I’m talking about something old & used. Weekend fun car, etc. not daily driver. Wondering what pricing is like on the used market and is something potentially doable in the $3k range to get a functioning vehicle? If not, how cheap would I need to go?
I hear Suzuki has some really affordable products in the price range you are interested in…
Are you only wanting to stick with Jeep? or are you looking into other possibilities? We can assume you at least want 4X4. Is big power a concern, or is mileage in the package too, or does it really matter there?
I think you will find prices very all across the lower 48. If your willing to travel, find something in a low income state, and make a little vacation out of it.
Just food for thought.
3k can get you something good. body damage and rough interior kill used value, but don’t harm usability.
Rob,
You can probably pick up a decent Jeep for 5-6K. All I can say is you’ll love it.
2WD, auto. This is for a female for jetting around town on the weekends and such.
Yes, it has to be a Jeep.
A 2wd jeep? Look into older cherokee’s the inline 6 is a torquey, bullet proof motor that will last a long time with normal maint. But why a 2WD?
I second the I6 motor, its bombproof, and then some.
Cherokee is not a “jeep” to a woman. 
2WD isn’t a requirement, but 4WD won’t be used.
The I6 motor is also easy to work on.
So more specifically you want a wrangler, that will definitely be 4wd. With some shopping you should be able to find a nice one between 3k and 5K.
my previous jeep wrangler gave me 228k in reliable service- was still running fine when I gave it up. Got a note from the guy i gave it to still running just fine at 240k. Got a new wrangler now and like it very much but i do not have the emotional attachment (yet) to it that i had with the old one.
Go for the 4wd. you never know if it will come in handy some day!
Yea. Wranglers didn’t come in 2WD.You can find them fairly cheap. Look for rust under the carpet. Leaking front axle seals. High mileage Jeeps are everywhere, don’t be afraid of them. Especially if they have the 4.0 I6. Can she drive a stick? That expands your choices even more. I’m guessing she wants a Jeep because it’s “cute”, so that means a soft top and the price comes down even more. Shouldn’t be hard to find one at all.
Yup, only XJ - Cherokee, ZJ & WJ - Grand Cherokee’s, Patriots, KJ - Liberty’s and Compass’s come in 2WD. The YJ and TJ - Wranglers never came in 2WD. Depending on where you are, you can find some TJ’s with high mileage with little or no rust for under $5000. Problem with going with something older then a TJ (1997-2006) is maintenance. YJ’s (1987-1995.5) are get old and if it hasn’t been kept up it could be a basket case. Also, there is a higher chance of rust. I’ve seem some YJ’s that looked great from 15 ft but when you start looking under it you find it’s full of holes.
The 4.0L is a good engine but don’t dismiss the 2.5L. It’s a bit underpowered but for around town and on trails, it’s fine. it should also save you $1-2000.
The TJ will ride smoother then the YJ since it uses softer coil springs then the YJ’s leaf springs. I recommend getting one with a factory hard top and doors. You can always remove the doors and top. It will be cheaper to buy an aftermarket soft top then it will be to buy used OEM hard top with matching doors. On the TJ you can store the soft top in the Jeep with the hard top still on. On the YJ, the soft top will need to be removed.
my daily is a '93 Jeep Cherokee that just clicked 245,000. all original drivetrain with routine care. even on the coldest days this winter that trusty girl fired right up, and plowed through drifts 3 and 4 feet tall. cant beat a Jeep imo
Rob, This might help you a bit to get an idea of what your getting into as far as price. I have had several CJ-7s that ran like a scalded dog. The inline 6 cant be beat and if you can you want to get one of the last years of the CJ-7’s. They ended in 1986. Me, I want a older Rubicon Unlimited model with the factory lockers, Dana 44’s front and rear and would love to find a Hemi out of a wrecked truck or charger to drop in it. 
I just read that it is for a female. I am clear now, yep, I would go for a used wrangler with automatic. Cheap…!
Ky Cop
What everyone else said. You’re looking for a Wrangler. “Jeep” is a bit nebulous.
Wranglers hold value really well. Depending on your local market, you will be paying no less than $3-4k, more likely $5k+, for somethinr you probably want to own.
The beauty is that you can work on them yourself, they will go seemingly forever, and when they do give up they are infinitely repairable.
There were indeed 2WD variations, but they are rare and were almost all service vehicles IIRC.
2wd is usually more affordable and if you are never gonna use it why not!
It’s actually pretty difficult to find most pre-'95 Jeeps (any model) in 2WD.
My old '97
