Quick questions about price and longevity

[rimmy]

Hello JeepKJ forum people,

I'm considering getting a Liberty and had a few questions that I didn't see addressed in the FAQ and was hoping some people on this forum could help me out.

1) I found an '05 Renegade with 83,000 miles listed for $9,900. Does that sound like a decent price? Most of the other ones I've seen on cars.com and autotrader retail for slightly lower than that, but the hood and the trim on the renegade model really has me excited...

2) I'll pretty much need this vehicle as a daily driver for about 3 years. I know a lot has to do with the previous owner and all, but is the longevity on these motors pretty good? Can I expect to get over 100,000 on the motor and trans without any major problems if treated well?

3) If anyone has any general comments on picking a KJ I am more than willing to accept suggestions! I'm not completely sold on this one, but I love the trim and the Jeep name.

Thanks in advance for your help and I hope to be an active member of this community if I end up purchasing it!

-jordan

 

[sevenhelmet]

Renegade trim looks nice. I'd do all the standard stuff- get the Carfax, talk to the dealer, give it a thorough inspection with a mechanic or trusted mechanical friend and a test drive before you make up your mind.

If it's been well cared for you should be fine. My '03 is about to roll over 100,000 miles and it's running better than it did when I bought it from my folks 5 years ago. The only failure I've had was the water pump at 60,000 miles. Other than that, it's been just routine maintenance (and a few small mods )

 

[HoosierJeeper]

Go for it...I love mine! No issues, knock on wood.

I just have a few things to add:
1. Check the VIN on jeep.com to see if the ball joint recall was done
2. If stains bother you (they bother me big time) get leather, as the KJ cloth stains with water from what I hear
3. If you want to off road, it'd be cool to find one with skid plates
4. Get the tow package, even if you don't have plans to tow, as it comes with some nice add ons for longevity
5. Whatever KJ you get, I'm sure you'll love it.

 

[ridenby]

Got 210,000 miles on mine. Change oil ever 3000 miles or less. Air filter same or sooner depending on condition. Trans and filter every now and then. Did have trans flushed at dealer couple years ago. Diffs, transfer case get changed 3-4 times a year. 1 radiator so far. 1 power steering pump and the pressure line to rack. Changed Lower Control Arms because of adjuster bolts being froze up. Put calipers and pads on;used Vatozone lifetime stuff,have gotten real good and changing out calipers and pads. I baby my baby somewhat,check out pics in a few threads on here and other places. Oh,and yes this is my DD.

 

[rimmy]

Thanks for the replies!

 

[J-Thompson]

IMO near $10k sounds a little high
with 83k on the clock
Questions?
4wd or 2wd?
Factory tow?
Factory skids?
Other options?
General condition?

Reason I ask is simple
When we sold our '03 LTD 2 years ago we sold it
our self for $8500
it had every factory option and only 75k on the clock
The Renny is just an appearance package no more
function and less bells and whistles

 

[rimmy]

J-Thompson,

Thanks for that heads up. Of those the only one I know it has is the 4WD package. I'm going to the dealer soon to check on the vehicle in person, and will definitely be asking about the other options. I'm assuming I can get it cheaper from the dealer than the listed price but just wanted to get some opinions from the KJ experts before I went!

-jordan