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Ain't that the truth! DD'd a 93 YJ for several years, loved it. Traded up for a 23 JLUR, really really love it. Oh and no more white knuckles on the freeway 😁
I daily drive a 2003 TJ Sport. 4.0L, 5-speed, with Dana 44 rear, with only just over 80,000 miles on it. I love it, and it's fun to drive, and very good in city traffic. My only complaint is the fuel economy. I live in Kenya where gasoline is currently the equivalent of $5.28/gallon. I will hang onto my Jeep as long as possible, but I need something more efficient for my commute.
@AltRockKing that's great on stock tires. But lifted with bigger tires, not so great. I have lifted XJ with factory turbo diesel engine and 33s and it has drinking problem too.
I bought a 12K mile, 2002 TJ Sport. 4.0L, 5-speed, with Dana 44 rear axle in 2005 for $16K. I then added an Nth Degree 6 inch lift, 35's, lockers(Fr&Rr), rear disc brakes, and swapped out the front Dana 30 for a 44. I've also personalized it over the years with a double DIN infotainment system, and other goodies. I've thought numerous times about selling and upgrading to a newer model. But my little TJ is a point and shoot veihicle. You point it at an obstacle and go. That's all there is to it. Plus DMV fees/insurance are crazy cheap compared to a new one(I'm in Calif). It's never let me down, and I just can't justify getting rid of it for a newer model. I would enjoy seeing your silver bullet on more difficult trails! Good Luck!
I owned a 2000 TJ Sport 4.0L. I drove and wheeled it all over the country in basically stock form. The only thing I ever had fail was the radiator. After I was done with it my mom had it a few years, and then my brother a few years after that. It ended up with about 240k miles on it when he sold it. I owned a 2007 two door JK next, and got 100k miles out of that. The 3.8L and auto was a dog, but never any major issues. I did find the JK to be more comfortable and better off-road with the stock BLD tech they all had. Last was a 2016 two door Willys. The Pentastar and 5spd auto were nice upgrades living at elevation in CO, but after a couple years I traded it in on a 2018 Tacoma TRD off road which fits my needs much better now. If I were to buy another Jeep, I think I would want a TJ (LJ actually) just for some fun.
I had a 01 TJ. Let it go for a 09 jk. My wife wanted me to get the jk so we could travel in it more. The jk is a little more capable. That can mostly be accounted to the BLD. Overall I like the TJ more. However I would never go on a 5 hour trip to the beach or a 2 hour drive to the mountains in a TJ. That’s why I’ll keep the JK.
Maybe don't keep the JK...lol that's a pre pentastar...Definitely not the generation of wrangler to keep, the JL looks, drives, and is better than an 09 Jk and I'm pretty confident in 10 years the Jk values are going to be much lower than for an 87 wrangler with absolutely nothing good in the drive train department and zero comfort 😂
@ I’ll take my JK over a JL any day. The 3.8 isn’t great but it is reliable. The JK has a radio, not a “command center .” Two of my wheeling buddies have JLs. They have constant electrical gremlins. One of them is a 6speed and the clutch is terrible. I don’t know what the difference in the BLD is. There’s has gotten confused and stopped them. Mine never has. We go wheel on the weekend. I drive home. I hose it off. I drive it to work on Monday. They drive home. Hose it off. Fix a couple of broke things. I’ll take simple over complicated any day.
The TJ is everything great the modern Wrangler sold to become the sales success it is. The size and weight of the TJ was its biggest asset compared to the new JL. We took a nearly stock 2.5L 5-speed TJ with open diffs all the way through lockhart basin. We had to stack a rock or two, but its compact dimensions made the most of its 31 inch tires. Jeep needs to give us a TJ like vehicle again...or at least lay off ROXOR.
I use my kislux as a work bag and have had no issues at all. Itâs a comfortable bag, fits a good amount and hadnât lost its shape. With that being said, I also take care of all my bags and donât carry a water bottle, pens, keys or anything that can damage the interio.
I started my Jeep ownership with a 90 YJ with the 6 and an auto. Those 112 hp pushing leaf springs felt like I was going 200 mph on the highway at 55. Next, an 02 TJ with the 4.0L. More power, luxury (for a Wrangler) and far better highway behavior. On to the progression came a couple JK 4 doors with the 3.6L. Worlds better on the highway. In the trails, the smaller YJ and TJ are better getting through tight, tree lined trails but look at the control arms. They're like pretzels waiting to fail. The aftermarket solves this with much better box or tubular control arms. Coming into today, where the aftermarket is huge for the TJ, it is ginormous for the JK and in searching craigslist or marketplace for parts, you can find anything from a JK for cheap. The JL is coming up on the aftermarket and will soon exceed the JK but of course, many parts swap between the JK and JL. The TJ also lacks any electronic nannies that make life difficult. I've experienced this where something tweaked the steering offroading, making the steering wheel off center when driving straight. An easy fix back in the garage, but it put the engine into limp mode for maybe 10 miles before allowing me to drive normally. We're also at a point where upgraded axles are a bit of monitoring marketplace. I'm actually considering a set that are on a complete JK where I'd swap the locker equipped dual D44s for my D30/D44 then re-sell the JK with the upgrades. Talking with a Jeep club member on a run over the weekend, the cost of this entire Jeep with ARB lockers and upgraded axles is cheaper than his upgrade to marketplace bought axles with a shop swapping them in. I'd do my own swap so would save a ton of money, of course.
