Considering ordering a Sport instead of Rubicon, and building it up. Here's why...

[Trainman]

I love driving manuals, but I just about broke my left ankle a few days ago. I was limping and there is no way I could have driven one that day. I'm going to get the 8 speed.

If we all set around and wait for something to happen we would probably not do anything and just set around the house waiting to die. Sorry to hear about your ankle, but I just quit riding motorcycles after some 50 plus years, I'm thankful I survived that era, so I'm going for something with a steal cage around me. You still don't get it, I want to shift at 76 years old. As I said before, IT'S A TOY, get it.

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[702Rubi]

Basically what I'm thinking of doing is getting a Sport with AC, power windows and locks, and then swapping out to Dana 60s and a 4:1 transfer case, a lift, some 40" tires and other odds and ends.

Then why buy brand new at all? I can't imagine Jeep honoring the warranty after that much modding.

Though I realize the market is skewed now, and you might not be able to find a suitable late-model vehicle at a reasonable price.

 

[Zandcwhite]

I was in a similar boat as you. Went into the dealership with a 65,000 dollar check and ended up in a Sport for less than half that amount and I love it.

Never been in a situation off road where I’ve needed lockers or sway disconnect but I also live in Florida.. Just a beach buggy for me. If you plan on ripping everything out in the future then I would assume a Sport would be the way to go. Maybe a Sport S so you can get the power windows and stuff as well.

I guess it depends on where you live and what you plan on doing but in my case I enjoy my Jeep and the massive amount of money I saved. Good luck!

Disconnecting the sway bar is like airing down the tires, it does as much for improving ride comfort as it does for increasing traction. Most trails don't require the extra articulation of a disconnected sway bar or the extra traction of the tires being aired down to 15psi, but man is the ride better. On even a moderate dirt road it is night and day, especially if you are traveling at any kind of speed. To each his own, but our Rubicon is like a trail Cadillac with the sway bar disconnected, tires aired down, and the seat heaters on on a cold morning trail ride. I won't wheel a street pressure unless it's a few minutes up somebody's dirt driveway.

 

[JimmyB]

I have been hemming and hawing over ordering a Rubicon, but now I'm thinking of ordering a Sport. There are a few reasons. First, the msrp is much lower, and local taxes and car tabs are based upon that. The $12,000 difference between the two equates to a lot of savings both upfront and over time. Next, I am paying cash and it is easier to stomach buying the less expensive version. Further, I am thinking of just doing an axle swap to Dana 60s so I have better braking and capacity, and then running 40 inch tires and a lift. Lastly, I like the idea of building rather than buying.

The only things holding me back are that I want power windows and locks, and also wonder if not having automatic swaybar disconnects will bother me. Also may want to swap out the transfer case for the better ratio. Thoughts?

Are you planning on doing the majority of the build up yourself or paying someone else to do it?

The answer to that question alone is what pushed me to the Rubicon - yes I could do most of it myself but there is a shit ton of time involved that I just don't have when you build out that gap between the Sport and Rubicon (lift, axles, electrical, hoping it all works...). Rather have the Rubicon that works and is warrantied out of the gate than a bunch of 3rd party upgrades that might work if I do it right or pay someone to do and maybe warranty the work.

Time is the differentiator to me - money is irrelevant (finance vs. cash).

 

[Trainman]

Living in Ft. Worth, Texas I would say that 80% of Rubicon's never hit any trail and are Mall Crawlers at best. I also see a lot of upscale women (guys to) driving them to work, or to the country club, I guess they think there equal to the Land Rovers and Lexus GX550 in the parking lot. I would say that most Rubicon's are sold because it's the top of the line, not so much for it's off road ability. If I wanted a nice Rubicon, I would be shopping used at the up scale car dealers.

 

[ThirtyOne]

It depends on where you live but down here in Florida all the Sports have A/C. It gets too hot down here and nobody would buy a vehicle without A/C lol

AC is standard on everything but a base 2-door.

