I am a complete newbie to jeep wranglers. I've always wanted one and am thinking about getting one since the opportunity presented itself.
The jeep in question is a 4 door soft top (the silver one). My question is why there is a large gap (it is visible in person) between the bottom of the soft top and the top of th tailgate. I have attached a picture. The bottom of the top does not extend over the top of the tailgate as I think it should.

This is the one I am considering buying. The top looks a little bit different than the red one in the corners

This another 2012 JK 4 door

I am comparing to sales pictures of other JK's of the same year (see the red one). It looks like the top should overhang the tailgate. However, on the silver one I'm looking at, it stops short of the top of the tailgate. Any idea of what is wrong with the silver jeep? Should the lip of the tailgate be covered by the bottom of the top like the red one?

I went to look at the silver jeep and I can't see how to pull down the top further (it's pretty tight), which leads me to believe it's missing something. If so, please let me know what is missing so I can factor that into my purchase negotitations in case I need to buy the missing part.
Thanks in advance.

 

these tops changed over the years a bit. to me itl look like the top on the silver jeep is older as they had smaller rear windows. the top on the red one is bit newer style. there should be a tailgate bar regardless. if looking in person, it should be obvious if that rear is sealing or not.

keep in mind these tops swap hands a lot, so just cuz the jeeps are the same year, does not mean they have the same soft tops.

those old soft tops were pretty sucky. fyi

 

I agree the top does not seem ideal and has a lot more wind noise than other's I've looked at.

Regarding this particular top, there looks like a tailgate bar that fits into slots on either side of the tailgate. However, when the bar is in those slots and the tailgate is closed, only the left side of the tailgate seals over (not under) the top, and on the right side there is a gap (measured front to rear). It's as if the bar does not stick out far enough in the back direction. I'm not sure if there is something that can be adjusted or replaced or if I should just pass on the jeep altogether.

 

I think you'd have to take another closer inspection in person and really scrutinize if there is anything wrong with the rear quarters and the tailgate. The top is nbd cuz it would be better off replaced anyhow, but if the alignment is due to an issue on the body side that is a bigger deal. There are sure a lot of JKs out there for sale. Unless this one is a unicorn in regard to mileage/condition/price, sometimes it's one of those things that any red flag is enough to keep looking. Sometimes though you just find that unicorn. this could be something as simple as they don't have that tailgate bar clip in place correctly. it's hard to tell without seeing it and fiddling with it.

 

Thanks. It's a unicorn in the sense it has has 1 owner almost its entire life and only has 42,000 documented miles on it for a 2012. The service history on carfax is immaculate. It was a summer vehicle that stayed at someone's summer house in New England and has no rust. Everything around here in New England is a rust bucket or is highly modified and priced accordingly. I was looking for something basic that I can modify over time as time and budget allows. The seller is asking a very reasonable price (the lowest of any 4 door JK I've seen).

That all being said, I still don't want something that has been messed up with the frame. It's enough of a gamble, that I'm leaning on the side of caution and just pass.

 

jeesh, idk, that is a unicorn then. maybe you should go back and have another look and actually mess around with that back window to make sure they clips are in place. it would seem extremely unlikely that the body is messed up given what you say. if it's the soft top, that is no big deal at all. you can get a much nicer soft top for a couple hundred in most places.....or you could buy a hard top off FBM or craigslist. those tops are so easy to swap around to different jeeps.

and yes, i do not envy people trying to buy vehicles in that northeast rust belt.

 

Hard to tell from the pic, but the upper passenger corner of the tailgate of the silver JK looks bent (but could also be the shadow from the top). I’ve seen a lot of similar damage on the early JKs (used to work at an auto auction, had a lot of ex-rentals from Hawaii come through). I think the tailgate bar being improperly placed/installed was the cause of the damage.

If you’re concerned about potential collision damage, look carefully for any signs of previous repair to the rear quarters/corners and tailgate. Some signs of previous repair can be differences in texture, dirt/debris in the paint, tape lines (hard/sharp edges or rough texture inside the jambs), color differences, turned bolts (look for paint chipped from bolt heads). High quality repairs can be difficult to detect, but very few shops put in the effort to make them that good since most people won’t notice.

Another thing I would look for on such a low mileage vehicle: any signs that it may have been a “toad” (towed behind a RV), like brackets or wiring on the front or excessive rock chips. It may not be a deal-breaker for you, but it can mean that the mileage reflected on the odometer may not be a true representation of the “true” mileage on many mechanical components.