What should I look at when buying used?

[Kev102189]

Hi,
I'm going to buy my frist car soon, a lifted XJ. What should I look at before buying? Any weak links or common problems that I can check for before I buy?

Thanks for all the help,
Kevin

 

[XJ_ranger]

get under it with a flashlight

search for dents, scrapes, leaks, rust, and ghettofab work...

then drive it on the highway

then pop the hood and stare at the engine for a bit - pretend like you know what you are looking at

then take it to a dirt parkinglot, put it into 4x4, then stop the vehicle, put it into 4 low, drive some in that - make sure it doesnt pop out of gear.

if it has an auto tranny, turn the car on, put it in park, check the tranny fluid for:
1- level (is it filled to the right level) - low isnt so bad, but ask the owner when it was last serviced
2 - smell - does it smell burned or scorched? - burned ATF is never a good sign
3 - feeling - does it feel gritty? - gritty ATF=big problem...

id also check the oil and air cleaner - these will give you an idea as to the upkeep of the vehicle.

ask the owner if it has ever been overheated

look at service records

ask who installed the lift and if there is any implied waranty

make sure you are comfortable with the vehicle - XJ's are a dime a dozen - if anything doesnt look right - walk away from the deal.

if it is an 84-86 walk away from the headache - believe me the 2.8L came from the factory needing a re-build...

listen to the engine for knocks and pings
drive up a steep hill

when you start the car - listen to the way it turns over - if it seems to speed up and slow down - i would guess there is an incosistancy in compression and that is a bad sign...

dont get overzellous
1500 for a lifted XJ on 33's is about going rate on Pirate4x4, so just cuse you are there doesnt mean you have to buy it...

 

[Kev102189]

Thanks Ranger. I'm going to be driving 250 miles to look at it, so I'm hoping I won't have to walk away. I'm not sure if this stuff makes much of a difference, but it's a 1994 Cherokee with 8" rubicon express lift. It's on 35s, got a Dana 30 with a super 30 kit up front, and a dana 44 in rear, both with 4.88s and detroit lockers. It's got ramsey wich with new bumpers, and several other small mods, sitting on 35s. It's got just over 100,000 miles on the 4.0 litre, and he was asking $8500 and now has dropped down to $7200. He says it does great on the highway, which is a neccessity for me.

Do you think he's asking too much?

Thanks again for all the help,
Kevin

 

[XJ_ranger]

Thanks Ranger. I'm going to be driving 250 miles to look at it, so I'm hoping I won't have to walk away. I'm not sure if this stuff makes much of a difference, but it's a 1994 Cherokee with 8" rubicon express lift. It's on 35s, got a Dana 30 with a super 30 kit up front, and a dana 44 in rear, both with 4.88s and detroit lockers. It's got ramsey wich with new bumpers, and several other small mods, sitting on 35s. It's got just over 100,000 miles on the 4.0 litre, and he was asking $8500 and now has dropped down to $7200. He says it does great on the highway, which is a neccessity for me.

Do you think he's asking too much?

Thanks again for all the help,
Kevin

7200? well - personaly - i think that is too much...

stock steering?
steering box brace?
stock rear axle shafts?
body damage?
wheeled hard?
SYE and DS?
stock t-case gears?


lemme guess - bushwacker fender flares?

that is the top end of what i would put on thoes axles - myself i run a ford 9" and a D44 up front with 33's (for the time being)

personaly - for a vehicle that i am going to wheel, 7200 is way too much.

I bought my cherokee (92 2door with 168,000 on it) for 2100 and paid too much - though it was maintained to the fullest and i havent had to do anything other than change the oil - though my steering box is starting to leek, but that is another issue all together...

wheeling in the Sierra's (i see you are in truckee) is a high traction environment and stuff that wouldnt normaly break in say the midwest or south has a tendancy to snap up there.

it seems to be a well outfitted rig a guess at the build up price goes:
91-96 xj with good running drivetrain - 1500
RE 8" lift - 2000
detroits and gears - 1500 installed
SYE and DS - 500
super d30 - 300?

