"Just Jeepin'" (macintux)
09/19/2020 at 18:25 • Filed to: unnecessary jeep shopping with jj, jeep, craigslist
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"Just Jeepin'" (macintux)
09/19/2020 at 18:25 • Filed to: unnecessary jeep shopping with jj, jeep, craigslist | 3
| 26 |
I was 100% certain I was buying a manual, 4L, 4wd XJ today.
I got up early this morning to drive 4 hours (technically “ride” 4 hours, with DSM_OR_DIE in one of his multiplicity of Eclipses; thanks Randy!) to western Illinois, to Kewanee, for a mostly clean XJ. Reasonable price, inspection had been done and came back mostly ok, seller was very friendly and helpful. It had one big rust spot, but this is after all a 20+ year old Jeep.
Say hi Randy
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
So much for my misplaced confidence.
As soon as I took it out for a spin (after throwing my backpack into the back seat “since I’m definitely going to buy it anyway”, famous last words) I realized there were a few things wrong.
The mythical unicorn: a manual Insight that shared a parking lot with us
The inspector mentioned a misfire. What he didn’t mention is that it was non-stop. Randy correctly guessed there was a problem with the distributor; he took a look and indeed the engine was only firing on 5 cylinders. That’s something we probably could have (rather, he could have) fixed as soon as I bought it, assuming we could find replacement parts in Kewanee.
The bigger, more uncertain problem was the clutch. Ermagerd.
The pedal was incredibly stiff, and the shifter would simply not go into gear without begging. Absolutely atrocious. I thought my current transmission woes were bad, but this was all but undriveable. The seller and his family just assumed all Jeeps were this bad and put up with it.
Probably just a clutch replacement. Probably.
And then there was a new squealing noise that popped up after a few minutes of driving; who knows what that was about.
Anyway, I came to the conclusion that if I drove it 4 hours back home I’d be miserable and regretting my decision the whole way. Sure, I could eventually get on the interstate and die of boredom avoid most shifting, but the misfiring would be an issue, if we couldn’t find the parts we needed.
And nursing it back home just to leave it in a shop for some indefinite period of time to sort out its ailments was unappealing.
In hindsight, I should have considered buying it, getting the temp tags, and then leaving it there; I could have found a shipper, probably, and retrieved it eventually.
But there were just enough unknowns at the time, and the idea of finding another way to get it back didn’t occur to me, so now I’m thinking maybe it’s just time to settle for an automatic XJ.
Or a 2009-10 Commander with the v8 engine, if I’m going to settle for an automatic anyway. Less rust, less hoonage.
https://quadcities.craigslist.org/cto/d/kewanee-very-nice-1998-jeep-cherokee-xj/7194042665.html
But if anyone else wants it, get in line, because I was apparently the first of about 30 people from all over the country who’ve been reaching out.
Nom De Plume
> Just Jeepin'
09/19/2020 at 18:33 |
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So it did end up being a marathon leaving you mentally and physically unsatisfied.
Let it happen... and better luck next time.
The Snowman
> Just Jeepin'
09/19/2020 at 18:36 |
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Probably should have been a clue when they said hard to find 4.0 engine. This had to be like a 75%+ take rate option.
Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
> Just Jeepin'
09/19/2020 at 18:37 |
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Just keep looking, Yo. The car you want is out there; you just haven’t found it yet. Don’t. Settle.
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Just Jeepin'
> Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
09/19/2020 at 18:39 |
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We’ll see. Today I’m just exhausted.
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Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
> Just Jeepin'
09/19/2020 at 18:41 |
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I mean, you like manual 4-litres, right? You’re learning how to buy one.
Keep. Looking. And perhaps be prepared for the idea that you’ll need an engine or a trans. Or not. But I wouldn’t settle.
Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
> Just Jeepin'
09/19/2020 at 18:54 |
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I have a confession: if a car is over 2 hours away I don’t even look at them anymore. I’ve done countless drives requiring an entire day just to look at a completely misrepresented vehicle. The one that stung the most was the one the guy sold while I was in hour 4 of my 5 hour drive to his house. The last five vehicles I’ve bought have all been within 45 minutes of me. This reduces my rage and makes dry runs less noteworthy.
gmctavish needs more space
> Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
09/19/2020 at 19:05 |
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The last time I went over an hour out of my way to look at a car with “no
issues, mechanic maintained,
you can drive it home” it had no gas pedal, no seat belts because the floors were rusted where they mount to, no carpet, and I could fit my whole fist into both doors from the rust holes in the bottom. I told him he was a time-wasting asshole and drove home. He genuinely didn’t understand why I was upset.....
bison78
> Just Jeepin'
09/19/2020 at 19:25 |
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You had it inspected and the inspection did not flag up the issues with
t
he clutch?
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Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
> bison78
09/19/2020 at 19:48 |
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He must have hired a home inspector
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Just Jeepin'
> bison78
09/19/2020 at 19:55 |
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I’m pretty sure he mentioned “stiff clutch”. What he did not say, but should have, is “worst shifting experience you’ve had in your 30 years of driving stick shifts”.
