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Need advice from people with experience

If you want rust free, your shopping in the wrong place. I just bought this absolutely rust-free 2000 for 800$!
20180325_153213_zpsau2x0bwg.jpg

Well if you have any advice on good places to find one that would be appreciated.
Maybe info on what some of the trouble spots I need to look are. That would be great.
 
The Red XJ has been turd polished and shows sign of neglected maintenance/abuse. The Desert Sand example looks good enough to go see, if you can't find better locally.
 
BTW that XJ looks good. How high of a lift is that?

It was on there when I bought it but it's a mix/match of mostly crappy 3" stuff. My other 2k is at 5.5" a rides like a Cadillac!
 
Not saying it's in bad shape. Seems like it's fairly clean despite someone's efforts to hide what rust it does have. However it does need some rust attention and if you have not seen it in person you haven't driven it or done a cold start to hear how knocky the engine is or isnt. It's a nice solid find but I definitely wouldn't purchase it without planning on working on it a bit before dailying it

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I think you need to re-define your goals! If you found one that was mechcanically perfect/rust free but the paint was faded? You can't lift a vehicle for what you can buy a "lifted" vehicle for!
 
I'm looking for one that's mechanically sound. Rust free. The paint job is the least of my concerns. Bone stock is preferable. I'd rather lift it myself.
I decided to look on the other side of the country. I'm not buying this to drive a couple years. This is keeper.
 
I'm looking for one that's mechanically sound. Rust free. The paint job is the least of my concerns. Bone stock is preferable. I'd rather lift it myself.
I decided to look on the other side of the country. I'm not buying this to drive a couple years. This is keeper.


Ohh I see, a Unicorn
 
I'm looking for one that's mechanically sound. Rust free. The paint job is the least of my concerns. Bone stock is preferable. I'd rather lift it myself.
I decided to look on the other side of the country. I'm not buying this to drive a couple years. This is keeper.

This past November I bought 1998 XJ from the 2nd owner (owned it for last 17 years) with 113k miles, bone stock and rust free. Even then I spent a pretty penny (and many man hours) on maintenance, fixing oil leaks and cleaning up the interior (saggy headliner, dead bulbs, etc.). That doesn't include all the extra money I spent on a lift, tires, steering, bumpers and fender flares.

It would have been much more cost effective to buy something already lifted and with tires. I know you're looking for bone stock but you may have better luck find something that's very clean with work already done to it and can very likely save yourself time and money doing so. I would absolutely go this route if I were to buy another XJ.
 
I'm not worthy to post in the same thread as Tim_MN and RCP. Listen to them and say thank you.



But I've bought two XJs in past four years here in Alabama. I still regularly check craigslist listings in Alabama and Atlanta.


If you are in Miami, I'd think you can find a good one down there in time, or at worst somewhere in Florida, Georgia, or Alabama.


I wouldn't consider either of the two you have shown because they've been painted over. Just say no. On the red jeep it is a particularly nasty job in my opinion. Just spraying everything, shocks included, black. Stupid. But does look good to an unsuspecting buyer.


Your big issue is going to be waiting for a private owner sale of an XJ that has not been lifted. If that is what you want anyway. 9/10 4x4 XJs in South South East (AL, GA, FL) have been lifted. I finally found a one owner 98 in Nashville that had not been lifted. That's what I wanted as I figured it had not been beat up as most lifted XJs have been.


How are you searching for an XJ?
 
This past November I bought 1998 XJ from the 2nd owner (owned it for last 17 years) with 113k miles, bone stock and rust free. Even then I spent a pretty penny (and many man hours) on maintenance, fixing oil leaks and cleaning up the interior (saggy headliner, dead bulbs, etc.). That doesn't include all the extra money I spent on a lift, tires, steering, bumpers and fender flares.

It would have been much more cost effective to buy something already lifted and with tires. I know you're looking for bone stock but you may have better luck find something that's very clean with work already done to it and can very likely save yourself time and money doing so. I would absolutely go this route if I were to buy another XJ.


I didn't see this when I made my earlier reply. In February I bought a one owner 98 with 166k miles. I paid $1700. I've put about $1,500 into it in parts, doing all the work myself (would have cost $4-5k at shop). Still not done. Still got saggy headliner and saggy springs. Not planning on lifting and that would be more.


I think for $4-5 you can find a well maintained lifted XJ.


That was a long way of saying +1 (or I agree). :sad1:
 
I've bought 3 2wds in GA and converted 2 of them to 4x4. The 2wds are creampuffs usually. Just somebody's daily driver. You can get a good 2wd around here for $1400, and the parts to convert at the junkyard are around 300. Add in $200 for fluids and such and you can have a clean 4x4 for $2k.
 
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