hi, I am new to the whole jeep thing, i have always wanted one but know nothing about them.no i have moved from the uk, i can finally justify owning one!
today i went to look at a black 1995 YJ, it had 200k on the odo & seemed to be in reasonable condition, it had leaf springs, and while the didn't look totally rusted through, they weren't in the best off condition. same goes for the rest of the chassis it started fine and everything worked, although there was a high pitched noise, i thought it was the radio but when i turned it off it still remained, i also noticed that there was no oil that had leaked (it was stood in a used car lot) but after the engine was run for a while, there seemed to be water/fluid dripping from the centre? it is standard, has a hardtop but no soft, and the dealership is asking for $2980......... it has no history of any work been carried out, is this a wise buy? any help or advice would be greatly appreciated, i have a budget of about $5000, but that would be pushing my finances, would it be wise to buy an older one with proof of work being carried out, i don't want to break down in bear territory but how do i know??????? :)

 

First off, don't buy it. If you feel uneasy about a vehicle, it is probably a correct feeling. Low oil, and coolant leaking states disaster is usually ahead. As for the springs, as long as they are not broken, sagging, arched like a frown, they are probably OK. Look in the auto trader, check JEEP clubs in your area, most clubs have a few guys selling rides. And these guys/ladies, usually do not rip off their friends (fellow JEEP owners or prospectives).