Rather than a Quad Door Wrangler someone hacked the rear end off of and Frankensteined a bed onto the back. This at least only looks like a XJ Cherokee because it shares the front headlight setup and chassis. Otherwise it does look like a different vehicle.
I'm really not a modern Jeep products, but these older ones were really well made, practical, and cool vehicles. The truck models like the Comanche were the cream of the crop.
I've own a 95 Cherokee 4wd that I've had since 2007, and it's been one of the best purchases of my life. A few years ago, I bought an 88" olympic pioneer comanche and while it was fun, the long bed and rust issues led to me parting ways with it after a short time. I've always kicked myself for getting rid of it, seeing as they've become rare here lately so using what I'd learned from the 88', this last fall I purchased what , to me, is the perfect comanche. A 91', 2WD, short wheelbase automatic Eliminator model. It came with the most important feature of all: A completely MINT, rust free cab and chassis( Lived it's whole life in the desert). With my unibody jeeps, I am a happy man.
Im lucky enough to own an ‘88 short bed 4x4 4.0L automatic in excellent condition. It has 324k miles and I’ll keep driving it for as long as I’m here. Love the Comanche.
Damn I’m jealous had a 89 4 cylinder with 4 speed stick shift lol the thing was a great truck only problem was exhaust leak and that was it ! So much fun at 18 years old
I bought my 1992 Jeep Comanche brand new for 12,500.00. I love my Jeep. All these years, my Jeep is still taking me to all my crazy jobs throughout the past 29 years.
I own a 1995 Cherokee and a 2005 LJ Wrangler (TJ Unlimited), and my dad still has his 1988 Comanche Pioneer he bought new... They're all part of the family! '88 has 300,000 miles on it, 1995 has 196,000 and my Wrangler is only at 140,000, all still running strong! Grew up with a 1978 CJ-7 Renegade that started my love for Jeep.
Well really Chrysler bought AMC and took control of Jeep so by 1992 the reason why Chrysler discontinued the command she is because they didn't want it cutting in to their Dodge Dakota and other line of trucks!! Which is closely stupid because they still could have kept on making them and people would have bought them while at the same time yeah people would have still bought the Dodge brand of trucks as well it's kind of stupid why they did that! But at the time they seen it as redundant!
I really want a Comanche myself, as owner of a 1995 XJ I've always had a soft spot for it and the MJs, it's a shame they didn't do so well but that's just how it is sometimes. I worked on a 1992 Comanche when I was in high school, 4.0 with a 5 speed manual. That thing rocked!
I owned a 4wd 88 Chief for 12 years after 2007 in Hawaii, coolest fun truck ever. Wish I had hung onto it to drop a stroker motor in it with a lift, but did not happen.
I totally agree, of course in the past 25 years what you have is City people ruining trucks they want four doors and all this other passenger space which is stupid because I want to tell them just go buy a van you idiot... But of course you end up with this teeny tiny shitty little not even a full truck bed so the truck isn't even really a truck it's a freaking toy!
I have owned a 1986 Comanche since it was almost new, had only 5,000 miles on it and paid $5,000. for it. The 2.5 liter engine finally gave out with 309200. miles on it. I just installed a remanufactured engine, has a zebra paint job and runs like new.
I have a mint shape 92 big tonne. red 4x4 4.0 litre, automatic, 112,000 km. A beautiful truck, and very rare. They were not perfect but should have been kept, even though the Dakota was a real good truck at the time as well.
Own an 87 that’s getting a full rebuild and adding that v8 option myself. Sitting on ford super duty axles and a home brew 3 link long arm with 8 1/2” of lift. Can’t wait to get er on the road and goes by the name of “FREEDOM”! Thanks for the video definitely enjoyed it
After selling my 87 Comanche Loredo long bed 5-spd 4WD (which I LOVED - but it needed work) in 2016 with 256k fault free miles thank you very much, it took me till 2024 to snag up a beautifully maintained 1988 long bed 5-spd 4WD (125,000 miles - YEAH!). LOVE cruising this or our 96 or 98 Cherokees. The public desire for older XJ Cherokees makes these Comanches (are they MJs or YJs) even more interesting to folks who never knew they existing - or never saw one.
We had a white Commanche bought new in that first model year (1986). It was great for us for several years. My husband has always regretted his decision to sell that truck.
Bought my 1987 MJ in 1988 with 4Kmiles on it. Still have it. Inline 4 liter, 5 speed manual 2WD. I use it for camping, light maintenance, and a ranch truck. Having lived in California until recently (not near the coast) rust isn't a problem. It may be two wheel drive, but that truck THINKS it's 4WD!
I've owned a 1990 Jeep Comanche 4L, 4 wheel drive, AW4 transmission, long body, pioneer trim, with the metric ton suspension and brakes since 1995. It currently has 365,000 miles on it and is my daily driver. No rust here in Western Washington. However, the clear coat has long since flaked off the exterior paint. I often tow at ski boat or a utility trailer with it. I love the truck and it has served me well. Replacement parts for the Comanche can be hard to find; however, many parts are interchangeable with the Cherokee (XJ).
Still have my 1987 Comanche that I got in March 1987 before the merger with Chrysler. I needed something more reliable to drive into St. Louis to go to graduate school. 2WD base model. I ordered it without the hockey stick stickers on the side. Still looks good and still drive it occasionally in the Summer and Fall. 111,000 miles. Only about 5,000 miles since 1998.
