A few questions about buying my first Jeep

[rcadden]

I've been lurking/reading the forum and got some of my questions answered, but still have a few. I'm a little bit out, but with 2022 order sheets coming in the next month or two, I wanted to see if I could get a few of my outlying questions answered (or at least advice from you experts).

My Situation: Currently rolling in an '07 GMC Sierra w/ a 3-inch lift. While I love my truck, I just don't need all of it. I've never towed anything with it (and don't have plans to buy anything to tow), and I've had a bed cover on that gets rolled up *maybe* once a month, if that. Kids are bigger so I don't need the full sized backseat, so I'm looking at a 4D Wrangler for something more fun with better gas mileage, but that still sits "up" and feels like a truck. I've rented a Wrangler on our past few trips, so I'm familiar with the drive/etc.

This will be my daily driver, and while I'm anxious to have the ability to tackle some trails, I won't be doing any extreme rock crawling or anything (maybe until I get a taste for it, haha). I'm pretty handy/comfortable under the hood - I've replaced the rack and pinion on my truck, installed the lift kit myself, change my own oil, replaced serpentine belt, spark plugs, etc.

Thus far, I've pretty well decided that a Sahara is the best option for the features I want/need, etc. I'm not in a rush, so my current plan is to hold out till the 2022 MY order sheets drop, and then make a decision then. If I had to wait even until January 2022, I'd be fine (assuming my truck doesn't die before then).

My questions:

1. Initially, I have budget and have decided to do 3 "big" mods (listed below). My local dealership has an offroad shop attached that has a good reputation amongst my local Jeep Club, but my big question is, do I let the shop handle these mods, or buy them myself and do the install on my own (given my abilities).
   1. Lift kit - I've pretty well decided on the Mopar 2". It seems like it has decent reviews and should be capable for the light offroading I plan to do, plus the warranty coverage is pretty important for me. Currently, I plan to let the dealership/shop install this A) for the warranty and B) cause it took me ~6hrs to lift my truck and I kinda want to just drive it.
      1. I don't plan to change the wheels out just yet, but will stock Sahara tires look stupid with a lift like that? If I'm keeping the stock size wheels/tires and only doing light offroading, there shouldn't be any immediate reason to add anything else, correct?
   2. Front and rear bumpers - I'd decided on the Smittybilt SRC Gen2 set, but then read about aluminum vs steel and it seems like aluminum would be better for my needs, while still being capable on the trail. I can shop for an aluminum option that looks like the Smittybilt, but is a bumper like that pretty easy to install at home? Seems like self-install would save me at least a couple hundred $$ in labor, no?
   3. N-Fab NERF side steps - same question - these seem like a pretty straightforward bolt-on. Is there any reason to pay a shop to do this?
2. I can afford a fully-loaded Sahara, but obviously don't want to just check all the boxes for kicks. The way I've got my configuration currently, there's only ~$2-3K difference between the Sahara and Sahara Altitude. Aside from the obvious (body-color top, bundled headliner), is there any mechanical difference between the two?
   1. Another option that I'm (only slightly) toying with is getting a 1-2 yo Rubicon (approximately the same price as the brand-new Sahara). I'd give up the warranty and the 3 years of free service, but get some extras that would be helpful offroad. I'd also have to spend ~$2K for Katskinz and something to get rid of the fugly red interior accents.
3. Are there any factory options that are just a complete waste of money (either because they suck or because there's an aftermarket that's better/cheaper)? The ones specifically that I'm looking at are:
   1. Headliner
   2. Full-time 4WD - with a more reliable vehicle, we plan to do more road trips to wet/frozen climates (Colorado, etc) that would make this handy
   3. Tow package (mainly for the accessory panel - wish you could get *just* the panel on the JL like you can the JT)
   4. LED lights
4. 2.0 I4 vs v6? - I'm used to driving an aging big ol' 4.8L V8 in my truck, so either one is likely to feel pretty zippy. From what I've gathered, the I4 is going to give better MPG overall (esp if I'm mostly hwy) but the V6 is more "known". I've never owned a Turbo, so unsure if that's something that would make it harder for me to do the wrenching?

