Yj vs Tj

cerz45

New member
I am considering buying a jeep wrangler and have a budget of about $8000.
I am considering either the Tj or Yj. I need it for everyday driving, but i also want the best model for offroading.
 

If your budget will allow get the TJ; coil springs, coil springs, coil springs. Did I mention coil springs? If this is a daily driver and an off road rig, the coils springs will give you the best ride.

This is however, my humble opinion.
 
You can get a nice TJ with a lift for 8k.

If you plan on doing alot of mods to it a YJ is a little cheaper to get parts for.

The TJ will ride nicer on the highway and IMO wheel better also.
 

I think the standard reply is that the YJ will be easier to work on, and upgrades can be a little cheaper. The TJ is great as well. TJ may be a little bit more comfortable on road (did someone say coil springs? ;) ). They're both extremely capable on the trail.
 
Boy, talk about opening a can of worms! You are going to get thousands of opposing opinions on this one!

Anyway, here's mine: both are very capable platforms, but the TJ will be more confortable on the road (you mentioned it will be your DD). The YJ, however, will be easier and cheaper to work on from the suspension point of view (no need to worry about control arms and you can ditch trackbars without worries).
 
owned em both at one time....i sold the tj ! it was smooth and bad ass but the yjs are more jeep in every way , interior leaves doors etc ! i couldnt find places to hang crap in the tj but my yj lookes like a airplane cockpit !! &8000.00 will buy you a killer yj !
 

I have had both a tj and yj and I even owned both at the same time for a while. For a all around daily driver/weekend wheeler you can't beat a tj. My yj was fun but honestly driving it back and forth to work it rode like a$$, don't get me wrong it wasn't a terrible ride just not nearly as smooth as my tj and some times after a long day working the last thing you feel like is a 40 minute ride in a buck wagon. And I don't really see how working on a yj is any better, true a little more simple but honestly the tj is not that complex. As for cheaper well you can run 31s on a stock tj, 30s were the biggest tires I could put on my yj, maybe my springs were worn but still you don't see too many stock yjs with 31s. When I first got my tj I put a 2 in. spacer lift on, I know a guy who makes them so I got them for $40 which was really cheap but I am still sure anybody can buy a 2 in. spacer lift for a tj cheaper than any 2 in. lift on a yj. Another thing I didn't like about my yj was the top/door combination, there are too many options, my yj had a hard top and soft top and full doors, I wanted a set of half doors for the summer, the set I bought had square top windows, so I had to buy another complete top with hardware just to use my half doors. With the tj it doesn't matter whether you have a hard top, soft top, half doors or full doors they are all compatible. I can't speak for the jk because I haven't owned one, but I have seen a few of them wheel and they do well, but in my opinion the tj is the most capable out of the box Jeep.
 
first off there are two YJ's the early one's with the 4.2 and the later ones with the 4.0 . The 4.0 has Fuel injection and is the cat's "you know what".

So what ever you get get a Jeep with a 4.0.
 
first off there are two YJ's the early one's with the 4.2 and the later ones with the 4.0 . The 4.0 has Fuel injection and is the cat's "you know what".

So what ever you get get a Jeep with a 4.0.


1991 & up YJ I6s had fuel injection. Unless it is a killer deal, stay away for them carbureted ones. All YJ I4s had fuel injection. Also 1992 & up YJs have the full “sports cage” (roll bar) over the back seat.
 

for 8 grand, I would look for a older CJ, toss in a modern drive train. (efi 2.8 or 4.3, 4l60E keep the transfer case)

Tj's may have comfort, and Yj's may be cheap to build, but a classic CJ is well... Class
 
1991 & up YJ I6s had fuel injection. Unless it is a killer deal, stay away for them carbureted ones. All YJ I4s had fuel injection. Also 1992 & up YJs have the full “sports cage” (roll bar) over the back seat.

the 2.5L came in MPFI and TBI; look for the MPFI ones if that is where you are headed... Not sure if this also applies to the 4.0L.
 

all 4.0's are fuel injected. Prior models were 4.2L and carbed
 
I've had an '87 YJ and 2 '95 YJs.... The last one I bought a month ago for $4500 with hard top/doors, 4.0L, 5 speed, a good SOA, 35x12.5-15 M/Ts. Could add another $3500 in mods and still keep it under $8k. I've wheeled with plenty of TJ owners and the rig with the best driver skill and aftermarket parts rises to the top. I've never actually driven a TJ so I'm not missing the cushy ride. If you do get a YJ I wouldn't get any earlier than a '93 and the '95 is the best with a galvanized full tub.
 
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