If you saw the price for this Jeep and thought “That’s too much for a twenty-year-old Jeep!” then you are absolutely right. This is too much Jeep for you, and I’m sure there is a 2009 Kia Sorento somewhere that is a better fit for your needs. If not, keep reading if you dare.

I’m not offering this Jeep for sale. I’m offering you the chance to bond with this Jeep for life like a pair of majestic bald eagles. And just like eagles, this thing is complicated and moody but also beautiful and fun, much like the toxic relationships that inspire the best rock songs.

This is the best 2006 Jeep Wrangler that you are going to find outside of a car show. I’m the second owner and bought it in May 2008 when it was still under warranty and had 12k miles on it. Almost nobody else has driven this masterpiece of automotive art since I first got behind the wheel. Here are just a handful of details about what makes this the best Jeep on the planet:

• Powered by the last year of the legendary 4.0-liter “Inline 6” motor that traced its lineage back to the troops in World War II before they were replaced with modern overcomplicated junk.
• The motor runs perfectly with only 168k actual miles on the original motor and powertrain. The only thing you need to keep it running well is access to the Quadratec catalog, YouTube repair videos, and a cooler full of cheap beer.
• Six-speed manual transmission that doubles as an anti-theft device
• NO LEAKS: Water stays out and fluids stay in.
• 2” suspension lift added by my dearly departed cousin David who made the upgrade in the shop he built in the Hardscrabble Valley of Iowa next door to the farm where I was raised.
• Stainless front and rear bumpers, stainless rocker panels, stainless fuel bezel, stainless hood latches, and stainless siderails to complete the “tuxedo” look that pairs perfectly with the black paintjob.
• New front fenders added this year mounted with new stainless bolts.
• Aftermarket radio with USB hookup
• New battery with new connectors
• A 750-watt compact amplifier connected to a kicker sub in the console and aftermarket speakers throughout so you can blast “Sweet Home Alabama” or your favorite Taylor Swift song as you roll up to your child’s Cub Scout meetings (I’ve done both).
• New Bestop Sunrider top so you can get some good old-fashioned rays without spending 30 minutes fighting with zippers to get the entire top down.
• 31” BF Goodrich All Terrain TKOs that will take you absolutely anywhere you want to go
• Original 15” alloy wheels
• CB radio and mounted antenna
• LED backlit instrument cluster
• Billet aluminum heat/AC knobs because why not
• New door handles
• Halogen headlights
• KC Hi-Lights foglamps
• LED front turn signals
• Heavy rubber floormats
• Red LED interior mood lighting
• 2” receiver hitch
• Airconditioning that will freeze you on the hottest days, and a heater that will cook you within two minutes of starting the engine.

The Jeep has a clean title and was never wrecked or rolled. I’m a safe driver, and in all the years I owned it, I only ever got bumped twice. Once at stoplight with zero damage because this Jeep is a solid rock, and the second time a 20-year-old guy driving a box truck attempted a 100-point turnaround in my driveway and scratched the bumper and rear quarter panel that I immediately got fixed. I can talk you through every significant upgrade and repair made to this Jeep since before iPhones were invented, and if you want, I can introduce you to the auto shop guys up the street that have done all the repairs that I couldn’t manage on my own in my carport. But beware, they are mad that I’m selling the Jeep, because that probably means they won’t get to work on it anymore either. I‘ll also email the AutoCheck Report to any serious buyer.

I’m not going to say that this Jeep never had a problem. It had plenty and will have plenty more. That’s the point of owning a Jeep. It’s just like owning a beautiful old home – it only looks nice if you are constantly working on it. I have meticulously cared for this ride since I bought it, and it was my daily driver until last summer. It’s still licensed and insured in my name, and I make sure to at least drive it the grocery store each week to make sure it’s road-ready. It drives smooth with ample power and no problems or wobbles, but as with any vehicle that’s almost old enough to legally drink, I’m sure there are things that will need fixed before getting it titled by a new owner. I can’t address everything that needs changed because I live within an hour of four states and Washington, DC, and each have different inspection requirements. Also, half of you will want a factory-stock ride, and the other half will see this Jeep as a choose-your-own-adventure into overlanding glory. It makes no sense for me to pour money into repairs or upgrades that none of you will want. I knocked $2500 off the asking price to sell it AS-IS.

I won’t negotiate the price, but I will drink your beverage of choice and yell “hell yeah!” while you tell me all the cool things you plan to do with this beast.

You want this Jeep. I know you. You know you. And I know you know that I know you. Jeeps are not getting cheaper, and neither will this one. If you wait, I’ll find someone a year from now who is willing to pay $20k for it. This is still cheaper than a Gladiator and more hardcore.