|
How To Buy A Used Jeep: Or Most Any Used Car!
Buying a used Jeep may be a bit different than buying just any used car. Why?...you ask? The condition of a pre-owned Jeep is probably the most critical factor to analyze before laying down any cash. So buying a used Jeep may require you to do more search and research to find a good rig that meets your particular needs at the right price...and in the best possible condition.
Here's a familiar scenario to illustrate what often happens: You are interested in finding a nice used Jeep Wrangler roughly 8 to 10 years old to use for camping trips, ski trips, desert exploring or...you name it. You are driving down the street one day and there in the local grocery store parking lot sits a great looking red 1998 TJ Wrangler...with a FOR SALE sign no less.
(The Wrangler TJ can make an excellent used Jeep.) You begin to salivate like Pavlov's dogs because you have always wanted a cool Jeep, but couldn't afford a new one. Here's your chance! You do a quick once over and then call the number on the sign. The 20-something owner shows up and tells you that this beauty was only driven to school and church, and maybe has been off the road a couple of times. You take a closer look and notice maybe a few minor dings and scratches, but hey!...you can't expect perfection in a used Jeep...right? You take a test drive and although there are a few "funny" sounds coming from somewhere..IT'S PERFECT? You tell yourself this Jeep is what you've always wanted. You've got the fever! The 20-something owner tells you he needs the cash to finish his college education, and even though you think the price is a bit higher than you feel comfortable with...you justify paying the asking price to help this young man pursue his higher education. Okay, now you have the Jeep of your dreams...right? At first everything seems fine until you notice the Jeep isn't tracking well (going smoothly in a straight line). You finally take it to your trusted mechanic to take a look. To your horror your mechanic begins pointing out one flaw after another...frame out of alignment...cracked transfer case...water in the crankcase oil...and rust spots covered by the new $99.00 paint job. Okay, maybe the kid skipped church a few Sundays to go off roading. What now! You now have a bonafide headache!
How to Easily Find So...what's the point of this little exercise? When you decide to buy a used Jeep or any used car for that matter:
The same applies to the other Jeep models especially those with 4-wheel drive, although the "universal" Wrangler and CJ models are more likely to be well used and possibly abused in the dirt.
Other Available 4x4 Jeeps...Grand Cherokee..Cherokee XJ ..Commander..Liberty..Patriot..and Compass Also it bears noting here that some Jeeps often become more valuable as they age, especially the Wrangler, CJ's, and of course the Willys Military models. Therefore, expect a higher asking price for the more popular or collectible models. Again, the condition of a used Jeep is critical unless you are a rebuilder/restorer...and the initial purchase price is also equitable. The more you learn about pre-owned Jeeps and the more you test drive them...the better you will be at making that final decision. And then...maybe one day (if not already).. you may join the proud ranks of not only Jeep Lovers...but Jeep Owners as well! Jeep safely!
Custom Search
Doing a site search is the easiest way to find specific info on my site
|
Show and Tell Us About Your Jeep..
|
