Who knows Jeep Wranglers

[futuredivot 0]

My wife wants one as a fun car but I've never owned a jeep. What should I look for. We'll get her a used one and it won't be a daily driver and it won't be hard core off road. How many miles is just too darn many? Is a 6 cyl much better long term than a 4? What breaks most often.

You are only as strong as the prey you devour

[airtwardo 6]

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My wife wants one as a fun car but I've never owned a jeep. What should I look for. We'll get her a used one and it won't be a daily driver and it won't be hard core off road. How many miles is just too darn many? Is a 6 cyl much better long term than a 4? What breaks most often.

I had a couple of 'em...

The 4 cyl is underpowered for any kind of off roading and if ya get big tires it can barely pull 'em at highway speed...OTOH it gets lots better mileage than the 6.

If ya do any off roading protect the radiator, I had a few problems with rock hits and the factory set up is poor.

As far as durability, I never had an automatic tranny so I can comment there but the overall drive train was pretty good on the ones I had...keep in mind it's a really short wheelbase 'car' and handles different and rides like a beer truck on bumpy roads...

All in all...always had wanted one, glad I got one, never gettin' another one!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[ifall 0]

I have had one for about 10 years. I've gone through 4 water pumps I believe. They are sturdy vehicles and are easy to maintain. The inline 6 cyl is very reliable. When I was looking I wouldn't even look at a 4. With the new Jeeps out the the TJ's (1997-2006) are going to be priced pretty good. The TJ is the first model with coil springs. The previous model YJ (1987-1995) had leaf and was much more bouncy. The YJ also has a slave cylinder on the inside of the tranny housing and if it goes (which I've had to fix on my friend's) you will need to drop the whole tranny. You need to make sure to maintain the top too. I loaned mine to my friend for a couple years and had to buy a new top because he never treated it and the windows were pretty scratched up. If you have any specific questions just let me know.

[davelepka 4]

Make sure your wife actually drives on first. They are a far cry from what most people expect in a 'modern' car. Noisy, drafty, bouncy, not exceptionally 'stable', etc. It's not a convertible SUV like some people think.

That said, they are robust and well built. The inline 6 is a 4.0 litre and gets terrible gas milage, and the 4 cyl is (i think) a 2.5 and is 'almost' under-powered for the vehicle. On stock tires it will do alright, but bigger tires with the 4 cyl are a no-no.

Even stock it will do well off road. Nothing hard core, but it is a Jeep. Everything that makes it a shitty road car is what makes it good off road.

[futuredivot 0]

Yeah, it's strictly gonna be her toy. Nothing more strenuous than a gravel road. Something for her load up the dogs and ride around with the top off on pretty days. Waste of money-but I don't really NEED a motorcycle so I'm not pointing fingers. Just really wanting to know what to take a careful look at of good questions to ask on the test drive. Come full on winter the biggest problem I'll have is that I'll have to drive it around some to keep it charged and oiled.

You are only as strong as the prey you devour

[airtwardo 6]

...and ride around with the top off on pretty days.

I bet THAT would make pretty much ANY day a pretty one!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[BillyVance 34]

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Come full on winter the biggest problem I'll have is that I'll have to drive it around some to keep it charged and oiled.

Better than freezing that fat ass of yours off riding the hog with frozen snot hanging off your mustache in the winter.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[futuredivot 0]

I knew when I typed that it was gonna cause trouble. If I could talk her into that, she would have had one a long time ago.

You are only as strong as the prey you devour

[theonlyski 3]

Also, if looking for a used one, check the floor where the tube roll cage meets it behind the seats, they're notorious for rusting out there and really become a PITA

"I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly
DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890
I'm an asshole, and I approve this message

[futuredivot 0]

Now THAT's the kind of info I'm looking for.

You are only as strong as the prey you devour

[agentsmith413 0]

IMO i think all jeeps are a piece of crap. i've never personally owned one but literally EVERYONE i've known who's owned one has had nothing but problems and was constantly putting money in them. I've known 4 people who've owned them FWIW. i guess if its just a fun car then by all means. But as far as something reliable, never go with jeep.

Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, all used up, and loudly proclaiming: Wow, what a ride!

[futuredivot 0]

yeah, I've heard too many horror stories to let her buy as a daily driver. I'm not looking forward to the work I'm going to have to do on it just as a toy. That will take away time spent working on my bike

You are only as strong as the prey you devour

[theonlyski 3]

Here is some more info: http://4wheeldrive.about.com/cs/jeepreviews/a/aa121102a.htm

I looked at buying one a few years back to make into a little trail truck (as my z71 can only go so far) but decided it wasn't worth it to me.

