Enlighter Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 Hello all, I am happy to be a new member here. And hopefully will be joining the comanche club as well with the purchase of this car. However before I do I need some advice from you all. Here are the specs on the truck. Jeep Comanche Laredo Year: 1987 Type: Long-Bed Pick-Up Truck Drive: 4x4 Miles: 107575 Doors: 2 doors Transmission: 5 Spd Manual Exterior/Interior: Burgundy Engine: 6 CYLINDERS 4.0 Liters Options: Cassette Player 4-Wheel Drive Air Conditioning And here are some pics, the undercarriage has some rust damage, I am just not sure if it is beyond sanding down and coating with a rust protector or not. Thanks in advance for any advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 You have nothing to worry about in that picture. How much are you getting the truck for? Do you have any other pictures? Looks to be pretty rust-free to me. Also, if you buy the truck I would remove the spare tire and inspect the wire cable that it hangs off, I think most of these rust off? Mine is gone. And what are your intentions with the truck? DD - off road - nascar truck? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperWade2 Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 Hello all, I am happy to be a new member here. And hopefully will be joining the comanche club as well with the purchase of this car. However before I do I need some advice from you all. Here are the specs on the truck. Jeep Comanche Laredo Year: 1987 Type: Long-Bed Pick-Up Truck Drive: 4x4 Miles: 107575 Doors: 2 doors Transmission: 5 Spd Manual Exterior/Interior: Burgundy Engine: 6 CYLINDERS 4.0 Liters Options: Cassette Player 4-Wheel Drive Air Conditioning And here are some pics, the undercarriage has some rust damage, I am just not sure if it is beyond sanding down and coating with a rust protector or not. Thanks in advance for any advice. Cost? and Pics of the Body? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enlighter Posted September 25, 2008 Author Share Posted September 25, 2008 4750 is the asking price, no negotiation. I don't have pics of the body, but it is flawless, not a single spot of rust in the bed, or on the body. My intentions with it are to restore it, re-paint it, coat the undercarriage with some rust protector, and then possibly gear it for off road next year. Right now I just need a car to get me through the winter and have always wanted a jeep pick up more then anything n the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 I don't know what kind of winter will have, but the way you say it makes me think that you will get a lot of snow, which means there will be a lot of salt. These trucks value are ALL OVER THE place. The truck your buying may or may not be on the high end. The salt will ruin these old truck's appearance very quickly turning your near 5k dollar investment into what I got my truck for.... $400. So prepare to have that kind of loss. Sounds like you want a bunch of advice saying buy the truck... but I will tell you from what you have said that this might not be a good truck for you. Sounds too expensive, and sounds like you are going to DD it through a harsh winter. Which will rust everything. Seriously I bout my 89 shortbed 4.0 auto for $400. And MANY of us have found our trucks for around that. Few of us pay $2500 or more for our trucks, I would say that for almost 5k and it being "FIRM" that it would have to be in EXCEPTIONAL! condition. And if I drove it through just one winter, it would be the last time that it was worth 5k. Check the floor boards, check around the fender flares, check the lower cab corners, in and around the gas tank door, and check the rocker panels. These are the areas that have a high chance of rusting badly. I would take a magnet with me and check for bondo if I was going to spend 5k on any MJ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 Also, that truck has a D35 rear end. If you are going to spend that kind of coin on a MJ make sure it has the D44. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enlighter Posted September 25, 2008 Author Share Posted September 25, 2008 Mitch, amazing advice. I would be DD all winter, but I would also be taking amazing care of it and washing the undercarriage at least once a week to remove the salt. I would also be completely re-painting it before the first snow, not just a typical paint shop paint, but removing every single panel and tending to any rust that has started to build on each panel individually. I am considering coating the undercarriage in spots of high rust vulnerability with rhino liner or something similar. I have heard this is a great rust/salt protectant, and can be easily removed to check if rust has started to build under it, well relatively easily removed. However you are making me see that 5k might be to much for this truck. I have yet to find one in better condition however, at least cosmetically. I have yet to test drive it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 Sounds like too much money. And I concur, for that much money I wouldn't let it touch the pavement after October. Heck, I wouldn't let it see the light of day until April. My 86 was completely rust free when I first bought it (for a few hundred and from a guy that drove it up from Oklahoma) and it only took one winter here in Michigan to highlight every single nick on the truck with the red cancer. :( A few years later and now I have a gaping hole in my floorboards. :mad: The truck may or may not be worth the money, but I wouldn't use it as a winter vehicle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 Mitch, amazing advice. I would be DD all winter, but I would also be taking amazing care of it and washing the undercarriage at least once a week to remove the salt. I would also be completely re-painting it before the first snow, not just a typical paint shop paint, but removing every single panel and tending to any rust that has started to build on each panel individually. I am considering coating the undercarriage in spots of high rust vulnerability with rhino liner or something similar. I have heard this is a great rust/salt protectant, and can be easily removed to check if rust has started to build under it, well relatively easily removed. However you are making me see that 5k might be to much for this truck. I have yet to find one in better condition however, at least cosmetically. I have yet to test drive it. I would keep looking, but if you buy it. