Re: '97 TJ purchase Q?

"I'm a big boy and I can do without the sarcastic advice of how and how not to buy a used car."

If you're such a big boy, why did you come here looking for advice in the first place?

Earle

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Well.... Heat shield?????

There is one heat shield on the CAT and it rattles when broken....

You are being fed a line of pure BS.

'We' seem to see this, so expect some advise on how 'not' to buy a Jeep.

Once they start lying to you, they usually don't stop..... Some shops come by the nickname '$tealerships' honestly... ;-) When they lie, it's time to run away fast.....

There is a dust shield on the brakes and if that is hitting, then you have hub/wheel bearing, ball joint or brake issues.

The front driveshaft can hit on the exhaust causing a scraping noise. You then need engine mounts or tranny mounts.

There are clutch parts that can come loose and make a scraping noise. You then need to pull the tranny and replace it.

You have axle end u-joints. If they make a grinding noise you will need new ones 'plus' the axle seals that are internal and expensive labor wise. If the u-joint is baked, the axle seal is too from the vibration.

Good luck....

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail >

Personally it seems strange that the 4 bangers are everywhere - that's probably because down here, they're simply not available full stop. DC/Jeep don't even provide the option.

That said I'm not aware of any other 4wd available here with that configuration - other than the Suzi Vitara/Sierra (if you count that as a

4wd).

The Vitara/Tracker is a moderately capable four wheel drive vehicle. If "You can't swing a dead cat without hitting a 4Cyl. stock boring jeep." then don't be a dumb-ass, ignoring this important message from fate.

Earle

Hey! I have a '97 4 cyl "boring" Jeep, I got a soft top and the brief, duster and windbreaker. When the top is down, who cares about speed?

It's been stuck in the mud, over rocks, up large dirt hills at construction sites and it's not white. It's emerald green. It's only boring if you stay on the street! Hell, you can do that with a Honda CRX or a Ford Exploder.

Jeeps are meant to be off-road!

Good way to make friends and influence enemies with a statement like that!!!!!

You either want a Jeep or you don't. It's one or the other, dammit...

I'm sorry for the comment about the 4 cyl. Jeeps. I have a large work trailer that needs towing... If I sounded "sarcastic" I'm sorry. I didn't mind the "Walk" or the "You're getting shafted" comments but the "What's so special about this Jeep,... with all the Jeeps out there..." comment kinda hit me as sarcastic and put me on the defense.

These dealers here in So. Oregon buy up the "Soccer Moms" jeeps from So. California and 90% of them have the smaller engine and stock wheels/tires. They look great but that can't climb the rather large mountain roads here in Oregon.

9 posts so far and only one advice on what could actually be the problem. Never mind any more help, I've changed my mind about that Jeep anyway... and coming here to get help when I need it.

Do not tow a large trailer with a short wheel base vehicle like the Jeep Wrangler. Maybe if you just want to jockey it around the yard, like we sometimes did in the orchard, that is OK. But at highway speeds, the Wrangler is just too short to be stable, especially if you have to perform a sudden evasive maneuver.

Do not post to Usenet, even innocuous-looking car groups, if you are excessively thin-skinned.

Earle

Are you aware how poorly Jeeps tow, especially with oversized tires and lifts? Tow limit for a 4.0 is 2000 pounds, and they mean it. Even lighter loads can be handfuls at speed or in crosswinds. The limiter is the Jeep's short wheelbase.

If you really want a Jeep product and have to tow, get a Grand Cherokee. FWIW, you could probably get a comparable 1997 GC for much less than a TJ.

The 4 banger Subaru Outback I used to own easily out-towed my 4.0L TJ. Nowadays, I tow my box trailer with a Toyota Tacoma.

Sorry to ruffle your feathers Stimpy, but your story on the TJ just does not make sense. Even _YOU_ weren't buying the sales droid's assessment of the mechanical issues or you wouldn't have posted here looking for an alternative diagnosis. Everyone knows that a 'promise to fix' and a 'decent warranty' mean nothing in the world of a used car dealer. All those guys want is for you to sign on the dotted line and will promise the world for you to do so. (BTW, you still didn't answer the question as to why they won't fix the Jeep BEFORE you bought it.)

