Naming Convention Question
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Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 707
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From: AV Kalifornia
Year: 1996
Model: Grand Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Naming Convention Question
what is the logic behind the naming convention for the jeeps? for example, why ZJ, WJ, ZJ, CJ, MJ etc? i have a difficult time remembering what is what but if there is a logic to it then that would help me out a ton.
Old fart with a wrench
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 14,398
Likes: 741
From: Manlius, east of Syracuse, NY
Year: 2000 XJ Sport & WJ Laredo
Model: Grand Cherokee (WJ)
Engine: 4.0L
Well said, Doc! I couldn't have said it better! I've been around for a while, but I just found out the YJ came after the TJ! They are both Wranglers, so I guess it didn't matter to me much.
Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 116
Likes: 0
From: Boston, MA
Year: 2003
Model: Grand Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 I6
I usually try not to contradict Dave, mainly because resistance is futile. But the YJ came before the TJ. the YJ had the square headlights. This is where i get fuzzy, the YJ was in production from around 1987 to 1995. If i remember correctly 96 was a weird year for Jeep with no normal Wrangler production. the 96 Wrangler was actually the 97 TJ. I'll look for the info I'm trying to recall. But the YJ was definitely before the TJ. I found the information on wikipedia so don't take it as concrete evidence.
Last edited by CrisostamoSH90; Mar 1, 2017 at 11:43 PM.
Old fart with a wrench
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 14,398
Likes: 741
From: Manlius, east of Syracuse, NY
Year: 2000 XJ Sport & WJ Laredo
Model: Grand Cherokee (WJ)
Engine: 4.0L
It just shows how little I know about Wranglers! They are nice, but pricey and not very practical for my needs.
Beach Bum
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 6,123
Likes: 22
From: Cape Hatteras, North Carolina
Year: 2000 WJ
Model: Grand Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
CJ MJ DJ XJ ??
List and descriptions; http://www.jedi.com/obiwan/jeep/misc/models.html
and here; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Jeep_vehicles
and here; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Jeep_vehicles
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Seasoned Member
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 494
Likes: 4
From: Ohio
Year: 98
Model: Cherokee(XJ)
Engine: 4.0L
it kinda makes sense in the 80s and 90s.
It was always a "CJ" as in "Civilian Jeep", if I'm not mistaken.
Eventually when you some to the three heavy hitters, its time to make the Cherokee. Its radically different from the CJ, being a unibody-type as well as a miniature version of the original cherokee, so it makes sense for them to have gave it the designation "XJ". like, "project X".
Since the CJ was getting redone around the time into the "Wrangler", it would make sense for them to go with "YJ" because Y comes after X. Same for the ZJ Grand Cherokee.
Other than that, ive got nothing. No idea why theyd go to "T" for a TJ, or why theyd skip back before X for the WJ. Heck idk why they chose "M" for the MJ.
Then they just seem to have gotten sick of using the "J" designation so i cant really keep track of the codes too well after the WJ Grand (i think its the "WK"?), the JK wrangle comes after the TJ and is set to be replaced next model year.
It was always a "CJ" as in "Civilian Jeep", if I'm not mistaken.
Eventually when you some to the three heavy hitters, its time to make the Cherokee. Its radically different from the CJ, being a unibody-type as well as a miniature version of the original cherokee, so it makes sense for them to have gave it the designation "XJ". like, "project X".
Since the CJ was getting redone around the time into the "Wrangler", it would make sense for them to go with "YJ" because Y comes after X. Same for the ZJ Grand Cherokee.
Other than that, ive got nothing. No idea why theyd go to "T" for a TJ, or why theyd skip back before X for the WJ. Heck idk why they chose "M" for the MJ.
Then they just seem to have gotten sick of using the "J" designation so i cant really keep track of the codes too well after the WJ Grand (i think its the "WK"?), the JK wrangle comes after the TJ and is set to be replaced next model year.