i need experienced opinions on my 4th jeep!

my first vehicle and my first jeep is an 89xj. currently my daily driver. 1.5"bb and 31x11.5s

my second jeep was an 88xj, currently a parts donor for the DD and being parted out.

my third is a 68 cj5 i bought a week ago. 200bucks got me a good frame, good axles, rusty suspension, rotted body and no drivetrain. this is on hold and not a priority

here is my question:

does this purchase sound reasonable?

originally $3000 wanted.

1992xj laredo. 166000k on odo. driver side rocker rusted through and surface rust spots in floor (nothing compared to the gaping hole my 89xj had under the rear bench). ~3-3.5" skyjacker lift, good 31x10.5s, stock size spare. gibson catback + recently installed cat. airraid instake + throttle body spacer.

here is what i found while test driving it and quickly checking it over at home. it pulls to the right, the tires show feathering as if its toe in problems. needs brakes. only high beams work, no low beams. interior lights like dash/plenum controls/centerconsole do not work. dome and kicker panel lights work. intermediate starting problems, i figured out if i play around with attempting to start in neutral then park a couple times it will crank over (NSS?). the parking lamps alternate blinking with the turn signals.

i offered him 1500 for it and he accepted.

for the head lights i want to make my own harness to run H4 housings and bulbs. im not too sure on the dash lights though. should i offer something less

any opinions will be greatly appreciated :yap:

The rust sounds like the only bad park, but I guess up there you have to deal with it on everything. Yesterday, I looked at a 93 limited with no rust, but it had a knocking rod......but they only wanted $300 for it. I didn't get it because I have no room in the garage and no time.

If you look around and don't mind driving to find a rust-free body, you will find something better. Don't let the lift and tires make you buy something that is going to fall apart in a short time.

I am not a mechanic, but I did just spend several months actively keeping my eye out for an XJ.

A lot is going to depend on what you are comfortable tackleing. Some would rather tackle engine problems than have to buy lift and tires, I wanted a solid runner that I could do my bolt on upgrades to.

Don't let the original asking price throw you off. My searches found some decent early model very driveable XJ's around the $1K mark. Actually some real gems could be found but you had to jump on them quick. In the $1,800-$2,500 range I saw some seemingly very reliable XJ's. Once you moved up above the $4,000 range I was starting to come across some very clean XJ's

You need to find a balance, a $1,000 steal could very quickly become a $3,000 project with a couple of unexpected surprises.

Without any more details or pics I would guess that the original asking price of $3K was probably too high, considering the rust, electrical and other problems. $1,500 might be fair if you are comfortable with the required repairs. But for $1,500, if you are patient and keep your eye out you may find a nice granny XJ that might be a better platform.

My only thought.....look in the West or Southwest and buy a nice rust free model for $2000, and use the difference for a plane ticket out and gas for the drive home.

I live near Seattle and there are 4WD XJs all over around here and they rarely, if ever, have rust problems. We don't salt our highways and for the most part they spend time away from salt water.

Since the drivetrains are relatively bulletproof, you could ask a local member to keep their eyes open and find you a good one and you could fly and drive.

My last Jeep purchase was a '92 Laredo, 113k, D30/8.25, auto, 231, 4.0, power everything, excellent condition, $1225. I added a new antenna and filled some chips in the windshield. The good ones are out there.

my DD now is an 89 Laredo. I got it about a year ago, from a lawyer that kept it in the garage all the time and only used it on the weekends to "take the dogs out". He just purchased a BMW sport utility and wanted the XJ out of his way. The AC does not work and the alternator was bad, but the rest of the body and interior were in mint condition.......with 88K on the odometer. I dropped a new battery in it and drove it away for $1000.

If you coninue to look you will find a better deal.

Agreed with Jess. You might not be getting ripped off, but you are not getting a deal.

I bought my '87 with 27,800 miles on the clock in 2005 for $700. It "did not start anymore". The battery wasn't holding a charge for more than a couple hours. I am helping a friend with an '88 that has just over 220k on the clock, $250. It runs strong.

I'd keep looking.

rag said:

i figured out if i play around with attempting to start in neutral then park a couple times it will crank over (NSS?).

Click to expand...

Its the parking brake sensor happens to my 98 with 134k on it. Not a big deal at all stick her in neutral and jiggle while starting it.