Opinions on this '97 wrangler?

[larrivee7]

I've wanted a Wrangler off and on (mostly on) for about 10 years, but am just now beginning to look seriously. Due to the budget I'm looking at (at or around $5,000), I had been looking almost exclusively at YJs. I just saw this ad a couple days ago for this '97 and I wanted to get some input from the experts about it. (screen cap of the listing is attached).


I would rather have the 4.0L, but since I won't be doing any serious traveling or off-roading with it would the 2.5L suffice? It's definitely a lot of miles as well, but seems to have been treated nicely. Does the 4 cylinder hold up any better or worse than the 6 cylinder at higher mileage like this? What about the transmission (AX-5)?

I contacted the seller and here was his reply when I asked about the engine repairs: "The head cracked when I was coming home and that caused the radiator and water pump to blow. So I got that all new. Then the starter went out, and I bought a new one last week. Mechanically, it should be sound now." He says no issues whatsoever with the transmission.

What do you think? Honestly, a lot of the YJs that I've seen in this price range have less miles but not a whole lot less. He seemed quite flexible on the price as well since he's moving soon. So if I could get this one for closer around $4,000 or a little less, would that be decent for a TJ (even with this mileage)?

Thanks for the help guys!

 

[larrivee7]

Additional information he communicated to me:


The rip he mentioned in the soft top is at the rear and down low, so it doesn't let much water in at all. He's used it with no problems.

Half doors are included but not pictured.

4WD works perfectly.

Suspension is completely stock.

No rust except the one small spot on the body he mentioned in the listing.



He is supposed to be sending me detailed pics today.

 

[Jeepergeo]

Hard to say.

The price of Jeeps seems to bottom out in the $4K to $5K range, meaning you don't see many advertised for less.

4 Vs 6 - It depends on what you plan to do. A 4 cyl in low range provides sufficient torque for low speed off road fun on trails/rocks, but may be a little under powered for higher speed fun like dunes, sand, and mud. Big wheels/tires may tax a 4 and often tax a 6, so if you plan to run 33s or 35s, I'd hold for a 6 cyl.

Hole in top - that can be repaired with vinyl/canvass cement and a swatch of plastic or fabric...or duct tape.

If the running gear is sound (trans, transfer, axles,) as you say, worst case is you replace the engine.

Good luck, and remember, Jeep = Just Empty Every Pocket, so make sure you have a hand full of cash for those personal touches that you know you'll want to add to whatever you buy.:lol:

 

[sjlane]

Kelly Blue Book private party sale price is $3600.00 in fair condition. I would offer him $3600.00.

He is trying to get his repair cost also covered in his asking pricing. I am sure he is going to tell NADA price or Kelly Blue Book is saying $5000.00 retail. Well, he is not retail.

He will not be offering you no 30 or 90 day warrenty etc........ And you said, he is leaving. Do not go much above $3600.00.

 

[larrivee7]

Hard to say.

The price of Jeeps seems to bottom out in the $4K to $5K range, meaning you don't see many advertised for less.

4 Vs 6 - It depends on what you plan to do. A 4 cyl in low range provides sufficient torque for low speed off road fun on trails/rocks, but may be a little under powered for higher speed fun like dunes, sand, and mud. Big wheels/tires may tax a 4 and often tax a 6, so if you plan to run 33s or 35s, I'd hold for a 6 cyl.

Hole in top - that can be repaired with vinyl/canvass cement and a swatch of plastic or fabric...or duct tape.

If the running gear is sound (trans, transfer, axles,) as you say, worst case is you replace the engine.

Good luck, and remember, Jeep = Just Empty Every Pocket, so make sure you have a hand full of cash for those personal touches that you know you'll want to add to whatever you buy.:lol:

Yeah, around here (KY/TN) Wranglers don't seem to get below around $4,000 ever, regardless of body style, mileage, or condition. That's why I'm thinking I could get most of my money back if do get it and drive it for a while and am not satisfied. I guess it boils down to the fact that the other Wranglers I'm seeing in my price range have a lot of miles as well, and are YJs. So if you had to choose between a YJ with say...130,000 miles and this TJ with 169,000, what would you lean towards? Thanks for the other tips as well 8)

Kelly Blue Book private party sale price is $3600.00 in fair condition. I would offer him $3600.00.

