There’s nothing like grabbing a tent and some essentials before venturing into the wilderness to commune with nature. However, while the experience means forsaking such luxuries as the TV, a plush bathroom, and a fully-appointed kitchen, the journey need not be one of hardship. That might make this 1990 Jeep Grand Wagoneer the perfect escape vehicle. It presents impressively for its age and comes loaded with enough comfort features to ensure the journey is a pleasant experience. The Jeep is listed for sale here on eBay in Dothan, Alabama. Intense bidding has pushed the price to $26,000, although it is yet to hit the reserve.

Companies like Jeep designed these vehicles to take their occupants into some pretty harsh territory, and it is common for them to look pretty rough as a result. That isn’t the case with this classic because it presents well after more than three decades. The recently applied Charcoal Gray paint shines nicely, with no flaws or defects. The faux woodgrain shows no evidence of fading or physical damage, which is significant. Repairing or replacing this type of vinyl is easy, but obtaining a perfect color match is challenging. Owners in that situation usually face replacing all of the vinyl to achieve a uniform appearance, so the lack of issues with that aspect of this Wagoneer is a blessing. It may have been refreshed during the repaint, but the seller doesn’t specifically mention that. They say it is rust-free, and I can’t spot any problems in the supplied photos. The original alloy wheels are free from oxidizing and physical damage, while the trim and glass are excellent.

Lifting the Jeep’s hood reveals a 360ci V8 that should produce 144hp. The power finds its way to the road via a three-speed automatic transmission and a transfer case to cope with rough terrain. Power steering and brakes make life more bearable when the going becomes tight and twisting. At 4,499lbs, this Grand Wagoneer is not exactly light, but its ability to cover the ¼ mile in 19.9 seconds remains impressive. That V8 will eventually run out of breath with the needle nudging 91mph, but it should still cruise happily on the open road at freeway speeds. The seller indicates that the Wagoneer received a recent 3″ lift and a new set of Toyo tires. They supply no specific information on how well it runs or drives, but we receive this YouTube video. It includes a detailed walk-around and allows us to hear the V8 running. It sounds crisp and clean, with no rattles, knocks, or unwanted noises. It appears to be a turnkey proposition for its next owner.

This Jeep’s surprise packet is its interior condition. It is almost inevitable that venturing into the wilds will allow mud and other icky substances will make their presence felt on interior trim and carpet. That hasn’t happened with this Wagoneer because the upholstered surfaces and carpet are impressive. The seats wear Maroon leather and cloth that remains soft and inviting. The dash sports a cover, but the video seems to indicate there are no pad cracks. Some of the woodgrain trim is slightly faded, but it remains presentable. Creature comforts abound, with this Jeep featuring air conditioning, power windows, power locks, power front seats, cruise control, a tilt wheel, and a factory AM/FM radio and cassette player.

I described the bidding on this 1990 Jeep Grand Wagoneer as intense, which seems the correct term. It has attracted an incredible sixty-one bids, and plenty of time remains on the auction for that figure to climb higher. Recent sales results suggest that the price could rise beyond $30,000 before proceedings end. That’s a fair slice of cash for a vehicle of this age and type, but it deserves placing into context. You can wander out to your local Jeep dealership today and slap down the cash for a shiny new Grand Wagoneer. It will roll off the showroom floor equipped with the bells and whistles we find on our feature Jeep but will throw a few more into the mix. It will also come with a price tag of $90,000. That’s a lot of money, and you would then face the evils of depreciation. Even if you treated the new Jeep with care and respect, expecting its value to drop by 30% in the first five years would be fair. When the hammer falls on our feature vehicle, the final sale price will be well short of $90,000, and the depreciation will not be as profound. Therefore, the new Jeep will offer more for potential buyers, but does it represent a better buy than our feature vehicle? I don’t think so.