We have this Jeep Cherokee that has been sitting in our neighbor's carport for years. The car is more than 30 years old, since the registration sticker has 86 on it! I know that this is just one photo, but is there any way to tell from it if the car might be worth more than scrap?
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From that one picture the body looks good and if it has been under carport should be salvageable...that was a popular model so sure someone could use it for parts
i would suggest u take more clear pics of engine, body and interior and list it on Craigslist etc ...but make sure u have permission to sell it and that the papers for it are available.
Something like that might go for 500.00 - 800.00 $ in this area if it was in running condition. It would be something that somebody could use as their daily driver in the winter to get back and forth to work.
JMHO ... a lot of it would hinge on why it was parked in the first place. The V6 2.8 liter wasn't one of the best motors that they ever made. You never can tell though ... it could be a diamond in the rough. It could be low miles ( under 80k.) with no real problems. A couple of days work and two - three hundred in parts could make it roadable again.
My wife's niece picked up an 85 Dodge Daytona late last fall from the widow of a mechanic for 800.00$. There were a few mechanical problems to sort through because it had been sitting for so long ... but it's turned out to be a reliable car for her.
Perhaps check the title laws in your state ? You only need a bill of sale , and not a title, on pre. 1995 vehicles here in Maine.
One thing i would definitely recommend. Drop the fuel tank and flush out the fuel lines before you try to start it. Also, pull the plugs and put a teaspoon of oil into each of the cylinders. Bad gas or stuck piston rings could instantly trash an otherwise good motor on startup after sitting so long.
The house belongs to an elderly lady whose husband died 10+ years ago - I suspect the Jeep was his. I don't really know her that well, so before approaching her about title, taking detailed photos and so on, I want to get a sense if it would even be worth it.
I am in suburban MD, so the weather here is humid pretty much year round -- I am wondering if this means the guts all rotted out even though the has been was in the carport all these years...
The big thing is the underneath. A car or truck can look perfectly good when you're standing there looking at it and be a complete horror show of rust underneath. A lot of it depends on if there's salt in the environment. Maybe salt air from the ocean ... maybe they use ice melting chemicals on the roads in the winter ?
Is it worth the effort ? Only you can be the judge.
If mechanical stuff is what you do on a regular basis ... you have the tools and knowledge to flip it for a profit with a minimum of problems. That kind of thing is right up your alley.
If you have to ask ... then maybe not so much ?
You might be able to sell it as /where is without ever having to touch it. On the other hand ... you might get saddled with a big lawn ornament.
If the car has low miles, the interest is going to be a lot higher.
Too far from the ocean but we definitely have salt on roads in winter although probably not nearly as much as you do in Maine.Quote:
Originally Posted by hills
I definitely wouldn't be working on the car myself, I'd be just a middle-man between her and a salvage yard or a mechanic.
That's a great point thanksQuote:
Originally Posted by APA
When you decide to approach the lady and look at the vehicle the first thing I would do is check the fan belts and windshield whippers. This provides an idea of the damage moisture has done to the seals throughout the vehicle. Next try turning the fan blade and see if the engine is seized. If the engine is seized, it would be scrap in my opinion although you might still be able to part it out. If the fan belts are destroyed, try using a ratchet strap or I have used a pair of ladies nylons to check the pullies on the alternator, air conditioner, etc. another indicator of the moisture damage throughout the vehicle. These steps and a visual inspection determine my interest in any piece of machinery very quickly.
Noted, thanks!Quote:
Originally Posted by Patriot76
Smart man ! There's a lot less time and effort if you can act as a go-between.Quote:
Originally Posted by ilyaz
One little quickie in regard to rust.The vehicles here generally rust out from back to front. Just slide in under the back and check out the back six inches of frame and cross members with a flashlight. If they're clean ... there's a reasonably good chance that everything forward is in fairly good shape in regard to rust.
The back bumper looks okay and i'm not seeing rust staining or paint blistering on any of the body panels in the picture.
That's a good sign. :)
Showing your ageQuote:
Originally Posted by Patriot76
There is a Jeep Forum which is great for all Jeep enthusiasts. Lots of folks rebuild those Cherokees. It most certainly has more value than todays measly scrap prices
This particular jeep isnt sought after so much, a lot of guys build the 90 to 01 style cherokees for offroad, lots of parts can be sold on craigslist or facebook market place. I used to do a side hustle when I had the time of buying these junk jeeps and parting them out then scrapping the body, One jeep I bought for 100 bucks and made over 1500 parting it out then took the bare shell with one axle still attached to the yard. Those 4.0 motors in the newer ones are sought after to rebuild because they don't make them anymore. I'm in central Pennsylvania in the mountains so jeeping is a big thing around here so its not hard for me to move parts, I don't know how itd be for some of you guys in the more urban areas
I was wondering why you had the nylons in the back of your truck! LolQuote:
Originally Posted by Patriot76