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Advice for buying a used Wrangler TJ


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SWB Pajero 3.8 are very rare to find and even more rare to find a clean one. After the initial few drives as you want to venture further you will need some mods to make it capable for higher level drives. The Xterra is more than capable to handle the most extreme drive conditions with superb reliability. The only squeaking sound from the suspensions is due to leaf springs in the rear. @Emmanuel is trying out a spray which has kept his Xterra pretty quiet recently, he can guide you too regarding lots of tips and tricks on the Xterra as @Shamil would agree.

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I agree with all the comments here. I would either go with an Xterra or TJ. I personally would go with the TJ but I might be bias.

As for shops I take my JK to off-road zone but ICON is good too. 

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If you go for an Xterra (happy owner speaking here), have a look at this thread above.

My advice: look for the post 2008 models, third generation, the latest year you can. On those cars the year is more important than the mileage - bear in mind that an Xterra can go to 400-500K if well taken care of. Of course you need to ask a mechanic to check the car before you buy it. I personally drive an « X » model, which is the basic and cheapest one. I just added a skid plate and a light bar and for me it’s just fine.

 

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Oh yea. Xterra all the way. I have been driving SUVs for about 15 years and I have tried quite a few brands and models. There’s something about the way how an X just handles and you should take a test drive to see what I am talking about. Glad to chime in and help.

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On 6/5/2019 at 4:58 AM, Rahimdad said:

The Xterra is more than capable to handle the most extreme drive conditions with superb reliability. The only squeaking sound from the suspensions is due to leaf springs in the rear. @Emmanuel is trying out a spray which has kept his Xterra pretty quiet recently, he can guide you too regarding lots of tips and tricks on the Xterra as @Shamil would agree.

So from what I'm understanding, this squeaking is an annoyance, and is not a performance issue, correct?

On 6/5/2019 at 11:20 AM, Emmanuel said:

If you go for an Xterra (happy owner speaking here), have a look at this thread above.

My advice: look for the post 2008 models, third generation, the latest year you can. On those cars the year is more important than the mileage - bear in mind that an Xterra can go to 400-500K if well taken care of. Of course you need to ask a mechanic to check the car before you buy it. I personally drive an « X » model, which is the basic and cheapest one. I just added a skid plate and a light bar and for me it’s just fine.

 

Can I ask what exactly is better about model year >2009 cars? Also, does the entry-level model come with locking diffs?

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25 minutes ago, Avinash Vora said:

So from what I'm understanding, this squeaking is an annoyance, and is not a performance issue, correct?

Yes, it is just an annoyance issue and no performance has been impacted. After a little while, you will develop an ignore mode on this little noise, that comes while braking or slow-moving when car nose moves up and down. It's not noticeable on highway.

 
 
 
27 minutes ago, Avinash Vora said:

Can I ask what exactly is better about model year >2009 cars? Also, does the entry-level model come with locking diffs?

The entry model is quite capable and doesn't come with diff lock. The offroad version comes with diff lock, but again then there will be a trade-off that you are buying a car that has been previously abused in the sand. If you can find an offroad version that is not been in sand regularly, that will be your best choice by paying little extra (if you have to).

If offroad version been on rocks and wadi's then also it's acceptable, as abuse of rocks and wadis can be easily identified by underbody damage by lifting the car. You can't fry the engine, gearbox and 4x4 in rocks much unlike in sand revving at 6K rpm every week.

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Let's root for each other & watch each other grow.

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