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2018 Wrangler JL Waiting Room!

CorpCow

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Waiting room threads are fun for those of us who ordered, waiting to order, waiting to purchase, or just generally obsessing about the 2018 JL :involve:

This can be a place for us to shoot the $@!# while waiting... :)

I'll start. I'm 99% set on a JLU Rubicon in Firecracker Red. Just awaiting pricing to pull the trigger. Not too concerned on pricing because I'll be applying Tread Lightly Discount.
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guarnibl

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Waiting room threads are fun for those of us who ordered, waiting to order, waiting to purchase, or just generally obsessing about the 2018 JL :involve:

This can be a place for us to shoot the $@!# while waiting... :)

I'll start. I'm 99% set on a JLU Rubicon in Firecracker Red. Just awaiting pricing to pull the trigger. Not too concerned on pricing because I'll be applying Tread Lightly Discount.
Nice! I put my order into the system yesterday. Details below. Also not concerned about pricing due to tread lightly which made me pull the trigger. Dealer told me not to worry about not having any information and if it locks before everything's out I can just order another =) Didn't have to leave a deposit, so that was nice. I've given them a lot of business though.

Model: JLJS74
(JLU Rubicon)

Package:
24R Customer Preferred Package 24R
ERC 3.6L V6 24V VVT Engine Upg I
DFT Automatic Transmission

Paint/Seat/Trim:
PAU Granite Crystal Met. Clear Coat
APA Monotone Paint
*AL Leather Trimmed Bucket Seats
-T5 Black/Heritage Tan

Options:
MM3 Body Color Fender Flares
HT3 Body Color 3-Piece Hard Top
CHD MOPAR High Headliner (hard top headliner)
AJ1 Safety Group (blind spot detection, etc)
ADH Trailer Tow and HD Electrical Group (Auxillary switches!)
ADE Cold Weather Group
AD6 LED Lighting Group
AST Steel Bumper Group
AEK Electronic Infotainment Sys Group (8.4 in. Screen Upgrade)
RC4 Alpine Premium Audio System
YEP Manuf Statement of Origin
5N6 Easy Order
5N9 Guaranteed Schedules
170 Zone 70-Phoenix Arizona
4EA Sold Vehicle​
 

mlong003

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I bought a 2016 JKU Sahara on black Friday of 2015. I wonder if I will get screwed with a trade in attempt on a JLU? (maybe after a year to work out the kinks). I've got it paid down halfway! The suspense is killin me!

Do you think the JKU will still hold its value as well with the release of the JLU?
 

Midnight2d

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I bought a 2016 JKU Sahara on black Friday of 2015. I wonder if I will get screwed with a trade in attempt on a JLU? (maybe after a year to work out the kinks). I've got it paid down halfway! The suspense is killin me!

Do you think the JKU will still hold its value as well with the release of the JLU?
I'm wondering the same. Most Jeep guys will point to the TJ's value but they built a lot more JKs, especially the 4 door, so it worries me.

Part of the dilemma is whether to just dump it now before it's fully launched and most people don't even know about it, or wait for more details...... Decisions decisions...
 

ROCK HARD 4X4

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Gascap9000

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Waiting room threads are fun for those of us who ordered, waiting to order, waiting to purchase, or just generally obsessing about the 2018 JL :involve:

This can be a place for us to shoot the $@!# while waiting... :)

I'll start. I'm 99% set on a JLU Rubicon in Firecracker Red. Just awaiting pricing to pull the trigger. Not too concerned on pricing because I'll be applying Tread Lightly Discount.

Same here I will be trading in my 2015 Sahara for a red rub! Have been holding off mods for almost a year now! The wait is almost over!
 

guarnibl

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I'm wondering the same. Most Jeep guys will point to the TJ's value but they built a lot more JKs, especially the 4 door, so it worries me.

Part of the dilemma is whether to just dump it now before it's fully launched and most people don't even know about it, or wait for more details...... Decisions decisions...
Vehicles depreciate. People want the newer better one -- look at pre-2011 JK 4 door values. I'd say dump it once the first batch of inventory shows up on dealer lots that you'd want to actually buy. Mileage seems to have the biggest impact as expected. There seems to be a ~$3-$4k difference in price between 2010 and 2012 Sport model years. As an example, around $20-21k most likely to pick up a 4 door with 50k miles that's a 2010. That's pretty good resale still for an 8 year old vehicle that was high $20's brand new.

Most likely the market will start to get flooded with 4 door JK's as people upgrade slowly to the JL, but honestly... they will still sell, and Jeep raising the price of the new one actually dampens that impact.
 