I wish Jeep revive this as an alternative option for those who do not want the Gladiator but want something simpler and also not take eyes off the Gladiator, use the Cherokee we have now, also option of two door or four door as well as a Grand Comanche as well, also bring back Dakota too, so yeah
uhhhh no. 1, companies cant be trusted with bringing back their legacy models (see the bronco, mach e, supra, etc...) because theyre just a cash grab preying on dumbasses 2, if they modeled the new comanche off the new cherokee or even the older grand cherokee, it would look more like a subaru baja than a comanche. see #1 3, were talking about the comanche now because its still here. it was reliable enough to stand the test of time. jeep today cant make an automatic trans that goes more than 30k miles without having to be completely rebuilt. they cant make rear ends that dont eat themselves because paco assembled them wrong across the border. they cant make my buddys 2017 wrangler wiring harness stay in the place they put it so it doesnt rub on stuff and short out his entire center console at random... a comanche now would be just as much trash as the rest of their lineup today is. if they made a single cab version of the gladiator that wasnt $326,000 msrp, we can see how it goes. im not holding out hope... edit: jeeps peak was in the 80s and 90s with their renix/obd1 systems and their 4 speed autos found in the cherokees of the time. theyre in the yard regularly with 300k miles on them. try that with a modern jeep...
@@jackradzelovage6961 well unfortunately this is the directions that multiple companies have headed when pretending to make legacy models yes, But I believe the previous commenter was meaning that if they actually stuck to the real roots of the legacy model and actually brought it back that that would be great and I would agree but the problem is is simply.... You now have ride height to worry about via Federal regulations there's weight requirements there's general weight distribution via the span of the vehicle dictating a lot of the wheelbase etc etc I mean there's just so much bullshit regulations going into half of this this is why most of these models that they come out with via the nostalgia market, don't actually really resemble much of the original vehicles! Then of course you have the designers the companies as a whole trying to also make it resemble the old design with a modern twist they can't design their way out of a wet paper bag when it comes to building something of a classic look no they can't resist throwing in something new which I think is stupid... First off I've heard some people say well but they're trying to make the remake cars appeal to newer/younger buyers and I'm like well not at Price tags like 35 and $70,000 nobody young is buying that... Basically every car whether it's a nostalgic throwback or even a lot of newer models of their own making, it's all gone the way of the Corvette... You know the Corvette was an overpriced car even back during its inception this is honestly why Ford out sold it with the mustang 10-1 in the 60s the Corvette wasn't even really a contender it's considered a muscle car but notice how it's always had this niche market and then ever since probably what the 70s 80s but definitely the 90s most people who ever wanted one they wait until they're pretty much retired to get one in other words it's an overpriced piece of shit that's also extremely overrated unfortunately this is what they're even turning regular cars into via the price tags!! It's like for a few years there's been all this hysteria and worry as to whether or not the Chinese are going to bring their cars into our market and at this point I'm saying well who the hell would care because most of the components that's on supposed American vehicles are from China anyway furthermore it would be interesting to see if the Chinese actually did build a decent car and sold it for 40% less than your standard American or honestly even Japanese car! It's like for instance with Ford and the Ford focus which was a very hot seller in fact I own one and it was a very nice car very fun to drive with a 5-speed manual but of course back in what was it 16-17 they discontinued it here in North America but what's interesting is you can go everywhere else in the world and buy one and what's interesting is even when they were still selling them here you could go everywhere else in the world and buy one a hell of a lot cheaper than you would buy it here we're getting ripped off and we've allowed it to happen part of how they get away with that is the very superficial marketing! And that only works because a large portion of the public are superficial idiots!
I loved the Comanche! I remember watching the stadium truck racing in the 80s when I was in high school. The Comanche ruled the race series, and I àlmost bought a used one in '91. Looking back, I wish I had bought it.
I have a nice fixed up 89 Comanche 4wd short bed. Drove it to work one day and one of the office managers noticed it. She mentioned she did not like the looks of the Gladiator and wanted to know the model of this Jeep as she really liked it. The look on her face was priceless when I mentioned the truck was over 30 years old :)😅
Great info! Just recently bought an 88 MJ. It's a lifted 2wd, about to swap to 4x4. Such a fun little truck. Looking forward to fixing it up and driving it more.
I bought a Comanche in 1989, and drove the hell out of it until 2005, without a single breakdown. over 180,000 miles without even ONE glitch. I was a contractor, so the Jeep worked hard. It carried a lot of weight, pushed mud with the front bumper, and did everything I needed without ever giving me a minute of trouble. The best vehicle of any kind that I ever owned, and I've owned a lot. I still drive Jeeps, (2000 and older) and their great vehicles, but nothing will ever equal that truck.
The Comanche had absolutely no flaws with the combination of the Cherokee platform and a truck bed. Truly one of the best vehicles ever made☝☝i love my 89 Comanche and will keep it running as long as I can
I had a 89 and loved that truck only issue was constant exhaust leak Midas hated me lol owned it until had my first kid wife said can’t fit us in it gots to go !!!
I owned a 1986 Comanche, I4 Manual. It was a fun truck. I also worked for two different Jeep dealerships during my time of ownership. It had plenty of giddyup for what it had. It didn't need a V8, the 4.0 that came later was the sweet spot. The major flaw and why it was cancelled was that there was no reasonable way to create an extended cab version, and sales didn't support further investment. I traded mine forms 1989 Nissan Hardbody, SEV6 4WD. I almost wish I hadn't, but the Nissan was a more comfortable truck.
