swing arm bushings, cv joints being bad or ripped boots. any strange clicking or other noises when driving it. chain and sprockets all worn out. make sure the awd works as well. a few things to check.

 

I'd 2nd making sure awd works. I've actually thought about buying another older Scrambler myself. I might even opt for a 2wd model if I were looking. I've got a 4wd utility machine already, the Scrambler would be something to ride on easy, fast trails.

 

The Scramblers are great machines but labor intensive...if the machine "looks" well cared for and doesn't have any other major symptoms mentioned above you might be ok...to be honest, you're talking about a 14yo machine driven through nasty conditions all the time...so you're not going to know what you don't know...for me I focus on the frame, engine (question modifications & who did the work) and tranny...there are a ton of grease fittings...I inspect them all (bring a small flashlight) and I can generally tell if its been well cared for (there will be fresh grease). Steering should be tight (no play), machine should sit straight and level, check handlebar for signs of rollover and damaged controls, to test 4WD you'll need to raise the entire machine off the ground (don't think the light coming on means it's working)...ask lots of questions...never hurts to ask...if the seller constantly deflects...look elsewhere...

My $0.02

 

Hopefully they're not asking a lot for it. There are still a lot of older scramblers out there for sale. I wouldn't expect to pay more than $2000 for a 2004 scrambler unless it was in pristine condition. I've seen some that looked rough that I wouldn't pay $500 for.

 

Another thing you can do is check nada.com to get an idea what it's worth before you check all the physical stuff. It can give you leverage on getting the price down if it's too high.