Looking at buying a Wrangler YJ, a few questions

[kahuna92]

Before I start, I am new here and new to Jeeps, so please forgive me if this sounds dumb... 8)

I have been looking at buying a car for a little while, and thanks to a friend, I am now hooked on Jeeps (mostly the Wrangler YJ and CJ-7).

There is a 1995 YJ for sale in my area, and I would like a better opinion on it. It has the 2.5L 4-cyl engine and a 5-speed manual transmission (I am guessing the AX-15). The interior is in good shape, seats look nice, etc. Outside, the paint is ok, but could use some work. There is very little visible rust (mostly just on the hood latches). The engine needs a fairly normal assortment of hoses and cleanup, but has an almost brand new battery.

The asking price on that YJ was $6,500 if I remember right, which is a little too much (in my opinion), but could probably be negotiated. We didn't check the mileage, so that might be a concern, but everything else looked good. Does this sound like a fairly good buy?

Also, I have heard that the 2.5L engine is really underpowered. How true is this? The Jeep would be used for normal around-town driving, and occasional light off-roading.

 

[currupt4130]

That price is super steep.

The 2.5 isn't that bad. A good tune up and a few mods go a long way for it. The transmissions behind the 2.5 suck. Some people make them live, most have problems. It's the AX-5 BTW.

Depending on mileage, a fair price is 4-5k.

 

[kahuna92]

That price is super steep.

The 2.5 isn't that bad. A good tune up and a few mods go a long way for it. The transmissions behind the 2.5 suck. Some people make them live, most have problems. It's the AX-5 BTW.

Oops, I didn't notice that the AX-5 was 5-speed... I guess that would make an engine swap a little more expensive, but it probably drops the sale value of the car some.

I did think the price was definitely high. My friend (the same one who got me interested in Jeeps) paid $4000 for his 1995 YJ with a 4.0 engine, which was in a similar condition.

 

[currupt4130]

95 and 94 are the years you want in a YJ. If you can talk the guy down to a reasonable price, jump on it.

 

[mud4feet]

:agree:

Price is high. My advice to you would be to take it for a test drive......even if you're not going to buy it (and I wouldn't, at that price). You'll either love it or hate it. If you love it, then you've been bit by the bug that everyone on this site is a slave to (myself included). Jeeps are not your normal "cars". They are not comfortable (comparatively speaking). They don't have all the "amenities" (power this, that, and the other). But..............if Jeepin' is in your blood...................it won't take long for you to say "YEAH!!!.....THIS IS ME!!!!"...........either that, or you'll say "this SUCKS!!!! What do people see in these things??!?!?!?!?!!!!".......................... Like I said, you'll like it or you won't.................but don't pay that much.

 

[kahuna92]

mud4feet: I have ridden in and driven a 4.0 YJ off road, and it was awesome. After seeing what that Jeep could do (it was completely stock), I definitely want one.

My only concern is if the 4-cyl can match some of the power and feel of the 6-cyl. I have read the low-end torque is good for off road, as long as the transmission holds up.

 

[mud4feet]

mud4feet: I have ridden in and driven a 4.0 YJ off road, and it was awesome. After seeing what that Jeep could do (it was completely stock), I definitely want one.

My only concern is if the 4-cyl can match some of the power and feel of the 6-cyl. I have read the low-end torque is good for off road, as long as the transmission holds up.

Sounds like you've been bit.........................God help you!!:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[shvlhd666]

My advice would be, if you want a 4.0, buy a 4.0. Swapping can be a big pain.

Where are you located Kahuna?

 

[kahuna92]

My advice would be, if you want a 4.0, buy a 4.0. Swapping can be a big pain.

Where are you located Kahuna?

It sounds like an engine swap could be fun, but hard. I will probably keep looking for a 4.0 or CJ-7, but keep the 2.5 in mind (it should be at little cheaper than a 4.0 right?).

I am in South Carolina.

 

[Joopin]

I held out for a 4.0 and I'm so glad I did. If you are paying 5k for a jeep, you'd better get exactly what you want.

 

[shvlhd666]

If you want to swap in a bigger engine, might as well swap in a Chevy 350. Everything you need for swapping can be bought from Trans-adapt and other similar companies.

For you first Jeep, I would stick with a 4.0.

 

[black87yj]

I've had the v8 in my 77 cj great motor but a tippy ride compared to the yj and tjs i've owned. the 4.2 and 4.0 are by far better than the 4 -in MY OPINION only as i've never owned a 4 just ridden in a mb with one. Joopin is right though hold out for what you really want..I love my yj BUT its an auto and i really wanted a 5 spd....i got over it ! but i still drool over my buddies 4.0 with the 5spd !!Good luck on your search !
oh btw i had a 98 tj...loved it but i love the 87 yj MORE ! its more a jeep than the 98..the 98 was polished too much...now the 77 cj...i'm sick about sell'in her........