It’s not even a 90s crisler product, a lot of people think it’s a POS because of that. But really is a a AMC product and people often over look that fact. I LOVE MY TJ!!
I love the size of the TJ and LJ. I'd prefer the lighter, narrower vehicle. I hope the next generation (JM?) doesn't get bigger again. Maybe they could put a naturally aspirated Hurricane engine in it...
I have a 2000 TJ Sahara with 94k on it. I love it. The only thing I’d trade it for is an LJ Rubicon. It doesn’t see the Buffalo winters anymore but if needed, it’ll roll through 3’feet of snow without blinking. A couple of years ago it pushed a Silverado out of a snowbank without breaking a sweat and kept on rolling.
There's a reason TJ's hold their value better than any other Jeep. I wanted to buy another TJ last year, but couldn't find anything I was willing to pay for, so I ended up with a YJ instead.
I have a 2dr JK (manual locks & windows & 6 speed) I'd argue the JK is better than the JL in that the it doesn't have all the fancy auto-start & dual battery setups of the JL gen. It doesn't make as good of a daily (rides rougher, less creature comforts, etc) but I think that having a lot less computer-reliant stuff going on makes it simpler and easier to maintain. 90% of my maintenance has been steering & suspension related (plus mods) and next to none of it has been electrical. Anything electrical that does need upkeep isn't factory. JK is the perfect in between for the TJ & JL gens. Bigger, more modern, better riding than a TJ, but simpler, easier to work on, less electronics than a JL. It's a great compromise really.
Nice video comparing now VS 20+ years ago. I bought an 04 "Columbia edition" middle of 23 with only 75k on the odometer. It's my around town and commute to work vehicle that I can take on the trails on the weekends. My biggest complaint is the 3.07 axle gears, especially with the 33" tires I'm running. A regear and lockers is eventually in my future.
👌 Excellent comparison. Proves once again that old doesn’t necessarily means bad or outdated. 24:38 For an open differential, the TJ’s front axle greatly limited the air tire from spinning…
I bought my first jeep this past March, I picked up a 2012 Jk 2dr sport. It had 52k miles on it. I love even the base model jeep, I havnt been stuck yet or had too much trouble driving around the muddy New Jersey Pine Barrens.
I have a 2012 JK 2dr Sport S with the power options. I bought it used in August 2017 with 76k on the odometer. It has 140k now and has been slightly modified with 2.5" lift bumpers, sliders, winch and 33" tires. Also have a Kenwood with aftermarket speakers and amps. Perfect setup for my needs. I need to replace the ABS module though, it crapped out. Waiting for an opportunity to take it to Colorado and Big Bend in west Texas.
I bought a stock TJ 5-speed from a friend 10 years ago. Had to buy big-boy seat brackets right away because I couldn't drive it. I'm 6'6" tall. Even with the new seat brackets, it was scary for me to drive; just not enough leg/foot room. Sold it to a shorter individual.
I guess I’m old but I much prefer a lot of the older models over the new. Cheaper, more reliable less electronics to go bad and easy to work on. On the negative, smaller more basic interior and less fuel economy. A question for ya. Do you really think that a modern car will reliably go over 300k 500k miles. I pushed a Chevy and a Toyota to that and beat the crap out of them.
The worst thing they ever did was get rid of the 4.0. I recently got a 2017 JK. Sahara unlimited. 4 door. Wanted something we could wheel, while also being able to fit the kids and daily drive. I love it. I've already scratched it up a bit (oops). But it's a blast. It wheels pretty good. Buried it in mudd a few weekends ago. Winched it out and kept going. The only shitty part... removing the hard top. We live in an apartment. So no garage or anything. So me and the wife man handle it off there. Not bad if it can be off for a few days. But taking it off just for the day. Sucks. But man is it amazing driving to work in the summer with the top and doors off. I absolutely love it. The kids love it.
One thing I dont like is the transmission. On the highway, it feels like it has to downshift alot on hills. It feels underpowered. Idk if it's because it's used and needs some sort of maintenance... it only has 60k miles. But it shifts weird. I find myself using it in "manual" mode more often than regular drive. And when I get on the throttle on an on ramp and it gets higher in the rpm.. it smells like a hot cst. I did recently have 2 injectors changed. It dropped cylinder 3 and cylinder 1. So next weekend I'm putting all new 6 injectors in and hoping that solves all the issues. I'm thinking because the engine isn't running right, maybe it's effecting the way the Trans is operating. Any jeep people out there know anything? It'd also from Canada originally. So idk if they have additional emissions stuff or different tunes that make it act this way. Other than these few quirks. I love the thing.
2010 2 door sport with 176,000 miles, 6-speed with the 3800 V6. I just did all the brakes, rotors and calipers. She still needs work on the front axle, bad throwout bearing, and replaced the radiator. I'll drive it until it quits because I don't want to buy jack shtt until prices and quality on newer vehicles correct themselves.
