How much $$$ Have you sunk into your FSJ?

[Dr. Marneaus]

This is interesting, thinking about the "Cheap" cost of running an old vehicle compared to buying a new modern vehicle and probably having a car payment.

I can say, with certainty, that I am into my jeep at least $16,000 (, replacement tires/wheels, trans rebuild, axle swap, axle rebuild, some new exhaust a few times, various electrical work, ignition conversion a few times, then the big ticket was EFI which was probably a $4000 investment in the end, so, lots of stuff over the years) after owning it for 9 years. That is NOT counting gas, oil changes, or time/effort costs. Just original purchase price and then investments made to either improve it, or to simply repair it.

Call that $1800 a year. Not bad when you consider it next to something with a LOW payment like $300, forget about probably your average car payment of $550 ($6600 per year).



Wonderful to know I'm that far into a vehicle I could maybe sell for $6000 on a good day. But, its better than knowing I paid $40,000 for a wrangler that after 10 years may only be worth $15,000 0r $20,000? I guess we don't have to deal with depreciation.

The flip side is its a lot worse than knowing I'm $3000 into my daily driver after owning it 4 years, and I could sell it tomorrow for $2500....

[deckroid]

Original price: $2500

Window tracks, belts, carb, starter, seat covers, replacement pieces of broken items (seat belt, rear window gasket, door handles, etc) about $1000

BDS 4" Lift kit - $1200

Paint job due to stoopid teenager - $2500

Roughly $7500 not including tires, gas, oil etc.

A buddy took me along to look at a couple of new SUVs. He is deciding between a Denali and a Expedition. Starting price is about $50k. I bought my first HOUSE for 62k in the 1990s. There is something wrong with that.

[DustinLangston]

The cheapest FSJ I've ever owned that was daily driver worthy had about $4500 total. But I've had them up to $35,000. Anyone who thinks they can rock an FSJ for $1500 is delusional.

[RamJetFSJ]

I stopped counting at $15k. Bought it originally for $500.

[Stuka]

Over the course of 15 years I have long since forgotten half of it. But certainly way more than it is worth.

[will e]

My going in price was $800. That was in 2009. My rig is slightly modified and I have a lot of custom work done by Evil Twin Fab (bumpers, roll cage, roof rack). It's hard to estimate the value of the stuff I took off the Waggy, like the 401 I had purchased on Ebay for pretty cheap.
Bigger ticket items include the Atlas 4 speed, the one tons, lockers, the paint, the tires. Other items like Drive shafts, seats, stereo, HEI and such add to the expense. Toss in my accessories like a fridge, ham radio, steering box stabilizer, backup camera, tuffy console, custom springs, shackle flip, agr box, becool radiator, dual batts, custom skid plate and on and on. I probably have close to $20K. But that's over 10 years.

It's basically my only hobby other than my Mustang (which hasn't received much love) and backpacking. So overall not too bad. I doubt I could sell it for more than a few grand but like the Dr. said, it beats the depreciation on a new rig. And I just love seeing how excited people get when they see it on the trail. So fun.

[dodgerammit]

You have to remember vehicles are an expense. A depreciating asset. You want to be able to get out the as cheap as possible. That being said, I value ROI in the sense of "Am I going to keep this for a while?" and if the answer is yes, then "What do I want this vehicle to do for me?" Then, I make sure it fits the criteria and I am satisfied with it. I build it for me and don't focus on the resale value.

Back to the question, I bought mine for $3400. I put new tires on it, but don't count consumables like tires, fuel, oil changes, tune up, etc since all vehicles deal with that.

BJ's off road expense:$2300
Another fender and hood: $175
MSD streetfire module: $160
Headliner repair (myself): $80
Wagoneers West aluminum drip rail trim: $275
Junkyard stainless trim and receiver hitch: $95
Serehill's harnesses: $170
Electric fuel pump in tank mod $70
coolant sender : $15
Relay system for door locks and windows: $150
Misc junkyard trips: $150
Body work, partial repaint: $2300
New vinyl stuff (cut myself and rewrapped oem trim): $800
Ebay used badges: $50
Ebay used carpet (not installed yet): $84

I'm sure there is lots of stuff I have missed, but should be little things

So, I'm a little over $10K in mine. An engine build is in the future along with scoring some 3.31 axles, but not a rush to do them right now.

[tedlovesjeeps71]

Purchase price was about $1300.00
From there it grows into a muddy river.
Most of us ignore the "cost" of our own time when doing stuff as we view it as a hobby/labor of love(hate. Haha).
We bought about $5000.00 worth of parts which I installed. We used the shop on ft Carson which charges by the hour to work on the Jeep. Probably spent another grand just in that.
But do we count stuff like the gas to go pick up the vehicle when we have to trailer it home when we buy it? How about tow truck fees when it leaves us stranded? Maybe there are formulas which would give a better picture for all the various categories where our FSJs cost us money? Maybe it’s best not to even ponder it.
Since we are selling ours we had to look at what’s invested vs what it’s worth. That is not an easy task because we tend to “love” our old beasties.
I still have my 79 Cherokee which needs to be built. Maybe I can keep better records as that gets under way...if ever.
One thing I don’t want to think about is how much I have sunk into my Scrambler and the recently sold XJ.

