Help! My Jeep fell apart!

[Abutterfly]

I just typed this long post and it disappeared! Grrrr. I will try to make it shorter. I still have my 2000 Sahara.. in nice shape ( or so I thought). Last month or so it's been wobbly and feels like the butt end is dragging. I was actually wanting to trade it in for a newer Jeep. My husband wanted me to take it to our garage and have them check it out, not wanting to give my problem to the next person who drives this Jeep. I go to the garage today and John our mechanic drives it. About 10 minutes later he appears in the doorway with Kim, his wife. They ask me how long I have been driving it this way and I say a month. They both gasped. Turns out I won't be trading this beauty in after all!!

They tell me my frame is totally rusted and the bar? that runs crosswise underneath isn't even connected on the one side!!! My drive shaft? and transfer case are dangling by a thread...down in a V shape... and the can't believe its even driving and I am SOOOOO lucky I didn't crash!! So they say it needs a new frame....and I may want to sell it to someone who knows how to do it.... and may want a Jeep that's nice except for its entrails hangin' out!!!

What do I do? What would YOU do and what would Jesus do?? HA. No, seriously...what do I do? Are there people who will buy this and repair it and want it? It's not hogged up.. it's a nice one. It was towed back home and I cried and cried.

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

You can look for a used frame, sounds like yours might be beyond repair. Some frames can be repaired if not too far gone.

You can sell yours outright as long as you disclose the issues and you're willing to drop the price drastically. It's only good to someone who is willing to put in another frame or wanting to part it out.

 

[JPNinPA]

Quadratechttp://www.quadratec.com/category/Jeep+Frames+&+Accessories/38/index.htm http://www.factorychryslerparts.com...ml?partner=googlebase_adwords&kwd=&origin=pla http://www.quadratec.com/products/56011_0012.htm

Davies jeep

 

[Abutterfly]

I wanted to ask this as well... so I am thinking of getting a Jeep Liberty.. the bigger/new one. Any thoughts on that? Are they okay? Anyone here have one? Input please. Thanks for everyone reading and offering me help. I did call some "Jeep guy" around here and he didn't get back to me yet but his wife/woman tells me he doesn't have any frames right now.. I explained that I don't want a frame, I want someone to buy this Jeep from me for an okay price. She said he will call me and she knows he doesn't pay more than 1500 for a Jeep he's going to part out. Is that a good price? I don't know.. I guess???? I feel so bad about it. I wish someone would buy it and just put a new frame under it. It's so nice. Not a dent or ding.. not rusty.. inside is really nice.. sniffle sniffle.....I drove it for ten years and I am just plain tired of driving stick. It's time for me to move on. I don't have the yard room to let it sit and just drive it in winter.

 

[TerryMason]

If you could get $1500 for your Jeep as is with no work done then I'd take it. If your Jeep has a hardtop and hard doors then I'd sell them separately - you may get $1000 for just those.

If you are motivated you could make more money by parting it out yourself (the same thing that guy is going to do). I've done it, and it's a pain in the butt.

 

[Abutterfly]

It does have a hard top.. and full hard doors. I also have full brand new soft doors in zippered cases that were never used... and a soft top that is in okay shape. I will run it by my husband later and see what he thinks.. he doesn't really care, although he is very cheap. HA. He may tell me to sell each and every part one by one including that pesky fan blower knob that constantly breaks. Surely we could get a buck fifty for it.

 

[Abutterfly]

I hate to be pesty, but what else would people want off of this besides the hard top and doors? So let's say I sell those off of it, then what? Tow it to the junk yard? it has a brand new windshield... my hubby tried to glue on a new rear view mirror.. glued it on upside down..tried to remove it.. you know the rest.. HA! I held that one against him for QUITE a long time... used it for a few things.. I know it will cost me $100 bucks to tow it to the scrap yard, maybe I should just let this guy deal with it if he ever calls me back.

