C.J. Roberts
TJ Addict
I was in the same place when I found the Muddog. I would've rather had a CJ-7, but they are all either trashed, a project, or restored at ridiculous prices.
Why do you own a TJ?
- Thread starter Chris
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Funny thread to necrobump considering the OP drives a JK now.
Dilly Dilly
Member
Haha I thought the same thing.
This is an interesting thread.
I ended up on the TJ because I was looking for something to go wheeling in with the family but didn't know what. I grew up around cities so never really got into the whole scene, but since we moved out west I wanted to get the family out as much as possible. Originally I was looking at Razors, but given the cost and the limited utility I couldn't justify spending that kind of money on something that was purely a toy. I used to fix cars for a living and was already familiar with the 4.0, so I decided to get a Wrangler with that engine because I can work on it myself easily.
Turns out it was a great decision! My wife loves driving it nearly every day around town and I like getting up into the trails here in N Utah. Buying this TJ is probably one of my favorite purchases ever, and this is coming from a guy w/ a serious car habit.
I love TJ's because when Hurracaine Maria hit PR i could get to my family in conditions that a regular car couldnt done. The TJ is vehicle that follows the KISS principle, modern jeeps just have to much luxury and more thing that can go wrong.
Steve Rodgers
TJ Enthusiast
I needed a second vehicle. My other one is a ZR2. I wanted simple and since we are here on Maui I didn't need fast and the soft tip is perfect for our great climate. I do a lot of DIY and the TJ is perfect for that. It's not economically smart but I may put the A/C in and generally do some more improvements, maybe even the engine if it ever says it needs some attention. The TJ is like a reliable pet, always there, not perfect but always there and ready.
If we ever get a big event and the roads are strewn with junk, the TJ will be the go-to vehicle.
It's a great vehicle, for some reason, my little, simple TJ gets a lot of comments. There are lots of TJ's and YJ's here tooling around with surfboards on top, they all get bought quickly if they go up for sale, folks like them.
If we ever get a big event and the roads are strewn with junk, the TJ will be the go-to vehicle.
It's a great vehicle, for some reason, my little, simple TJ gets a lot of comments. There are lots of TJ's and YJ's here tooling around with surfboards on top, they all get bought quickly if they go up for sale, folks like them.
back in '05 i picked up a new wrangler x. i was pulling a 15ft boston whaler with it. loved every second. 7months later i came in to some money (sold a home) and upgraded my boat to a 20ft center console. too big for my 2door TJ. so i had to trade her in for a full size pickup. regretted it ever since.
for the past 13 years i have revisited getting another wrangler. learning little things about where the company has gone since i last owned mine. i made the decision that when i get back in a jeep it would be a TJ again.
the JK just doesnt have the same soul/character/feel/simplicity for me. and now that i am back in a TJ, i notice that its only the JK owners that dont wave back. need i say more?
the YJ is so cool IMO. like the little engine that could. probably why i opted to go 4cyl with my TJ. same struggle. round headlights lol. i have nothing against the YJ, other than that.
i know nothing about the CJ other than it is "classic". and anyone still driving one nowadays is totally 13ada$$. not because its a CJ but because they are keeping it alive and running. i have a lot of respect for that.
for the past 13 years i have revisited getting another wrangler. learning little things about where the company has gone since i last owned mine. i made the decision that when i get back in a jeep it would be a TJ again.
the JK just doesnt have the same soul/character/feel/simplicity for me. and now that i am back in a TJ, i notice that its only the JK owners that dont wave back. need i say more?
the YJ is so cool IMO. like the little engine that could. probably why i opted to go 4cyl with my TJ. same struggle. round headlights lol. i have nothing against the YJ, other than that.
i know nothing about the CJ other than it is "classic". and anyone still driving one nowadays is totally 13ada$$. not because its a CJ but because they are keeping it alive and running. i have a lot of respect for that.
I have always liked the military Jeeps and the CJ’s. To me the TJ looks more like those 2 then any other Jeep. The YJ is ok, but I never liked the square headlights. The newer Jeeps to me, don’t have that CJ look anymore. That and I really don’t care for the 4 doors.
My first Jeep was a Liberty. Got it for basically free, but it had to many issues. I was getting depressed about it having the issues and hubby was going to help his friend every weekend. So one weekend I went to the car lot that I knew had this TJ and traded the Liberty in. I now can work on it myself.
I like the simplicity of it, although the throwing of the codes are getting on my nerves as of right now. LOL Still, nothing like the Liberty. I love my TJ even with the codes it throws. One day it wont.
My first Jeep was a Liberty. Got it for basically free, but it had to many issues. I was getting depressed about it having the issues and hubby was going to help his friend every weekend. So one weekend I went to the car lot that I knew had this TJ and traded the Liberty in. I now can work on it myself.
I like the simplicity of it, although the throwing of the codes are getting on my nerves as of right now. LOL Still, nothing like the Liberty. I love my TJ even with the codes it throws. One day it wont. 
