Settle an argue for me: Laredo vs Eliminator Trim

[Bonkers]

The arguement: what was the highest level of

trim you could buy a comanche in, Eliminator or

Laredo?

 

My contention is that since both the Laredo and

Pioneer could be had with better interiors, better

paint jobs, better radios, and were sold at a

higher MSRP then technically the Eliminator was a

"Sport" model and considered 3rd. I'm being told I'm

Wrong. Does anyone have any insight beyond mine?

[Minuit]

Depends. In either 1989 or 1990 the Laredo was removed and that made the Eliminator the highest trim. They took away most of the neat options after Chrysler took over though, so a "loaded" 91 or 92 MJ is much less loaded than the earlier ones. You couldn't even get power windows on a 91 MJ where up to at least 88 they were optional on Pioneer and up. The Eliminator didn't give you much choice interior wise, it was grey "Luggage fabric" interior only. Laredo gave you the option of grey or maroon in 1988, or maroon or tan in 87 with "Hunter's Plaid" fabric. You also got matching door panels which you didn't on Eliminator.

 

I'd argue that the fanciest factory produced MJ would be a 1987 or 88 4wd Metric Ton Laredo with power windows and locks. Laredo was longbed only, and for a couple of years the Eliminator was 2wd shortbed only. Really, the Eliminator didn't offer much of anything over the Pioneer other than the wingback seats. You could get everything else on a Pioneer, although you'd have to option it up. On Pioneer the best seats you could get were the non-bolster cloth buckets. Being the "sporty" package I would assume the Eliminator also got a thicker front sway bar, but that's just a guess.

 

Source: 1987, 1988, 1991 Jeep dealer brochures.

[johnj92131]

"Highest Level of interior Trim?"

 

Kind of a poor description of what  ever you mean.  What is "high"?  Leather seats?  never offered.  Heated seats?  never offered?  Cloth seats vs. vinyl seat?  Which one is higher??  Power windows/door locks are required for a "high" trim level, right? Fake wood dash trim?  never offered on the Comanche.  Power reclining seats?  Get a Cherokee Limited interior. 

 

Mostly, remember the Comanche is/was a truck.  Me?  I want to pimp mine up (but not so much chrome as some).  I am starting to like the 97+ conversion.  Thinking about power Grand Cherokee Seats.  Have Grand Cherokee seats now.  Some of that fake wood interior is looking interesting also.

[jeeppapa]

I'm the 3rd owner on my 87 pioneer. I met the first owner he told me the wood grain gage insert was origenally darker and he replaced it with a lighter color grain after some time. He thought it blended better with the camel color interior and he was rite. It also has the sport steering wheel and D44s a bench with a column. Don't know if it was special order or what he didn't say. He bought it and it stayed in the same 6 block area until I brought it to CA. I'm going to say sorry for the long windedness, couldn't get the article to link, but this is part of an article from Old Cars Weekly Market Place July of 08 called "Eliminator". Might help, I got lucky and picked up an 88 Eliminator month ago. I was surprised the package cost so much with the base Comanche at around 6,500. --

 

(All of which led to the introduction of a special performance model. For 1988, Jeep decided to showcase its newfound performance in a sporty pickup model with a fitting name — Comanche Eliminator. Jeep engineers created a super-sporty truck by combining Comanche’s light two-wheel drive short-wheelbase chassis with the awesome Power Tech six, along with a bunch of special trim and appearance items. Comanche Eliminator was built for enthusiasts searching for a sporty-looking truck that was actually capable of outstanding performance.

The Eliminator package, a bit pricey with its suggested retail price of $2,929, included the 4.0-liter inline six, rated that year at 177 hp and 224 lbs.-ft of torque along with a sturdy and smooth five-speed manual gearbox with floor shift. Four P215/65R15 OWL “Eagle GT” radial tires mounted on gorgeous (and exclusive) 15×7 10-hole aluminum wheels with bright hub centers were standard. Tachometer, gauge group, fog lamps and power steering were standard equipment. A four-speed automatic transmission with console shift was optional. Nothing in its class could touch it. Eliminator was offered strictly as a two-wheel-drive model. Buyers looking for a four-wheel drive-sport truck could order a Comanche Chief, but in that model, the 4.0 engine was optional and the 10-hole alloy wheels weren’t available.

