Sell my LJ and buy a TJ?

L

LJ in Omaha

New Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Nov 8, 2021
Messages
17
Location
Omaha
Looking for opinions so let them fly. I currently have a 2006 LJ with manual transmission and just over 55,000 miles. I looked long and hard to find a clean TJ but couldn’t find anything local that wasn’t a bucket of rust. I happened to find the LJ in Colorado Springs about 3 years ago. Since then I have retired and my old F150 beater finally died. I had been thinking about getting another pickup but we really don’t need or want 3 vehicles. My wife will not consider driving a manual so the LJ is not an option for her. With the insane prices I have been seeing for LJ’s lately I have been cosidering selling my LJ and finding a TJ with an automatic. Wife could drive it the couple of times a week that she needs to go somewhere and it would be our daily driver. I could then find another pickup for a second vehicle for those hauling jobs that seem to come up. So am I batshit crazy for thinking of selling my LJ? So should I:
(1) sell the LJ and buy a TJ, then trade her car for a truck ?
(2) keep The LJ and trade her car for a truck and tell her to walk if she doesn’t like it (this option could cause my life to suck😂)?
(3) sell the LJ and trade her car for a new Wrangler, buy older truck?
(4) other ideas?
 
LJ, I was in a similar situation 10 years ago and we just decided to go with three vehicles. My wife is driving a 2000 VW Golf TDI as her DD and I drive my Jeep LJR. The GC is used for long distance travel only. If I need a truck to haul something, I rent one from National for a day, which is cheaper than buying one.
 
Can you get a small utility trailer for the hauling jobs that pop up? Better than a truck for those jobs imo.

Selling your current LJ and buying a TJ would incur sales tax here and wipe out some of your LJ profits.
 
  • Like
Reactions: alittleoff and skrelnik
You can't find an LJ in Illinois at any price in my area. My son has a TJ but was looking for an LJ to do cross country road trips, if you do sell it you show get big $ with that low of a mileage. Maybe you could post it as a trade for a TJ and cash?
 
  • Like
Reactions: skrelnik
I’d keep the LJ in a heartbeat.

Is the wife not able to drive a stick, or does she just not want to?

If the former, I’d teach her to drive a stick and keep the LJ.

If I was only driving on the street, I would much prefer the stick.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: machoheadgames, L J and skrelnik
If the value of the extra space of the LJ over the TJ doesn’t mean much to you, then I would sell the LJ in favor of something you both can drive.
 
  • Like
Reactions: skrelnik
NashvilleTJ said:
I’d keep the LJ in a heartbeat.

Is the wife not able to drive a stick, or does she just not want to?

If the former, I’d teach her to drive a stick and keep the JL.

If I was only driving on the street, I would much prefer the stick.
Click to expand...
She can drive a stick, but now just does not want to.
 
TRE3TOP said:
If the value of the extra space of the LJ over the TJ doesn’t mean much to you, then I would sell the LJ in favor of something you both can drive.
Click to expand...
The extra room doesn’t mean as much now as it did when i was taking the grandkids to their sporting events. Now they are in high school and drive themselves so usually it is just me and occasionally both me and the wife.
 
  • Like
Reactions: John Cooper, MikeE024 and TRE3TOP
Alternative option:

- Sell LJ

- Hold onto the money while you figure out your next vehicle.

- Rent a uhaul/Home Depot truck or borrow a truck for the occasional hauls until you figure out your next vehicle.
 
  • Like
Reactions: skrelnik
LJ in Omaha said:
Looking for opinions so let them fly. I currently have a 2006 LJ with manual transmission and just over 55,000 miles. I looked long and hard to find a clean TJ but couldn’t find anything local that wasn’t a bucket of rust. I happened to find the LJ in Colorado Springs about 3 years ago. Since then I have retired and my old F150 beater finally died. I had been thinking about getting another pickup but we really don’t need or want 3 vehicles. My wife will not consider driving a manual so the LJ is not an option for her. With the insane prices I have been seeing for LJ’s lately I have been cosidering selling my LJ and finding a TJ with an automatic. Wife could drive it the couple of times a week that she needs to go somewhere and it would be our daily driver. I could then find another pickup for a second vehicle for those hauling jobs that seem to come up. So am I batshit crazy for thinking of selling my LJ? So should I:
(1) sell the LJ and buy a TJ, then trade her car for a truck ?
(2) keep The LJ and trade her car for a truck and tell her to walk if she doesn’t like it (this option could cause my life to suck😂)?
(3) sell the LJ and trade her car for a new Wrangler, buy older truck?
(4) other ideas?
Click to expand...

The wife will most likely not like driving the TJ and you will end up in a bad situation. I think you need THREE cars as it appears you want two cars for yourself and nothing for your wife.

My neighbor just came home with a 2022 Wrangler 4XE, for $60k plus tax, title and tags. I don't think I would spend that much on a Wrangler unless I had endless money. It's a $35k vehicle for a $60k price tag.

Keep the LJ, buy another beater truck, and trade your wife's car in for what she wants. Maybe she wants nothing special so you can get a better truck. What does your wife want to drive, did you ask her?
 
  • Like
Reactions: BlueC
Dr. Internet said:
LJ, I was in a similar situation 10 years ago and we just decided to go with three vehicles. My wife is driving a 2000 VW Golf TDI as her DD and I drive my Jeep LJR. The GC is used for long distance travel only. If I need a truck to haul something, I rent one from National for a day, which is cheaper than buying one.
Click to expand...
The renting a truck or trailer might be a good way to go. Then I could keep my LJ and trade her car for a newer wrangler with an automatic. I really think she would enjoy driving a wrangler. 🤔
 
The best option: Keep her car, keep your jeep, and buy a decent old truck for truck stuff. Then you're happy, she's happy, and y'all now have a backup vehicle for when one, or both, other vehicles are down.
 
  • Like
Reactions: skrelnik
skrelnik said:
My neighbor just came home with a 2022 Wrangler 4XE, for $60k plus tax, title and tags. I don't think I would spend that much on a Wrangler unless I had endless money. It's a $35k vehicle for a $60k price tag.
Click to expand...

My neighbor just did the same thing. I haven't had a chance to look at it yet, but I'm really not interested in it. They won't keep it through its first set of tires, so I won't get to see how it holds up.
 
skrelnik said:
The wife will most likely not like driving the TJ and you will end up in a bad situation. I think you need THREE cars as it appears you want two cars for yourself and nothing for your wife.

My neighbor just came home with a 2022 Wrangler 4XE, for $60k plus tax, title and tags. I don't think I would spend that much on a Wrangler unless I had endless money. It's a $35k vehicle for a $60k price tag.

Keep the LJ, buy another beater truck, and trade your wife's car in for what she wants. Maybe she wants nothing special so you can get a better truck. What does your wife want to drive, did you ask her
Click to expand...
TRE3TOP said:
Ask her what she wants. Don’t buy her what you think she wants.
Click to expand...
She really likes the TJ’s/LJ’s to ride in just won’t drive a manual anymore. I would definitely let her get some seat time driving one in an automatic before we made a decision. I have been married a long time and know not to think for her, learned that lesson in the first year of marriage and have remembered it for the following 42 years.
 
  • Haha
  • Like
  • Love
Reactions: alittleoff, Jamison C, MikeE024 and 1 other person
Top Bottom
Back