markhoff1022

TL;DR = The XJ that I love to death blew up on me and I had to lease a 2019 Nissan Sentra (not my choice) to get to work and college classes. I am working part time (15 hours a week) during the year just to pay for the Nissan payments + insurance (about $500 a month) and I am wondering if working a couple hours extra a week to pay for putting my Jeep in storage would be smart or not. I will only be storing it for about two years before I get a full time job. I think my salary will allow me enough pocket change to fix the engine since I will be graduating with a mechanical engineering bachelor's, an MBA, and multiple internships with car manufacturers.

The biggest thing telling me to sell is that there's a bit of rust on the underside, but I don't know if it's enough to really worry about it. I'll let you guys take a look and tell me. It was repainted when I bought it back in December so there could be other problems that are currently unseen. The head gasket issue didn't show up on any of the inspections by the way. The other reason telling me to sell is that there's still plenty of XJ's still on the road, but then again they all look like they're a year away from heading to the junk yard.
https://imgur.com/gallery/jSxXpIA

Also please do not recommend fixes. Odds are I have already tried them and there's no reason for me to have two running cars at the moment. I have already replaced the battery, water pump, radiator, all cooling system hoses (had a phantom coolant leak), spark plugs, and oil pressure sending unit.


Full story (sorry if it's long):

I am 22, will graduate in May of 2021, and work part time at O'Reilly's Auto Parts. I bought a 2000 Jeep Cherokee Sport last December for about $6,000. It's basically my dream car and I love it to death. Low mileage, and everything about the car (except the engine) is in wonderful shape. Unfortunately the past owner blew the head gasket and as of right now it either needs a new engine or an engine rebuild. My dad says used cars are just "past owners passing their problems to new people," and in this case he was certainly right. I crossed him and it blew up in my face. Since I am not 100% financially independent yet (he is paying for half my college tuition once my 8 semester full-tuition scholarship runs out this fall), I had to listen to him this time when he told me to lease the Sentra. He knows leasing is financially dumb but he thinks the warranties, reliability, etc. are worth it. He is having me pay for the payment and now the insurance as well. I was already working 25 hours a week at O'Reilly's this spring to help keep the Jeep alive. Now with a cheaper apartment, I will only have to work about 15 a week to afford the Nissan payment, its insurance, food, etc. Since I would sell the Jeep for a huge loss and since I would love to keep it around, I am thinking about storing it until I graduate and make enough money to fix it. Assuming it costs about $100 to store it a month, I would only need to work an extra 2 or 3 hours a week to store it.

I know cars are a very common reason why people make idiotic financial decisions. Add the fact that I see about an XJ a day and my dad says I can always get another one. But the ones I see on the road are all rotted out or modified to hell. He tells me to get my MBA right after my bachelor's because "you never know what life throws at you after you start your job- family starts, job promotion, medical problems" which I totally understand. But the same can be said for buying this car after I graduate. I guarantee he'll say "why the hell are you buying a second car; you're 24! Save for a house or for retirement!" So there may not be any winning in this case, or at least winning him over. The XJ I have is exactly the one I'm looking for- good condition, just the right amount of creature comforts, painted black, and the tranny, a/c, windows, and doors all still function great. The only problem is it has a bit of rust on the underside since it spent most of its life in Wisconsin, but a lot of people tell me it's nothing to worry about.

Just curious what you guys will say. Thanks!

pnolans

strictly my opinion, I'm not an expert, even though I DID once stay at a Holiday Inn Express.

Put it in storage. I spent almost a year and a half here in CO looking for the Jeep I wanted. Manual transmission, 4 doors, 4x4. You would think that in Colorado there would be a very large
passel of them available. At that time, no. Automatic, 2 door, 2 WHEEL DRIVE (!!!). I'm still driving that beatup looking POS. 300k miles.

The XJ's are even get harder to find in junkyards (at least around here).

My $0.02 worth.
UPDATE: In addition, I've been through this before, and paid to store my Jeep. I'm glad I did. My F150 tow vehicle for my small (very) RV died last summer.

markhoff1022

Yeah, I know those 2 door manual 4x4's are tough to find nowadays. The ones I like are pretty much the most common you see- facelifted 4 dour 4x4's with the automatic trans. Another thing to consider as well.

Rambler65

Hard to say how bad the rust is from the photos. If just surface rust I'd probably spray the underside with a protective coating like Fluid Film (or even cheap motor oil), store it, and repair the mechanical problems later. If it's real rot though that you can punch a screwdriver through it would probably be best to cut your losses and find another XJ when you're ready.

