Thinking of selling, but not sure how to price it?
- Thread starter Irun
- Start date
More pics like this help the sale for sure, many people that sell clean jeeps aren't forum people so don't realize the benefits to their sale that clean frame pics can bring.
OP
Obviously gearing helps, but my real issue with the 3.8l and the 42RLE was the fact that Chrysler cut corners to get the JK out. They put a minivan motor in it, then coupled it with a transmission that was okay for the lighter TJ/LJ, but not good for a heavier JK. The very first time I used my JKUR off-road the "Hot Oil" light came on, which basically meant I was cooking the transmission. They didn't even have the decency to install a transmission cooler from the factory.
Tigger09
TJ Enthusiast
I know how you feel, its 20x harder than finding out it was my mom that was the serial killer and that my dad was the porn star.
gg1
TJ Enthusiast
I think that TJ is worth quite a bit if you are in no rush. I would get rid of any pictures of it with mud on it and sell it as a show TJ. You might get over $20k for it. Sure seems VERY clean. Just a little limited market, but you can always come down in price.
Ouch OK, thanks that makes sense. I need a new daily, I'm keeping my TJ and I'm interested in a JK. My girlfriends 3.6 JKU has had some issues so I test drove an 07 Rubicon with the 3.8. I realize the Rubicon had 4.11 gears and a stick shift which I don't want and it didnt feel bad. I guess if I can find a 2 door with 3.73s and stock tires it would probably be fine for light duty use. Since all the 3.8d that I've seen so far use oil it's probably a bad idea. Thanks again.
Oh yes, the 3.8 is a turd. Mine was a 3.6 which is a fantastic engine, I just longed for simplicity of the TJ. The JK is so nice, but you really can't work on those things yourself anymore like you can with the TJ platform. They both have their pros and cons, and in a perfect world I'd actually own both.
Yours is setup very nicely as it is. I was looking at it thinking all it needs is a mid-arm and an outboard conversion and it would be perfect!
Have you considered a JKU? For the price of a new JL it would seem to me that you could keep the LJ for serious off roading and have a family Jeep for daily driving and milder fun trips.
An LJ with all those mods, very clean, rust free.... advertise it at $29K, see what happens.
You might get a bidding war.
You might get a bidding war.
Agreed...I had a JLU for 13 months. There nice and all,but I know I'd be regretting and missing that if it was mine and I sold it to get a JL. If I could only have one tho the LJ wood win hands down. Not even a close race Imho. But...that's just me,and I'm not you...lol.
I have similar needs for a more family friendly car than my LJ, but I’m not planning to replace the LJ - I’ll supplement it if the pain ever gets too much for a dad of 2 little kids.
Not_Invented_Here_
TJ Addict
Around here in Kansas City...I'd say start at $20k at least to see what you get, and I'd expect $18k to really get some serious immediate attention. I even feel like you could start at 21-22k...
That's a legit fucking build, obviously well thought out and purpose driven. Crappy "built" Jeeps are a dime a dozen around here but I know for a fact that there are discerning buyers who will know what they are looking at and understand that it's a good find.
I bought my '04 Sport in KS with 93.5k miles for between $11-11.5k - I definitely overpaid knowing what I know now although it did come with some nice things that help retain that value so whatever.
That's a legit fucking build, obviously well thought out and purpose driven. Crappy "built" Jeeps are a dime a dozen around here but I know for a fact that there are discerning buyers who will know what they are looking at and understand that it's a good find.
I bought my '04 Sport in KS with 93.5k miles for between $11-11.5k - I definitely overpaid knowing what I know now although it did come with some nice things that help retain that value so whatever.
If you have kids, and you raise them right 
, they'll appreciate that you kept the LJ. When they are old enough to drive, you could hand it down to them. Like another guy was saying, keep it in the family. Just thinking how rare clean LJ's are today, I can't imagine how much more rare (and coveted) they will be in a decade or more. Like a bunch of these replies are saying, there's something in the TJ/LJ platform that you can't find in the JK/JL.
