The TJ-series of the Jeep Wrangler is going to be an item to watch if you’re like me and enjoy hypothesizing about future vehicle values. From its classic Jeep looks to the fact that the Wrangler began to evolve from a bit of a niche vehicle to a wildly popular suburban daily driver, the TJ was the last of the original breed in some ways, a Wrangler that made no apologies for being a Wrangler. This 1996 Jeep Wrangler listed here on craigslist is as basic as it gets, and that’s a very good thing. The Jeep has 66,000 miles and is listed for $11,500.
Isn’t it incredible to think it was not that long ago that a TJ was the “modern” Jeep? Compare this side profile to a current generation Wrangler and the weight gain is stunning. While I love seeing enthusiast brands grow popular and survive, there’s a part of me that wishes Jeep remained a bit outside the lines, and never became just another accessory for suburbanites to own. The current branding and marketing strategy around Jeep products seems far less concerned about anvil-like strength and dead-nuts reliability and more about the hybridization of 4x4s and how many packages we can add to the base model to make consumers think they’re building an overland-ready rig on the showroom floor (you’re not.)
This Wrangler is what I grew up riding up. My closest friend in high school coveted a TJ with the inline-six, but his YJ was plenty fun as well (and again, even closer to the original intent behind a model like the Wrangler.) If you yearn to own a Jeep like this, you already know you’ll make some concessions as it relates to interior comfort and ride quality, but those things don’t matter when you’re bounding down a trail or trekking over sand dunes. This interior is so delightfully simple with plenty of glass and skinny pillars that yield an unobstructed view of whatever frontier you’re about to cross.
Of course, in addition to my fawning over the virtues of a TJ-series Jeep, we can’t ignore just how clean this example is. 66,000 miles is on the low side, but it’s not so low that evidence of abuse can be easily hidden. This Wrangler has clearly been loved, with a near spotless cabin and what appears to be beautiful deep blue paint on the outside. I suspect this is four-cylinder example, which is by no means powerful – it makes about 120 horsepower with the base 2.5L engine – but with a 5-speed and bare-bones interior, you’ll still have plenty of fun off the pavement. And isn’t that where a Jeep belongs? Thanks to Barn Finds reader T.J. for the find.
Just for the record, I changed my avatar to my favorite vehicle, in recent memory, my ’91 YJ. I’m not always an angry old man yelling at clouds. This one is a beaut, EXCEPT, for the 4 cylinder. Turning on the a/c and a slight incline, will have your passengers walking. “Meet you at the top”. They’d be waiting for you, the 2.5 is a gutless thing, is my eventual point. The TJ kind of crosses the line between old and new. Some say an even more refined Wrangler, I say no. The YJ has a stark resemblance to the original, the TJ attracted folks that had no intention of ever going off road, Jeep became a symbol of status, and every ultimate behemoth motorhome had to have one in tow. It’s okay, however, as these still incorporate the Jeep “thing”, and the TJ front suspension, while not curing the infamous “Jeep Death Wobble”, it was a much simpler setup, ditching the leaf springs once and for all. I certainly don’t want to thwart a fellow Jeepers sale, but the 4 cylinder will be an instant turnoff for many. As a local ride, the 4 cylinder works for me, gets decent mileage, and hasn’t failed me yet( once that pesky “heat soak” was solved( thanks again, Nelson), but any kind of road trip has me thinking is the trip really worth it?
If the 4 cylinder works for you, still say an automatic would attract more buyers, I all but guarantee, this will be someones favorite vehicle. I should have bought one 25 years ago.
Wow – it’s rare to see an early stripper TJ with such low miles around these days. I’d love to drive it as-is, in spite of the 4 cylinder, Howard :). The rear windows on this one look larger than normal to me, but I’m sure it’s a stock top.
Continuing Jeff’s line of discussion, compare this TJ to a CJ of say the 60’s (my dad had a ’62). The evolution of Jeeps is an interesting study of how the automotive market evolves. The original Wagoneer to today’s Grand Wagoneer is another example.
Nice that you send in so many tips everyday, that they named a Jeep after you!
😂🤣😅
I had to work half a day you beat me to it, would have thought for sure Howard would have known that,we stumped the Jeep guru.
Ha, Ha!!!
It can not be a 96 they did not make wranglers in 96 they were retooling for 97 just do a google search `no 96 wranglers`
You are correct sir. I ordered a ‘97 as soon as the order banks opened. Kept it until September of 2021 when I sold it. Only had 64,532 miles on it.
I think seller should check the title and VIN to confirm the year. They didn’t build a ‘96 Wrangler.
There was not a 1996 model, but they did produce both YJ and TJ during different parts of the year 1996. It is very possible that the title and VIN is 1996. It does not take one year to “re-tool”.
YJs didn’t meet 1996 safety and emissions standards, they could not have built one after 12/31/95 and sold it for street use. Since it took Jeep at least until 1/1/96 to start building the TJ, they decided to make them all model year 1997.
@IOC you are correct. YJ did cease at the end of 1995 and TJ began early in 1996 yet were model year 1997. “Normally a change over is done in mid to late summer. So instead of changing over to the 1996 TJ in mid 1995, they ran the 1995s into Dec. Then shortly after the holidays they started the conversion of the lines and then began production of the 1997 TJ in early spring of 1996.”
