I'm tired...

[Dr. Marneaus]

Just venting, if you don't want to hear me whine then hit the back button.

I'm becoming more and more discouraged and disillusioned with the wagon. It's been 7 years almost. 7 years of constant work (we wont even bring up the financial investment) to have a vehicle that isn't good off-road, isn't reliable, isn't particularly comfortable, and is incredibly inefficient and maintenance intensive, and will never be some clean, nice ride.

I used to revel in the opportunity to work on the thing and plan the next project, but when its a damn near constant project for a vehicle that isn't worth anything and gets driven like 4000 miles a year it gets tough.

Already been though engine, transmission, t case, axle swaps, electrical stuff, upgrades down grades, redoing half the projects twice, so on and so forth, and the list ahead of me is still highly involved and highly expensive (interior, seals, paint, body, prolly a new engine before too long)

I used to love planning the stuff out and doing the work, now I find myself practically dreading nearly every trip I actually decided to take it on because I'm sure its going to let me down or need something fixed.

I realized recently, and this was a big turning point, that when I see people posting on the facebook groups or forums asking tips about buying or looking at an FSJ my immediate response is NO! Oh my god DON'T DO IT!!!!! Or when I see somebody post about the new-to-them FSJ they picked up and they are all excited about I'm just like "oh, how precious. I used to be that way. Give it a few years, you'll see how your "hobby" will become your curse"

but maybe you'll get lucky, and every few weeks when you drive it some random person will tell you they like it, totally worth the investment....

Anyway, yes, I'm sour and negative.

[REDONE]

I quit my job to go back to school so I can get a better job and when I go back to work I can buy a 2020 Grand Wagoneer and use it's Mazerati engine to drag Money Badger around, because in the big picture, it seems easier than fixing Money Badger.

The only official new GW image from Jeep:


Best concept pic I've found, made by our dormant member Suzq044:


At $140k, I definitely need a better job to even hope of owning one.

[letank]

Indeed some FSJs are better than others... and you can never be sure about what you will get no matter how much $$$ you sink in those dam vehicles... Winter is a bit discouraging, too wet or too cold to do anything... Your waggy still looks good.

Here, to cheer you up, I scrounged the local junkyard yesterday (3 yards and 110miles with civic at 38mpg), and it was almost raining, but this is a door project so no need to crawl, I offered to fix a door lock system on a luxo car -not mine- of the early 90's, the part -it is the whole door handle support- is not made anymore, the design was changed in 95. The only few that were around have the broken part as well, but there is a fix , thanks to the previous users who posted a fix on the car support forum.

Saddly even if you buy a recent vehicle it is a bit of a lottery... I have been trying to find a replacement... you find the unofficial recalls of excessive oil consumption at Toyota, Scion and Subaru to name the few that I was interested. Then there are the other issues with rusty suspension parts... and forget those common headgasket leaks that are fixed, but people are still getting rid of the vehicle...

Mine is still leaking oil from various parts, at least the trany leak is gone... and with the rain, the spots are almost invisible.

it is only a winter blues... you will see the light at the end of the tunnel and it is not the oncoming freight train...

[letank]

I quit my job to go back to school so I can get a better job and when I go back to work I can buy a 2020 Grand Wagoneer and use it's Mazerati engine to drag Money Badger around, because in the big picture, it seems easier than fixing Money Badger.

Ah, ah, ah, you are so right, 2 years ago we rented a van, and it was so much fun to be able to pass other vehicles without worrying if the engine or transmission was going to make the 3000 mile trip. And the AC for the 108F trip thru the desert.

[berettajeep]

Or when I see somebody post about the new-to-them FSJ they picked up and they are all excited about I'm just like "oh, how precious. I used to be that way. Give it a few years, you'll see how your "hobby" will become your curse"

I laughed at this but it is sadly true.

Yesterday I replaced my cracked exhaust manifold and took out the POS HEI I stupidly put into it. I put the old Points distributor back in but used a Pertronix kit and coil. Adjusted the timing, the carb some and went for a drive. It ran beautiful, felt like more power and couldn't stop smiling. Drove a few miles, drove back home, shut it off and then restarted it. It started right up, no slow or struggling to start. ( It always did it before) I was so happy!