"I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly
DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890
I'm an asshole, and I approve this message

[Cheach 0]

I've got a 4 door. Love it. But yah- it handles like- well- a wrangler

I woke up next to a blowup doll Ash....so what do you think?

[theonlyski 3]

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I've got a 4 door. Love it. But yah- it handles like- well- a wrangler

One of my more serious ex-girlfriends still has hers, she loves it for driving around topless during the summer...

Actually the same color as yours... though sadly, she didn't quite have the rack you do.

I remember when it snowed and she got stuck, I had to walk her through putting it into 4HI... she didn't believe me, so I told her to read the manual... sure as shit!

"I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly
DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890
I'm an asshole, and I approve this message

[pilot-one 0]

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yeah, I've heard too many horror stories to let her buy as a daily driver. I'm not looking forward to the work I'm going to have to do on it just as a toy. That will take away time spent working on my bike

I have a 1998 TJ that my daughter has as a daily driver. It is awesome. I have two other jeeps also a 2008 JK and a 2010 JK and I am an active member on www.jeepforum.com. I have driven Jeeps my whole life and know them inside and out. If you have any Jeep questions at all I can probably answer your questions. Basically stay away from the 4 cylinder and unless you are going to be rock creeping stick with the standard transmission. Putting tires on even a little bigger than stock will require re gearing the differentials to the tune of about $1500 so be careful there. The Jeep should be zippy and should go through the gears quickly. If it doesn't do this then it's not geared properly.
Anyone who says they're crap has no idea what they are talking about. I will admit that if you don't know how to do some simple maintenance things it can be frustrating since having a jeep in the shop can be expensive. I would suggest looking at the forum I mention above. It is a bit like this one without all the flaming. You can actually ask a question and get some reasonable answers.
Here's a few pix of the TJ. My daughter drives this jeep back and forth from Texas A&M to San Antonio on a regular basis. It handles well and is very reliable. The suspension is a bit modified and I've done a few mods including higher ratio gears but for the most part it is stock.
Jeeps are fun.

[cloudseeker2001 0]

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I have had one for about 10 years. I've gone through 4 water pumps I believe. They are sturdy vehicles and are easy to maintain. The inline 6 cyl is very reliable. When I was looking I wouldn't even look at a 4. With the new Jeeps out the the TJ's (1997-2006) are going to be priced pretty good. The TJ is the first model with coil springs. The previous model YJ (1987-1995) had leaf and was much more bouncy. The YJ also has a slave cylinder on the inside of the tranny housing and if it goes (which I've had to fix on my friend's) you will need to drop the whole tranny. You need to make sure to maintain the top too. I loaned mine to my friend for a couple years and had to buy a new top because he never treated it and the windows were pretty scratched up. If you have any specific questions just let me know.

I owned an 87 for 10 years and dropped the drive train 3 times replacing the slave! hahahaha! Not to mention the AMC's are a blob of parts from all over the world! The AMC jeeps have a Carter carb that never works very well.

I think the best jeeps to get are the TJ's. I think you can find a late 90's model that has a lot of life in it for a good price. And they ride and handle so much better even with a lift kit. Go with a 6 cylinder because the 4 just does not have the power you will need. Jeeps are fun, but I would not recommend them as an every day driver.

"Some call it heavenly in it's brilliance,
others mean and rueful of the western dream"

[cloudseeker2001 0]

Pilot-one......that is a really nice jeep! What kind of kit and what size tires?

"Some call it heavenly in it's brilliance,
others mean and rueful of the western dream"

[pilot-one 0]

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Pilot-one......that is a really nice jeep! What kind of kit and what size tires?

Thanks. It's a cream puff......lol

I put a 3" ProComp spring lift on it with 1" spacers in the front and a 1" body lift. It's about as high as you can go without having to replace the control arms. I have JKS adjustable track bars and JKS quick disconnect sway bar links for very improved off road articulation of the front end. I used the ProComp shocks too. A lot of people think they are too stiff but they handle like a dream. The tires were the last of the BF Goodrich KM1 mud terrain. They are 33 X 12.50.

[BillyVance 34]

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IMO i think all jeeps are a piece of crap. i've never personally owned one but literally EVERYONE i've known who's owned one has had nothing but problems and was constantly putting money in them. I've known 4 people who've owned them FWIW. i guess if its just a fun car then by all means. But as far as something reliable, never go with jeep.

