Buying a 2004 Sport this week!

[jimheem]

First thanks to all that replied to my threads regarding noisy motors and my choice of the 03 or the 04.

It was unanimous to choose the 03 with the lower miles, but unfortunatley, that deal fell through at the dealer, due mostly to the fact that they were unwilling to negotiate some very minor terms of my deal.

"They" always say that when dealing with a car dealer you need to be willing to stand up and walk away, or else you'll get hosed. Well, that's what I did.

So, I went and put my money down on the 2004 model. It's a Sport, with 5 speed manual, sunroof, ABS and Keyless entry. Thats about the extent of the options, but you really don't get much more when you want a stick shift.

This is for my wife, who will be replacing her aging Land Rover Discovery (also a 5 speed manual - thats all we drive..) with this Jeep.

I'll be glad to have another Jeep vehicle in the driveway. This one will make 3, leaving my daily driver Ford F-150 feeling a little left out (hey, if Jeep ever made the Gladiator, I'd have that instead)

I hear you all raving about the Revo's - Thats what I put on the rover about 5,000 miles ago, thankfully in 235/70/16 size - so they should fit on the KJ. I'll have my shop do the swap.

The Rover was sweet, but I won't miss the money pit that it was. $90 for an upper radiator hose (just the part) and any work that needed to be done at a mechanic was at bare minimum $1500.

The only thing that it's too bad we couldnt get on the KJ was the full time 4wd option. This was great for my wife since she doesnt fully understand when it is snowing when it is "safe" to put it in 4wd. Oh well, thats the trade off for getting a manual trans.

No particular questions this time, just wanted to make a post. I'm sure I'll become a regular around here, picking your brains on KJ knowledge.

 

[thecause17]

I'm sure you'll be perfectly happy with it.

As far as dealers go, it all depends on how bad they want to sell a car if they'll negotiate. The place I bought mine off of tried to pull some stuff with me on my trade in, but I called his BS, and he flopped, gave me what I wanted, and he got to sell a car.

 

[jimheem]

Funny thing is, I knonw he's had this thing on his lot since the beginning of october (did a carfax on it) - So I really figured he'd be in a hurry to get rid of the thing. I mean, how often do you find a buyer for a manual shift Liberty? Most people want automatics.

Oh well, the 04 will be just as nice, and my wife likes the Silver color over the Blue anyway.

 

[thecause17]

Funny thing is, I knonw he's had this thing on his lot since the beginning of october (did a carfax on it) - So I really figured he'd be in a hurry to get rid of the thing. I mean, how often do you find a buyer for a manual shift Liberty? Most people want automatics.

Oh well, the 04 will be just as nice, and my wife likes the Silver color over the Blue anyway.

Looks like it worked out then. Out of curiosity, what were the "minor terms?"

 

[jimheem]

Well, the factory 7/70 power train warranty was canceled by Chrysler, for reasons that Chrysler would not tell me, so it could not be transfered. So I wanted them to double the 60 day 3000 mile warranty that they give on all used cars (by law) - Or to give me HIS PRICE on a third party full aftermarket warrant.

And, it did not have any remotes for the keyless, so I wanted him to get me 2 new remotes, programmed by a Jeep dealer, OR an aftermarkey keyless entry system.

He came back with NO on doubling the required by law warranty and gave me a number for "his price" on the warranty (which was almost double what I could get the same warranty for myself, so I know it wasnt his price.) And refused getting the remotes from a Jeep dealer but would pay for the installation only (not the parts) of an after market keyless entry system.

I told him no, and left. I wouldnt be surprised if I get a phone call from him this week with a better offer, but it's too late for that now.

 

[thecause17]

Well, the factory 7/70 power train warranty was canceled by Chrysler, for reasons that Chrysler would not tell me, so it could not be transfered. So I wanted them to double the 60 day 3000 mile warranty that they give on all used cars (by law) - Or to give me HIS PRICE on a third party full aftermarket warrant.

And, it did not have any remotes for the keyless, so I wanted him to get me 2 new remotes, programmed by a Jeep dealer, OR an aftermarkey keyless entry system.

He came back with NO on doubling the required by law warranty and gave me a number for "his price" on the warranty (which was almost double what I could get the same warranty for myself, so I know it wasnt his price.) And refused getting the remotes from a Jeep dealer but would pay for the installation only (not the parts) of an after market keyless entry system.

I told him no, and left. I wouldnt be surprised if I get a phone call from him this week with a better offer, but it's too late for that now.

You might be better off then. Not sure why the warranty would be cancelled, sometimes called "branding" I've heard of it happening with flood vehicles that aren't given salvage titles, the dealer voids warranty in case of issues with the vehicle. Could've been something like that. It's all good though you're wife will be happy.

 

[Marlon_JB2]

2004s are better anyway. Don't worry about it.

Tee Hee... I'm biased. lol3.gif

Although it's sounding like that 2003 wasn't going to be anything but a pain in your behind anyway. Cancelled warranty, no remotes, something was definitely wrong with that Jeep. Odometer rollback possibly?

 

[thecause17]

It's odd that nothing funny showed on the Carfax though.

 

[Marlon_JB2]

It's odd that nothing funny showed on the Carfax though.

That doesn't surprise me. Carfax doesn't show everything. Personally I wouldn't even waste my money on a Carfax report... if it won't tell me everything, I don't want to know anything at all.

 

[Dave]

Congrats on your Jeep.

Sounds like you made the right decision between the two given the circumstances you described.

Enjoy your Jeep, and welcome to the board.

Dave

 

[2003KJ]

Odometer rollback possibly?

How do you "roll back" a DIGITAL odometer??? (whistle)

Anyways, congrats on the new Jeep! I know you said it wasn't a full time 4x4, but is it atleast a 4x4 and not a 2wd? If so, man thats a rare jeep....5 speed, 6 cylinder, ABS.

 

[jimheem]

I actually suspect odometer fraud. You can't "roll it back" but there isn't much stopping you from disconnecting the VSS. 27,000 miles on a 2003 just seemed way to low - Sure, as pointed out, it's not out of the question, but i consider it odd.

It is 4x4, just not the Select Trac, which wasn't available with a stick - If it were, I was considering just ordering a new 2007 with those options.

 

[Marlon_JB2]

Odometer rollback possibly?

How do you "roll back" a DIGITAL odometer??? (whistle)

Anyways, congrats on the new Jeep! I know you said it wasn't a full time 4x4, but is it atleast a 4x4 and not a 2wd? If so, man thats a rare jeep....5 speed, 6 cylinder, ABS.

Tim, digital odometers can be rolled back... hacking the computer, switching instrument clusters, disconnecting the Vehicle Speed Sensor as previously said. I'm sure there's MANY other ways this can be done.

It's just HARDER to "rollback" a digital odometer... can't just be done with a drill though.

 

[thecause17]

It is 4x4, just not the Select Trac, which wasn't available with a stick - If it were, I was considering just ordering a new 2007 with those options.

That would be a nice combo...I didn't even know there was a Selec-trac when I was shopping for mine...if I would've I may have searched one out. Oh well, I wanted a Freedom Edition, and they aren't common as it is, finding one with Selec-Trac probably would've been impossible. I still haven't seen another with a sunroof like mine yet. \/

 

[MoladoGuy]

Congrats on the purchase. You will be very happy going with the 2004! I was!