Buying A Used Jeep: The Best Tips & Advice

You may want a new Jeep, but the cost of that shiny new Grand Cherokee is like taking out a second mortgage. Indeed, many of today's new four-wheel drive vehicle prices compare to the cost of a new home in many areas. What is the driver who needs or wants to go off-road to do? Well, a used Jeep can be purchased at a savings of 25 to 80 percent as compared to its cost when new. With Jeep's inherent reliability and tough-as-nails construction, many Jeeps from the mid-to-late '80's are still on the road today.

The purchase of a dependable, reasonably priced used four-wheel drive is not a matter of chance or luck, but rather, it is a matter of knowledge and understanding. Doing some basic research is one of the most important factors in successfully purchasing a dependable used Jeep at a good price.

Gathering Information About The Vehicle - Questions To Ask

Variety is the spice of life. You have a few choices here - a small SUV, like the TJ, larger SUV, like the Grand Cherokee and even a pickup model in the older Comanches. Since the bottom line for buying a used four-wheel drive is to save money, remember that information and knowledge translate into purchasing power. Therefore, it is worthwhile to gather information.

In order to get the best Jeep for the driving at hand, consider the following questions:

• How many people will be typically transported in the vehicle?
• What type of objects and cargo will be transported in the vehicle (size considerations)?
• Will driving be conducted in poor weather conditions and/or off-road (shift on the fly, continuous four-wheel drive, heavy duty low-end transfer case)?
• Is a unit-body type frame suitable for intended general highway driving, or is a more rugged full box type frame needed for off-road driving?
• What towing capacity should the vehicle have?
• How much will insurance cost to protect the driver and the vehicle (consider obtaining an insurance quote before buying a vehicle)?
• What is the approximate amount of money to be spent on a four-wheel drive vehicle?
  
• The best way to learn first-hand about the types of jeeps is to meet up with a local Jeep club and start asking questions. Members, and Jeep owners in general, are happy to talk to you about their Jeeps. They know they're not for everyone - and you should use their knowledge to help determine if a particular Jeep is for you.

Consumer Reports is another great source of information. They provide technical specifications for four-wheel drives including the size, weight, engine horsepower, optional equipment, and miles per gallon of fuel. Finally, take a stop by the local Jeep garage - ask the mechanics what typically needs replacing on models you're considering and what the costs would be. Building this relationship is a good thing - they will likely be the guys repairing your Jeep if/when it needs attention.

In addition to becoming informed about the strengths of Jeeps, it is worthwhile to learn the approximate prices for vehicles in your area. To obtain a general idea of four-wheel drive prices, consult the current monthly edition of the NADA price guide at a public library, bank, or a truck dealership - in Canada, this is the Canadian Red Book, available at all public libraries. Four-wheel drive price information can also be obtained by consulting the SUV and truck classified sections of major newspapers, local "buy & sells" and regional "Trader"-type publications.

Where To Look To Find A Good Used Jeep

There are a number of possible used Jeep sources from which to choose. When hunting for a vehicle, be certain to let each source know that you are also considering the other sources. Some of the sources to consider when buying a used four-wheel drive include:

• The Internet
  
• Used truck lots
  
• Rental car companies
  
• Company vehicles
  
• New truck dealerships
  
• Private owners
  
• Local Jeep Clubs for private sales
  
• Regional Trader-type publications
  
• Local buy & sell publications
  
• Local garages who service primarily Jeeps

Contacting a used vehicle source by telephone and obtaining specific information can help to reduce unnecessary legwork. The telephone inquiry will enable you to determine if a Jeep is worth your time to inspect.

Some questions to ask include:

• How many miles has the vehicle been driven (the average is about 12,000 to 14,000 miles per year/ 24,000 kms per year)?
  
• Is the transmission an automatic or a manual? If the transmission is not what you want, there is no need to ask further questions.
  
• Does it have a low range?
  
• What is the condition of the vehicle's body? Is there any rust?
  
• Has the vehicle been repainted and if so, why? Avoid repainted four-wheel drives. It is better to see the original paint even if a few small stone chips need to be touched-up.
  
• Has the vehicle been involved in any accidents? Avoid four-wheel drives that have been involved in accidents.
  
• When is the next safety inspection and emissions standard test due (if applicable)? The Jeep should have a minimum of at least six months remaining until the next required safety inspection and emissions test.
  
• How often were the engine oil and the oil filter changed, and who performed the service? An acceptable answer would be every 3,000 to 3,500 miles.
  
• Are they the original owner of the vehicle? Original owners tend to take better care of their four-wheel drives.
  
• What is the reason that the vehicle is being sold? It is worthwhile to look for a situation where an individual is the original owner and he is planning to again buy the same make of four-wheel drive.
  
• Are parts readily available for the vehicle? Where can parts be obtained? Avoid buying a four-wheel drive if parts are not readily available.
  
• Has the vehicle had any recent repairs (new brakes, tires, exhaust, battery) or service and if so, what garage performed the repairs or service?
  
• What price are you asking for the four-wheel drive?

The interior and exterior inspections and the vehicle test-drive are used to verify the information obtained during the telephone inquiry.

How to Do a Visual Inspection Before Buying a Used Jeep

Before conducting an inspection of the exterior of the Jeep you are considering purchasing, make certain that good weather conditions exist. The ground should be dry and there should be plenty of sunlight.

Some aspects of the exterior inspection include:

• Consider the environment that surrounds the used four-wheel drive.
  
• Are the dealership surroundings clean and orderly?
  
• Does the retail company provide efficient customer service?
  
• Is the private owner's property well maintained? The surroundings, can provide an indication of how well the owner maintained the vehicle.
  
• Look to see when the safety inspection and the emissions test stickers will be due.
  
• Observe how the four-wheel drive sits. The vehicle should sit level horizontally when it is viewed from the front and the rear. When viewed from the side, the rear of the vehicle should sit slightly higher than the front. A four-wheel drive that does not sit properly has been driven and used hard.
  
• Check all four of the tires for evenness of tread wear (similar to how the soles of a person's shoes indicate how he walks). Also, check to see if all four of the tires are the same brand and type. Sometimes, an owner will install a new set of front tires on a four-wheel drive to hide the uneven tire wear caused by a steering and/or a suspension problem.
  
• Don't be shocked to find rust on a used Jeep - minor surface rust can easily be cured.
• Unless you're after a cheap-to-purchase/long-term project, avoid Jeeps with major rust problems.
  
• …and don't be surprised to find a jeep different than one you have pictured in your mind's eye - one man's "Excellent Condition" is another man's "Restoration Project".