How much is my TJ worth?!

Macdaddy4738

Macdaddy4738

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 1, 2005
So me and my dad were talking...

I want to add a 2 inch lift or so and fit a bit bigger tire (33 if I can)

He mentioned just selling off my current one, and buying a jeep with the work already done..

My TJ is a 98 4cyl (yeah...:flipoff2: )

147K+ miles on it

New Bestop (not even a year old)

New speaker bar

Ipod hookup

CD Player

31 inch tires (pretty much on their last leg)

American Racing wheels, chrome.

Does this seem like a good plan? I really wanted an older Jeep to begin with (CJ5-7) but I ended up with the TJ (no complaints, I love it)
 
Look up the KBB value and be honest about the condition. That is the best you can hope for regardless of the mods done to it.
 
Don't forget, if you get a jeep that "already has the work done" there is NO TELLING what the QUALITY of that work is.
(Yes I'm still bitter about trying to offer help to a friend with his F'd UP YJ that he bought. If I figure out who the PO was I am SO going to PEE ON THEM.)
Plus buying an older jeep that has been lifted, it will have been wheeled. Probably hard.

Stick a BB on your jeep, do a 1" bl, stick some 33s on there and have fun.
 
You can do a BB in 2 hours or less. Why spend all that time selling you jeep, and probably loosing $$? A budget boost is cheap as well.
I can maybe understand if you were looking for a tubed out, back halfed TJ, but for a budget boost? You'll be ahead to keep what you have. Just my $.02...

- Mac
 
hm...okay.

I figured I could sell it for around 6000and get a nice lifted CJ of somesort.

How much would the BB, Wheels, and Tires cost? I priced it out orginally and it was in excess of 1k, is that just because I was using a website or something?
 
You could get a fully loaded cj7 for that price! Lift lockers winch ready to wheel...
 
If it is your DD, you would be worlds ahead staying with the TJ.

If you get the BB and need some help putting it on, let me know. I have done a few and they aren't hard.
 
Macdaddy4738 said:
hm...okay.
I figured I could sell it for around 6000and get a nice lifted CJ of somesort.
How much would the BB, Wheels, and Tires cost? I priced it out orginally and it was in excess of 1k, is that just because I was using a website or something?
Click to expand...

No, it will be pricey.
Tires are not cheap, unless you can find a used set on rims on here or somewhere.
Even then, beast case you are looking at about 500$, then if you can find a used BB and shocks, 100$ or so, body lift (since it's a 97 you might as well get the one that replaces everything) so 150-190$.
If you get all the stuff new, you are looking at ~1000 or more for 5 tires and rims. (Yes 5, get a real spare tire)
You can sell your stock rims/tires to get a little back. (very little) And then 235$ for the BB. So figure closer to 1500$
No one ever said Jeeps were cheap.
:(
 
CJ's are so much cooler though! I'd rather mod a CJ than a TJ! :beer:
 
Something to consider... I absolutely love a clean CJ - but a clean, RELIABLE CJ is not going to be cheap. Sure, there are some great deals that come around every once in a while. But I would be willing to bet that your 1998 4banger TJ is going to be alot more reliable than a 20+ year old CJ that is less than $6,000. Just my opinion.
 
farmboy said:
Something to consider... I absolutely love a clean CJ - but a clean, RELIABLE CJ is not going to be cheap. Sure, there are some great deals that come around every once in a while. But I would be willing to bet that your 1998 4banger TJ is going to be alot more reliable than a 20+ year old CJ that is less than $6,000. Just my opinion.
Click to expand...
Hey wait a minute, I own a 20+ year old CJ and....







I agree 100%
 
My CJ is completely reliable. You can rely on the fact that it will start when it wants to and will stop when it feels like it.

A '97 tj is a good place to start. I had one but it was the 6cyl. It all depends on what you want to do. No matter what I would ditch the 4cyl and get a 6cyl if you stay with a TJ. If you are looking for a trail rig, keep the tj for the street and buy a sami or yota.
 
okay, I guess I'll keep it around (being that it IS my DD)

Im not sure when I will be doing the BB.

Will a 2" bb actually let me put on 33 inchers? I have no lift on it currently and have 31X10.50's on it
 
sawzall1.jpg


Best BB around :bling:
 
A CJ is like a gift and curse.

I loved driving mine but unfortunately it stayed out of commission most of the time. Buy a CJ when you don't need it to get from point A to B everyday.
 
i bought my 97 tj 4 banger and had the same questions.
heres my 2 cents. Start off simple bb,tires,maybe some cheap bling like a clinometer and wire head light covers. Then over the next 7or 8 years grow into an avid wheeler,drop all the dough you have on it ,wheel the piss out of it,upgrade as you break,make poor decisions,realize they were poor decisions,change plans in middle of project,spend more time and dough,cuss a little,have plenty ''best times of your life'' in it,meet new people in it,meet new idiots in it,meet chicks in it,almost cause traffic jams in it(4 cylnder),go around traffic jams in it,

I could go on and on but i wont,if you choose this path or any other that involves wheeling then in a few years you can write your own ''run on sentence'' about your wheelin life.

HAVE FUN!!
 
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