I need a Jeep -

[wooley12]

Any FJ lovers looking for a project? Stumbled on this

[east or bust]

The biggest risk when buying a lifted vehicle is that you don't have a clue what it's been through. It's good to be there in person to inspect every inch but it's also good to be patient and shop in the right places, i.e. seasonally warm states. Lift type/brand and axles are important, among other things. Asking questions about that stuff will set you apart from all the other goobers that go to look at it. Sure the sweet lifted jeep looks cool with its big tires and lights, but let's say it was a Wrangler X and the guy never upgraded axles, I would steer clear because it's a ticking time bomb.

You should not be dissuaded from looking for lifted vehicles, if you post the ad here like you've been doing it seems like there are plenty of knowledge people here to give you advice.

[Cruiser]

There's too much advice here. Just go buy a $5k beater wrangler and abuse it for a while. Parts are fairly cheap and easy to find on craigslist. If you're handy with sockets and box end wrenches then repairs are cheap too. Don't overthink this Wooley. It's just a toy after all and it doesn't have to be bulletproof or last forever in order to be a heck of a lot of fun.

[wooley12]

All advice is good. Might need it someday. I'm a 7 on scale of 10 regarding wrenching. I bought my first grease gun to go with a '81 Trooper I bought new. Done enough shade tree wrenching that I know I'd prefer to just buy and fly. Driver skill/experience I'd be a 9. Off road, I'm an 7-8 with no crawling experience. My redneck millionaire friend sent me a video of him at the Rubicon Trail. Think a good driver in a stock Wrangler could clear this section?

[digitaldeath]

^^^ that video above is stupid

thats fun, driving your jeep on rocks? id rather be rolling smooth roads smoking bud banging 2pac

[MagnificentUnicorn]

The Wrangler in front of the camera in that video appears to be stock. That isn't nearly the hardest part of the Rubicon, you could probably drive a Forester or Outback up that section if you were careful.

[BmillsSkier]

I can't believe no one has suggested the only acceptable vehicle around these parts: a Euro-only Audi RS6Avant with a turbo diesel.

That thing will give you everything you're looking for, including god-status around here.

[DBdude]

As I expected, there is good info here to filter. And then there is DD.

Poser? Moi? Pas. Poseur Magnifique. Oui. Life gets way more fun when you don't give a shit.

I used to visit a ski/alpine shop once a year on my trip west. Owned by the renowned Swiss guide M.V. The shop was the size of a 3 car garage at the time and I got to know the shop manager on my visits. Well I stopped by one day and Martin himself was in and working with one of the several customers. "Can I help you" he asked. "Nah, I'm just a poser and came in to buy a tee shirt." The place broke up.

seattle on 99

[PNWbrit]

Driver skill/experience I'd be a 9.

That's pretty impressive.

......Especially since 80% of drivers rate themselves as above average.

[BmillsSkier]

Everyone here is an expert Brit, kinda like you re: soccer.

[adrenalated]

Off road, I'm an 7-8 with no crawling experience.

That's like saying I'm an expert backcountry skier, but I have no skinning experience.

[wooley12]

That's pretty impressive.

......Especially since 80% of drivers rate themselves as above average.

Skill wise, I have experience in pulling these off:
-Gas it, 15mph, 180 backwards left across the other lane on cambered solid ice road to avoid oncoming car. In a van.
-20 mph, downhill 90deg drift/turn, hit the brakes/gas to set it up when car parts started flying over the panel van in front of me from the Vett that tried to pass us.


Experience?
360 across 5 lanes on black ice. My bad but I learned a lot.

80% of the drivers shouldn't be allowed to play with matches.

[wooley12]

That's like saying I'm an expert backcountry skier, but I have no skinning experience.

More like "I get into the back country with crampons and sleeping bag but if I ever need to use either I screwed up". I factored in knowing where NOT to go as part of my grade. It's subjective, sure.

[PNWbrit]

Skill wise, I have experience in pulling these off:
-Gas it, 15mph, 180 backwards left across the other lane on cambered solid ice road to avoid oncoming car. In a van.
-20 mph, downhill 90deg drift/turn, hit the brakes/gas to set it up when car parts started flying over the panel van in front of me from the Vett that tried to pass us.


Experience?
360 across 5 lanes on black ice. My bad but I learned a lot.

80% of the drivers shouldn't be allowed to play with matches.

