I've spent the last week debated whether or not to post this thread.
I'll probably regret doing so...

The last Jeep I had was a CJ5. I forget the year but somewhere around '69???

Fast forward.
I know absolutely NOTHING about the new ones, except that they are extremely expensive if bought new.

I know Fiat owns Chrysler, which builds Jeep. (is that correct?)

I'm not interested in anything other than the Wrangler series. The CJ's seem to have become a collectors item now as their prices are totally hosed.
Not interested in the four doors at all.
I do still have hopes with the proposed Jeep pick-up due out next year or am I delusional?

So... as far as used go, how far back in time can I go and still find a 'good' one? Unmolested is the ultimate goal if possible.

I've owned a 2014 Jeep Patriot for a few years, and I love it. When I bought it, I was thinking "well, it's not a real jeep, like a wrangler or a cherokee", but that little thing has gone places I never thought it would be able to.

The CJ 7 was made up until 1986, the the YJ took over, replaced in 1997 by the TJ, then the four door version is the newest incarnation. It really depends on what you want. I prefer my rigs to be easy to work on, so I like to be able to eliminate the old rudimentary ecu and run a carb set up, so I stick with the older 80's models. Other than the newer engine and creature comforts, all the wrangler style jeeps are essentially the same since the late 70's up through the 90's/early 2000's. Find one that looks nice, has the accessories you want (5 speed with a hard top is a must for me) and fits a budget you like, then go enjoy it!

^ The WJ is the 98-2004 Grand Cherokee. The latest Wranglers are JKs.

Are you looking for a daily driver or 2nd vehicle? JKs make good daily drivers, better than TJs, but TJs are still viable daily drivers. I drove a 2004 TJ Wrangler daily for a number of years. I don't drive it much any more and will probably sell/trade. Just doesn't have enough room for me to be useful any more with 2 kids, and over time the novelty of removable top/doors wore off. I would rather have a Frontier or Tacoma with 4 doors and a canopy, and I'm not paying JK prices to get a vehicle that is less capable than a pickup at a similar size and fuel cost.

The problem with JKs is that with the advent of 4-door models they became the new trendy SUV/Subaru alternative and prices have followed. You can find some affordable used early JK models. Common problems with those included leaking hard top seals, and the 3.8 OHV V6 had oil consumption issues - e.g. some people claimed that 1qt every 1,000 miles was "normal" with these engines.

A TJ is still a very reliable Jeep with reasonable prices on the used market. Most common issues with these are just usual wear items - shocks, suspension bushings, etc.

The one thing I would say about buying ANY used Wrangler, is to watch out for gear ratios. Chrysler stuck a lot of very stupid gearing combinations in these vehicles. It's common to find base model 6-cyl 5-speed Wranglers with 3.07 gears, which make the vehicle feel very sluggish and underpowered, especially if you add larger than stock tires. Be prepared to crawl under the vehicle and read off the axle tag codes from the diff cover to find out the gear ratio.

Additionally I suggest looking at Wranglers with hard doors and a hard top. It's much much easier and cheaper to add a soft top later on vs. the other way around. Soft half doors also suck in wet and windy PNW winters.

You can still find YJs around from time to time but most have been snapped up and turned into trail rigs. There was also a huge jump in interior comfort quality on the TJ that the YJ just doesn't have, esp. HVAC systems.

Jeep was purported to be reintroducing a pick up. Anyone seen that (other than in the trade magazines?)

Good info for thought, thanks.

They are supposed to release in 2018. There have been kits (AEV, Rubitrux) for years.

The problem is that the Jeep chassis is just not a really good basis to do truck things with. Relatively light frame, light-duty rear coil-sprung suspension, and the Jeep body (tub) itself is typically rather thin sheet steel that may not stand up to the type of abuse one would want to throw at a truck - though I would have to assume Chrysler would give it a real reinforced bed, and to be fair the newer RAM 1500 series does have a 5-link coil-sprung rear suspension that is very similar to the Jeep setup.

What are you getting for the steep price that the JK truck will surely go for? Basically a compact pickup with a solid front axle and removable top. Not worth the price premium IMO.

That's the main gripe I have against Jeep. All of them.
Hell, if Jeep were on it's own, the .gov would of closed them down years ago for failing to make the minimum mpg as required.

I would look at nothing but 2005-2006 Rubicons, TJ or LJ model. They were sold with auto or manual trans, hard and soft tops.

What are your plans? Daily driver, hunting, off road racing?

Daily driver - 90%
Play time - 10% (real world)

budget?

I'm a member of WaGuns... you figure it out.
Well... under $10,000

There is a black jk truck for sale on meridain a block off river road. Probably expensive. You want a 2013+, they have the 3.6 and 65 more hp, it's a MUCH MUCH better engine. Honeslty i wouldnt consider a 3.8. They also dont have that mid 2000's ugly ass interior style. Mine is a 2014, although it's a 4 door and lifted you can check it out if you want. I get 17 mpg which isn't all that bad considering it has 2 straight axles, 400+ lbs of wheel and tire and the lift. It doesn't have lockers but I don't beat on it too hard since it's my wife's daily ride. Get a hard top, there is a pulley system that you can bolt to the roof of the garage and wing bolts to replace the bolts ghat hold the top to the jeep, those make removing the top crazy easy. If you are single or don't have kids a 2 door will be fine, but they are tiny inside.

for under 10k id look for a stock unmolested tj (00-06) with a 4.0 and 5/6 speed

Great info from Manacat.

$10k, puts you in TJ range(round headlights) for sure, half that or less is YJ range(square headlights). I have a YJ, they are fun rigs and if you are mechanically include can do pretty much anything to it. The YJ unfortunately is just old enough that vendors are making less aftermarket stuff for them. Don't get me wrong, there is a buttload of parts and mods available, but all the new cool shit cxoming out is TJ based. SOME parts can be interchanged.

I have not been in/around a TJ, but I thought I heard they are coil spring suspension and ride rougher than the YJ? Manacat can hopefully comment on that.

Regardless of he model.year, give it a good test drive and listen/feel for vibrations etc. I would recommend buying a stock rig. You will spend more if you hope it up, but always nice to know you have a stock rig and if mod it, it is done right. Also less chance it was thrashed offroad. GREAT info on the hardtop as well. get one already with it for sure up here.