Topic: Need some help picking a vehicle.

[Shamb]

Before you say anything, yes I know it's a Jeep...

I'm a Toyota guy, this is for my wife not for me. I have my 4runner sitting in the driveway.

I'm kinda torn between these two at the moment.

First one is an 04 sport with 28K miles and a new set of BFG's. What I like about this is that is has low miles and looks like it has been well taken care of. Things I don't like.. is that the price is a little steep and it's a manual trans which my wife does know how to drive but really wants an auto.

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?ct=p&car_id=291716444&dealer_id=65933937&car_year=2004&doors=&systime=&model=WRANGLER&search_lang=en&start_year=1981&keywordsrep=&keywordsfyc=&highlightFirstMakeModel=&search_type=both&distance=50&min_price=&drive=&rdm=1296837842767&marketZipError=false&advanced=&fuel=&keywords_display=&lastBeginningStartYear=1981&end_year=2012&showZipError=y&make2=&certified=&engine=&page_location=findacar%3A%3Aispsearchform&body_code=0&transmission=&default_sort=newsortbyprice_DESC&max_mileage=&address=95961&color=&sort_type=priceDESC&max_price=18000&awsp=false&make=JEEP&seller_type=b&num_records=25&cardist=24&standard=false&rdpage=thumb

ehh... hopefully that link works.. anyways on to the next.

This is an 03' Rubicon with 105K, it looks really clean. Has cheap-o tires.. not the MTR's that came w/ it and some cheesy winch which i don't care about. Things I like is that it's a little cheaper (i'd probably offer around $11K) and I like that its an automatic trans instead of a manual for my wife. Things I don't like are the mile's...typically i never look at anything over 100K...


So i'm looking for some input. If it was up to you which one would you choose? we're going to probably check both of them out when my wife gets home here in an hour.

[Shamb [OP]]

here's the link to the rubicon

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?ct=u&car_id=293135978&dealer_id=611525&car_year=2003&doors=&systime=&model=WRANGLER&search_lang=en&start_year=1981&keywordsrep=&keywordsfyc=&highlightFirstMakeModel=&search_type=both&distance=50&min_price=&drive=&rdm=1296838107054&marketZipError=false&advanced=&fuel=&keywords_display=&lastBeginningStartYear=1981&end_year=2012&showZipError=y&make2=&certified=&engine=&page_location=findacar%3A%3Aispsearchform&body_code=0&transmission=&default_sort=newsortbyprice_DESC&max_mileage=&address=95961&color=&sort_type=priceDESC&max_price=15000&awsp=false&make=JEEP&seller_type=b&num_records=25&cardist=5&standard=false&rdpage=thumb

[Toymin8r]

I'd be scared of any Chrysler product with over 100k miles.   My 2 

[GreyBeard]

Chrysler products of that vintage have had some problems with the automatic transmissions.

Dennis

[Shamb [OP]]

we test drove the rubicon and it seemed like its been well taken care of. hasn't been offroad that i can tell...

only two prob's i saw was that the front clips for the hardtop weren't snapped down correctly so it was ridiculously loud over about 45mph and it looked like it had a small oil leak.. not enough to drip but starting to collect on the oil pan.

they said they'll be able to fix the top tomorrow.. probably just needed to be snapped all the way down.

we're gonna check out the 04' sport tomorrow, my wife might have to compromise with the transmission to ensure we get something mechanically sound.... that's really my main concern.
as far as the way it drove, it was good.. didn't have any miss in the engine, trans shifted smoothly.. i really couldn't find anything wrong... 4 wheel drive worked, both lockers engauged...
it was neat having the locker feature at the touch of a switch    

we'll see how it goes tomorrow.

