1989 Jeep Wrangler sport? review from North America
"Best bang for the buck in 4x4 fun!"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
First thing to go wrong was the water pump. No big deal since my warranty covered it.
Then a battery cable went bad. Easy fix.
Next, the drive shaft fell down due to a failed U-joint. I had to have the Transfer case rebuilt ($600.00) and the muffler replaced as well as the U-joints replaced. I was scared to drive it after that.
Shortly after that the third member went out and the Bearing had spun in the housing so the whole rear end had to be replaced. I spent $1400.00 on that one.
The next thing to happen was the rear main engine seal blew out and after unsuccessfully trying to replace it with my father in laws help we took it to a repair shop and $800.00 later it wasn't any better. It still leaked oil and ran like crap.
The transmission sounded like the next thing to go and it would heat up the whole inside of the jeep with a short 20 mile ride. We finally had to trade this in on a new Dodge Neon.
General comments?
I was very excited when we bought our first Jeep Wrangler and even with all the problems our Jeep had we still loved it.
Our 88 1/2 Ford Escort GT had similar problems and I would not even joke about buying another Escort. I recently (last week end) bought my second Jeep Wrangler after many years of regretting that I had to sell our last baby.
Our new Wrangler is much more comfortable and has twice the power and gas mileage as our old Wrangler and I have a feeling that because I bought this one new and plan to take care of it she will last a little longer than our last one.
I am a true jeep fan and really believe that "It's a Jeep thing" really says a whole lot in that little statement.
When you get in your Jeep, with or with out the top, and climb your first hill or ford your first "Puddle", You will begin to understand why so many people love their Jeep.
Recommended reviews
| 1989 - Wrangler YJ Islander 4.2 I6 Get ready for a love-hate relationship!! |
| Once you have one you will never give it up |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1989 |
| First year of ownership | 1995 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2000 |
| Engine and transmission | 4.2 I6 Manual |
| Performance marks | 7 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 5 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 6 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 2 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 93000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 141000 miles |
| Previous car | Ford Escort |
| Date of Entry | 7th November, 2003 |