NickH

A little background 1st. I'm active duty Navy for 13yrs as a structural mech so I know my way around wrenches. I've owned several lifted rigs in the passed but the only Jeep I owned was a 07 JK on 35s. I sold it because I needed a truck.

Well I picked up my 01 Classic back in August. I thought I was getting a finished rig that I could hop in and take hunting. Turned out not so much.

So what did I think I was getting? 01 XJ classic with 96k. Straight body, no rust, no paint fade. Tom woods drive shafts, 8" rusty's LA lift, OTK steering, new 33" tires. All it needed was a front sway bar and axle mount because he removed it to install the OTK and said I could easily install it (I should have ran then). I looked at it when it was 103 degree summer day. Found out then there was a small oil leak from the valve gasket and the AC needed to be serviced...both previously not mentioned. I drove it around the neighborhood and it ran great so I paid the kid 7500 bucks because I figured it was basically done and I didn't want another money pit.

A couple days later a buddy who was I recently be-friended was hardcore ZJ and he said he wanted to see it. He let me know the real deal. No Tom woods shafts but some type of custom shafts, OTK steering heim joints looked shot and something didn't look right with the axle. I took it to his house a few weeks later to get the mounts for the sway bar welded on and bring the rig down to 6.5 because 8 felt like a death trap. There we found the could buckets cut for OTK clearance and the LA's comepletly out of wack. Also the OTK, and track bar were all basically non adjustable (I would have to show you pics). Oh yeah...and the AC is broke. There are a bunch of other lil things that were jacked up too. Like all the speakers were blown. Center console was not loose it was broken. Just dumb BS.

I actually took the kid (low 20's) to court about the shafts. In reality he didn't really thought it was Tom Woods because the previous owner said it was. I felt that karma was a ***** and he really didn't know wtf he was doing. I really should have taken it to a shop and that's a bust on me. I dropped the case and let it go.

So my XJ has been a complete nightmare but after gobs of money it's finally coming together. Sitting at 6.5". RC HD steering, track bar, and drop bracket are getting ready to go on with a HP 30. Running 4.56 gears as well. Still got a bunch more to do but I like wrenching but not getting screwed....lesson learned.

hankthetank

Good to hear you stuck it out...that's a hard lesson. My wife would kill me in my sleep for that...seriously.

NickH

Hmmm my ex would have done the same..lol. There is no point in selling it. I have too much invested.

hankthetank

It's a labor of love/hate lol

helmut

I overpaid too. Bunch of things were wrong and what I taught was a complete lift was a junky 3inch with no sye. No gears or lockers either. Had to replace a hub right away, leaked from the main seal, what he said was a bad ujoint turned out to be LCA bushings, etc. But I would never take anyone to court for selling me a car (?) i am an adult and nobody put a gun to my head to buy it. I am assuming you have seen it with your own eyes and test drove it. What kind of case would you ever have in court? Anyways, I wish I was an active member of this forum before I baught an XJ not 1 day afterwards. If that was the case I would never have baught my XJ. Its a decent rig now but thats after about 2grand on top of the five that I paid for it. Yikes. For that price I could have HUDFAB's Jeep that he has for sale now.

Littlethunder92

I agree i would not take someone to court over a used vehicle. Especially over Tom woods driveshafts. If you got beat, thats your problem, should have known what you were looking at or brought someone who did.

Some times you get the bear, and some times the bear gets you.

NickH

It was small claims and only for the shafts, nothing more and nothing less. Again, I dropped it.

RazorXJ

Totally agree with the wishing I was active member before I went XJ shopping...

I didn't get totally bent lime the OP (which is not really true if you love it and can make it yours, I'm speaking of the transaction and the way it went down and what was thought vs what was got).

Mine was 2500 for the 96 Country. Decent shape, underneath seemed rust free and straight. It all looked so easy to get to and there were no obvious leaks. The headliner was a little saggy and the trim a little old-guyish but I had grand visions..

Found out there are 27 carfax issues, it was wrecked and repaired, but the track bar mount was tweaked and its been sold like that to over 12 different people...probably because they couldn't figure it out - I did! Actually replaced it tonight and aligned everything with new tres....all golden! Now I'm hooked and can't see getting rid of it, but I know if I do I'm not going to recover the labor and BS money I've put in. After I get it all back together and tidied up, I couldn't expect to get more than 3200. Which I'm food with. Like I said, I'm hooked!!