Sponsored

 

[Heimkehr]

My questions:

1. Initially, I have budget and have decided to do 3 "big" mods (listed below). My local dealership has an offroad shop attached that has a good reputation amongst my local Jeep Club, but my big question is, do I let the shop handle these mods, or buy them myself and do the install on my own (given my abilities).
   1. Lift kit
      1. I don't plan to change the wheels out just yet, but will stock Sahara tires look stupid with a lift like that? If I'm keeping the stock size wheels/tires and only doing light offroading, there shouldn't be any immediate reason to add anything else, correct?
   2. Front and rear bumpers
   3. N-Fab NERF side steps - same question - these seem like a pretty straightforward bolt-on. Is there any reason to pay a shop to do this?
2. I can afford a fully-loaded Sahara, but obviously don't want to just check all the boxes for kicks. The way I've got my configuration currently, there's only ~$2-3K difference between the Sahara and Sahara Altitude. Aside from the obvious (body-color top, bundled headliner), is there any mechanical difference between the two?
   1. Another option that I'm (only slightly) toying with is getting a 1-2 yo Rubicon (approximately the same price as the brand-new Sahara). I'd give up the warranty and the 3 years of free service, but get some extras that would be helpful offroad. I'd also have to spend ~$2K for Katskinz and something to get rid of the fugly red interior accents.
3. Are there any factory options that are just a complete waste of money (either because they suck or because there's an aftermarket that's better/cheaper)? The ones specifically that I'm looking at are:
   1. Headliner
   2. Full-time 4WD - with a more reliable vehicle, we plan to do more road trips to wet/frozen climates (Colorado, etc) that would make this handy
   3. Tow package (mainly for the accessory panel - wish you could get *just* the panel on the JL like you can the JT)
   4. LED lights
4. 2.0 I4 vs v6? - I'm used to driving an aging big ol' 4.8L V8 in my truck, so either one is likely to feel pretty zippy. From what I've gathered, the I4 is going to give better MPG overall (esp if I'm mostly hwy) but the V6 is more "known". I've never owned a Turbo, so unsure if that's something that would make it harder for me to do the wrenching?

I'll leave #s 1 and 2 for the more experienced owners to address.

#3 is fairly subjective, in terms of what may or may not be money well spent. By way of example, my wife has an AWD SUV, and the peace of mind it provides on an icy Pennsylvania winter day is significant. Folks in the desert Southwest may take a different view of such a feature. We're both correct, in a manner of speaking.

LED lighting comes well recommended, but it is costly. Folks with incandescent lighting on their Jeeps, like me, don't have to worry about snow and ice accumulating on the lenses, though, as the forward LED lighting will suffer from. Most choices will have trade-offs.

As for #4: Prior to ordering my JLU, I test drove three V6s (auto and manual transmissions). It was recommended to me by Wrangler owners, so I wanted to give that engine a fair chance.

I was underwhelmed by the Pentastar. It shouldn't have required as much right foot as it did to get the JLU down the road, IMO.

When it came time to configure my vehicle order and sign the deposit check, I selected the 2.0T engine, sight- and test-drive unseen. It was a complete leap of faith on my part, as there weren't any on the lot nor expected inbound on a truck.

To date, I've been as pleased as punch with the Hurricane engine. Superlative fuel mileage -- 28 being my high average -- with excellent road manners and performance when paired with the compulsory 850RE 8-speed (which is excellent in its own right.)

 

[oldmannewjeep]

Off the lot, I bought the Sport with the cold weather package; didn’t think I would ever use it, but love the heated seats and steering wheel. Otherwise, if I had a do-over, I’d go with a Rubicon because I can see the benefits even with light off-roading with the tires, additional clearance and sway-bar disconnect. I really enjoy what I have, but the next one will be a Rubicon.

 

[oldmannewjeep]

As a post-script, I think headliners are a must, especially in the Texas heat.

