[cruiserfied]

After months scouring the for sale sites i picked up Dad at 4am yesterday and headed for Sydney. Looked at a number of Wranglers and had pretty much given up. Between poor condition and dealers not willing to budge from sticker price it just wasn't happening .

We decided to get some lunch and decided on the next course of action. Randomly picked a direction and started driving until we came to a KFC on the highway. I was in the wrong lane and missed the turn so we drove to the next intersection.

Like a beacon of light Car City was on the next corner. Massive complex with a few dozen small dealers on the one property. So big theres a road that does a circuit of the place. So we parked and started walking. As we walked the dealers would come out and ask what we were looking for (not pushy at all and very polite and friendly) each time i said Wrangler they would say nah not seen one for a while.
Got about 3/4 of the way around and one guy came out, same deal but instead of saying no he took us back to one we past just a second ago and there it was sitting between two vans in the corner. Was a bit underwhelmed at first but checked the engine, was a coil pack not dizzy, tick 1. 150000km tick 2. Auto tick 3 
Asked price and was told $6500 and they'll fix the "dyno" (alternator  ) and drivers window (had been looking at similar Jeeps starting at $9500). Took it for a drive and loved it, got back and talked them down to $5600 driveaway as it was undetailed, noisy arse alternator and busted drivers window zipper.
They can't have had it for more than a day or two, it hadn't even been processed yet.

Brand new battery was 110% flat and volt gauge would randomly shoot off the top of the gauge, noticed on test drive but not too concerned. Stopped for fuel an hour out of Sydney and fully expected 110% dead on restart but was surprised when i got very dull reds on the dash. Pushed it out of the fuel bay and jump started it. Found loose battery terminal  put it on tight and volt gauge read 14v all the way home and battery is now fully charged and starting everytime  still need to replace alternator due to the dud bearing but at least the battery is good.

Finally got home around 8:30 (Dad had another 1/2 to home) so 16hrs driving around but i got me a convertible  and a pocket full of cash to buy Jeep goodies with.

How i found it.


Halfway home.


Stop 1km from home to get chocolate for wifey.


View from my back window. Might have a problem.


Ok back to I30's now.

[The Gonz]

Nice, I enjoyed the sense of adventure and joy in the activity, not to mention the outcome!

[Phil №❶]

 

[CraigB]

That's a good deal Tim

What's first on the goodie's list? looks like several goodies can be pinched off your old mans Jeep

[asathorny]

Looks like ya made a couple of good choices there, nice car purchased and chocolates for wifey   

[cruiserfied]

Nice, I enjoyed the sense of adventure and joy in the activity, not to mention the outcome!

Yeah was a bit of an adventure lol.

That's a good deal Tim

What's first on the goodie's list? looks like several goodies can be pinched off your old mans Jeep

Yeah i could flog a few things off dads lol. First thing will be 3" coils & shocks, front winch bar and winch, snorkel and wider flares for legal reasons. Then all the moneys will be about gone.

Looks like ya made a couple of good choices there, nice car purchased and chocolates for wifey   

Yeah definately a good move stopping for chocolate lol.
It was hard walking away from a couple of them but the stars were aligning for a reason.

[CraigB]

Hopefully you can squeeze some new rollers into the budget, lifting without them might look odd

Are you selling the old wagon or is just for the collection?

[eye30]

Well done and a good day out at that.

Ps
Suppose they did not know you are a mechanic so throught they had got one over on you and  off loaded an expensive fix with window and alt.

[Asterix]

Congrats on the new toy, Tim. Looking good 

[Surferdude]

You never admit your mechanical knowledge.
Just ask "dumb but pointed" questions and watch them squirm.
Or lie outright.

My daughter and I went through a 3 visit process of buying her a Lancer once on Parramattta Road.  It was all very pleasant and no lies but the lady salesperson tried every trick in the book to boost the price or add costs in.

When we picked up the car, the sales lady said quietly to Kylie. "I am so glad I don't have to sell your Dad a car every day"

The "beast to be" looks good Tim.