I take it all back ....clearly you are the Stig.

Are you any good at the futbol?

[MagnificentUnicorn]

Skill wise, I have experience in pulling these off:
-Gas it, 15mph, 180 backwards left across the other lane on cambered solid ice road to avoid oncoming car. In a van.
-20 mph, downhill 90deg drift/turn, hit the brakes/gas to set it up when car parts started flying over the panel van in front of me from the Vett that tried to pass us.


Experience?
360 across 5 lanes on black ice. My bad but I learned a lot.

80% of the drivers shouldn't be allowed to play with matches.

I'm not even sure what you're talking about with these scenarios and how they translate to driving "offroad" on FS roads.

[east or bust]

The Wrangler in front of the camera in that video appears to be stock. That isn't nearly the hardest part of the Rubicon, you could probably drive a Forester or Outback up that section if you were careful.

Yea but what if that was a stock rubicon… That's very different from the original listing by OP. In those videos it's always tough to tell how rough it really is, camera flattens things out a lot. If anything was to limit a Subi from going up that it would be ground clearance not drivetrain.

[MagnificentUnicorn]

I thought that it might be a Rubicon and yes that's different but still stock. A Rubicon doesn't have much of a lift or oversized tires. The biggest thing is the auto locking diffs and swaybar disconnect it would seem. My neighbor has one and it's pretty nice but doesn't really look like a "wheeler".

You would have to jockey around a bit in the Subi to get around some rocks that would trash the oil pan or trans/axles but I think you could get up that, especially with tires one size up from stock.

[ill-advised strategy]

Just gonna park this here for now:

[Conundrum]

I'd recommend going and buying a beater and treating it as such for the rest of the summer on dirt and rocks. Then you will have a real gauge of your "skills" and "experience". And most importantly, you will know what you want. At least more than "I want to drive on dirt and Jeeps are cool". A Jeep might be the vehicle for you but there are so many options that will accomplish what you want.

[wooley12]

I'm not even sure what you're talking about with these scenarios and how they translate to driving "offroad" on FS roads.

Guess I was trying to say that I have a lot of "seat of the pants" experience that enables the seat of my pants to properly direct the synapses to fire the correct muscles at the right time to achieve the desired shift in time and space. I wore the foot pegs off my motorcycle in HS, shredded the rear tires in 2 weeks of a Corvair by drifting everything. Raced cars and bikes. I know what I don't know. My butt converses with the clutch and the treads. When someone opines in this thread, I hear what they say and it's all good. I know there is no "what Jeep for me". I need to kick some more tires and take more test rides until the right car speaks to me. I found out tonight from a guy on the golf course that there are good Jeep trails a 1 hour freeway ride away. A forest fire burned the branches off the trees they make eerie moaning sounds at night when the wind blows. And it always blows. I'm thinking starry night roadside camping. I'm thinking Snomo access back country skiing trip recon. I need a Jeep.

[Conundrum]

The marketers have won.

[wooley12]

Found it!!! Thanks for all of your input as it helped me home in on what I needed to go adventuring with my best friend.

2000 TJ 4.0 automatic. 110 k. Shod with 235/15's. Just enough small scratches and nicks to be a Jeep. Spent its entire life in the eastern Washington desert. Absolutely no rust save for normal surface rust on the frame. The owner used it to go out to check on the farm and took care of it like a baby. Gave it to his son to sell. I jumped on his CL add from 4 hours away and the seller was nice enough to let me have first shot even though he had two others interested by the time I got there. He was asking KBB Excellent and it's close. That's 10% less than Seattle Metro gets for crap. I countered for $100 less to make me feel good and to pay for my gas and he bit. On the drive home at 75 mph, up hill and into a 20mph head wind I got 7mpg. Not sure I got all my gas money. My mechanic is the next stop for a tune up and he is the best.

[My Pet Powder Goat]

A fucking auto?!

Take a lap

[wooley12]

Exactly what i needed. Exactly what I wanted. My dick is not part of the equation. I know what I need and you don't know shit. But thanks for your post.

[My Pet Powder Goat]

It's a cute vehicle. ....What'd your husband get?

ftr - since "I don't know shit":
I've spent 2 decades driving jeeps. First was a wrangler auto, second Rubicon 6-speed. Great vehicle for VT's class 4 roads.

Ps. 110k That auto is about due