Prepping to sell my 2002 Jeep Wrangler

Rynous

TJ Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 20, 2021
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101
Location
Kentucky
I'm prepping to sell my jeep wrangler. It is a 20 year old vehicle so it has seen its fair share of scratches on the paint, and upgrades. I have a handful of things I need to address before I sell it.

1. The cracked windshield. This has been cracked down the middle of the window (the center of the glass, it isn't cracked on the outside or inside) it has been like this for 2 years. Is it worth the money to fix or just drop the price by the cost to repair the windshield?

2. The paint has blemishes. I have got a turtle wax that removes the smaller to medium scratches in the paint. But there are some bigger spots that have brought the paint off from where rocks have hit it. What's the best way to fix this?

3. Rot spot on body right about the body mount (the body, not the frame). I know that there are pieces I can buy to replace this spot on the body and it can be cut out and fixed. It is a common rot spot. But is it worth the money to spend to cut out and fix, or let the next owner deal with it by dropping the price?

4. The frame. The frame is in really good condition for a 20 year old jeep. It has no rot in it. It does have rust which I know how to take care of, but I would like to prevent the inevitable the best that I could for the next owner. I would like to clean the inside and use an Eastwood internal coating for the frame. Is this worth the month?

5. The exhaust. The exhaust is relatively okay, except it is dumped by the skid plate on the transmission. Has anyone ever put a pre axle exhaust dump that is decent?

6. The interior is a biggie. Should I repaint and clean all the vinyl and plastic pieces? Clean the seats? Part of the carpet behind the passenger seat is non salvageable. What's the best way to prepare the interior to make it sellable and good looking?

7. The mechanical problems. Well, not so much the mechanical problems. There are no problems with any of the drive train components. I have a radiator leak, and a power steering leak at the steering box. I know the power steering leak is due to a broken gasket. Also, I believe that the heater core is clogged. Is there a link to a forum on how to flush the system out?

I've got quite a few things done to the jeep that are done CORRECTLY. Etc, the lift, the steering upgrade (currie), new front brakes. My jeep has below average miles for its age at 146k miles. I haven't driven it since I got another car. I would like to get a decent amount out of this jeep for a down payment for a newer jeep.

Thanks for the help guys!
 
Depends on how much you're trying to sell it for.

Add up how much it would cost to fix everything. Subtract that from how much you would sell it for. Is that worth it to you? Then do it. If it's not. Then don't.
 
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Depends on how much you're trying to sell it for.

Add up how much it would cost to fix everything. Subtract that from how much you would sell it for. Is that worth it to you? Then do it. If it's not. Then don't.
For my area, I feel like trying to get it sold for 10k is a reasonable price point

Of course, addressing the other problems will affect the price, which is why I'm here asking for help. Some things aren't that expensive to fix
 
I'm prepping to sell my jeep wrangler. It is a 20 year old vehicle so it has seen its fair share of scratches on the paint, and upgrades. I have a handful of things I need to address before I sell it.

1. The cracked windshield. This has been cracked down the middle of the window (the center of the glass, it isn't cracked on the outside or inside) it has been like this for 2 years. Is it worth the money to fix or just drop the price by the cost to repair the windshield?

2. The paint has blemishes. I have got a turtle wax that removes the smaller to medium scratches in the paint. But there are some bigger spots that have brought the paint off from where rocks have hit it. What's the best way to fix this?

3. Rot spot on body right about the body mount (the body, not the frame). I know that there are pieces I can buy to replace this spot on the body and it can be cut out and fixed. It is a common rot spot. But is it worth the money to spend to cut out and fix, or let the next owner deal with it by dropping the price?

4. The frame. The frame is in really good condition for a 20 year old jeep. It has no rot in it. It does have rust which I know how to take care of, but I would like to prevent the inevitable the best that I could for the next owner. I would like to clean the inside and use an Eastwood internal coating for the frame. Is this worth the month?

5. The exhaust. The exhaust is relatively okay, except it is dumped by the skid plate on the transmission. Has anyone ever put a pre axle exhaust dump that is decent?

6. The interior is a biggie. Should I repaint and clean all the vinyl and plastic pieces? Clean the seats? Part of the carpet behind the passenger seat is non salvageable. What's the best way to prepare the interior to make it sellable and good looking?

7. The mechanical problems. Well, not so much the mechanical problems. There are no problems with any of the drive train components. I have a radiator leak, and a power steering leak at the steering box. I know the power steering leak is due to a broken gasket. Also, I believe that the heater core is clogged. Is there a link to a forum on how to flush the system out?

