RIP My KJ

[narntek]

Not sure anyone would find this information of any value, but after 168,776 miles, my Jeep Liberty has gone to the "junkyard in the skies.". I took it in for an oil change and they found a small transmission leak. I took it back to the dealership, where they found more corroded components, brake lines etc, including a crack in the frame. $4000 in quotes later, I basically said screw it, as at the moment, with schooling etc, I don't really have the money to fix it. I have my motorcycle to drive at the moment, and once the winter weather starts again will be looking for something else.

What's sad about this, is this was technically speaking my first car. I started to drive in an 03 Neon which was my parents, and purchased this with my savings from birthdays, etc. It was my first big purchase of many. I bought it when it was just 2 years old, and thought I took good care of it. I guess a lot of this had to deal with the fact that although it was garage it lived in OH it's entire life, so it did have undercarriage rust. As it's kind of a safety-concern, I have it at my local dealer, and I'm checking in with random scrap places to see if they are going to offer me a good price for it.

I haven't been driving it as much as I was when the whole "gas tank incident" happened (there's a whole other different thread on this topic) and I guess it's just because it's been sitting around, (STILL BEING DRIVEN BUT NOT AS MUCH), and that's what killed it. I'm not sure. When the whole gas tank thing happened, the same dealer told me that the underside and mechanical parts of the truck were OK so that's why I repaired it. I've put over $6000 into it in the past 2 years, and it just ****** me off.

Hope someone enjoys my ranting and raving. Just UGH :favorites68:

 

[uss2defiant]

sorry :/

 

[profdlp]

Sorry to hear it.

 

[Logan Savage]

What year model is it ?

 

[twixy79]

I had an 03 neon. It was my first "purchased car" after it was deemed my 94 cherokee was unsafe to drive... something about a bad ******, blown heads, airbags that didnt work an oh yeah, the windows didnt open.... as much of a POS as that cherokee was, I still miss it. It was the car I learned to drive in, and the car I made some great memories in....

Sorry to hear about your kj and I cant blame you for not wanting to put another 4k into it... i just bought an 06 kj renegade and am going to start taking it apart on Sunday to see just what i got myself into!

 

[tommudd]

Where is the " crack in the frame"

Sorry to hear but with any vehicle no matter where you live almost there will be things trying to destroy it in some way

 

[narntek]

Tom,
There is a frame crack nearest to under the drivers side door. The U joint is also fractured. Basically it's falling apart all at once for whatever reason. I know the dealers can be kinda iffy when it comes to "damage finding" as they want to make extra money. Hearing him say he wouldn't trust himself backing it out of the service bay kinda had me at 'uh-oh.'

I kinda agree with what you say about no matter where you're at there will always be something to destroy whatever you drive, however, you see meticulously cared for sports cars that look so original that honestly probably get about the same care as my Jeep had, and still look like brand new. I've had it in a carport a few times, but most of the other times it was in the garage. I guess any type of sitting on pavement covered or not can still cause wear after time. I've only driven it maybe 20 times if, this whole summer, as I got a Harley 500 a year or so back, and have been riding that a lot with all this nice weather.

Where is the " crack in the frame"

Sorry to hear but with any vehicle no matter where you live almost there will be things trying to destroy it in some way

 

[narntek]

What year model is it ?

2002 Liberty Sport base. It was manufactured 10/01, so it's probably one of the first ones made, however, I'm probably not correct there, but 2002 was the first year of production. I bought it in 05.

 

[narntek]

Yeah I am too! From what I gather on the mileage, it's lived a pretty good life, but it would have been nice to get it to 200k. (Kinda like the Fiero from How I Met Your Mother

Sorry to hear it.

 

[narntek]

A lot of memories in mine too! You can always make new memories though, gotta look at it in a positive way! I hope it honestly gets parted out so that it can live on in a way. I would hate for the whole thing to get crushed down.

I had an 03 neon. It was my first "purchased car" after it was deemed my 94 cherokee was unsafe to drive... something about a bad ******, blown heads, airbags that didnt work an oh yeah, the windows didnt open.... as much of a POS as that cherokee was, I still miss it. It was the car I learned to drive in, and the car I made some great memories in....

Sorry to hear about your kj and I cant blame you for not wanting to put another 4k into it... i just bought an 06 kj renegade and am going to start taking it apart on Sunday to see just what i got myself into!

 

[tommudd]

Tom,
There is a frame crack nearest to under the drivers side door. The U joint is also fractured. Basically it's falling apart all at once for whatever reason. I know the dealers can be kinda iffy when it comes to "damage finding" as they want to make extra money. Hearing him say he wouldn't trust himself backing it out of the service bay kinda had me at 'uh-oh.'

I kinda agree with what you say about no matter where you're at there will always be something to destroy whatever you drive, however, you see meticulously cared for sports cars that look so original that honestly probably get about the same care as my Jeep had, and still look like brand new. I've had it in a carport a few times, but most of the other times it was in the garage. I guess any type of sitting on pavement covered or not can still cause wear after time. I've only driven it maybe 20 times if, this whole summer, as I got a Harley 500 a year or so back, and have been riding that a lot with all this nice weather.