When it comes to climbing, a lighter vehicle has the laws of physics in it's favor. Moab and Sand hollow, Utah are great places for little Jeeps to go out and pick on the big heavy ones on trails like Pritchett Canyon and Cliffhanger. Light, short wheelbase actually helps on some of the big stair steps that the newbies say you need a long wheel base and tall tires for. So much fun !!!
BLD is a big deal. I bet a Cherokee Trailhawk with just a 2-in lift , will beat an old TJ in stock form in many scenarios. Basically everything except for approach angle.
I am not surprised the TJ did as well as it did. It’s significantly lighter and it has a bit shorter wheel base along with a bit narrower track so it has a better break over angle and the narrower track width translated into a smaller axle span the suspension had to articulate to climb over the obstacles. Plus its suspension link layout is a little bit different so it’s tucked up out of the way just a bit better than the LJ. If you were to put the two jeeps on an individual wheel scale, the TJ probably has a bit more rear weight bias than the LJ which would have helped with rear traction. Plus with the significantly smaller tire diameter, you needed notably less applied torque to turn the tires and move the jeep up over the obstacles. Many of these things are little details, but taken together, they add up and make a difference. But if I was to go buy a wrangler today, I think my preference would be the new LJ unless affordability dictated the lower expenditure, then the TJ would be just fine. But I would enjoy the LJ in the everyday use much more. You can still find new 2 door wranglers, but you half to look a lot harder.
Thankfully a 4.7 stroker kit, flowing the head and some low cost bolt on performance parts will put more usable power to the ground in a TJ without breaking the bank and the scales doing a V8 swap.
I owned a '01 TJ and a '04 LJ. They are awesome "fun" cars. I do not know how anyone daily drives these things, though. Terrible gas mileage and a very rough ride.
I’m not sure where they get their information from but I’ve been looking for jeeps (I found one) and the only ones I found under 10 k were in the junk yards or the parting out want ads.
As an owner of 3 TJ’s in the past, a YJ, 2 JK’s, and now a JLUR, I can easily say the TJ’s can’t touch the capabilities of a newer Jeep. I’m going to get another TJ, so I love them, but it can’t hang with the newer Jeeps… and yes. The 3.6 is leap years better than the 4.0.
I can't make a great argument against any of these opinions in particular, but if the 4.0 had more power and was cleaner, then it would easily be the GOAT. I really like my late model JK; its reliable, comfortable, and has enough power.
I’m looking to send one over to Europe exactly like this two door I’m surprised you didn’t mention the diesel engine. Are they making it anymore? by the way, great great review
While the current Wrangler is far closer to it's roots than the current Defender, and a far better long term investment, I feel the TJ was "peak Jeep". Simple and SMALL.... the TJ is still drivable in modern traffic, easy to work on, and very responsive to simple upgrades. They still have that happy, nimble feel, and feel unburdened by too many safety mandates. I still think the JL has a lot to offer, but the bigger size and safety stuff dilutes the "Jeepness" Oh, and smaller Jeeps don't NEED as big a tire !!!
You could even get an od auto for the last 3 years of production or maybe 4...i can't remember if it was 03 or 04 the 42re became available instead of the old 3 speed Chrysler auto. The best years are the last few years before the junk 6 speed manual replaced tge nv 3500 which is likely still the strongest manual used in the wrangler. Definitely better than the ax15 that was light years ahead of the Peugeot transmission.
I can’t believe they charge over $3000 for the automatic?! It looks like base manuals are being discounted to $28,000 or less. Unbelievable even that much
A $7k TJ is a really nice way to go if you can add at least a rear locker and want to off-road regularly. I disagree about a Jeep being perfect as a daily with rare unpaved use. They ride like crap, the seating is poor, and you're going to go through windshields regularly. Get an IFS vehicle that _can_ be passable off-road. There are many to choose from, but for $25k you can get a pristine Gen 1 6.2 Raptor--the OG Baja Super Truck. Great street ride, incredibly comfortable for even the longest roadtrips, lots of power, extremely reliable, lots of room for gear, and great looks. It has a rear locker and though you'll get some desert pin-striping, it will go anywhere either of these Jeeps will, and more. Mine has the optional Ford beadlocks and I've gone from the original 35s to 37s. That's pretty much it for mods, and I do a couple of 2-week dispersed camping trips each year (at least one to Moab). Slabbing it from Chicago might as well be a limousine ride. Gas mileage around town or above 65 is poor, but it does surprisingly well at 55 and towing has almost no effect. Since I don't need room for a family, I may go to a Ranger Raptor once they get cheap enough in 3 or 4 years, but I'm not going to drop $40k+ on _any_ new vehicle, and right now the Gen 1 is the perfect off-roader for me.
Seating in the Wrangler is great for the purpose; 2 doors have 2 seats and 4 doors have 4 seats. Treat the 2 door Jeep like a 2 door Truck and seating makes sense. I’ve seen F150 Raptors get stuck on trails that the Wrangler barely fit through, so not sure how yours made it through them. Recommending a Raptor for Wrangler trails is like recommending a Wrangler for SxS trails, though I’ve seen that too by stupid Wrangler owners. ‘Dirt bikes only? F that, Powerwagon don’t care!”
