Help me out: Looking to get a low budget desert Jeep/Truck OMGWTFBBQ Bought Something!

[TheGerman]

So when the wife and I moved out west, she took her new car with her and I sold my Jaguar that had 90k miles on it as it was time for it to go. We're currently waiting to start building a house and putting money towards it so I've been trying to keep any capitol expenditures down to a minimum. Right now I drop her off at the hospital every morning as we live 2 miles away, and then pick her up when shes done so there hasn't been a large need for a 2nd vehicle.

However, most of the area that I go to shoot in turns into practically open desert or at best, a extremely rough dirt/rock road which her car is entirely too low to even attempt to drive on. While I don't want to spend alot of cash on a nice F250 or large truck, or a newer Jeep, I've decided that I may want to look into a simple no frills off road Jeep. If this thing is reliable and has AC, I'm good to go; I don't need GPS NAV, whale penis seats, any of that shit. I don't plan on taking any long road trips in it and it needs to fit 2 people at most and have enough cargo for some rifle cases and maybe a bike or 2 (which can even go on the back via a bike hangar).

I saw this picture online and this is something that caught my eye. It's simple, seems to practically be a 2 seater with some area in the rear for cargo - only thing is I have no idea what it is and for all I know its some $90k custom made jeep. I'd love to get something that's going to last and I don't give a shit if it ends up with scratches or a small dent. I'd hold onto this even when we did build the house and I got something newer.

Any insights on what to look at?

 

[Fred @ Bison Tactical]

yeah - that a customized Jeep. However I think you can get a 2002 or so forward used with a straight 6 for pretty decent price likely (~$6000).

New ones cost a bunch, and have gotten much more fancy inside. Look at the headlights. If they are square, they would be too old for me. Round either really old (you can tell), or newer than the square headlight models. The 2000's Jeeps with round headlights are very good offroad even in stock condition - if its mechanically sound - you should be good to go !

 

[ArmaHeavy]

Have you considered a Jeep Cherokee, or a Wrangler YJ?

 

[Punisher29073]

Toyota or Nissan pickup is the direction I would be looking in.

Ryan

 

[SledDog]

I have a 2000 Jeep Wrangler that has been totally reliable and a great daily driver. Completely capable vehicles. I think you should be able to find something acceptable in the $4500 to $6000 range pretty easily.

 

[MilDot1960]

That would be a Great little truck to buy, I would love to have it but a Cherokee will have a little more space inside and make a good place to sleep when the weather turns nasty, but the wranglers are better in tight space's,

hope this helps, john

 

[kmose73]

I've got an '89 jeep cherokee that is awesome. If you get an older jeep get the 4 liter straight 6, they are pretty much bullet proof.

 

[MilDot1960]

I've got an '89 jeep cherokee that is awesome. If you get an older jeep get the 4 liter straight 6, they are pretty much bullet proof.

The cherokee is the best all rounder unless you prefer a Bronco or a Blazer type trucks, but presonally the Cherokee would be my pick as the size is about perfect when the trail gets tight.

John

 

[roggom]

Cherokee, straight six 4x4 (known as the XJ). The Wrangler TY and YJ are cool, but I like the extra room and security of the XJ. Just be careful with some of the Grand Cherokees (ZJ) as the can be found pretty cheap, but some were problematic, and the desert is the last place you want to be broken down.

I have a 1999 Cherokee sport and really like it. Its not tricked out, just running 235's and it gets me everywhere from the plains and up in them mountains.

Other than that I would prob look at an old school Range Rover

 

[SledDog]

As an aside, the 4cyl engine Jeep offered in the Wranglers isn't very powerful or efficient, but utterly reliable.

 

[konabully]

The cherokee is the best all rounder unless you prefer a Bronco or a Blazer type trucks, but presonally the Cherokee would be my pick as the size is about perfect when the trail gets tight.

John

+1 for the Cherokee. I think it's the best bang for the buck. It's light enough, reliable, and even in almost stock form can go just about anywhere. I wish I still had mine.