Very well done video, your information is accurate as well, I have 2 Comanche's and have done a lots of reading, quality information. One tidbit missing is the reason Chrysler was able to purchase Jeep was because of the assassination of Renault CEO in Paris, after that no one in Renault backed the AMC endeavors, so they sold their shares to Chrysler
I have a basically stock 87' 4.0 5 speed manual Comanche. I love it! It goes better than most upgraded new 4x4 on the market and I will probably never sell it.
As the one time owner of an 1989 Jeep Comanche, with an AX-15 manual transmission and 4.0 liter motor; I love it. Bad part that Chrysler's bosses didn't like that it was competing against the Dodge Dakota.
I had a silver 1989, four-wheel drive, V6, shortbed Comanche with burgundy interior, 5 speed manual, and Factory gray hockey stick stripes... in mint condition, back in high school. I absolutely loved that truck! Unfortunately, I installed a 14" maple tree to the driver side cab, my senior year. It was the best truck I've ever owned. Now, I drive a twin-turbo F-150 King Ranch, and would trade that truck in a heartbeat, for my old Comanche back.
With the 4.0 and 5 speed, these were really good trucks, even in just 2wd. Rust was an issue though... I worked with a guy that had a black 91 Eliminator std cab 4wd. 4.0 and 5 speed. Mean lil off roader!
I guess I found mine at the right time. Sitting for sale in front of a farm house about 5 years ago, looked like crap, barely ran. The guy wanted 800 but sold it for 700$. Of course I've spent probably 5000$ on it but small trucks are hard to find. And the only free transportation is walking.
Jason from Maryland here. Chart @ 5:55 needs a little help.. The AMC 2.5,.. (XJs 84/85 were Carb, period),... 86 was the move to fuel injection using a GM style throttle body with single injector,.. Which was used until '91,.... No 2.5 had a Renix throttle ever,... The Chrysler 2.5 had the HO style throttle body when the 4.0HO was introduced. Currently have, 84,85,86,87, 88(x2),89,96.. All original XJs, all in storage.
I have a first year Dakota that my Dad purchased new in 1987....I'm not sure if he cross shopped the Comanche. The Dodge dealer and Jeep dealer were practically neighbors. Given the low power output of the 3.9 V6 I often wonder how it would perform with the 4.0 Jeep 6. We often joked the Dakota had the gas mileage of a larger truck and the power of a smaller one. Though we would get 21 mpg on the highway with it more often than not.
LOL that picture at the beginning. Have fun sitting three wide in that thing. i would love to get one though i see these around but theyre so much more rare than other mini trucks. Really cool classic look
Chrysler also dropped the Comanche because it was a direct competitor to the Dodge Dakota. The Dakota and Comanche were larger than other compact trucks. I owned a Comanche and loved it. When it was about 12 years old I stripped it to bare metal, migged up the vents in the B pillar, door handles, and antennas, replaced the doors, seats, dash, steering wheel, etc. with a Cherokee Country. I painted it Chevy Apple red with black powder-coated bumpers I earned a photo and brief blurb in Sport Truck Magazine.
I have an 86 XLS with the 2.8 automatic. Hoping to start on the restoration later this year: some rust repair and a drivetrain overhaul. I occasionally consider selling it, but I know that I would likely never own another
The Jeeps were better made in those days since they were very popular although when Daimler owned Chrysler some of the Jeeps had German Transmissions in them instead of the crappy Chrysler transmission being a Jeep from the 90's and down they were better made even though they are prown to rust. But still I saw 1999 Jeep Wrangler was still going with no rust on it so far. The only thing that was wrong is that the blower motor resister only works on 2nd speed for the fan. So yeah it may still be a Chrysler product that still has problems but overall the rest of the vehicle is still solid as can be. They were better made back in the day and I'm sure that the Jeep Comanche was still a solid truck in it's day
What Jeep can do is maybe make a compact pickup to compete with the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz. They can call that the Comanche, as a smaller and less expensive alternative to the Gladiator, and still have optional Front wheel drive or 4x4.
My first Auto was an 87 Rear Wheel drive & Inline four, it was stripped ,its all I could afford and my first establishment of Credit, it was a little Beast and fun to Drive, a few years ago I bought an 88 SporTruck (it was the cheapest in 88 you could get one for $5,999,) Rear Wheel drive of course and 2.5 Four, I put a 5 Speed in it, its awesome , so much fun. and gets so much attention. the reason it failed was the new owners neglected it and took its Tech for it own brand. Jeep People wanted it and a full size Truck. They carried tremendous loads and even my model towed over a Ton & a half easily.
I had a 89 , bought new. After 2 hours the transmission broke. A month later they fixed it. Not real thrilled with jeep. Although i wish I'd bought an eagle talon at the same time. Big mistake.
My first truck was a Comanche. Couldn't have asked for a better first vehicle. Wish like hell I still had it. 92' 4.0 4x4, 5 - speed manual. My truck always went everywhere my rich kid friends late model trucks couldn't go... And that bench seat saw 👀 some things. 😆
No mention of the comanche land speed record or the archer bro's dirt racing championships ... Those were my big gripes with dakota being chosen over the mj. The 2.5L I-4 bellhousing ax-15 option was the only thing the dakota was good for, IMO.
....Ever own one you ask? ... Yup, I traded my '99 Cherokee (probably one of the best years made) for my '88 long bed 4x4 MJ ... Found an extra high shell w/ center door, and the whole rear section removes too... I can sit on my folding bed, when opened, and with my hat on, still not hit the ceiling...I've kept it in top notch condition... Takes me anywhere I want to go (until I chicken out! Ha-ha) ...Get thumbs up and positive comments all the time...Here in central Calif. Sequoia National Park where I own a home... So, all I need do is a few minutes drive and I'm on mountain trails ... Yippie .....!
