Alpine+SoftTop(ST) / Cold+Safety+Convenience ST or Safety/Conv Hard Top?

[rrwins]

After a week of deep dive, I've finally down selected between 3 JL's. I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE your input.

Please note that all 3 vehicles are priced at $40k
All 3 have Tech Package

1. LOCAL - Soft Top Jeep has Tech Package and Alpine Sound System. It is also a local pickup for me at $40k. Also has Polished Granite Crystal wheels (CONS - No Cold, Safety, Conv and Trailer Tow, HD Electrical)
2. Koons - 9 Hr drive - Soft Top - Cold, Safety, Convenience and Tech Package also has Trailer Tow. (CONS - No Alpine System and the drive with potential break in issues less than 300 miles at 55MPH on Highway)
3. Koons - 9 Hr drive - Lastly Hard Top - Safety, Convenience and Tech Package is $500 cheaper at $39.5 (CONS - No Alpine System and the drive with potential break in issues less than 300 miles at 55MPH on Highway)

You may say its personal preference, but in your opinion does an Alpine sound system offset the Safety, Conv and Tech Package?
I don't mind the 9 hour drive as I have to be in VA for business, so no flight cost. Just my time in driving back.

Writing this out has helped me crystallize it a lot better but please share your personal opinions on the Convenience, Safety and Cold Weather package.

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[cbrenthus]

My opinion is to order exactly what you want. $40K is a ton of money to spend on something that isn't exactly what you want.

 

[PGFDE121]

After a week of deep dive, I've finally down selected between 3 JL's. I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE your input.

Please note that all 3 vehicles are priced at $40k
All 3 have Tech Package

1. LOCAL - Soft Top Jeep has Tech Package and Alpine Sound System. It is also a local pickup for me at $40k. Also has Polished Granite Crystal wheels (CONS - No Cold, Safety, Conv and Trailer Tow, HD Electrical)
2. Koons - 9 Hr drive - Soft Top - Cold, Safety, Convenience and Tech Package also has Trailer Tow. (CONS - No Alpine System and the drive with potential break in issues less than 300 miles at 55MPH on Highway)
3. Koons - 9 Hr drive - Lastly Hard Top - Safety, Convenience and Tech Package is $500 cheaper at $39.5 (CONS - No Alpine System and the drive with potential break in issues less than 300 miles at 55MPH on Highway)

You may say its personal preference, but in your opinion does an Alpine sound system offset the Safety, Conv and Tech Package?
I don't mind the 9 hour drive as I have to be in VA for business, so no flight cost. Just my time in driving back.

Writing this out has helped me crystallize it a lot better but please share your personal opinions on the Convenience, Safety and Cold Weather package.

Yeah at this point I would just do a factory order and have exactly what you want, and it'll be delivered in about a month. Craig at Koons is doing 5% off, Gerry at Farrish (about 15 mins away) is doing 8% under plus $500 MOPAR accessory credit.

 

[Hadoken]

After a week of deep dive, I've finally down selected between 3 JL's. I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE your input.

Please note that all 3 vehicles are priced at $40k
All 3 have Tech Package

1. LOCAL - Soft Top Jeep has Tech Package and Alpine Sound System. It is also a local pickup for me at $40k. Also has Polished Granite Crystal wheels (CONS - No Cold, Safety, Conv and Trailer Tow, HD Electrical)
2. Koons - 9 Hr drive - Soft Top - Cold, Safety, Convenience and Tech Package also has Trailer Tow. (CONS - No Alpine System and the drive with potential break in issues less than 300 miles at 55MPH on Highway)
3. Koons - 9 Hr drive - Lastly Hard Top - Safety, Convenience and Tech Package is $500 cheaper at $39.5 (CONS - No Alpine System and the drive with potential break in issues less than 300 miles at 55MPH on Highway)

You may say its personal preference, but in your opinion does an Alpine sound system offset the Safety, Conv and Tech Package?
I don't mind the 9 hour drive as I have to be in VA for business, so no flight cost. Just my time in driving back.

Writing this out has helped me crystallize it a lot better but please share your personal opinions on the Convenience, Safety and Cold Weather package.

Yep, I would get exactly what you want, even if it means waiting for an order.
Also depending on if you're going to be in Southern or Northern VA, Travis at Tri-City Jeep in Eden, NC will do 7% under. For me the extra distance driving didn't offset the extra 1% from Farrish.

 

[rrwins]

Thank you for your response. Thing is, 2018 Model is going out on a much bigger sale than 2019, so my option is a bit limited on having all my needs met in 1 place especially that I am being picky on the color. Still I am 95% satisfied with all 3 of the cars above.