I go out just now to start it up to check the cold idle and it stalls. I turn that idle screw up and it is fine, warm it up and go for another drive. Now I have a weird miss/ cutting out for a split second thing going on. It bogs when I hit the gas.

One step forward and always at least two steps back.

[will e]

I have been in your place. Even now I am fighting a trasfer case issue (it likes to slip out of low).

Yesterday I went on a trail ride with 3 other rigs. They were all JK's. Sure, they have heated seats. Yeah, they have push button transfer cases. It was raining and their rigs don't leak.. Did one of the bolts that holds on the passenger door handle fall off like mine did? Well, no. And I noticed none of them had to slam their door to get it to shut. Troubling.

They ran the same trail, experienced the same weather and were void of any breakdown drama (me too, this time).

In fact I have had a pretty good run of no issues on the trails.

It's hard to explain. I have all kinds of folks give me thumbs up on the trail. They just love to see the old iron out getting dirty. And it's a bit of fun that my 35 year old rig can roll along with the new stuff. Yesterday one guy was amazed I was still running a carb. Voodoo magic and all. haha.

It's a different mind set. Not worse or better, just different.

Final Thought: If you only drive it 4000 miles a year aren't you glad you haven't spent 40K on it and are not making car payments!

Keep the faith.

[babywag]

Kind of why I bought the '94 Caprice wagon.
It's different and actually very fun to drive. That LT1 has some nice power.

Grown very tired of my '90 GW lately. Seems to always need something, but @ least it's been reliable. Replacing the ball joints on that thing really annoyed me to no end.
It's now a backup vehicle, and it'll probably get sold once I'm confident in new to me wagon.

The '88 has been mostly parked for couple years now. Have some plans for it, and a couple year break has lessened the sour attitude I had with it.

So maybe just take an extended break on your wag, maybe sell it, maybe get something else. Happens to lots of folks with these things.

[SparkyB]

I was just talking to a friend about this today. See people on Instagram and Facebook that say #goals #dreamvehicle when they see pics of a good looking Wagoneer. Lol if they only knew what it takes! Had a guy at the gas station the other day asking question after question about the Wagoneer, then he said you must be a mechanic. Yeah pretty much......


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[az chip]

It is good to vent. I could go on about my troubles. But you know them all. Take a different direction for awhile, or forever. As hobbies go the FSJ one does like to test more than others. And I have one other intense one, flying. But that does not stress me like the Jeep does.

[tedlovesjeeps71]

It's all about the memories Doc. We all have low spots... let it pass, as it will.


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[Stuka]

We have not used my Jeep for trips in years. I basically just use it for hauling stuff unfortunately. The Wrangler is so much more reliable and better riding. I do at times miss being the guy out on the trail in the "old" rig. But I do not miss being bounced around on trails, having dumb reliability issues, or the constant haunt of maybe not making it home.

I did daily drive FSJ's for 8 years straight. But I always had two, in case one was down

[letank]

I DD the 74 from 83ish till 2001, of course it had a lot less miles at the beginning, still from 78Kmiles to 300Kmiles.

Yes the memories are fun, being stuck in soft snow overnight, but I had the tent, the 0 F rated sleeping bag and some food...

[will e]

But I do not miss being bounced around on trails

Maybe I should avoid ever riding a trail in a new Jeep! Right now I don't know what I am missing.

I did lead three JK's through box canyon Saturday and had to stop several times for them to catch up. They were all pretty new to jeeping though.
I aired down to 14lbs and that is just a big help, especially with the bigger tires.

[Lumpskie]

Man, I know the pain, Doc. My Jeep has been a dream rig compared to some but even it always has something that is on my fix-list. My wife and I have been daily driving it for 3 years and 35,000 miles... until this winter. It's in winter storage for it's own protection. Let me tell you, after a couple of months, you start to miss it... even with it quirks, problems and weirdness. Maybe it's an opportunity to use your Jeep as a weekend around-town vehicle for a bit... but don't give up on it. If you take a break from it and breathe, (and realize that, right now, you don't actually NEED it running or fixed) you'll start to miss it. Once you get that feeling, it will be time to come back to it and keep on going... but with a little different perspective. Your Jeep and journey to get it to what it is today is an inspiration to many. Take a break, if you need one. But, don't quit!