I own a very nice 1989 pioneer Comanche right now, 2 wheel drive, I have purchased a 1992 Cherokee, 4.0 5speed 4 wheel drive that is going to be the donor vehicle to convert it to 4 wheel, short wheel base & virtually no rust , everyone who see it, wants to look it over & I have had many offers to buy it, Not gonna happen, Already have 5 inch lift kit, & saving for new custom wheels, bumpers & winch, Can't wait to get it ready for Jeep jamboree charity drive this fall with my wife driving are lifted 97 jeep Cherokee, Bought my daughter a 1992 jeep Cherokee, drive it barely a week & told me she never wants any other type of vehicle, Loved the fact that she could drive it anywhere, & that other jeep owners would have at her & stop to chat with her about her very own jeep, Made many friends, Love the Jeep vehicles, & jeep community 👍👏
Got canceled for one reason. It was built on the same line as the Cherokee and the Cherokee brought in at least twice the profit as a Comanche and outsold it significantly. I misspoke, two reasons.
Marspeed, can you do a video like this the Ford Bronco (1965-1996) and a concepts we forgot video on it too? Also do a video of the Dodge RamCharger and Ford Bronco II.
You talked about how Jeep Comanche competed with Dodge Dakota.... Chrysler Corporation also discontinued Jeep's full size pickups too so that they would not compete with Dodge Ram pickups. Maybe you should do a video on Jeep's fullsize pickups...
The Jeep J-series/Gladiator line was planned to be be dropped by AMC before the merger in favor of the downsized Comanche, but the merger dragged on and as a result the final J-series/Gladiator full size tracks ran into 1988, the last being assembled from leftover parts inventory and to fulfill outstanding dealer orders.
I had a 40 mile commute. Winters were a bear. I bought the least expensive (American Made) 4X4, the Comanche. Ordered it the way I wanted it, selecting options that would be ideal for commuting. I loved that truck so much my Mustang Cobra sat in the garage, untouched. The truck saved my life in a flood, and got me out of dangerous situations that I stupidly put myself into. Got t-boned or I'd probably still be driving it.
Ooo, I commented before I reached the "flaws" portion of the video: Rust. Yup. No rust for years and year, then, maybe in the fifth or sixth year, blam, rust, everywhere. :(
i'm from canada , i have a 88 mj 2wd 4.0 manual , i swap it 4x4 ax15 high output and diff from a 95 xj , best locking truck ever long arm on 35's ! heads turns every were i go,
The Jeep Comanche had no flaws, it was the most perfect vehicle ever created
No extended cab is a serious flaw
@@redram5150 not for me
@@redram5150 no extended cab is no problem for me cause I usually drive alone
Absolutely correct no flaws at all
The XJ has entered the ring.
If only Jeep had made the Gladiator look as cool as the Comanche.
My comanche outperforms my neighbors brand new gladiator
The dollar ain't worth SHIT no more 2:28
Rather than a Quad Door Wrangler someone hacked the rear end off of and Frankensteined a bed onto the back. This at least only looks like a XJ Cherokee because it shares the front headlight setup and chassis. Otherwise it does look like a different vehicle.
They did...in 1963 on the original gladiator
I know right.
I still have my 1988 with the Pioneer package. I bought it new 34 years ago ! It has never seen snow. Always garage kept.
Oh wow
I'm really not a modern Jeep products, but these older ones were really well made, practical, and cool vehicles. The truck models like the Comanche were the cream of the crop.
I bought my 86 back in 2013, it still does highway speeds but I've been through a few rear axles, that's on me though.
I've own a 95 Cherokee 4wd that I've had since 2007, and it's been one of the best purchases of my life. A few years ago, I bought an 88" olympic pioneer comanche and while it was fun, the long bed and rust issues led to me parting ways with it after a short time. I've always kicked myself for getting rid of it, seeing as they've become rare here lately so using what I'd learned from the 88', this last fall I purchased what , to me, is the perfect comanche. A 91', 2WD, short wheelbase automatic Eliminator model. It came with the most important feature of all: A completely MINT, rust free cab and chassis( Lived it's whole life in the desert). With my unibody jeeps, I am a happy man.
Im lucky enough to own an ‘88 short bed 4x4 4.0L automatic in excellent condition. It has 324k miles and I’ll keep driving it for as long as I’m here. Love the Comanche.
Damn I’m jealous had a 89 4 cylinder with 4 speed stick shift lol the thing was a great truck only problem was exhaust leak and that was it ! So much fun at 18 years old
I bought my 1992 Jeep Comanche brand new for 12,500.00. I love my Jeep. All these years, my Jeep is still taking me to all my crazy jobs throughout the past 29 years.
Literally my favorite truck in the world.
Tremors made me love the full-size Jeep truck
i’m restoring my dads 92 comanche 😏
@@intruced1198 my grandpa gifted me a 91 comanche that I'm working on
@@unknowngeek6723 4x4?
@@intruced1198 yup
I totally forgot about this truck. Thanks for the memories.
Thanks for watching! It was fun to dig into the history of this thing 😃
I own a 1995 Cherokee and a 2005 LJ Wrangler (TJ Unlimited), and my dad still has his 1988 Comanche Pioneer he bought new... They're all part of the family! '88 has 300,000 miles on it, 1995 has 196,000 and my Wrangler is only at 140,000, all still running strong! Grew up with a 1978 CJ-7 Renegade that started my love for Jeep.
