Questions about Comanche's for a Video

[NEO auto]

I'm working on a video and wondered what you guys think the answers are to these questions.

 

1. Why did Jeep discontinue the Comanche? (I'm pretty sure it was low sale numbers towards the end, but maybe there were other reasons involved)

2. Around how many Comanches are estimated to be in existence today? 

 

Thanks

[Ωhm]

 

Link for Phaseout

[eaglescout526]

2.) There’s roughly about 696 Comanche VINs currently registered, maybe less. (Quick math was done based on how many posts were on just one page multiplied by the pages in the registry.) Probably 15% of them are or were in junk yards. That’s incredibly low number compared to the number produced. So there’s probably more out there that are tucked away or long gone from time. Who knows how many were totaled out before the existence of this site and where they all went. They are disappearing faster than the California condor and we could be looking at less Comanches each day due to people not knowing what they have. 

[Pete M]

1: it's complicated and much of the detail is lost to time. (basically MJ sales numbers were slipping plus the XJ was profitable and popular meaning each MJ made was a loss of the profit that the spot on the assembly line could have brought if it contained an XJ)

 

2: it's complicated and everything is a guess. 

 

 

 

careful about that list of production numbers, as it shows 1985 and so is likely a list of calendar year numbers rather than model year numbers.  Meaning that more than 952 1992 MJs were made because some were made in 1991. 

 

edit:  found the other list of numbers:

 

Quote

MJ (4x4 only)

SWB/LWB
1986 xxxxx/23,251
1987 6,199/6,685
1988 6,895/9,167
1989 5,354/5,021
1990 3,283/2,129
1991 5,188 (TOTAL)
1992 3,142 (TOTAL)

 

[13 Legion]

I would love to know how many are actually still owned. I know personally I’ve seen only 3 other Comanches on the road over the last 5 years. I guess if you somehow had access to a States vehicle registrations you could see how many are on the road registered. Sure it doesn’t include say mine for instance since I haven’t had it plated in 2 years but it would get you a closer number than our guesstimates!!

[Minuit]

Here's a link to a study done by the DOT in 2006 that gives an estimate that 12.1% of 25 year old light-duty trucks are still on the road.

 

https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/809952

 

They give the exponential regression formula on page 6. I plugged in 28 years (for 1991) and got a survival rate of 9.6%. 9.6% of however many MJs they made in '91 is... not very many.

 

Us Comanche fanatics are part of a slowly but surely shrinking group.

[Eagle]

They're around. I account for three. There's one in town about three miles from me -- it belongs to the father of a guy who used to post on NAXJA as REJeep (I think). There's a guy who works for the local office of the state D.O.T. who has one. The father of a girl who works at the local supermarket has (or had) one -- I haven't seen it recently. I've passed three more on to people in NAXJA who I hope fixed them up and kept them among the roster of viable vehicles.

 

And I see others around in my daily travels. Not a lot, but some.

 

Why did they die? Because Chrysler bought Jeep from AMC/Renault. Chrysler had the Dakota, and they didn't need or want a Jeep pickup stealing potential sales from the Dakota. Plus, the morons at AMC/Jeep never brought out an extended cab, and most buyers wanted either an extended cab or a 4-door crew cab. When I was vehicle shopping in 1988 I really wanted to buy a Comanche. But ... I needed protected interior space for carrying things, so I bought a Cherokee instead. I was committed to buying a Jeep. Other buyers who wanted a pickup and who wanted or needed more interior space simply had no choice -- they had to go to another brand. (And Chrysler hoped that would be Dodge, of course.)

[13 Legion]

13 minutes ago, Eagle said:

They're around. I account for three.

Yes that’s why I said me personally seeing one on the road. Even though I live close to a city of 3 million, I’m in the rust belt. 30 year old trucks to me, are like seeing a unicorn, riding a dinosaur buying a winning lottery ticket. Just by the law of averages, there’s got to be more running Comanches down South and out West than here in the rust belt. I did think of 2 more I saw. One near Muscatatuck urban training center, Seymour Indiana. The other outside of San Diego on I-5. 

[DirtyComanche]

I've got three myself.  Only 1 is in the registry on here.

 

I know where my first one is (don't expect it to ever drive again), same guy has another (that likely will never drive again).  And I know there's another one in town that's on the road, plus another two that are sitting in yards.

 

So in a town on 90K people I know of 8.