 

[MilDot1960]

+1 for the Cherokee. I think it's the best bang for the buck. It's light enough, reliable, and even in almost stock form can go just about anywhere. I wish I still had mine.

View attachment 16645

Think Im gonna be buying another one soon My first vehicle was a 1967 CJ 5 and my last jeep was a 2002 diesel grand Cherokee but that was a peach but I like the 4.0 better

John

 

[JB5812]

You can turn a Ranger into a prerunner for the desert. Just do what I did and take a normal Ranger, then throw $25K at it. BAM! Extremely fun desert truck!


But really, If you don't have a need for a bed, I'd just go with a Wrangler or similar. Can't beat the simplicity and overall durability and availability of them... I've seen quite a few with 150K+ miles on them that are beat to crap and still going...

 

[TheGerman]

Yeah I pretty much just need something like the Wrangler or Cherokee, even though roomwise the Cherokee is overkill.

We still have our normal vehicle that we'd use for trips and getting around. This would be my vehicle to toss rifles into and strap a pair of bikes on the back and not give a shit what I drove over.

I know the jeep in the picture is a custom, but what the hell is it?

 

[BapZander]

I picked up a 99 Cherokee for 3k, 120k miles. if you look around for a while you can find one that isn't beat to hell - a lot of them are pretty trashed. A wrangler is going to be more like 6k and up for a decent one.

the cool thing about the jeeps is huge aftermarket support. you can buy any part for them easily. that tan one in the pic looks like someone just tricked it out with a bunch of aftermarket parts, paint etc.

just empty every pocket...

 

[E. Bryant]

I know the jeep in the picture is a custom, but what the hell is it?

Looks like a YJ Wrangler with a TJ grille assembly.

 

[HH4]

I've owned a few jeeps I would say the best thing to do would be figure out what you want Cherokee or wrangler (I'd personally go with something like a CJ7). If you care about comfort then the cherokee XJ would be a better choice and it's a very capable vehicle. Then search craigslist and autotrader for one that already has all the work done to it such as engine, transmission, lift, rock rails, skid plates, bumper etc. There are lots of rigs out there that people have dumped a ton of money into and are willing to sell cheap just to get out of them.

 

[roggom]

^^^ thats the key, is to make sure someone else took the hit upfront. Cool thing is the Jeeps are like Remingtons, tons of aftermarket stuff.

 

[poke5353]

Jeep Cherokee gets my vote. The inline 6 and the trans are very dependable.

 

[choover23]

Excursion 7.3 diesel. It's a beast and you can haul or pull anything you want. LOL

 

[MilDot1960]

Excursion 7.3 diesel. It's a beast and you can haul or pull anything you want. LOL

I think he will need that Coz them Elk get bloody Big up around his way, LOL

John

 

[Greg S]

Getting into the old jeeps can get expensive quick. I had an 86 cj7 with a s6 and t5 and put 143k on it. The worst thing I did to it was put a 2-3" rancho lift in it which killed the ride (read: wood wagon - straight axle). The best thing I did was after I lifted it I put 32" TA Mud Terrains on it. I got over 100K from them and maybe once or twice had to go into 4wd in muddy red clay.

I would not recommend it for your stated use.

Interior space is limited particularly for a hard cased rifle, do some measuring. The cj series 6 cyl were anemic, I couldn't see running A/C in one. I believe the yj series they came out with a tbi 6 cyl that boosted the hp up to 160+ compared to the 6c cj's 97 hp. If you are in a colder climate, I would recommend getting one with a factory hard top and getting a Best Top soft top for it.

I'd look at a cherokee body style or mid sized PU.