For someone that owns a 4.0… it’s reliable as all get out, but WEAK as heck. No idea what people are saying it’s got torque… And yes, I have it geared correctly
Couldn't aree more. Four 4.0's between me and my imediate family, no less than 250K miles on any of them and the only one that was driven until the enjine died had over 375K miles. BUT you'd need to squeeze an extra 100 HP out of that ole 4.0 to compete with modern engines.
00:52 Since the posting of the video the old Jeep belongs to Alex’s EX girlfriend. She was CURRENT GIRLFRIEND at the time of filming only up to watching the video on the channel. 😃
$7,000 for an old Jeep Wrangler, you can put another $15,000 into upgrading it and still have $13,000 to pay for gas for years to come compared to the TFL purchased "cheap jeep" at $35,000
I had the YJ with the 4.0 high output. Great jeep. I happened to love the leaf spring. Why? with the leaf spring one did not need the torsion bar, in fact i removed mine. gave it to my Son when I got my JK. He will not give it back!! My Jk is a 2011 Rubi. So I have the 3.8 engine, which is the worse engine in a jeep. Hold on there, not true. 3.8 oil cooler problems what problems. I have a belt driven air compressor. There is no room for that on pinaster engines jeeps. least not that I know of, I very well could be wrong. My JK with 35 inch tires and geared to 5.13, I can get 19 + MPH going 55-60 MPH. Love my JK.
Put some tires on the TJ!? I have a 2000 XJ Sport (3in lift) 2018 Rubicon wheels 265 70 17 ko3. 4.0 has great low to mid range torque. A 4.0 will smoke a 3.8..😂
How come these two guys don’t put a jeep thru the paces and actually show the true potential of a jeep , the road they are on I could take a normal 2 wheel drive car on🤔
I've got bad pain in the shoulders that's so extremes in the unique way that you wouldn't even wanna have arms because it feels like their getting pulled off by monsters. make it stop please
Save up to $1,300 on a Ford or Mopar (RAM, Jeep, Dodge, Chrysler, Fiat) extended factory warranty for your new vehicle at Granger Motors!
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Y'all forgot about the Eco diesel, IMO the better engine option.
The crazy thing is you could buy a TJ in 2015 for $5k or less and now you can barely find them for under $8k.
2015 was 10 years ago, the newest TJ is 19 years old. 5k in 2015 is 7k today w inflation.
I agree with 5=7k with inflation but back then you were buying 10 years old Jeep instead of 20 years old Jeep today 🤷🏻♂️
In 2006, it took 6 months before I could find anyone willing to pay $6k for a 1999 TJ.
The market is weird.
Newer cars are so expensive and unreliable
yes even when he said 8000 I said where where where???
The best Jeep is the one you own and love. Perfectly happy with our base two door 2022 Wrangler with 3.6 engine. 😎
Ain't that the truth! DD'd a 93 YJ for several years, loved it. Traded up for a 23 JLUR, really really love it. Oh and no more white knuckles on the freeway 😁
I daily drive a 2003 TJ Sport. 4.0L, 5-speed, with Dana 44 rear, with only just over 80,000 miles on it. I love it, and it's fun to drive, and very good in city traffic. My only complaint is the fuel economy. I live in Kenya where gasoline is currently the equivalent of $5.28/gallon. I will hang onto my Jeep as long as possible, but I need something more efficient for my commute.
2005 manual Rubicon here. Not selling...
Scooters go great with Jeeps; awesome fuel economy, and the Jeep can carry it on the hitch when needed.
Diesel swap!
I bought a cheap 2013 Yaris, with the fuel I save I can keep both and use the tj just for wheeling and fun
@AltRockKing that's great on stock tires. But lifted with bigger tires, not so great. I have lifted XJ with factory turbo diesel engine and 33s and it has drinking problem too.
That straight 6 was dam great !!
I wish they still had that 4.0 i6 today
That climb over the last ledge was awesome, much better than the new model with the larger tires.
We’ll go up a a few years and get an 06 , rubicon. That is what I still own and it’s the best by far .
I bought a 12K mile, 2002 TJ Sport. 4.0L, 5-speed, with Dana 44 rear axle in 2005 for $16K. I then added an Nth Degree 6 inch lift, 35's, lockers(Fr&Rr), rear disc brakes, and swapped out the front Dana 30 for a 44. I've also personalized it over the years with a double DIN infotainment system, and other goodies. I've thought numerous times about selling and upgrading to a newer model. But my little TJ is a point and shoot veihicle. You point it at an obstacle and go. That's all there is to it. Plus DMV fees/insurance are crazy cheap compared to a new one(I'm in Calif). It's never let me down, and I just can't justify getting rid of it for a newer model. I would enjoy seeing your silver bullet on more difficult trails!
Good Luck!
I hated the adaptive cruise on the Toyota 4-runner. So happy to have my JK back. There is nothing like the experience of driving a 2 door Jeep.
Have to say after much reading on jeeps the TJ is my choice for affordability, ability off road and simplicity.
