Should We Buy The Jeep

[LadyKay]

I am simply seeking some opinions on this. A friend of ours has a jeep for sale. It runs good they just want to sale it because the inside gets kind of cold in the winter because it has them snap on doors. I already own a jeep and my husband has a small car with front wheel drive that he takes too and from work. His job requires him to drive a lot mostly out of town and out of state. We live 16 miles from town on a dirt road out in the cornfields. Having a 4-wheel drive is a must here when it snows. Just to get out of the driveway and into town. So when it snows heavy my husband takes my jeep to where ever his work site happens to be for that day. And I am stuck at the house with the small car that I can't really get out of the driveway to drive. So my husband has said something to me about buying this jeep off our friend so he will have something to drive this winter through the snow. And I wont be stuck here at the house without transportation when he needs my jeep. But I am unsure as to rather or not we should spend the money one it. I know you can not tell me what to do. But I am just wondering what some of you do and how do you decide if this is something that is really needed or something that we can do without.

[candyman]

What year is it and what model?

[Fierce Critter]

We are going through a similar situation. We only have one vehicle that the husband takes to work every day. And we live 14 miles from the "big city" up here. If I need to go into town, I have to go in with him and spend all day in town. Otherwise, I'm stuck at home with no means to get out if I need or want to.

In your case, you're not quite as bad off, at least in the summertime. Not being able to get out of the driveway in the winter puts you in the same boat as me during the snowy months.

My question is: What is your financial state? Can you afford insurance on a 3rd vehicle? The upkeep? Keeping all 3 gassed up and maintained? If "no" or "not really," I would actually suggest buying the jeep, and selling the small car your husband usually drives. That'll have you breaking even.

There is the concern that you already know your current cars well as far as what kind of repairs they have had done and what issues they might have. No matter how close the friend, you don't really know their vehicle like you know your own. We had a '99 S-10 that we knew had some major issues. We knew the fuel pump was going on it. But our friend was in dire need and we were in a position to get into a better used car, so we gave it to him for a small down payment and the promise (which he kept) of paying off the rest as he could. We were brutally honest about the condition and issues, particularly the fuel pump. One week after giving it to him, the fuel pump died and he was once again without transportation.

It would help if you took the "new" jeep to a mechanic and get it inspected prior to committing to buy. In any case, good luck.