BillyBoy

Sounds like when you graduate you're going to be rolling in dough...

Why work the extra right now and stress yourself out about saving a vehicle that you're not overly bonded to?

If you sell it now you can concentrate more on college and less on working and worrying about the situation. When you graduate you should have the funds after a new job to purchase the XJ that you really want that's in good condition even if the price goes up between now and then.

markhoff1022

Well I'm already going to be working part time anyway just to pay for the lease and if I can store it somewhere for $80-$100 or so I'm only working an extra two or three hours a week then, which I probably won't even notice a change. I've already spent so much on repairs and what not, and I do love driving it, so it'd be tough to send her away.

dave1123

You see? You're placing your emotions ahead of your priorities, but that's okay, we all do it! My advise is keep it. After life, love, and family (marriage and kids) catch up to you, you'll put off looking for an XJ because you won't be able to justify spending time and money on a toy, and that's what it'll be, a toy. AND as time goes by they will get scarce. If you've already got it, you can justify putting money into it at your leisure.

As an example, my uncle bought a brand new MG TD in 1954 just before he went into the Naval Academy. That car was stored for quite a number of years and rarely driven, but maintained even while in storage. He still has that car today and it is a classic worth well more then what he invested in it. But even so, he won't sell it. That car outlasted a wife and 3 kids! He said it was always a diversion from life's burdens to work on it and he's had every part of it apart at one time or another.

Dave51

IMO that was not the wise decision. IIWY (and at one point I was) I would have just gotten a beater until I graduated. Throwing $5000 a year down the crapper is not justified at this point in your life.

Dave51

Okay. But 10 grand would buy a lot of 'em.

EZEARL

IMHO as long as you realize you may need to put a good bit of money into the engine (0331 head) or replace the engine I vote to keep it.

markhoff1022

Yeah, I realize I will have to do some work to it and I actually look forward to it. I'll have to get a garage wherever I live but that's much better than being prohibited to work on it in all the college apartments I've lived in.

What does everyone think of the rust situation? I went at some of the frame rails with a wire brush and FluidFilm when I first got it and nothing seemed to be falling apart. I think the rust could be the kicker here though.

fb97xj1

Surface rust is ok. Rust that has started to bubble is not good, but rot is worse. If you cant stick a screwdriver thru it, clean it and prep it. Even if you are selling it. It will/should remain solid for for you should you keep it, and for the next guy or gal that buys it from you, should you sell it. And the less rust there is, the more you will get for it. If the mechanicals have been maintained properly, thats a plus. Some dont bother with the 00-01 period, because of the head. I have seen a few 00-01 sell for a couple hundred because it needed a new head. Nobody wanted to mess with it. Seen some that didnt sell at all because of it. The seller replaced it and sold it for 2 grand.

Everything else is small potatoes. Most of it.

Store it if that works for you. Get it out of the elements if you wont be using it. Keep tabs on the battery and tires as both can go flat from sitting too long. My stepdad stores his 1950 Ford and whenever he checks on it, takes a portable air compressor and battery charger along. Even when a vehicle is not being used, it still needs maintained. Ask the storage owner what repairs can and cant be done on the premises. Some can be real fussy with that. they dont want engine oils and the like all over the floor. Thats another thing. My stepdad keeps a drip pan under the '50, just in case.

I considered selling my 97 as i am always using the Mustang, but i already know without question that if i do, id want it back as soon as it left the driveway. So its not going anywhere.

s346k

when i was 24 i had...4 cars. none of which got better than 18 mpg and all required weekly maintenance of some sort. i didn’t read the entire post but my only advice is to do what you want. i’d chase the education first just because car stuff is way better when you have money.

downs

Pull the carpet to really get a look at any rust you think might be there.

awg

rust, rust, rust. I hate it. More time consuming than mechanical work

imo that is the main factual determinant of whether you should keep the vehicle, (in the circumstances you have proposed)

If the sheetmetal is perforated, it must be removed to bare shiny steel, and repaired.

When I say "perforated", that means you inspect it with a pick hammer, until no more pieces fallout, not a wire brush !

If this is not done, the vehicle will rust away in less than 10yrs

My advice is to make a complete inspection, with photos, write down on paper the pros and cons, and then decide for yourself.

proviso..I waste money on cars, but advise young people not to

it is a handsome looking XJ

You might be able to do a deal to store it at some retired persons place cheaper than what I think ur proposing