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Thoughts on replacing the Comanche?


johnj92131
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The Comanche has been my Home Depot truck and spare driver since 2007. Since I am getting near the decision point to put a new stroker motor in the truck or to simply replace the Comanche with another truck and move on.  Here is my thinking:

 

I am going to spend more than 5K to get a new engine put in the Comanche.  But for around 10K, I could find a first generation Toyota Tundra Access Cab with a 4.7 V8, maybe 4x4 also.  The Access Cab will give me an upgraded cab interior with more room than the Comanche can ever have.  I would still have a 6 foot bed (down sized from the Long Bed Comanche).  Towing capacity for the Tundra is 7K+, compared to 5K with the Comanche.  Most important, I would be trading Jeep quality for Toyota quality. (Think Jeep electrical issues, then think about Toyota electrical issues). Gas consumption is a wash.  Besides, I only used the truck for under 5000 miles a year, so fuel is not big expense - it is just part of the cost to have a truck around the house.

 

The down side is simply that I am buying a used truck that somebody else doesn't want.  I really don't know the service history of any used car or truck I buy.  With the Comanche, I have 8+ years of personal history/knowledge with the truck.

 

What am I missing?  Anyone want to share their thoughts?

 

 

 

So is there something I am not thinking about?

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In my household there's both, the Comanche , and a 2001 Toyota Tundra 4.7 v8 , the tundra has been really reliable , small problems , one of them has always been the brake rotors , always needing replacing after 15,000-30,000 miles , in the 8 years it's been in the family it's needed a radiator , throttle body cleaning , a serpentine belt , a/c knobs are known for breaking due to brittle plastic and also the engine can develop exhaust leaks through the manifold cracking or the gasket going bad . The transmission is the a340 which is similar to the aw4 used in Cherokees /Comanches with the 4.0 , the tranny is know to be very reliable , another thing to consider is that if your starter is to ever go bad you must remove the engines intake to access the starter , and also the engine is timing belt driven and an interference engine . On the other hand the Comanche has needed , 2 coolant bottles , 1 belt , 1 fuel pump , 1 clutch slave/master cylinder , 1 thermostat and water pump , 1 brake switch , 1 tps and the usual maintenance items , both vehicles have been very reliable but I personally rather drive the Comanche 1000x , it's unique , reliable , good looking , and fun to drive but I'm a little bias too.the tundra has 214,xxx miles.

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OP you have thought this through. I would stick with the Comanche. I regret selling mine to a friend. It wasn't practical for the new family and I don't "need" a truck, I have a trailer. The Toyota is a good choice, not biased against them. My auto teacher had a Tacoma of that year and loved it. Then he kept it and got a new Tundra. Both great trucks. But I do prefer the uncommonness of the Comanche.

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The only way I'd get rid of my MJ would be if Jeep finally came out with a pickup I liked. And the only one I like out of all the "concepts" Jeep has rolled out over the years is the JK-based truck with two doors and extended cab. The rest of the concept truck junk are not trucks at all; they are just retooled cars from whomever Jeep was in bed with at the time.

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The only way I'd get rid of my MJ would be if Jeep finally came out with a pickup I liked. And the only one I like out of all the "concepts" Jeep has rolled out over the years is the JK-based truck with two doors and extended cab. The rest of the concept truck junk are not trucks at all; they are just retooled cars from whomever Jeep was in bed with at the time.

 

I believe a JK truck is supposed to be in production in the next year or two.  If it will be like that one or not I don't know, but Jeep has been rolling out a lot of JK based truck concepts to gauge reaction.  Reaction so far has been quite positive.

 

 

And to the OP, I would never sell a Jeep to replace it with a Toyota.

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Toyota's are good trucks and hold their re-sale value. If I was in the market for a newer small truck I would be looking at a Toyota of any vintage. I had a few 79-81 trucks and they are bullet proof. I actually miss them.

 

If you do decide to let the MJ go I want first crack at buying it John.

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If the Tundra has more than 90k miles, plan on doing a timing belt and water pump service. I've been learning a lot about the Toyota 4.7 since buying a 100 series, and while they aren't any more complicated than a 4.0 the parts are more expensive. I do love driving the 100. I never dreamed I'd admit to liking a Toyota...

 

I tested drove a Tundra while vehicle shopping for my wife. It was a HUGE truck. Felt like driving my buddy's lifted Cummins, just more comfortable. She didn't like it either so we did not buy.

