Advice Needed
 

Hi all! Newbie here. I sold my '02 Wrangler Sport a few years back and regretted it since. In truth, it wasn't the right Wrangler for my needs, but I've got the bug again, and looking at a JK that hits all the buttons for me this time. It's a 2010 2-door Sahara in Red Rock Crystal with a Khaki colored freedom hardtop. Auto. It's bone stock, which is what I want. As I mod it, I'll know that I'll be the first guy to do so.

Here's the kicker. It's only got 32k miles on it and it's in perfect condition. The price on it is $23k. Is that a fair price for an auto 2010 Sahara w/ a hardtop w/ low miles? I know pricing varies around the country. I'm on the east coast (Richmond, VA) where prices may be somewhat higher.

Anyway, thanks in advance for your advice. Looking forward to getting my Jeep Wave on again ;)https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jk-...87c2ecbeb8.jpg

This is her.


Bruce

Check the vin to see where it has lived. Finding jeeps isn'in our area is tough but it's tougher when you've got the rust buckets from MD being sold here. So if you decide to pursue it any further, you need to inspect the undercarriage for rust.

I've got to caution you though- my girlfriend just bought a '16 2dr, manual, soft top, 3.73's for $23k with only 10k miles. She was able to get a factory warranty as a certified pre-owned vehicle. So you've found a decent deal for the area but realistically the price should be down between $18 and $20 because you can buy very lightly used with the pentastar (you want it) for about the same price unless you're dead set on a limited color. I have a 2010 and I love it (180k miles- all mine) but the pentastar makes driving more fun and you'll find more support for interior as well as engine mods with the pentastar (2012+). Don't go with the 2012 as they were figuring out the penta that year. The 07-09 is also going to be a very cheap sell as they were having oil burning issues.

Thanks! I'm not set on color. But, I am set on a 2-door auto Sahara with a hardtop. The proverbial needle in the haystack. So, pickin's are slim in the metro Richmond area.

Look outside of Richmond. What you're running into is the shortage of 2drs. Is there a reason you're set on the Sahara? You already said you plan to modify it so why not expand your search a little bit? If you buy a premium top then it could be worth a couple bucks to the guy looking to unload his hard top for the summer.

I've looked from Hampton Roads to Lynchburg to Northern Va, and so on, and I only found one JK that I'd consider for about the same money but it's a Sport and doesn't have the tow package -- another necessity, whether I need to add it post sale or not. What I'm finding is that the price of this JK is in line, given all that it has. Seems 4-doors outnumber 2-doors by a huge margin these days.

I can find a 2-door Sahara for less w/ similar (usually more miles) but they are manual. Or they have a soft top. And, so on. If this one turns out as good as it looks, I think I'll go ahead and get it. It really is pretty much what I would order if I were to buy one new. I was hoping I could find a similar JK for less. It's just not out there at the moment.

In your price range, you def should be looking at 2012 or newer to get the much improved HP that the 3.6 engine gets you.

4 doors account for 70% of the sales, there's no illusion there. The hitch and wiring are very easy and relatively cheap to add (eBay for parts) after you purchase the jeep. It isn't like the TJ where it's a large piece and holes drilled to be added. And it's funny (to me) that all you can find are manuals. We searched high and low for a jeep and the manuals were scarce. The hard top is a little tougher option to find, used.

Yeah, installing a hitch/wiring is not an issue. But, it's an added cost, as is the hard top. It is funny, but many of the JK's I'm finding that meet my criteria are manuals. 2 months from now, I could be a different story. Just seems that this JK is a rare bird here. But, I dig it. I'll keep looking, but hopefully next week I can drive this one home. Only 32k miles on an 8 year old Jeep is decent. I bought my '02 in the same condition/mileage. I loved that thing. But, I spent a lot of time driving 2.5 hours on an interstate in it. In a soft top. In stop/go traffic shifting gears. So, it got old. But, I loved dropping the top on that thing around town. Nothing better. But, with highway driving, I need the hard top and auto. Can't wait!

Rob -- Trust me, I've looked! I can't find anything in 2012+ that hits all my buttons for the price within a reasonable distance from me. But, I'll keep looking just in case ;)

Yeah, I can't believe the prices. I did get a good deal when I bought my 2012 jku sport. I ordered mine from the factory. Connectivity, power locks & windows. 3.73 rear with max tow package and hard top, alloy wheels. I only paid $29k. Brand new with zero miles. That was 6yrs ago & 101,000 miles. I still love it, and it's paid for! I also bought the lifetime factory warranty, so I don't think I'll ever sell it.

Yeah, the prices of used JK's make me wish that I wanted to sell mine but since I don't, it's kind of a waste. I paid $28.5K for my 2009 Sahara JKU with Zero miles on it. A new Sahara JL is almost double that not even 10 years later. Jeez!