 

[Crawldad]

the tow and electrical package gives you a 240amp alt ... not just the aux buttons. definitely something nice. makes it easier to hook up accessories later, as they leave a pigtail under the hood and under the dash for the aux buttons.

i always recommend the 8.4 premium audio. hooking an altermarket head unit is a major btch and then some things wont work even after you get it right.

other than that i say the rest is fluff.
i would say just take a look at rubicons. give them a closer look. you get a ton of upgrades. 1" lift, 33" tires, disconnects, not to mention better axles with lockers, hd brakes. the cost of the option package for all those things is less than what you would spend doing it yourself. probably half the cost.

i'm not a leather seats / hardtop guy. that right there saved me probably $5000 off my jeep

i was out the door taxes tags etc for 44.9k

it came with plastic bumpers, i did spend 1000 for the front steel bumper (came complete with LED fogs and wiring harness)... i removed the two end caps i like it better that way

 

[The Last Cowboy]

The 2" Mopar lift will be more like 3-3.5" on the Sahara. 2" is based on what it gets over a stock Rubicon suspension. Yes, your factory all season 32" tires will look silly with that much lift. I recommend that you start with with a Terraflex 2" spacer lift and a 285/70/18 tire for your factory 18" wheels.

Either engine will feel more peppy and get better fuel mileage than your 4.8 LS. When you need to do the rare truck stuff, you can use a small utility trailer, so I recommend the trailer tow package.

 

[JeepTime]

I think the headliner was a well worth it option. I have it in my rubicon and I frequently get wranglers as rentals and non have the headliner and I notice the difference

I have the V6 in mine cause in 2019 that was the free option and the 4 was the upgraded option, i didn't notice any difference to warrant the money at the time. Recently I've had a lot of turbo 4 rental wranglers and now that the 4 is the free engine with the auto transmission there is no way i'd pay for the V6. And now I actually find the 4 to feel a bit more peppy anyway.

Tow package not only nets you the switch panel and the tow hook thingy but also is a different set of springs to offset the weight, this will help with any aftermarket steel bumpers etc to prevent sag.

LED lights, a must, I don't get how anyone can use non-LED's anymore, non of the rentals I have driven have them, but my jeep does, night and day difference.... literally.

Get the big screen, get the cold weather package, you may not think you'll use it but it turns out to be one of the best options I bought.

I also have all the safety options, brings some peace of mind, actually lowered my insurance, and I do a lot of highway driving so the Adaptive Cruise Control is really really nice.

As for the side step/lift combo. I kinda find it a weird one because you want a two inch lift, presumably for offroad clearance, yet any sort of side-step takes away from your ground clearance negating part of your lift, and isn't designed to provide protection. If youre going to ditch the standard sahara side steps, Why not just got for a one inch lift then and ditch the side steps and do rock rails?

With all the money in aftermarket mods have you considered getting a new rubicon and not modding it? Would likely be the same price. With the standard lockers and electronically disconnecting swaybar, and factory 33" tires it will likely be more offroad capable than the sahara with the mods you are planning at least. If your goal isn't offroading and more an appearence thhing then of course your sahara idea makes sense and my bit about the side steps doesn't matter!

 

[rcadden]

With all the money in aftermarket mods have you considered getting a new rubicon and not modding it? Would likely be the same price. With the standard lockers and electronically disconnecting swaybar, and factory 33" tires it will likely be more offroad capable than the sahara with the mods you are planning at least. If your goal isn't offroading and more an appearence thhing then of course your sahara idea makes sense and my bit about the side steps doesn't matter!

Yeah, I realize the side steps + lift is a bit silly, but it is, admittedly, more of an appearance thing for me. Plus I have the lift on my truck right now and my wife *hates* it cause she's short and can't get in. Her rule was that if I get the Jeep lifted (which, duh) then I *have* to find some side-steps to go with it. The NERF style are the only ones that I don't think are hideous, and I don't really want to shell out the $$$ for powered ones.