, they'll appreciate that you kept the LJ. When they are old enough to drive, you could hand it down to them. Like another guy was saying, keep it in the family. Just thinking how rare clean LJ's are today, I can't imagine how much more rare (and coveted) they will be in a decade or more. Like a bunch of these replies are saying, there's something in the TJ/LJ platform that you can't find in the JK/JL.
Back in early 2000, I was about the pull the trigger on brand new TJ. Then we found out the wife was pregnant and the focus shifted to 4 door family cars / SUVs. It wasn't until recently that I could justify a Wrangler and now we have 3 (2 TJs and one 2014 JK (son's Jeep). The TJs are just toys and my daily driver is a full size pickup. Glad to have finally gotten my Jeep. Only took 19 years.
My vote says Keep the LJ, buy a 2012 or better JKU or truck for the family and be glad 5 years from now when the kids are out of car seats that you still have it.
My vote says Keep the LJ, buy a 2012 or better JKU or truck for the family and be glad 5 years from now when the kids are out of car seats that you still have it.
Have you thought about just getting a lease? The payment should be quite a bit less. That way you can hold on to the LJ for a while longer and then decide if it's the right decision. If you find that you are happy with a new one then sell the LJ. But if you find you regret the "upgrade" you still have your baby in the garage.
I've bought and sold alot of cars. My friends and family rely on me to help them with buying and selling when this arises. I'm also 55. And have seen alot of cars come and go.
If you really want to sell. The only way to obtain valuable pricing data is to research other LJ's that have sold in the last year. Or that are for sale now. Hopefully with similar upgrades.
Ebay offers searches of sales that finalized. And for how much. And with the full description.
CL only lists vehicles that are for sale now. But www.searchtempest.com can be a valuable tool for searching CL nationwide. Or at least in your region. You can search giant portions of the US using their search function. And that might give you a better sample group (larger) of Jeeps that are for sale now.
That said, asking price is just that. Asking price. You have to assume each one is going to be negotiated down. And there are of course those guys that think they can add up receipts and tack that onto the blue book value. But no one is going to pay that. But your Jeep has all the upgrades that an offroader would want. And that has to account for something. I would look at average prices and high end prices and find someplace in the middle that you feel comfortable with.
The problem is you're not ever going to recoup all that time and effort getting it to where you are today. I'm guessing maybe 50-60%? Maybe less on all the upgrades you've done? If you can afford it buy the new Jeep first. Make sure you like it better. Before you sell something you've worked so hard on.
But we also need more pics. Those are really nice shots of the Jeep you have. But you not only need to shoot the entire vehicle. You have to take pics of the good and the bad. For buyers to take it seriously. As stupid as it sounds. Because you've put so much money and work into the upgrades that really matter. People want to see the physical condition too.
The first shots appear to show some paint scratches on the sides. I'd shoot a closer up photo of those. And be honest in the description. Buyers will respect your opinion of the vehicles condition more if you post faults as well as pluses.
But also a full shot of your engine bay and your interior. Ya seats are cheap. But people want to be able to see that they aren't trashed or stained or worn. It's an indication of how well the Jeeps been taken care of. You might consider having it touched up and color corrected. Detailed and cleaned up. Start with overall shots of the exterior, interior and engine bay. Then highlight the upgrades, lack of rust, and then any faults.
One thing I have to be honest about. I don't like pics of dirty Jeeps. It's great for sharing in forums and with friends. But when buying a used Jeep. I don't want to think this guy has run this thing into the ground offroad. And dirty Jeep pics just scream "I love driving my Jeep into the dirt!" To me anyway.
This is the one place where you don't have to be completely honest. I'm not saying don't say you've ever taken it offroad. But if you can make it look as much like a garage or trailer queen the better. The tires and soft top look dry or slightly dusty. Maybe wipe them down with a light coat of some sort of restorative product. Don't cover it in armmoral. Or whatever brands are out there today. But it wouldn't be a bad idea to get it detailed before you take your pics.
In today's internet age it pays to have good pics taken. Maybe borrow a friends better camera. Or have someone actually take some pics for you. Not saying your pics are bad. These are just ways to ring out as much cash from your sale as possible.