Interesting if " frame " is cracked under drivers area. Only ones I have seen is rust in the area where the rear LCAs mount up to and most of them were in areas where folks run them on the beaches
The " sports cars" more than likely are treated with kid gloves, never out in bad weather / rainy days etc and rest of the time in heated garages

 

[Logan Savage]

How much are you looking to get out of it ? I have an 02 & an 05 . Might be interested in a parts vehicle .
I see you're in OH , I'm in WV not far from the OH line .

 

[narntek]

Looks like I'll be selling it to the dealer that noticed all the stuff wrong with it, as they're offering me a trade in value as if it were "functioning"

I wasn't expecting that all entirely, but I've found a few cars I'm interested in. I'll keep it a surprise, and will probably have something by Saturday.

How much are you looking to get out of it ? I have an 02 & an 05 . Might be interested in a parts vehicle .
I see you're in OH , I'm in WV not far from the OH line .

 

[ltd02]

Looks like I'll be selling it to the dealer that noticed all the stuff wrong with it, as they're offering me a trade in value as if it were "functioning"

I wasn't expecting that all entirely, but I've found a few cars I'm interested in. I'll keep it a surprise, and will probably have something by Saturday.

Sounds like a good deal. Too bad for me as I was thinking of taking a road trip to visit you for the engine. Mine's toast. :help:

 

[narntek]

Yeah I would've been interested in doing that, but I wouldn't have had it done with me. i.e you take the whole body.

I just picked up a '13 Fiat 500, and actually really like it thus far. Got a good deal, and I figure that with as little snow driving as I do/did in my personal car (have a beater that is a 4x4), that it wouldn't matter. Other than offering moral support for people on here, I don't know how many more posts I'll put on here. The KJ had a good run, and I'll miss it, but I'm ready for new adventures.

Sounds like a good deal. Too bad for me as I was thinking of taking a road trip to visit you for the engine. Mine's toast. :help:

 

[sota]

if possible, post up details of the vehicle so as to be a resource if someone else comes across it and joins this place. would also be interesting to see if it actually did reappear out there after, as you say, all that is wrong with it.

 

[narntek]

2002 Jeep Liberty. Purchased originally from Clarke Megamall in Barberton, was traded there in 05. I purchased it and had it titled in my moms name as I had next to no credit at the time, paid it off and took possession (titled as mine) at 151k (this will all make sense if you see the carfax of it). Around 161k, the gas tank fell off and left me stranded. Replaced fuel tank and then the power steering pump (will also be noted on CFAX) went out on my way back from the dealer. Ran great (trans and engine had never gave me any issues) VIN will end in 224177, if it happens to cross the path of someone else, if not junked. Maybe someone from OH will see this at auction, as I heard from the salesman that it would probably be going there.

All I know that was wrong with it at trade was that the ac compressor fan was bad on the speeds all the way up to 4. Assuming it needed a blower motor, the drivers side seat was torn and had a seat cover on it, which according to the dealers photos and seeing it at the dealer, it still has them on it, the AC blows but I suspect the compressor is/was on it's way out, as it didn't always work. Some days you'd be dying and had to have the windows down, other days (with same high temps) it turned on and worked. The breaks were replaced not too long ago, but I suspect the break lines were leaking as I was told at the dealer. The frame is/was cracked just under the rear door and there is a piece of the connecting part of the car to the chassis that is cracked. Not sure if that would essentially split the car from the top or not.

It still ran/drove great, and it was frankly hard to be told that it had the issues it did, as it ran as good and was in my opinion a pretty solid/reliable truck in the time I owned it. I don't wanna post my full vin for safety reasons (personal info), but hopefully by saying a few cosmetic things about it, seat covers on seats, and 2 apple stickers on the rear windows, this will help you in identification.

Hopefully this info helps anybody

if possible, post up details of the vehicle so as to be a resource if someone else comes across it and joins this place. would also be interesting to see if it actually did reappear out there after, as you say, all that is wrong with it.

 

[narntek]

Found the KJ!

Some kid at the local HS is driving my old KJ in all her glory. Noticed the Apple Stickers as I dropped my sister off at school yesterday. Got closer and noticed the new tank straps and rust/dent in drivers side door. Talked with the kid and he bought it from the dealer that I traded it in at, put $2700 into it, and has been driving it since. It's his first car. Even slightly lifted it and put nicer tires on it (they even worked on the frame rust/rewelded etc). Nice to see it again! It even still has the same seat covers I traded it in with. I guess it has around 170000 miles on it now. Kinda wonder how he felt when I approached him and told him that was legitimately my old Jeep.

 

[turblediesel]

That's cool and rare. I've had that happen on a base overseas. Someone back for a second tour said "Hey! That's my old car!" A '67 Opel Kadette Coupe LX (with a clock). He'd bought it new.

 

[JasonJ]

That's kinda neat but bittersweet when that happens. After I junked one of my favorite project cars when I was younger, I later that month saw a guy with my headlamp assemblies installed in his car... it was distinctly my old headlights as they had a line of red paint overspray on the bottom of the plastic lenses... I guess as bad as mine were, his old ones must've been worse!