 

[konabully]

Cherokees will generally have a better ride due to the longer wheelbase and coil spring front suspension. Also, all the 2000 era Cherokees come with the overdrive transmission. I bought mine for $4000, added a Rubicon Express 4.5" flex-lift with shocks, put on 32" Pro-Comp all-terrains, traded my bro-in-law for the factory Rubicon wheels and added the front bumper. That's it, everything else was bone stock and I've taken it rock crawling to Moab, UT for the Easter Jeep Safari for the past 5 years. The factory 3.50" gears (no lockers, either) cruised well on the freeway and still had some grunt even on trails like Hell's Revenge, etc. I never had to strap it, ever.

Like some of the advice above, try to find one that has most of the work already done to save some money if you can but it can be hard to find one that was adult owned and not trashed or hacked at a midnight tweaker convention. BTW, I had enough room to lay Pelican 1750 cases, targets & frames after I laid the back seat down.

 

[Glen1978]

I would shy away from a Jeep Jeep, maybe a Cherokee but having a pickup bed is realy handy. I would look at a Toyota Tacoma. I just bought a 2013 crewcab 4x4 and LOVE it! Ive had about 6 Toyotas since high school and they are freakin tough!

 

[BALLISTIC]

2000-2004 Toyota Tacoma 4 cylinder 4x4 5 speed. Cheap, easy to repair/replace everything, and decent fuel economy while being extremely capable.

 

[rjacobs]

I love my 02 wrangler. If I could do it over I would try to find an 03-06 unlimited. Still only 2 doors but the rear is about 18" longer so you get a ton more storage. I have no problem getting a big ass pelican case in mine sideways in front of the rear wheel wells up against the front seats, won't go longways though which sucks.

Tj wranglers are pricey though. You ain't going to find one for 4-6k, maybe a beat up 97. I could sell my 02 with 115k miles on it that is mechanically sound but ain't the prettiest thing, no rust, for 10k easily, at least in my area. The 00-02 I think are best, in 03 they started putting a lot of Mercedes spec components on that are not cheap to replace. If you look at jeeps I strongly suggest a Rubicon although they are pricey but if you decide to upgrade the axles in another tj you are looking at 3-5k right there vs starting with the beefier axles the Rubicon has.

The tacomas are nice too but again not cheap. The 96-02(I think 02) first gen trucks are the ones to buy I think. If I could get a new Tacoma 2 door, standard cab, 4wd, 6cyl I would buy in an instant but they only offer the 4cyl.

 

[1911fan]

Toyota 4Runner or Sequoia. You're looking at the wrong vehicle for what you have in mind. You might also look at the Tacoma. But as Greg S said above, interior room on a Wrangler is tight. Take a couple full-size rifle cases, a shooting mat, and two-three steel targets and stands and try to put 'em in one. Now add an ice chest and maybe a folding chair and shade canopy.
Won't happen.


1911fan

 

[komishe]

'Round here,where there's nothing but crappy roads, Toyotas rule and Jeeps fall apart. The only Jeeps I see on the road covered in JC whitney crap and seldom see dirt.
Not that an older XJ will explode immediately or anything, but they do not seem to hold together as well as Toyota. They're easier to find and quite a bit cheaper, but there's a reason Toyota owners don't sell their rigs. When they do, it won't be cheap like a Jeep.

As others have said. You can't put very much gear in a CJ/Wrangler either.

It's kinda like Millet vs. Vortex
That's all I have to add.

 

[Cserv]

Wish I never sold my 1984 Jeep Cherokee(XJ not fullsize).It was a 4cyl 4speed 4x4 and would go anywhere I pointed it. Even used it on occasion to pull my '79 Dodge Ramcharger out of the mud. The XJ's are big enough to haul what you need, but small enough to get into tighter spots. But as others have said the Toy's are good trucks too. I just always liked having all my gear under cover, out of the elements.

Eric

 

[Flyingdog5000]

A Jeep Wrangler, like the one in the photo, can be pretty fuel inefficient. Also, the short wheelbase makes them somewhat uncomfortable. I drive one for work with 31" tires and it gets about 12 MPG. Only other changes are a 2" lift, tube bumper and sliders and a Warn Winch. A Cherokee with the same 6-cylinder engine and a longer, but not too long, wheelbase will get you almost anywhere the Wrangler will and give you room for a picnic basket as well. Until you've seen the interior of a Wrangler, its hard to understand just how limited they are in interior space.