My high school girlfriend had a jeep, you know the standard size one modeled after the army jeeps of WWII. She only had it less than a year and got rid of it. Shit kept breaking down. YMMV

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[porpoishead 5]

ive got an 87 YJ block is 258 IL6cyl, 7.5" suspension with 35x13's no sway bar... factory axles and np transfer case were the only weakish links. dana30frnt with 35rear they really went through hell before they gave up. newer tj's sport 44's front and rear so no worries there

the peace.. that thing has been coast to coast many a time no troubles just add gasoline...

to hell and back(abuse that would be a total loss on any other gay ass ride)...Ive rolled it 4 times, wrapped axles ripping spring hangers clean off, blown/ broke axle shafts, blown diffs and lockers, roasted clutches.. ripped tires clean off, busted holes in the transmission, stripped gears. even during katrina had water over the top floated all the oil in tranny, engine, had check valves in the diffs but changed all the fluids regardless and she still cranked up and ran like a raped ape......all the other shit nothing some rods a spark and some tools couldn't put back together with minimal effort and a few bucks....she limped home many times for the exception of times where axles were ripped off she never left me

theres so much aftermarket following of the jeep wranglers that you can literally get parts at the 7-11 24hrs a day

as far as the slave cylinder being inside the bell housing takes me about 35min to pull the transmission pull the slave throw in a new one and be back in business...takes me longer to change the disc brakes on all fours mines got a BA-10 puegeot top loader that thing doesn't weigh shit

depends on your setup but even a factory rig you can pull the sway bar and go mudstomp just about anything out there

absolutely no doubt the jeep wrangler design has made its place as one of the most bulletproof off-road vehicles ever...sure they have had some shitty parts especially when chrysler took over AMC and started the YJ's in 87 replace the shitty parts with better and good to go

all the fancy crap inside no good....its like a boat if it cant get wet it doesnt belong in a jeep....mine rhino lined and diamond plate inside no floor plugs....gets muddy filthy wasted when i get to the house i run the water hose and hose the whole inside dash speakers every fucking thing out water runs out the floor pan holes and she dries out in the sun.....rode hard put up wet bulletproof motherfucker ill put her up against any rig out there...........

unreliable yeah

if you want a friend feed any animal
Perry Farrell

[Opie 0]

As someone else mentioned www.jeepforum.com is THE place to go for any and all questions jeep. I've had a couple and currently have had a 2005 tj for about a year now. 6cyl, automatic and zero problems. If you are going to do any modifications like bigger tires, lift kit or anything spend the time doing research on that site so you don't go the wrong way and regret it.

[NewGuy2005 51]

What about the old Pre-Chrysler CJ series?

[cloudseeker2001 0]

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Pilot-one......that is a really nice jeep! What kind of kit and what size tires?

Thanks. It's a cream puff......lol

I put a 3" ProComp spring lift on it with 1" spacers in the front and a 1" body lift. It's about as high as you can go without having to replace the control arms. I have JKS adjustable track bars and JKS quick disconnect sway bar links for very improved off road articulation of the front end. I used the ProComp shocks too. A lot of people think they are too stiff but they handle like a dream. The tires were the last of the BF Goodrich KM1 mud terrain. They are 33 X 12.50.

Damn! looks like I am going to start looking for another jeep to buy......thanks! That is exactly what I need in my life right now! hahahaha

"Some call it heavenly in it's brilliance,
others mean and rueful of the western dream"

[Guest]

I had a '97 Wrangler Sahara when I was in Qatar as my fun-ride; I didn't drive it to work daily, just weekend trips to the beach, etc. Hunter green with a tan hard-top, stock-size tires and wheels. straight 6-cyl automatic. Poor fuel economy, but with gas at US .70 cents per gallon, who cares?

The fuel tank on the '97 (and other prior and subsequent years of manufacture, I assume [note - may only be export model]) is plastic and is protected by a steel crash cage. Mine had rusted through in the back, so I got it replaced.

As others have mentioned - bumpy, noisy, doesn't drive or handle like a "regular" car, but lots of fun. The hard top is more durable, but cannot be removed without assistance or a garage-ceiling hoist (see internet for sling rigs for taking the top off). Rag tops are more impromptu, of course - just drop it and go, but they wear out more quickly, especially in a harsh environment like the desert. Conversion kits are available, so you can have the soft top for Summer, then put the hard top back on in the off-season.

mh
.

"The mouse does not know life until it is in the mouth of the cat."