Jeep should've kept making trucks, but I understand that AMC didn't have the money to....sad
Well really Chrysler bought AMC and took control of Jeep so by 1992 the reason why Chrysler discontinued the command she is because they didn't want it cutting in to their Dodge Dakota and other line of trucks!!
Which is closely stupid because they still could have kept on making them and people would have bought them while at the same time yeah people would have still bought the Dodge brand of trucks as well it's kind of stupid why they did that!
But at the time they seen it as redundant!
The Comanche could have been put on the Dakota platform. It would have been sold as the upscale Dakota. Would have been great for me.
The Comanche was a far better platform than the Dakota ever was .
I love this series where you go into the history of certain car models from the past and why they were cancelled. Keep it up! :)
I really want a Comanche myself, as owner of a 1995 XJ I've always had a soft spot for it and the MJs, it's a shame they didn't do so well but that's just how it is sometimes. I worked on a 1992 Comanche when I was in high school, 4.0 with a 5 speed manual. That thing rocked!
If you wanna get one get one now, prices are skyrocketing. It's now a classic.
My 16 year old son wanted one for his first truck. I got him an 87. We get compliments on it all the time! He loves it and so do I.
I like the Comanche. I wish they could have fitted the 4.0 six into the Dakota.
I owned a 4wd 88 Chief for 12 years after 2007 in Hawaii, coolest fun truck ever. Wish I had hung onto it to drop a stroker motor in it with a lift, but did not happen.
One of the coolest trucks of the 80s imo
Along with the Dodge Power Wagon IMO..
Awesome ute. It sux the Gladiator only comes in a 4-door variant.
I totally agree, of course in the past 25 years what you have is City people ruining trucks they want four doors and all this other passenger space which is stupid because I want to tell them just go buy a van you idiot...
But of course you end up with this teeny tiny shitty little not even a full truck bed so the truck isn't even really a truck it's a freaking toy!
I have plans to own a jeep comanche
I have owned a 1986 Comanche since it was almost new, had only 5,000 miles on it and paid $5,000. for it.
The 2.5 liter engine finally gave out with 309200. miles on it. I just installed a remanufactured engine,
has a zebra paint job and runs like new.
I have 287,000 miles on original drivetrain and no rust! It is just an awesome little truck!
i like the quick history of the Comanche Nation. Respect.
I have a mint shape 92 big tonne. red 4x4 4.0 litre, automatic, 112,000 km. A
beautiful truck, and very rare. They were not perfect but should have been kept, even though the Dakota was a real good truck at the time as well.
Own an 87 that’s getting a full rebuild and adding that v8 option myself. Sitting on ford super duty axles and a home brew 3 link long arm with 8 1/2” of lift. Can’t wait to get er on the road and goes by the name of “FREEDOM”! Thanks for the video definitely enjoyed it
yes!! Im fixing up my '88 now. love these little trucks
After selling my 87 Comanche Loredo long bed 5-spd 4WD (which I LOVED - but it needed work) in 2016 with 256k fault free miles thank you very much, it took me till 2024 to snag up a beautifully maintained 1988 long bed 5-spd 4WD (125,000 miles - YEAH!). LOVE cruising this or our 96 or 98 Cherokees. The public desire for older XJ Cherokees makes these Comanches (are they MJs or YJs) even more interesting to folks who never knew they existing - or never saw one.
I've been having a great day and seeing that Marspeed uploaded just makes it even better :)
We had a white Commanche bought new in that first model year (1986). It was great for us for several years. My husband has always regretted his decision to sell that truck.
I remember walking through a car dealership lot and my options were this or a Ford Probe. I chose the Comanche.
Bought my 1987 MJ in 1988 with 4Kmiles on it. Still have it. Inline 4 liter, 5 speed manual 2WD. I use it for camping, light maintenance, and a ranch truck. Having lived in California until recently (not near the coast) rust isn't a problem. It may be two wheel drive, but that truck THINKS it's 4WD!
I've owned a 1990 Jeep Comanche 4L, 4 wheel drive, AW4 transmission, long body, pioneer trim, with the metric ton suspension and brakes since 1995. It currently has 365,000 miles on it and is my daily driver. No rust here in Western Washington. However, the clear coat has long since flaked off the exterior paint. I often tow at ski boat or a utility trailer with it. I love the truck and it has served me well. Replacement parts for the Comanche can be hard to find; however, many parts are interchangeable with the Cherokee (XJ).
Still have my 1987 Comanche that I got in March 1987 before the merger with Chrysler. I needed something more reliable to drive into St. Louis to go to graduate school. 2WD base model. I ordered it without the hockey stick stickers on the side. Still looks good and still drive it occasionally in the Summer and Fall. 111,000 miles. Only about 5,000 miles since 1998.
I've got the 87 Pioneer Metric ton option. Love it and live WAAAAY off grid in the mountains. With wild terrain and shit loads of snow.
I wish Jeep revive this as an alternative option for those who do not want the Gladiator but want something simpler and also not take eyes off the Gladiator, use the Cherokee we have now, also option of two door or four door as well as a Grand Comanche as well, also bring back Dakota too, so yeah
uhhhh no.
