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difference between 2007 and 2008 Sahara JKU

4K views 25 replies 9 participants last post by  shu2kill 
#1 ·
hey. im in the process of getting a JKU. i had a YJ which i had to sell 2 years ago, and now i want another jeep.

for now, i have 2 options. the first one is a 2007 Sahara JKU, 4" lift, 32" BFGoodrich Mud Terrains and a couple of extras, 55,000 miles.

the second one is a 2008 Sahara JKU, stock, similar mileage, and is $1400 more.

so, i want to know if theres a substantial difference between the 2007 and the 2008. i really like the 2007 as i think its a better deal, besides being a little cheaper, its already lifted with a rough country lift kit and the tires seem to be almost new, owner claims less than 3000 miles in them. but if the 2008 is better, i would consider it.

thank you!!
 
#2 ·
Nothing

Be very cautious when buying a lifted JK. Besides the poor choice of lift, you're buying somebody's else's problems.

What gearing in both .. Do you know ?
 
#3 ·
I'd opt for the 08. Differences? Probably zero. But a 4" lift is rarely of quality (all the reputable manufacturers usually stop at 3.5, after that they get really expensive...unless it's Rough Country or Zone. they make cheap 4" kits)

You'd be getting a potentially less problematic Jeep. I'd haggle on the difference to get them down to comparable.

*edit* didn't see the portion about it being a RC lift... case and point. A good friend of mine has RC under his Jeep. It has now cost him more than my Rock Krawler lift, and it still rides like shit and is sagged to one side.
 
#4 ·
thanx!!

i dont know the gearing on any of them.

yes, the lifted one has a RC 4" lift, and yes, im guessing its the cheap one. this one i would be buying online, so i cant drive it beforehand... a friend would drive it though...

the reason im asking is because the autotrader add of the 2008 (which i got to check physically tomorrow), says it has GPS navigation and DVD, but im seeing the 2007 on pics and it seems it has a normal stereo, im not sure though... is the gps a standard feature??
 
#5 ·
Pretty sure they had the same options for stereo's, but nav was not standard. The touch screens were a bit difficult to get on 07 due to supplier issues at the time.

07's have NO TPMS so that's one less light to deal with, other than that very few changes were made.

4.10's were in option in 07, if you got the tow package, I know mine came with 4.10's. 08's had options for a rear locker and electric swaybar also, but again not standard items.

If you plan on getting another lift anyway the RC isn't that big a deal, wheels and tires are gonna be in the $1500 - $2000+ range depending on size. Just be sure to have your friend crawl under it to look for battle damage, the stocker will be far less likely to have been wheeled.
 
#6 · (Edited)
well, this is the stereo on the 07.

how can i check the gear ratio tomorrow when i see the 08?? i think theres a small tag bolted to the diff cover, right???

i was thinking about getting the lifted one and leaving it like that, for my current needs (camping, fishing, DD), i dont need much. in fact maybe even the stock one would be OK for some time... so, if i got that one, i wouldnt be changing lift anytime soon, maybe bigger tires once those are worn out.

and yes, i already asked for a lot of pics of the underside and my friend will check it out as well....
 
#7 ·
Yeah the issue with Rough Country isn't that it just costs less, it's cause it rides like shit. There's a reason that it costs less. Plus at that height, it's putting a lot more stress on the that front driveshaft, because the RC lift doesn't address the castor angle. The steering might be flighty, extra wear on steering...overall, if your not planning on going over ever piece of suspension and steering, I'd pass.
 
#8 ·
It's possible their geo brackets, CA's or cam bolts were used for caster. Still, that's a lot lift and unnecessary. If the RC shocks are used....forget it.

OP, assuming the gears are stock ...use the vin to get the information.
 
#9 ·
thanx!!

so based on your comments and the reviews i just read, i think ill pass on the 07 because of the Rough Country lift....

now, ill have to check on the 08... i do plan on towing a small glass bassboat, so hopefully it will have 4.10s...
 
#10 ·
Do you have access to the vin #s on either? We can pull the factory window sticker to find the gearing and other options.

FWIW, another vote for the 08 here, it's always better to buy something stock and modify it yourself. Unless you know the previous owner and how it was taken care of
 
#12 ·
well, i couldnt see the 2008 but i spoke to the owner... its stock, 113K miles (seems to much, i have seen 2007s with less than half that mileage), and includes both hard and soft top.

any issues to be aware of with that mileage?? also i have no use for the soft top, anyone has any idea approximately how much can i get out of it??
 
#14 ·
yes, i think that one is already discarded because of the mileage... my current Xterra has 165K miles, and its a 2002, so im looking for something with maximum half that mileage....

its about $17,800 (im in Mexico but thats more or less the amount in USD)
 
#15 ·
Jesus....I'd keep looking. That's a bit much for mileage for a 3.8. They have a shitty bearing/cap design, so they have longevity issues if the maintenance is sketchy.
 
#16 ·
yes, the one with 113k miles on it is already discarded....

i think im leaning towards the 07 with the RC lift, but fully aknowledging that its something to keep in mind and eventually (within one year) replace all together with something better...

i found another 07 that i will call tomorrow, unfortunately it has a snorkel and i dont like how it looks, besides i hate going in the water with my jeep... but its metallic blue color, i dont know the name, but i really like the color.

i will also begin checking in the US. importing a jeep to Mexico would be around $2000, so that would leave me with $15,000 for the jeep itself. can a decent jeep be had for that amount?? i need a jku with a hard top, sahara preferred.
 