6800?

and a person can never expect to get back what they put into it.

i wouldnt pay more than 4000 for that cherokee, but that is just me.

do you plan on wheeling it?
wrenching on it?
working on it?
driving it around town and stuff?

here is a good example:
my buddy bought a 1985 Toyota 4runner with 9" lift and 35's locked front and rear with all the do-dads for 9,000
he then put another 10,000 or so into new tranny, t-case, rear end, locker, front axle shafts and birfields, and now he cant even sell it for 7,000.
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=372306&page=1&pp=25

Personaly- i think you could build that jeep for less than he is asking (doing all the work yourself) and come out ahead in knowledge and means to fix it yourself.
i have ~6" of lift on my rig with my axles and all that and probably only have 5,000 into it total (though i am constantly looking for deals on parts and stuff and there are very few parts on my rig that I bought brand new).

the big deal that i have with buying someone elses built rig is that it is built to their needs and what they wanted. Mine is exactly what i want in a jeep - and not what i settled for.

however - if you want to buy a rig that can take you down the fordyce creek trail and you can have fun with and really dont want to take on building up a rig due to lack of space, time, or desire - this is a perfect rig from the way it sounds.

though - it seems like he is having trouble selling it - being as he is reducing the price, so id show up, point out EVERY minor detail or incompleteness and mention that you will have to do that little bit of work, and then offer 6,000 and see where that gets you.

and waving 6,000 cash in someones face can get them to fork over a pink slip in a real hurry...

just my thoughts and opinions.
-Bryan "Opie" Bennett

 

[Kev102189]

I really want a jeep I can drive to school every day, drive on the freeway without hating life, and cruise down Fordyce with all my friends. I'm 15, and I don't think I have enough skill to install stuff myself. I'm pretty sure I'm lacking lots of the tools as well, I'm not sure whether an acetylene torch and arc welder are enough to install a long arm. One of my biggest problems is I don't really have anybody to show me the way, how to put on bigger axles, what gears I should run, what size tires I can run without worrying about the axles. Another thing is I hate how you can dump $1000 on your axles and never see that money again when you go to sell it, so I've been looking more at jeeps that are already lifted. Here's the one I'm looking at:

 

[INI SLDR]

Just ran across your thread and thought I'd make a suggestion. XJ Ranger is right. We don't build our Jeeps thinking about re-sale. If you are thinking about re-sale then find a different hobby. Building a jeep can be VERY expensive. Even if you scrounge around and get some cheap parts the total will still boggle your mind. thats why some people buy cheap parts. Some of those parts will work fine ( black steel wheels ) and some will not. ( Surco rack )

As far as a dd, those tires for one are going to really hit you hard. Sure they look cool but they go quick, expensive to replace and they take a lot of fuel to run down the highway. Do you need a mud tire?

The roof rack looks to be a Surco unit. I had one for a while. Decent rack but its like putting an anchor out as far as your mpg goes. They are aluminum and are not indestructable. Entry level stuff really. The bumper looks like something from olympic along with the nurf bars. Don't get to excited.

Don't buy it. Waste of money. Go find the xj you like in stock form first. Think of it as a blank canvas. As you get older your jeep ages with you and you sort of grow together. Sounds cheez-ball right? Wrong. When you want to put a small lift on your new for you jeep, just come back to the forum, we'll help you. You buy the tools you need as you go. (For example pawn shops are a great source for wrenches and sockets. You get craftsmen tools with a lifetime warranty! )

When you put the lift on yourself with the help of a few freinds or whatever you are gaining an understanding of how your jeep works. When something breaks you learn to fix it. That way your not stranded on the trail when your ignition switch dies in your auto tranied jeep because you know how to jump the starter with a screwdriver.

Wheenie wheeling is a blast. You learn how to drive a stock jeep places that your friends can't take their lifted jeeps. Trail riding is not point and shoot, it takes skill and you don't become a world class driver by buying a hundred thousand dollar trophy truck.

It take some people years to build a truck just the way they want it and even then its never done. Needs change, your young, take your time. Learn some skills along the way. You can't accomplish any of this by filling out a check and signing the dotted line.

Just for kicks build a jeep on paper. Grab some cataloges, surf the web dealers. Add up the total you'd spend on a your ideal starter jeep.

used cherokee
bumpers
tires
winch
lift
etc...
the total will be less than his asking price and you gain the knowledge as well. Thats money well spent!!!

As far as a used cherokee, the cleaner the better. Something well maintained. No obviouse damage to anything. I'll say no leaks but every jeep leaks. Its just a point of how bad. Does it drive nice? Have good pep in the motor? Tranny shift ok? Check fluids, are they fresh looking? Take it to a local shop and have them give it a once over, won't cost you much and could save you some hassle since your not yet familar with the vehicle. Good luck.