Although the emphasis was on performance, some luxury touches were incorporated. Eliminator models included custom-trim door panels with stowage bins and “hockey stick” armrests, floor carpeting, fabric headliner and sun visors, Wing-back bucket seats, three-spoke steering wheel, and a carpeted trim panel on the back of the cab. Highlighting the exterior were a color-keyed grille, body-color fender flares and front air dam, side decals and silver painted bumpers front and rear. Three exterior colors were offered: Classic Black, Colorado Red and Dover Gray Metallic. Only one interior trim was offered for 1988, a handsome charcoal fabric.

Comanche was also the best in its class as a tow vehicle. The 4.0 liter, six-cylinder, manual stick drivetrain combo was rated for trailers up to 2,000 lbs. (Class I), while the 4.0 with automatic could be optioned up to a Class III (5,000 lbs.) rating.

Comanche Eliminator was offered for five model years. Both the 1989 and 1990 model offered only modest appearance changes from the original. But in 1990, the company added a four-wheel drive Eliminator to the Jeep line-up, a welcome addition since the Comanche Chief had been dropped after only one year on the market. Then in 1991, Jeep boosted the 4.0’s power to 190-hp, declaring that “Absolute power erupts absolutely.”

The last year for the Jeep Eliminator was 1992. In its final year, color choices were opened up to include Midnight Blue, Hunter Green, Dark Cardovan (a deep maroon), Gray Mist, along with Black, Colorado Red and Bright White.

Comanche Eliminator represents a high point in American performance trucks, and one of the more coveted vintage Jeep vehicles. It’s a great-looking truck that offers comfort, ease of service, and more power than other compact trucks of the same vintage. Fuel economy is pretty decent — it’s a six, remember — and, of course, it can handle modern highway speeds without breaking a sweat. What more could you ask for?)

 

Read the whole article lots of good info. There is a reason why they named it the Eliminator because it was.

 

 

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[Bonkers]

"Highest Level of interior Trim?"

 

Kind of a poor description of what you mean.

?? - i didnt say interior trim, I asked what was

considered the highest trim level: Laredo or Elim.

A models trim level is its package deal - wheels to

motor, to power antenna... not "just" interior...

[jeeppapa]

Could quite figure out where he was going with that except that he wanted he liked 97 conversion and wanted power seats. I would suggest going with the fake wood though it does look good. Thinking about putting a nice wood grain down the sides of the MJ. I hear it's making a comeback.

 

 

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[89eliminator]

i've always considered the eliminator as the "high end" package

[Old man with MJ]

I am the original owner of a 88 Pioneer bought off of the lot, dealer may have ordered it like they wanted, it is 4wd,shortbox,white wagon wheels,different steering wheel, leatherette bench seat,full gauges. I can dig up the window sticker for more details.

Any combination would be possible, Jeep did have the packaged options available.

[500 MJ]

i've always considered the eliminator as the "high end" package

You would. :)

[jeeppapa]

I am the original owner of a 88 Pioneer bought off of the lot, dealer may have ordered it like they wanted, it is 4wd,shortbox,white wagon wheels,different steering wheel, leatherette bench seat,full gauges. I can dig up the window sticker for more details.

Any combination would be possible, Jeep did have the packaged options available.

Thanks for the info that explains some things. Glad the po popped on the upgrades. I've got wing back buckets out of a 2 door xj, console, floor shift and lift going on it soon. Can't what to get it done. Did you order any extras?

[johnj92131]

 

"Highest Level of interior Trim?"

 

Kind of a poor description of what you mean.

?? - i didnt say interior trim, I asked what was

considered the highest trim level: Laredo or Elim.

A models trim level is its package deal - wheels to

motor, to power antenna... not "just" interior...

 

 

Yes, I did not read your first post correctly and answered what I "assumed" it said.  We know about "ASSUME", right?