cheap jeep wanted

"jeep" is fairly generic here. My kid has about a grand to spend on a daily driver 4x4. This is basically a first car, and is mainly for driving to school and work...and probably some very mild wheelin'. (if that...he's kind of take it or leave it for wheelin'. His next brother after him will be jones'in for a buggy for his first rig and I'll be lookin' for a longer trailer)

I've seen a couple lifted cherokees on ksl...slap a lockrite and some tow hooks and he'd be good to go...but totally stock would be fine too.

We'll be watching the ads while he gets his permit, and pull the trigger when he gets it. Frankly, I'd rather have him driving something like this than my X or my wife's minivan (and the Green is not an option).

Working defroster is more important than the ability to fit 35" muds. Auto is a must. He'll learn to shift gears later (hopefully).:)

Opinions? Thoughts? Leads?
 

phatfoto

Giver of bad advice
Location
Tooele
I bought my daughter a 90 XJ last year for $700. I put less than $300 more into it over the first few months to pass safety and for some upkeep. Back a couple months ago I dropped another $200 or so into it, would have been more but I picked up a parts rig for free. If you and your son are mechanically adept, XJs aren't that hard to work on (aggravating at times if its Renix...). Even though she won't take it on hard trails, it will be getting a little 2" lift anyway (I have some standards to uphold...).
 
I bought my daughter a 90 XJ last year for $700. I put less than $300 more into it over the first few months to pass safety and for some upkeep. Back a couple months ago I dropped another $200 or so into it, would have been more but I picked up a parts rig for free. If you and your son are mechanically adept, XJs aren't that hard to work on (aggravating at times if its Renix...). Even though she won't take it on hard trails, it will be getting a little 2" lift anyway (I have some standards to uphold...).

That sounds about what we're looking for. The '95 GC (in another thread) is looking pretty good, and is about the same thing. I had an '88 back in the 90s that I really liked. I can find my way around with a wrench, and my son will get to do a bit of learning.

Brett
 

Tacoma

Et incurventur ante non
Location
far enough away
Sure you don't want him in say, a Suburban? Cheaper to fix, safe as hell. Will suck gas at about 12mpg so he can't get too far away LOL
 

phatfoto

Giver of bad advice
Location
Tooele
I bought the XJ because, they are more durable than cars, sit higher than cars. It has 4x4 so she wouldn't be as likely to be stranded in bad weather. The XJ is cheap to buy, and fairly cheap to maintain. And being her first car, cheap to fix if she bashes it. And now she has it at college and her roomies love it. No power windows or mirrors or anything to be a problem...
 
I bought the XJ because, they are more durable than cars, sit higher than cars. It has 4x4 so she wouldn't be as likely to be stranded in bad weather. The XJ is cheap to buy, and fairly cheap to maintain. And being her first car, cheap to fix if she bashes it. And now she has it at college and her roomies love it. No power windows or mirrors or anything to be a problem...

Good reasons for sure. I didn't think about the non-power windows and stuff. Good call.
 

gijohn40

too poor to wheel... :(
Location
Layton, Utah
I saw a full size blazer for sale with a MAKE OFFER sign on it... not sure what all is wrong with it... and I have seen a few xj's for sale cheap up here in layton lately... seems that everyone is selling their jeeps due to cash flow problems... you should be able tofind something that fits your pocket book...
 

cruiseroutfit

Cruizah!
Moderator
Vendor
Location
Sandy, Ut
We are missing out on an important factor. Brett has a kid thats getting close to driving... DAMN your old! :D

Get him a Samurai, cheap to drive, easy to fix and the best vehicle to own in a tight high school parking lot :D
 

Coco

Well-Known Member
Location
Lehi, UT
I started out with a '90 4runner I picked up for a 1000, and put some tires on it, and a muffler, and that was it, passed safety and emissions with flying colors. That was my first car, and it too was a standard, my dad taught me how to drive it, and I am really glad he did! It is just like clock work now!:)

lol, funny you mention samurai! That was my 2nd vehicle! And like 3 kids at my school had them (including me) mine had 5:12s in the Tcase, 5:14s in the axles, and detroits. sitting on 33s. I loved it, but the top speed I got in that was 65 MPH in 5th gear pinned. On downhills, 75 if I was lucky;) But I still drove it to and from SLC once and a while, and too and from orem almost twice a week. And was still able to go out and run some good trail (RS, and CON) I was planning on taking it to this last EJS, but sold it right before, and got the TJ
 
Last edited:
We are missing out on an important factor. Brett has a kid thats getting close to driving... DAMN your old! :D

Get him a Samurai, cheap to drive, easy to fix and the best vehicle to own in a tight high school parking lot :D

Me? Old? Nah, he was born when I was only 11 :D

We've considered a sammy...in fact I had one sitting in my front yard, along with a parts sammy for months. Rear locker and 4.16tcase and 3" lift...but the timing was such that to keep a happy wife happy it had to go. Too many projects. Sold it for a grand, oddly enough.

A sammy would be perfect, as would an old 4runner/pickup. A tracker too...
 
Top