 

[Kev102189]

When it comes down to it, I don't have the time or money to make a jeep the way I want it, and that's as close as I can get. Chances are I'll have to sell it to pay for college anyways. Yeah, olympic bumper and rock rails, but that's still $800 worth of parts that I'd have to put on otherwise. $1200 for bumpers and rock rails, $700 for winch, $1500 for lockers, gears, and installation, $2000 for the lift, $900 for tires and wheels all the little stuff (SYE, exhaust, intake, roof rack, electric start) really starts to add up. That's $6300 of stuff I'd want before looking at the price of the cherokee itself and the little things add up.
I don't want a 3.5" lift or some bullshit only to want to upgrade it later, that's a fat waste of money, and I don't even have a job right now so money's real tight. I don't feel comfortable at all installing the parts myself. Plus, like you guys said, you don't get half the money you put into it back out of it, so I'm paying about half of what that guy's got in his cherokee.

Also factor in the fact that everything's expensive in California, and the jeep is worth $4000 stock. And that's not KBB or some bullshit, that's what everybody is selling their '93-'95s with 120,000 miles or less for.

 

[sidriptide]

don't knock smaller lifts. have you ever wheeled a stock rig before? a small lift is a huge step from there. you are getting some excellent advice here, take some time and let it sink in. and if you think you will end up selling it anyways, count on losing $$ on your sale as well. thats just how it goes. you stand a better chance of afording a smaller rig and keeping it than of the bigger rig and finding you cant afford it. sounds like you really want something that looks cool at the mall. this isnt a hobby (read: obsession) that you can expect to afford without a job. hell i can barely afford 2 rigs of my own. dont fool yourself thinking that if you buy a ready-built rig that your expenses are all covered. wait till you break something, thats when we start thinking "upgrade time".

start small and cheap. you're young, learn to wrench. not knowing how is not an acceptable excuse in the world of Jeeps my friend.

 

[Fred]

Put your parents on here. I need to tell them to knock some sense in your head.

15 yrs old, moneys tight, no job, can't wrench, 8" lifted jeep, sorry, but that picture is just totally wrong to me.


But then I am a curmudgeon, and proud of it. :laugh3:

Fred

 

[Darky]

I'd have to agree with the others so far. When I was 15, I wasn't looking at buying a vehicle. I got my first vehicle when I was 17 and that was a hand me down 94 Geo Tracker. I wheeled the piss outta that thing, learned how to pick the right line, how to keep track of where stuff was in relation to the rocks. I went places in that stock Tracker that people in built rigs didn't even dare try. I took my Cherokee back to the same places, still stock, and was blown away at the increase in capability. Now I'm lightly modifed but can probably get places that you'd be able to take that lifted Jeep. Well, maybe if you got rid of the lockers... Basically, I think buying someone else's problem can be a real waste of money. And if you don't know how to fix it, you'll be in trouble when that D30 snaps, or your steering box cracks thanks to the 35" tires without appropriate reinforcement. Not to mention the gas mileage. If you don't have a job and say money's already tight, imagine where you'll be trying to pay insurance on a 4x4, make payments (unless somehow you happen to have the cash on hand), and fill your tank at least once a week. I fill up once a week with 30's, 35's and an 8" lift will kill you at the pump. If you absolutely have to have it, offer him 6. I paid 4500 for mine stock, That one's 2 yrs older, and has 25000 more miles than mine did.

 

[Kev102189]

Well, there's obviously a difference in opinions, and you guys are different then me. I want something that I'll be able to drive for the next two years that'll be capable in the mud and snow. That's it. You guys get all sentimental and stuff, but I really don't care who built it or what brand a roof rack is (it's a c-rok by the way, not snaco or whatever you said), I care how well it'll get me around. Ranger, I thank youa lot for your help, and you were also the only one who helped. And if something does break, then it just happens that one of my oldest friend's dad owns the biggest auto shop in town.

 

[northwestxj]

FYI that is a surco roof rack, and out of consideration for everyone else....they are trying to help you to make a wise decision, and giving you their opinion which you asked for...in the end its your choice but i would have to agree that if you actually want to LEARN to wheel then buy a stock rig or a small lift and then work your way up so you learn how to pick lines.

if you really dont want to or dont have means to put on a lift and other mods then maybe the jeep would be ok for you, but i agree with the previous post, offer 6 thousand or so.

 

[nitrogt101]

He dropped that to $7200? I live in Southern California, so I know how stuff can be expensive here, and it is even more expensive around LA(Ventura County to be exact). My first Jeep was a 96 2 door 2 wheel drive 6 cyl with 60k miles completly stock and base model, paid $6700 for that, and got $4200 for it. That was a wonderful feeling. It was in absolutly PERFECT condition, you seriously couldnt find a cleaner one around.