As for the safety features - when I was thinking I was going to just get a new Sierra/Silverado, I'd built it with *all* the safety extras, but tbh, I don't really need them. My current truck is old and was close to base at the time anyways, so I'm not really used to them. I would like the adaptive cruise control, though.

I realize how stupid this is, but tbh the biggest thing that pushes me away from the Rubi is the red interior accents. I know I can get rid of them but it seems like such a silly thing to blow $2K on. There are rumors that they may increase the EV tax credit to $10K and make it instant at point of purchase - if they did either of those, then I would go with a Rubi 4xe for that sweet, sweet blue accents.

 

[aldo98229]

My 2 pesos:

@Arterius2 shows what you can do with the Sahara wheels: you can mount 35x11 tires --in his case Duratracs. It looks awesome IMO. I would go that route if I were to do it all over again.

Key differences between Sahara and Sahara Altitude:

• Sahara gives you more flexibility optioning it out to your taste: you can get cloth seats, leather seats in black or saddle, perforated leather, soft top, black or painted hardtop, a couple of wheel choices, etc. In some configurations you get Sahara embroidered on the seats, a rear foldown armrest with built-in cupholders, and a leather covered dashboard.
• Sahara Altitude is prepackaged with black leather, painted hardtop and black wheels. You end up saving about $500 if you are planning to get the painted hardtop and the black leather anyway. But if you want to deviate from that, you need to customize a Sahara. The Altitude interior is a little plainer, overall.

The headliner is worth getting from the factory if you plan on getting it anyway. Buying it after the fact does not save you any money.

I like the Mopar bumpers for their well integrated looks, but Mopar increasingly makes their accessories unnecessarily complicated and, often times, don't even work all that well. There are lots of complaints that the Mopar winch plate doesn't even line up properly with the Mopar bumper.

I wouldn't waste any money on nerf bars or any of that. Saharas come with very functional side steps: they are safe and comfortable to step on, and protect the sides of your Jeep from flying debris, door dings and unattended shopping carts. Those things are tough as nails.

I have the Selec-Trac on my Sahara: it is the best thing since sliced bread when it comes to driving a Jeep in cold climates.

LEDs all the way!

Good luck!

 

[Reinen]

I've been lurking/reading the forum and got some of my questions answered, but still have a few. I'm a little bit out, but with 2022 order sheets coming in the next month or two, I wanted to see if I could get a few of my outlying questions answered (or at least advice from you experts).

My Situation: Currently rolling in an '07 GMC Sierra w/ a 3-inch lift. While I love my truck, I just don't need all of it. I've never towed anything with it (and don't have plans to buy anything to tow), and I've had a bed cover on that gets rolled up *maybe* once a month, if that. Kids are bigger so I don't need the full sized backseat, so I'm looking at a 4D Wrangler for something more fun with better gas mileage, but that still sits "up" and feels like a truck. I've rented a Wrangler on our past few trips, so I'm familiar with the drive/etc.

This will be my daily driver, and while I'm anxious to have the ability to tackle some trails, I won't be doing any extreme rock crawling or anything (maybe until I get a taste for it, haha). I'm pretty handy/comfortable under the hood - I've replaced the rack and pinion on my truck, installed the lift kit myself, change my own oil, replaced serpentine belt, spark plugs, etc.

Thus far, I've pretty well decided that a Sahara is the best option for the features I want/need, etc. I'm not in a rush, so my current plan is to hold out till the 2022 MY order sheets drop, and then make a decision then. If I had to wait even until January 2022, I'd be fine (assuming my truck doesn't die before then).