1, companies cant be trusted with bringing back their legacy models (see the bronco, mach e, supra, etc...) because theyre just a cash grab preying on dumbasses
2, if they modeled the new comanche off the new cherokee or even the older grand cherokee, it would look more like a subaru baja than a comanche. see #1
3, were talking about the comanche now because its still here. it was reliable enough to stand the test of time. jeep today cant make an automatic trans that goes more than 30k miles without having to be completely rebuilt. they cant make rear ends that dont eat themselves because paco assembled them wrong across the border. they cant make my buddys 2017 wrangler wiring harness stay in the place they put it so it doesnt rub on stuff and short out his entire center console at random... a comanche now would be just as much trash as the rest of their lineup today is. if they made a single cab version of the gladiator that wasnt $326,000 msrp, we can see how it goes. im not holding out hope...
edit: jeeps peak was in the 80s and 90s with their renix/obd1 systems and their 4 speed autos found in the cherokees of the time. theyre in the yard regularly with 300k miles on them. try that with a modern jeep...
@@jackradzelovage6961 well unfortunately this is the directions that multiple companies have headed when pretending to make legacy models yes,
But I believe the previous commenter was meaning that if they actually stuck to the real roots of the legacy model and actually brought it back that that would be great and I would agree but the problem is is simply....
You now have ride height to worry about via Federal regulations there's weight requirements there's general weight distribution via the span of the vehicle dictating a lot of the wheelbase etc etc I mean there's just so much bullshit regulations going into half of this this is why most of these models that they come out with via the nostalgia market, don't actually really resemble much of the original vehicles!
Then of course you have the designers the companies as a whole trying to also make it resemble the old design with a modern twist they can't design their way out of a wet paper bag when it comes to building something of a classic look no they can't resist throwing in something new which I think is stupid...
First off I've heard some people say well but they're trying to make the remake cars appeal to newer/younger buyers and I'm like well not at Price tags like 35 and $70,000 nobody young is buying that...
Basically every car whether it's a nostalgic throwback or even a lot of newer models of their own making, it's all gone the way of the Corvette...
You know the Corvette was an overpriced car even back during its inception this is honestly why Ford out sold it with the mustang 10-1 in the 60s the Corvette wasn't even really a contender it's considered a muscle car but notice how it's always had this niche market and then ever since probably what the 70s 80s but definitely the 90s most people who ever wanted one they wait until they're pretty much retired to get one in other words it's an overpriced piece of shit that's also extremely overrated unfortunately this is what they're even turning regular cars into via the price tags!!
It's like for a few years there's been all this hysteria and worry as to whether or not the Chinese are going to bring their cars into our market and at this point I'm saying well who the hell would care because most of the components that's on supposed American vehicles are from China anyway furthermore it would be interesting to see if the Chinese actually did build a decent car and sold it for 40% less than your standard American or honestly even Japanese car!
It's like for instance with Ford and the Ford focus which was a very hot seller in fact I own one and it was a very nice car very fun to drive with a 5-speed manual but of course back in what was it 16-17 they discontinued it here in North America but what's interesting is you can go everywhere else in the world and buy one and what's interesting is even when they were still selling them here you could go everywhere else in the world and buy one a hell of a lot cheaper than you would buy it here we're getting ripped off and we've allowed it to happen part of how they get away with that is the very superficial marketing!
And that only works because a large portion of the public are superficial idiots!
I loved the Comanche! I remember watching the stadium truck racing
in the 80s when I was in high school. The Comanche ruled the race series, and I àlmost bought a used one in '91. Looking back, I wish I had bought it.
I have a nice fixed up 89 Comanche 4wd short bed. Drove it to work one day and one of the office managers noticed it. She mentioned she did not like the looks of the Gladiator and wanted to know the model of this Jeep as she really liked it. The look on her face was priceless when I mentioned the truck was over 30 years old :)😅
FYI. There's a few nice commanches on Denver Craigslist right now...
Great info! Just recently bought an 88 MJ. It's a lifted 2wd, about to swap to 4x4. Such a fun little truck. Looking forward to fixing it up and driving it more.
I bought a Comanche in 1989, and drove the hell out of it until 2005, without a single breakdown. over 180,000 miles without even ONE glitch. I was a contractor, so the Jeep worked hard. It carried a lot of weight, pushed mud with the front bumper, and did everything I needed without ever giving me a minute of trouble. The best vehicle of any kind that I ever owned, and I've owned a lot. I still drive Jeeps, (2000 and older) and their great vehicles, but nothing will ever equal that truck.
You must have replaced the common stuff though.
Just bought an 89 4.0 v6 7ft bed!
Super clean truck with barely any rust
Has a few small issues but super solid
Always loved these
I've had my 92 comanche since 2004 and still no rust and well maintained even with almost 200 thousand miles
I own two Comanches. They are great trucks!
You should do a dodge ramcharcher video in this style
Can you please do this type of video on the Chrysler 300m, it's one of my favorite cars!
I've owned an '88 SporTruck with a 4.0, Command Trac and 3.55s front and rear for 23-1/2 years, and I won't take any amount of money for it.
The Comanche had absolutely no flaws with the combination of the Cherokee platform and a truck bed. Truly one of the best vehicles ever made☝☝i love my 89 Comanche and will keep it running as long as I can
Me too
I had a 89 and loved that truck only issue was constant exhaust leak Midas hated me lol owned it until had my first kid wife said can’t fit us in it gots to go !!!
@@danieldavis3271 mine has developed a leak as well lol
I owned a 1986 Comanche, I4 Manual. It was a fun truck. I also worked for two different Jeep dealerships during my time of ownership. It had plenty of giddyup for what it had. It didn't need a V8, the 4.0 that came later was the sweet spot. The major flaw and why it was cancelled was that there was no reasonable way to create an extended cab version, and sales didn't support further investment. I traded mine forms 1989 Nissan Hardbody, SEV6 4WD. I almost wish I hadn't, but the Nissan was a more comfortable truck.