I owned a 2000 TJ Sport 4.0L. I drove and wheeled it all over the country in basically stock form. The only thing I ever had fail was the radiator. After I was done with it my mom had it a few years, and then my brother a few years after that. It ended up with about 240k miles on it when he sold it. I owned a 2007 two door JK next, and got 100k miles out of that. The 3.8L and auto was a dog, but never any major issues. I did find the JK to be more comfortable and better off-road with the stock BLD tech they all had. Last was a 2016 two door Willys. The Pentastar and 5spd auto were nice upgrades living at elevation in CO, but after a couple years I traded it in on a 2018 Tacoma TRD off road which fits my needs much better now. If I were to buy another Jeep, I think I would want a TJ (LJ actually) just for some fun.
Fun vid! Who doesn't enjoy watching a couple of Jeeps have some good times running up a mountain?! Awesome entertainment for a lazy Sunday.
I had a 01 TJ. Let it go for a 09 jk. My wife wanted me to get the jk so we could travel in it more. The jk is a little more capable. That can mostly be accounted to the BLD. Overall I like the TJ more. However I would never go on a 5 hour trip to the beach or a 2 hour drive to the mountains in a TJ. That’s why I’ll keep the JK.
Maybe don't keep the JK...lol that's a pre pentastar...Definitely not the generation of wrangler to keep, the JL looks, drives, and is better than an 09 Jk and I'm pretty confident in 10 years the Jk values are going to be much lower than for an 87 wrangler with absolutely nothing good in the drive train department and zero comfort 😂
@ I’ll take my JK over a JL any day. The 3.8 isn’t great but it is reliable. The JK has a radio, not a “command center .” Two of my wheeling buddies have JLs. They have constant electrical gremlins. One of them is a 6speed and the clutch is terrible. I don’t know what the difference in the BLD is. There’s has gotten confused and stopped them. Mine never has. We go wheel on the weekend. I drive home. I hose it off. I drive it to work on Monday. They drive home. Hose it off. Fix a couple of broke things. I’ll take simple over complicated any day.
Alex and tommy spectacular job. You iconic duo
The TJ is everything great the modern Wrangler sold to become the sales success it is. The size and weight of the TJ was its biggest asset compared to the new JL. We took a nearly stock 2.5L 5-speed TJ with open diffs all the way through lockhart basin. We had to stack a rock or two, but its compact dimensions made the most of its 31 inch tires. Jeep needs to give us a TJ like vehicle again...or at least lay off ROXOR.
For rock crawling and modifications, the LJ Rubicon is the best Jeep there ever was
Perfect wheelbase, stock lockers. Best jeep.
What trail is this? I know they drive it in most of these videos, so just curious to look it up on Trails OffRoad.
I daily drive a 2004 TJ X. It had 10 miles on it when I bought brand new in 2005. It currently has 211,000 miles on it.
I bought a 2011 JK Sport lifted on 35 Nittos for $18,000 back in 2021. 120K miles. 2 door, no lockers, but I love it.
I use my kislux as a work bag and have had no issues at all. Itâs a comfortable bag, fits a good amount and hadnât lost its shape. With that being said, I also take care of all my bags and donât carry a water bottle, pens, keys or anything that can damage the interio.
I started my Jeep ownership with a 90 YJ with the 6 and an auto. Those 112 hp pushing leaf springs felt like I was going 200 mph on the highway at 55. Next, an 02 TJ with the 4.0L. More power, luxury (for a Wrangler) and far better highway behavior. On to the progression came a couple JK 4 doors with the 3.6L. Worlds better on the highway. In the trails, the smaller YJ and TJ are better getting through tight, tree lined trails but look at the control arms. They're like pretzels waiting to fail. The aftermarket solves this with much better box or tubular control arms. Coming into today, where the aftermarket is huge for the TJ, it is ginormous for the JK and in searching craigslist or marketplace for parts, you can find anything from a JK for cheap. The JL is coming up on the aftermarket and will soon exceed the JK but of course, many parts swap between the JK and JL. The TJ also lacks any electronic nannies that make life difficult. I've experienced this where something tweaked the steering offroading, making the steering wheel off center when driving straight. An easy fix back in the garage, but it put the engine into limp mode for maybe 10 miles before allowing me to drive normally. We're also at a point where upgraded axles are a bit of monitoring marketplace. I'm actually considering a set that are on a complete JK where I'd swap the locker equipped dual D44s for my D30/D44 then re-sell the JK with the upgrades. Talking with a Jeep club member on a run over the weekend, the cost of this entire Jeep with ARB lockers and upgraded axles is cheaper than his upgrade to marketplace bought axles with a shop swapping them in. I'd do my own swap so would save a ton of money, of course.
It’s not even a 90s crisler product, a lot of people think it’s a POS because of that. But really is a a AMC product and people often over look that fact. I LOVE MY TJ!!
My first jeep was a 1976 cj5. 304 v8 3 speed manual. The jeep was a beast.
I loved my 2001 TJ. Put some good tires on it and you’re golden. The only thing I didn’t like was the bad frame design that rots out with salty roads.
I love the size of the TJ and LJ. I'd prefer the lighter, narrower vehicle. I hope the next generation (JM?) doesn't get bigger again. Maybe they could put a naturally aspirated Hurricane engine in it...
