Re: Help: Buying First Jeep - I\'m No Gearhead

Welcome!

I'd favor the 6 cylinder. More power is a good thing, and hard to get later without changing engines. It will be more suited to highway travel and more forgiving of larger tires.

Tires larger than approx 31" will start an expensive chain reaction. You will want stronger axles, deeper gears, lift kit, driveline mod's, and more.

What do you want to do with this jeep? How much off-roading, and how capable do you want it to be?

 

Re: Help: Buying First Jeep - I\'m No Gearhead

Thanks Timin!

Right now, I average about 20-30 highway miles per day. Aside from this I do not drive all that much. On the weekends its mostly in-town driving, doin the usual weekend thing. I'm currently driving a '94 Mercury Tracer with 100 HP so I'm sure that 6 cyl like you said would be nice.

I've never been off-roading but would like to consider it. This would be a once in a while thing or maybe even every weekend if I find a good spot. I guess you could say I'm aiming for a Jeep that's capable of handling the easiest of paths. If I end up really getting into off-roading than I'll consider an upgrade to suit my needs, but for now I don't need any massive upgrade.

The main reason why I want big tires is because I think they look really cool. Aside from that, I would like to take advantage of the capabilities that my future Jeep may possess. So what would a Jeep with 30" BFG tires and no lift be capable of?

Thanks again! I really appreciate it!

 

Re: Help: Buying First Jeep - I\'m No Gearhead

What your Jeep is capable of is a mater of how well you learn to drive it...I've seen well built Jeeps fail an obstacle and a Jeep with no mods go over the same with realative ease. I learned quite a bit wheeling my rig before I did anything too it. My springs were sagging about an inch below stock, no lockers, stock size hiway tires...I've added a bunch of stuff to my Jeep, the mods I've done, added to the experience I've gotten add to the fun I have on the trail and reduces the "pucker factor". The more you wheel your Jeep, the better you will understand what mods you want and need. I promise you, It's a Jeep, you will want way more mods than you can afford and you will always NEED them...Welcome to Jeep'n!

 

Re: Help: Buying First Jeep - I\'m No Gearhead

The 6 cylinder is the way to go. You can always get a set of 31x10.5 tires and 15x7 or 15x8 wheels later. My philosophy is to spend a little more buying a vehicle in good shape rather than have pay someone else to work on making a crummy vehicle better. (This changes when you are more capable do-it-yourselfer). Stuff like tops and seats add up quick if they are in poor shape. I would search hard for a Jeep that the owner took good care of and you'll be happier in the end.

 

Re: Help: Buying First Jeep - I\'m No Gearhead

My vote is for the 6 cyl as well.

30's will fit under a stock YJ with no problems and it will still be able to do some mild wheeling.

1. the six will keep you happier longer than the four
2. the six will turn the bigger tires easier
3. gas mileage will be about the same
4. your jeep will thank you for the bigger engine
5. the 4 comes with lower gears, a gear swap is cheaper than an engine swap (and easier)
6. most dealers and mechanics are crooks (not to offend any dealers or mechanics out there, but many of your bretheren have given you a bad image, i am sure there are some good ones)
7. welcome to the joys of owning a jeep (soon it will own you)

-web

 

Re: Help: Buying First Jeep - I\'m No Gearhead

all of the above is good advice, as is most of what you will find on this board...one thing that has not been mentioned which should be is the quality of the tub and frame...look for rust in some of the prime places:
a) in front of the doors where "Jeep" is stamped into the metal
b) places where the body mounts are located
c) where the seats and roll cage mount to the tub
d) where the steering box mounts to the frame (under driver's side front bumper)
e) driver and passenger footwells (indicates leaky drain plugs)
f) windshield frame
g) shackles
h) on top of the fender, about halfway between the windshield and the front of the rig, i.e. on the top flat part of the fender about where the coolant reservoir jug sits

any other places you guys can think of? don't be afraid to lift up the carpets and look under for signs which will suggest you should run away...minor surface rust isn't too bad to take care of, but if there is any major rot, i would suggest reconsidering, especially at the kind of $$ you're thinking of laying out...do all of the usual tests as well - pull the dipstick to look for coolant (all you should see is oil, honey-coloured if new, dark if old...if you see coffee-with-cream colour it could be bad news), make sure the 4x4 hi and lo works (even if you're not planning on doing a lot with it to begin with), check the condition of the muffler and catalytic converter, i was looking for over 7 months for my first jeep...the best advice i got was to not be in a hurry to "need" one...that way, you've got all the bargaining power...somebody also suggested to me that if you are discouraged from all of this poking around, there is likely something the seller doesn't want you to find. say thank you and walk away.

oh yeah, have fun, too!

 

Re: Help: Buying First Jeep - I\'m No Gearhead

I couldn't agree with everyone more the six cyl is the way to go I have a 4 cyl in mine and am fighting for enough h.p. to drive my tires. You will be amazed though of what that vehicle can do with nothing done to it. The price of bigger tires and wheels will very greatly depending on what you want brand new you may beable to get wheels as low as $50 a pc and tires anywhere from $85 and way up. You will not need a lift to run these tres on the street. The only time I would think they would rub with a 30 or 31 inch tire(provided you have the proper backspacing on the wheels) is at full tuck which is not something you will likly do on-road.

