablemente el precio de compra, sobre todo si contratas a alguien para que lo haga. Disculpa que suponga que no eres mecánico profesional. Mantener un TJ es una oportunidad para ensuciarte las manos y aprender mucho sobre el mantenimiento y la reparación de vehículos. Es difícil exagerar la sensación de orgullo e independencia que eso te puede dar. Además, este foro es un buen lugar para aprender (al menos para mí lo ha sido).

Si el dinero no es un problema, ignora lo anterior. Conocerás a un mecánico local y le ayudarás a pagar la universidad de sus hijos.

Aprecio mucho tu honestidad y tienes toda la razón. Sé que un coche de esta edad sin duda necesitará algunas reparaciones. Dada la reputación de estos Jeeps y lo bien que hablan de ellos, secretamente esperaba que no necesitara tantas visitas frecuentes al mecánico, pero en el fondo sé que tendrá que pasar por el taller.

Muchísimas gracias por tu punto de vista. Me estás haciendo replantearme las cosas, porque aunque me encanta este coche, no sé lo suficiente de mecánica como para arreglarlo yo mismo.

 

[Woodrow]

¡Gracias por tu opinión! Coincido en que el modelo del 97 se ve un poco mejor conservado. Sin embargo, mi principal preocupación con el otro es la gran cantidad de dueños que ha tenido.

Ha pasado por siete manos diferentes, y eso me hace dudar. ¿Debería preocuparme tantos dueños anteriores al comprar un Jeep? Ahora mismo estoy esperando a que el vendedor me envíe fotos del chasis para ver si está realmente limpio y si vale la pena correr el riesgo.

I think you’re right to be a little concerned about many previous owners. One of the issues that a lot of us have had is dealing with poorly done fixes and modifications by previous owners. Also, frequent changing of hands may suggest previous owners didn’t value the vehicle as much, and therefore possibly maintained it less well.

 

[Woodrow]

Aprecio mucho tu honestidad y tienes toda la razón. Sé que un coche de esta edad sin duda necesitará algunas reparaciones. Dada la reputación de estos Jeeps y lo bien que hablan de ellos, secretamente esperaba que no necesitara tantas visitas frecuentes al mecánico, pero en el fondo sé que tendrá que pasar por el taller.

Muchísimas gracias por tu punto de vista. Me estás haciendo replantearme las cosas, porque aunque me encanta este coche, no sé lo suficiente de mecánica como para arreglarlo yo mismo.

I hope I don’t run you off. But it is good to go in eyes wide open.

 

[Yoshi]

I hope I don’t run you off. But it is good to go in eyes wide open.

Not at all! Quite the opposite, actually. Thank you very much for taking the time to share your perspective. It’s genuinely helpful to hear from people who have experience with these vehicles and know what owning one is really like.

 

[tm dean]

Welcome to the wrangler tj forum. Great to have you on board.

 

[deadqueenrising]

Really happy to find another lady here in the newcomers section. : ) Can't wait to see what you get and how you build her.