💯
I have a 2000 TJ Sahara with 94k on it. I love it. The only thing I’d trade it for is an LJ Rubicon. It doesn’t see the Buffalo winters anymore but if needed, it’ll roll through 3’feet of snow without blinking. A couple of years ago it pushed a Silverado out of a snowbank without breaking a sweat and kept on rolling.
love the TJ and the Cheapo! hope you do more with these gems!
Wanted to get the TJ unlimited when they came out at the end of the TJ. Never did but seems like now they are very desirable.
Alex being scared to take the doors off his JL has me concerned about his level of commitment to "Jeep Life". LOL
There's a reason TJ's hold their value better than any other Jeep. I wanted to buy another TJ last year, but couldn't find anything I was willing to pay for, so I ended up with a YJ instead.
I have a 2dr JK (manual locks & windows & 6 speed)
I'd argue the JK is better than the JL in that the it doesn't have all the fancy auto-start & dual battery setups of the JL gen. It doesn't make as good of a daily (rides rougher, less creature comforts, etc) but I think that having a lot less computer-reliant stuff going on makes it simpler and easier to maintain. 90% of my maintenance has been steering & suspension related (plus mods) and next to none of it has been electrical. Anything electrical that does need upkeep isn't factory.
JK is the perfect in between for the TJ & JL gens. Bigger, more modern, better riding than a TJ, but simpler, easier to work on, less electronics than a JL. It's a great compromise really.
Nice video comparing now VS 20+ years ago. I bought an 04 "Columbia edition" middle of 23 with only 75k on the odometer. It's my around town and commute to work vehicle that I can take on the trails on the weekends. My biggest complaint is the 3.07 axle gears, especially with the 33" tires I'm running. A regear and lockers is eventually in my future.
👌 Excellent comparison. Proves once again that old doesn’t necessarily means bad or outdated.
24:38 For an open differential, the TJ’s front axle greatly limited the air tire from spinning…
Had a Cherokee with the 4.0 and I thought it had good power 190hp
I bought my first jeep this past March, I picked up a 2012 Jk 2dr sport. It had 52k miles on it. I love even the base model jeep, I havnt been stuck yet or had too much trouble driving around the muddy New Jersey Pine Barrens.
I have a 2012 JK 2dr Sport S with the power options. I bought it used in August 2017 with 76k on the odometer. It has 140k now and has been slightly modified with 2.5" lift bumpers, sliders, winch and 33" tires. Also have a Kenwood with aftermarket speakers and amps. Perfect setup for my needs. I need to replace the ABS module though, it crapped out. Waiting for an opportunity to take it to Colorado and Big Bend in west Texas.
I bought a stock TJ 5-speed from a friend 10 years ago. Had to buy big-boy seat brackets right away because I couldn't drive it. I'm 6'6" tall. Even with the new seat brackets, it was scary for me to drive; just not enough leg/foot room. Sold it to a shorter individual.
I guess I’m old but I much prefer a lot of the older models over the new. Cheaper, more reliable less electronics to go bad and easy to work on. On the negative, smaller more basic interior and less fuel economy. A question for ya. Do you really think that a modern car will reliably go over 300k 500k miles. I pushed a Chevy and a Toyota to that and beat the crap out of them.
The worst thing they ever did was get rid of the 4.0. I recently got a 2017 JK. Sahara unlimited. 4 door. Wanted something we could wheel, while also being able to fit the kids and daily drive. I love it. I've already scratched it up a bit (oops). But it's a blast. It wheels pretty good. Buried it in mudd a few weekends ago. Winched it out and kept going.
The only shitty part... removing the hard top. We live in an apartment. So no garage or anything. So me and the wife man handle it off there. Not bad if it can be off for a few days. But taking it off just for the day. Sucks. But man is it amazing driving to work in the summer with the top and doors off. I absolutely love it. The kids love it.
One thing I dont like is the transmission. On the highway, it feels like it has to downshift alot on hills. It feels underpowered. Idk if it's because it's used and needs some sort of maintenance... it only has 60k miles. But it shifts weird. I find myself using it in "manual" mode more often than regular drive. And when I get on the throttle on an on ramp and it gets higher in the rpm.. it smells like a hot cst. I did recently have 2 injectors changed. It dropped cylinder 3 and cylinder 1. So next weekend I'm putting all new 6 injectors in and hoping that solves all the issues. I'm thinking because the engine isn't running right, maybe it's effecting the way the Trans is operating. Any jeep people out there know anything? It'd also from Canada originally. So idk if they have additional emissions stuff or different tunes that make it act this way.
Other than these few quirks. I love the thing.
2010 2 door sport with 176,000 miles, 6-speed with the 3800 V6. I just did all the brakes, rotors and calipers. She still needs work on the front axle, bad throwout bearing, and replaced the radiator. I'll drive it until it quits because I don't want to buy jack shtt until prices and quality on newer vehicles correct themselves.
I've still got a 2000 TJ SPORT soft top 4.0L with 190k on it now along with a 96 XJ also with the 4.0L but with 391k on it.
