New Jeeper: which would you get?
#11
Super Moderator
I would go with option 3, for the lower miles and the dual top option and newer model year. I live in Michigan and due to the swings of seasonal weather we have, the dual top option is a must have feature for me. Soft top in the summer, and hard top in the winter. I run with the hard top 8-9 months out of the year and 3-4 months with the soft top and one of the benefits of the dual tops that no one tends to talk about much is that if you ever start feeling bored with your ride and are just looking for something different, just changing tops makes you feel like you're riding in a completely different vehicle and doesn't cost you anything once you have both tops.
The other thing I would do before purchasing any of them is to buy a BlueDriver scanner and do a complete OBDII read out to see if any of them have any problems going on which isn't simple to see on the surface. That may point you in a particular direction as well.
I won't purchase a used vehicle without using this on it 1st.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00652G4TS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
The last used vehicle I purchased, I used the BlueDriver scanner and found 2 hidden problems where there was no check engine light displayed. The 1st problem was a cylinder #6 misfire. I looked up the likely causes which were clogged fuel injector, fuel injector wiring damage, faulty injector. The 2nd problem was "Fog Light Open circuit" which made me then think of testing out the fog lights which I never considered to look at. Sure enough the fog lights didn't work. I inspected the lights closer and found the fog light wiring harness was completely missing. The front end had been in a collision, they repaired the front end including replacing the fog lights, but they never replaced the harness that must have also been damaged in the accident. Those items then became negotiating items to lower the price. You think the seller was going to point these things out to me? Heck no, so the BlueDriver scanner was well worth the $100 I paid for it, the seller of the vehicle lowered the price by $400 for these items after not wanting to budge, thus the scanner paid for itself. I got a replacement wiring harness for $100 and took the vehicle to the shop for a fuel injection system cleaning for $200 and both problems were then fixed.
I also find sellers often get a nervous look on their face when I pull the BlueDriver out of my pocket and tell them I would like to do an OBDII scan. So, the look on their face and how they react can often be give away signs that something may be amiss. However, it's often a look of unknown of "Oh sh*t, what is this guy going to find wrong by using this mysterious device?"
The other thing I would do before purchasing any of them is to buy a BlueDriver scanner and do a complete OBDII read out to see if any of them have any problems going on which isn't simple to see on the surface. That may point you in a particular direction as well.
I won't purchase a used vehicle without using this on it 1st.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00652G4TS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
The last used vehicle I purchased, I used the BlueDriver scanner and found 2 hidden problems where there was no check engine light displayed. The 1st problem was a cylinder #6 misfire. I looked up the likely causes which were clogged fuel injector, fuel injector wiring damage, faulty injector. The 2nd problem was "Fog Light Open circuit" which made me then think of testing out the fog lights which I never considered to look at. Sure enough the fog lights didn't work. I inspected the lights closer and found the fog light wiring harness was completely missing. The front end had been in a collision, they repaired the front end including replacing the fog lights, but they never replaced the harness that must have also been damaged in the accident. Those items then became negotiating items to lower the price. You think the seller was going to point these things out to me? Heck no, so the BlueDriver scanner was well worth the $100 I paid for it, the seller of the vehicle lowered the price by $400 for these items after not wanting to budge, thus the scanner paid for itself. I got a replacement wiring harness for $100 and took the vehicle to the shop for a fuel injection system cleaning for $200 and both problems were then fixed.
I also find sellers often get a nervous look on their face when I pull the BlueDriver out of my pocket and tell them I would like to do an OBDII scan. So, the look on their face and how they react can often be give away signs that something may be amiss. However, it's often a look of unknown of "Oh sh*t, what is this guy going to find wrong by using this mysterious device?"
Last edited by Rednroll; 05-02-2019 at 05:16 AM.
#12
JK Newbie
Thread Starter
I would go with option 3, for the lower miles and the dual top option and newer model year. I live in Michigan and due to the swings of seasonal weather we have, the dual top option is a must have feature for me. Soft top in the summer, and hard top in the winter. I run with the hard top 8-9 months out of the year and 3-4 months with the soft top and one of the benefits of the dual tops that no one tends to talk about much is that if you ever start feeling bored with your ride and are just looking for something different, just changing tops makes you feel like you're riding in a completely different vehicle and doesn't cost you anything once you have both tops.
The other thing I would do before purchasing any of them is to buy a BlueDriver scanner and do a complete OBDII read out to see if any of them have any problems going on which isn't simple to see on the surface. That may point you in a particular direction as well.
I won't purchase a used vehicle without using this on it 1st.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
The last used vehicle I purchased, I used the BlueDriver scanner and found 2 hidden problems where there was no check engine light displayed. The 1st problem was a cylinder #6 misfire. I looked up the likely causes which were clogged fuel injector, fuel injector wiring damage, faulty injector. The 2nd problem was "Fog Light Open circuit" which made me then think of testing out the fog lights which I never considered to look at. Sure enough the fog lights didn't work. I inspected the lights closer and found the fog light wiring harness was completely missing. The front end had been in a collision, they repaired the front end including replacing the fog lights, but they never replaced the harness that must have also been damaged in the accident. Those items then became negotiating items to lower the price. You think the seller was going to point these things out to me? Heck no, so the BlueDriver scanner was well worth the $100 I paid for it, the seller of the vehicle lowered the price by $400 for these items after not wanting to budge, thus the scanner paid for itself. I got a replacement wiring harness for $100 and took the vehicle to the shop for a fuel injection system cleaning for $200 and both problems were then fixed.