Another option might be an older Toyota 4-Runner. I drive a 1999 Landcruiser and have found the Toyota to exceed the Jeep in reliability. My brother-in-law has had two or three of them and has somewhere near 200,000 miles on his current one.

 

[ccoker]

Our hunting truck is an 87 Toyota 4 Runner with the top removed and two elevated seats added

I think old Toyotas are more reliable thank jeeps.

 

[TheGerman]

So the wife (who will be buying this) has decided that she would like a Jeep to beat the shit out of. Apparently she's wanted one since high-school but originally didn't say anything because she wanted me to get whatever I wanted.

Anyways, I know next to fuck all about Jeeps besides this thread and whatever I've read. I know its not rocket science and luckily I do have a friend that does professional paint/bodywork so that's not an issue as far as a re-paint and adding fenders, etc but I'm not sure as to 1. what brands are quality and 2. what exactly I need/want.

The Jeeps I've looked at so far seem to fall into 3 categories.

- Jeeps of varying mileage that are pretty much untouched
- Jeeps that are the vehicle equivalent of Tapco-fucked
- Jeeps that are purpose built for rock crawling or hauling something around

While I was trying to find something where someone took a bit of the financial hit upfront, it seems its like getting planets to align. I find a guy with a decent liftkit, pretty much stock vehicle...it has 240k miles. That kind of thing. Also my other issue is, when the Jeeps have aftermarket parts - whats quality? I know what to look out for with rifles and I know if someone says it has an AICS part for X that its GTG, yet a TAPCO part is shit or an ADM mount doesn't leave a mark on your rail while the LaRUE QD mount does. I don't know this for the Jeep world.

If there are any Jeep experts out there with some patience for a multitude of retarded and remedial questions, feel free to PM me and we can see what we can build and put together.

 

[oughtsix]

I didn't read through, but do you mean a Jeep Wrangler/CJ type affair, or something else? I ask because I have always wanted a CJ, but the absolute lack of storage space for anything more substantial than a roll of TP and a multi-tool is a deal breaker for me. I find them less aesthetically pleasing, but for this reason I have been looking for a good deal on a Cherokee (not the grand cherokee) as a solution for this. With seating for five, lockable storage space that will hold rifle cases, solid axles (common to the wranglers so you retain the aftermarket support), and still having a short wheelbase, I think it's the ultimate utility vehicle. Like I tell my wife and my dumb-ass brother in law, I am not buying it to look at it. A 4-6" lift will come in under 500 bucks and will give room for 33-35 inch tires, which is about the limit of the stock running gear in my experience. The kicker to all this is that the Cherokees don't seem to command the same prices as the CJ/Wrangler variants...around here, more dilapidated examples can be had for under 1500, but I have never seen one on craigslist for more than 6000 regardless of condition or how much the owner had invested in it. So I guess like most things in my life it comes down to price.

ETA; went back and read through and saw other recommendations for cherokees. Sage advice.

 

[rjacobs]

If you really want a Wrangler I HIGHLY recommend trying find an 03-06 Unlimited. They are 10" longer than a regular TJ Wrangler which is huge. I kick myself for not buying one when I bought my current 02.

As far as building them, you get what you pay for like anything else. A $299 Rancho or Rough Country lift will in no way compare to a $2500 Curry, Savvy or Metal Cloak lift and you will always regret getting it. Same goes for cheap armor.

If you want lockers get ARB. Spend the money. Everybody I talk to that got something "cheaper" has always regretted it.
Suspension: you got to change arms if you want a good lift, stock arms suck. You dont have to go long arm anymore with some of the good short arm kits. Curry(or the Curry Savvy setup) and Metal Cloak are the two top end lifts right now. The curry uses a Johnny Joint end and the Metal Cloak use their end which is similar to a Johnny Joint. Savvy Offroad sells a Curry kit basically but they do a slightly different spring and they have Fox Shoxs that are special valved for the lift and spring rate.
Armor: tons of ways to go. I plan to go with Metal Cloak front fenders, rear corners and flares, and rocker rails. Im going with Poison Spyder bumpers front and rear.

