Jeep Wrangler

Zirax · 22-09-2011, 21:26

A guy that I work with has fallen in love with one of these. This one infact.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classifi...ge/3?logcode=p

He wants it for a winter run around and isn't bothered about losing a bit in value. I've shown him a couple of £700 Jeeps with 12 months ticket but he wants something a bit quirky.

Is there anything to look out for as I know bugger all about these?

volospian · 23-09-2011, 08:50

That's actually very nice.... I could go for one of those...

Darrin · 24-09-2011, 01:55

The YJ Wranglers (the ones with the square headlights) with the 2.5L were at best anemic. I've seen loaded transit buses out accelerate them. And the "very cheap to run"? Nobody in history EVER bought a Jeep for fuel economy.

And great in the snow? In 2WD they are notorious for swapping ends when it gets slippery.

The big things to watch out for are rust around the body mounts (easy enough to see with a torch from underneath). Rust around the rear part of the body where it goes from vertical to horizontal. The steering box getting slack in the pivot (have one person saw the steering wheel back and forth with the engine off while another looks at the steering box).

1993 will be either TBI or EFI so no need to explain the carb troubles these things were plagued with.

Check the bar pins on the shock absorbers. Make sure they're squared up straight. ANY deviation will cause massive headaches. Make sure the spring shackles are straight and vertical. It looks like there might be a 1" shackle lift to compensate for sagging leaf springs.

Gotta wonder where the spare tyre went, though.

So long as there's no rust and the BP's and shackles are straight, that's actually a pretty good price for it. The cheapest one around here is $3,500. And none of the ones under $5,000 look anywhere near as good.

semi-pro waster · 25-09-2011, 13:42

One of my mates had a Wrangler, I'm pretty sure it was the 4L model so it was very thirsty yet seemed astonishingly slow considering that - the acceleration was nothing impressive but more importantly it made your ears bleed at anything above 60mph so you'd never want to do it. It also broke down a couple of times and from what I recall wasn't all that cheap to fix but that might have simply been bad luck or a lack of available parts/expertise in Scotland.

Having said all that he had great fun in it and enjoyed posing about in it immensely, it's got a significant amount of road presence. The hardtop is definitely a good addition in winter weather although from memory the heaters were reasonably effective anyway.

Zirax · 25-09-2011, 17:04

Thankyou both. I'll point him in the direction of this thread and get him to have a look when he goes down.

Jonny69 · 27-09-2011, 19:41

Make sure he has it looking like this...

...it's the law. And make sure it can do this:

I'd hate to think that Tamiya went to the bother of designing a 1:10 replica if the real thing can't at least do it

22-09-2011, 21:26	#1
Zirax Goes up to 11! Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 4,577	Jeep Wrangler A guy that I work with has fallen in love with one of these. This one infact. http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classifi...ge/3?logcode=p He wants it for a winter run around and isn't bothered about losing a bit in value. I've shown him a couple of £700 Jeeps with 12 months ticket but he wants something a bit quirky. Is there anything to look out for as I know bugger all about these?

24-09-2011, 01:55	#3
Darrin Dirteh Kitteh Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Hiding out in Mormon Country Posts: 1,629	The YJ Wranglers (the ones with the square headlights) with the 2.5L were at best anemic. I've seen loaded transit buses out accelerate them. And the "very cheap to run"? Nobody in history EVER bought a Jeep for fuel economy. And great in the snow? In 2WD they are notorious for swapping ends when it gets slippery. The big things to watch out for are rust around the body mounts (easy enough to see with a torch from underneath). Rust around the rear part of the body where it goes from vertical to horizontal. The steering box getting slack in the pivot (have one person saw the steering wheel back and forth with the engine off while another looks at the steering box). 1993 will be either TBI or EFI so no need to explain the carb troubles these things were plagued with. Check the bar pins on the shock absorbers. Make sure they're squared up straight. ANY deviation will cause massive headaches. Make sure the spring shackles are straight and vertical. It looks like there might be a 1" shackle lift to compensate for sagging leaf springs. Gotta wonder where the spare tyre went, though. So long as there's no rust and the BP's and shackles are straight, that's actually a pretty good price for it. The cheapest one around here is $3,500. And none of the ones under $5,000 look anywhere near as good. __________________ A bullet may have your name on it, but shrapnel is addressed "to whom it may concern".

25-09-2011, 13:42	#4
semi-pro waster Provider of sensible advice about homosexuals Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: London Posts: 2,615	One of my mates had a Wrangler, I'm pretty sure it was the 4L model so it was very thirsty yet seemed astonishingly slow considering that - the acceleration was nothing impressive but more importantly it made your ears bleed at anything above 60mph so you'd never want to do it. It also broke down a couple of times and from what I recall wasn't all that cheap to fix but that might have simply been bad luck or a lack of available parts/expertise in Scotland. Having said all that he had great fun in it and enjoyed posing about in it immensely, it's got a significant amount of road presence. The hardtop is definitely a good addition in winter weather although from memory the heaters were reasonably effective anyway. __________________ "Your friend is the man that knows all about you, and still likes you." - Elbert Hubbard

27-09-2011, 19:41	#6
Jonny69 Noob Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Socialist Republik of Kent Posts: 5,032	Make sure he has it looking like this... ...it's the law. And make sure it can do this: I'd hate to think that Tamiya went to the bother of designing a 1:10 replica if the real thing can't at least do it __________________

23-09-2011, 08:50	#2
volospian Vodka Martini Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 786	That's actually very nice.... I could go for one of those...

25-09-2011, 17:04	#5
Zirax Goes up to 11! Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 4,577	Thankyou both. I'll point him in the direction of this thread and get him to have a look when he goes down.