Thoughts on this 2014 JKU? Good or bad deal?

Forteeb.0

Forteeb.0

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First post, really trying to get a better picture as this market is... well crazy but need to close on a vehicle before winter hits.
Here is a gallery of pictures I took


I've been looking at JKUs as they are in my price range and found this one that seems on par with everything else in my area in regards to year and mileage.

It's a 2014 JKU Sport Willys, one owner, 60k miles, going for 28k. Test drive went fine. I have only two concerns.

  1. The rust. It's a wrangler and it's the Northeast so rust is to be expected but based on the pictures how bad do you think it is?
  2. On idle, there's an intermittent high pitch rattle from the rear.
The dealership is holding the Jeep for me and doing a full inspection with supposedly a focus on the sound and rust (to double check the frame). Light bar and fog lights work, interior really nice, heat is hot, AC is cold, drives really well, shifts nicely (standard).
 
In my opinion, there are some serious areas of concern with the rust. Skid plate, the bushing bolts, washers and nuts; bushing caps, drag link, sway bars & links. But these are all pretty simple bolt-ons and not that expensive.

A lot of surface rust that, if you can get it up on a lift, work on yourself.
 
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Anybodyhome said:
In my opinion, there are some serious areas of concern with the rust. Skid plate, the bushing bolts, washers and nuts; bushing caps, drag link, sway bars & links. But these are all pretty simple bolt-ons and not that expensive.

A lot of surface rust that, if you can get it up on a lift, work on yourself.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the feedback. Right now the dealership is holding it for me as they do a full inspection as I marked my biggest concern being the rust. I should hear from them Monday in regards to their thoughts. Overall what do you think? Sadly I am in the rust belt and don't have the means at this time to purchase a vehicle outside of this area.
 
Forteeb.0 said:
First post, really trying to get a better picture as this market is... well crazy but need to close on a vehicle before winter hits.
Here is a gallery of pictures I took


I've been looking at JKUs as they are in my price range and found this one that seems on par with everything else in my area in regards to year and mileage.

It's a 2014 JKU Sport Willys, one owner, 60k miles, going for 28k. Test drive went fine. I have only two concerns.

  1. The rust. It's a wrangler and it's the Northeast so rust is to be expected but based on the pictures how bad do you think it is?
  2. On idle, there's an intermittent high pitch rattle from the rear.
The dealership is holding the Jeep for me and doing a full inspection with supposedly a focus on the sound and rust (to double check the frame). Light bar and fog lights work, interior really nice, heat is hot, AC is cold, drives really well, shifts nicely (standard).
Click to expand...
Ouch. That rust looks like a NY Jeep. POR 15 will be your best friend if you want to fix the rust.
 
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JeepJeezy said:
Ouch. That rust looks like a NY Jeep. POR 15 will be your best friend if you want to fix the rust.
Click to expand...
Pretty much spot on. The joys of car shopping in the North East. So far in my search this one is priced pretty fairly compared to similar year and mileages. Im having the dealership do a full inspection with a focus on the rust as I said that's my major hesitation. If I had the means to shop outside of the rust belt I would but right now that option isn't available.
 
I think one of the items that concerned me is it looked like the bumper was rusted and the paint was pealing / bubbling up. Makes me wonder how many other areas of rust there may be that is concealed by the paint at the moment.
 
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Forteeb.0 said:
First post, really trying to get a better picture as this market is... well crazy but need to close on a vehicle before winter hits.
Here is a gallery of pictures I took


I've been looking at JKUs as they are in my price range and found this one that seems on par with everything else in my area in regards to year and mileage.

It's a 2014 JKU Sport Willys, one owner, 60k miles, going for 28k. Test drive went fine. I have only two concerns.

  1. The rust. It's a wrangler and it's the Northeast so rust is to be expected but based on the pictures how bad do you think it is?
  2. On idle, there's an intermittent high pitch rattle from the rear.
The dealership is holding the Jeep for me and doing a full inspection with supposedly a focus on the sound and rust (to double check the frame). Light bar and fog lights work, interior really nice, heat is hot, AC is cold, drives really well, shifts nicely (standard).
Click to expand...
What part of the northeast are you in?
 
Anybodyhome said:
In my opinion, there are some serious areas of concern with the rust. Skid plate, the bushing bolts, washers and nuts; bushing caps, drag link, sway bars & links. But these are all pretty simple bolt-ons and not that expensive.

A lot of surface rust that, if you can get it up on a lift, work on yourself.
Click to expand...

Yeah that pitman arm might be easier to replace still attached to the steering box 😁
 
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Danarch said:
I think one of the items that concerned me is it looked like the bumper was rusted and the paint was pealing / bubbling up. Makes me wonder how many other areas of rust there may be that is concealed by the paint at the moment.
Click to expand...
Speaking to the dealer further, they are taking a wire brush to the under carriage and then coating it. Also sand blasting the bumper and repainting it, so hopefully it all works out.
 
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Forteeb.0 said:
Speaking to the dealer further, they are taking a wire brush to the under carriage and then coating it. Also sand blasting the bumper and repainting it, so hopefully it all works out.
Click to expand...
Make sure they don't use a rubber coating underneath. Glad to hear the dealer is taking care of the issues.
 
JeepJeezy said:
Make sure they don't use a rubber coating underneath. Glad to hear the dealer is taking care of the issues.
Click to expand...
Sadly they already did. I've been working in the sticks so no service most of these days. Really it was a day from them saying what they would do and the next doing it (can't fault them as I should of done more research). So I'm thinking of my options if this final test drive inspection goes well. Maybe set aside some money to get the frame properly treated before winter starts? Anyone know of good wrangler focused shops in the western mass area?
 
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Forteeb.0 said:
Sadly they already did. I've been working in the sticks so no service most of these days. Really it was a day from them saying what they would do and the next doing it (can't fault them as I should of done more research). So I'm thinking of my options if this final test drive inspection goes well. Maybe set aside some money to get the frame properly treated before winter starts? Anyone know of good wrangler focused shops in the western mass area?
Click to expand...

Did you put money down for the dealer to hold it? If not, I'd walk away.
 
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JeepJeezy said:
Did you put money down for the dealer to hold it? If not, I'd walk away.
Click to expand...
yeah $500 though it's refundable. Well I'll be honest, kind of in a pickle now. Tired of car shopping as it's been a few months and finally felt like I found something I liked that could work especially before winter. But I understand I could potentially be shooting myself in the foot as well if I go with this Wrangler. Guess I have some thinking to do.
 
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