My questions:

1. Initially, I have budget and have decided to do 3 "big" mods (listed below). My local dealership has an offroad shop attached that has a good reputation amongst my local Jeep Club, but my big question is, do I let the shop handle these mods, or buy them myself and do the install on my own (given my abilities).
   1. Lift kit - I've pretty well decided on the Mopar 2". It seems like it has decent reviews and should be capable for the light offroading I plan to do, plus the warranty coverage is pretty important for me. Currently, I plan to let the dealership/shop install this A) for the warranty and B) cause it took me ~6hrs to lift my truck and I kinda want to just drive it.
      1. I don't plan to change the wheels out just yet, but will stock Sahara tires look stupid with a lift like that? If I'm keeping the stock size wheels/tires and only doing light offroading, there shouldn't be any immediate reason to add anything else, correct?
   2. Front and rear bumpers - I'd decided on the Smittybilt SRC Gen2 set, but then read about aluminum vs steel and it seems like aluminum would be better for my needs, while still being capable on the trail. I can shop for an aluminum option that looks like the Smittybilt, but is a bumper like that pretty easy to install at home? Seems like self-install would save me at least a couple hundred $$ in labor, no?
   3. N-Fab NERF side steps - same question - these seem like a pretty straightforward bolt-on. Is there any reason to pay a shop to do this?
2. I can afford a fully-loaded Sahara, but obviously don't want to just check all the boxes for kicks. The way I've got my configuration currently, there's only ~$2-3K difference between the Sahara and Sahara Altitude. Aside from the obvious (body-color top, bundled headliner), is there any mechanical difference between the two?
   1. Another option that I'm (only slightly) toying with is getting a 1-2 yo Rubicon (approximately the same price as the brand-new Sahara). I'd give up the warranty and the 3 years of free service, but get some extras that would be helpful offroad. I'd also have to spend ~$2K for Katskinz and something to get rid of the fugly red interior accents.
3. Are there any factory options that are just a complete waste of money (either because they suck or because there's an aftermarket that's better/cheaper)? The ones specifically that I'm looking at are:
   1. Headliner
   2. Full-time 4WD - with a more reliable vehicle, we plan to do more road trips to wet/frozen climates (Colorado, etc) that would make this handy
   3. Tow package (mainly for the accessory panel - wish you could get *just* the panel on the JL like you can the JT)
   4. LED lights
4. 2.0 I4 vs v6? - I'm used to driving an aging big ol' 4.8L V8 in my truck, so either one is likely to feel pretty zippy. From what I've gathered, the I4 is going to give better MPG overall (esp if I'm mostly hwy) but the V6 is more "known". I've never owned a Turbo, so unsure if that's something that would make it harder for me to do the wrenching?

1.1: Definitely have the dealer do it, especially if they have a good reputation, for all the reasons you said.
1.2: You should be fine installing bumpers yourself. A 2nd person for lifting helps a lot.
1.3: Same as bumpers, but be wary of steps that use the body mount bolts. Read the threads on that so you know the problems and risks.
2: Can't say as I went straight to Rubicon, did not pass go, did not collect $200.
3: None of the primary factory options are particularly bad, accessories yes but not the main options. It's a matter of you needing them or not. Full-Time 4WD is awesome in winter weather, especially on partially cleared roads. Also good on dirt where you only need 4WD maybe 5-10% of the time. The Cold Weather Package is also a godsend, not just in cold but also when topless in cool weather. I guess that would depend on how often you leave TX. You understand the tow package and hey, it's nice to have a hitch just in case. Even if it's just for a bike rack. LED lights are personal, some love them some hate them. Just know they don't melt snow that can accumulate in the headlight recesses.
4: Test drive both engines. Ignore the cylinders, it's not apples to apples. Consider the engines equal with both being able to best the other in particular situations. The 3.6 will be more like what you're used to with an even power curve. The 2.0t will be punchier and more fun to drive on road, a little better mileage, and much better at altitude. But it will require you to learn and adapt to the turbo power curve. I didn't find that a big deal but some do. I wouldn't worry much about turbo increasing wrenching difficulty. The JL is a complicated modern vehicle, turbo or not will just be a drop in the bucket. Also keep in mind that the 3.6 will likely get phased out while Jeep seems committed to the 2.0t as it's in the 4xe.

