What is the likelihood of buying a 1997 Jeep Wrangler with 350, XXX being in very good condition?

Big risk if it is original motor and trans. It is beyond the normal life of the unit.

Take it to a shop and it gone over front to back with a written evaluation.

I think 2000 is tops for the vehicle considering the mileage.

Roy

YOU GOTTA LOOK AT IT AS: DO YOU LOVE IT. THIS IS JUST ANOTHER CAR TO ME

JEEP VALUES HOLD UP WELL, IF YOU ARE SELLING TO AN INDIVIDUAL. DEALERS WILL BS YOU DOWN TO "YOU OWE ME" OR THROW THIS "WHOLESALE--RETAIL" SCENARIO ON YOU. BOILS DOWN TO THEM MAKING THE MONEY AND YOU NOT!

I'VE NEVER HAD ANYTHING BUT CJs, AS MY PRIMARY TRANSPORTATION. I HAVE HAD 7, STILL HAVE MY LAST TWO.

MY 1ST '77 CJ 5 W/ 304, I GAVE $2500 FOR IT IN '82. IT WAS CREAMED IN THE SIDE BY AN 18 WHEELER (MY FAULT), BASICALLY THE CARGO AREA WAS 1/2 OF WHAT IT USED TO BE.I REPLACED THE PASSENGER REAR HUB, AXLE, AND RIM (MYSELF) AS CRAPPY AS IT LOOKED, AND THAT "SICK FEELING" EVERY TIME I GOT IN IT.I SOLD IT, AS IS, FOR $3000. THAT'S $500 PROFIT, FOR A JEEP W/ MEGA H. ELL DAMAGE TO THE TUB!

I THEN GOT CJ 5 #2 --'79 CJ 5 W/258.$3800. THAT JEEP WAS A LITTLE NICER.I SOLD IT SEVERAL YEARS LATER $4500, THEN PURCHASED A NICER 1980 CJ 5 W/258 FOR $4000 (I FOUND THE LAST, IN ORDER TO GET IT, HAD TO SELL THE ONE I HAD 1ST)

THE COOL THING ABOUT THAT TRANSACTION IS, THE OLDER GENTLEMAN WANTED $5500---THE MAN THAT BOUGHT MINE THOUGHT IT WAS TOO MUCH WHEN HE LOOKED AT IT, THEN HE SETTLED FOR MINE, $1000 CHEAPER.I OFFERED THE MAN $3500, WORKED MY WAY UP TO $4000, HE TOOK IT!

SO. AGAIN $500 PROFIT, GOT A NICER JEEP. FELLER THAT GOT MINE. REALLY PIZZED OFF WHEN HE LEARNED OF THE "DEAL" WEEKS LATER!

BUT REMEMBER THE REAL DEAL, AND DON'T CHEAP OUT/ LOSE OUT!

BUT THEY DO HOLD THEIR VALUE----IF YOU LOVE 'EM, LIKE ME, ENGINE OR TRANNY REPAIR/ REBUILD. IS JUST PART OF IT! JUST A THANG!

THESE ARE 5 OF MY 7 JEEPS. THE LAST 5 PICS, BEFORE ($100 MY INITIAL COST) 2 YEARS LATER AND ABOUT $13,000 STRICTLY PARTS AND MACHINING (ALL BY MYSELF! NO HELP!) ALMOST LIKE HAVING A NEW ONE!

IT'S 65 YEARS YOUNG. WITH A NEW LEASE ON LIFE. LOVE 'EM, OR DON'T GET INVOLVED!

I AM A DIYer.A PLUMBER NOW, I KNOW CJs WELL, I DO ALL OF MY OWN WORK. LEARNED THE HARD WAY, OVER THE YEARS. MINE DON'T GO TO A SHOP. THEY GO IN MY 2 CAR GARAGE, IF THEY NEED A SOLUTION TO A PROBLEM!

I'M GAME FOR MORE DISCUSSION

THE MEDIC

AND WE LOST THE 1ST PICS OF "WILLY"--TRYING AGAIN

THE ONLY THINGS USABLE WAS ENGINE, TRANNY, TRANSFER CASE, FRAME, AND AXLES----YEAH, THAT 1ST PIC WAS A BIT DECEIVING TO ME TOO, THE BODY WAS A TOTAL, UNUSABLE WRECK OF RUST, AND A 55 GALLON DRUM FULL OF TERRIBLY APPLIED BONDO

THE MEDIC

HERE'S MY WAY OF THINKING----OLDER RESTORED OR PRESERVED CJ (I JUST PUNCHED IN CJ7--THERE ARE CJ5s TOO!)

SO MUCH EZer TO REPAIR

NOSTALGIA

LOW TAXES

LIKE NEW JEEP

HOW CAN YOU GO WRONG?

http://www.autotraderclassics.com/find/vehicle/vehicleSearchResults.xhtml?endYear=1986&model=CJ-7&distance=0&keywords=&photosOnly=false&startYear=1976&address=29646&sortType=price&firstRecord=1&numRecords=25&make=Jeep&priceOnly=false&conversationId=212069

LET'S SAY WE NEEDED AN ENGINE AND CLUTCH---DIY....ABOUT $1600!---COMPARE TO SOMETHING NEWER????

GOT LAP BELTS IN MY '77 (I HATE SHOULDER BELTS)

GOT NO BELTS IN MY '46BEFORE '63 THEY ARE NOT OEM, DON'T HAVE TO HAVE/ WEAR 'EM!

I'M GETTING ABOUT 18 MPG WITH MY OFFENHOUSER INTAKE AND HOLLEY 390 CFM 4BBL CARB.

THINGS COME TOGETHER WHEN YOU FINALLY LEARN THE "SCIENTIFIC WAY" OF TUNING A CARB (PERFECT JET SELECTION, FOR WHAT YOU DO WITH YOUR RIG)

http://www.bob2000.com/carb.htm

HERE'S MINE RIGGED UPSORTA OLDER NOW THAN IN THE ARMY PICS

HERE'S MY O2 SENSOR WHICH DOES NOTHING BUT RUN MY AIR/ FUEL RATIO GAUGE....TO SEE IF I'M "LEAN--CORRECT(STOICH)----RICH" AT CRUISE SPEED

AIR/ FUEL AND TACH ARE MOUNTED ON THE STEERING COLUMN

THEN THE CARB----EFFICIENT/ PLENTY OF POWER WHEN NEEDED...ALL MOUNTED ON A STOCK 258 6 CYLINDER!

ANOTHER SHOT OF THE "BATTALION STALLION"

MY MAN-CAVE

EXPLORE THEM OPTIONS, BEFORE YOU SPEND A FORTUNE ON A LESSER QUALITY, COMPLICATED RIG!

THE MEDIC