#17 · (Edited)
any used vehicle winds up a gamble of buying someone else's problem. been there. i've also bought a few very nice used vehicles and gotten lucky.

all '07's with auto transmissions came with 4.10 according to whats on allpar. i think thats also right out of my owners manual... pretty certain 3.73/auto matchup came later on, but i dont know what year.

i have 61,000 miles on mine. i dont want to read crap about spinning bearings and stuff. i cant afford the rebuild or swap. :shitstorm:


dont ignore the snorkel too quickly. they can serve some purpose other than water crossing. depending on the snorkel design and the quality of its installation, it doesnt HAVE to be a deal killer.

and a MYGIG can be added by the owner if wanted. it was out of my price range when i bought my JK. several years later, it still is. hoping i can save up and get a good aftermarket unit.
 
#18 ·
07 was the last year you could order the 4.10 gear set in the diff's. On 08-14 only the rubicons came with 4.10's the other models had 3.76 or 3.21 gears. Running anything over the stock tire size with those made the jeep a dog and needed re-geared espiciall if it had the 3.21. I chose a 07 JKU X just for that reason and it handles my 35s with no problem. My neighbor had a 08 JKU Sahara with 3.21 and he always liked how mine seemed to have so much more power. You can find out what gear set is in the diff by emailing jeep for a build sheet and giving them the VIN if the Seller doesn't have the original. I request one for any vehicle I look at before buying.
 
#19 ·
thanx for the great info.

well, after some thinking, i guess this could be the one. its the 07 with the snorkel. owner claims about 50K miles, it seems a little too low for a 07, i wonder if the odo is modified...

its lifted with a Rancho lift kit, owner cant tell me which one (its a used vehicle lot, so the seller has no info). but assuming its also a cheap one, i will keep in mind its only temporary. it also has BFG Mud Terrains in pretty good condition, i think they are 265/70 R17 (seller told me 31.5")

i did manage to get the VIN though: 1J4GA59187L167925 and i already checked it but i couldnt find the gear set on it...

the jeep is a dark blue, im not sure if its the Steel Blue Metallic or some other kind of blue, ill ask for more pics tomorrow... can someone confirm?

http://soloautos.mx/usados/auto/jeep-wrangler-2007-azul/895924

and the price yesterday was marked at $15,900 but today it shows $14,600... i think it could be a good deal, my cousin is going to look it over on thursday and take it for a test drive...
 
#20 ·
my '07 has 61,000 miles. i may have mentioned that i just put 4,186 miles on it last month while on a road trip.

while exceedingly rare to have mileage that low, yes. it possible the odo is accurate.

good idea to approach that with some caution, though.

if the rubber is worn off the pedals, carpet/mats worn out or other wear n tear items worn excessively, then that could be cause for concern.

oh. and if its a '07, check the ball joints.
 
#21 ·
thanx, il have my cousin check to see if he notices some of those wear signs.... as i mentioned, i am in Mexico, and here you can even find adds in the newspaper for people who offer to "fix" your odometer....

so, is there a way to check the real mileage?? like, getting a scan or accesing the computer, other than the odometer??

i already set that jeep apart with a $100 deposit, so in 3 days my cousin will test drive it and maybe have it checked by a mechanic, if everything goes well i might end up getting that one....
 
#23 ·
Apologies for jumping in this thread. The thread has me nervous as I just bought a 07 JKUX. I purchased the vehicle on how it drove as well as aesthetics. It came with XD Crank rims as well as Nippo Grapplers that just set it apart from other jeeps. However, I am not sure it has a lift kit (yes I am a newbie). It feels taller than a standard stock jeep, but the tires are not standard.
 
#25 ·
and back on topic, my dad is taking the plane tomorrow morning to go and see the jeep.... if he likes it he will take it to a mechanic, and if everything is OK, he will drive it home on thursday.... its a 14 hour drive so hopefully everything is fine.

im going to give him a list of things to check, besides the obvious dents and nicks which are normal for a 7 year old vehicle:


1) normal wear and tear, owner claims 50K miles, so it should be very well taken care of....

2) skid plate and front differential cover, it the jeep has been wheeled most probably they will show some signs of being hit, i know my YJs cover and skid plate had a hit on top of the other....

3) top speed and vibrations, wandering or any abnormal feeling at that speed

4) 4L and 4H, vibrations, weird noises

5) signs of being in an accident or collision, parts replaced, painted, etc (from the pictures im guessing not, but i could be mistaken)

6) visible leaks from carter, diff covers, transmision fluid, steering, etc...

what other things should i ask him to check?? he is a knowledgeable mechanic, but has zero jeep experience, so things like #2 he may not check them if i dont remind him....
 
#26 ·
no jeep for me

well, my father flew to the city about 1000 miles away to see both jeeps... bith of them turned out to be a piece of s#hit....

the 08 had a bad bearing inside the transfercase (thats what the mechanic told him), besides, the frame had been repaired, it had a reinforcement plate as if it had been broken and fixed....

and the 07, it is a girl's jeep, i had been talking to her and she was very nice... it seemed the jeep was just a mall crawler... but upon further inspection, its evident it was wheeled hard... at higher speeds it wanders all over the place, and it has several spots where it was repainted. and, rust can be seen on some places.

so, tomorrow my father is flying home, jeepless... i will keep looking for one... i know this is a long shot, but if anybody knows of a nice jeep in the $14-15K and preferably close to El Paso Tx, please let me know....
 
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