Opinions on this "X" please

oldgus · **Posted:** Sat Jan 19, 2008 5:44 pm

http://www.delucacpj.com/temps/details. ... kid=209662

Seriously considering trading in the KJ for a Wrangler. Whatta ya think about this one? Maybe a 2" lift and some 32s with soft 8s for starters, then bumpers, tow hooks...etc etc. Is the hard top a PITA when you wanna go topless? Both my old Wranglers had soft tops. I do like the security advantage though.

Guest · **Posted:** Sat Jan 19, 2008 7:16 pm

my CJ7 had a hardtop, it was fine as long as you had two people. unless you have one of those top winches in the garage i would NOT recommend taking the top off by yourself...trust me :oops:

it should be 3 or 4 bolts along each side of the tub, and I don't remember if the TJ hardtops have latches at the windshield frame or bolts.

If the price is in line with what you want to spend, and there are no glaring mechanical issues, get it...but for another $4k you can get a JK, and the financing rate is usually lower on a new vehicle than used...my $.02:)

Ugg · **Posted:** Sun Jan 20, 2008 12:25 pm

I'm running a hard top and it isn't bad. 2 people and 5 minutes off it goes.

longarm · **Posted:** Sun Jan 20, 2008 12:58 pm

I think they are asking to much. Talk em down. I talked a dealership down from 26K to 21,9K for my 05 LJ Rubicon with only 1849 miles on the odometer. That was in Nov. of 05.

jeepkj02 · **Posted:** Sun Jan 20, 2008 1:04 pm

longarm wrote:

I think they are asking to much. Talk em down. I talked a dealership down from 26K to 21,9K for my 05 LJ Rubicon with only 1849 miles on the odometer. That was in Nov. of 05.

I agree...you can get a much better price than that. The JK is nice and all, but the TJ has a much better aftermarket support. Plus the I6 is a much more reliable engine than whatever there putting in the JK.

jsc7002 · **Posted:** Sun Jan 20, 2008 3:49 pm

nice looking, I would try to talk them down to $12250 or so

oldgus · **Posted:** Sun Jan 20, 2008 8:07 pm

This one costs more, but has fewer miles and more stuff and is an '06. On either one I will talk em down or walk out.
There is always someone who will deal. The unlimited comes from the same dealer that I got the KJ from,
so I'm hoping they will refund most or all of my $$ and I can work a better deal. I've only had the KJ 7 weeks! I really
like the Unlimited more. Especially cuz it has the 6 speed manual.

http://strongsville-dodge.ebizautos.com ... 66894.html

Edit: Does this '06 Unlimited come with the D44 rear ya think? I thought that was standard.

stick · **Posted:** Sun Jan 20, 2008 8:25 pm

I'm like 99.9% sure all Unlimiteds come with the D44. The hardtop isn't hard to take off, it's just a little heavy and big for one person to take off (unless you're a big beastly man). The price on the '06 seems a little high to me, but the unlimiteds are more $$. The Unlimited would give you a little more cargo room, which might be something you would want if you're going from a KJ to a TJ. If you're dropping $21K on a different vehicle, what about an X model new 4-door Wrangler?

Guest · **Posted:** Sun Jan 20, 2008 8:40 pm

jeepkj02 wrote:

longarm wrote:

I think they are asking to much. Talk em down. I talked a dealership down from 26K to 21,9K for my 05 LJ Rubicon with only 1849 miles on the odometer. That was in Nov. of 05.

I agree...you can get a much better price than that. The JK is nice and all, but the TJ has a much better aftermarket support. Plus the I6 is a much more reliable engine than whatever there putting in the JK.

the 3.8 is a much better engine overall, it just doesn't idle as smooth and it doesn't have the off-idle torque that the 4.0 has. The 3.8 rules...poorly maintained ones owned by soccer moms across the country are rocking this engine past 250,000 miles in Town&Countrys, Caravans, and Voyagers and have been for the past 20 years. I'd love to see some evidence that the 4.0 is INDEED a more reliable engine than the 3.8, considering how often you see ads for 4.0-powered Jeeps with 150k miles on them with "replaced engine 30,000 miles ago" or "only 50,000 miles on engine!" in the fine print.

oldgus · **Posted:** Sun Jan 20, 2008 9:08 pm

stick wrote:

I'm like 99.9% sure all Unlimiteds come with the D44.

Cool!

stick wrote:

The hardtop isn't hard to take off, it's just a little heavy and big for one person to take off (unless you're a big beastly man).

Yeah, that's me. :roll:

I'll probably buy the ceiling winch thing.

stick wrote:

The price on the '06 seems a little high to me, but the unlimiteds are more $$. The Unlimited would give you a little more cargo room, which might be something you would want if you're going from a KJ to a TJ. If you're dropping $21K on a different vehicle, what about an X model new 4-door Wrangler?

Right, and the hardtop, cruise, etc adds to the cost also. I'll for sure check out prices on new Wranglers also though.

jason thompson · **Posted:** Sun Jan 20, 2008 10:29 pm

Price on the first one is about what it will cost you for a Jeep like that
They hold value but I know a few guys who are not real happy with the 4 speed off road
I have the 3 speed auto and love it
keep in mind that it will probably have 3.55 or 3.27 gears and will not be happy with 32's
also the dana 35 will not like you if you leave it open and run stock gears and 32's
now it will be fine with 32's ,4.10 gears, a locker and a super 35 kit
but you will have to then regear the front and hell if you are paying to regear the front just as well lock it too
but that means an ARB locker

My point is that after you pay 17K for the Jeep
then drop another 3K in to make it what you want you could buy a Rubi.

