Should I buy this 2005 Rubicon?

[aerojust]

I am going to check this out and test drive this evening. Any opinions are welcome.
2005 / 134000 miles / Soft top included (not sure of condition of top). '

Carfax shows 6 owners, 1 front end wreck in 2015 without airbag deploy, lots of service records, clean title, Has always been registered in Virginia. He bought it in August. I asked him why selling so quickly and he said he is now spoiled by creature comforts and is going to get a JK or JL.

Asking 14.5K

Thoughts on this price and overall? I bought my daughter a 2013 JKU a year ago, first jeep experience. That 3.6 has not been fun to deal with, but thats for another forum. I am a very competent shade tree mechanic and love everything about older vehicles that I can use for the next 10 or 20 years.

"Super clean, all stock first gen Rubicon. Automatic. **Solid frame** Runs and shifts great with no issues whatsoever. Lockers work as they should. KO2s with good tread. Both hard and soft tops with all hardware. Recent work includes fresh diff fluid front and rear, fresh transfer case fluid, new valve cover gasket, O2 sensor, new radiator, rear brake pads, fresh headlights. :

 

[Chris]

I'd like to see the frame where the skid plate mounts, but judging by what I can see of it, it looks like a good buy and probably priced fairly too. I'd probably offer 13k though if I were me, especially given that this is totally a buyers market.

I know what you mean about the 3.6 not being fun to deal with too. That seems to be a common complaint!

The 4.0 isn't as powerful but it's far more reliable.

 

[k1n3k]

14.5K is kinda high IMO. I'd haggle a bit and go for 12-13k like Chris said.
Check and make sure the lockers both work, only used parts exist and the rear is notorious for breaking. Jack up the rear and spin it over by hand, any crunchyness or binding means you should drop the price down by at least 3k or more, but remember its a limited slip. The locker air pumps and actuators are NLA so if they're not working, you're going to be shopping for used parts that are 20+ years old...
I may be wrong but that is one of the years with the oil pump drive assembly issues. Easy fix though. That frame looks solid, but feel inside and see if there are any flakes floating around. Look between the skid plate and frame rail for any rust jacking between them. Also check the condition of the body mounts, the torque boxes are known to rust out. I don't know jack squat about the auto transmissions in these things, someone else will have to chime in.

 

[macleanflood]

See if it has the original PCM. If it does it's a ticking time bomb and another negotiation point.

I'd be reading live ODB data and checking things like O2 voltages and OPDA sync.

-Mac

 

[TheBoogieman]

That's priced TOO HIGH for VA. I paid $9,000 for mine when TJs went for much more money. If you like it and think it's worth it, that's all that matters.

 

[Irun]

As others said, the price is high given the combination of miles, owners, and accident. Verify the frame is solid and I'd offer no more than $10k to $11k. Keep in mind, you're guaranteed to spend money on additional work for a 20-year-old vehicle.

 

[GoldenGorilla]

14.5K is kinda high IMO. I'd haggle a bit and go for 12-13k like Chris said.
Check and make sure the lockers both work, only used parts exist and the rear is notorious for breaking. Jack up the rear and spin it over by hand, any crunchyness or binding means you should drop the price down by at least 3k or more, but remember its a limited slip. The locker air pumps and actuators are NLA so if they're not working, you're going to be shopping for used parts that are 20+ years old...
I may be wrong but that is one of the years with the oil pump drive assembly issues. Easy fix though. That frame looks solid, but feel inside and see if there are any flakes floating around. Look between the skid plate and frame rail for any rust jacking between them. Also check the condition of the body mounts, the torque boxes are known to rust out. I don't know jack squat about the auto transmissions in these things, someone else will have to chime in.

A source for the air pumps has been found from some Kia model.

 

[MikeE024]

A source for the air pumps has been found from some Kia model.

Last I looked, the prices were annoyingly high for the alternative pumps, and the actuator was NLA without an alternative.

 

[aerojust]

Checked it out and drove her last night. Everything works. It is fully stock. New valve cover, you could see where it was leaking, but also see that it is new. The rear main seal is leaking. I have never replaced one in a 4.0, but watching a YouTube it does not seem too bad. There is one nickel size sufrace rust spot on top of one of the front fenders, which is the only rust I saw on the body. If I buy it I would get that fixed. The frame is clean as the pics all over.

I dont think there is much room on the price. He told me someone low-balled him at 12k. I have been watching the market here for a few months and have not seen a stock rubicon yet. They all look beat to hell or have massive lifts and tires, no offense but that is not what I want right now. Honestly, this is not about finding the best deal, its about finding the TJ that I want that's within the budget. These things came out when I was graduating high school. I wanted one back then but never could afford it. Now that I am pushing 50 years old ... maybe it is time. Or maybe I am justifying buying another toy

Thanks for everyone's input on this.

 

[GoldenGorilla]

Last I looked, the prices were annoyingly high for the alternative pumps, and the actuator was NLA without an alternative.

TLDR here is a list of the pump used in other manufacturer's systems and I'd agree - annoyingly expensive.
Suzuki - 2794065D03,2794065D00
KIA - 51030-3E100, 510303E100-TAO
GM - 91177534-TAO, 91177534, 91175575
Mitsubishi – MB664381
Mopar – 5127835AA, 5127834AA, 5127836AA

Discussion on an old Rubicon specific forum

But for all the complexity of this thing (none), you could probably make an aquarium bubbler pump and some bailing wire get the job done.

