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built vs bought

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Old 10-17-2012, 02:58 AM
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Default built vs bought

have you built your xj or did you buy it already built, which do you think is better? and would you ever do the opposite.
i'll go first i have had 2 xj's, i am very proud to say that i have built them. the only way i would buy anything that was already built would be if i knew the person who built it and knew what it had been through
Old 10-17-2012, 08:11 AM
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X2...iv done everything to mine myself from the regearing and locker to the lift and small mods and i kn everything its been through.

day i got it...

and now...

Last edited by 2KXJJEEP; 10-17-2012 at 04:35 PM.
Old 10-17-2012, 11:51 AM
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Built it myself. I don't trust buying it built because I know they have beat on it.
Old 10-17-2012, 11:59 AM
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Mixed.

I bought mine with minor mods, and I have had help through the process, and will continue to have help.

To each his own.
Old 10-17-2012, 12:15 PM
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If I could afford to pay someone to build mine, I would. But I can't, and frankly I'm pretty damn proud of the work I've done on it.

I wouldn't buy one built, at least not for road use, because I don't trust Some Guy On Craigslist to screw with steering and suspension any more than I trust me.
Old 10-17-2012, 01:24 PM
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I've done both. Bought a 91 bone stock and did all the mods to it myself. Lift, bumper, new motor, etc. Good Jeep. REALLY good Jeep. Sold it because I was driving too many miles and it was killing me in gas. Got less out of it than I paid for the mods. The economy sucks.

I now own one I bought already lifted and the PO pulled the 4.0 and dropped in a 350. I went over everything he did to it for a couple hours before I handed over the cash. He did a pretty darn good job of it.
Old 10-17-2012, 01:30 PM
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Built! I want to know everything that's done to it and how it's done. It's a personal preference.
Attached Thumbnails built vs bought-forumrunner_20121017_142745.jpg   built vs bought-forumrunner_20121017_142838.jpg  
Old 10-17-2012, 01:30 PM
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Bought mine built fairly nicely, but then took over half of the stuff built on it apart to either adjust things, replace bushings, replace parts entirely, or repaint them. If something breaks or needs replacing/upgrading, I do it myself. So I guess m truck is both, built/bought. I've owned a few mustangs, jet skis, and a motorcycle and learned that **** gets expensive when you start from scratch. It's smarter(IMO) to buy something with a good base already and save money while continuing to build it or make it better.

Last edited by CrawlinPepper; 10-17-2012 at 01:37 PM.
Old 10-17-2012, 01:50 PM
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Depends who built of before you buy it and what they have already.
Old 10-17-2012, 02:01 PM
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Bought mine stock, had people help put in the lift.

Always better to do it yourself than to buy it pre-lifted because when you lift it yourself you know what parts are going into it. You never know what kind of a sketchy job someone else did to the Jeep before you buy it.
Old 10-17-2012, 02:17 PM
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bought mine which was stock and missing the engine and trains. also at the same time bought a wrecked two door. got the custom built lift from my buddy and built everything else for it with the help of freinds and family.
Old 10-17-2012, 02:32 PM
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I've done both as well the couple I built I put around 5k into each and paid around a grand for each I have now sold both of them and came up with 5200 for both sold that's a loss of 6800 the one I have now which I bought fully built I traded for an old five that was worth about a grand to me and this jeep has no problems and it very much so built all I'm planning on putting a cage in that's it top to bottom done right but its something a person really needs to look at and know what they are looking at I spent a few days making sure it was all good
Old 10-17-2012, 04:35 PM
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Built mine...bone stock when i bought it...put nearly 8000 into it between lift kit, engine rebuilt, etc....
Old 10-17-2012, 05:22 PM
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Built mine... Not that its extremly modified but I have done A LOT of repairs to get it 100% mechanically and have custom fab'd rockers and an I beam front bumper plus more
Old 10-17-2012, 05:28 PM
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Bought mine already built. And it was built terribly. I didn't know 5% of what I do now so it was a terrible purchase. If I did it all over again, I'd buy it stock and build it from the ground up.


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