I just got a 98 sport recently. 4x4, 4.0, lifted on 31's, intake, computer chip, exhaust, nice stuff on everything, nothing cheap. The guy got it built that way at the local 4x4 shop, took it town a gravel road(lame), and decided he didnt want to off road anymore. And I got that for $7200, the same price your guy wants for that. And even with 31's, this goes anywhere. I got stuck in the mud once, and that was a driver error of falling in the ruts of my friends truck on 38's.

I'd listen to some of what these guys are saying. They know what they are talking about. And they are not all old like you prolly think..... I'm 18 after all, got my first jeep when i was 16. Keep looking, you have a little bit before you get your license anyways. I know there are better deals out there, I see them all the time.

 

[Kev102189]

Ok, well I see what you guys are saying about building my own rig and learning how to fix it at the same time. I'm not gonna pay over $6000 for that one, and I've found a cherokee close-by for $300 that I'll work on myself. It's a bit of a beater, but it'll pass smog and I won't be using it as a daily driver. I'll probably put it on a non-op because of insurance prices, and work on it when I can.

 

[85xjwoody]

Ok, well I see what you guys are saying about building my own rig and learning how to fix it at the same time. I'm not gonna pay over $6000 for that one, and I've found a cherokee close-by for $300 that I'll work on myself. It's a bit of a beater, but it'll pass smog and I won't be using it as a daily driver. I'll probably put it on a non-op because of insurance prices, and work on it when I can.

Best idea you have had yet.

I bought my wagoneer and didn't know a thing about it. Got a set a tools, ordered a 3" lift, followed the directions, and three hours later I somehow installed a lift correctly. Nothing better than hands on experience for when you break on the trail. By the way, if you wheel, you will break something sometime.

Good luck with your purchase.

Kim.

 

[ECU88XJ]

Best idea you have had yet.

By the way, if you wheel, you will break something sometime.

Additionally;
If you Drive an 8 inch lifted XJ on a daily basis even on the street, it WILL require maintenence and repair. Much more so than a stock vehicle. You cannot reasonably expect to not have to put any more monewy into it at some point.

A vehicle modified to the extent of the first jeep mentioned stion is being pushed mechanically , MUCH harder than in the initial configuration. 'Wear Items' will generally wear out sooner/faster than in the stock application. A lifted jeep at this height is not something you can drive 20k miles annually and just change the oil every 3 thousand miles...

Point being, If money is tight and your mechanical skills are low and you're not willing to learn by researching and doing projects and repairs, and acquire tools, then this is not a good vehicle to purchase.

 

[XJ_ranger]

i made it to the first water crossing on the fordyce with a stock TJ - i dont think it would be much harder in a stock XJ with lockers...


my advice now that you have given more input -

make firends with your bud at the autoshop, get a job cleaning floors and running erands for that shop, and then learn more about cars while talking to the mechanics (that is what i did for the past two summers now)

then buy a stock jeep

then take it out some midweek day during summer with some friends who are willing to help you out a lot (no offence, but im assuming that at 15 with the talk you have been saying - ESPECIALY the way you talk about mud - im doubting the seat time you have had) and pull your stuck ass over things, and see what you are hitting and see if a lift would help

id bet that an XJ on 31's with a locker in the rear with a 2" BB would do EVERYTHING that your pucker factor can handle right now.

and no - 92-94 XJ's dont go for 4500 in CA

i bought my 92 2 years ago in PALO ALTO CA for 2100 and overpaid

check www.craigslist.org for cherokee in the for sale section, drive into the bay area with 1500 and drive home with a good solid cherokee...

try putting up a post in the sierra chapter asking if anyone would be interested in helping you out wrenching on a lift if you needed to someday - and I for one will offer my garage (located in Benicia, CA close to Vallejo or Concord) to you and my help and i know that there are a ton of people who would help you out.

honestly - i dont think this cherokee is for you.

whatever you decide - my garage is open to help another jeeper out (when im home - dad doesnt like it when people stop by and use stuff when im not there).

Hope this is helpful and informative.

-Bryan J Bennett
"Opie"
707.980.2450



EDIT: oh yea - and you dont need to buy everytihng that jeep has

i have had 0 reason to upgrade my bumpers from stock
i have 0 reason for a lift
i run without a locker in the front

so the cost of building your own could be considerably less...

 

[PhunkXJ]

Fly to Chicago and buy my built 01 XJ with 60k miles for ALOT cheaper than that thing, and learn how to do body work.

 

[red91]

Hi,
I'm going to buy my frist car soon, a lifted XJ. What should I look at before buying? ?

Thanks for all the help,
Kevin

a good looking hunny for the passenger seat....


TRUST ME

 

[XJ_ranger]

a good looking hunny for the passenger seat....


TRUST ME

at 15 - maybe a good lookin hunny to sit in the drivers seat...