STICKY What should I look for when buying a used Wrangler TJ?

colby0805 said:
I kind of had the same thought about if someone showed up to look at my vehicle and wanted to hit it with a hammer. Just didn't seem right but thought it might be acceptable in the community since rust is a factor. Wasn't sure.
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Most people selling TJ's don't know that rust is a problem for them. A lot of the nicer TJ's are sold by people who barely know a thing about them. Wanting to hit the Jeep with a hammer will probably throw off a lot of potential sellers. You should be able to tell the condition of a frame by simply looking at it, feeling in the holes, and using an endoscope camera to make 100% sure. Smacking it with a hammer isn't going to tell you all that much.

Another way to learn about a Jeep before you go see it is to use the build sheet. If you know the vin number, you can find where the Jeep was originally shipped and purchased. If you find a Jeep for sale in Alabama that was originally shipped to Alabama, there is a good chance that it has seen a very minimal amount of salt.
 
jodomcfrodo said:
Most people selling TJ's don't know that rust is a problem for them. A lot of the nicer TJ's are sold by people who barely know a thing about them. Wanting to hit the Jeep with a hammer will probably throw off a lot of potential sellers. You should be able to tell the condition of a frame by simply looking at it, feeling in the holes, and using an endoscope camera to make 100% sure. Smacking it with a hammer isn't going to tell you all that much.

Another way to learn about a Jeep before you go see it is to use the build sheet. If you know the vin number, you can find where the Jeep was originally shipped and purchased. If you find a Jeep for sale in Alabama that was originally shipped to Alabama, there is a good chance that it has seen a very minimal amount of salt.
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I have found a few sites to put VIN numbers in that tell you a few things. If I’m serious about it I’ll probably verify car fax as well. Only issues with that is that it has to be reported to be listed on those sites. One thing I’ve figured out is a lot of people do a lot of their own work even frame swaps. I will still do it either way.
 
colby0805 said:
I have found a few sites to put VIN numbers in that tell you a few things. If I’m serious about it I’ll probably verify car fax as well. Only issues with that is that it has to be reported to be listed on those sites. One thing I’ve figured out is a lot of people do a lot of their own work even frame swaps. I will still do it either way.
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https://www.jeep.com/webselfservice/BuildSheetServlet?vin=VIN-NUMBER

Replace VIN-NUMBER in the link with the vin of the Jeep you are looking at. Scroll down and it will tell you exactly where the Jeep was shipped when it was brand new. This is directly from Jeep and doesn't have to be reported. If you find a Jeep that was shipped to a southern state and is for sale in a southern state, there is a high likelihood it has no rust issues. If you find a Jeep that was shipped to Illinois or Connecticut when it was new and is now for sale in Florida, you should be more cautious. This is an easy, free way to get some idea of what you are looking at.


The likelihood of finding a Jeep that has been frame swapped is next to 0. Very few people frame swap Jeeps. I understand that you want to make sure that you purchase the right Jeep, but worrying about frame swaps shouldn't even be on your radar.
 
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Hey guys,
New to the jeep scene. Did my research before checking out this 1997 TJ renegade 4.0L automatic, but still would love a second opinion.
It has a rear 44 Dana axle (pics) but I'm pretty sure just the 30 for the front (didnt take a pic lol).
Frame looks great, barely any rust. Attached a bunch of photos, not really sure what's helpful haha.
198,300km (123,217.907 miles)
Couple cracks in the interior, driver seat ripped pretty bad but has cover. 2" lift, 31" tyres, new soft top roof and speakers, otherwise stock.
Not sure how it should drive, but a bit floaty especially going over speed bump and braking. Might be normal but not sure. There was a rattling/shaking noise when we first started it up from the engine. Couldnt hear it while driving though. Would love some opinions! They're asking $9,000 AUD (6,412.95 USD). A lot of newer models for sale also around $9K aud with less mileage.
Thanks everybody

Edit: parking brake/handbrake light wouldnt turn off?

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Chris said:
Having said that, when looking to purchase a TJ it would be a wise investment to either have a professional shop to a PPI (Pre Purchase Inspection) or if you feel comfortable doing it yourself, make sure to crawl underneath the vehicle and inspect every nook and cranny for rust.
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I found this write-up linked from this thread.

I would ditch this part:

... or if you feel comfortable doing it yourself, make sure to crawl underneath the vehicle and inspect every nook and cranny for rust.
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I've seen a lot of threads on various forums written by people who need help solving major problems with their rigs because they unwisely decided not to pay for an inspection.
 
Jeffreybomb said:
I found this write-up linked from this thread.

I would ditch this part:



I've seen a lot of threads on various forums written by people who need help solving major problems with their rigs because they unwisely decided not to pay for an inspection.
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Depends on how capable you are. If I went out to look at a TJ I have an endoscope I would bring and a lot of mechanical knowledge, so I wouldn’t need to pay for an inspection.

If someone had zero mechanical knowledge and no endoscope, then yeah, you’d be wise to pay a shop for a PPI.
 
Even shops can miss frame rust issues. I've known my frame was shot for the last few years. I made a point to ask almost any shop I took it to if they thought the frame was bad. Not a single one said anything besides it was in great shape. Unless you take it to a Jeep shop that understands where and how to check the frame, getting a PPI isn't going to do much for you. The best way to buy a TJ is to do a little research about frame rust and check it out yourself. It is not difficult at all and certainly not something you need a PPI for.
 
How does this look to everyone? Long time lurker, but just registered to get opinions on the underside of this guy. What do you think?
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08darkstone said:
How does this look to everyone? Long time lurker, but just registered to get opinions on the underside of this guy. What do you think?
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Minimal surface rust, Dana 44 rear, looks pretty good to me. But just stick your finger inside the large round frame hole near the rear tires before you buy just to be 100% sure. If that checks out, everything else looks fairly good.

That Jeep has probably never seen salt before.
 
Ok. And is there anything that can be done to get rid of the surface rust? I’m looking for something to keep for a long time, so I just want to know if I can stop the surface rust. Everything else on the Jeep looks great, but I know the frame is the most important part.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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08darkstone said:
Ok. And is there anything that can be done to get rid of the surface rust? I’m looking for something to keep for a long time, so I just want to know if I can stop the surface rust. Everything else on the Jeep looks great, but I know the frame is the most important part.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Give the frame a good cleaning and degreasing. Any rust converter would work in your situation. Use a endoscope to verify the interior frame and drop the transfer skid to check frame there as well.
 
Looking at 2 Rubicons, both 2004 and 200-300 miles away from me. Had the salesmen take photos of the underside for me before I travel any distance. Every one I've traveled to look at thus far have definitely not looked like the photos in their listings. Anyone see any issues with these photos?

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Both look like they have painted or coated over rust issues to me...should I waste my time even going to look at them in person and checking the inside of the frames out or should I just pass and keep looking. Each is a 2004 rubicon with 90k miles for $12995. If all checked out, I was going to offer $11500 and possibly make deal at $12k..
 
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