Just wanted your take on the
1. Alpine stereo
2. Hard top vs soft top
3. Cold weather package (live in ATL, where the winters are mostly mild)

 

[Hadoken]

Thank you for your response. Thing is, 2018 Model is going out on a much bigger sale than 2019, so my option is a bit limited on having all my needs met in 1 place especially that I am being picky on the color. Still I am 95% satisfied with all 3 of the cars above.

Just wanted your take on the
1. Alpine stereo
2. Hard top vs soft top
3. Cold weather package (live in ATL, where the winters are mostly mild)

Of those 3 I think you need to weigh personal preference and difficulty to add later. For me personally I had to have the alpine after having it in my 2016.

However, alpine makes a kit you can add later with a under seat sub and new dash speakers so it is a “easy” fix later. It isn’t quite as good as the factory alpine kit but a big improvement. Amazon has it for $800-900. Low difficulty to add, cost $900.
https://www.amazon.com/Alpine-Elect...ocphy=1026083&hvtargid=pla-584169652483&psc=1

If you want a hard top, better get it that way initially. Hard tops are expensive and you won’t have the wiring for the wiper or defroster. You can more easily find someone willing to trade their soft top for your hard top than the other way around.
Cost of a hard top would be $2000-$2700 from what I’ve seen for sale here.

Seat heaters can be added at many aftermarket shops for a couple hundred bucks. If you have the trailer tow package you can probably wire them into the 4 aux switches for a even cleaner look.

If you ever want the trailer tow package that is one I would definitely get from the factory.
That gets you a upgraded battery, alternator. Also you get 4 prewired aux switches. You could just add a hitch later, but I prefer the factory install to get the upgraded components.

 

[PGFDE121]

1. Alpine stereo - its great, but can be added aftermarket for about the same price
2. Hard top vs soft top - I got both, but have friends who have either/or and are happy too. My main concern is security with the softtop. Getting a sunrider on the hardtop is probably the best of both worlds.
3. Cold weather package (live in ATL, where the winters are mostly mild) - Do you really need cold weather? It can be nice, but wouldn't be a deal breaker for me in your climate.

You mentioned the safety package...I'd want that. I'm a fairly decent driver with no accidents, but there's been a few times vehicles have been in my blind spot and there was almost a collision.

 

[Mojito St Pete]

26 days... the amount of time it took for my custom order to be delivered in FL. Just order custom

 

[Jeff1]

Order exactly what you want.

My JLUR was ordered on 3-4-2019 and Jeep chat said yesterday "that my vehicle has been built and is pending installation of additional features/optional equipment". Probably have it within a month of ordering it.

 

[Strommen95]

Everything is personal preference. Me personally, I don’t care for the cold weather package despite living in the northeast. It’s nice for sure, but to me the JK/JLs heat are really hot on their own. They pump out heat. I didn’t see the need for the wheel and seats too. Most other vehicles I’d probably say differently.

 

[Arterius2]

All of the above. Just get everything, because the cost of adding it on aftermarket is through the roof. You don’t want to have buyer’s remorse later down the road like me and finding out it cost 3x as much and countless HOURS of labor to add it afterwards, and still won’t function as well as factory install.

 

[robaw]

I was ready to vote for #1 of the given choices, but the towing package is a big variable. With it you get the bigger alternator and aux buttons, both very nice. In my opinion, if I lived anywhere in the southern half the US I'd go soft top and cold-weather package wouldn't be all that necessary.

Alpine audio is very nice, but as previously mentioned not too bad to add later if desired.

Back to my opinions - I'd say order one. I couldn't find one exactly how I wanted it so that's what I did. I could have found a better deal somewhere I'm sure, but ZERO REGRETS!

 

[rrwins]

Of those 3 I think you need to weigh personal preference and difficulty to add later. For me personally I had to have the alpine after having it in my 2016.

However, alpine makes a kit you can add later with a under seat sub and new dash speakers so it is a “easy” fix later. It isn’t quite as good as the factory alpine kit but a big improvement. Amazon has it for $800-900. Low difficulty to add, cost $900.
https://www.amazon.com/Alpine-Elect...ocphy=1026083&hvtargid=pla-584169652483&psc=1

If you want a hard top, better get it that way initially. Hard tops are expensive and you won’t have the wiring for the wiper or defroster. You can more easily find someone willing to trade their soft top for your hard top than the other way around.
Cost of a hard top would be $2000-$2700 from what I’ve seen for sale here.

Seat heaters can be added at many aftermarket shops for a couple hundred bucks. If you have the trailer tow package you can probably wire them into the 4 aux switches for a even cleaner look.

If you ever want the trailer tow package that is one I would definitely get from the factory.
That gets you a upgraded battery, alternator. Also you get 4 prewired aux switches. You could just add a hitch later, but I prefer the factory install to get the upgraded components.

This was such a thoughtful response. Thanks for taking the time.

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