He is trying to get his repair cost also covered in his asking pricing. I am sure he is going to tell NADA price or Kelly Blue Book is saying $5000.00 retail. Well, he is not retail.

He will not be offering you no 30 or 90 day warrenty etc........ And you said, he is leaving. Do not go much above $3600.00.

Yeah, that's around what I'm thinking. Thanks for the input

 

[mud4feet]

Sounds to me like a good deal, especially if you can get him down to $3600. I'm usually skeptical about the first year of a new model, but with 169K on it, I think it's proven it is without "first year bugs". I wouldn't worry about the 4banger. I drive an '03 with 160K on it and would not hesitate to take it anywhere in the country (well.....once I get the factory clutch replaced!!). Mine's a 2.4, but the 2.5 I believe is a stronger motor (wife's YJ has the 2.5). The miles are always worrisome, but if it's had good care, it should be fine. Pretty much the same risk you run with the YJ's.......less miles, yes, but what KIND of miles??? Always a chance you take buying used. I think you should drive it and then make up your mind. Sounds promising, though.

 

[larrivee7]

Sounds to me like a good deal, especially if you can get him down to $3600. I'm usually skeptical about the first year of a new model, but with 169K on it, I think it's proven it is without "first year bugs". I wouldn't worry about the 4banger. I drive an '03 with 160K on it and would not hesitate to take it anywhere in the country (well.....once I get the factory clutch replaced!!). Mine's a 2.4, but the 2.5 I believe is a stronger motor (wife's YJ has the 2.5). The miles are always worrisome, but if it's had good care, it should be fine. Pretty much the same risk you run with the YJ's.......less miles, yes, but what KIND of miles??? Always a chance you take buying used. I think you should drive it and then make up your mind. Sounds promising, though.

Thanks for the reply, and good to hear a positive review of the 2.5. For what I'll be using it for (just transportation and running around, no wheeling), I think it would be fine. But I do look forward to driving this one to see how it feels. And I agree about the type of miles. That's why I'm looking for wranglers that are as close to stock as possible and have been treated well.

 

[Shephard10]

Everything above sounds about right, you got yourself a deal!

I also have the 2.5 in my tj and it gets you where I need to go, but if you're takin the interstate, I hope you don't wanna get there fast...

 

[Jeepergeo]

Yeah, around here (KY/TN) Wranglers don't seem to get below around $4,000 ever, regardless of body style, mileage, or condition. That's why I'm thinking I could get most of my money back if do get it and drive it for a while and am not satisfied. I guess it boils down to the fact that the other Wranglers I'm seeing in my price range have a lot of miles as well, and are YJs. So if you had to choose between a YJ with say...130,000 miles and this TJ with 169,000, what would you lean towards? Thanks for the other tips as well 8)



Yeah, that's around what I'm thinking. Thanks for the input

I'm a bit biased since I have a TJ. I'd go with the newer TJ model. With the JK out, seems like TJ aftermarket parts have come down a bit, and the TJ has a few improvements over the YJ. I'm sure others would differ.

Agree on the price. Out here in CA, I rarely see any Jeep for under $4K, and that includes the basket cases.

 

[jfrabat]

I would rather have the 4.0L, but since I won't be doing any serious traveling or off-roading with it would the 2.5L suffice? It's definitely a lot of miles as well, but seems to have been treated nicely. Does the 4 cylinder hold up any better or worse than the 6 cylinder at higher mileage like this? What about the transmission (AX-5)?

Although the AX5 is a known weak link, without any mods to the 2.5L, it tends to hold out just fine. 2.5L Jeeps seem to last forever, and there are many mods you can do to make it better as well. Just head on over to www.4bangerjp.com and you will see all the things you can do to this little engine. And, if taken care of, 169K miles is nothing to worry about; they tend to go over 200K no problem.