I've got quite a few things done to the jeep that are done CORRECTLY. Etc, the lift, the steering upgrade (currie), new front brakes. My jeep has below average miles for its age at 146k miles. I haven't driven it since I got another car. I would like to get a decent amount out of this jeep for a down payment for a newer jeep.

Thanks for the help guys!
You’ll probably get your biggest return out of the doing some paint correction, windshield, and the mechanical things like replacing the radiator and steering gasket.

All the other things would make it more attractive, but most take a lot of time or money (eg nice car seats) and you won’t get it back. It’s up to you how much time and money you want to put into it.
 
For my area, I feel like trying to get it sold for 10k is a reasonable price point

Of course, addressing the other problems will affect the price, which is why I'm here asking for help. Some things aren't that expensive to fix
@AndyG helped me with paint correction. Meguiars 110, 210, some polishing discs running between 1000-1500rpm help remove small scratches in the clear and really brighten things up.
 
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This is like diagnosing cancer over the phone…

5C6A4742-8DED-48BD-8DB4-63DE009D2A16.jpeg
 
I would fix the windshield because that really stands out and shows possible lack of proper maintenance on the vehicle. In my area I had an independent glass shop replace mine for$125. I have found that spending a couple of hundred $ on a professional detail helps with the overall appearance when I sell. Put it on the market after that an just see what happens. Look and see what a TJ is going for in your local market.
 
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I wrote in the post the problems that needed to be addressed. There are no need of photos of the jeep because the post doesn't need them. Unless you have something nice or useful to say for the post, take your shitty attitude elsewhere. Thanks!
Descriptions are subjective. A picture is worth a thousand words. We can give you a lot better assessment by a visual inspection, especially in regards to areas like the mentioned rust, the rot on the body, the interior and last but not least the paint. Without a visual representation of the severity of any of those items, it’s hard to tell whether or not you’ll be close to your 10k desire, or if you wanna cut that number in half.
 
Descriptions are subjective. A picture is worth a thousand words. We can give you a lot better assessment by a visual inspection, especially in regards to areas like the mentioned rust, the rot on the body, the interior and last but not least the paint. Without a visual representation of the severity of any of those items, it’s hard to tell whether or not you’ll be close to your 10k desire, or if you wanna cut that number in half.
I'm sorry. I took it as someone being an asshole. Maybe I'm the one with a shitty attitude. If I have the time to take decent photos of the problem then I will upload some shortly.
 
I would fix the windshield because that really stands out and shows possible lack of proper maintenance on the vehicle. In my area I had an independent glass shop replace mine for$125. I have found that spending a couple of hundred $ on a professional detail helps with the overall appearance when I sell. Put it on the market after that an just see what happens. Look and see what a TJ is going for in your local market.
I use gimmicks to get people to stop and look, when selling my Jeeps. I also park them in high traffic areas like Walmart parking lots and busy highway intersections. I put a sign on them, saying to look over the Jeep thoroughly, price is firm and ONLY call me if you're still interested. Gets rid of a lot of tire kickers and people that just want to drive a Jeep.

RUBI SKEL 8 25 BEST PIC.jpg


RUBI skel 8 26 2 (4).jpg
 
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I'm sorry. I took it as someone being an asshole. Maybe I'm the one with a shitty attitude. If I have the time to take decent photos of the problem then I will upload some shortly.
I was certainly being a smartass, but the content was relevant 😉
 
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I would fix the windshield because that really stands out and shows possible lack of proper maintenance on the vehicle. In my area I had an independent glass shop replace mine for$125. I have found that spending a couple of hundred $ on a professional detail helps with the overall appearance when I sell. Put it on the market after that an just see what happens. Look and see what a TJ is going for in your local market.
Relatively over used unmodded jeep tjs with a 4.0 auto go for 9kish in my area. Needless to say, they are over priced in my local market because I live 10 minutes from a very big off road park

That's why I'm shooting for 10k with mine. I really do believe that all my jeep needs is some good tlc and a little love and I could hit that price point.
 
Relatively over used unmodded jeep tjs with a 4.0 auto go for 9kish in my area. Needless to say, they are over priced in my local market because I live 10 minutes from a very big off road park

The TJ has been on a steady incline the last few years. That’s not really over priced anymore if the tub and frame are in decent shape and not rusted through. Rust is the biggest issue to avoid IMO.
 
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