 

[eric m]

If you plan on parting it out you may make $2000-$2500. People will literally want everything that is usable. What you need to realize is that some of the factory parts you have are difficult to source new replacements for or really expensive to source replacements for. I don't know where you're located but in ohio a tj hardtop on Craigslist goes from $800-$1200. Full doors run from. $600-$1200. I have a buddy who'd buy your center consule by the way, lol.

 

[TerryMason]

Take a look at the used parts forsale on ebay to get an idea of what you can sell:
jeep wrangler tj in Car & Truck Parts | eBay

 

[Abutterfly]

Take a look at the used parts forsale on ebay to get an idea of what you can sell:
jeep wrangler tj in Car & Truck Parts | eBay

Thanks for all the good advice. I am thinking that it may be a mistake to just let the entire Jeep go for $1500. The guy who is interested told us 1500 ...and his wife called and said to stop by with it. We called back and explained that we can NOT drive this, it's guts are literally dangling. It DRIVES but it is a not even sane to drive it. Oh, well then, his wife has to TELL him that...and this may change his mind...blah blah. Heaven forbid!!! They sound like super nice people.... he has a computer inventory of all his parts.. so he's no stranger to parting out. I don't want to get rich.. I just want to get what I can out of it.

My hubby and I were outside checking under the rugs for any rust and we both just stood there in silence. He said this is the saddest thing I have ever seen..this Jeep is so nice...in fantastic shape...if I had a lift I would try to weld it and fix it. I said it's ALL YOURS!!! Seriously though, the thought of raping this Jeep for parts brings a tear to my eye. It's really a neat looking Sahara. No dents no dings... nice tires and wheels............. I have to go get a tissue!! I was hoping someone would want it to just re-frame it and have fun. But whatever... it is what it is. Maybe I will list it on Craigslist tonight and see. I guess money is money and right now I am driving a 94 Cherokee and it's seriously Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.... or Uncle Buck...whatever generation you are from. I am in PA by the way...about 45 miles west of Philly... feel free to stop by with some cash!!

 

[Big had]

Where you located? And what about some pics? The repairs could be done and get low if you were not worrying about an exact factory look at the repairs. Sounds like a perfect off road toy to me.
here in Cali I could get an easy 4K parting it out. Although, in reality, I would repair it or replace the frame. It's not that difficult, just time consuming. Best of luck to you.

 

[Abutterfly]

I posted in another section about Chrysler telling me TOO BAD about my Jeep literally crumbling apart. I read online about MANY Jeeps having issues with that cross bar? underneath that runs side to side breaking off and causing accidents, etc. I guess Jeep doesn't give two craps...they told me there have been issues reported and some recalls over excessive undercarriage rotting.. etc.. but MY Jeep wasn't recalled! Isn't that just great! Too bad for me.. I can go into the corner and lick my wounds.
I guess I can rip the top off and use my Jeep as a seasonal planter... or perhaps I could use it as a fire pit if I took the seats out?..or what the hell, I could just leave the seats in it for kindling??!! or I could put the plugs back in the floor and use it as a pool?..I could have my husband weld a T bar on he front and paint it red and use it as a wagon for the neighbor hood kids?? !!I could use it as a Rickshaw and earn some extra cash!!!! And here all this time I was thinking losing my only vehicle was a negative thing! Silly me... the glass is half FULL, right?? Yes, half full of TURDS.

 

[superj]

i know exactly how you feel when the oem blows you off. it totally sucks.

if you have already found another vehicle, just have your husband swap frames in the garage during weekends. it will take a while but you will get to keep your jeep and know its good afterwards.

 

[Abutterfly]

Last week I emailed a question about a new Renegade, before mine was declared brain dead, to my local dealer and he responded by telling me I could call him with any questions...... here was my response to him.

Hi Gary. I did receive your reply to my online inquiry about a new Renegade.

I WAS interested in a new Jeep, however, due to a recent chain of events I can not purchase one. Here is my story. I have a very nice, well kept 2000 Wrangler Sahara that I had intended on selling to get another Jeep. I had noticed a wobble in the rear end lately and my husband insisted that we go and have it serviced at our garage before trading it or selling it, because we are honest people.

