Well the KJ is gone and now I need a set of dependable wheels for cheap. I'm looking for a YJ or TJ for less than $6000 and I have some questions...

How do the 4-cylinder motors perform? I'd obiously get one with the 5-speed to make it accelerate a little faster but does the 4 banger get that much better mpg over the 4.0 L? We all know that the 4.0 L is practally bulletproof but how reliable is the 2.5L?

Any transmission issues with the automatics? I'm sure that I heard there was a French auto shifter used in some years but which ones?

This last question is more of a poll: Hard top or soft? Its been below zero for the past 10-12 days with wind chills around -30 degrees; Is it a smart to even look at soft tops? But I do know that I'll be in Oklahoma for 9 months starting in May...decisions, decisions...

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LOST # 590
Not Jeepless anymore
97 TJ Sahara, 2.5" OME, SYE + CV driveshaft, JKS discos, some armor, some lights...

Well.. As for the 2.5L.. They are a great motor.. But I would go with the 4.0L.. There are people who have put 250K miles on it.. As long as you do the maintence like you are supposed to do.. It should last you a long long time.. Plus, you can get parts alot easier for the 4.0L compared to the 2.5L.. Trust me.. I have a 2.5L in my YJ and I have problems finding parts.. If you don't wheel it hard, the AX-15 isn't that bad.. But the brass synchros do go out..

HTH,

Ben

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06 KJ with stuff..
07 JKU Rubi with even more stuff
95 YJ - Waiting on some surgery..

I say 4.0L I-6, TJ, Hardtop. The 4.0 is bulletproof, and the TJ has coils instead of leaf springs, and I said hardtop because Soft tops are cheaper to buy aftermarket, then you can have both. Good reasoning?

Is your 2.5 the AMC or GM Iron Duke version? Not sure what the years were for the iron duke but I recall a friend having lots of problems getting parts for that motor.

Personally I would go with Hard top for winter and pop it off in the summer and definately the 4.0L.

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99 TJ
71 C101
04 KJ
03 SFA KJ Sport
LOST JEEPS So-Cal

There aren't many TJs out there in the price range I'm looking for. I guess I should add that I probably won't be driving it much after December 2007 - I have an upcoming deployment so it will either sit in the driveway or I'll get rid of it.

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LOST # 590
Not Jeepless anymore
97 TJ Sahara, 2.5" OME, SYE + CV driveshaft, JKS discos, some armor, some lights...

Mine is the AMC 2.5L.. It is a 95 model..

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06 KJ with stuff..
07 JKU Rubi with even more stuff
95 YJ - Waiting on some surgery..

we were living in ohio when we bought our TJ so it spent a few years in the snow. our '99 has a killer heater so i wouldn't worry about warmth. i would get the soft top because the hard top is awkard and heavy to remove and quite big when you have to find a place to stash it. plus, if it starts raining while you're out, if you have the soft top, you can just put up the top. if you've taken off the hard top you're out of luck. the TJ has the nice latches for the top at the windshield, older models had snaps (i'm not sure about the YJ) which pull out of the vinyl.

as far as snow and such, i loved driving my manual in the snow. even if i didn't have 4WD engaged it still drove better than my front wheel drive sedan. the best part was that if you started sliding you could push in the clutch and cut power to the tires--instead of the time i started sliding for a stop sign and had to decide whether to hit the car in front or aim to the left for the curb. i ended up stopping inches from the curb (and a light post).

also, when snow would get on the top, you could just pop it from inside and it would fall off. my mom loved that. turn off the heater, let the top 'deflate' and give it a few whacks and its clear (then turn that heater back on!). also, often we'd get a thin layer of ice on the top, then snow on top. i remember once going down the freeway and the sheet of ice lifting off the top and sailing through the air--that got the guy behind me to back off a little...

we have the inline 6 4.0 ltr and its just a baby, with about 56,000 miles on it. it does have a crack in the exhaust where it meets the engine but that's an easy fix. also, i'm not sure about the back seat--i think it was still an option when we bought ours so if you want to take friends around remember to ask for it if it's not in the car. we only put ours in when the inlaws visit.

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--Polly

99 Wrangler Sport, Amethyst *~* 9500 lb Mile Marker Winch *~* Bestop Mesh Windows *~* Michelin LTX M/S *~* Custom Rock Shift Knob *~* Cobra 75 WX ST *~* 3" Boulder Bars *~* Full Husky Liners *~* Aiwa Deck *~* JKS Disco's *~* Garmin 60 CS *~* Kilby Gas tank skid *~* Poison Spyder Diff Ring

I found a few YJs out there that look like they are in decent shape:

94 Sahara, 116K miles, 4.0L (but its an automatic) for about $5K
94 S, 110K miles, 2.5L 5-speed - $5K
Then I found this TJ:
97 2.5L, 125K miles, 5-speed $4800

There are others but these 3 are the top prospects. As far as the back seat, I'm not the one sitting back there so I really don't care. It keeps me from having to drive when out with the guys...

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LOST # 590
Not Jeepless anymore
97 TJ Sahara, 2.5" OME, SYE + CV driveshaft, JKS discos, some armor, some lights...

I think that would be the best choice since and Automatics aren't bad when you start playing on rocks you can laugh at the smell of your friends burning up there clutch

ok before anyone says anything i know you can use a manuel tranny on rocks with out burning it up.

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-John L.O.S.T. #229262
SOLD 2005 Liberty
SOLD 2006 TJ Rubicon
1977 Ford Bronco
5.5inch Superlift
35x12.50's

Again, I'm wondering how reliable this automatic is going to be. Chrysler isn't well known for high-milage auto transmissions.

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LOST # 590
Not Jeepless anymore
97 TJ Sahara, 2.5" OME, SYE + CV driveshaft, JKS discos, some armor, some lights...

Which autos were they using in those YJ's? The AW4 is known to run forever and works well. The one in my 1994 XJ has 182K on it and kicking just fine. (knock on wood..knock knock)

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99 TJ
71 C101
04 KJ
03 SFA KJ Sport
LOST JEEPS So-Cal

I think they only used the AW4 in the Xj. I haven't read anything about them used in the YJ.

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LOST # 590
Not Jeepless anymore
97 TJ Sahara, 2.5" OME, SYE + CV driveshaft, JKS discos, some armor, some lights...