'99 Jeep TJ - Pre-purchase questions

Hey everyone,

I put a deposit on a '99 Jeep TJ Sport (4L, 6cyl, 5spd) with 83000km pending
mechanic approval and good compression readings. However, I have a few
concerns I'd like your opinions on beforehand.

1. The engine seemed to be unusually hot after driving for a bit. We drove
for maybe 15 minutes at "sort of" highway speeds (65-90km/hr) with
intermittent stops and a 2 second offroad excursion through dry-mud ruts.
I've never owned or driven a TJ before so maybe they run hotter than YJ's
and CJ's? I didn't notice the engine temp while driving though, so I'm not
sure what it was reading. However, there was a "different" smell than I'm
used to - although the guy said it could be because he uses synthetic oil in
the engine and transmission and pretty much everywhere else.

2. There was a gurgling sound when we stopped after a quick offroad and we
put it back into 2H and went back onto the highway. It sounded like it came
from the back end (exhaust) like it might be back-pressure. Is this an
issue? What is this from? It could have been the wind or the off-road tires
on the highway - it was hard to tell cuz it was a noisy ride.

3. There was a clicking sound when we turned on pavement. The owner said
that the front axle is always spinning and that this is the normal way that
TJ's work. Should I be concerned here?

4. The serpentine belt was cracked on the inside. The shops are closed right
now - can anyone give me an estimate on repair cost and how hard this is to
do myself?

5. The windshield is also cracked - estimate of cost to replace?

6. The last thing that scared me is a bit odder - the guy who owned it is a
mechanic (not a vehicle mechanic though) and knows his way around vehicles.
He uses all synthetic, he's done some nice mods to it (2" skyjacker spacer
lift, lockright rear auto locker, 32" procomp muds, 8000lb winch, etc) and
seems to know his stuff - he also well-maintained the Jeep as far as I can
tell. What scares me here is that I paid $7800 for the Jeep - they go for
about $11000+ where I live. Did I get a deal or am I being dragged through
the mud by some hidden issue? Oh, the vehicle is NOT currently safetied so
I'm expecting a $1000+ of repairs (maybe new shocks, windshield, maybe a
balljoint or other maintainance stuff) but I just don't want anything major
like a seized engine. He says he didn't really offroad it except on trails
(he goes hunting) but nothing too intense.

Thanks for any help guys!!

I'll hit where I can:

On Jul 25, 6:42 pm, "griffin" > wrote:

> 3. There was a clicking sound when we turned on pavement. The owner said
> that the front axle is always spinning and that this is the normal way that
> TJ's work. Should I be concerned here?

This could be axle joints, but they shouldn't be making noise.

> 4. The serpentine belt was cracked on the inside. The shops are closed right
> now - can anyone give me an estimate on repair cost and how hard this is to
> do myself?

Serpentine belt replacement is entry-level repair work. Your cost at
home, 20-30 USD. You have to inspect accessories and pulleys for
excessive play or worn bearings when you do it. Shops might charge
half a labor hour to do the job carefully, your independent might roll
it in if you do a pile of other "maintenance" oriented services.

> 5. The windshield is also cracked - estimate of cost to replace?

Local bargain glass shop charged me $55 installed with new outer seal
just a few months ago.

Regarding value, it's damn near a 10-year-old machine, and they sure
don't last forever. "You pays your money..."

On Jul 26, 6:59 pm, Jon > wrote:
> I'll hit where I can:
>
> On Jul 25, 6:42 pm, "griffin" > wrote:
>
> > 3. There was a clicking sound when we turned on pavement. The owner said
> > that the front axle is always spinning and that this is the normal way that
> > TJ's work. Should I be concerned here?
>
> This could be axle joints, but they shouldn't be making noise.
>
> > 4. The serpentine belt was cracked on the inside. The shops are closed right
> > now - can anyone give me an estimate on repair cost and how hard this is to
> > do myself?
>
> Serpentine belt replacement is entry-level repair work. Your cost at
> home, 20-30 USD. You have to inspect accessories and pulleys for
> excessive play or worn bearings when you do it. Shops might charge
> half a labor hour to do the job carefully, your independent might roll
> it in if you do a pile of other "maintenance" oriented services.
>
> > 5. The windshield is also cracked - estimate of cost to replace?
>
> Local bargain glass shop charged me $55 installed with new outer seal
> just a few months ago.
>
> Regarding value, it's damn near a 10-year-old machine, and they sure
> don't last forever. "You pays your money..."

If you are paying 7800 for the new Jeep, you can probably put a few
grand into it and have a fine Jeep. The mechanic should be able to
tell you about any major problems.. just make sure it is YOUR
mechanic, not his mechanic and if you are not safisfied, take it to
another mechanic. Bottom line, if the market price is 11,000 and you
are paying 7800, expect to put about 3200 into it. Still not too bad
a deal.

And that's exactly what happened. Got it for $7500 and spent $3000 getting
it on the road. As "unhappy" as I am about not getting the "deal" I
originally got, the glass is still half full. The way I see it, I spent $11k
on a Jeep that has lots of new parts and is ready to go whereas if I spent
$11000 on a Jeep before repairs, I'd probably still have a few K to put into
repairs on top of that.

Now it's time to find myself a set of extender fender flares.

> wrote in message
ups.com...

> Bottom line, if the market price is 11,000 and you
> are paying 7800, expect to put about 3200 into it. Still not too bad
> a deal.