With well over half a million TJs produced over a 10 year span, you also didn't come up with a reason why this was 'the one' other than it was one of hundreds of thousands of TJs with a six cylinder. I don't think anyone's buying the fact that you found the Holy Grail of Tjs in Oregon. Evidently, you didn't either since you "walked".

tw _____________________________________________________________________

2003 TJ Rubicon * 2001 XJ Sport * 1971 Bill Stroppe Baja Bronco

"There is a very fine line between 'hobby' and 'mental illness'."

Pronunciation: 'jEp Function: noun Date: 1940

Etymology: from g. p. (G= 'Government' P= '80 inch wheelbase') A small general-purpose motor vehicle with 80" wheelbase, 1/4-ton capacity and four-wheel drive used by the U.S. army in World War II. _____________________________________________________________________

Stimpy wrote:

There are reputable dealers out there waldron...I dont know if you got bit on a bad deal or what but you slam used car salesman like they are scum... there are a lot of salesman that tell you what you want to here but there are a lot that do what they say. I sold cars for 3 yrs ...got into the finance dept then opened up my own lot in 98. I have a lot of repeat and referaal business... & I (for the most part) only sell wranglers.. I buy other cars too.. Yes I make a profit but in 8 yrs of owning my own business I dont have any pissed off customers.. I do what I say and put it in writing for the customers. Your knowledge in the jeep groups is appreciated but I feel you could be a little easier on people and salesman...

Anyone who wants to seriously tow moderately heavy loads at highway speeds with a TJ needs an Unlimited, which is rated Class II (3500 lbs.) and has the brakes and engine for it. However, forget about highway towing with off-road tires! Highway travel with those awful OEM Wrangler GSA's was a hair-raising experience.

And my .02 to the OP: 6-cyl. TJ's are everywhere. If you can't find one, you're not looking in the right place. I'm in CA, and you can't swing a dead cat without hitting one. Always pay an independant mechanic to inspect anything USED before you throw down the cash. No inspection = no sale.

-JD

Jarod,

I'm sure you run an up-and-up operation. But surely you agree that for the most part, the auto-sales industry (both new and used) deserve their reputation as scum-sucking bottom feeders that would sell their own children to increase their margin. As is the furniture-sales industry and anyone who works at Guitar Center.

While there are exceptions to the general rule, the salesperson that the OP was dealing with was feeding him bullshit. Therefore any sales scum comments were valid in my opinion.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail >

Yes I agree with you.. I wasnt trying to start a war with him... I was just pointing out there are "Some" decent salesman in every field.

LOL! _____________________________________________________________________

2003 TJ Rubicon * 2001 XJ Sport * 1971 Bill Stroppe Baja Bronco

"There is a very fine line between 'hobby' and 'mental illness'."

Pronunciation: 'jEp Function: noun Date: 1940

Etymology: from g. p. (G= 'Government' P= '80 > Jarod,

They are, Sprauer. Scum of the scum. It's one of the only businesses where fraud, bait-n-switch, and face-to-face outright lying to the client is common practice. Insane, really.

I'm sorry.

...got into the

Finance depts. are one millimeter above the lot sales people, but I think you should consider it a lateral move.

I have a lot of repeat and

All of the most offending dealerships have repeat business.

& I (for the most part) only sell wranglers.. I buy

If you put in writing every sales promise, you are indeed the exception, but I'd have to see it to believe it. However, I don't believe it, because to compete with scum suckers, you have to _BE_ one or you won't survive. It is far too competitive. I don't like people or professions that thrive on stealing money from unsuspecting people. They are con men, nothing more. You've showed me your own true colors when you post commercially on the Jeep NGs and smugly disregard people who tell you not to. You have no regard for this community or the rules herein.

Whether the OP wants to believe it or not, he likely had a chest full of crack smoke blown up his @ss. I feel my post was stark and matter-of-fact and not intended to be sarcastic, but however it was perceived, his situation was pretty black & white and for the irony of the matter, I'm on HIS side.

HAHAHA you show your IGNORANCE what do you do for a living...probably live in a trailer with that 71 model hooptie in your front yard Oh Air up the tires on your house please! Oh p.s. send this to abuse LMAO

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