My TJ is my third Jeep out of four. First Jeep was a ‘47 CJ2A. Talk about simplicity! Second Jeep was an 80s vintage CJ7. Then came the TJ. I love my TJ and have been jonesing for a Rubicon. But my TJ makes me smile, is a blast to drive and easy to work on. My fourth Jeep is a 2006 Commander which is ok but not like my TJ.
Back in 2007, my dad had suggested I consider getting a car with 4wd before moving to Colorado to finish college. I can't remember if it was me or him that mentioned a Jeep, but we ended up at a place with a used lot and new lot for Jeeps. The JK model of Jeep had just came out, so I had the choice of going with a very low mileage TJ (around 15k, I think) or a brand new JK. The JKs looked to me like wannabe hummers and I wasn't impressed after taking one for a test drive, so I went with the TJ.
12 years later and I still look back on that as one of the best decisions I've ever made.
12 years later and I still look back on that as one of the best decisions I've ever made.
My last Jeep was a 80 CJ5 that was the first vehicle I bought new and was my daily driver for several years. My ex talked me into trading it in on a new F-150 and I regretted that the following day and the next 30 years. For one reason or another, I just never got another Jeep. Still loved them, but it just never seemed to be a doable thing. But a couple of years ago, the bug bit again hard. Thinking back to the lack of room in the ol' CJ5, I was originally looking at CJ6s and not giving any thought at all to Wranglers. But I never could find one in my price range and close to stock that was close enough for me to go look at.
Then I heard about the 04 to 06 Wrangler Unlimited (LJ) which has the same wheelbase as a CJ6. A bit newer than what I'd been looking for, but still old enough to have the inline 6 which was on the had to have list. I found mine about an hour's drive north of me in Kentucky and at a price I could handle. 3 days later, it was sitting in my driveway. It's a lot more Jeep than my old CJ5 was and I'm glad now I didn't find a CJ6.
Then I heard about the 04 to 06 Wrangler Unlimited (LJ) which has the same wheelbase as a CJ6. A bit newer than what I'd been looking for, but still old enough to have the inline 6 which was on the had to have list. I found mine about an hour's drive north of me in Kentucky and at a price I could handle. 3 days later, it was sitting in my driveway. It's a lot more Jeep than my old CJ5 was and I'm glad now I didn't find a CJ6.
I bought my TJ to see how long it will take me to be in complete financial ruins! Or my wife runs off with a JK guy.
When I got out of the Marine Corps I was about 21 or 22. Dead broke. But I wanted a 4x4. I found a stock Suzuki Samurai for $1500. With relatively low miles. I drove it for about 3 years. I drove it way up into the mountains of the PNW. Down thru Oregon, California and into Mexico. Also took a short trip to Tahoe. Where I went to the trailhead of the Rubicon. But there was to much snow to get very far. No intention of tackling it. Just wanted to see it.
Jump ahead 30+ years. And I was sick of driving my Yukon XL. And definitely sick of cars with minor repairs that required so much work that it would cost hundreds of dollars to repair even the simplest thing. 50,000 moving parts all engineered to go bad so the auto companies could make more money off parts than their actual cars. That and I was probably having a bit of a mid life crisis. Thinking "Screw this! I'm gonna get another Samurai! I drove one for 3 years. Why couldn't I now?!"
Well three back surgeries! That's why! LOL! The thought of driving a stick shift. (Which I had forgotten. An automatic Samurai does not exist. And to convert one over is an expensive proposition.) Would have been a daunting task in LA traffic. But I still looked for one. Only to find out they are now seen as an alternative to those 4 wheel ATV's. And the prices are a little crazy. I could find a decent one for 4 grand though. But by that time I was close in price to other vehicles.
So I started researching 4x4 vehicles from simpler times. And somehow I stumbled upon the Jeep. And quickly realized I wanted a TJ with an automatic transmission. But also realized that they cost. Bluebook doesn't come close to what they actually sell for. As they are quite obviously prized as an excellent offroad vehicle.
The other reason besides repairs being less expensive than a modern car. Was that it was a rig you could take into the bush and actually repair yourself if needed. Not the case with my modern Yukon XL. If I broke down way up a mountain road. I was screwed in Yukon. It would be an expensive tow bill. To get it to someplace that could fix it.
I had a limited budget. So I spent several months looking for a Jeep TJ that was mechanically sound. But that mostly had cosmetic problems that I could work on and fix myself. So for 6 grand I found my Jeep. It was ugly as hell. Felt like the tranny was going out. And everything was sunbleached big time. My fender flares were so faded they were BLUE. lol. Every piece of plastic needed painting.
My trans problem went away with a simple repair that took moments. And as I saved money to buy paint and new soft top and had the suspension completely gone thru. I now have a fairly nice stock Jeep with 140k on it. I still have things I want to do to it. But I'm no longer embarrassed to drive it in its original to me condition. It really was an eyesore. But underneath all that faded plastic and cracking tires and sunbleached top was sweet black paint job and an awesome tractor engine. It was a nice Jeep. Just waiting to be brought back to life.
