Specs:
1998 TJ, 6cyl, 5sp, 35c, Hardtop, 53,000mi.
The jeep was rolled and has a salvaged title. The owner is asking $8000. He works at a body shop and was going to repair it and sell it, but says he is too busy now. From the Blue Book and ads I have seen around here, a similarly equipped jeep would go for about $12,000 (clear title). How much would a jeep like this go for at auction?

This would be a daily driver/ trail jeep that I would swap my D44s out of my YJ into. Also I would fix the body damage so it looks decent but not showroom perfect.

Here are some pics of the damage:
Front View
http://community.webshots.com/storage/1/v5/8/16/24/32681624DHoxfL_ph

Left fender would need replacing
http://community.webshots.com/storage/1/v5/8/16/67/32681667NPEGwT_ph

Would a new windshield frame be needed (the glass is not broken)???
http://community.webshots.com/storage/1/v5/8/18/98/32681898oHsxjr_ph

Would probably need a new gas tank
http://community.webshots.com/storage/1/v5/8/19/66/32681966caDGxJ_ph

offer him 6500 and see if he bites.

Where is the damage at? hehehe

Originally posted by Alaska ZJ
offer him 6500 and see if he bites.

Where is the damage at? hehehe

I dont' see any either? :confused:

Is it me or does the tie rod look bent? (wheels not pointing the same direction).

Originally posted by Archie_G
Is it me or does the tie rod look bent? (wheels not pointing the same direction).
http://community.webshots.com/storage/1/v5/8/16/24/32681624DHoxfL_ph
yup, looks like the passenger side is trying to go off on it's own:D

7000 tops ;)

If you are going to trail this Jeep anyway, just fix the functional stuff. If the windshield ain't broken, don't fix that beauty mark on the WS frame.

Yeah. What they said. Just buy it and wheel it. I wouldn't give more than $6500.

Check out e-bay for some to compare $ with....I think 8,000 is to much .You cant get anywhere close to 12,000 after repaired because of the salvage title so even fixed maybe worth 8,000.....Just my .02

I still don't see any damage... You say that thing was rolled???

I would rather buy a 97 6cyl with 100k mi for 9 grand without a salvage title.:rolleyes:

Originally posted by Alaska ZJ
offer him 6500 and see if he bites.

Where is the damage at? hehehe

what are you smoking a car with a salvaged title and damage like that is worth roughly 1/3 wholesale Blue book.
5 grand tops

i think you've got the guy in a great position. tell him you'll take it as is. you known he picked it up for less thank 2k probably from an insurance company. offer him a couple of thousand for his time and his find, and you can pick this thing up for almost nothing. i wouldn't think 4 to 5 is out of line.

now if it was a private owner who never killed the title by going through an insurance company, they could fix the damage and sell this for alot more.

bottom line is it has a salvaged title, and you and he will both never be able to sell the thing probably.

by the way, why the hell was the thing totaled? there is hardly any damage on it. it looks better than my jeep. :D

Hey Joe, where is this thing located? ;) :D No reason for asking, just curious. hehehe jk

Start low, nothing to lose.

Originally posted by TJoop
Hey Joe, where is this thing located? ;) :D No reason for asking, just curious. hehehe jk

Start low, nothing to lose.

28th and E Burnside @ B&C Auto body.

ive talked to a friend about salvaged titles before (he owns a car lot) he said not to do it because insurance is higher and harder to get, but if yopu do anyway that the price should be at most 2-3 thousand below low blue book, and thats if its fixed, so id say figure out what itll cost you to fix it and subtract that from blue book then drop another 3 G's and thats the most you should pay

WTF
:confused:

ROLLED?? any other damage other than in the pics and he rolled and DIDNT FAWK UP THE HARD TOP????????

Totaled? Salvaged? Does not look like much damage for that. My guess is there is frame damage someplace.

yeah... my 97 was rolled harder than that (black ice accident) and they didnt total it.. so Im not sure why this one got listed as totaled. My damage got me a little over 11,000 dollar check signed over to me.

I used it to fix windshield... put in 456 gears... ARB's ... update the teraflex swing arms... tweak some of the boyd parts back... new tires and body lift to accomidate them... and.... lived on the rest since I had no income at the time.