Very well done video, your information is accurate as well, I have 2 Comanche's and have done a lots of reading, quality information.
One tidbit missing is the reason Chrysler was able to purchase Jeep was because of the assassination of Renault CEO in Paris, after that no one in Renault backed the AMC endeavors, so they sold their shares to Chrysler
I have a basically stock 87' 4.0 5 speed manual Comanche. I love it! It goes better than most upgraded new 4x4 on the market and I will probably never sell it.
I had a 91 and I miss the hell out of it
I’m a proud owner of one my self I had the thing since I was in high school still in mint condition with a ls2 engine
As the one time owner of an 1989 Jeep Comanche, with an AX-15 manual transmission and 4.0 liter motor; I love it. Bad part that Chrysler's bosses didn't like that it was competing against the Dodge Dakota.
I had a 1986 custom Comanche. I traded it in 2008 and the only thing I replaced was tires, battery,shocks,tuneups. I loved that truck.
I had a silver 1989, four-wheel drive, V6, shortbed Comanche with burgundy interior, 5 speed manual, and Factory gray hockey stick stripes... in mint condition, back in high school. I absolutely loved that truck! Unfortunately, I installed a 14" maple tree to the driver side cab, my senior year. It was the best truck I've ever owned. Now, I drive a twin-turbo F-150 King Ranch, and would trade that truck in a heartbeat, for my old Comanche back.
Great vid, really enjoyed!!!! 👍👍👍
Thanks I appreciate the support!
With the 4.0 and 5 speed, these were really good trucks, even in just 2wd. Rust was an issue though... I worked with a guy that had a black 91 Eliminator std cab 4wd. 4.0 and 5 speed. Mean lil off roader!
Currently just bought an 87, with 130K on it's original motor. Can't wait to give it some love.
Prices are wack for these....15k to 30k! Great video!
I guess I found mine at the right time. Sitting for sale in front of a farm house about 5 years ago, looked like crap, barely ran. The guy wanted 800 but sold it for 700$. Of course I've spent probably 5000$ on it but small trucks are hard to find. And the only free transportation is walking.
I own one currently that I fixed up and im glad I did. I get constant stares from people while driving it and compliments.
Jason from Maryland here.
Chart @ 5:55 needs a little help..
The AMC 2.5,..
(XJs 84/85 were Carb, period),...
86 was the move to fuel injection using a GM style throttle body with single injector,..
Which was used until '91,....
No 2.5 had a Renix throttle ever,...
The Chrysler 2.5 had the HO style throttle body when the 4.0HO was introduced.
Currently have,
84,85,86,87, 88(x2),89,96..
All original XJs, all in storage.
I have a first year Dakota that my Dad purchased new in 1987....I'm not sure if he cross shopped the Comanche. The Dodge dealer and Jeep dealer were practically neighbors. Given the low power output of the 3.9 V6 I often wonder how it would perform with the 4.0 Jeep 6. We often joked the Dakota had the gas mileage of a larger truck and the power of a smaller one. Though we would get 21 mpg on the highway with it more often than not.
LOL that picture at the beginning. Have fun sitting three wide in that thing. i would love to get one though i see these around but theyre so much more rare than other mini trucks. Really cool classic look
Chrysler also dropped the Comanche because it was a direct competitor to the Dodge Dakota. The Dakota and Comanche were larger than other compact trucks. I owned a Comanche and loved it. When it was about 12 years old I stripped it to bare metal, migged up the vents in the B pillar, door handles, and antennas, replaced the doors, seats, dash, steering wheel, etc. with a Cherokee Country. I painted it Chevy Apple red with black powder-coated bumpers I earned a photo and brief blurb in Sport Truck Magazine.
The best American made pickup from the 1980's
Excellent Video, I miss the Comanche... You forgot to mention the Comanche Thunderchief Concept from 1987.
I owned an 86 Comanche. Loved that little pickup. Sadly life got in the way of me keeping it. Still regret getting rid of it since.
small balls
I have an 86 XLS with the 2.8 automatic. Hoping to start on the restoration later this year: some rust repair and a drivetrain overhaul. I occasionally consider selling it, but I know that I would likely never own another
The stability control on that camera at 3,30 is next level 😂
Awesome Truck, never heard of it. Thanks for the video
Rare truck ....my friend bought one new when came out.... what about the AMC hornet wagon ...lol
I have a 91 Comanche and 86 AMC Eagle wagon. Both awesome for their time.
The Jeeps were better made in those days since they were very popular although when Daimler owned Chrysler some of the Jeeps had German Transmissions in them instead of the crappy Chrysler transmission being a Jeep from the 90's and down they were better made even though they are prown to rust. But still I saw 1999 Jeep Wrangler was still going with no rust on it so far. The only thing that was wrong is that the blower motor resister only works on 2nd speed for the fan. So yeah it may still be a Chrysler product that still has problems but overall the rest of the vehicle is still solid as can be. They were better made back in the day and I'm sure that the Jeep Comanche was still a solid truck in it's day
Had an 87. Decent truck, ended up having the alternator replaced the first couple of months under warranty, as well as the catalytic converter.
I HAVE HAD 6 COMANCHE PICKUPS, I LOVE THEM, GREAT TRUCK, GREAT ENGINES
I'm the proud owner of a 1990 Jeep Comanche Pioneer. It's been the best "little" truck I've ever owned.
