XJ, YJ and TJ historical prices and sales volume

[V]

Alex Kefford sent me some info that he summarised from data he had kept from way back in the day, he is happy for me to post it here. I have added inflation adjusted pricing to bring to 2021 values but these should not be considered alone as the USD/GBP exchange rate has fluctuated greatly between 1993 and 2021.

 

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The public digests of the DVLA data don't include both year of manufacture (remember, that's different to year of registration) and engine capacity, so telling the difference between a late TJ and an early JK, for example, is almost impossible. The SMMT would be able to provide a more detailed breakdown since they record registrations against a unique model code, but they don’t make that data public.

 

Technically there were no YJs made in 1996 although there were plenty still being registered, and although the TJ launched in 1997, the first shipments were built and registered in '96. Telling the difference between the two based on the DVLA data alone is also impossible. Muddying the waters further are the Japanese imports - previously it would have been safe to assume anything called a Limited was a YJ, since a UK TJ was never called that, but some Japanese TJs were and many used imports have been reregistered in the UK.

That said, as of the most recent DVLA data dump (released 24th May this year), I reckon there are currently:

TJ: 2,595 - 840 of which are SORN
YJ:   739 - 424 of which are SORN
There are also three TJ Rubicons, two of them SORN.

 

As to how many Wranglers were sold in the UK, I don't have the complete data, but my numbers suggest they sold 1,339 YJs in total. In the first two years alone since the TJ's launch, they sold 1,574.

 

The numbers also suggest that Chrysler Jeep Imports, which operated Jeep sales in the UK from launch in 1993 until the DaimlerChrysler 'takeover' in 2000, consistently outsold the Jeep of today, even when they only had a two-model range. When sales opened in 1993, they'd taken 1,000 orders in the first 90 days alone, having expected to take six months to get to that point. Jeep's best UK performance came in 2015/16 with the launch of the Renegade, but then quickly sank back to earlier levels. The worst years came in 2009-2013 with only a couple of thousand sales a year - half what CJI managed in a bad year.

 

Ye Olde Prices

When the YJ launched in 1993, it was priced from £12,495 for the 2.5 and £14,395 for the 4.0. The hard-topped Limited was £14,995. Using the Bank of England inflation calculator, those prices adjusted to 2021 values are £21,714.87 , £25,016.86 and £26,059.59 respectively.

 

The XJ Cherokee at launch was £15,995 for the 2.5 Sport and £18,995 for the 4.0 Limited. Inflation adjusted to 2021 would be £27,797.47 and £33,011.13.

 

The TJ officially went on sale in March '97 priced from £13,995 for the 2.5, £15,495 for the 4.0 Sport and £17,650 for the Sahara. Those prices only went up by about £500 or so over the TJ's entire lifetime. Adjusting for inflation, the 2.5 would be £22,278.53 , the 4.0 £24,666.37 and the Sahara £28,096.89 in 2021 money.

 

And just because I have the data to hand, the JK launched in 2007 priced from £17,995 for the 2dr and £19,995 for the 4dr. A 3.8 Rubicon was yours for £22,580. Inflation adjusted to 2021 values these are £24,543.50 , £27,271.31 and £30,797.01 respectively.

[frosty]

good info Vince, makes the current pricing look through the roof.

[BLUE STAR]

37 minutes ago, frosty said:

good info Vince, makes the current pricing look through the roof.

Yeah current models (although a much improved interior & expensive Auto box) are way over priced in comparison  to 2007. Double the price 

Excellent analysis as usual Vince.

[tedthefed]

Vince 

I put this on some time ago with a price list for 1995, when I ordered my first XJ. 

[V]

55 minutes ago, frosty said:

makes the current pricing look through the roof

 

It does, but I remember the exchange rate being around $1.85 - $2 to the £1 around 2006 and 2008 which would have an influence on the price of vehicles imported from the USA being priced more competitively in the UK in 2007.