My budget for my build complete is 15k, but I will have a Jeep with 4" of lift, full armor, "belly up", lockers, correct gearing, winch, 35" tires, etc... all done up with top end stuff.

Get on Jeep Forum and Wrangler Forum and start looking and reading. If its out there, somebody has run it, broke it, beat the shit out of it, etc...

 

[konabully]

Another pic of the XJ in Moab, UT. Two dimensional pictures don't do the terrain justice but this is on the start of Tip Over Challenge on the Hells Revenge Trail. Just a lift & tires with no lockers. However, I would recommend lockers for rock crawling and wished I had at least a rear locker at the time. Had to feather the brake and throttle at the same time to "ratchet" myself at the top.

 

[konabully]

This is my "new" 1998 TJ. Wife said I needed a Jeep with a roll bar if I was to continue the rock crawling. They make roll bars for the XJ but they eat up too much interior room for my liking. While this is a lot of fun, there is no room but I couldn't find a 03-06 LJ Unlimited (long wheel-based TJ) for a reasonable price. This one is a little tricky driving down the highway but the long-arm lift kit helps. Different Jeeps for different purposes.

I still miss the XJ for its original purpose...a mild trail driver that I can load up full of long guns and crap. Sorry, no trail pics yet.



Full armor. I'm running Dana 44 axles a rear disc brake conversion and 4.88 gears. With no overdrive I'm spinning 3100 RPM at 65mph. Old school Detroit Lockers front & rear, no air lines to break at inopportune times.



Pulled the rear seat out and built a lockable tool box. Holds carbine sized rifles, spare Jeep parts, etc. I put a dog bed on top of the box but I need to put the safety cargo net on so the dogs don't spill out. Also have a York on-board air compressor.

 

[2guard]

If you are not sold on a jeep yet, Check out the older Toyota t100 4x4 extended cabs. great trucks, very reliable engine, and can sometimes be found cheap. There's an older gentleman that has a black one in my area that I've been wanting to buy for a year or so now, it looks like it just rolled off the showroom floor and he only drives it about 20 miles a week into town. If you look for one, you will see tons for sale with 200-300k + mileage on them, but there are some low mileage ones left in good shape. Some company used to make a canvas military style camper setup for the bed that was really cool.

Also, don't forget about the early 90s model Landcruiser. Tons of aftermarket stuff (including diesel swaps if you want to spend some bucks) and also very reliable.

 

[TheGerman]

Thanks for all the info and IMs so far. When I get back from my FL trip I'm going to start looking at actual vehicles and maybe take a few of you guys up on a phone call.

Quick question- I see a lot of Jeeps with 140k+ miles on them. How long do they actually last assuming you take care of them? Or is 150ish towards the end?

 

[softcock]

Another pic of the XJ in Moab, UT. Two dimensional pictures don't do the terrain justice but this is on the start of Tip Over Challenge on the Hells Revenge Trail. Just a lift & tires with no lockers. However, I would recommend lockers for rock crawling and wished I had at least a rear locker at the time. Had to feather the brake and throttle at the same time to "ratchet" myself at the top.
]

-
That's the BEST place to see all the eye-candy for Jeep & getting Ideas for pre-building you will ever need, Is Moab UT. about end of November/thanksgiving .
you will see everything there from the basic to the most custom money pits you could imagine . If it can be done then it's there & crawling for you to look at .
.