[SVPete]

I know of six in my town of 46K owned by people I have met face-to-face including mine. I have seen four of those driving around, mine included.

 

Thought I saw production numbers before....something like 200-250K total production between 1986-1992.

[13 Legion]

16 hours ago, Minuit said:

that 12.1% of 25 year old light-duty trucks are still on the road.

Let’s just say production run of 190,000. That’s about 15,800.... Rounded these numbers of course...So now our trucks are over 30 years old. Obviously attrition has taken more so the number would be less... Euclid if you’re out there crunch some numbers for me.....Again all estimated... Just curious.

[gogmorgo]

I'd be willing to bet that there's a higher percentage of MJs still out on the road than other competitive trucks. Simply due to the availability of the other trucks, if something untoward happens, it's far more likely an s10 or ranger or whatever will get scrapped and replaced with another one off Craigslist etc, even by an enthusiast, but an MJ isn't as easily replaced, and there are many stories here of MJs being pieced back together after having been written off, or the engine getting rebuilt after it craps the bed, whatever.

And I doubt there are as many semi-abandonned S10s getting dragged out of someone's yard and getting out back on the road... really, when was the last time you heard of someone going on a 12-hour round trip to pick up a $700 '91 2wgeel-drive 4-banger s10 that doesn't run so well with some rust around the edges? Cause I've literally done that. I see lots of other examples of it as well, although not necessarily with as much driving involved, here and on MJ Facebook groups. Admittedly there's some bias in my observations as I'm not part of any other truck groups, so I can't really say what S10 or whatever enthusiasts are doing... but still.

There's also more appeal to the 2wd MJ as well because it's so easily converted to 4x4.

[JMO413]

5 minutes ago, gogmorgo said:

I'd be willing to bet that there's a higher percentage of MJs still out on the road than other competitive trucks. Simply due to the availability of the other trucks, if something untoward happens, it's far more likely an s10 or ranger or whatever will get scrapped and replaced with another one off Craigslist etc, even by an enthusiast, but an MJ isn't as easily replaced, and there are many stories here of MJs being pieced back together after having been written off, or the engine getting rebuilt after it craps the bed, whatever.

And I doubt there are as many semi-abandonned S10s getting dragged out of someone's yard and getting out back on the road... really, when was the last time you heard of someone going on a 12-hour round trip to pick up a $700 '91 2wgeel-drive 4-banger s10 that doesn't run so well with some rust around the edges? Cause I've literally done that. I see lots of other examples of it as well, although not necessarily with as much driving involved, here and on MJ Facebook groups. Admittedly there's some bias in my observations as I'm not part of any other truck groups, so I can't really say what S10 or whatever enthusiasts are doing... but still.

There's also more appeal to the 2wd MJ as well because it's so easily converted to 4x4.

I would have to agree. If mine wasn't a Comanche there is no way I would have put in the time and money I have.

Supply and demand is a big part!

[13 Legion]

15 minutes ago, gogmorgo said:

really, when was the last time you heard of someone going on a 12-hour round trip to pick up a $700 '91 2wgeel-drive 4-banger s10 that doesn't run so well with some rust around the edges?

That is so true!!! Quite funny but true. 

[MJXJjeepguy]

2 hours ago, gogmorgo said:

I'd be willing to bet that there's a higher percentage of MJs still out on the road than other competitive trucks. Simply due to the availability of the other trucks, if something untoward happens, it's far more likely an s10 or ranger or whatever will get scrapped and replaced with another one off Craigslist etc, even by an enthusiast, but an MJ isn't as easily replaced, and there are many stories here of MJs being pieced back together after having been written off, or the engine getting rebuilt after it craps the bed, whatever.

And I doubt there are as many semi-abandonned S10s getting dragged out of someone's yard and getting out back on the road... really, when was the last time you heard of someone going on a 12-hour round trip to pick up a $700 '91 2wgeel-drive 4-banger s10 that doesn't run so well with some rust around the edges? Cause I've literally done that. I see lots of other examples of it as well, although not necessarily with as much driving involved, here and on MJ Facebook groups. Admittedly there's some bias in my observations as I'm not part of any other truck groups, so I can't really say what S10 or whatever enthusiasts are doing... but still.

There's also more appeal to the 2wd MJ as well because it's so easily converted to 4x4.