As for the 2.5L being able to wheel, I have a 2.5L YJ on 33's, and I wheel just fine in the Costa Rican mud (thick, gooey stuff). I even use tire chains on mine for the harder trails to be able to keep traction (even boggers tend to pack with the local mud, to the point where fellow jeepers running V8's either take out every other lug or use chains even with the boggers). In fact, the 2.5L will keep up with 4.0L jeeps no problem on the trail. It's the highway were you will notice more difference...

Here are some wheeling vids of me in the mud; you be the judge if the 2.5L can wheel or not.

Felipe

 

[J Smith]

I've wanted a Wrangler off and on (mostly on) for about 10 years, but am just now beginning to look seriously. Due to the budget I'm looking at (at or around $5,000), I had been looking almost exclusively at YJs. I just saw this ad a couple days ago for this '97 and I wanted to get some input from the experts about it. (screen cap of the listing is attached).


I would rather have the 4.0L, but since I won't be doing any serious traveling or off-roading with it would the 2.5L suffice? It's definitely a lot of miles as well, but seems to have been treated nicely. Does the 4 cylinder hold up any better or worse than the 6 cylinder at higher mileage like this? What about the transmission (AX-5)?

I contacted the seller and here was his reply when I asked about the engine repairs: "The head cracked when I was coming home and that caused the radiator and water pump to blow. So I got that all new. Then the starter went out, and I bought a new one last week. Mechanically, it should be sound now." He says no issues whatsoever with the transmission.

What do you think? Honestly, a lot of the YJs that I've seen in this price range have less miles but not a whole lot less. He seemed quite flexible on the price as well since he's moving soon. So if I could get this one for closer around $4,000 or a little less, would that be decent for a TJ (even with this mileage)?

Thanks for the help guys!

The cracked head thing he has backward. The water pump no doubt failed first.
If you don't plan to do heavy Jeeping, the 4 cyl has some advantages. The main one will be mileage. The drawbacks would be if you want to pass someone or at higher altitudes. There you may have a lack of power.

The 4 cyl will, if treated right and cared for, run nearly as long as the 6 cyl. If you hot rod it, don't expect it to run long without problems. If you plan to run at highway speeds or above for long periods, it won't last as long either.

The pictures look good, but there are a number of things I would look at before buying. Has it been off road much? The under side will tell you the answer to that. If it's beat and scarred there, you might want to think hard about buying at his price. If pristine, you may have something.

Used Jeeps are all over the place and at all prices. Until you actually own one, keep looking for a good deal.

Having the half doors is a big plus as far as your price goes too.

Either way, when you get one, do expect to put some money into it. With most of that age, you might want to plan to just change all belts and hoses right away to save yourself breakdowns due to petty little things. Have the battery and charging system checked out would be a great idea too.

You have a new water pump and starter. Hopefully they changed the thermostat when they repaired the head. I would have a radiator shop look at the radiator. You don't want overheating problems that can cause expensive repairs (which will include having the radiator rebuilt anyway).
That 4 banger works hard for you and needs to keep a proper temperature.

Changing to synthetic oils in the whole drive train might be a good idea too. It will help make the whole thing last a little longer than it might otherwise.

Good luck with whatever you do. Welcome to the world of Wheeling. You're going to love it. Happy Trails

If you take care of it, it will take better care of you.

 

[jfrabat]

J Smith, I agree with most of what you said except for this part:

The 4 cyl will, if treated right and cared for, run nearly as long as the 6 cyl. If you hot rod it, don't expect it to run long without problems. If you plan to run at highway speeds or above for long periods, it won't last as long either.

I have sen many 4 cyl outlast similar I6's, and the little four banger can run at higher RPM's all day long without issues (say, 3,500 RPM's for six hours straight? NO PROBLEM!). Actually, if you gear to be in the 3,000 to 3,500 RPM at 65mph, you will have a nice little rig with the 4banger.

In my case, I drive a 600 mile road trip every 3 months (between Panama City, Panama and San Jose, Costa Rica), and I drive most of the way at 65 mph or so (mine runs 33's and 4.88 gears). Also, while in FL, I used 31's and 4.88, and could cruise at 75mph no problem (on 5th gear!).