 

[ArcolaArms]

The pic you provided is a mid 90's or older Jeep. A late 90's to early 2000's Wrangler would be a good starting point for that type of build. Look for coil spring suspension and a 4.0L six cylinder. Jeeps in that era are pretty cheap and they are easy to work on. Aftermarket parts are easy to find and usually affordable. I had a 2002 with a six inch lift (which cleared 35" tires) and some various bolt on stuff (bumpers and what not). I had very little money into it and it was fun as can be.

 

[Tactical]

I currently have a tricked out 2003 Wrangler TJ. Its a great off road vehicle but slow on free way. You can get a good used one for about 7500.00 that needs nothing. With that said my favorite all around vehicle of all time was a Toyota 4X4 pickup with 4 banger in it. Went everywhere I needed. Did 70 on freeway. Ran for ever and got 20 mpg. I loved the mid 1990s models but when family got bigger it did not work out.

 

[TheGerman]

I currently have a tricked out 2003 Wrangler TJ. Its a great off road vehicle but slow on free way. You can get a good used one for about 7500.00 that needs nothing. With that said my favorite all around vehicle of all time was a Toyota 4X4 pickup with 4 banger in it. Went everywhere I needed. Did 70 on freeway. Ran for ever and got 20 mpg. I loved the mid 1990s models but when family got bigger it did not work out.

Wheres the best place to look? I havent really seen any on autotrader or the Jeep forums that are 'complete' and in my price range. Seems theyre either way tricked out and priced accordingly or stock.

My plan, tentativly right now was to cruise craigslist and the jeep forums for a good shape stock Jeep, low mileage as possible, and simply build it up rather than try to get the stars to align.

As far as mods, Id simply want a decent lift kit, front fenders ( saw a set of MetalCloaks I really liked), bumper, possibly doors and a matte paintjob.

As far as mileage, does it even matter as long as the body is in shape or what are the Jeeps known to last for?

Also are the doors in the picture stock or are they aftermarket? They almost look like up-armored doors.

 

[biner626]

The 4.0L is built tough. If it has problems you can get a short block from any Cherokee or aftermarket shop. Watch the Cherokee as every one I have seen has been a high milage grocery getter.

 

[mkollman74]

Not sure about your AO, but around here, the Land Rover Discoveries sell dirt cheap. I had one for 10 years and it was without a doubt the most capable 4wd I've owned. Only caution is not every garage can work on 'em

 

[thewileyone]

I have had a little of everything over the years and the one I miss the most is my Toyota Landcruiser.. I would get an 80 series or a 100 series, the 100 series has a V-8 while the 80 has a straight 6. You can also get the Lexus version and have a little nicer vehicle for about the same $$$... I had an 80 series and put an Old Man Emu lift on it, it is the best riding vehicle that I have driven. There are a lot of them out there and I would take one of them over any of the Jeeps that I have had. I found mine on craigslist and had to go pick it up but it was always reliable. I can definitely say that it went more places and with ease compared to any Jeep that I had or have ridden in. Many of the LC's have factory lockers, plus they already have more flex and tire travel than a factory Jeep. You can find them used for comperable prices to Jeep's... 4runners are easier to find but the Land Cruisers are better. Just my opinion.... drive one and see if you agree.

 

[TheGerman]

Started cruising every local craigslist as well as doing autotrader searches here and there for the Jeep. Here's a good question; what would a great price be for a 91-96 YJ that is stock and right around 100k miles? I found a 93 that is stock, extremely clean in/outside, 130k miles and I could probably grab it for 5k cash.

Thing is I'm getting better at this, but still am not sure when something is a bad/good/smoking deal.

I've found that its going to be cheaper to find a solid stock Jeep and then add onto it rather than try and find one with the correct add-ons I want. The paint/bodywork/install work I have covered as I have a friend that does this professionally. Main thing now is can anyone tell me, from the original Jeep pic that I am liking more and more, who makes the doors and bumper?

For a lift kit its kind of rough spending over $2k on a MetalCloak given that I am not going to be rock crawling or flying over dunes at 90mph in this. What else is good quality/respected yet not at the extreme high end of the price spectrum? Also, people have said I can or should get various height of tires. I know this relates to the height of the lift kit, but without seeing them firsthand I have no idea how high I am looking for. For a rough estimate, what height would the tires in the original picture be?