True, my first MJ, I went and pick up with trailer to bring home from 6 hours round trip that is the longest drive i ever pick up than any other vehicles i had owned, and longest drive 8 hours round trip to pick up all MJ parts before he take to scrapyard that i not really need  and I save them.

[NEO auto]

Thanks for all your replies. Here's another question.

 

I thought I heard somewhere that the 4.0 Comanche was one of the most powerful mid-size pickup trucks of its time.

Is this valid?

[Jeep Driver]

1 hour ago, NEO auto said:

Thanks for all your replies. Here's another question.

 

I thought I heard somewhere that the 4.0 Comanche was one of the most powerful mid-size pickup trucks of its time.

Is this valid?

No, it isn't.

'89 Shelby Dakota

[Jeep Driver]

'91 Cyclone

 

[Pete M]

according to wikipedia:

the 4.3l in the 87-92 S-10 made 160hp 

the 3.9l in the 87-91 dakota made 125hp  (ouch!)

the Shelby dakota had the 5.2l v8 (89 only) and made 175hp 

 

so it had a definite advantage when it came out, but at the end of the MJ's run it was being (or about to be) outclassed by the next gen of engines.

 

edit: the Syclone was in a league of its own with 280hp  

[MJXJjeepguy]

1 hour ago, Pete M said:

according to wikipedia:

the 4.3l in the 87-92 S-10 made 160hp 

the 3.9l in the 87-91 dakota made 125hp  (ouch!)

the Shelby dakota had the 5.2l v8 (89 only) and made 175hp 

 

so it had a definite advantage when it came out, but at the end of the MJ's run it was being (or about to be) outclassed by the next gen of engines.

 

edit: the Syclone was in a league of its own with 280hp  

What? Really 5.2 v8 made a tiny horsepower?? Some 4 cyl. sporty car can do better than that! Wow 

[Blaine.D]

1 hour ago, NEO auto said:

Thanks for all your replies. Here's another question.

 

I thought I heard somewhere that the 4.0 Comanche was one of the most powerful mid-size pickup trucks of its time.

Is this valid?

I am going to assume that you are talking about which manufacturer had the most powerful truck in the lifespan of the 4.0l in the Comanche.  In years that the Comanche was in production with the 4.0l, the Comanche had the most power of any pickup truck. The max power of the 4.0l during the Comanche run was 195hp with 225lb-ft of torque during the H.O. years while during the renix years the 4.0l had around 177hp with 225lb-ft of torque. On average the 4.0l was making 20hp more than other trucks in its class.   I agree with Pete that the Comanche was about to be out class by the completion in 92.  I disagree with Jeep Driver's answer that the Comanche isn't the most powerful truck for two reasons if we talking which manufacturer made the most powerful midsize truck at the time.

1.This is my biggest reason both the Shelby Dakota and the GMC Cyclone were produced by outside companies. The Dakota was made by Shelby and the Cyclone by Production Automotive Services. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GMC_Syclone

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Production_Automotive_Services

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shelby_Dakota

2. Production Numbers: Again if we are talking about which manufacturer had the most powerful truck, I would think that we are talking about if you were back in the day and you went to your local dealer to buy a truck which would be the most powerful that you could take home that day. Both the Dakota and Cyclone were limited production runs. Cyclone with around 3000 and Dakota with 1500. 

[MJXJjeepguy]

1990 ford ranger 2.9 v6 got 144 hp

1990 toyota pickup 3.0 v6 got 150 hp

[Pete M]

and someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the MJ was the only small 4wd truck with both a solid front axle and a fuel injected 6cyl at the same time. 

[Swampy]

1 hour ago, Pete M said:

and someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the MJ was the only small 4wd truck with both a solid front axle and a fuel injected 6cyl at the same time. 

Rangers of the time had that funky ttb front axle. Its a solid front axle but also ifs. But technically its not a true solid front axle so yes you are right

[KANTANKRUS]

Just by mathematical calculations, I figure that my Comanche bears a very low build number. 

eaglescout526 stated that it was built on 9/16/1986. New model vehicles, are released in August of each year. So, 31 days in August, plus 16 more days in September equals 47 days of build. With 23,251 LWB built in 1986.  23,251/12 months equals 1,938 trucks built per month. 1,938/31 days equals 63 trucks built per day. 63x47 days equals 2,961. so if any of these generalities hold true, my truck could be the 2,915th to the 2,961st truck off of the assembly line.