As for modding it, depending on what you do, you can do some work on it and get more power withough affecting reliability (up to and including increasing compression ratio to 10.2 to 10.3; you just need to run a bit higher grade gas to avoid knocking).

Felipe

 

[J Smith]

J Smith, I agree with most of what you said except for this part:



I have sen many 4 cyl outlast similar I6's, and the little four banger can run at higher RPM's all day long without issues (say, 3,500 RPM's for six hours straight? NO PROBLEM!). Actually, if you gear to be in the 3,000 to 3,500 RPM at 65mph, you will have a nice little rig with the 4banger.

In my case, I drive a 600 mile road trip every 3 months (between Panama City, Panama and San Jose, Costa Rica), and I drive most of the way at 65 mph or so (mine runs 33's and 4.88 gears). Also, while in FL, I used 31's and 4.88, and could cruise at 75mph no problem (on 5th gear!).

As for modding it, depending on what you do, you can do some work on it and get more power withough affecting reliability (up to and including increasing compression ratio to 10.2 to 10.3; you just need to run a bit higher grade gas to avoid knocking).

Felipe

Felipe,
You are correct for the most part. It's the guy who has the size 75 big toe on his right foot that can make a four banger (or even a 6 or 8) turn to mush before it's time. They stand up to racing well... only for a time and then they begin to lose power and smoke and...
With the mileage he was speaking and the fact that it had already run hot for who knows how long, you have to consider that it may not have had the best care in town.

I would love to see some of the wheeling in Central America. I'm guessing it is a whole new world of mud and some beautiful country.
Happy Trails Felipe.

 

[jfrabat]

Felipe,
the fact that it had already run hot for who knows how long, you have to consider that it may not have had the best care in town.

I would love to see some of the wheeling in Central America. I'm guessing it is a whole new world of mud and some beautiful country.
Happy Trails Felipe.

You bring up a good point; if the head was cracked, they probably beat on it quite a bit, because even overheating mine more than a couple of times (thanks to a radiator full of mud), I have yet to crack the head or do any real damage to it (other than toasting thermostats).

As for the vid, check out the one I posted before; it has some of the highlights of my wheeling down here.

Felipe

 

[larrivee7]

^ Thanks for the insight guys. He already sold it before I could go see it this weekend. But I had about decided that I didn't want it for the same reasons you were just listing, seems like it was probably run really hard.


BUT........a seller finally got back to me on a different one I had inquired about:

2001 Sport
Black with black hard top and full doors
92,xxx miles
4.0 / 5-speed
Cruise control
4x4 works fine

I couldn't see any rust in the pics he sent me (or scratches for that matter), actually appeared very clean and well taken care of.

He's asking $5,800......

This seems like a really nice deal to me........thoughts?

P.S. Sorry for the re-direction of the thread, but this one just came up.

 

[superj]

sounds good if its clean when you check it out

 

[jfrabat]

sounds good if its clean when you check it out

I agree!

 

[larrivee7]

I agree!

Thanks guys. Here is the album he sent me. It looks really clean, based on the pics:

Jeep pictures by harrison113 - Photobucket

Gonna check it out when he gets back to town, in a little over a week. Trying not to get my hopes up....:lol:

 

[mud4feet]

Looks good. Personally, I don't like the hardtop or the full doors, but that is just a personal preference. I'd ditch those wheels asap if you plan on going through any mud....they look like my factory wheels and they will hold mud like you wouldn't believe.....you'll be driving home at 35 mph to keep from shaking yourself to death 'til you can get it to a hose! Other than that, looks like a good deal!

 

[larrivee7]

Looks good. Personally, I don't like the hardtop or the full doors, but that is just a personal preference. I'd ditch those wheels asap if you plan on going through any mud....they look like my factory wheels and they will hold mud like you wouldn't believe.....you'll be driving home at 35 mph to keep from shaking yourself to death 'til you can get it to a hose! Other than that, looks like a good deal!

Yeah, I would definitely prefer a soft top/half doors. But, it would be a daily driver for me, so the hardtop could be very nice for the winter. And I figure if I'm gonna have to buy a top myself, I'd rather buy a soft one. And good to know about the wheels, but they definitely wouldn't be sticking around too long though Thanks.