[will e]

Yeah, if I put some kind of value on my time spent the cost would go WAY up. But I actually enjoy most of the time I am working on the Jeep, especially if I am 'improving' compared to 'fixing'. dodgerammit reminded me of all of the electrical stuff I have done.

The good news is I am taking the jeep out again tomorrow for a fun but easy ride. I have 111 runs in since 2013, when I started keeping track. These have created a lot of great and priceless memories..

[JeepManiac]

I keep everything on an excel spreadsheet. Currently swapping a killer 454 into it with a 4L80E and BW tcase that came from the parts truck.

Including the cost of the truck and some regular maintenance items I'm in it about $26,000. I do keep it on a spreadsheet, but haven't updated it this month or else I'd have a very specific number

EDIT: $25,701.24

Also, it would take more than that to buy it from me, I like it that much and the damn thing isn't even running.

[will e]

I started an excel spread sheet back in 2013 but I don't keep track of the costs in it. I do it so I can recall what was done when. I don't daily drive my jeep so remembering when the last oil change became a challenge for me. I found myself starting a brake job on my old mustang and when I pulled the wheels off realized I had done it the year before. Doh! I also have a tab for stuff I want to do and buy and another for parts I have picked up but not installed. I tend to watch for deals on parts for the Jeep and Mustang and it can be years before I actually get around to installing things. I was going through some of the parts one day and forgot I had bought something for the Mustang... I can't recall what it was though.

[tedlovesjeeps71]

One thing I’ve been implementing from work that helps keep track of maintenance stuff is writing the date and mileage on parts as I change them. Oil and fuel filters being the most common. Writing on the transmission pan or differentials tells me when I was last inside them.

[will e]

That's a good idea. A few years ago I started writing the month and year of my various fluid purchases so I can try to use the oldest fluids first.

[BCRAWLER]

Too much!

[candymancan]

I bought my 90 GW 3 years and 1 month ago thanks to help of the forum and with the help of google and this forum i fixed alot.. I spent 4500$ for it, it had 112k miles. First year or two i sunk all my money and time into it.

New tires was first to replace the 8 year old dry rotted ones. Then wheel bearings in the front. Then electrical then the rusted floors, replaced the entire suspension, fixed more rust, got straight headliner boards and did a vinyl headliner. Replaced my center console with one that opens and has storage and cup holders, fixed 90% of my oil leaks. New radiator alternator, all new exhaust from the y pipe to tailpipe. Tinted all the windows 10%, replaced all the headlights and lenses and got new chrome door handles mirror housings and 70s stainless gutters and rear window trim.


Yea lol between all this and tools i spent about 4600$ on top of the 4500$ price. Guy wanted 8000$ but i chewed him way down picking at everything i could and throwing the guy ill buy it now routine.

So ive put about 9000$ into everything. I daily drive it as well minus when i do work i use my 5.9 zj. It has like 135k now so in 3 year i put 23k miles on it. Never once gave me issues running or driving or starting.


If you wanna factor in gas costs... lol 23000 miles divided by 10 times 2.75 a gallon average is 6300$ geesh... so ive put 15300$ into my jeep driving and fixing it over 3 years haha

[BootsC91]

1983 j10 stepside. Bought for 2500 in February. 6000 innparts since. Still needs tires and plates (emmisions). Needs more then that but i dont wanna think about it now maybe tomorrow

[dbabicky]

Around about $10K into my 1975 J-10.

[Lumpskie]

Around about $10K into my 1975 J-10.

I think I'm about the same... $6500 purchase price, $2000 in mods, $1500 in repairs. Not bad for a daily driver up until 2 years ago! If we count maintenance, then it would be a lot more.

[Renodemona]

Bought for $500. Tires/Wheels 1000. Lift 1000. Engine 225. Engine Accessories 400. Transmission 650. EFI and such 1300. Dizzy 150. Fuel tank 300. Fuel pump 325. Fuel pump again 120. Fuel pump yet again 100. Fuel stuff 150. Bumpers 1700. CB and accessories 150. Winch 600. Shocks 250. Exhaust 400. Transfer Case 90. Window tinting 250.
Just shy of 10K and I'm sure I'm forgetting stuff. I've had it 6 years just about, so 1700 or so per year. That sounds about right, not counting oil, ATF, gas, etc.
Now Cost per mile is pretty high since I average about 3500 a year...

[mx71]

Including purchase price and registration, 23,000, and it still needs paint done and seats recovered. Motor/trans done at mechanic

Reman motor from BJs (old one ran, but had no oil pressure and was completely gunked, so rebuild would have been about the same cost)
Rebuilt Trans
All new suspension (Stock)
Almost all new braking system
New cooling system
New door panels and carpet
Powdercoated original wheels and new tires
All new exterior lights and lenses and mirrors
Everything functionally works, including A/C, which alone was $1,200 (new compressor running on r12/clutch/thermostatic switch/had to buy evap unit)
Rear window had to be fixed twice
All new weather stripping

For mechanical stuff, I've went with replacing broken things instead of trying to repair them, so it probably could have been a little cheaper, but my plan was to make it completely mechanically sound so I could drive across the country if I wanted.