Originally posted by coachgeo
.... lived on the rest since I had no income at the time.

If there ever was a good time to roll, this would be it...good timing. :D (hope you weren't injured)

Originally posted by TJoop


If there ever was a good time to roll, this would be it...good timing. :D (hope you weren't injured)

yeah... I felt the same. about the timing... As I rolled I was screaming >>>> MY JEEPPP NOOOOO.... NOT MY JEEEEPPPP.... then it quicly switched too..... JAKEEEEEEE... (my dog)..... JAKEEEEE..... (he was in the back seat.) By miracale the back seat came un hooked like it is not supose to buttttt.... it wrapped around my huge yellow lab like a hot dog bun and progected him. no I nor him was not hurt which was a MIRACLE all in itself. I rolled 2 3/4 down an embankment. In my passenger floor board was a 12,000 lb winch.. (which is for sale by the way for 200 buks) the cable was off the winch and coiled up in the floor board above the winch. The tension of the cable expanded agains the floors walls kept that 100lb winch from falling on me. When I stoped rolling... I was looking up at the passnger side with the cable holding the winch FIRMLY in place. Yeah.. Im very lucky to be alive.

Damm that looks like my wife's roll in January...

It looks like the passenger side got its feet knocked from under it. (figuretively speaking)

My wife did the same thing, less damage to the windshield frame though.

Windshield frame 700, Fender 200, Paint???? Salvage title??? Axle/Control Arm Damage?

LUCKILY my wife busted the hardtop, bent the front axle housing, broke off both upper control arm mounts. Insurance wrote a check for 9K! Paid for Currie reverse 9 ARB, regear and detroit in the rear, Atlas, Powertank, bellyup. cv driveshafts, some new skidplates.............SWEEEEEETT!! Oh she was ok too.

I think there is more damage than you think.

Originally posted by aaronlosey
you known he picked it up for less thank 2k probably from an insurance company.

Less than 2K? I'd stand in line for that. :flipoff2:

1)It has more damage than it looks. I can see some in the panel alignment that makes me wonder. Plus I bet there's undercar stuff.

2) It will not be entirely fixable for the 4K difference, plus even if it was it then isn't worth low book with a salvage Title. About 25% less. that gets you close to his asking. My Friend Matt paid $4k for a similar '97 one with more damage. That was in '98 when it was only one year old.

3) you would be better off finding a built up one that someone Needs to sell. You might pay the 12.5 but it would be worth it.

Steve N. has a good point.

I made the mistake of building up '97 with a salvage title. If you try this approach, prepare to take a hit when you sell it. No matter how much you put into it all they see is the SALVAGE on the title. Even in Wisc. we have some tough laws about getting wrecks on the road, it took a 2 hour inspection before I could be okayed for a street legal 'repaired salvage' title. Everything from drivability to weld quality to break pressure to bumper height was checked.

Look around for a partally built TJ. You'll be able to save some money (some other guy will take the hit on parts) and you'll be on the trail twice as fast with far less for headaches.

I picked up a 97 with a 6, 5spd, dana 44, perfect shape with 48,000 miles for $7000.00. Trade in at a car dealer- they were going to wholesale the thing- look in the back lots of the dealers and see what was traded in- I also have a clean title.

you lucky man

Hey you might even want to pick up the Truck trader under 8999 last week on page 122 there is a 97 tj for 8500obo.

1997 jeep wrangler SE 4x4, desparate to sell, lost job. have mouths to feed, exc. condition, dual airbags, 64k miles, 5sp. 20mpg, price reduced 8500 obo Snohomish, WA.

that is the exact wording. I will PM you the phone #. I would type it but I dont know the owner.

that's great if you want to swap a V8 in, 2.5's aren't worth much

Why is it totalled??? Not that much body damage, axles are bent??? do you plan on keeping the stock axles? how about the frame is it bent??? look alittle deeper into this jeep! If this stuff checks out buy it for 4 or 5k and enjoy!

I wouldn't pay any more than $4000 for that thing.

Check the frame out, see any bends, wrinkles, folds, anything that doesn't look quite right? If you do, then don't get it unless you have a frame rack in your garage. Good TJ frames are hard to come by. It took my 2 months of looking to find one!