Congrats on your choice whatever it may be and remember "It's a Jeep Thing...You will soon Understand"j/k

John

 

Re: Help: Buying First Jeep - I\'m No Gearhead

I'd highly recomend the White 6-cyl Jeep. The 6-cyl is a great engine and as you go along you can put money into a lift instead of into engine mods like you would with the 4-cyl. Plus it already has a tire and wheel combonation that you like, so there is one less thing to bother with. You can fit 31" tires on a stock Wrangler with minimal rubbing (and only in off-road conditions at that). A 1/2" shackle-lift is very cheap for these vehichles and is definately something you could install yourself. This would minimize any rubbing on the fenders.

Check out this link for a picture of a stock height '89 Wrangler YJ with 31x10.5" tires on the stock rims

 

Re: Help: Buying First Jeep - I\'m No Gearhead

Thanks everyone for the advice!

I ended up making the purchase before I read any more replies here. I ended up going with the cheaper, 4 cyl Jeep. Unfortunately, when I got to the place someone had already placed a deposit down on the 6 cyl. That isn't to say that I settled on the 4 cyl, but was more excited about the 6. Oh well, I really like what I picked out. I was able to get the salesman to go down $600, plus $200 to swap the stock tires/wheels for some 30" tires and nice rims off of another Jeep.

I must say that driving my Jeep is a lot of fun. I've been waiting 3 years just to get one! It would be more enjoyable if I wasn't just now learning how to drive a stick, but I'm slowly getting it down. There's a crunching noise every now and then and I still fear steep hills, but I hope all of that will soon be in the past.

I also got my first fellow Jeeper wave the other day while at a stop light. Since then, I've had several other waves which is exciting! What I'd like to know is how this got started, waving at fellow Jeepers and how do people know to do it? I think it's great, makes me feel like I'm finally part of the Jeep crowd!

I'm off for now. Thanks again for all the help! Here's a pic of my Jeep (Please forgive my sisters for being in the way of my shiny Jeep.) http://members.cox.net/cmputrnrd4lif/jeep/myJeep.jpg

 

Re: Help: Buying First Jeep - I\'m No Gearhead

Nice ride! The wave? It's a Jeep thing, I think you understand.

 

Re: Help: Buying First Jeep - I\'m No Gearhead

Good lookin Jeep, sounds like you got a good deal. The wave thing I couldn't tell you how it started I could only guess. But you see this with many types of vehicles i.e. Harleys certain types of classic cars. I think it just a way of saying "hey nice choice" or "I feel your pain" depending on your Jeepin experence. Best of luck let me know if you have any questions on the Jeep itslf or modifications. Or just post I'll run accross it sooner or later.
John
jduffey97tj@yahoo.com

P.S. Here's what mine looks like just click above were it says attachment I couldn' get the picture to download

 

Re: Help: Buying First Jeep - I\'m No Gearhead

Thanks guys!

I have two light questions:
1. The interior light that's above the driver's pedals comes on and stays on at random times. Maybe it isn't totally random but I can't figure out what I'm doing thats causing the light to turn on. Out of worry that the light is going to stay on and drain my battery I'll tap the light and wiggle its wires until it turns off. Does anyone know why this light comes on and if it's something I should try to fix?
2. The front drivers side blinker does not blink. It will light up when I turn the headlights on but will not blink when using the blinker. Should I take a look at the wiring?

Thanks in advance!

 

Re: Help: Buying First Jeep - I\'m No Gearhead

have you checked the door open sensor?
if the PO had the doors off often maybe the connection isnt quite right, turning on the light.
the turn signal could be many things, my guess would be the relay thingy i think its called a flasher: it is what actually does the blinking. my tj wont turn off the right turn signal when i finish the turn and somtimes the left will briefly turn on when i step on the brakes, my guess somthing in the column, but i don't care enough to bother. maybe yours is somthing in the column too, but i am no expert.
Phil

 

Re: Help: Buying First Jeep - I\'m No Gearhead

I am certainly no expert either, but but from one Non-Gearhead to another, I have had other cars that the light turns on but won't blink. It turned out to just be a bad bulb.

If the right side works correctly, switch the bulbs from one side to the other. If the problem follows the bulb, then there you go. If that makes no difference then the cheap and easy solution can be ruled out.

In my current YJ, my problem was that the bulb was put in wrong. The tail light would be bright when driving, and would dim when the brake was applied. I thought it was wiring, but when I took out the bulb, and put it back in correctly, problem went away.

Not to technical of an answer, but at least it will be a quick test. I try to start with the easy stuff first, and sometimes you get lucky.

 

Re: Help: Buying First Jeep - I\'m No Gearhead

Regaring the light under the dash it sounds like a bad connection somewhere there are two switches which can turn this light on and off one is your dimmer switch one is your door switch but both of these switches also control the rest of you interior lights I would take a look at the wiring and see if you can see a break in the wire. If nothing can be found I'd pull the bulb so as not to put an open draw on your battery, until you can have someone really get into it. As far as the front driverside turn signal goes I would try replacing the bulb if it blinks in the back but not in the front I wouldn't worry too much about wiring or relays, try this first and then go towards the more difficult things.
John
jduffey97tj@yahoo.com

 

Re: Help: Buying First Jeep - I\'m No Gearhead

Won't the dealer fix it for you?