I actually own a 1989 jeep camanche pioneer and it's the best vehicle I've ever owned
What Jeep can do is maybe make a compact pickup to compete with the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz. They can call that the Comanche, as a smaller and less expensive alternative to the Gladiator, and still have optional Front wheel drive or 4x4.
My first Auto was an 87 Rear Wheel drive & Inline four, it was stripped ,its all I could afford and my first establishment of Credit, it was a little Beast and fun to Drive, a few years ago I bought an 88 SporTruck (it was the cheapest in 88 you could get one for $5,999,) Rear Wheel drive of course and 2.5 Four, I put a 5 Speed in it, its awesome , so much fun. and gets so much attention. the reason it failed was the new owners neglected it and took its Tech for it own brand. Jeep People wanted it and a full size Truck.
They carried tremendous loads and even my model towed over a Ton & a half easily.
Fantastic Video!
I remember seeing the Jeep Comanche in Monster's ball
I had a 89 , bought new. After 2 hours the transmission broke. A month later they fixed it. Not real thrilled with jeep. Although i wish I'd bought an eagle talon at the same time. Big mistake.
Was it a stick? Half way through 89 they got rid of the POS Peugot transmission for the AX15.
My first truck was a Comanche. Couldn't have asked for a better first vehicle. Wish like hell I still had it. 92' 4.0 4x4, 5 - speed manual.
My truck always went everywhere my rich kid friends late model trucks couldn't go...
And that bench seat saw 👀 some things. 😆
i have a 1986 4x4 with the 2.5 liter engine and the 5 speed and i love it.
I have been in a lot of places in one I didn't think it would go, never had a problem
I have owned 2 jeep comanches both 4.0 inline six 5 speeds and I can say worth every penny.
There’s something about a 4-Liter Jeep
With the new maverick and Santa Cruz I can see Jeep bringing this back
Got a 89 with 120000 miles love it
These were great trucks, the 4.0 was a hell of a motor.
The 2.5l may lack power but they are called "bullet proof" for a reason.
No mention of the comanche land speed record or the archer bro's dirt racing championships ... Those were my big gripes with dakota being chosen over the mj.
The 2.5L I-4 bellhousing ax-15 option was the only thing the dakota was good for, IMO.
....Ever own one you ask? ... Yup, I traded my '99 Cherokee (probably one of the best years made) for my '88 long bed 4x4 MJ ... Found an extra high shell w/ center door, and the whole rear section removes too... I can sit on my folding bed, when opened, and with my hat on, still not hit the ceiling...I've kept it in top notch condition... Takes me anywhere I want to go (until I chicken out! Ha-ha) ...Get thumbs up and positive comments all the time...Here in central Calif. Sequoia National Park where I own a home... So, all I need do is a few minutes drive and I'm on mountain trails ... Yippie .....!
love my comanche. such a smooth driving vehicle
Please do the Dodge Ramcharger next.
I own a very nice 1989 pioneer Comanche right now, 2 wheel drive, I have purchased a 1992 Cherokee, 4.0 5speed 4 wheel drive that is going to be the donor vehicle to convert it to 4 wheel, short wheel base & virtually no rust , everyone who see it, wants to look it over & I have had many offers to buy it, Not gonna happen, Already have 5 inch lift kit, & saving for new custom wheels, bumpers & winch, Can't wait to get it ready for Jeep jamboree charity drive this fall with my wife driving are lifted 97 jeep Cherokee, Bought my daughter a 1992 jeep Cherokee, drive it barely a week & told me she never wants any other type of vehicle, Loved the fact that she could drive it anywhere, & that other jeep owners would have at her & stop to chat with her about her very own jeep, Made many friends, Love the Jeep vehicles, & jeep community 👍👏
Got canceled for one reason. It was built on the same line as the Cherokee and the Cherokee brought in at least twice the profit as a Comanche and outsold it significantly. I misspoke, two reasons.
I want a comanche so bad. Kansas got them way to expense though and it makes me so sad.
Marspeed, can you do a video like this the Ford Bronco (1965-1996) and a concepts we forgot video on it too? Also do a video of the Dodge RamCharger and Ford Bronco II.
You talked about how Jeep Comanche competed with Dodge Dakota.... Chrysler Corporation also discontinued Jeep's full size pickups too so that they would not compete with Dodge Ram pickups. Maybe you should do a video on Jeep's fullsize pickups...
The Jeep J-series/Gladiator line was planned to be be dropped by AMC before the merger in favor of the downsized Comanche, but the merger dragged on and as a result the final J-series/Gladiator full size tracks ran into 1988, the last being assembled from leftover parts inventory and to fulfill outstanding dealer orders.
I had a 40 mile commute. Winters were a bear. I bought the least expensive (American Made) 4X4, the Comanche. Ordered it the way I wanted it, selecting options that would be ideal for commuting. I loved that truck so much my Mustang Cobra sat in the garage, untouched. The truck saved my life in a flood, and got me out of dangerous situations that I stupidly put myself into. Got t-boned or I'd probably still be driving it.
Ooo, I commented before I reached the "flaws" portion of the video: Rust. Yup. No rust for years and year, then, maybe in the fifth or sixth year, blam, rust, everywhere. :(
i'm from canada , i have a 88 mj 2wd 4.0 manual , i swap it 4x4 ax15 high output and diff from a 95 xj , best locking truck ever long arm on 35's ! heads turns every were i go,
I seriously wish I could find one if these at all. Been wanting one for a long time, can never find them.