Thank you very much fellow Texas LOST members for years of valuable insight, advice, group buys, and much, much more. It was a love and hate relationship with the KJ and now that it is gone, I actually feel a bit relieved.
I traded in the KJ on Saturday for a Toyota Camry (I know don't laugh) and feel pretty good about the decision. My wife and kids now have a ton more room, a nicer ride, better fuel economy and I have a lower payment. I will just keep riding my motorcycle daily to work, put a tow hitch on the car for my little trailer, and the world will be good.
The KJ has gone through a front diff, a rear diff, an x-fer case and a few other annoyances under warranty. The warranty expired at 70K and at 70,120 miles, the idler pulley and A/C compressor died. Also, the valve guide seals were leaking so it was smoking on start up, the front diff was moaning, the rear pinion seal was leaking (for the 4th time), and the rear tracklok was clunking. I used all synthetic lubes and changed everything at Jeep's ridiculous intervals including the plugs. It seamed like I was always doing some kind of maintenance to the darn truck. There was no lack of maintenance. The KJ was also treated very well and was not hammered off the pavement either. It saw some action but nothing more than casual wheeling.
Its fuel economy had dropped about 2mpg over the last year too.
So, Chrysler will not get anymore of my business unless it is a used Wrangler that I build into something special. I started as a Toyota guy with my '83 PU and my '80 FJ-40 and will be heading back that way. Either a Tacoma or a FJ cruiser will probably join the family in the next three years.
My KJ just didn’t hold up very well but I did like the machine and it did perform pretty good.
So, goodbye and thank you again.
Does anyone need a free set of stock ’04 KJ springs?
mrclortho@yahoo.com
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