Inspecting a Used Jeep 4x4
The most important thing to look at is the chassis or frame of the jeep. A broken or heavily damaged frame strongly devalues the Jeep and before buying, you or a trusted inspector must crawl under the jeep to inspect it. You would look for bent springs, torn cables or hoses, damaged skid plate. Pay careful attention to the bumper attachment points. Check the tires for uneven wearing.
The ultimate inspection is to have the jeep checked for straightness on a four wheel alignment rack. If you suspect any kind of damage at all, you should at least have a frame specialist make measurements between various points on the frame to see if the vehicle suffers from fatigue and/or cracks.
Jeep Clutch and Transmission.
The clutch is extremely hard to get to on Jeep models, so much so that it could cost as much to replace the clutch as it could to replace the engine.
Automatic transmission replacement is even worse, with labor costs running as much as ten hours. So be paranoid shuddering sensations, much like a bad manual clutch, and be sure to check for burnt fluid, leaks, erratic shifts.
Jeep Engine
Of course you would like to have an engine that is not totalled, but remember that on Jeeps, installing a complete engine is often easier and cheaper than replacing the transmission. What you do need to check is that the engine is large enough to accommodate your needs. If you have a fantasy of having your used Jeep purchase drive up the Andes mountain range while carrying your camper behind, and you are looking at a used Cherokee with a 2.5L engine, well you may be facing disappointment in the future.
Other Jeep stuff to watch out for.
If the seller has not fixed the air conditioning and/or heater before trying to sell, assume that the seller got a quote that was horrendously expensive. Do not be taken by assurances that the air conditioning simply needs a recharge.
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