Audio System - Buyers Remorse

[mango315]

i ordered a JL Rubicon 2dr a few weeks ago. Have always wanted a jeep and since it will not be my daily driver, i didnt want to go crazy on the accessories. i did LED and steel bumper and declined the 8.4 inch screen/audio, etc.

I quickly said no since i have no need for gps nav since i would just use carplay and waze on my phone. after i ordered the car i realized that the 1500 upgraded included everything (larger screen, gps, alpine) and i felt stupid denying it. i called the dealer but it was too late, already had a VIN and process was moving quickly so i didnt want to disturb it.

so my long intro for 2 questions:

1. is it possible to add these post-build for a reasonably small premium?
2. if you made the mistake i did, would you just go aftermarket on the speakers?

i will be changing the red dash trim immediately when i get the car as well

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[Hip2u77]

Myself, I would cancel the order and reorder with the 8.4 and without the steel bumpers, which are, imo based off videos I've seen, only good if you don't plan to ever really use them for anything more than brush guards. I.E. If you go across Golden Crack in Moab the rear WILL twist up and scratch the body. Plus, it's easy to swap bumpers in the future, it's not so easy to get everything the 8.4 offers.

JLs cost too much to be unhappy.

 

[OldGuyNewJeep]

If you haven’t hit D1, you can change your order. Otherwise, cancel and reorder. Aftermarket will take a long time to catch up to the 8.4” (and it’s awesome, by the way).

Also, have you seen the red dash in person? I love it. So does my wife, and she hates red. To each his own, I guess...

 

[YaThatAintRight]

Cancel and re-order for sure. It is 100% worth a little extra wait. The Alpine sound system and sub are fantastic and you will never be disappointed with the 8.4 display.

 

[macintux]

The downside to a 2-door with the Alpine is the loss of your rear storage compartment. I agree the extra money seems very worthwhile but make sure you know what you’re losing.

 

[Turfman]

i ordered a JL Rubicon 2dr a few weeks ago. Have always wanted a jeep and since it will not be my daily driver, i didnt want to go crazy on the accessories. i did LED and steel bumper and declined the 8.4 inch screen/audio, etc.

I quickly said no since i have no need for gps nav since i would just use carplay and waze on my phone. after i ordered the car i realized that the 1500 upgraded included everything (larger screen, gps, alpine) and i felt stupid denying it. i called the dealer but it was too late, already had a VIN and process was moving quickly so i didnt want to disturb it.

so my long intro for 2 questions:

1. is it possible to add these post-build for a reasonably small premium?
2. if you made the mistake i did, would you just go aftermarket on the speakers?

i will be changing the red dash trim immediately when i get the car as well

I would be interested in the red dash trim! I have a Mojito on order and it does not come with the red!

 

[Sierra Nevada]

Re-Order. Time will pass by quickly. 8.4 lights up like a Christmas tree at night ... very beautiful and well designed.

 

[mango315]

ooof, thanks for all the feedback even though i was hoping for a different answer

i dont want to cancel as my ETA is pretty soon and i want to enjoy it for the summer. i would rather see if it actually bothers me first then do after market speakers down the road. i wont be driving this jeep so often and the smaller space of a 2dr means i might not be that bothered by the speakers. i have burmester speakers in both my other cars and while cool, i dont really see the value looking back

i guess i will keep my eyes open here for what people do with aftermarket speakers down the road if im unhappy

 

[mango315]

and ive quickly seen the red dash...i guess i will wait until i drive around in it a little, but i know myself...if it was up to me i would get rid of all those little red accents inside

 

[Sting_NC_USA]

i ordered a JL Rubicon 2dr a few weeks ago. Have always wanted a jeep and since it will not be my daily driver, i didnt want to go crazy on the accessories. i did LED and steel bumper and declined the 8.4 inch screen/audio, etc.

I quickly said no since i have no need for gps nav since i would just use carplay and waze on my phone. after i ordered the car i realized that the 1500 upgraded included everything (larger screen, gps, alpine) and i felt stupid denying it. i called the dealer but it was too late, already had a VIN and process was moving quickly so i didnt want to disturb it.

so my long intro for 2 questions:

1. is it possible to add these post-build for a reasonably small premium?
2. if you made the mistake i did, would you just go aftermarket on the speakers?

i will be changing the red dash trim immediately when i get the car as well

A counterpoint:

I listened to the stock system and the Alpine system, back to back, using my own music. The Alpine sounds fine, it really does, and my next comments aren't meant to disparage the system at all. For me, the Alpine system didn't quite meet the expectations I had, that is, when comparing how putting that $1,500 towards an aftermarket system would perform. Using the stock head-unit, I added a couple of amps, a sub, and replaced all of the speakers.

Regardless of whether you upgrade your stereo system on your own, or pay to have upgrades installed, you are not out of luck. In my opinion, you can invest your saved money and enjoy the end result even more than had you chosen the Alpine upgrade. Others may disagree, and that's fine, though I've yet to own a vehicle with NAV and "Apps" that remotely compared to what an aftermarket system provides.

Oh, and by the way, just like the 8.4 Alpine system, the base 7-inch system also works with Android Auto and "that other phone system." Running my own apps, especially Waze, on my stock stereo's screen trumps all the "should I have upgraded to Alpine" concerns.

Sooo... No buyer's remorse... You always have options.

 

[GARRIGA]

Might as well wait on Alpine to do s retrofit. Do you really need a subwoofer?

 

[maus92]

This is my 4th Wrangler, and the UConnect 8.4 / Alpine audio infotainment system is an excellent value. It would be hard to duplicate its features and performance for $1,500 going the aftermarket route. IMO, it sounds better and is more integrated into the vehicle than any of my previous aftermarket systems which cost about the same, or more. If you go aftermarket, don't experiment - try to find "early adopters" and listen to their rigs, and compare to the factory Alpine system. Plus, the 8.4 just looks better than the smaller factory head units. TBH, I specifically went with the Sahara to get the 8.4 screen (and upgraded interior,) but am removing the Sahara side steps and grille inserts - it was that important to me.

 

[mango315]

i just got the car and am pretty happy...i think the value of the 1500 for the upgrade would have been well worth it, but i would say the only thing i wish i had was the 8.4 screen since it looks more flush...the stock audio is not as horrible as i thought

i will be lucky if i put 4k miles a year on this so no real regrets...car is fucking awesome...only thing im doing is painting the ugly red trim next week....i was expecting to hate it more, but overall its still a must change

 

[bam1111]

I wasn't thrilled with my Alpine system initially until I activated the equalizer in spotify, adjusted the frequencies and the system sprung to life. I absolutely love the Alpine system.

 

[maguro]

I bought my JLUR with the stock system and have no complaints. The audio system does its job and while it's no Mark Levinson, the wind noise at highway speeds ends up taking away from the audio anyways.

The only thing I wish they improved was that bezel they slapped around the 7 inch screen. It almost looks a little amateurish.

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