I also find sellers often get a nervous look on their face when I pull the BlueDriver out of my pocket and tell them I would like to do an OBDII scan. So, the look on their face and how they react can often be give away signs that something may be amiss. However, it's often a look of unknown of "Oh sh*t, what is this guy going to find wrong by using this mysterious device?"
The other thing I would do before purchasing any of them is to buy a BlueDriver scanner and do a complete OBDII read out to see if any of them have any problems going on which isn't simple to see on the surface. That may point you in a particular direction as well.
I won't purchase a used vehicle without using this on it 1st.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
The last used vehicle I purchased, I used the BlueDriver scanner and found 2 hidden problems where there was no check engine light displayed. The 1st problem was a cylinder #6 misfire. I looked up the likely causes which were clogged fuel injector, fuel injector wiring damage, faulty injector. The 2nd problem was "Fog Light Open circuit" which made me then think of testing out the fog lights which I never considered to look at. Sure enough the fog lights didn't work. I inspected the lights closer and found the fog light wiring harness was completely missing. The front end had been in a collision, they repaired the front end including replacing the fog lights, but they never replaced the harness that must have also been damaged in the accident. Those items then became negotiating items to lower the price. You think the seller was going to point these things out to me? Heck no, so the BlueDriver scanner was well worth the $100 I paid for it, the seller of the vehicle lowered the price by $400 for these items after not wanting to budge, thus the scanner paid for itself. I got a replacement wiring harness for $100 and took the vehicle to the shop for a fuel injection system cleaning for $200 and both problems were then fixed.
I also find sellers often get a nervous look on their face when I pull the BlueDriver out of my pocket and tell them I would like to do an OBDII scan. So, the look on their face and how they react can often be give away signs that something may be amiss. However, it's often a look of unknown of "Oh sh*t, what is this guy going to find wrong by using this mysterious device?"
Hahaha yes their faces can give it all away sometimes! I have a handheld OBD scanner and pulled the car fax, all looks great.
Yes , excited for dual tops and going naked. Already have a crank hoist in the garage that I'm gonna rig to lift the top off and store it at the ceiling.
Had them write up a purchase order for the True Blue '13 today and will be picking it up Sunday!
#13
Super Moderator
Hahaha yes their faces can give it all away sometimes! I have a handheld OBD scanner and pulled the car fax, all looks great.
Yes , excited for dual tops and going naked. Already have a crank hoist in the garage that I'm gonna rig to lift the top off and store it at the ceiling.
Had them write up a purchase order for the True Blue '13 today and will be picking it up Sunday!
Yes , excited for dual tops and going naked. Already have a crank hoist in the garage that I'm gonna rig to lift the top off and store it at the ceiling.
Had them write up a purchase order for the True Blue '13 today and will be picking it up Sunday!
The fella I purchased the vehicle from repairs totalled vehicles. The one I described was actually the 3rd vehicle I looked at from him over a 3 week period. So when I came in for the 3rd time to look at a vehicle, I knew he was prepared for me to do a scan and likely cleared the codes. BlueDriver will even tell you how long ago when codes were last cleared. He assured me prior, "this one is totally clean, I just checked it with my scanner before you got here." He was using an inexpensive one which only reads ECM codes and some PCM codes. He was shocked when I showed him the misfire code and the fog lamp code. He decided right there he needed to purchase the BlueDriver for himself, since he repairs vehicles that have been in an accident to make sure he was fixing everything that needed fixing.
I pulled stored codes from the factory radio and amplifier on my JK, and the wireless control module which never showed up when I was using Torque pro. I have the Infinity factory amp, where I disconnected and removed the factory Sub woofer. The BlueDriver scan confirmed what I already knew, "Amp Channels 7&8 open circuit". Torque Pro and the $20 OBD2 scanner I had never showed that code.
Last edited by Rednroll; 05-03-2019 at 03:51 AM.
#14
JK Newbie
Thread Starter
Thanks for the input everyone. I'm now officially a Jeep owner!
Couple friends and I have already started planning an overlanding trip in the UP (Michigan's upper peninsula) for this July and I'm quite excited!
More pics cause...who doesn't like pics!?
Couple friends and I have already started planning an overlanding trip in the UP (Michigan's upper peninsula) for this July and I'm quite excited!
More pics cause...who doesn't like pics!?
#16
JK Jedi
Congrats. I didn't know they still did 2-toned interior in '13. You don't see many of those.
#18
JK Newbie
Thread Starter
money well spent I think!
I love it. Wife HATES the brown/black combined interior. Told her well just have to take the doors off a day go mudding, then it will all match some odd mud color 😄
Thanks! Located in Clarkston, so not too far north of ya. 35 miles or so.
Thanks! Located in Clarkston, so not too far north of ya. 35 miles or so.