Trust me on this
I bought a 2002 sport with 28K on it for 15,500
looked at an '03 Rubi for 19,000 and 34K on it but the Rubi was 5 speed and the wife hates 5 speed
I got the sport put in an ARB up front (Locker, compressor and install ~$1200)
put the Detroit out back ,it had a dana 44 (Locker and install ~$850)
removed the street tires and installed mudders (~$650 mounted and balanced)
Thats $18,200 and I still only have 3.73 gears and a 2.71 T-case
It is going to cost me ~$1200 for 4 to 1 in the T-case and another ~$1000 to regear to 4.10
Thats $1400 more for the sport and I do not have a dana 44 front
I will not count the lift or many other things as the Rubi did not come with those

My point is get a Rubi if you have plans to go off road
you will spend less money in the long run

chefdab · **Posted:** Sun Jan 20, 2008 10:31 pm

Yes all the TJ Unlimiteds came with a Dana 44 rear. I have an Unlimited with a hardtop and you definitely need two people to take it off as long as it is a short trip to where ever you are storing it. Three or maybe four people would make the job a lot easier as the top is very awkward due to it's size. With just the help of my brother-in -law, I had to carry it around my house and down the basement stairs to store my in the basement for the summer. To get it out for this winter, I had a neighbor and his son help and it was still a royal pain in the butt. This spring I may just rent a storage locker at the storage place down the street for it so I only need one person to get it off. I would personally try and get them to throw in a soft top for it too because you won't want to keep taking the top off every couple days when it's nice out. I couldn't get them to add the soft top and ended up buying it eight months later and the only full soft top for the unlimited is through the dealer. The cheapest price I could find from an online dealer for it was just a hair over $1300 which I got my local dealer to match. Most bikini or safari style tops for the SWB TJ also fit the Unlimited. There is also a half cab conversion available from an aftermarket company. (Can't remember who at the moment.) Hope all this helps.

jsc7002 · **Posted:** Mon Jan 21, 2008 12:55 am

the Jeep wrangler is one of the top SUVs that hold their vaule the best

oldgus · **Posted:** Mon Jan 21, 2008 4:58 pm

I appreciate the comments. I'm going tomorrow to take a serious look at the Unlimited in the second link. Like I said, it's the same dealer I bought the Libby from, and since I have an apparantly unfixable ABS/ESP issue (see link below) they told me by phone today that they are willing to refund every cent I spent on the KJ if I buy the Unlimited from them. I doubt any other dealer would give me what I paid for it in trade.

http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/vie ... hp?t=19361

What kind of issues can I expect if I lift the '06 Unlimited 2" and put on 32s? Has the D44 got 3.73 gearing? I don't really plan to do extreme OR, mostly hunting two tracks, but ya never know.

jason thompson · **Posted:** Mon Jan 21, 2008 6:52 pm

oldgus wrote:

What kind of issues can I expect if I lift the '06 Unlimited 2" and put on 32s? Has the D44 got 3.73 gearing? I don't really plan to do extreme OR, mostly hunting two tracks, but ya never know.

none really it should be fine with 2" ,budget boost, and 32's
yes it will have 3.73's a Dana 44 rear and 30 front
IIRC it will also have a trac loc ,better than nothing but it is no detroit locker

Just remember that the newer TJ's and Unlimiteds to me have more "low hanging fruit" and tend to get hung up easier
also dont forget longer shocks and bump stop extensions to get the most from that rig

oldgus · **Posted:** Mon Jan 21, 2008 7:42 pm

jason thompson wrote:

oldgus wrote:

What kind of issues can I expect if I lift the '06 Unlimited 2" and put on 32s? Has the D44 got 3.73 gearing? I don't really plan to do extreme OR, mostly hunting two tracks, but ya never know.

none really it should be fine with 2" ,budget boost, and 32's
yes it will have 3.73's a Dana 44 rear and 30 front
IIRC it will also have a trac loc ,better than nothing but it is no detroit locker

Just remember that the newer TJ's and Unlimiteds to me have more "low hanging fruit" and tend to get hung up easier
also dont forget longer shocks and bump stop extensions to get the most from that rig

Thanks a lot Jason! I'm sure I'll have more questions as the build progresses. You guys are a wealth of information!

06BlueLimited · **Posted:** Wed Jan 23, 2008 6:35 am

The wrangler Unlimited only has the D44 in the rear. Now if it was an Unlimited Rubicon it would have them front and rear. Either way, I just made a trade from the KJ to the Unlimited Rubicon.

It is great!

oldgus · **Posted:** Thu Jan 24, 2008 4:47 pm

Got my $$ back on the KJ and traded it for this Unlimited.

The deal was almost done and the salesman remembers there is an unused soft top that goes with it. :shock:

Never taken out of the box by the previous owner who he said was a Chrysler employee.

http://strongsville-dodge.ebizautos.com ... 66894.html

Took the chrome grill cover off immediately and the chrome step bars are likely next. Both are FS. Will post in the FS section once I can get pictures up. If interested meanwhile PM me.

Can't wait to get rid of the "Get Stuck Anywhere's" and get some real tires.

YJBeef · **Posted:** Sun Jan 27, 2008 8:17 pm

Quote:

none really it should be fine with 2" ,budget boost, and 32's

exactly how I have my TJ set up and it works fine, even have the soft 8's

Opinions on this "X" please

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