Purchase advice

[dingbatt]

Hey team, been a while since I posted here but looking to purchase an hzj79 here in Western Australia. I live remote and it's hard to find nearby options. This one has come up, and it ticks my boxes but this underbody rust looks intimidating. Looks mostly surface, but there may very well be some gremlins lurking. To view this car in person means a drive of a few hours and I want to be sure it is worth the travel to inspect it. I'm not beyond doing a bit of work to repair it so long as it doesn't involve cutting and welding. Tray looks toast to me, so might need to replace that. What do you guys think?
It's spent a lot of time in a shed but near the coast in salty air and the owner reckons he's always washed it off after use.
2006 HZJ79 with 330k advertised for $21500AUD. I reckon I would barter down for sure - but how much do you reckon it's worth? Would you smash or pass?

 

[dingbatt]

A few more photos of the cab

 

[george_tlc]

Yeah, washed it in salt water after each use

That rust showing through the paint (all over)... Yuk.

There's got to be better options in WA, though price of stuff has gone nuts over there - too many FIFO folk making more money than sense...

cheers,
george.

 

[Gun Runner 5]

As the ole saying goes, “you only see about 10% of the rust”.

 

[DrRock]

I will echo what others have said, rust is like an iceberg, there is much more below the surface. I just went through a major repaint on my 60 and at first @kelly saad was asking why I wanted a full repaint… we found out soon enough. On the bright side, the frame looks pretty good but more pictures would help.

 

[JuanJ]

Hello,

Yes, it looks like it has spent all of its life a bit too close to the sea, under careless owners. Had it been properly washed, it would look different underneath.

Frame and drive train appear to have a mix of rust and dirt. How much of each is hard to tell without a proper clean up. Frame rails appear to be in good shape despite the rust, but again, it is hard to tell without a closer look.

Windshield frame rust is common in 70 Series trucks. However, it is usually worse than it looks. Your pictures do not show rust bubbles, but a closer look may reveal them. The rest of the body may be in a similar condition.

Price seems a bit high.

I would take the chance to drive a few hours and take a closer look. Then I would offer accordingly, considering how much rust repair would cost me.

Do not spend money you cannot afford to lose.





Juan

 

[Broski]

Friends don’t let friends do RUST

Find a better one !!

 

[Devils Paw 80]

Not worth the travel unless you're confident a significantly lower sale price could be negotiated.

 

[dingbatt]

Thanks for the useful responses! I think I might offer a significantly lower price before committing to the drive, otherwise I am not sure it would be worth it

 

[Felde]

2x on Juan's note: Do not spend money you can't afford to loose..
... and expect the same amount to go in for spares & repairs.

The rust is one thing, but I don't see any signs of service (e.g. grease on the drive shafts).
This thing imho is a project and money sinkhole, if you want something for a longer period.
My 2ct Good Luck Ralf