 

I guess complexity factors quite a bit in the current Wrangler pricing. I do miss the Wrangler as the 'entry-level' Jeep. Politicians world wide have a different viewpoint mandating the incorporation of electronic 'safety systems' that have the potential to become just the opposite when they fail in service with a driver that has become accustomed to their presence.

[V]

27 minutes ago, BLUE STAR said:

Excellent analysis as usual Vince

 

Thanks, but the credit goes to Alex Kefford, it was his research. I have just been annoying him with my thoughts for 20 years!

[BLUE STAR]

30 minutes ago, V said:

 

It does, but I remember the exchange rate being around $1.85 - $2 to the £1 around 2006 and 2008 which would have an influence on the price of vehicles imported from the USA being priced more competitively in the UK in 2007.

 

I guess complexity factors quite a bit in the current Wrangler pricing. I do miss the Wrangler as the 'entry-level' Jeep. Politicians world wide have a different viewpoint mandating the incorporation of electronic 'safety systems' that have the potential to become just the opposite when they fail in service with a driver that has become accustomed to their presence.

Yep totally forgotten about exchange rate, 1.22 now  to maybe  1.95 then (about 60% difference), making current pricing really not that far away. (I'll take it all back)

So it was a good time to purchase back in 2007 - 2009. 

[UKTJ]

1 hour ago, BLUE STAR said:

Yep totally forgotten about exchange rate, 1.22 now  to maybe  1.95 then (about 60% difference), making current pricing really not that far away. (I'll take it all back)

So it was a good time to purchase back in 2007 - 2009. 

Yes, but it is in relity a lot more complex than that.  When the dollar was 'rock bottom' weak it was also likely weak against other currencies.  Anything imported into the US to go into the manufacturing process would have been very expensive in dollar costs, but then that would re-adjust out in part when the finished vehicle was exported.  The same is true now with a stronger dollar (against the pound at least) and I suspect a much bigger proportion of the build cost coming from outside the US.  So to understand if the current prices are 'reasonable' versus historic prices you also need a breakdown of the proportion of cost of each vehicle by currency then and now, only then can you do all the necessary cross currency analysis.  And even that could be way out if there was a material amount of hedging done by Jeep, as their exchange rates would not be the market ones at most points in time.  To be clear, that is not me volunteering!

 

Without that analysis my guess is the broad conclusion reached in the OP is correct, the increased costs are driven to a greater extent by the combination of the vehicles needing a lot of mandated safety related costs and the discretionary cost of taking them more upmarket.  But whatever the reason, the new sticker price is more than I would be willing to pay.

[TimC]

4 hours ago, tedthefed said:

Vince 

I put this on some time ago with a price list for 1995, when I ordered my first XJ. 

We bought our brand new 2.5 Sport XJ in 1998 I was trying to remember how much it was, I thought about £20k. Looking at that 1995 price list I guess that’s about right. We had the XJ for about 3 years but after that had two Land Cruisers before going back to a KJ Cherokee in 2010. We paid £10k for the KJ, still a years warranty and hardly any miles, absolutely fantastic deal.

[TimC]

4 hours ago, BLUE STAR said:

Yeah current models (although a much improved interior & expensive Auto box) are way over priced in comparison  to 2007. Double the price 

Excellent analysis as usual Vince.

Part of the problem, in my opinion and not based on any actual research/evidence is that cars in general are overpriced because of the way they are financed. It’s like the toxic debt in the US housing market in the 2000s. It pays the manufacturers to inflate the price because nobody actually buys a car any more, they just take finance out for the depreciation. I would not be surprised if the whole system crashes when they find out that the people at the bottom of the chain don’t think the cars are worth what the dealers have them listed at on their asset sheets.

[V]

It is shocking that ten year car finance is a thing in the USA.