 

[BadWolf]

My questions:

1. Initially, I have budget and have decided to do 3 "big" mods (listed below). My local dealership has an offroad shop attached that has a good reputation amongst my local Jeep Club, but my big question is, do I let the shop handle these mods, or buy them myself and do the install on my own (given my abilities).
   1. Lift kit - I've pretty well decided on the Mopar 2". It seems like it has decent reviews and should be capable for the light offroading I plan to do, plus the warranty coverage is pretty important for me. Currently, I plan to let the dealership/shop install this A) for the warranty and B) cause it took me ~6hrs to lift my truck and I kinda want to just drive it.
      1. I don't plan to change the wheels out just yet, but will stock Sahara tires look stupid with a lift like that? If I'm keeping the stock size wheels/tires and only doing light offroading, there shouldn't be any immediate reason to add anything else, correct?
   2. Front and rear bumpers - I'd decided on the Smittybilt SRC Gen2 set, but then read about aluminum vs steel and it seems like aluminum would be better for my needs, while still being capable on the trail. I can shop for an aluminum option that looks like the Smittybilt, but is a bumper like that pretty easy to install at home? Seems like self-install would save me at least a couple hundred $$ in labor, no?
   3. N-Fab NERF side steps - same question - these seem like a pretty straightforward bolt-on. Is there any reason to pay a shop to do this?

N-Fab NERF side steps: If these are not frame mounted, you might consider a good pair of frame mounted step sliders (I put LoD Destroyers on my Rubicon).

 

[Yaak392]

I've been lurking/reading the forum and got some of my questions answered, but still have a few. I'm a little bit out, but with 2022 order sheets coming in the next month or two, I wanted to see if I could get a few of my outlying questions answered (or at least advice from you experts).

My Situation: Currently rolling in an '07 GMC Sierra w/ a 3-inch lift. While I love my truck, I just don't need all of it. I've never towed anything with it (and don't have plans to buy anything to tow), and I've had a bed cover on that gets rolled up *maybe* once a month, if that. Kids are bigger so I don't need the full sized backseat, so I'm looking at a 4D Wrangler for something more fun with better gas mileage, but that still sits "up" and feels like a truck. I've rented a Wrangler on our past few trips, so I'm familiar with the drive/etc.

This will be my daily driver, and while I'm anxious to have the ability to tackle some trails, I won't be doing any extreme rock crawling or anything (maybe until I get a taste for it, haha). I'm pretty handy/comfortable under the hood - I've replaced the rack and pinion on my truck, installed the lift kit myself, change my own oil, replaced serpentine belt, spark plugs, etc.

Thus far, I've pretty well decided that a Sahara is the best option for the features I want/need, etc. I'm not in a rush, so my current plan is to hold out till the 2022 MY order sheets drop, and then make a decision then. If I had to wait even until January 2022, I'd be fine (assuming my truck doesn't die before then).

My questions:

