What to look for on a YJ?

My friend want to buy a jeep, he was looking at this one on craigslist. I think his budget is under $5000
http://corpuschristi.craigslist.org/cto/2434562547.html

We are going to check it out sometime this week. Any help will be appreciated.

Things that makes me wonder about this jeep:
- 12” of lift? ….How much lift you need to fit 35” on a YJ, 12” looks like too much.
- suspension parts have been sprayed with bed liner or painted? …How much rust is under the bed liner?

Project starting point or something to actually drive around as is?

I don't know where he's getting 12" from. Looks like a shackle lift and a silly 3" body lift. He must be including the "lift" from the 35's it's rolling on, and forgetting to divide the difference in half. So total lift is probably more like 5" or 6" plus whatever the tires are getting him. It's not the "right" way to lift it regardless.

Plus, he's probably running a D35 in the rear on those 35's, which makes it something of a ticking timebomb waiting to go off.

You probably already know all that anyway, but hey. Good luck!

I am sure he wants it to drive it as is.

I can't see spending that money on something like that unless it's a project. I'd hold out for a 4.0L TJ, which is going to be a lot more comfortable to drive (and has much better A/C). My dad was looking at picking up an early-ish TJ for about 5k a few months back, but they're not that common at that price range in good condition.

If he wants to drive it as is, and everything really is good on it mechanically, then he could sell off the 35's, put on whatever smaller size is appropriate for whatever gearing he's running, cut down the body lift or get rid of it altogether (you're going to have to screw with linkages and such), make sure the shackle lift isn't terribly bad quality and that the shocks are appropriate for it, and go ahead and run it around.

Yeah I know. That’s the only jeep he has showed me. Not many options here in Corpus. Need to tell him to start looking in SA.