Revelation17

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I'm attempting to stockpile cash so I don't have to finance. Looking at ordering a 2019 about a year from now. It'll be a JLRU without too many frills. I plan on making it a hobby so I'll be doing upgrades. I haven't broken the news to the wife how much I plan on spending aftermarket. I figure waiting a year will let me glean a ton of info from those who went before me and ordered early. My plans may change. Looking at a manual, soft top. Still can't decide on color. Was looking at white, then red. I like blue but the wife just bought a blue Rogue. Now I'm thinking maybe orange or yellow. I haven't let her know about that either. Looking forward to finally being part of the Jeep community. I've been looking at them since the early 2000s but never pulled the trigger.

Pete
 

Jabs

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I placed my order for a automatic white Rubicon.

The only thing that's worrying me is if I'll have the 4.10 gears and swing gate reinforcement!! We need more info on what items are in the packages!
 

guarnibl

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I'm attempting to stockpile cash so I don't have to finance. Looking at ordering a 2019 about a year from now. It'll be a JLRU without too many frills. I plan on making it a hobby so I'll be doing upgrades. I haven't broken the news to the wife how much I plan on spending aftermarket. I figure waiting a year will let me glean a ton of info from those who went before me and ordered early. My plans may change. Looking at a manual, soft top. Still can't decide on color. Was looking at white, then red. I like blue but the wife just bought a blue Rogue. Now I'm thinking maybe orange or yellow. I haven't let her know about that either. Looking forward to finally being part of the Jeep community. I've been looking at them since the early 2000s but never pulled the trigger.

Pete
Not a bad move Pete. Though, it may be wise to consider financing a small portion -- rates are low. I did this with PenFed (https://www.penfed.org/auto/new-auto-loans) on another vehicle and invested the difference. I could have paid cash, but I can very easily beat 2% YoY. I always put enough down to ensure I am never upside down on the vehicle though. They even do balloon payments, which is pretty much like a lease, but it's a loan structured in a way where you just have a large balloon at the end of 36 months. It's a great move for a vehicle like a Wrangler that holds value. Payments also end up like a lease.

Another thing to consider is that the JLU will be very, very capable out the door. My advice is to heavily research the benefits of the Rubicon if you plan on four wheeling. If you don't, the sport is fine.

Just a few tidbits if you plan on wheeling, why the Rubicon is the better choice:

Presently there is a rough difference of $6,000 between the Sport S and Rubicon (you don't want the base Sport if you plan on doing some minor upgrades, and it will be much more difficult to sell a base Sport later). This difference gets you some significant upgrades that you probably would be doing after market, thus saving you money.
  • Electronic Sway Bar Disconnect (it's annoying on the trail to have to do this manually). Aftermarket companies sell quick disconnects, but again.... there's money (~$100) that you wouldn't need to spend with the Rubicon. You literally just press a button in the cab... so nice.
  • Lockers (front/rear). While you do not need lockers for all trails, there are many trails that demand it. If you want the real experience and don't want to slow others down on the trail, you really want lockers. This is very, very expensive to add aftermarket. I.e., think $2500-$3000.
  • Gearing ratio. You can get 4.10's. It's the sweet spot for 35's in my opinion, and will handle 37's as well without needing to re-gear. It's probably ideal to still re-gear if you do 37's, but for 35's it is just fine. Ran MOAB a year back with 35's in a 4 door and lockers/4.10's and it made it through EVERYTHING. Large tires look cool, but they're not as much of a necessity if you are picking good lines and road manners deteriorate quickly beyond 35's. It costs ~$2000 to re-gear. Pretty much guaranteed with a Sport.
  • Metal bumper option and high line fenders on Rubicon. No pricing has been released yet, but if you plan on running a winch (stupid not to if you're going off road) you would need to swap the bumpers on the Sport. Think ~$2000 front/rear to do this. Might be a potential wash if you are doing labor yourself as the Rubicon Steel Bumper group may be $2000 as well, but it's factory, which is nice. Additionally, the ends on the steel bumper group for the Rubicon come off... and combined with the Rubicon fenders, give you enough clearance to run 35's without a lift kit. You don't need a lift kit. Depending on the direction you go, this will save you money as well.
  • Stronger axles. If you are getting a sport, you are going to end up with a very weak axle up front, and at a minimum, a more narrow, slightly less strong axle in the rear. If you are going to wheel, and run 35's... you're potentially looking at a $3,000 to $4,000 axle swap. People certainly run the D30 up front on 35's/37's, but there's risk associated with it, and if you are wheeling, it is worth the piece of mind alone in my humble opinion.
  • Low range transfer case. Really, really nice 4:10 crawl ratio. This isn't as big of a deal as people make it out to be, but it's really nice to have on climbs and descents and just makes navigating terrain easier in 4 low.