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelbyluvv Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 Mitch speaks the truth. I have bought 3 MJ for under $500. And all of them have been nice trucks. One was a rare Starline RV conversion. From what the company told me they only converted 7 trucks! A $4700 truck that one is not. If they sell for over 4K they have 75,000 or less miles and look like they just rolled off the show room floor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enlighter Posted September 25, 2008 Author Share Posted September 25, 2008 any recommendations for places to look? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enlighter Posted September 25, 2008 Author Share Posted September 25, 2008 Mitch speaks the truth. I have bought 3 MJ for under $500. And all of them have been nice trucks. One was a rare Starline RV conversion. From what the company told me they only converted 7 trucks! A $4700 truck that one is not. If they sell for over 4K they have 75,000 or less miles and look like they just rolled off the show room floor. It does look like it just rolled off the show room floor to be honest, minus the rust on the under side, but it could be a massive bondo job like Mitch mentioned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 any recommendations for places to look? In our classifieds there are a couple of searchengines for finding MJs across the country. Keep an eye on your local craigslist.org too. ebay can be useful, but you're competing against plenty of others. the auto trader type sites can work too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enlighter Posted September 25, 2008 Author Share Posted September 25, 2008 thnx man Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenosha Warrior Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 Where are you acctually located? We can give great suggestions on where to grab MJ's in key places depending on the area you reside in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 The picture looks very good for a 20-year old MJ. Whether it's worth the asking price is your decision. If I had it, I'd pay it -- but then I wouldn't drive it in winter, and I sure as aitch-eee-double hockey sticks wouldn't butcher it using it as a trail rig. "Restore" means restore. You can buy MJs out of junkyards for $100 if you want a trail rig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWLONGSHOT Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 The picture looks very good for a 20-year old MJ. Whether it's worth the asking price is your decision. If I had it, I'd pay it -- but then I wouldn't drive it in winter, and I sure as aitch-eee-double hockey sticks wouldn't butcher it using it as a trail rig. "Restore" means restore. You can buy MJs out of junkyards for $100 if you want a trail rig. Truer words have not been uttered!! PLEASE, PLEASE, don't chop up such a prestine specimen!! CW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 Junkyard trucks are awesome! "Saved an MJ from certain destruction" sounds good on a resume. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deziped Posted September 26, 2008 Share Posted September 26, 2008 Got my 89 virtually rust free for $400. Their out there, just got have tenacity to stay with it and find the right one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperWade2 Posted September 26, 2008 Share Posted September 26, 2008 Umm... is it just me, or are there other pics other than the 1 of the underside... We are making a bunch of assumptions from 1 pic of the underside of a truck??? FWIW, my 89 was $2K... The body was pretty nice (no Rust, California Truck), but the engine and tranny are pretty tired (205K). I would have probably passed except that mine has a D44... It was still $500 or so more than I really wanted to pay for it, but finding them in my area is pretty tough I've spent a "few" bucks on small upgrades, but nothing super major... a few trips to the PnP, a few parts and pieces from dudes on here and a little elbow grease.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch Posted September 26, 2008 Share Posted September 26, 2008 that is one clean looking truck. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildman Posted September 26, 2008 Share Posted September 26, 2008 What everyone else have pointed out is all true ;) But one point I will throw out there is.......the truck is 20 years old, and even thought the body looks great, and rust free, the truck is still 20 years old, meaning that all the seals and rubber hoses and fittings are 20 years old. For the kind of money the seller is asking, he better be showing you some receipts for the items replace over the past few years, other wise your in for a big surprise when things start leaking oil, and loosing brake line, and a plugged radiator. My DD now I got 2.5 years ago, with 81K on the clock, the body.....well, it's rusty, but by the time I fixed all the oil leaks and rebuilt the cooling system, and re-build the brake system.......I dumped over $1500 into it, for a $500 '89 MJ........That my point. Oh.......did I mention that these trucks are 20 years old???? But......on the positive note.......the Laredo is one rare model :brows: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperWade2 Posted September 26, 2008 Share Posted September 26, 2008 What everyone else have pointed out is all true ;) But one point I will throw out there is.......the truck is 20 years old, and even thought the body looks great, and rust free, the truck is still 20 years old, meaning that all the seals and rubber hoses and fittings are 20 years old. For the kind of money the seller is asking, he better be showing you some receipts for the items replace over the past few years, other wise your in for a big surprise when things start leaking oil, and loosing brake line, and a plugged radiator. My DD now I got 2.5 years ago, with 81K on the clock, the body.....well, it's rusty, but by the time I fixed all the oil leaks and rebuilt the cooling system, and re-build the brake system.......I dumped over $1500 into it, for a $500 '89 MJ........That my point. Oh.......did I mention that these trucks are 20 years old???? But......on the positive note.......the Laredo is one rare model :brows: I'm confused... How old are these trucks again? :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildman Posted September 26, 2008 Share Posted September 26, 2008 I'm confused... How old are these trucks again? :D Yea, you would be........... :teehee: There 20 years old #2 :shake: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch Posted September 26, 2008 Share Posted September 26, 2008 laredo rare? not $5,000 rare, WAY more common than $5,000 rare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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