I would like to get a jeep wranger and I heard that 4cyl engines are bad. Are they and what should I look for when buying a jeep? this will be my 1st one, like is there a type of suspension that is better during a year. I plan on doing some off roading and this will be my everyday driver.

thanks
Dan

Quick reply.





For comfort, look for a '97 and later TJ.  Coil springs sure do make commuting more enjoyable.





For the serious offroader, look for a CJ7 or a YJ.  Leafs kick ass offroad.



By the way, I use my 89 YJ as a daily driver and my offroad / hunting rig.

As a daily driver, you would be much better off with a TJ with a 4.0.  Just has better street manners than a CJ or YJ.



Stay away from the 4 banger.  If you ever want to put tires larger than 31's on it, the 4 cylinder will start to bog down.

Plus, there's practically no MPG advantage to going to the I4.  The I6 struggles to get 17mpg and the I4 struggles to get 20mpg.

I just bought my first jeep 2 weeks ago so I am by FAR not a jeep expert but I'll throw my 2 cents in.

The rubicon is the BAD ASS off road dream they usually run a few grand more.

The unlimited series has a few feet longer back end if you want more room.

But as everyone has already said just get a straight six 4.0l

Not an expert but I am on my third Wrangler............................

As the others say, skip the 4cyl. No advantage at ALL in MPG or otherwise & you can't tow shit with it.  

Make SURE you have a mechanic go over the vehicle before you buy it!!!! Manual tranny's tend to wear out their synchronizers quickly, IMO. I got an auto in my last two Wranglers & will never do otherwise with a vehicle I buy. Too much rush hour traffic for a stick, IMO.

Be sure to put it up on a lift & look ALL underneath. Make sure the drive train has been properly serviced, i.e. fluids changed! Avoid one with oversized tires! Chances are the owner thought it was a Baja 500 vehicle & drove it like that.

Try to find one with a hard top if you can. Soft tops offer NO security for guns or stereos! You can easily take the doors off a hardtop & get all the air you want.

Be sure to lift up the interior carpet & check for mud or rust. Both would be a deal killer, IMO.

I would only look at the TJ Wranglers in the 1997-2006 years. Before that was the YJ with the GD square headlights & they had some manual tranny issues as well. CJ's are okay but are usually high mileage. The JK is too new to have a good price on it most likely.

Keep in mind that almost anything on a Wrangler can be changed out by the owner: axles, tops, seats, carpet, wheels, etc. etc. so if you find one in good mechanical shape but you hate something about its looks, you can easily change it.

Best parts options are Quadratec & 4WD Parts. Both carry many of the same things from the same mfgrs but they also each have proprietary items as well.

Good luck!

Beg to differ I have a 98 tj I4 with 33x12x50 Pro com extreems! Does just fine, but I do have 4.88 gears front and rear which does help. But before I had stock 4.10's with 32x 11x 50 and they would turn fine Also with the 4 get the chip throttle spacer and Kn you will be fine!

I drive a 06 Unlimited Wrangler with the I6 and the 6 speed manual trans daily. Most of the time I get right around 20 MPG.

Stay the fuck away from any 4 cyl with the Peugeot piece of shit manual trans. The more I think about it just stay the fuck away from the 4 cyl models all together.

The manual transmissions offered with the I6 are all adequate to bulletproof. Make sure you check the fan/climate controls.

If it leaks oil check the valve cover, front timing seal, and rear main seal. It almost always one of the three and not difficult to fix.