Hey everybody! I've been lurking here for a while and finally have enough to buy my own XJ! I went to look at this XJ yesterday and it needs some work, but I like it!

The main question is can I remove the black side trim on the lower part of the doors to make it all white or will there be holes from where the plastic was mounted?

Here's a link to the CL ad.

http://sacramento.craigslist.org/cto/4710730315.html

 

Ad says fenders were re painted. Check for subframe damage In front before you buy it

 

Thanks for the heads up! I looked all over the place and I didn't see any frame cracks or rust or anything. I think this one needs a new TPS though. When I drove it I pushed the accelerator all the way to the floor and the RPM's wouldn't get past 2k which is incredibly unnormal also it had minimal acceleration and I didn't think I would make it up the hill. The engine sounded and looked great, but I am worried about the tranny.

Do you think that this is a tranny problem or a simple TPS?

 

Yes.

Or something else. Nobody can tell you over the Internet. All we can do is tell you a list of things it might be.


One thing is certain - you should not be paying anywhere NEAR top dollar for this vehicle. You are buying a project which may need anything from a few tweaks to a full trans replacement.

By the way, frame damage is not always obvious to the naked eye. How does it track? Does it feel like it needs an alignment? Is the steering wheel centered when you are going straight?


Unless you get this thing really, really cheap, and you are ready to drop some coin and time on major repairs, I suggest you walk away.

 

Pay a mechanic $100 to look it over for you. If no major issues since that ad has been up over a week offer $600. For future reference, "good" priced vehicles on CL sell within minutes.

 

I believe the black trim is just glued on it.And they are right the front fenders have been painted they are missing the pin strip that's down the sides.To me that screams its been wrecked in the front before.

 

not sure about the pre 97 but 97 and up you can just remove the door trims. Its just an adhesive trim tape holding them to Jeep so no holes to fill.

Youl be left with some residue from the tape... you can buy a rubber trim eraser that hooks on yur drill or you can hand bomb it off with soapy water or goo-gone.

Doesnt take long really, and it helps if the Jeep is wet, i used a spray bottle with soapy water and a non marking plastic tool.

 

An ad that describes the vehicle so differently from what you on a test drive alone already found to be the case...Sounds like more 'hidden treasures' down the road. You "finally saved enough money" to buy an XJ. Keep it for now, and look somewhere else.

 

Thank you everyone who gave me their advice! I think I'm going to pass on this jeep unless the seller will sell it extremely cheap. Also the door trim answer is helpful! Now I don't feel so bad buying one with it.