Now, here's some counter argument as to why the Sport is the better choice. If you fit into this below category, the only reason to really go for the Rubicon would be resale value (which in my opinion, will certainly make up some of the $6,000 difference 5 years down the road).
  • You are never going to "rock crawl." I.e., at most off pavement you are going to stick to forest roads, camping, etc. In this situation, I would just suggest having the LSD in the rear.
  • You don't plan on ever running larger than 33" tires. In this case, no need for 3.73's or 4.10's. Fuel economy will be improved with the lower gearing (3.40's I believe?).

Also, if you plan on modifying so extensively you would be replacing everything the Rubicon has to offer (i.e., think another ~$40k into the Wrangler), then you should just buy a Sport S to start.
 

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STL J-Hawk

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Not a bad move Pete. Though, it may be wise to consider financing a small portion -- rates are low. I did this with PenFed (https://www.penfed.org/auto/new-auto-loans) on another vehicle and invested the difference. I could have paid cash, but I can very easily beat 2% YoY. I always put enough down to ensure I am never upside down on the vehicle though. They even do balloon payments, which is pretty much like a lease, but it's a loan structured in a way where you just have a large balloon at the end of 36 months. It's a great move for a vehicle like a Wrangler that holds value. Payments also end up like a lease.

Another thing to consider is that the JLU will be very, very capable out the door. My advice is to heavily research the benefits of the Rubicon if you plan on four wheeling. If you don't, the sport is fine.

Just a few tidbits if you plan on wheeling, why the Rubicon is the better choice:

Presently there is a rough difference of $6,000 between the Sport S and Rubicon (you don't want the base Sport if you plan on doing some minor upgrades, and it will be much more difficult to sell a base Sport later). This difference gets you some significant upgrades that you probably would be doing after market, thus saving you money.
  • Electronic Sway Bar Disconnect (it's annoying on the trail to have to do this manually). Aftermarket companies sell quick disconnects, but again.... there's money (~$100) that you wouldn't need to spend with the Rubicon. You literally just press a button in the cab... so nice.
  • Lockers (front/rear). While you do not need lockers for all trails, there are many trails that demand it. If you want the real experience and don't want to slow others down on the trail, you really want lockers. This is very, very expensive to add aftermarket. I.e., think $2500-$3000.
  • Gearing ratio. You can get 4.10's. It's the sweet spot for 35's in my opinion, and will handle 37's as well without needing to re-gear. It's probably ideal to still re-gear if you do 37's, but for 35's it is just fine. Ran MOAB a year back with 35's in a 4 door and lockers/4.10's and it made it through EVERYTHING. Large tires look cool, but they're not as much of a necessity if you are picking good lines and road manners deteriorate quickly beyond 35's. It costs ~$2000 to re-gear. Pretty much guaranteed with a Sport.
  • Metal bumper option and high line fenders on Rubicon. No pricing has been released yet, but if you plan on running a winch (stupid not to if you're going off road) you would need to swap the bumpers on the Sport. Think ~$2000 front/rear to do this. Might be a potential wash if you are doing labor yourself as the Rubicon Steel Bumper group may be $2000 as well, but it's factory, which is nice. Additionally, the ends on the steel bumper group for the Rubicon come off... and combined with the Rubicon fenders, give you enough clearance to run 35's without a lift kit. You don't need a lift kit. Depending on the direction you go, this will save you money as well.
  • Stronger axles. If you are getting a sport, you are going to end up with a very weak axle up front, and at a minimum, a more narrow, slightly less strong axle in the rear. If you are going to wheel, and run 35's... you're potentially looking at a $3,000 to $4,000 axle swap. People certainly run the D30 up front on 35's/37's, but there's risk associated with it, and if you are wheeling, it is worth the piece of mind alone in my humble opinion.
  • Low range transfer case. Really, really nice 4:10 crawl ratio. This isn't as big of a deal as people make it out to be, but it's really nice to have on climbs and descents and just makes navigating terrain easier in 4 low.

Now, here's some counter argument as to why the Sport is the better choice. If you fit into this below category, the only reason to really go for the Rubicon would be resale value (which in my opinion, will certainly make up some of the $6,000 difference 5 years down the road).
  • You are never going to "rock crawl." I.e., at most off pavement you are going to stick to forest roads, camping, etc. In this situation, I would just suggest having the LSD in the rear.
  • You don't plan on ever running larger than 33" tires. In this case, no need for 3.73's or 4.10's. Fuel economy will be improved with the lower gearing (3.40's I believe?).