Also remember who you are selling too. A guy in LA is going to pay a much higher price than say a guy in South Carolina or Iowa or someplace where the cost of everything is lower. I think that's why you're seeing recommendations of 15k to 25k. Different regions of the US command different prices. Even in used parts. Let that guide you when negotiating.
It's a really nice Jeep for the serious off roader. I'd consider a price of someplace between 19k and 22k. But it could be higher if you detailed it and took more pics.
If you really want to sell. The only way to obtain valuable pricing data is to research other LJ's that have sold in the last year. Or that are for sale now. Hopefully with similar upgrades.
Ebay offers searches of sales that finalized. And for how much. And with the full description.
CL only lists vehicles that are for sale now. But www.searchtempest.com can be a valuable tool for searching CL nationwide. Or at least in your region. You can search giant portions of the US using their search function. And that might give you a better sample group (larger) of Jeeps that are for sale now.
That said, asking price is just that. Asking price. You have to assume each one is going to be negotiated down. And there are of course those guys that think they can add up receipts and tack that onto the blue book value. But no one is going to pay that. But your Jeep has all the upgrades that an offroader would want. And that has to account for something. I would look at average prices and high end prices and find someplace in the middle that you feel comfortable with.
The problem is you're not ever going to recoup all that time and effort getting it to where you are today. I'm guessing maybe 50-60%? Maybe less on all the upgrades you've done? If you can afford it buy the new Jeep first. Make sure you like it better. Before you sell something you've worked so hard on.
But we also need more pics. Those are really nice shots of the Jeep you have. But you not only need to shoot the entire vehicle. You have to take pics of the good and the bad. For buyers to take it seriously. As stupid as it sounds. Because you've put so much money and work into the upgrades that really matter. People want to see the physical condition too.
The first shots appear to show some paint scratches on the sides. I'd shoot a closer up photo of those. And be honest in the description. Buyers will respect your opinion of the vehicles condition more if you post faults as well as pluses.
But also a full shot of your engine bay and your interior. Ya seats are cheap. But people want to be able to see that they aren't trashed or stained or worn. It's an indication of how well the Jeeps been taken care of. You might consider having it touched up and color corrected. Detailed and cleaned up. Start with overall shots of the exterior, interior and engine bay. Then highlight the upgrades, lack of rust, and then any faults.
One thing I have to be honest about. I don't like pics of dirty Jeeps. It's great for sharing in forums and with friends. But when buying a used Jeep. I don't want to think this guy has run this thing into the ground offroad. And dirty Jeep pics just scream "I love driving my Jeep into the dirt!" To me anyway.
This is the one place where you don't have to be completely honest. I'm not saying don't say you've ever taken it offroad. But if you can make it look as much like a garage or trailer queen the better. The tires and soft top look dry or slightly dusty. Maybe wipe them down with a light coat of some sort of restorative product. Don't cover it in armmoral. Or whatever brands are out there today. But it wouldn't be a bad idea to get it detailed before you take your pics.
In today's internet age it pays to have good pics taken. Maybe borrow a friends better camera. Or have someone actually take some pics for you. Not saying your pics are bad. These are just ways to ring out as much cash from your sale as possible.
Also remember who you are selling too. A guy in LA is going to pay a much higher price than say a guy in South Carolina or Iowa or someplace where the cost of everything is lower. I think that's why you're seeing recommendations of 15k to 25k. Different regions of the US command different prices. Even in used parts. Let that guide you when negotiating.
It's a really nice Jeep for the serious off roader. I'd consider a price of someplace between 19k and 22k. But it could be higher if you detailed it and took more pics.
Tray Burge
TJ Addict
After seeing those two Jeeps, whatever you do will be over the top cool.
Sometimes you just gotta itch that scratch (I meant it that way).
What to ask in regards of price though? Hmmm, a freak'n whole lot!
Sometimes you just gotta itch that scratch (I meant it that way).
What to ask in regards of price though? Hmmm, a freak'n whole lot!
There really is a lot of truth to this especially if you hold sentimental value to things like I do. I still do this day am mad my dad sold his 85' silverado regular cab short bed. I loved that truck so much when I was a kid. Now you can't even find one in that shape under 15k.
Just breaks the heart to hear of so many 2-door Jeeps thrown away because folks had to go and start a family.
