89 MJ All Original

[Von]

Hey guys, I'm new here and looking to buy my first car (ever!) I recently came across a 1989 Jeep Comanche For Sale. It has no rust anywhere and looks to be in immaculate original condition. No mechanical or cosmetic issues. It's a 2WD 4.0, I6 with only 58k original miles, manual transmission. They are asking for $3800 and I honestly have no idea what I should be paying. Any help or input would be greatly appreciated :) I've included some pictures that were sent to me from the owner but I don't think it's listed anywhere online. Some more info i've gathered is that it's a long bed and I believe it's the most basic trim of the truck. Also I'm located in the bay area in Northern California if that affects anything. It's about a two hour drive from me so I don't want to head over there before I have an idea of what I should be paying (after inspecting it in person of course).

 

Again thanks so much for the help!

Von

[Dzimm]

I can't speak much about pricing in your area.  If that truck were here in Iowa, it would sell quickly at that price but that's mainly due to no/limited rust.  

 

I can provide some insight from what I can see tho.  The truck looks to be in great shape but you'll want to inspect the floors as they are the most common rust points.  if you buy it, pull the carpet immediately and fix any rust that's starting on the top side.  That is a replacement rear bumper and there appears to be some damage under the passenger taillight so id be looking in that area for sure for any hidden damage and ask about it.  It would take a decent hit to go through the bumper and do that much damage to the bed.  You'll also want to figure out which trans it has, the transmissions that came in that era weren't great and are often swapped for the better AX-15.  You'll also want to figure out what rear axle is in it as there is a chance it could have a Dana 44.  

 

Post up more pictures if you can and take the trip to go see it either way, even if it's not the one for you, it will give you a better idea of the MJ/XJ platform.  

 

Btw, welcome! And the addiction is real, it all starts with one Jeep.

[Von]

Good Eye! I had no idea that was a replacement bumper, i'll make sure to ask about that and to check underneath for any rust. As for the transmission I read up on that and the owner told me it has that original Peugot finicky transmission. Is the Dana 44 rear axle something I should be wary of or something that is a positive. Seems to me like she is the kind of owner that wouldn't do any big modifications like changing an axle. I'm sure it has whatever axle is OEM. Thanks for the warm welcome and the advice and help!

[Dzimm]

Keep in mind as well that some MJs came without a bumper at all so it may have just been added at some point but the dent in the bed tells me there may have been a minor accident at one time. 

 

The Dana 44 is a very good axle but quite hard to find on an MJ, it's just one of those things to check.  Most MJs came with a Dana 35 which is on the weak end of things.  If you don't drive it like a racecar or put big tires on it the Dana 35 should do okay.   You can also post the VIN in the registry and a member will upload the build sheet for you, which will tell you everything about the truck as it came from the factory.  

 

As for the Peugeot, some break easy and a few have lasted a while.  If it's well maintained you will have better luck but most toss it out at even the slightest hint of it having an issue in favor of an AX-15.  

 

You're in the best place for MJ knowledge and we are all happy to answer any questions you have.  I'd recommend you start reading through build threads and the DIY/Tech section to get yourself a little more acquainted with the MJ, especially Cruiser's Renix tips.  Being an 89 you will have a Renix electrical system, which can be complicated at times and was under-engineered in some areas but Cruiser's tips solves pretty much all of that.  In 91 Chrysler made some changes and everything switched to what we refer to as HO (high output).  When searching for info those are the big things that differentiate what will apply to your truck and what will not.  

 

Also what are your plans with this truck?  Just a clean daily driver or are you planning to build it in some way? 

[Von]

Ok I'll get right on reading through, thanks for the pointer. My daily driver is actually a dual sport motorcycle, I'll probably put slightly bigger tires on it just so that when I go camping I can park it a little off road before unloading my motorcycle for a little moto-camping. Not looking to really build it up to anything crazy, probably just what I can get away with in tire size before getting any rub with the stock amount of lift. Other than that, Ill probably drive it around town grocery shopping and to bring my lady out to dinner so she stops complaining about riding 2-up after bloating herself at the restaurant 

 

Look at me talking like I already own the thing haha, hope it'll work out. Ill update sometime in the next week on how it goes!

[Dzimm]

6 minutes ago, Von said:

Ok I'll get right on reading through, thanks for the pointer. My daily driver is actually a dual sport motorcycle, I'll probably put slightly bigger tires on it just so that when I go camping I can park it a little off road before unloading my motorcycle for a little moto-camping. Not looking to really build it up to anything crazy, probably just what I can get away with in tire size before getting any rub with the stock amount of lift. Other than that, Ill probably drive it around town grocery shopping and to bring my lady out to dinner so she stops complaining about riding 2-up after bloating herself at the restaurant 

 

Look at me talking like I already own the thing haha, hope it'll work out. Ill update sometime in the next week on how it goes!

Keep us posted!

[fiatslug87]

Welcome, where in the Bay Area are you? I'm in Fairfield.

[Pete M]

research is your greatest ally.   keep reading.  Make sure you can recognize the difference between the 35 (has an oval cover) and 44 (more of a stop sign shape).  The link in my sig has a ton of info, with Cruiser's MJ tips near the top. 

 

also this thread:

 

 

[JMO413]

If it was 2 hours from me I would definitely have already been to look at it if not buy it. If it runs and shifts well I would say that's a decent price due to mileage. I have the puegeot in mine and it is fine for now. First time you replace the slave cylinder an AX-15 swap will be on your mind.  The Dana 35 works and that about it. If you go with some 235/75/15 tires and don't race car drive it both should be good for a while. With all that being said any 30 year old vehicle will need some work done to it. Some when you get it and more down the road. The MJ platform is fairly easy to work on and this site makes it even better! Hope you can get it and welcome to the addiction!

[Dzimm]

One other thing we should mention is that the MJ is the same as the XJ Cherokee from the a-pillar forward and mostly the same from the b-pillar forward.  This means a large amount of the XJ parts and information applies to the front end of the MJ.  Often times I find research is easier by searching under XJ as there are way more out there for the XJ.

[thecodemonk]

20 hours ago, Dzimm said:

One other thing we should mention is that the MJ is the same as the XJ Cherokee from the a-pillar forward and mostly the same from the b-pillar forward.  This means a large amount of the XJ parts and information applies to the front end of the MJ.  Often times I find research is easier by searching under XJ as there are way more out there for the XJ.

 

This is mostly true.  The uniframe rails are a little thicker and the fuel lines run a little different (something I found when putting long arms on).  XJ stuff for the front is mostly the same...but I'd double check with a search on here after you find XJ info for any other minor differences.