[86bobbedtoy]

I think there both a good choice,
is she set on a jeep?
why?
lots of other small 4x4 suvs out there

ford escape?
I would personally get a jeep or runner,
jeep has kept them more simple than others

[Shamb [OP]]

we looked at SUV's and even AWD cars like an Evo or WRX but she just doesn't like 'em...


she liked the evo but i can't find one within 500 miles...

only SUV she has told me she likes is the Ford Edge, but I havn't been able to find one within the price range with decent mileage.

I think she's leaning more twords a Jeep because that's what I drove around in, in highschool years ago and she misses it. Besides that they're small, compact and do well in pretty much any terrain. She certainly won't be taking it to the Rubicon or Fordyce but we'll camp/hunt with it.. including her drive to Grass Valley in case it snow's.

I'd love to have that Rubicon but other few things just worry me... mileage is a biggie when it comes to reliability. I don't want to buy it and immediatly start having to replace stuff.

[abnormaltoy]

All chicks like Jeeps. 

[86bobbedtoy]

remember your the one who will worry about her in it,
take your time, are you planning on getting financed?
check frisco, lots of lightly used vehicles down there
good luck

[Shamb [OP]]

yea we're going to finance a portion of it, i've already got that all taken care of though as far as preapproval ect.

i found a 04 Jeep Liberty Sport in Roseville with 43,000 miles. It's a 4 door SUV... anyone know anything about the Liberty?   I dunno if i've ever even seen one... ha.. that's probably not a good thing.

[87hillbillyoter]

id go with the first one. if you can offer the guy 11k, then you can offer the other guy 13k, which IMO, is worth it. the thing barely has any miles, which we all know is good for a jeep.

[kneedownnate]

Audi Allroad.  I'm just sayin...

[blackdiamond]

I'd be careful with any domestic with over a 100,000 miles unless you're very sure that it's mostly highway miles and then it doesn't matter nearly as much.  If your wife wants an automatic then I wouldn't get her anything else.  The last think you want in a "wife's car" is something that isn't what she wants.  I'd suggest that you keep looking as neither is exactly what you're looking for.  The Rubicon will cost more than an equivalent sport model so unless you plan to use the gears and lockers I wouldn't pay the extra that it's going to cost.

[yoshaleng]

remember your the one who will worry about her in it,
take your time, are you planning on getting financed?
check frisco, lots of lightly used vehicles down there
good luck

X2

[Shamb [OP]]

Audi Allroad.  I'm just sayin...

Audi R8 

I wish, so we actually went and looked around all day yesterday and decided that the black 04' is the best option. Couldn't find anything that compared for the price. She really didn't like the Liberty's... we're going to pick it up on Tuesday. It's been garaged and well taken care of with only 28K on the clock... that's rare to find.... it blue books for $16 in excellent condition and $14k for fair condition.  I'd say it's inbetween good and excellent... for $14K

not to shabby

[NorCalToy]

Is she set on getting the wrangler body style?

The Grand Cherokees are farrrr more comfortable for every day use and they only ever came with autos. Theyre also usually the weird Jeep Quadratrac AWD system but it works very well offroad/in snow.

[yota pu/runner]

Right now I have a Jeep Cherokee and the oil leak  on the one is more than likely a rear main seal, which I believe shold be a 2-piece seal that costs about $10.  However the oil pan gasket is $50 (I think).  The 4.0 are also know to leak at the rear main, as mine does and so does another guy I wheel with.

My wife drove a Grand with the Quadratec AWD and it did very well on the pavement in the snow.  It also had the 4.7 V8 and everything but a navigation.

Stay away from the Cherokee as they are very small for a 4-door.

[Shamb [OP]]

we've owned a cherokee before, it was a great vehicle and eventually sold it... er.. traded it for a built Sami about 6-7 years ago...

i brought the cherokee up to her and she seemed to already have her mind set on this wrangler... oh well...

i hope 6 months from now she isn't complaining about having to shift and roll the windows down by hand.. lol  time will tell...


EDIT: btw the Rubicon we looked at, the leak was't from the oil pan but looked to be from the rear main seal! 

also i think it had a tranny leak