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18,600 MJs left on the roads


Pete M
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so this number came out in a FB conversation with Key Parts.  apparently if you're in the parts business you can pay for VIO (vehicles in operation) numbers from the government.  this can be state, regional or continent wide.  18,600 refers to the number of registered MJs in the US and Canada.  obviously there are others in Mexico and abroad and in peoples backyards, so it's not the true number of MJs left, but it's a bit scary to me that it's so small.  essentially we're down to ~10%.  :(  

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7 minutes ago, Pete M said:

so this number came out in a FB conversation with Key Parts.  apparently if you're in the parts business you can pay for VIO (vehicles in operation) numbers from the government.  this can be state, regional or continent wide.  18,600 refers to the number of registered MJs in the US and Canada.  obviously there are others in Mexico and abroad and in peoples backyards, so it's not the true number of MJs left, but it's a bit scary to me that it's so small.  essentially we're down to ~10%.  :(  

 

very interesting stat, I never thought we'd have access to that data, WOW. Nice find, but looks like we're getting added to the endangered list

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"Enthusiast" is a losley used term too. Every mouth breather up here in new england wants a comanche and ends up getting one and destroying it. don't get me wrong i enjoy a good *tasteful* offroad build but up here it seems like every kid 19-25 that buys an mj gets in the middle of the 97+ swap, realizes it actually takes some effort to do it right, then junks the project that was an otherwise decent mj.

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On 1/1/2022 at 12:18 PM, strictlyxjs said:

seems like every kid 19-25 that buys an mj gets in the middle of the 97+ swap, realizes it actually takes some effort to do it right

 

:yeahthat:

 

I've seen many a listing for "half completed projects".   

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On 1/1/2022 at 12:18 PM, strictlyxjs said:

"Enthusiast" is a losley used term too. Every mouth breather up here in new england wants a comanche and ends up getting one and destroying it. don't get me wrong i enjoy a good *tasteful* offroad build but up here it seems like every kid 19-25 that buys an mj gets in the middle of the 97+ swap, realizes it actually takes some effort to do it right, then junks the project that was an otherwise decent mj.

AMEN it's not just up in New England.  You have no idea what it's like in the south!  Every dang Red Neck kid that gets his hands on one of these without any idea of the rarity seems to chop it up to turn it into some crazy rock crawler or super mudder and absolutely DESTROYS the truck!  Unfortunately, many times he's got more in it with tires and lift than he does in the actual truck!  So he treats the truck like garbage and when he finally destroys it beyond it's usefulness he takes his tires and lift and moves it to another Jeep and sometimes tries to sell the junk but often time it ends up in the scrapper or even more likely rusting to oblivion out in his back 40.  When it becomes an eyesore and his parents tell him he's got to do something about it or they try to sell the property the Jeep is sitting on they will often put it on Facebook Marketplace without a title so that no one will even possibly get the chance to revive it.  They just want it gone at this point and want you to come and get it with little effort on their part and even if you try to throw a $100 bucks their pay and pay their title fees for them to get a legit title they just won't move.  I mean I've offered $100 bucks for them to show up for 30 minutes at the tag office and sign a paper and they just won't do it.  They'd rather it go away now with no effort and knowing its only outcome will be getting crushed.  SMH

 

And then others end up like you said... half completed projects that end up being too much for someone and disposed of by whatever means to get most of their money back and many times it's a part out because the truck is worth more in pieces than it is whole. SMH

 

 

I just hate when people get into these trucks and never really understand what they have or the work it's going to be in the end and add to their demise rather than help prevent it.  Then there's people like many of us trying to save these things but many times you just feel out numbered.  It's sad.

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I have two unregistered partial MJ's in my garage in addition to the trusty, rusty daily driver MJ. There is another local guy that has at least 6 decent MJ's without tags sitting in his yard. 

 

I continually browse craigslist for MJ's, but shouldn't. I want to save them all! Someday I know I'll come across my next MJ. It will be one that doesn't run and looks sad, but is presumably rust free and cheap...someday.

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2 hours ago, 87Warrior said:

I have two unregistered partial MJ's in my garage in addition to the trusty, rusty daily driver MJ. There is another local guy that has at least 6 decent MJ's without tags sitting in his yard. 

 

I continually browse craigslist for MJ's, but shouldn't. I want to save them all! Someday I know I'll come across my next MJ. It will be one that doesn't run and looks sad, but is presumably rust free and cheap...someday.

It happens to the best of us!  My buddy that I bought my MJ from still has two more of them an XJ, and a Silverado!  He went back to college so to save on money he moved back in with his parents and his dad told him he has too many cars and that some of his cars gotta go!  SO... even though I'm leaving the country I decided to take one on and try to squeeze it in with what time I have left.  If it were any vehicle but an MJ I'd turned him down.  Once I realized that the vehicle was a North America vehicle only I realized it would be crazy rare over there and IF I ever decided to sell it, (never gonna happen) that it would be worth more overseas due to it's rarity so it would most likely offset my shipping cost in value.  

 

IF IF things fall through and our VISAs don't get approved I want a second one.  I think when I finish this one I'll start a 97+ interior one since it won't need to clear customs.  I know that route is long tough and arduous but it would be so worth it when it's done! 

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Well, what's the better option, an affordable half-done project, or one like the below, fully built, asking $15k+, where, if the fact the license plate is self-tappered straight to the middle of the tailgate is any indication of the quality of the build, you're likely finding yourself redoing half the work anyway?

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/strathcona-county/1990-comanche/1598137948?undefined

s-l640.webp

 

I'd say for evey one registered there's going to be at least another one languishing somewhere. How many Jeep enthusiasts have a yard of projects they've never gotten to? :peep: But I guess condition on those isn't necessarily going to be a guarantee.

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I think sometimes people say it's "done" when it's about 3/4 and hoping you don't notice and if you do they just say well what do you expect from a 30 year old vehicle.  

 

But reality they prolly just got it to a point where they have it back together enough get it sold and price it like that to try to get back as much as they can. 

 

I actually don't mind the fact that mine is purchased were it is at the very beginning states of a restoration but very drivable.  I know where I am, where I've been, and where I want to be at any given time.

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13 hours ago, strictlyxjs said:

Mounting the plate literally anywhere else would have been a better option. This photo does to my eyes, what nails on chalkboard does to my ears.

This truck was built in the province that bred zip ties n bias plies. Don’t really think there’s a ton more to be said about it than that.

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19 hours ago, gogmorgo said:

Well, what's the better option, an affordable half-done project, or one like the below, fully built, asking $15k+, where, if the fact the license plate is self-tappered straight to the middle of the tailgate is any indication of the quality of the build, you're likely finding yourself redoing half the work anyway?

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/strathcona-county/1990-comanche/1598137948?undefined

 

Wow judging by the amount of flat black along the entire bottom of the MJ I'm gonna go ahead and say there's some bondo holding it together over the rust holes. Ludicrous.

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