I live in New England and I'm thinking of buying an older Jeep Wrangler (maybe) the only thing I know to be aware of is the frame rot issue. Can you tell me what other things I might consider like engine and tranny ones to stay away from? I plan to drive it on the beach some and its just going to be a third play vehicle. I'm concerned about how rough a ride it might be on the bumpy beach road so I guess suspension is of a concern also. Right now I have my eyes set on a good looking 2000 Jeep Wrangler Sport over priced but clean with 140K miles. Thanks, any advise is appreciated
Frame rot is a huge issue on pre-2004 TJs, especially in the northeast. Even if the frame looks good, get as far up inside it as you can and check it out - they rot from the inside out.
You can buy a cheap inspection camera from Harbor Freight that will allow you to see inside (at least partially) the frame rails. They sell for like $60 or something. Worth every penny if you ask me.
For a "fun" play vehicle that you don't intend to make a daily driver, you can be pretty flexible. Suspension in something that old will likely need to be replaced anyway unless the previous owner upgraded. If you're looking for a comfortable ride in a TJ, I'd suggest a long-arm kit, and Old Man Emu suspension components.
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
Jeep Garage - Jeep Forum
1.7M posts
176.1K members
Since 2009
Jeep Garage is where you can talk about all your favorite jeeps including the Cherokee, Liberty and Grand Cherokee.