So...it'll turn out for ya fer sure!

cmack

I made a point with buying mine, to buy a bone stock with low miles XJ. I bought a truck once with some minor mods and they were iffy. Just overall wanted to do it all myself my way and know all is done right and well. In addition my XJ has never been wheeled and shows. It's in awesome condition minus paint. Now my turn to change that

TSea99XJ

Not really in the theme of the thread, but of the previous post. If nothing else, my XJ has taught me to never purchase a vehicle that has been modified in any significant way, at least without some pretty indepth knowledge of the mods, and proof to backup the claims.

Purchased mine from a dealership, was a local trade-in, and I had been searching for an XJ for some time already, so was very hard for me to pass up.

4.5" lift, only thing I can confirm that was actually done was Rustys Tracbar and Coils, Monroe shocks up front.

Deathwobbled like mad going down the highway, driveline vibration at in-town speeds, (No SYE, TC Drop, or shimmed rear axle), Bump steer that almost makes it undriveable at highway speed even without the deathwobble.

Obviously these are things I should have caught during the test drive, so that is completely on me, (I didnt do the research I should have beforehand, and this is my first encounter with lifting a vehicle). I just find it hard to swallow that a Chrysler dealer would sell a vehicle that has these issues and is very easily a danger to both the driver, and other motorists on the roadway.

So far I've replaced the swaybar links, (still had the stock ones with a 4.5" lift), Pitman arm (was stock still), and did the TC drop for now. It just went into the shop yesterday for other issues, but slowly and surely will get her to where I want her to be.

sakosha

considering the market for Jeeps in SoCal and the rust free condition, i think i got it at a reasonable deal. $1625 after auction fees- 93 cherokee sport 4d aw4+np231 185k miles. i'm the second (real) owner (technically the charity i bought it from was the 2nd owner)

needed a cooling system overhaul + tires but a similar one would go for 3k+ on craigslist and still need the work and tires.

studmuffin

If I ever had that kind of money ($7k) for any jeep id make sure it was in pristine shape. That kind of money can buy you some of the nicest rigs you see in this forum.

ManiacXJ

Not sure your location and what the market is there, but I cringed when I read $7500 for an XJ that wasn't in absolute perfect working order and even then I'm not sure.

I've had minor stuff with mine but nothing out of hand.

The previous owner was upfront with me that the steering had a dead spot due to being lifted more than the steering was designed for and showed me the movement in the drag link and tie rod. This is on my list of items to address, I tossed a polyurethene spacer on one of the ends to firm it up some and that was a good band aid.

He also made me aware of the electric control of the door locks randomly working or not.

I don't think he told me about not all of the speakers working, but that isn't a big deal and I could have found that out myself before purchase if I cared about it.

The strange item that wasn't covered was that he welded an extra link onto the front suspension. It has a Iron Rock Offroad 6.5" Long Arm kit on it which uses a Y-Link radius arm on the drivers side and just a lower mount arm on the passenger. However, on mine there is a link welded to the arm on the passenger side making it a non-adustable Y. I spoke to Iron Rock about it and they said that was definitely something the PO did and wasn't sure why but the only factor is it might limit the flex some. Seeing as though I can flex just short of putting my tire into my fender and having my spring fall out, it seems fine.

Also, the front diff cover isn't the OEM stamped steel, it has some thickness and has had some plate welded onto it also. Only issue was the plate was welded a bit close to some of the bolts making it to where you can only use an open ended wrench on them, can't get a socket or box end on it. No big deal since I scored a brand new Crane cover for $20 (club member won it and didn't have a Dana 30) that will go on with next fluid change.

So for $4500 I got a 98 4.0 manual trans with 170k on the odo, 6.5" long arm, custom sliders, lincoln locker in the rear, upgraded front brakes, on 33" KM2s with lots of tread and a never on the road matching spare.

With no work done aside from normal maintenance, it has been on 3 trips so far with no breakage and walked over everything I attempted.

red101803

i got screwed drove the jeep for a while and let it run for at least a hour to check for leaks ran great. spent 4500 on it three weeks later i changed the oil and it dtarted knocking like crazy. dam piston slap. in the process of building another motor for it. my wife keeps reminding me of the money i am sinking into it but it is what it is. Besides i have never enjoyed driving a vehical as much as i do my xj. i put alot of work into it but it truly is a labor of love.

helmut

Thats another expense that goes into the Jeep that some people have to incure. Everything costs me double. Everytime I buy something for my Jeep my wife has to go to Nortdstrom and get a purse or glasses or shoes for about the same price !!!! I literally wanted to die when she told me she is waiting to bundle two of my purchases (it was new leafsprings and rocksliders) to get a purse.