Here is where my story gets juicy! I go to my garage and my mechanic takes it for a test drive to see if he can feel my wobble. About 15 minutes later, my mechanic and his wife come out in the lobby with very somber looks on their faces and ask me just how long I have been driving this with this wobble.
I said maybe 3 weeks or so I've noticed it. I thought it may need an alignment. Well, to my surprise they informed me that my ENTIRE undercarriage is totally rotten AND the support cross beam underneath is broken off on one side! My drive train and transfer case are literally dangling out and ready to drop on the ground!

They also told me that had they known it was like this, John NEVER would have test driven it! Apparently one more bump in the road could have cause my engine and every part underneath to fall OUT and it could have been a very tragic ending for me and anyone around me on the highway! As you can imagine I was totally in shock! My car has NEVER been off road, never abused and I rinse my car in the winter time of road grime.

I was driving around with my family, unknown to ME, in a rolling death trap! My mechanic told me at that point that I would need a ride home, as this Jeep is DONE. I asked exactly what he meant by "done" and he said I should consider selling it for scrap or parts. I just could NOT believe this! I have had this Jeep for ten years and loved every day of it.

I walked outside and cried and then called AAA for a final tow to my back yard. My husband arrived to pick me up, thinking my Jeep was in for an alignment. He almost passed out when my mechanic informed him that we need to lower the flag on our beloved Sahara.

I did some checking on the internet and discovered that many Jeeps have had this issue with the entire under carriage rotting and breaking loose on that cross support bar underneath. Toyota has had the same issue and THEY recalled the vehicles... Jeep did NOT. I called Harner's Auto Body and talked to Joe about my problem. He said the cost would be very large for me to fix this Jeep... and I should consider scrapping it.

I have done nothing but LOVE and adore my Jeep since the day I got it.... every day that I drove my Jeep was just as fun as the first and that is the truth, even though I got the shaft in the end. Who will I wave to now??? They are right.. it is a "Jeep thing" and I hope I never have to feel the sting of the " Jeep thing" ever again.

I called Chrysler and they pretty much told me that I am on my own because a recall was never issued on my year. Here I am with NO Jeep.. no money and just left high and dry by Chrysler. My Jeep was in great condition with no dents, dings and treated pretty much like a baby. I don't think it's fair and it totally changed my opinion of Jeep. My husband drives an old "beater" '94 Cherokee that is NOT completely rusted through underneath and worthless.

As a matter of fact, that old beater Jeep is what I am driving back and forth to work now, because my beautiful Wrangler isn't even worth scrapping because the price of scrap is so low, so I am told. Perhaps I will make my old Sahara into a planter in my yard.

So, no, I appreciate your offer but things have changed for me drastically since I was online inquiring about a new Renegade. I don't have the warm fuzzy Jeep feeling any longer. Thank you.

 

[JPNinPA]

You are really angry!
Could you post up some pics of the rot and dangling parts?

 

[superj]

i agree with you. when i buy jeeps, they will be either 87-01 cherokees or older wranglers and cjs. my 87 wrangler is great and a solid jeep.

we had an 07 four door wrangler. it was ok and never gave us problems but it was so "meh" made that i was worried it would have problems all the time so we got rid of it. it was uncomfortable and had zero power, too. all the new jeeps seem to have problems so i totally understand your not wanting to get a new one, i agree with you

 

[Big had]

I sure would like to see pictures of it and what not so others can inspect their jeeps.

 

[Abutterfly]

I will attempt to upload my pics here.. of my beloved Jeep.

 

[Abutterfly]

You can see that this is a GREAT Jeep, except for the ass hanging out.. it's got no dents, no dings, fantastic interior.. good floors, sound bar , add a trunk, etc. I hope someone would want it to repair it? It makes me cry to look at it.

 

[JPNinPA]

I think those sections can be repaired. You would want the entire frame checked and replace all sections vs new frame.

Here is a link to replacement sections that could be welded in.

http://www.jeep4x4center.com/auto-r...rt-113l.html?gclid=CLnWrcDAyMgCFQiQaQod0i8CZQ