I've never owned a jeep before so bare with me on this.. I am looking at a 98 wrangler 2.5/5speed 130k Mint condition new paint job new 235/75/15 AT's all stock new besttop no leaks drives like a dream crawled under it didn't look muddy or rusty at all underneath interior is spotless. Only defect i could find is the A/C blows warm air. Also it has tilt and full guage package. Anyway its $5000 is this a good price? are the 2.5's any good? seemed pretty peppy for a 4cyl. I would be looking into 31x10.50's will they fit without a lift? Also what kind of mileage can you get with a stock 2.5/5speed setup? I really like it and the price seems pretty good. I am looking for somthing to use as a daily driver/weekend toy.

31 10.50 fine with no lift, 2.5 is a reliable engine but don't expect to win any races or get more than 18 mpg. The air conditioning is likely the condensor. they get dirt in them and it rubbs a hole in the condensor. I am always cautious of a new paint job. Run it through the gears and watch for a slight grind or chirp out of the tranny going into 2nd and 4th,,, Syncros are the weak part of the ax5 primarily dud to people putting the wrong fluid in them..

Sounds like a prospect.. Look it over good... Some will tell you the 2.5 is worthless. Fact is, I have owned 2 and would likely own another, but for daily driving I would prefer a 4.0

Jacob, the price sounds right if the Jeep is as sound as you think. I'd check to see what the A/C needs and the cost of repair before investing in the Jeep. Good luck. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/40BEER.gif[/img]

Don't let the 4 cyl. scare you. At 130k miles, it is just getting broken in. I have a friend who is approaching 250k and it still runs fine. For 5 grand, this Jeep sounds like a good deal. Just check it over with a fine tooth comb, or find a mechanic who will do the same. Good luck!

Jacob sounds like a good deal. I'm with rio the 2.5 will be fine I have never owned one but I know a lot of people who do.
The A/C problem might be as simple as a vaccum line, mine did that for a while. Check around the cruise control module for a line not hooked up. Thats what fixed mine.

Offer $4500 and point out the AC problem.
Do make sure you drive it on dirt in 4L and make sure it all works...in either case, it sounds like the 4W function was not used much, if at all.

I agree on the 4 banger....and when it does get too tired for you....the jeep would be a great canidate for a V6 or V8 upgrade.

If you do buy it...post to us again so we can get you going on the first items that need attention.

The tranny shifts perfectly, clutch is very strong and i took it out in a gravel lot and engaged 4low and 4 high they work great! even tried 4 hi on dry pavement took it up about 60 no vibrations no clicking, binding or rattling. Its a 1 owner trade in on a lot and had a car fax report on it. No wrecks showed no water dammage no salvage title crap anything like that. Acording to the owner of the lot the reason its repainted is one of the fenders was scratched up real bad and he had the whole thing painted. He also had replaced the top because somone had cut a hole in the old one. It has a fresh oil change and tune up. I am wondering on the A/C if it just needs recharged. My buddys 98 cherokee leaks off every year and i recharge it for him. Takes about 2 cans of freon and he is good for the summer. The 4.0 is deffinately alot stronger and if all a 2.5 gets is 18mpg a 4.0 is probably no worse? But the price of a 4.0 wrangler jumps up quite a bit higher i have noticed that! I drive about 95/100 miles a day round trip to work 5 days a weeks so somthing that will take alot of miles would be great! I have 260k on my 91 f-150 from driving back and forth to work! Time to give it a break. I was hoping to see better mileage from the jeep but sounds like it would be about the same as my truck (19/20 average 23 on the interstate)

"4 hi on dry pavement took it up about 60 no vibrations no clicking"

Easy there,,, Dry pavement and 4wd will only get along for so long,,, then Bang... that can happen to a health rig.... I am so anal about it when running 4wd in the winter If i hit a long streach of pavement with no snow I pop it out,,, Course with a front locker I get around about as well in 2wd... Good luck.

Well so much for that idea... My stupid bank wont loan money on anything older than a 2000! I don't want to go into debt upto my eyeballs to buy a 4x4 i wanted somthing cheep like this! Ohh well..

Try a diffrent Bank,,, Mine would give me a personal loan secured by the jeep as colataral in a heartbeat. You might try to ask that way. Last time I did that it cost me 1% more than if I would have gotten a used car loan.

Where are you located in southern Indidna?