Outlaw450

Hey guys noob here going to look at an 04 wj limited tomorrow morning. It's fully loaded 4.7 HO motor 107k miles. The pics I seen look good only thing I noticed was the jeep emblems were pealing. Anything specific I should pay attention to? Thanks. And it might be jumping the gun a little but if you want to start with 4" lift recommendations that's cool. If I get the deal I'm hoping for I'll be leaving with a wj and cash to order a lift when I get home (the truck I have now is worth more than the wj just need more room with a third little one on the way).

Rakkasan_Jeep

Check for any oil leaks. PCV valve, last time it was changed. When the last tune up was. Trans fluid and filter change was. Also, if it's the Quadra trac, double check the u-joints, the double cardan u joint and the yoke. Look at the transfer case as well make sure it's not leaking.

Before you buy, take it on a test drive and take it to any auto shop. Most will do a free vehicle inspection for you. They check things like ball joints, tie rod ends, sway bar end links, boots, brakes.. a very basic inspection to let you know if you're getting ripped off.

If everything goes well and no problems are seen, change the oil to start with and new air filter and just drive it. Oh and double check your tire pressure. Good luck to ya.

dave1123

Yeah, the chrome plating on plastic emblems is only molecules thick, so they tend to wash away or peel. Check out Plastidip. You can make them black or any other color you want very easily. The plastic bumpers and trim tend to get grungy looking and Plastidip works for them too.

The WJ usually doesn't have recovery points, so if you don't have tow hooks up front, you can add them with a kit. A trailer hitch is the simple answer for the rear. If you're going wheeling, I would recommend a fuel tank skid plate. They put the spare tire in the rear deck, so the tank is even lower than the ZJ.

Outlaw450

Ok Thanks, waiting to hear back from the dealer on a ballpark number for my trade.

Outlaw450

Well no Jeep for me today. Went and looked at it. It was allot rougher in person than the pics showed. There was pretty much an issue with everything on it. Motor ran rough and was amazingly gutless. Awd was incredibly jerky wile turning, felt like it didn't know if it wanted to lock or unlock. Also had either a brake caliper locking up or something in the driveline was binding, as soon as you let off the gas it just wanted to stop. I did stop and look at another 04 wj SE on the way home. It had 172k miles but it was like show room new. I'm still blown away how clean it was with that many miles. You wouldn't even think it had 72k miles. Still thinking about that one if it wasn't for the miles I would have brought it home.

jjsg09

I like the 4.0 better. I have an 04 wj special edition and I love it. You can find them all day long. Few things to look at if it hasnt been taken care of is the front wheel/hub bearings and ball joints. If your not mechanically inclined this will cost a butt load to fix.

Turbo X_J

That's really unusual, what kind of dealer?

Outlaw450

I think I've done wheel bearings and hubs on the last 3 trucks I've had. I can handle most repairs on my own but try to stay out of the inside of auto trannys other than simple stuff like shift kits.

The pos was at a little hole in the wall place. The nicer one was at a larger dealer.

dave1123

I bought my 2000 WJ 4.0 at a small dealer in Rome, NY that only sells Pennsylvania cars. No rust! This one was white, not a scratch on it, and had been detailed. It also had an impeccable service record, with every part listed with the mileage and even the brands used. I checked some of the parts listed and found they HAD been done. This car looked like it belonged to a soccer mom. It was a steal at $4200 with 128K miles on it. It also has the 242 transfer case so I just couldn't pass it up. I have 150K on it now and all I've done to it is brakes, tires, and engine mounts. Oh, and the outer tie rod end on one side because the mechanic didn't tighten the clamp up. I've got a suspicion the tranny mount is bad now, but haven't crawled under it yet.