2019 Rubicon negotiation - how am I doing?

[ChimpanZed]

Hey all! I’m new to this forum but not too new to Wranglers. I’ve had a 2016 2-door Willys with a stick for about 18 months and I enjoy it. Only options are A/C and a hardtop. I’ve taken it wheeling here in Colorado and thoroughly enjoy it. Most days I bus to work so the Jeep is my to/from bus station ride.

But there’s a problem. I knew the 2-door would be impractical, but not as impractical as it actually is. We’re a family of 3 and school pickup and dropoff is a real pain with the 2-door. We also can’t take the Jeep into the mountains for more than a few hours at a time as there’s insufficient luggage space for the three of us to overnight.

I’ve got a lead on a new 2019 Rubicon with:

3.6L
Manual transmission
LED
Tow Package
Hardtop
Hardtop Headliners
Cold Weather Group

It’s in Kansas, but I think I can bag this beast for about $41K thanks to this site and the pricing tools that have been shared.

I’d love your thoughts on:

1) $41K for a new Rubicon with these options. That’s about 8% under invoice. Good deal?

2) How’s life in a manual 3.6L vs. auto 2.0T at altitude? I live at 5200 feet and drive to 12,000 regularly.

And advice is appreciated.

Sponsored

 

[flot]

I think you should take that manual transmission for a long test drive before you buy and make sure you're happy with itt. I've owned 3 stick shift wranglers and when it came time to order my new one, I drove both for 2 days and there was no doubt I preferred the automatic. That price sounds pretty good but make sure they are really the options you want.

As for engine, the 2.0 is too new to jeep to really know longevity and if we'll see problems down the road - but it has been getting good reviews from folks at altitude. The 3.6 ESS is at least a known platform, but my personal opinion is that it isn't a fantastic pairing with the manual transmission. Others obviously may disagree.

 

[SecondTJ]

8% below invoice is a good deal, if it’s what you want buy it

The 3.6 ESS is at least a known platform, but my personal opinion is that it isn't a fantastic pairing with the manual transmission. Others obviously may disagree.

Completely agree. The 3.6 feels gutless without a torque converter

 

[InvertedLogic]

Unless you're really wanting to row your own gears in a heavy "truck", I suggest the auto. The zf8 is fantastic. I live in Denver and never feel like I'm missing power going over mountain passes with the 3.6. If you want more speed, it's there.

 

[Tcijoe]

we have the m/t in our Sahara. It is a little different than jeeps of my past. Need to keep the rpms up a little for it to perform. Otherwise we love it. Shift are smooth.

 

[Columbus104]

I had a 3.6L in Breck last year. Really noticed a difference compared to what my 3.6 Jeep at home feels like (1k above sea level). However hopped in a 2.0L and instantly felt a difference. Which is funny because at home I struggle to feel any real significant difference. Based on the science of what a turbo actually does (forcing additional air into the intake), this makes perfect sense. I understand the allure of a M/T, but I would seriously reconsider buying a 3.6 if I planned to spend any time at altitude.

Sponsored