[REDONE]

I quit my job to go back to school so I can get a better job and when I go back to work I can buy a 2020 Grand Wagoneer and use it's Mazerati engine to drag Money Badger around, because in the big picture, it seems easier than fixing Money Badger.

Ah, ah, ah, you are so right, 2 years ago we rented a van, and it was so much fun to be able to pass other vehicles without worrying if the engine or transmission was going to make the 3000 mile trip. And the AC for the 108F trip thru the desert.

Yup!
I still love my J10, but when my wife got preggars, I knew that to keep adventuring we needed something else. Even the best FSJ resto-mod isn't suitable for a baby. I know Dr. M has been with his lady for quite a while and I know they love adventuring too. I don't know their financial situation, but wouldn't hold it against him at all if he got a newer ride for adventuring, be it a JK, LandCruiser, Trialhawk, or even (I'm going to throwup a little in my mouth saying this) a Tacoma.

[ShagWagon]

My new to me thread was

What did I just get myself into?

That was last March. Been probably 500+ hours of wrenching and $5-6k at least in parts. And I'm just now barely getting able to trust it and drive to work and back. Getting close though. I can play the radio now without having to listen for problems.

I'd say drive it daily to work and the store etc.... that way you get to know problems happening and can fix them as you notice. So when you go on trips all should be fixed.for the most part anyways. Don't push it. We used to say when we lived in the mountains in Colorado "only go as far till you have to lock it in 4wd. Then it's time to turn around and go home"

As far as social media goes.... ask your hound dog if you should keep the jeep, he will set you straight.

[Shwag]

Man I gotta tell you...this hit home like you wouldn't believe! Wish I would have ran across one like it 10-12 months ago lol. I love the way mine LOOKS, but unfortunately beyond that can't comment on wheeling, jeeping, off-roading or even much driving. I can comment on spending haha. I'd be happy with getting it smogged at this point. Hopefully soon. It's in great condition otherwise and I'm seriously considering dropping a new re-conditioned AMC from BJs to expedite the possibility of actually enjoying it. Hopefully soon. Gonna get it to Tony this week to check out the Howell setup and go from there. It's a toy that I hope to cruise and hit some trails in. If I can get to that point I'm sure all the money spent will be worth it.

[Curly]

Interesting thread. I can sympathize with the good Dr. I bought my Chief about 18 months ago, have dumped a ton of $$ into it to get it mechanically reliable and looking nice. Not sure I trust it yet. It has left me walking 3 times in 18 months, I want it to be a multi-day trail rig but don't want to get stuck in the boonies. Maybe I should have bought that ZJ I was looking at.

Curly

[greatplns]

I think we've all been there. I decided to split paths here, Jeep TJ Rubicon Brute conversion for real trail riding, and one fully modernized ('09 Tahoe drivetrain) for "driving". My others are kinda like my wife's horses....I get calm and relaxed looking at them, occasionally drive them short distances to put a smile on my face, but never rely on them for real transportation. I guess it's all what your expectations are. If you don't expect much, it's hard to be disappointed. I agree with REDONE, get something newer, more reliable for your travels and if you can, keep the FSJ for the memories. It could relieve a lot of stress and maybe make your FSJ more enjoyable. Take some time off and see if that changes things. Hate to sell it in frustration just to regret it down the road. Good luck, wishing you the best.

[REDONE]

Nah Curly. The newest ZJ is still 20 years old so you'd still be in the same boat but with less style points.

the best engine came with the weaker transmission, the good transmission came with the weaker rear axle, the good rear axle still had an aluminum pumpkin, and they all have deathwobble issues from the front trackbar worbling out the bolt holes. They're also super easy to break into, mines been broken into twice, defeating the factory alarm both times.