 

[GoldenGorilla]

I have been watching the market here for a few months and have not seen a stock rubicon yet. They all look beat to hell or have massive lifts and tires, no offense but that is not what I want right now. Honestly, this is not about finding the best deal, its about finding the TJ that I want that's within the budget. These things came out when I was graduating high school. I wanted one back then but never could afford it. Now that I am pushing 50 years old ... maybe it is time.

Totally stock is what everyone is looking for and they do carry a premium over the that have been fiddled with. It's alot easier to find unmodified JK and JL Rubi mallcrawlers with characterless stupid practicality like "4-doors" and "interior space". Perfection requires compromise!

I was just a 20-something a few years out of college and lucky to be able to afford mine when it was new. After I'd bought our first house. How the world has changed. I was always shocked how it held it's value until very recently.

Make it happen and Enjoy it!

 

[TheBoogieman]

He told me someone low-balled him at 12k.

The "low-ball" is more than it's worth today. I bought mine when prices were pre COVID HIGH and paid $9500. I sold it for $14,000 (after many mods) because I'm poor. I bought it back 2-3 years later for $9,000. If you like it and it's "worth it to you", nothing else matters. Go for it and enjoy it.
p.s. Post pics if/when you buy it or you will be banned from this forum. Good luck!

 

[GoldenGorilla]

I'm in a different local, but the Rubicons sold for 14-17K with reasonable mileage in CO until late 2022. Even early this year there was a soft top/half door X in good condition for sale here for $8500 with about 145,000 miles parked on the corner with a for sale sign in the window (no internet ad as far as I could tell). It sold in about 3 weeks best I could tell.

To a degree people are willing and able to buy remote in today's market with B-A-T, all the car listing sites, cheap plane tickets and transporters. And sellers know they have those options too. I'm not advocating for overpaying and I do think it's a softer market.

 

[bucky]

I have an 05 TJRU 6sp and love it. I paid $22.5 for it with 112k miles 3yrs ago and love it. I have 2 spare locker pumps just in case. It’s worth what you are willing to pay. If you can knock off $1K from the price it help pay for a PCM in the event that you need one.

 

[GoldenGorilla]

"Super clean, all stock first gen Rubicon. Automatic. **Solid frame** Runs and shifts great with no issues whatsoever. Lockers work as they should. KO2s with good tread. Both hard and soft tops with all hardware. Recent work includes fresh diff fluid front and rear, fresh transfer case fluid, new valve cover gasket, O2 sensor, new radiator, rear brake pads, fresh headlights. :


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View attachment 649144

One thing I notice that is slightly odd - that hard top is from an earlier TJ with the vertical side vents. It won't hurt anything and they fit perfectly, but it's not original. That spare on the other hand looks like the original MTR that came on it - 20 years ago. I'm sure it's been under a tire cover it's whole life. I'm gonna suggest it be replaced with a tire that doesn't crumble the first time you try to roll on it - at sellers expense, or at least negotiate for this. And this is also true of the tire date codes. KO2 has just been replaced by KO3, but the KO2 has been around at least a decade. If those tires are 6 or 7 years old, I'd add that as leverage.

The engine compartment does look clean/stock for an 05/06. If anything was replaced in the collision repair they did a good job returning it to original state. Replacing O2 sensors is a bit of an item for concern as they can be replaced with an incorrect Bosch, but I can't tell from the pigtail/connector I can see here from the white wires behind the power steering pump. They can also be a sign that the pre-cats are failing and a test drive might not indicate there is a problem until you've driven for about 15-20 minutes if the seller is clearing the DTCs right away.

 

[John Cooper]

The "low-ball" is more than it's worth today. I bought mine when prices were pre COVID HIGH and paid $9500. I sold it for $14,000 (after many mods) because I'm poor. I bought it back 2-3 years later for $9,000. If you like it and it's "worth it to you", nothing else matters. Go for it and enjoy it.
p.s. Post pics if/when you buy it or you will be banned from this forum. Good luck!
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View attachment 649325

As others said, the price is high given the combination of miles, owners, and accident. Verify the frame is solid and I'd offer no more than $10k to $11k. Keep in mind, you're guaranteed to spend money on additional work for a 20-year-old vehicle.

So what y'all are saying is the 30K I paid for my 2006 AndyG limited edition Rubicon with his autograph on the glove box and the 1of 1 decal.

Y'all are saying I over paid, and dang he made me feel like it was a bargain.

 

[RangerTJ]

So what y'all are saying is the 30K I paid for my 2006 AndyG limited edition Rubicon with his autograph on the glove box and the 1of 1 decal.

Y'all are saying I over paid, and dang he made me feel like it was a bargain.

But you did get a duck with it, right?

 

[Apparition]

So what y'all are saying is the 30K I paid for my 2006 AndyG limited edition Rubicon with his autograph on the glove box and the 1of 1 decal.

Y'all are saying I over paid, and dang he made me feel like it was a bargain.

I thought he also took you to dinner and a private viewing of Deliverance?

 

[John Cooper]

But you did get a duck with it, right?

No sir!!!!

I thought he also took you to dinner and a private viewing of Deliverance?

Hades no sir....

 

[RangerTJ]

No sir!!!!

Yeah, you got cheated.