[BLUE STAR]

3 hours ago, TimC said:

We bought our brand new 2.5 Sport XJ in 1998 I was trying to remember how much it was, I thought about £20k. Looking at that 1995 price list I guess that’s about right. We had the XJ for about 3 years but after that had two Land Cruisers before going back to a KJ Cherokee in 2010. We paid £10k for the KJ, still a years warranty and hardly any miles, absolutely fantastic deal.

Got a great deal also on my first ever 4 wheel drive purchase in 2009,  a 2007 built Wrangler Sahara JKU 2.8CRD, new old stock I guess with standard 3 year warranty.

After Chrysler discount £10K  & scrappage scheme £2000 off for my 15yr old Citroen Xantia Worth £200 & reduced 15% VAT at the time, ended up paying £11,850 

Going to service the hell out of this and keep it till the wheels drop off.

[BLUE STAR]

3 hours ago, TimC said:

Part of the problem, in my opinion and not based on any actual research/evidence is that cars in general are overpriced because of the way they are financed. It’s like the toxic debt in the US housing market in the 2000s. It pays the manufacturers to inflate the price because nobody actually buys a car any more, they just take finance out for the depreciation. I would not be surprised if the whole system crashes when they find out that the people at the bottom of the chain don’t think the cars are worth what the dealers have them listed at on their asset sheets.

Even more so I suspect on the EV's

I mean who's going to pay a high price for a 4 year old one, with maybe just another 4 years of use left in it ?

Imagine if when purchasing an ICE vehicle you were told the engine may only last 8 years then its potentially worthless, would you buy it ?

[Vernon]

9 hours ago, BLUE STAR said:

Even more so I suspect on the EV's

I mean who's going to pay a high price for a 4 year old one, with maybe just another 4 years of use left in it ?

Imagine if when purchasing an ICE vehicle you were told the engine may only last 8 years then its potentially worthless, would you buy it ?

That’s certainly why we are holding off from buying one - even tho we have Solar Panels so potentially a huge advantage.  My daughter in law’s parents have a Mitsubishi PHEV (?) but they also have a diesel model of the same vehicle.  They say the PHEV is great for pottering about but it could not pull a fish out of water.  Hence the diesel as the run a small holding and tow a lot.

 

[JimC]

On 13/06/2022 at 18:37, TimC said:

We bought our brand new 2.5 Sport XJ in 1998 I was trying to remember how much it was, I thought about £20k. Looking at that 1995 price list I guess that’s about right. We had the XJ for about 3 years but after that had two Land Cruisers before going back to a KJ Cherokee in 2010. We paid £10k for the KJ, still a years warranty and hardly any miles, absolutely fantastic deal.

I think that my 2.5TD sport was around £18k - £19k from new 

 

[JimC]

On 13/06/2022 at 20:28, V said:

It is shocking that ten year car finance is a thing in the USA.

My old man has just had a quote to renew his mobile contract with a new phone and this is for a 36 month contract........... Virgin Mobile
I told him not to do it. And it was just for a low spec Samsung mobile

[BLUE STAR]

14 hours ago, Vernon said:

That’s certainly why we are holding off from buying one - even tho we have Solar Panels so potentially a huge advantage.  My daughter in law’s parents have a Mitsubishi PHEV (?) but they also have a diesel model of the same vehicle.  They say the PHEV is great for pottering about but it could not pull a fish out of water.  Hence the diesel as the run a small holding and tow a lot.

 

I don't know how many solar panels you need to help recharge an EV I imagine a lot ?

Plus if your using the EV during the day for work the panels will be of little benefit ?

Watched a report from the US from a guy who bought the new Ford F150 EV pickup.

When he towed his 'Trailer' commented that the stated range of the EV was cut in half.

[V]

The average domestic roof can just about accommodate panels totalling 4KW at maximum rated output in the sun. A cloudy day may produce 400W from the same panels. A slow 3-pin mains charger will do 3KW. It could take a week or more to recharge an EV battery purely on solar power in the UK.