[somewherre]

Both are 6-cyl, 5 speed. Both are good re frame rot, floorboard rust, and rust in general. Both one owner. Both run well. Both are stock. The Jeep will be my DD, for both hwy (mostly) and around town.

1st is a 97, 64k miles, new soft top (no HT), has a bit of a put-put sound to it, but will be being looked at by my mechanic tomorrow and will check for a cracked manifold. It's from a tiny little dealership, comes with a 60 day/3k mile warranty. Asking price is $7995, which looks to be a damned good price around here, even compared to a private seller. Except for not having as much power as the 2nd Jeep, there's really nothing wrong with it except I think the interior is ugly (but in good shape).

2nd is a 99, 130k miles, a better ext (and especially interior) color, has more poop to it, might possibly have the Dana 44 (it's round...I can't recall which shape is which), but has intermittent check engine light on (he says it's on sometime, off sometimes), and the heat doesn't work. Seller (private, not dealer) says some little box down by the shifter melted...is that an easy fix? Oh, has a HT but no soft. Asking price is $6900, said he'd take $5800. Owner is mechanically clueless - sprayed WD40 on the belt to "keep it supple" and goodness knows what else he's done or not done.

Oh if I've managed to get the picture up, the 99 has the same rub-mark as shown in circle #1 - it's not the Jeep in the picture, but the rub-mark is the same. Is that a bad or indifferent thing?

[SecondTJ]

i'd get the first one, just because its got half the miles of the 2nd one

and round is the dana 35, the d44 is more hex

[imbezol]

You'll appreciate the soft top way more than the hard top. I didn't even mind using my soft top in the winter. If I could have only one or the other it'd be soft top hands down.

[mudbogging04]

Get the first one I bought one with a hard top and for the first summer hated it just bought a soft top this winter and cant wait till summer. Also with half the miles and having a warranty of some sort is better then nothing. I had something go wrong with my TJ about a week before the warranty was up and if it wasn't under warranty it would have cost me about a grand to fix myself. Just my $.02

[somewherre]

Thanks for the quick replies. And have to agree...the mileage on the 97 is hard to beat - it's actually lower than what's normal for its age. Just wish it had the power the 99 has...but that's not a must-have, just a would-be-nice-to-have

Can anyone tell me whether or not the marking on the Ujoint is a bad thing or not? I'm curious, since I've now seen it on 2 out of the 3 Jeeps I've looked at.

[CHRRRIS]

Sorry I don't know about the U-Joint issue, but my TJ is ALOT like the first.. And I would be so glad to get even $7k for it... NY must have a high demand for Wranglers or something, I don't know if that could fly around here..

Saying all that, I am under the impression the first one is a SE...which would be the 4-cylinder. And the second I assume is a Sport - V6...since you are talking about it having more power.

Definately stay away from the second one, the owner probably screwed that thing up more than the eye can tell. The first one, I guess try to talk them down on the price, check KBB.com and type in as precise as you can the info, then click on "Retail Value". That's what dealerships should be asking around in your area..

[Dogman]

The power on the 99 is probably 3.73 vs. 3.07 gears in the 97.

I would vote for the 97 or just keep on looking.

[somewherre]

The first is definitely a Sport with a 6-cyl, just not a very strong one. Carfax says so, so it must be true

And KBB agrees on the goodness of the price - for retail $9315, and private is $7365-7910. NY loves it Wranglers

[McLovin]

If you plan on wheeling seriously try and find one with a dana 44.

[B-Strang]

DD40 on the belt?? I think he was trying to stop it from screaming bloody murder for a test drive.