1. Initially, I have budget and have decided to do 3 "big" mods (listed below). My local dealership has an offroad shop attached that has a good reputation amongst my local Jeep Club, but my big question is, do I let the shop handle these mods, or buy them myself and do the install on my own (given my abilities).
   1. Lift kit - I've pretty well decided on the Mopar 2". It seems like it has decent reviews and should be capable for the light offroading I plan to do, plus the warranty coverage is pretty important for me. Currently, I plan to let the dealership/shop install this A) for the warranty and B) cause it took me ~6hrs to lift my truck and I kinda want to just drive it.
      1. I don't plan to change the wheels out just yet, but will stock Sahara tires look stupid with a lift like that? If I'm keeping the stock size wheels/tires and only doing light offroading, there shouldn't be any immediate reason to add anything else, correct?
   2. Front and rear bumpers - I'd decided on the Smittybilt SRC Gen2 set, but then read about aluminum vs steel and it seems like aluminum would be better for my needs, while still being capable on the trail. I can shop for an aluminum option that looks like the Smittybilt, but is a bumper like that pretty easy to install at home? Seems like self-install would save me at least a couple hundred $$ in labor, no?
   3. N-Fab NERF side steps - same question - these seem like a pretty straightforward bolt-on. Is there any reason to pay a shop to do this?
2. I can afford a fully-loaded Sahara, but obviously don't want to just check all the boxes for kicks. The way I've got my configuration currently, there's only ~$2-3K difference between the Sahara and Sahara Altitude. Aside from the obvious (body-color top, bundled headliner), is there any mechanical difference between the two?
   1. Another option that I'm (only slightly) toying with is getting a 1-2 yo Rubicon (approximately the same price as the brand-new Sahara). I'd give up the warranty and the 3 years of free service, but get some extras that would be helpful offroad. I'd also have to spend ~$2K for Katskinz and something to get rid of the fugly red interior accents.
3. Are there any factory options that are just a complete waste of money (either because they suck or because there's an aftermarket that's better/cheaper)? The ones specifically that I'm looking at are:
   1. Headliner
   2. Full-time 4WD - with a more reliable vehicle, we plan to do more road trips to wet/frozen climates (Colorado, etc) that would make this handy
   3. Tow package (mainly for the accessory panel - wish you could get *just* the panel on the JL like you can the JT)
   4. LED lights
4. 2.0 I4 vs v6? - I'm used to driving an aging big ol' 4.8L V8 in my truck, so either one is likely to feel pretty zippy. From what I've gathered, the I4 is going to give better MPG overall (esp if I'm mostly hwy) but the V6 is more "known". I've never owned a Turbo, so unsure if that's something that would make it harder for me to do the wrenching?

Just my opinion...
If you know the difference between a crescent wrench and a socket set, and can YouTube you can do just about anything that you want. I'm an old guy but I have learned that YouTube has a lot of good stuff

 

[Yaak392]

Just my opinion...
If you know the difference between a crescent wrench and a socket set, and can YouTube you can do just about anything that you want. I'm an old guy but I have learned that YouTube has a lot of good stuff

One or two more things... if you change the front bumper and if you add a winch, I recommend Old Man Emu heavy weight coil springs. They gave my Rubicon a much improved ride. Yes, it is a one man job, you can do it yourself. (Ratchet straps to compress the springs)
For me, I've bought the 392 but the diesel engine was pretty cool too. My old Rubicon was loaded with Rugged Ridge stuff. Good quality. Good luck.

 

[dalema]

Cool - sounds like you‘ve done your research.

lots of threads on Rubi vs Sahara - summarized pretty well above. No doubt the Sahara will be more than capable, just a matter of if you start adding mods should you just go Rubi to start with.

price comes into this - so hope you found the thread that has all the forum friendly dealers on it - quite often a sales price of 7-8% below invoice is available without the typical dealer BS. Maybe that could help you get into a Rubi:
https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/recommended-dealers-list.1227/

as for the red - I thought the same but when I got it, I liked it / got used to it. Must be cheaper options to switch it out or trade with someone on here.

btw - the option I hear most people regret not having added afterwards / not realizing they didn’t have on their build is - Remote-Proximity Keyless-Entry

good luck - keep asking the questions, lots of friendly folks on here

 

[Oldbear]

I’ll be odd man out I guess, but I just don’t get the “need” to add a lift kit UNLESS you routinely find yourself dragging/bottoming out. I don’t, so I feel for me anyway it’s a waste of $$. The full time (4auto) is a great option for a D/D in snow country as is the cold weather package. A limited slip rear ended is a nice feature if you go off road. 33 KO2’s will look good on your Jeep and give a bit of “lift” over stock. A Jeep with limited slip and decent rubber will take most folks further than they’re drivers skill can handle-Rubicon is ideal for truly extreme off road stuff, but 99%+ of folks can do fine without it. After all, Jeeps routinely did the trails all across this country many decades before there were “Rubicon” models. In fact, even aftermarket lockers were scarce, yet Jeepers were doing the trails. Either gas engine will crank a bunch more hp than your old Chevy V8-I’ve got the 2.0 and love it, but the 6is a good power plant as well.

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