Decisions, decisions....Rubicon or Sahara

[dgoodhue]

The Skytop can be had with the Sport S models. It is part of the Sun and Sound package. It doesn't get you painted fenders, but you can get leather.

The Rubicon has a 3% worse residual value (CCAP 36-38 mont leases) than a Sahara. Rubicon will have higher payments with the same MSRP. The Sport S Lease is 4% better residual which will also have lower monthly payments than a Sahara or Rubicon if they had the same MSRP. The Wily's and Sport Altitude will also have the better residual value like the Sport S. Most likely the Sport S will have lowest MSRP, then the Sahara, Rubicon. The one wild card is the 4Xe models with $7500 lease credit sometimes will have a lower payment depending on how many options you are ordering.

If you Rubicon leasing is expiring in more than month, you may want to trade it in. It likely has equity that you could apply to your next Jeep purchase.

Sponsored

 

[Cazadores]

Rubicon is serious overkill for 99% of folks. If “the look” means that much to you then go for it, but you’d be better served with a Sahara or a Sport. Rubi will ride a bit stiffer (heavier springs) and get slightly worse mileage (gears) too. Your call.

That's a good point. I love the JLUR but really the best four door to me is the Sahara with a Sky One Touch (except the 392...but yeah....) it's just a better wagon for the things we do with a four door everyday. Better gears, better ride, nicer interior.

That said, you'll never get me to give up my 2 door Rubis!

 

[Cazadores]

Can you get a Sky One Touch on the 80th? Painted fenders, nice accents....

 

[Heimkehr]

Rubicon is serious overkill for 99% of folks.
If “the look” means that much to you then go for it, but you’d be better served with a Sahara or a Sport.

It'd be interesting to know how frequently the owner of a Sport S, for example, would be questioned about the factory Rubicon hood decals and wheels that he installed on his non-Rube Wrangler. Said differently, how many people would be fooled by the attempt to pass things off?

There's any number of giveaways, but it would require trained eyes: fender height, ride height, etc.

Yes, "the look".

 

[LarryB]

Why not a Sport? You yourself said that you cannot really afford either the Sahara or Rubicon trims, and will have to lease it - which doesn't solve the affordability issue, just defers it into the future. A Sport can handle the off-roading in your area, which is fairly limited. Sports can take any mod you have in mind, and have an active resale market, too.

i was thinking the same thing. Not sure how much of a difference there is locally for you between a Sport S and a Sahara, but it maybe as good of an option. You can add take-off fenders later if you want to “Sahara-ize” it.

 

[Dkretden]

Do you want to pay for lockers if you aren't going to use them?
Do you want to pay for the electronic swaybar disconnect if you aren't going to use it?
Do you want to pay for the 4:1 transfer case if 4.10 gears if you aren't going to use them?

IMHO, if you're answering no to the above questions, I'd go for the Sahara and throw some Rubicon take-offs on it. Stock Jeeps (and non-Rubicons) are really very capable to begin with

This is really good advice and quite true.
The only thing that I would add to the above is this:

”would you feel more comfortable going off road knowing that you had lockers/sway disconnect because they may be able to save you when your limited off-roading skills fail you?”

anyJeep can be customized to look anyway you wish. The key to me is “what if I need it?” The Sahara used to be the only Jeep that had fulltime 4WD. Now the Rubi has it too, I think. So that separation is gone.

 

[gato]

If you are thinking of putting bigger wheels/tires and are not planning hard off road then go *Rubicon*. I know this is a contrarian opinion here, but here are the reasons:

1 - Rubicon has 4.10 gears which will handle large tires without the need, expense and warranty voiding potential of a regear.

2 - You can fit 35" tires with no lift on a Rubicon for street driving and moderate off-roading (with light loads on the Jeep 1 or 2 people). Again, specially for a lease, you can do that with suspension lifts.

3 - With the Rubicon you can get steel front/rear bumpers from the factory that not only look rugged, they are more rugged than the plastic on the Saharas.

Good luck with your decision, but I think you will be happier with the Rubicon.

 

[JLUandCJ-7]

Hi all! Opinions please....I am in the market for another Wrangler, as my lease is coming to an end. I would really love to get a Rubicon, because right off the lot I’m happy how it looks with the factory wheels and so for me all I would really want to do is put bigger tires and maybe a 2.5” lift and a few other things. I’m not sure what it is about the Rubicon that I love so much, maybe it is just the rugged look it has right off the lot and I know if I got a Sahara I can get the same rugged look, I’d just have to purchase and change more to get it that way. There are things on the Sahara that I prefer over the Rubicon, like the leather dash as I don’t care for the plastic red or grey dash. And I probably won’t ever use the sway bar disconnects either. So my question is this....is it a waste to get the Rubicon since I’m not an off roader? And I know nobody says that you have to off-road to get a Rubicon either. Do they drive/handle differently then a Sahara because of their suspension? I mean I’ve even had a sales person say that unless you do off roading, the Rubicon is not necessary. I’d like to try some lite off roading but nothing that I couldn’t do with a Sahara. I just figured I would have to do/purchase less if I got the Rubicon. On the other hand I was also told from a fellow Jeeper to get a Rubicon wether I off road or not because it has a better resale value. I know it’s ultimately my choice but I’m definitely gonna have to lease whatever I get because I know for sure that I don’t want to pay that big monthly payment. Actually for awhile I was searching for a 2019 or 2020 in the Ocean Blue Metallic because I’m obsessed with that color but I couldn’t find one with all the options I want so my husband said I should just build one with exactly what I want and just lease to get a manageable payment. Sahara or Rubicon? Decisions decisions!! (Which I hate doing BTW!)