When it comes to climbing, a lighter vehicle has the laws of physics in it's favor. Moab and Sand hollow, Utah are great places for little Jeeps to go out and pick on the big heavy ones on trails like Pritchett Canyon and Cliffhanger. Light, short wheelbase actually helps on some of the big stair steps that the newbies say you need a long wheel base and tall tires for. So much fun !!!
We love our JL and our CJ7 both...just run whatever you have.
BLD is a big deal. I bet a Cherokee Trailhawk with just a 2-in lift , will beat an old TJ in stock form in many scenarios. Basically everything except for approach angle.
I am not surprised the TJ did as well as it did. It’s significantly lighter and it has a bit shorter wheel base along with a bit narrower track so it has a better break over angle and the narrower track width translated into a smaller axle span the suspension had to articulate to climb over the obstacles. Plus its suspension link layout is a little bit different so it’s tucked up out of the way just a bit better than the LJ. If you were to put the two jeeps on an individual wheel scale, the TJ probably has a bit more rear weight bias than the LJ which would have helped with rear traction. Plus with the significantly smaller tire diameter, you needed notably less applied torque to turn the tires and move the jeep up over the obstacles. Many of these things are little details, but taken together, they add up and make a difference.
But if I was to go buy a wrangler today, I think my preference would be the new LJ unless affordability dictated the lower expenditure, then the TJ would be just fine. But I would enjoy the LJ in the everyday use much more. You can still find new 2 door wranglers, but you half to look a lot harder.
My father has a 2000 TJ Sport with the 4.0L & manual.. it is equipped with what I think Jeep calls Trak-Lok as a limited slip rear end
I would like to see you fold the windshield down on the 2024 kinda like do an instructional video
I had a stock 04Rubicon TJ with front and rear air lockers and stock 31s.
I thought the Sport had a rear limited slip diff
You can put the JK hood up on the glass just like your JL. It's not something brought back.
Thankfully a 4.7 stroker kit, flowing the head and some low cost bolt on performance parts will put more usable power to the ground in a TJ without breaking the bank and the scales doing a V8 swap.
Excellent comparison thank you. You could have included the WW2 GP Jeep as well.
I have an LJ and a JL and I prefer the JL for anything near on road and the LJ for anything offroad.
Would be fun to compare a stock CJ7 to the newer Wrangler.
The LJ Rubicon is the best Wrangler ever made.
TJ, all day.
Just bought tires for my 2016 Ford Escape, got open country A/T’s. Had to because of working In Xichigan and Pittsburgh.
CJ-7 was the best. Granted the 4.0 six is a good motor but my inline 6 never left me stranded
I owned a '01 TJ and a '04 LJ. They are awesome "fun" cars. I do not know how anyone daily drives these things, though. Terrible gas mileage and a very rough ride.
I’m not sure where they get their information from but I’ve been looking for jeeps (I found one) and the only ones I found under 10 k were in the junk yards or the parting out want ads.
I am in the market for a TJ. I have a 2015 JKU that I love, but want to 2 door TJ to add to the herd.
You guys should do a cheap Porsche Cayenne 955 build, and compare it to cheap Land Rover LR3
This 100%
I prefer the TJ's small size - what is quite convenirnt when you have a small garage or try to find a parking slot in the city
As an owner of 3 TJ’s in the past, a YJ, 2 JK’s, and now a JLUR, I can easily say the TJ’s can’t touch the capabilities of a newer Jeep. I’m going to get another TJ, so I love them, but it can’t hang with the newer Jeeps… and yes. The 3.6 is leap years better than the 4.0.
You Guys are Awesome!!! You made my day.....Many Thanks.....JEEP BABY!!! Since 1941
I can't make a great argument against any of these opinions in particular, but if the 4.0 had more power and was cleaner, then it would easily be the GOAT. I really like my late model JK; its reliable, comfortable, and has enough power.
I’m looking to send one over to Europe exactly like this two door I’m surprised you didn’t mention the diesel engine. Are they making it anymore? by the way, great great review
tj all the way,i have a 2004 with 135,000 and keeps on ticking, i baby her
While the current Wrangler is far closer to it's roots than the current Defender, and a far better long term investment, I feel the TJ was "peak Jeep". Simple and SMALL.... the TJ is still drivable in modern traffic, easy to work on, and very responsive to simple upgrades. They still have that happy, nimble feel, and feel unburdened by too many safety mandates.
I still think the JL has a lot to offer, but the bigger size and safety stuff dilutes the "Jeepness" Oh, and smaller Jeeps don't NEED as big a tire !!!
We’ll see and history will bears this out, the 3.6 liter will be remembered with the same regard as the 4.0
You could even get an od auto for the last 3 years of production or maybe 4...i can't remember if it was 03 or 04 the 42re became available instead of the old 3 speed Chrysler auto. The best years are the last few years before the junk 6 speed manual replaced tge nv 3500 which is likely still the strongest manual used in the wrangler. Definitely better than the ax15 that was light years ahead of the Peugeot transmission.
Good job guys
The LJ model years really fixed any shortcomings (pun intended) that the TJ had. It really was peak Jeep before they started catering to the masses.
