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'99 Jeep TJ - Pre-purchase questions

Hey everyone,

I put a deposit on a '99 Jeep TJ Sport (4L, 6cyl, 5spd) with 83000km pending mechanic approval and good compression readings. However, I have a few concerns I'd like your opinions on beforehand.

  1. The engine seemed to be unusually hot after driving for a bit. We drove for maybe 15 minutes at "sort of" highway speeds (65-90km/hr) with intermittent stops and a 2 second offroad excursion through dry-mud ruts. I've never owned or driven a TJ before so maybe they run hotter than YJ's and CJ's? I didn't notice the engine temp while driving though, so I'm not sure what it was reading. However, there was a "different" smell than I'm used to - although the guy said it could be because he uses synthetic oil in the engine and transmission and pretty much everywhere else.

  1. There was a gurgling sound when we stopped after a quick offroad and we put it back into 2H and went back onto the highway. It sounded like it came from the back end (exhaust) like it might be back-pressure. Is this an issue? What is this from? It could have been the wind or the off-road tires on the highway - it was hard to tell cuz it was a noisy ride.

  2. There was a clicking sound when we turned on pavement. The owner said that the front axle is always spinning and that this is the normal way that TJ's work. Should I be concerned here?

  1. The serpentine belt was cracked on the inside. The shops are closed right now - can anyone give me an estimate on repair cost and how hard this is to do myself?

  2. The windshield is also cracked - estimate of cost to replace?

  1. The last thing that scared me is a bit odder - the guy who owned it is a mechanic (not a vehicle mechanic though) and knows his way around vehicles. He uses all synthetic, he's done some nice mods to it (2" skyjacker spacer lift, lockright rear auto locker, 32" procomp muds, 8000lb winch, etc) and seems to know his stuff - he also well-maintained the Jeep as far as I can tell. What scares me here is that I paid 00 for the Jeep - they go for about 000+ where I live. Did I get a deal or am I being dragged through the mud by some hidden issue? Oh, the vehicle is NOT currently safetied so I'm expecting a 00+ of repairs (maybe new shocks, windshield, maybe a balljoint or other maintainance stuff) but I just don't want anything major like a seized engine. He says he didn't really offroad it except on trails (he goes hunting) but nothing too intense.

Thanks for any help guys!!

Reply to
griffin
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This could be axle joints, but they shouldn't be making noise.

Serpentine belt replacement is entry-level repair work. Your cost at home, 20-30 USD. You have to inspect accessories and pulleys for excessive play or worn bearings when you do it. Shops might charge half a labor hour to do the job carefully, your independent might roll it in if you do a pile of other "maintenance" oriented services.

Local bargain glass shop charged me $55 installed with new outer seal just a few months ago.

Regarding value, it's damn near a 10-year-old machine, and they sure don't last forever. "You pays your money..."

Reply to
Jon

If you are paying 7800 for the new Jeep, you can probably put a few grand into it and have a fine Jeep. The mechanic should be able to tell you about any major problems.. just make sure it is YOUR mechanic, not his mechanic and if you are not safisfied, take it to another mechanic. Bottom line, if the market price is 11,000 and you are paying 7800, expect to put about 3200 into it. Still not too bad a deal.

Reply to
bradley2u

And that's exactly what happened. Got it for $7500 and spent $3000 getting it on the road. As "unhappy" as I am about not getting the "deal" I originally got, the glass is still half full. The way I see it, I spent $11k on a Jeep that has lots of new parts and is ready to go whereas if I spent $11000 on a Jeep before repairs, I'd probably still have a few K to put into repairs on top of that.

Now it's time to find myself a set of extender fender flares.

Reply to
griffin

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