I went with a Sahara then added the bits I wanted from the Rubicon, plus some aftermarket goodies. Totally happy with the outcome. I avoided the extra weight of the axles and disconnects (which would have been a waste for me) and got options that weren't on any other trim line.

 

[aldo98229]

It doesn’t take very much to make a Sahara look butch. A set of 33-inch KO2s completely transforms the look.

 

[Sidspider]

You’re at opposite ends of the spectrum. The Rubi is the most capable and least comfortable Wrangler while the Sahara is the most comfortable and least capable. You can add options to make either more capable or comfortable, but in the end I think you’d be happiest with a well equipped Sport S, plus you’d have some extra beer money.

 

[dgoodhue]

Can you get a Sky One Touch on the 80th? Painted fenders, nice accents....

You cannot get the Sky One Touch on 80th, I would have ordered it if I could. The JLU 80th have also been out of production for over a month so the supply dwindling.

 

[Cazadores]

If you are thinking of putting bigger wheels/tires and are not planning hard off road then go *Rubicon*. I know this is a contrarian opinion here, but here are the reasons:

1 - Rubicon has 4.10 gears which will handle large tires without the need, expense and warranty voiding potential of a regear.

2 - You can fit 35" tires with no lift on a Rubicon for street driving and moderate off-roading (with light loads on the Jeep 1 or 2 people). Again, specially for a lease, you can do that with suspension lifts.

3 - With the Rubicon you can get steel front/rear bumpers from the factory that not only look rugged, they are more rugged than the plastic on the Saharas.

Good luck with your decision, but I think you will be happier with the Rubicon.

If you are thinking of putting bigger wheels/tires and are not planning hard off road then go *Rubicon*. I know this is a contrarian opinion here, but here are the reasons:

1 - Rubicon has 4.10 gears which will handle large tires without the need, expense and warranty voiding potential of a regear.

2 - You can fit 35" tires with no lift on a Rubicon for street driving and moderate off-roading (with light loads on the Jeep 1 or 2 people). Again, specially for a lease, you can do that with suspension lifts.

3 - With the Rubicon you can get steel front/rear bumpers from the factory that not only look rugged, they are more rugged than the plastic on the Saharas.

Good luck with your decision, but I think you will be happier with the Rubicon.

I can't agree more, if you want the Rubicon, get the Rubicon. No need to explain it. The price difference really isn't enough to keep someone already considering a 45k Jeep from stepping into one if they really want it.

It's just the Sahara does a lot of things better than the Rubicon, and if doing those things is why you are buying a JLU, well, it's wise to consider it.

 

[oceanblue2019]

Hi all! Opinions please....I am in the market for another Wrangler, as my lease is coming to an end. I would really love to get a Rubicon, because right off the lot I’m happy how it looks with the factory wheels and so for me all I would really want to do is put bigger tires and maybe a 2.5” lift and a few other things. I’m not sure what it is about the Rubicon that I love so much, maybe it is just the rugged look it has right off the lot and I know if I got a Sahara I can get the same rugged look, I’d just have to purchase and change more to get it that way. There are things on the Sahara that I prefer over the Rubicon, like the leather dash as I don’t care for the plastic red or grey dash. And I probably won’t ever use the sway bar disconnects either. So my question is this....is it a waste to get the Rubicon since I’m not an off roader? And I know nobody says that you have to off-road to get a Rubicon either. Do they drive/handle differently then a Sahara because of their suspension? I mean I’ve even had a sales person say that unless you do off roading, the Rubicon is not necessary. I’d like to try some lite off roading but nothing that I couldn’t do with a Sahara. I just figured I would have to do/purchase less if I got the Rubicon. On the other hand I was also told from a fellow Jeeper to get a Rubicon wether I off road or not because it has a better resale value. I know it’s ultimately my choice but I’m definitely gonna have to lease whatever I get because I know for sure that I don’t want to pay that big monthly payment. Actually for awhile I was searching for a 2019 or 2020 in the Ocean Blue Metallic because I’m obsessed with that color but I couldn’t find one with all the options I want so my husband said I should just build one with exactly what I want and just lease to get a manageable payment. Sahara or Rubicon? Decisions decisions!! (Which I hate doing BTW!)

This is a very simple decision.

1) If you have a penis you go with the Rubicon.

2) If you have a mangina then the Sahara is the proper choice.

But in all honesty and kidding aside......

If you do get into off roading you will appreciate the Rubicon features pretty quickly and realize they are pricey to add via the aftermarket route. And therefore it is a bargain once you factor that in.

You can certainly build up a Sahara to be just as competent -- it is just more aftermarket parts and cost.

Also the Rubicons have, in the past, had a much better resale value. But who knows if that will carry forward with the JL's.

Edit: The Sahara used to be the only way to get the Select-Track feature which is nice for the snow belt folks but this is now an option on the Rubi as well.

 

[SoCal]

I credit/blame a Sahara we rented a few months ago for quick trip to Tahoe for my Jeep infection and ultimately leading me into my first Jeep....I started looking at Willys but quickly realized if I was gonna spend $40K+ on a Jeep I might as well spend a few extra bucks and get the best one they make and have zero regrets....Get a JLUR with leather and it is just as civilized and luxurious as a Sahara

Get the Rubicon and don't look back.....

I also highly recommend trying to purchase it instead of leasing for several reasons, but mostly due to modding and equity you get from the #1 ranked SUV in resale value

 

[csjlu]

So it’s settled. The OP, whose name is Paula, should buy a rubicon because people with penises buy them. And she should buy the Rubicon outright, even though she has already said she can’t afford it. I’ve noticed reading comprehension is not always in full effect on these boards.

Sponsored