I love it!! While admitting it would not be the choice vehicle for towing a 40-foot Airstream up the Alcan highway, as a local off-road & run-to-the-store machine it would be perfect for an old geezer like me.
Your title made me read it. It may have been introduced and produced in 1996 but Jeep referred to it as a 1997 model year. The last model year for the YJ was 1995, and officially there was never a Wrangler model for 1996. As production of the YJ wound down in 1996 some had new parts that belonged to the TJ design. The 5-speed is the best choice when choosing the 2.5 liter engine. The 2.5 liter is better for a Jeep than the later 2.4 liter if used off road.
I love this, except for the 4 cylinder. If it had the 4.0 and AC (maybe this one does have AC), it would be perfect. Not a terrible price for the condition and the mileage. I’ll admit, I’ve never driven one with the 4 cylinder, so a test drive might entice me to change my mind. But the 93 Wrangler I had with the 4.0 wasn’t overly powerful, so I assume the 4 cylinder would not be to my liking.
My son had a 1995 YJ with the 5-speed 4 cylinder 2.5 liter. The engine seemed fresh when he bought it, but the chassis had well over 300k miles on it. I tuned it up and swapped in fresh injectors. I had no problem pulling 70 mph in fifth up some steep highway hills. But I do have to agree I would prefer the 4.0 liter and with the later intake & head to boot.
That might make me change my mind on the 2.5. I’d have to drive one. The 4.0 equipped YJ I had lost speed on the interstate at 70 in Mississippi…not exactly a mountainous region. Not enough to downshift, but enough to be annoying. 30″ tires and everything was stock. No idea what the gear ratio was or if they put lower gearing in the 4 cylinder rigs. Either way, a CJ or a YJ and probably a TJ are not much fun on the interstate anyway and that’s not what they’re bought for. If the Jeep above were local to me, I’d definitely have a look and a test drive, 4 cylinder or 6.
4.0 auto and A/C in this condition would bring 20 k in second
The 4 cylinders blow up with extended highway driving usually around 80k
I beg to differ. When I looked for Jeeps, a guy had a YJ with a 4 cylinder, that had 324,000 miles, he had 120K on the new motor, so he got at least 200K out of one. Mine just turned 100K, and I hope has no problems, it really runs great, (knocking on wood) but at the time, a 4cylinder was not a deal breaker, and with all the seller put into it, at $3500, it was the best deal I found. My daughter had a Dodge Caliber with the 2.4 motor, I think used in later Jeeps, and an entirely different motor.
And for the record, I’m no Jeep “guru”, just a passion for the most influential American vehicle ever made, bar none.
@Scrapyard John. All 4-cylinder came with 4.10 axles. Sixes had the 3.07 standard with the 3.73 optional or with the 29.5 tires.
I’ve been driving my ’98 Sahara since ’98, just turned 317k miles. If you intend to buy this, Carfax it, check the frame for rot, make sure you drill and rustproof drain-holes in the bottom of the frame, 1 each, 5″ ahead of the rear shackles and 5″ behind the front shackles, 5/8″ in diameter. Also, you want your tires to last, rotate at each oil change and balance at least once a year.
98 didn’t have shackles that’s a TJ with coils
Pretty dang clean for an old Wrangler. These were a big deal when they came out for ’97 (notice how close 6 and 7 are on the keyboard?). The 2.5 liter is adequate for a driver but you have to keep the revs up to maintain acceleration or speed. You can shift a 4-litre at 2000 rpm but these closer to 3 grand. Would be more fun with a folding top driving around rain soaked Michigan.
I traded up from a 1993 YJ (in this same blue) to a NEW baseline TJ in 1999. After years, and sweat equity it was built nicely with an AtlassII and 35″ BFGMT’s. I could out climb, and crawl anything – with Rubicon LongArms this thing was a spider! Im old, so Im in a BoneStock 1999 XJ now. Most capable vehicle of all time. Yes, you may quote me on that.
Super cool. I had a ’98 with a 4 cylinder and 5 speed. It actually felt sort of peppy, and the price (back then) wasn’t much more than an average subcompact. Today you have to take out a mortgage for a four door Wrangler Unlimited that everyone and their mother seems to drive.
Metro Phoenix “The Valley” stereotype.
Moved to Arizona and have to have a Jeep. Never leaves the pavement until photoshoot to sell it.
Clean and a great deal for your teenager.
CJ8’s the only 1 to have in my mind.
I have worked on all jeeps since 1993 and Chrysler did not make a wrangler in 1996 the new to came out in 1997 withe new round headlamps an coil spring suspension
We own a 91and a 94 YJ plus a 01 YJ all 3 4.0s,I worked a independent auto shop for 36 years,my wife was a service writer at Jeep dealer in Louisville,I have seen many 2.5 LOs blown with less than 100 k, maybe I’m a guru.
Correction 01 XJ
I think that could be said for most 4 cylinders, Americans drive them too hard and don’t maintain them properly. Europeans have used 4 cylinders with much better results. Why? Because Americans were still used to big V8s, and burned out a 4 cylinder way before its time. I made my living with underpowered vehicles, so I know how to treat a low hp motor.