 

[konabully]

YJ's are cheaper on the price spectrum for the Wrangler Jeeps mainly because it has all leaf spring suspension. Your rock crawlers like the articulation of the coil spring suspension for more tire travel. The YJ's are still a good Jeep as long as you stay with the 4.0 V6 motor. The 4 banger is a dog. 33" tires with a 4" lift should be enough tire and lift for most anything. I ran the Pro-Comp Xtreme All Terrain tires. They gave a nice ride on the road but have decent off-road capability with sidewall bite. I used the Rubicon Express 4 to 4.5" lift. The bigger tire you go, the more likely you'll bust an axle over tough rocks if you don't upgrade the axles, gears, etc. and you can always upgrade from there. My brother in law had the same set-up when he did the Rubicon Trail. Finding accessories and other goodies is usually personal taste, like puting together a rifle based on SH posts, everyone has an opinion. One of the best things to start with is by ordering a few free catalogs from Quadratec, 4 Wheel Parts Warehouse, etc. Remember, just like a street rod, Jeeps will never be completely finished.

BTW - Those doors in the first pic look like the aftermarket fiberglass doors my friend had on his old CJ7. I don't know if those are made anymore. You may tire of the small slider windows though. The bumper looks hand made. The fenders are definitely aftermarket which makes the lift height tougher to judge. I'd guess those are 33's w a 4-ish inch lift. The guy did some work on it as he grafted a newer TJ front end on the YJ.

Jeep Parts & Jeep Accessories From The Jeep Parts Experts - Quadratec

Truck Parts & Jeep Parts - Lift Kits, Winches, Tonneau Covers, Tires, Wheels, Bumpers, Performance ? 4 Wheel Parts

All Terrain Tires, Pro Comp Tires, Pro Comp USA Xtreme A/T Tires

Jeep Suspension - Lift Kits, Suspensions & Shocks - -RH2

 

[Delta4-3]

I genarally keep my play truck and a nice family truck in addition to my wife's car. While the latter two may change, the play truck will always be a lifted '90-94 Toyota extended cab pickup. They are dang near indestructible. I had 250,000 miles on the last one, but gave it to a friend when he got on hard times. The one I have now I have gotten up to 200k on it with original motor and trans. I think you can generally get 300k out of them. When the engine goes south on me, I'm going to replace it with the deisil that they use in them overseas.

Thanks for all the info and IMs so far. When I get back from my FL trip I'm going to start looking at actual vehicles and maybe take a few of you guys up on a phone call.

Quick question- I see a lot of Jeeps with 140k+ miles on them. How long do they actually last assuming you take care of them? Or is 150ish towards the end?

 

[TheGerman]

Had been looking at something local, and while not exactly what I was wanting I was at least curious what you guys thought. I can probably get this for $5k cash. Here's how I was looking at it:

Pros

Has a decent lift kit (forgot the brand) but its decent and will save me adding a $1k+ kit to whatever I would buy, so thats factored in
It's local and I don't need to drive 400 miles to go get it
Nice shape throughout
Mileage is where I was looking to be within
Hardtop and softtop
Short of the 6 cylinder engine this has everything as a base I was wanting to do a little work too and be done

Cons

Was wanting a 6 cylinder
Not too hot about the interior seats, but can be changed
Guy said these 'dont have AC' - is that accurate?

So I've learned a bit about Jeeps over the last month, but I'm still a total noob. Anyone want to look this over and critique it or see where you can find something that doesn't make sense or screams NO! I've texted with the guy, but have no interest in this other than I've looked at the ad and the car a little.

Thanks

Cold link:

97 Jeep Wrangler SE-TJ

 

[biner626]

The 4cyl wasn't offered with A/C. Run the piss out of the 4cyl until it gives in and swap a 6 in. Or a diesel.