[Surferdude]

BTW. Is Car City the big complex out at Minchinbury?

[Dazzler]

Great story Tim... 

[cruiserfied]

Hopefully you can squeeze some new rollers into the budget, lifting without them might look odd

Are you selling the old wagon or is just for the collection?

I will be using the rims and tyres from the Cherokee. They're only 12 months old and will bolt on. The Cherokee will probably be sold off cheap.

BTW. Is Car City the big complex out at Minchinbury?

Thats the one. It brilliant, you would have trouble NOT finding a car to buy there.

Played it cool until the deal was done. They laughed when i said i work in a Jeep workshop.

[CraigB]

Hopefully you can squeeze some new rollers into the budget, lifting without them might look odd

Are you selling the old wagon or is just for the collection?

I will be using the rims and tyres from the Cherokee. They're only 12 months old and will bolt on. The Cherokee will probably be sold off cheap.

Ah! I forgot about those rims you bought for the Cherokee, they'll look good

Will you have to do a centre diff/transfer case drop with a 3" lift or all be fine

[cruiserfied]

3" should be fine but will see if i get vibrations. If i do get vibrations i will do a 1" transfer drop. Hopefully not though.

[CraigB]

3" should be fine but will see if i get vibrations. If i do get vibrations i will do a 1" transfer drop. Hopefully not though.

See how ya go

In the last 2 months I've had 3 mates all come home with 2014 Grand Cherokee Limited's, starting to look like Jeep country around here very nice cars though and the 3ltr diesels in them go like the clappers

[cruiserfied]

Awesome. They are a very very nice vehicle. Heaps of power, good on fuel and can tow a house.

[CraigB]

Yeah I was quite surprised by the 7.5ltr per 100km.

One friend has a slight issue with the 3.5 ton towing capacity though...his boat and trailer weighs 4.3 ton thankfully he doesn't need to drive far to put her in the water.

[cruiserfied]

Cant blame the Jeep for that though.

[CraigB]

Cant blame the Jeep for that though.

Yeah he doesn't, was too good a deal to pass up so bought the car regardless ( keep the wife happy ), he'll keep his Patrol for towing probably unless he decides to ditch the steel trailer and get an aluminium one which would cost a wee bit more than what he can get for the Patrol.

[cruiserfied]

Well oil pressure dropped to zero yesterday arvo 
No rattling so i wasn't too concerned. Checked the pressure switch at lunch today and found it has been leaking through the switch and into the connector (pretty normal Jeep thing)
Anyway onw pressure switch an oil filter and 5.7l of 5w/40 full synthetic the oil pressure is reading like it did new.

[CraigB]

I love a cheap fix

[Phil №❶]

I love a cheap Jeep fix

 

[Dazzler]

Gee, sounds like higher maintenance than my ex....

[cruiserfied]

I love a cheap fix

Genuine switch $108 sump plug $16 (rubber seal part of plug) oil filter $3 dunno how much oils gunna cost but hopefully around $50-60. Cheerin.

I love a cheap Jeep fix

 

   

Gee, sounds like higher maintenance than my ex....

Its a a Jeep, thats to be expected.

[cruiserfied]

Ordered yesterday/today:

Lifted springs.
Lifted shocks.
Front winch bar.
Winch.
Snorkel.
Wider flares.
120A alternator.

First stuff should arrive tomorrow.
Spent a little more (not alot thanks to crap aussie dollar) and bought everything from Australian Jeep suppliers rather than buying from USA. Will get some stuff from states as time goes by but try to support the Aussies.

[Dazzler]

Great attitude Tim

[cruiserfied]

Great attitude Tim

Its not much in the big scheme but circa $4k out of my pocket is a big deal.

[cruiserfied]

So most parts have arrived. Only waiting on front bar and shocks coming from WA due in on Monday and Alternator (wrong one sent, glad that was a local puchase) also due Monday.

Took the top of yesterday and took the kids for a run, just cause we can lol.

[cruiserfied]

Ellie told me how much she loved the springs, the front springs are nearly as big as her lol.