Nor did he identify the painfully obvious problem with the distributor .
Chariotoflove
> Just Jeepin'
09/19/2020 at 20:44 |
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You did the right thing. The vibes have to be all in the right direction when you buy something like this. Any doubt, and it’s a no go. You’ll get what you need eventually.
Speed
> Just Jeepin'
09/20/2020 at 00:06 |
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All this build up and such a let down, but the disappoint the fans feel surely pales in comparison to the heartbreak that’s yours. You probably dodged a bullet, but damn that was some effort. Buying a new vehicle is one of the most exciting things a Jalop can do, so I know this one’s a bummer. We’ll keep looking! Better to turn it down and turn around than get it and regret it.
shop-teacher
> Just Jeepin'
09/20/2020 at 00:19 |
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Take a break from the search for a few weeks.
Tristan
> Just Jeepin'
09/20/2020 at 04:12 |
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As someone who’s owned an XJ for nearly 2 decades, I don’t really understand why you want one so badly. I have an affinity for shitboxes and a great deal of learned mechanical experience, so I get on fine. I also can’t say I was ever actively looking to own an XJ- I was just looking for a way to offload an irredeemable pile of an S10 Blazerwhen I was 18 and broke and the trade was available so I took it. Over the years the little turd has gained way too much sentimental value to ever part with it, but it’s really a truly terrible vehicle that would absolutely bankrupt me if I didn’t have mechanical abilities. If you want a nice one, they're shooting up in value. If you want a cheap one, what you looked at today is what you're going to get.
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Tristan
> Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
09/20/2020 at 04:15 |
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It used to be nothing for me to road trip 8 hours to buy a car I found on Craigslist. Now? I can't even muster 1.5 hours. Wife, kids, job, house, blah, blah, blah... And that's not even getting into how aloof sellers have gotten. I fully expect them to ghost me at any point 99% of the time.
QCGoose
> Just Jeepin'
09/20/2020 at 10:52 |
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Hey you were in my neck of the woods! The Quad Cities is the “QC” in my username (so many assume it’s Quebec lol). Davenport, IA to be more precise; about another 50 minutes west of Kewanee.
Sorry you drove so long to return empty handed, but you made the right call. The right XJ will come along right about the time you quit searching for one.
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Just Jeepin'
> Tristan
09/20/2020 at 11:12 |
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An XJ meets all of the criteria for what I want:
I can drive it in the w inter to spare my LJ’s frame
I can take it to a Jeep Jamboree if my LJ is shop-bound (my front differential cost me a trip with my father to the U.P. a few years ago, an opportunity I may never get again ) or otherwise use to explore my usual haunts
M
echanically simple enough that even I, with my cluelessness, can at least begin to understand how it works (and similar enough to my LJ that I can compare the two)
Manual, although I’m starting to relent on that
I should have bitten the bullet yesterday, but when it came time to drop 4 grand on something that I hated driving in that moment, I couldn’t do it. If I had known for certain that it was just a clutch, no transmission issues involved, I probably would have, but my LJ’s transmission has given me so much grief that I’m gun-shy, despite knowing the AX-15 is much more robust.
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Just Jeepin'
> QCGoose
09/20/2020 at 12:09 |
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You know, funny you should say that...
Do your day-to-day travels take you close to Monticello perchance?
Without any actual photos, this is not terribly interesting, but if they make it look clean I’d definitely be curious to find out how it drives...
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Just Jeepin'
> Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
09/20/2020 at 12:19 |
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Here’s a clapped-out SF-area one if you want to take a look, but I’m guessing it’s not worth the cost of an email on my part or a visit on yours.
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/d/concord-1994-jeep-cherokee/7199264910.html
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Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
> Just Jeepin'
09/20/2020 at 16:41 |
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That car has negative value. Like he needs to pay to have it taken away.
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QCGoose
> Just Jeepin'
09/20/2020 at 22:37 |
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My daily route is a 45 minute drive east into Illinois, so not exactly up to Monticello lol. It would be nice if they’d spend the 5 minutes it’d take to snap a few decent photos of that Cherokee and upload them on to their site.
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Just Jeepin'
> QCGoose
09/20/2020 at 22:42 |
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I sent them a note, so we’ll see. Probably just landed there late last week .
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Tristan
> Just Jeepin'
09/21/2020 at 00:15 |
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Those are all good reasons. Keep the underside oiled down- they love to rust and the sheetmetal is THIN. Come find one in the PNW- we don't salt!
vondon302
> Just Jeepin'
09/21/2020 at 12:30 |
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Damn it, I wondered what happened.
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Just Jeepin'
> vondon302
09/21/2020 at 12:34 |
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I should have bitten the bullet and bought it anyway. I just wasn’t expecting to absolutely hate driving it.
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vondon302
> Just Jeepin'
09/21/2020 at 12:40 |
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Maybe maybe not.
Good luck on your hunt.