1989 Jeep Grand Wagoneer 360 V8 with a 2023 replacement engine, priced at $20,000

Why we picked it

This is a 1989 Grand Wagoneer in white with the 5.9-liter (360) V8, the automatic and four-wheel drive. It is listed by 33 East Auto Sales, a Jeep-focused dealer in Greenville, North Carolina. The only note from the seller is "New Engine 2023." No mileage is given; the dealer's site shows 0.

Grand Wagoneers in usable driver condition have been selling for the high $20s to mid $30s, and even tired 160k-mile trucks bring about $22,000. At $20,000, this one is priced under the low end of those sales. That leaves room for the usual SJ to-do list, as long as the body is solid.

The value check

The seller is asking $20,000. Comparable cars in the same condition have sold for $22,350–$35,250, so the middle of the market is about $28,800. That put this car 31% under.

Driver-grade Grand Wagoneers with 80k-160k miles have sold for about $22,350 to $35,250 at auction since August 2026 (BaT, Hagerty, Saratoga). $20,000 is about 31% under the midpoint of that range.

Where the numbers come from:

• 1988 Grand Wagoneer, 112k mi, BaT, $34,000 (Sep 2026)
• 1990 Grand Wagoneer, 129k mi, BaT, $26,500 (Aug 2026)
• 1989 Grand Wagoneer, 161k mi, Hagerty, $22,350 (Oct 2026)
• 1988 Grand Wagoneer, 124k mi, BaT, $28,000 (Aug 2026)

What to check

• The listing has almost no description: ask for the real odometer reading, the title status and plenty of photos before you travel
• Ask who rebuilt or replaced the engine in 2023 and whether there are receipts or a warranty
• SJ rust spots: rear quarters behind the wheels, rocker panels, floor pans, tailgate bottom and the bottoms of the doors
• The Selec-Trac transfer case and its vacuum lines, plus the column shifter linkage, often need attention
• Check the A/C, power windows and the woodgrain vinyl, which is expensive to replace correctly

Making it drive like new

A Grand Wagoneer drives much better with a fuel-injection conversion on the 360 (a Holley Sniper or similar), a four-speed overdrive automatic in place of the TF727, and updated steering with a new box and a Borgeson-style shaft. Upgrading the front brakes with larger calipers and rotors and fitting modern shocks makes it a comfortable daily-driver wagon.