If the OP is looking for a Sahara 2 door, that's likely the reason you're coming up empty, FCA just didn't make many of them. The Sahara is the luxury model that the Soccer mom's prefer, who also prefer the 4 doors for the kids. You'll have a much easier time finding a Sport or Rubi in a 2 door. The JL they aren't even making a 2 door Sahara.

Well, I'm not a soccer mom, but thanks. LOL! I just prefer the look/styling of the Sahara. In 2010, they didn't have quite as many options as the Sahara does today. Power windows and painted fenders are about it on this one. I realize everyone has their preferences. I just dig this model in 2-door. Our kids are about to begin driving and will have their own rides, so I care less about carting them around these days. Besides, mom has her SUV to do that when needed. This is just for me. The only door/seat I care about is the driver side ;)

And yes, I remember 10-15 years ago when you could get a new Wrangler fully optioned for $24k. I thought that was a ridiculous price then, too. But, in retrospect...

I'm not a soccer mom either, and preferred the Sahara as well. Just saying the market is what it is, and FCA did not make many 2Dr Sahara since the market demand wasn't there.

Here's some production numbers that may interest you so you can understand your hunt a little more. The numbers will tell you the truth.Total 2010 Sahara 2Dr Automatics Built in the U.S=4,616
Total 2010 Wranglers built in U.S=102,211. Percentage of 2 Dr. 2010 Sahara Auto Wranglers built=4.5%. So you have a 4.5% chance of finding an automatic Sahara 2 door and that number may be reduced in your area.

In comparison to the 4Dr Sahara production numbers= 14,169 =>13.8% Therefore you are 3 times more likely to find a 4 door Sahara of the same model year, than you are with a 2 door.

Now look at the 2Dr Sport auto numbers=19,430 => 19% It's more on par with the 4Door Sahara numbers. Thus the reason I'm saying you will likely have a better chance to find a Sport.

It's a good thing you're not set on getting a RHD 4x4 auto Sport. You'ld only have a 1 out of 102,211 chance of locating it. ;)

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/FR...A=w527-h913-no

Fascinating! Thanks for sharing. In addition to explaining the scarcity of what I'm looking for, it might also explain the pricing. Supply/demand...

I feel the higher price could be tied to the rarity but more so I feel it has to do with the low mileage because that is pretty rare to only have 32k on a 2010 and stock. You've definitely found a rare bird.

What bothers me the most is I know that asking price is not much lower than what it was purchased new. Like I mentioned I got my 2009 4dr Sahara at $28.5k new where the 2 door cost $3-4k less than the 4 door. You would be paying about $2-3k less than what it was purchased for new, and it's now 8 years old but if you like it that much, it's best you get it because chances are not in your favor to find another with that low of mileage and meets your preferences.

If someone would have told me 8 years ago that I could purchase a new vehicle 8 years ago and I'ld only lose $2-3k when I went to sell it 8 years later, I would have thought they were crazy. Wrangler economics defy logic.

So, after searching high/low for a comparable Sport or Sahara from Maryland to North Carolina, I ended up buying the Sahara in my original post. In the end, for the year, trim, mileage, options, etc., the pricing on it was fair. The thing is in crazy nice shape for an 8 year old rig. Thanks for everyone's help!!! -Bruce

Congrats! I remember that color when I was shopping for mine. It's a really nice color. I was tossing back and forth between that Red and the Deep Water Blue that I ended up getting. I've had bad luck with Red on past vehicles with the Poe Poe, so I decided to play it safe and go with the blue. ;)

Pleasantly surprised with the highway mpg's on my rig this weekend. Drove down to the river and back, about 2 hours each way. Just as I hit the off ramp near our house, it hit 21.8 avg mpg's. Much improved over my F150.

Those stock tires are doing a lot for you. Running a 265/70-17 tire (shorter and wider...marginally) , I averaged 22 between Virginia Beach and Williamsburg. Keep it under 64-64 and you'll see the best mpg.

Don't get too excited by those numbers as they plummet when not on highway. I've had my 2012 since new. I now have over 100,000 miles and keep all fill-up data in an excel sheet. At the 95,000 mile mark, I had filled my Jeep up 342 times. There were only 8 fill-ups where I recorded 20mpg or higher which computes to less than 3% of my fill ups. My highest ever was 22.26. My average is 17.1. My Jeep is a 2012 jku sport manual trans with 3.73 rear. Pretty much stock except xrc rear bumper.

Yup, I was just talking about highway miles. The majority of my miles will be highway miles. In comparison to my F150, my JK is performing better on the road.

My son has a Ram 1500 with the 5.7 hemi. He gets about the same MPG as my Jeep. I'm jealous of the power his has compared to my 3.6.

I know I'm old, but I find myself driving a little slower in my new rig. I know it doesn't have the same power as my F150 did, but it's hard to compare them. This is my old TJ. I miss the hell out of this guy, but super happy with my JK. Now, I'm already oogling those JL's...

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jk-...7f228f122e.jpg