Okay. I've been looking far and wide for a Gen 2 or 2.5 SR (and also a Trooper), and the search has been uniformly discouraging, without exception. There have been some vehicles in good mechanical condition, but all of them have been to some degree, a mess inside. Not a space I want to spend time in, especially with my pre-preschool age son.
It finally struck me that the problem isn't so much the vehicles themselves, as the simple fact that in the SoCal market, in the $4kish range, that's just what there is. Clean generally isn't going to exist anymore for a 15ish year old once-premium SUV for around $4k.
Realizing that if I need to spend upwards of $4k to get something I'm comfortable with, maybe I should reconsider selling the not-running 2001 Jeep WJ I have; it will cost about $4.5k to get it running.
Totally confused.
Enter the Gen III.
I stumbled across a 2001 Limited just around the block from work. I've inspected it very closely, but haven't driven it yet.
It's the first vehicle I've looked at in this search that I'm actually enthusiastic about; something I wouldn't be embarrassed to take company in, and something I'd gladly have my son in (and I have to admit the independent rear AC would be tremendous for him!).
I've read everything I can on this site and elsewhere in the few hours I've had since.
The 2001-2003 Limiteds are about the price range I can stretch to afford. Above 2003 is too expensive.
Which year, which model for our purposes would you guys suggest?
I know the 2003 has a little more power, but they are averaging a solid $3k to $4k more in asking price than the 2001s.
ARB support is there for lockers in the future which is good; I won't have to swap whole axles like I was looking at in the WJ. My most immediate concern for Expo travel is a lack of skid plates and sliders.
Anyway, too much typing, head spinning, I need to get this all resolved very soon...
What say the experts?
It finally struck me that the problem isn't so much the vehicles themselves, as the simple fact that in the SoCal market, in the $4kish range, that's just what there is. Clean generally isn't going to exist anymore for a 15ish year old once-premium SUV for around $4k.
Realizing that if I need to spend upwards of $4k to get something I'm comfortable with, maybe I should reconsider selling the not-running 2001 Jeep WJ I have; it will cost about $4.5k to get it running.
Totally confused.
Enter the Gen III.
I stumbled across a 2001 Limited just around the block from work. I've inspected it very closely, but haven't driven it yet.
It's the first vehicle I've looked at in this search that I'm actually enthusiastic about; something I wouldn't be embarrassed to take company in, and something I'd gladly have my son in (and I have to admit the independent rear AC would be tremendous for him!).
I've read everything I can on this site and elsewhere in the few hours I've had since.
The 2001-2003 Limiteds are about the price range I can stretch to afford. Above 2003 is too expensive.
Which year, which model for our purposes would you guys suggest?
I know the 2003 has a little more power, but they are averaging a solid $3k to $4k more in asking price than the 2001s.
ARB support is there for lockers in the future which is good; I won't have to swap whole axles like I was looking at in the WJ. My most immediate concern for Expo travel is a lack of skid plates and sliders.
Anyway, too much typing, head spinning, I need to get this all resolved very soon...
What say the experts?