Also, if you plan on modifying so extensively you would be replacing everything the Rubicon has to offer (i.e., think another ~$40k into the Wrangler), then you should just buy a Sport S to start.
All of this is really great info! When I order my wrangler (my first) it will be mainly a pavement, daily driver with the occasional dirt or gravel track, with no rock crawling. I do plan on getting larger tires, but not sure what size...all i know is I want bigger and wider than the standard. I also want the steel bumper, and some of the other upper tier package items. It seems based on your info, that getting a Rubi would be my best bet?
 

Revelation17

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@guarnibl Great info. Thanks. I do plan on rock crawling. I'll probably go to 35s out of the gate. Not sure about 37s though. Hopefully I'll do some overlanding as well. Can't get the videos of MOAB and the other trails out of my head. It looks like so much fun. We have some offroad stuff in MN but not nearly enough. I'm planning on heading out West to hit some of the trails and get some badges. So, I'm fairly set on the Rubi. I don't expect to need to get into this enough to need a hardcore axel swap or anything so a Rubi with some aftermarket upgrades should be what works for me.

Pete
 

guarnibl

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All of this is really great info! When I order my wrangler (my first) it will be mainly a pavement, daily driver with the occasional dirt or gravel track, with no rock crawling. I do plan on getting larger tires, but not sure what size...all i know is I want bigger and wider than the standard. I also want the steel bumper, and some of the other upper tier package items. It seems based on your info, that getting a Rubi would be my best bet?
As with any sports car, the motto is typically to buy the best one you can afford, and I think this applies to the Wrangler especially. People typically come in with (especially Jeeps) requirements that they think will satisfy them, and then they get hit with the bug. It's actually a cheaper route to buy the Rubicon, and if you decide you don't need it down the road, sell it, and buy a Sport instead -- as opposed to starting with a Sport, and trying to upgrade it.

In your case, if you are 100% set on never rock crawling, and don't go larger than 35's, you're probably fine with a Sport. I mean, it sounds like you would be buying new wheels/tires anyway, regardless of getting the Rubicon. And the steel bumper option on the Rubicon is not free, but might save you a grand after powder coat, installation, etc., of aftermarket steel bumpers.

Not trying to push anyone on how to spend their money, just giving information so people can make an informed decision based on their use of the vehicle. FWIW, this is coming from someone who has gone all the way down the rabbit hole multiple times with builds (>$100k into my 09), ran many trails, made many mistakes, and understands what's necessary, and what isn't.
 

guarnibl

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@guarnibl Great info. Thanks. I do plan on rock crawling. I'll probably go to 35s out of the gate. Not sure about 37s though. Hopefully I'll do some overlanding as well. Can't get the videos of MOAB and the other trails out of my head. It looks like so much fun. We have some offroad stuff in MN but not nearly enough. I'm planning on heading out West to hit some of the trails and get some badges. So, I'm fairly set on the Rubi. I don't expect to need to get into this enough to need a hardcore axel swap or anything so a Rubi with some aftermarket upgrades should be what works for me.

Pete
You're welcome, and yep, I think the Rubicon is the best choice for you. Hopefully we all get ours sooner than later =)
 

STL J-Hawk

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As with any sports car, the motto is typically to buy the best one you can afford, and I think this applies to the Wrangler especially. People typically come in with (especially Jeeps) requirements that they think will satisfy them, and then they get hit with the bug. It's actually a cheaper route to buy the Rubicon, and if you decide you don't need it down the road, sell it, and buy a Sport instead -- as opposed to starting with a Sport, and trying to upgrade it.

In your case, if you are 100% set on never rock crawling, and don't go larger than 35's, you're probably fine with a Sport. I mean, it sounds like you would be buying new wheels/tires anyway, regardless of getting the Rubicon. And the steel bumper option on the Rubicon is not free, but might save you a grand after powder coat, installation, etc., of aftermarket steel bumpers.

Not trying to push anyone on how to spend their money, just giving information so people can make an informed decision based on their use of the vehicle. FWIW, this is coming from someone who has gone all the way down the rabbit hole multiple times with builds (>$100k into my 09), ran many trails, made many mistakes, and understands what's necessary, and what isn't.
I would agree with you, however I find myself gravitating towards the extra packages and items you can only get on the Sarah or Rubicon, and I dont really want to get the Sport and then spend the extra time and money to bring it up to what I really want...but then I also feel like I am paying for things I will never get the full benefit of such as the beefed up axle and the like if I get a rubicon. Oh the decisions.... :)
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