Always wanted to fold down the window on my tj just never did done it on my jl
I can’t believe they charge over $3000 for the automatic?! It looks like base manuals are being discounted to $28,000 or less. Unbelievable even that much
straight 6 is the only way to go
Dude got in the JL and was questioning the TJ the whole time 😂
A $7k TJ is a really nice way to go if you can add at least a rear locker and want to off-road regularly. I disagree about a Jeep being perfect as a daily with rare unpaved use. They ride like crap, the seating is poor, and you're going to go through windshields regularly. Get an IFS vehicle that _can_ be passable off-road. There are many to choose from, but for $25k you can get a pristine Gen 1 6.2 Raptor--the OG Baja Super Truck. Great street ride, incredibly comfortable for even the longest roadtrips, lots of power, extremely reliable, lots of room for gear, and great looks. It has a rear locker and though you'll get some desert pin-striping, it will go anywhere either of these Jeeps will, and more. Mine has the optional Ford beadlocks and I've gone from the original 35s to 37s. That's pretty much it for mods, and I do a couple of 2-week dispersed camping trips each year (at least one to Moab). Slabbing it from Chicago might as well be a limousine ride. Gas mileage around town or above 65 is poor, but it does surprisingly well at 55 and towing has almost no effect. Since I don't need room for a family, I may go to a Ranger Raptor once they get cheap enough in 3 or 4 years, but I'm not going to drop $40k+ on _any_ new vehicle, and right now the Gen 1 is the perfect off-roader for me.
Seating in the Wrangler is great for the purpose; 2 doors have 2 seats and 4 doors have 4 seats. Treat the 2 door Jeep like a 2 door Truck and seating makes sense.
I’ve seen F150 Raptors get stuck on trails that the Wrangler barely fit through, so not sure how yours made it through them.
Recommending a Raptor for Wrangler trails is like recommending a Wrangler for SxS trails, though I’ve seen that too by stupid Wrangler owners.
‘Dirt bikes only? F that, Powerwagon don’t care!”
For someone that owns a 4.0… it’s reliable as all get out, but WEAK as heck. No idea what people are saying it’s got torque… And yes, I have it geared correctly
Couldn't aree more. Four 4.0's between me and my imediate family, no less than 250K miles on any of them and the only one that was driven until the enjine died had over 375K miles. BUT you'd need to squeeze an extra 100 HP out of that ole 4.0 to compete with modern engines.
@ Honestly it would be alright with 40, maybe 50 more. Then it wouldn’t have to downshift for hills on the highway.
I want those wheels on my TJ. Have the 5 stars 😢
00:52 Since the posting of the video the old Jeep belongs to Alex’s EX girlfriend. She was CURRENT GIRLFRIEND at the time of filming only up to watching the video on the channel. 😃
You’re an idiot and not funny.
And the resale prices of the TJ just went up again.
Good. I’m about to list a very clean 04 Rubicon with less than 43,000 miles. 😂
Always disconect the swaybar links!
Jeep had foresight into the future. They knew you would need to open the hood wide open.
What's up with the footage of the camera crashing into the floor?
Tj vs samurai please!
the cheap jeeps we wanna see are those liberty they do everything that tj does for half the price !!
$7,000 for an old Jeep Wrangler, you can put another $15,000 into upgrading it and still have $13,000 to pay for gas for years to come compared to the TFL purchased "cheap jeep" at $35,000
What's the weight difference?
Think how much better the TJ would look if the JL was actually on stock wheels and tires, the TJ had street tires and owned the JL
The JL was on an optional factory tire and wheel....
Awesome video
Glad you enjoyed it
06:25 PER YEAR. They produced about 14 million of the 3.6 engine over the last decade and half NOT one million. Kind of substantial difference. 😃
You want an experience. Take the top and doors off and lay the windshield down on the hood. Now that’s an experience like none other 😮😂😊
Unpopular opinion: the JK was better than both the TJ and the JL.
I had the YJ with the 4.0 high output. Great jeep. I happened to love the leaf spring. Why? with the leaf spring one did not need the torsion bar, in fact i removed mine. gave it to my Son when I got my JK. He will not give it back!! My Jk is a 2011 Rubi. So I have the 3.8 engine, which is the worse engine in a jeep. Hold on there, not true. 3.8 oil cooler problems what problems. I have a belt driven air compressor. There is no room for that on pinaster engines jeeps. least not that I know of, I very well could be wrong. My JK with 35 inch tires and geared to 5.13, I can get 19 + MPH going 55-60 MPH. Love my JK.
Put some tires on the TJ!? I have a 2000 XJ Sport (3in lift) 2018 Rubicon wheels 265 70 17 ko3. 4.0 has great low to mid range torque. A 4.0 will smoke a 3.8..😂
Is this thing easy to work on? Yeah, changing the radio only took 1/2 a day. Radio?! C'mon TFL.
Tires?
Crazy amount of commercial interruptions.
How come these two guys don’t put a jeep thru the paces and actually show the true potential of a jeep , the road they are on I could take a normal 2 wheel drive car on🤔
I've got bad pain in the shoulders that's so extremes in the unique way that you wouldn't even wanna have arms because it feels like their getting pulled off by monsters. make it stop please