 

Any new truck will be more refined than a MJ. That begs the question, for your use is a new truck really necessary? Is a stroker for the MJ really necessary? Your MJ has probably depreciated as far as it will go. Keeping it in good condition will only increase its value as time marches forward. The Tundra will probably take another 20 years to reach that point.

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Fernando87 - Many thanks for your pictures and comments on the Tundra vs Comanche.  Didn't know or think about the starter replacement, somehow, I thought only GM was that dumb.

 

Pete M - nothing really wrong with the engine.  It just needs a lot of detailed attention.  Oil leaks, vacuum leaks, all the general issues that come around after 200/250K miles. I have the spare blocks, the 3.895 crank shaft, an offset ground 4.095 crankshaft, 3 different sets of con rods, a HESCO aluminum head, a couple of different manifolds, etc.

 

87Warrior - Yes, a 2000-06 Tundra would be much more refined than the MJ by at least 20 years of design.  It's ride is very comfortable (for a truck).  It's size is small by today's standards for a half ton truck.  And the Comanche has done everything I have asked the truck to do for the last 8 years.   The one thing I expect the Tundra to do better than the Comanche is tow car trailer.  For that purpose, the Tundra is simply a stronger truck.

 

Suspect I will take the easy way out and keep the Comanche.

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Fernando87 - Many thanks for your pictures and comments on the Tundra vs Comanche.  Didn't know or think about the starter replacement, somehow, I thought only GM was that dumb.

 

Pete M - nothing really wrong with the engine.  It just needs a lot of detailed attention.  Oil leaks, vacuum leaks, all the general issues that come around after 200/250K miles. I have the spare blocks, the 3.895 crank shaft, an offset ground 4.095 crankshaft, 3 different sets of con rods, a HESCO aluminum head, a couple of different manifolds, etc.

 

87Warrior - Yes, a 2000-06 Tundra would be much more refined than the MJ by at least 20 years of design.  It's ride is very comfortable (for a truck).  It's size is small by today's standards for a half ton truck.  And the Comanche has done everything I have asked the truck to do for the last 8 years.   The one thing I expect the Tundra to do better than the Comanche is tow car trailer.  For that purpose, the Tundra is simply a stronger truck.

 

Suspect I will take the easy way out and keep the Comanche.

 

If you don't, send me the head.  It needs to come back to Bama. By asking for thoughts about getting rid of your MJ you know you will never use it.    :cheers:

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Eh, it's up to you.  To me, there is something to be said about keeping an old and unique Jeep Comanche on the road.  While I certainly can appreciate your desire to own something a little more heavy duty, it really comes down to one thing; how often will you be needing the increase payload/towing capacity of the Tundra?  You said you drive it 5k miles a year, so how many of those miles are loaded down with that much weight or towing that much?  

 

If you have gotten by without the Tundra for this long, you can probably get by without it for a while longer.

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Pete M - nothing really wrong with the engine.  It just needs a lot of detailed attention.  Oil leaks, vacuum leaks, all the general issues that come around after 200/250K miles. I have the spare blocks, the 3.895 crank shaft, an offset ground 4.095 crankshaft, 3 different sets of con rods, a HESCO aluminum head, a couple of different manifolds, etc.

 

 

 

 

If you already have all of those parts, how do you figure it will cost $5k+ to build the stroker?    I bought EVERYTHING when I built mine, including a second engine to tear apart and I 'only' had $3500 into mine.  Based on your post you just need some pistons, bearings and gaskets and have everything else.

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Pete M - nothing really wrong with the engine.  It just needs a lot of detailed attention.  Oil leaks, vacuum leaks, all the general issues that come around after 200/250K miles. I have the spare blocks, the 3.895 crank shaft, an offset ground 4.095 crankshaft, 3 different sets of con rods, a HESCO aluminum head, a couple of different manifolds, etc.

 

 

 

 

If you already have all of those parts, how do you figure it will cost $5k+ to build the stroker?    I bought EVERYTHING when I built mine, including a second engine to tear apart and I 'only' had $3500 into mine.  Based on your post you just need some pistons, bearings and gaskets and have everything else.

 

 

Machine work and getting the engine builder to build it.  New cam, headers, bigger throttle body, updated electronics, dyno time, custom ecu tune.  And that is just a start.

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I replaced my comanche with a 2011 silverado. I love my silverado, but I had to buy my comanche back also. The comanche belonged to my Grandfather, he bought it off the showroom floor, so I told the guy I sold it to I'll buy it. I'm now looking for a 4.0 donor to change out the 2.5.

 

I do love my silverado though (leather, heated seats, etc), got the high model for my wife when she rides in it.

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