It also got my fat ass out of the house. And into the garage again. Doing things I love. Working on cars. I actually blame it for my recent weight loss. And eating right and getting into shape again. I just needed that first several weeks of semi weekly activity. Wrenching on bolts, climbing underneath and back again. Taking parts off, painting them, putting them back on. I started to sweat and feel good about myself physically.
This Jeep has done more for me than just provide dependable transportation. It's gotten me out and active again. After sitting at a desk for the better part of two decades.
So even though my original intention was to get away from car repairs. It was the Jeep repairs that actually helped change me for the better. And in retrospect the best reason for having one.
Jump ahead 30+ years. And I was sick of driving my Yukon XL. And definitely sick of cars with minor repairs that required so much work that it would cost hundreds of dollars to repair even the simplest thing. 50,000 moving parts all engineered to go bad so the auto companies could make more money off parts than their actual cars. That and I was probably having a bit of a mid life crisis. Thinking "Screw this! I'm gonna get another Samurai! I drove one for 3 years. Why couldn't I now?!"
Well three back surgeries! That's why! LOL! The thought of driving a stick shift. (Which I had forgotten. An automatic Samurai does not exist. And to convert one over is an expensive proposition.) Would have been a daunting task in LA traffic. But I still looked for one. Only to find out they are now seen as an alternative to those 4 wheel ATV's. And the prices are a little crazy. I could find a decent one for 4 grand though. But by that time I was close in price to other vehicles.
So I started researching 4x4 vehicles from simpler times. And somehow I stumbled upon the Jeep. And quickly realized I wanted a TJ with an automatic transmission. But also realized that they cost. Bluebook doesn't come close to what they actually sell for. As they are quite obviously prized as an excellent offroad vehicle.
The other reason besides repairs being less expensive than a modern car. Was that it was a rig you could take into the bush and actually repair yourself if needed. Not the case with my modern Yukon XL. If I broke down way up a mountain road. I was screwed in Yukon. It would be an expensive tow bill. To get it to someplace that could fix it.
I had a limited budget. So I spent several months looking for a Jeep TJ that was mechanically sound. But that mostly had cosmetic problems that I could work on and fix myself. So for 6 grand I found my Jeep. It was ugly as hell. Felt like the tranny was going out. And everything was sunbleached big time. My fender flares were so faded they were BLUE. lol. Every piece of plastic needed painting.
My trans problem went away with a simple repair that took moments. And as I saved money to buy paint and new soft top and had the suspension completely gone thru. I now have a fairly nice stock Jeep with 140k on it. I still have things I want to do to it. But I'm no longer embarrassed to drive it in its original to me condition. It really was an eyesore. But underneath all that faded plastic and cracking tires and sunbleached top was sweet black paint job and an awesome tractor engine. It was a nice Jeep. Just waiting to be brought back to life.
It also got my fat ass out of the house. And into the garage again. Doing things I love. Working on cars. I actually blame it for my recent weight loss. And eating right and getting into shape again. I just needed that first several weeks of semi weekly activity. Wrenching on bolts, climbing underneath and back again. Taking parts off, painting them, putting them back on. I started to sweat and feel good about myself physically.
This Jeep has done more for me than just provide dependable transportation. It's gotten me out and active again. After sitting at a desk for the better part of two decades.
So even though my original intention was to get away from car repairs. It was the Jeep repairs that actually helped change me for the better. And in retrospect the best reason for having one.
gg1
TJ Enthusiast
JLLJ
TJ Enthusiast
Fixer6
TJ Enthusiast
After dropping my dirt bike in the driveway just trying to load it in the truck twice, my wife said why don’t you get you something a little more tame that you can tinker on? After thinking about that for a while, I came the conclusion that after a total of 35 broken bones in my 58 years of life, she may be right, this time. I too looked at the Razors and was floored at the cost of a toy. Then one day out of the blue, I noticed a TJ driving by with no top and the people in it were all smiles. I used to have a CJ and remembered doing the same. Later that evening the research began. After a few months I had the hunt narrowed down to a TJ Rubicon. After a few more months, and after selling my dirt bike and a fourwheeler, and after looking at a few TJ locally, I found one that was four hours away. On a Friday, I hooked up a 16 foot flat trailer I normally haul my tractor on, and took a road trip. I told myself the entire way there “I’m just looking at it”. The guy was drying it off when I pulled up. About two hours later I was loading it on the trailer. On the way home I caught myself checking out my new adventure in the rearview mirror numerous times. The wife was happy that I should not ever be leaving the ground again, and if she needed to find me, I would most likely be in the garage. It has been fun, and she gets to ride with me when I go. After putting up with me for over 33 years now, I like that.
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Brianj5600
TJ Expert