 

[dandoc]

Kahuna, when you go looking at different CJ's and YJ's, be sure to look at the underside, particularly at the frame and body mounts, for major rust areas. The rear section of numerous frames have rusted through at the spring shackle area. Do your research and determine how much work you're able to do yourself (or with friends), and what repairs you may need to pay others to do for you. When you make a decision or want our input, be sure to post pictures... we love Jeep pictures!

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

2.5L isn't bad, and they'll run offroad like nobody's business. The transmission isn't any more prone to failure than the AX15, they're both plagued by the owners manual and service manuals recommending the wrong fluid.

Check out www.4bangerjp.com if you want more input from 2.5L owners. I've had a v8 YJ, and I really enjoy the 2.5L I've got now.

 

[kahuna92]

Thanks for all the input and ideas!

dandoc: I have read about Jeeps (modifications, technical stuff, etc..) on a good number of web sites, and it looks like any work won't be too hard.

And I will make sure to post pictures when I find something.

 

[jps4jeep]

I would suggest getting a 97/98 TJ, since this will be 95% street driven, TJ's have a nicer ride... too add, I have a YJ they are great, but for the same price you could have newer.

 

[jfrabat]

I have a '94 YJ with the 2.5, and with some mods, they hold their own nicely. Where you will really notice the 2.5L is when driving faster than 60mph (especially against the wind or up hills), but on the low end, they really do hold their own. Mine has the stock 4.10 gears, and even with 31" tires it does not feel underpowered unless I get past 65 mph (but keep in mind you are not going to be accelarating like a car).

If you plan to swap in a larger engine, I would not go to the 4.0L; I would go to something bigger to make the swap worth it. And ussually that means getting a transmission to go along with the conversion (even if you start out with the 4.0L).

The price seems much too high, though; like Corrupt said, it should be in the 4~5K depending on mileage. By the way, the 4 banger, if taken care of, run forever. You can easily drive them past 200K miles and they still run strong (again, if the owner took care of them).

As for the rust, dont look at the top or the paint; get under the jeep and look at the frame and drive train. Look not only for rocks, but rock scratches. Too many of these and it means that the Jeep was offroaded (which ussually means abused).

If you intend to do almost all road driving, like jps4jeep said, the TJ is a bit more civilized, but for offroading, I like the simplicity of leaf springs... Plus, they give you the option to do a SOA to maintain the jeep stock ride while getting a 4~5 inch lift, which is nice (I personally have a 4" RE lift, as the signature states).

Like bounty said, check out www.4bangerjp.com for all the mods you can think about for the 4 banger (there are some members that have 4 bangers that will outperform a stock 4.0L; some of them use turbos for these, other use superchargers, and others just rebuild their engines with more compression and agressive cams and such). Some mods are cheap and fast, others are will require a complete engine tear down; it all depends on what you can/want to do...

And always remember: JEEP stands for Just Empty Every Pocket!!! Once the bug bites, you will end up spending most of your salary on your rig no matter what engine you get and how well it runs!

Felipe

 

[Wrangl3r93]

Good luck on your search... I totalled my jeep 2 weeks ago and I'm looking for another yj so I can swap all my parts over. It took me a couple months and alot of test drives the first time to find that one perfect jeep, and it's turning out the same way this time too. My only advice is to not settle for a jeep, there's plenty of deals out there so keep looking till you find the perfect one for you

 

[kahuna92]

I have a new question. We just went looking at a dealer, and found a pretty nice 2000 TJ. It had 120K miles, 4.0L, 5 speed manual, soft top, cloth seats, etc.. The undercarrage looked good, no dents or rust, but showed some obvious signs of off-road use (plenty of brush stuck in one of the skid plates, plus a small dent in the front bumper). The car had a few minor issues, such as a small amount of rust inside the seats (you can see it behind the rear flap of the covers) and on the front of the engine (could easily be removed with a wire brush).

The Jeep was blue and had been repainted red by a body shop. It showed slight marks on the top of the windshield frame, almost like some rust had been taken off. The emergency brake needs some work, as it does not hold properly (really surprised me when I pushed in the clutch to start it). Other than these things, the engine ran pretty well, and it drove properly. The asking price was ~$9550. I think because of the minor problems and mileage this is a little high (Edmunds puts it around $6300). What do you all think of this? I am just trying to get an idea of what to look for in each one, and what they are worth.

 

[currupt4130]

I'd give him 5000 for it max. With those few problems, the fact that it's been offroad and the dealer can't say for sure what's happened to it, and the miles, that price is ridonkulously high.