Having always loved Jeeps and owned 7 , here is what I know after 6 months with my first TJ-
1. Mileage doesn't mean everything ..I bought a low mileage Rubicon (20,500 miles ) thinking I could circumvent wear and tear ...it had a shot skyjacker kit , out of production tires , bad tires , and a lift just done poorly . All this meant more money .
2. Big tires mean deeper gears -period . If I had known that also , I would have negotiated harder or looked further . More money .
Note -knowing what you are looking for can save you some time and money , several months on here prior to purchase would have really opened my eyes.
3. Don't regear yourself if you aren't equipped . Just don't . I didn't say you aren't capable . If it isn't done right , the gears will let you know how you did .
4. TJ's beat the daylights out of all their predecessors in terms of a comfortable , versatile , do all vehicle . The ride is better , the seats are better, the tops are massively better , the heat and air system is better , the handling is better , the 4wd system is better , and on and on ...and they still feel like a Jeep. That is my favorite thing about mine ....having fun and remembering good times in my others is cool, and that feel of looking over the hood and turning on a dime is still there.
4 . Quieter means noisier ...by this I mean the more you quieten them down with soundproofing , the more you may hear .
Which isn't entirely bad .
5 . The left mirror needs a blindspot mirror
6 . The seat belts have the power to retract equal to a popcorn fart.
7. They aren't impossible to work on . Sophisticated enough to have good function , but not impossible for the average Joe to deal with .
8 . A big ol Fl-1 ford oil filter screws right on a 4.0
9. A Rubicon. Is a good base to build on ..it's not the only way , but it can give you a head start .
10. Suspension work matters , and not just the brand , but the thinking in how it is set up also matters.
11. Tire pressure matters.
12. Backward door handles take 6 months to wire into your brain .
13. The Tj forum is a must.
1. Mileage doesn't mean everything ..I bought a low mileage Rubicon (20,500 miles ) thinking I could circumvent wear and tear ...it had a shot skyjacker kit , out of production tires , bad tires , and a lift just done poorly . All this meant more money .
2. Big tires mean deeper gears -period . If I had known that also , I would have negotiated harder or looked further . More money .
Note -knowing what you are looking for can save you some time and money , several months on here prior to purchase would have really opened my eyes.
3. Don't regear yourself if you aren't equipped . Just don't . I didn't say you aren't capable . If it isn't done right , the gears will let you know how you did .
4. TJ's beat the daylights out of all their predecessors in terms of a comfortable , versatile , do all vehicle . The ride is better , the seats are better, the tops are massively better , the heat and air system is better , the handling is better , the 4wd system is better , and on and on ...and they still feel like a Jeep. That is my favorite thing about mine ....having fun and remembering good times in my others is cool, and that feel of looking over the hood and turning on a dime is still there.
4 . Quieter means noisier ...by this I mean the more you quieten them down with soundproofing , the more you may hear .
Which isn't entirely bad .
5 . The left mirror needs a blindspot mirror
6 . The seat belts have the power to retract equal to a popcorn fart.
7. They aren't impossible to work on . Sophisticated enough to have good function , but not impossible for the average Joe to deal with .
8 . A big ol Fl-1 ford oil filter screws right on a 4.0
9. A Rubicon. Is a good base to build on ..it's not the only way , but it can give you a head start .
10. Suspension work matters , and not just the brand , but the thinking in how it is set up also matters.
11. Tire pressure matters.
12. Backward door handles take 6 months to wire into your brain .
13. The Tj forum is a must.
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