 

[TrailTorque]

Disconnecting the sway bar is like airing down the tires, it does as much for improving ride comfort as it does for increasing traction. Most trails don't require the extra articulation of a disconnected sway bar or the extra traction of the tires being aired down to 15psi, but man is the ride better. On even a moderate dirt road it is night and day, especially if you are traveling at any kind of speed. To each his own, but our Rubicon is like a trail Cadillac with the sway bar disconnected, tires aired down, and the seat heaters on on a cold morning trail ride. I won't wheel a street pressure unless it's a few minutes up somebody's dirt driveway.

Oh I dont doubt that at all. I’ve just never needed it for my application. Land is flat here beaches are flat here. If I ever did want it I think QD’s are pretty cheap.

 

[summer4x]

Are you planning on doing the majority of the build up yourself or paying someone else to do it?

I would do the work myself. But yes, time is a thing.

 

[summer4x]

Then why buy brand new at all? I can't imagine Jeep honoring the warranty after that much modding.

Though I realize the market is skewed now, and you might not be able to find a suitable late-model vehicle at a reasonable price.

I would generally buy slightly used, but the prices are higher than new! Makes NO SENSE.

 

[summer4x]

Living in Ft. Worth, Texas I would say that 80% of Rubicon's never hit any trail and are Mall Crawlers at best. I also see a lot of upscale women (guys to) driving them to work, or to the country club, I guess they think there equal to the Land Rovers and Lexus GX550 in the parking lot. I would say that most Rubicon's are sold because it's the top of the line, not so much for it's off road ability. If I wanted a nice Rubicon, I would be shopping used at the up scale car dealers.

I am in the mountains, near the Rubicon Trail.

 

[summer4x]

Oh I dont doubt that at all. I’ve just never needed it for my application. Land is flat here beaches are flat here. If I ever did want it I think QD’s are pretty cheap.

I would DEFINITELY get a Sport if I were in Florida. I am in rugged mountain country.

 

[TrailTorque]

I would DEFINITELY get a Sport if I were in Florida. I am in rugged mountain country.

Yeah I don't blame ya, I would have too if I lived in the Midwest or mountains. Sure would be fun I’m sure!

 

[Zandcwhite]

Living in Ft. Worth, Texas I would say that 80% of Rubicon's never hit any trail and are Mall Crawlers at best. I also see a lot of upscale women (guys to) driving them to work, or to the country club, I guess they think there equal to the Land Rovers and Lexus GX550 in the parking lot. I would say that most Rubicon's are sold because it's the top of the line, not so much for it's off road ability. If I wanted a nice Rubicon, I would be shopping used at the up scale car dealers.

Our Rubicon is my wife's daily driver, she is the controller at a fairly large manufacturing company, so she fits the upscale description too. Of course the Jeep has seen far more trails than shopping malls or country clubs though. This was 2 weeks ago.
Jeep still shines up nice and fits in fine in the executive lot despite thousands of trail miles.

 

[zouch]

did you consider the Willys package?
my Willys Diesel came with the big brakes and D44s front and rear, and that might hold you off of doing the D60 swap for a while if need be.
i was not a fan of the front axle disco on the Rubis. only advantage i saw to the Rubi was the slightly wider axle, and that wasn't enough to make me want to pay for all the other stuff about a Rubi that i didn't want/like.

I have been hemming and hawing over ordering a Rubicon, but now I'm thinking of ordering a Sport. There are a few reasons. First, the msrp is much lower, and local taxes and car tabs are based upon that. The $12,000 difference between the two equates to a lot of savings both upfront and over time. Next, I am paying cash and it is easier to stomach buying the less expensive version. Further, I am thinking of just doing an axle swap to Dana 60s so I have better braking and capacity, and then running 40 inch tires and a lift. Lastly, I like the idea of building rather than buying.

The only things holding me back are that I want power windows and locks, and also wonder if not having automatic swaybar disconnects will bother me. Also may want to swap out the transfer case for the better ratio. Thoughts?

 

[Zandcwhite]

did you consider the Willys package?
my Willys Diesel came with the big brakes and D44s front and rear, and that might hold you off of doing the D60 swap for a while if need be.
i was not a fan of the front axle disco on the Rubis. only advantage i saw to the Rubi was the slightly wider axle, and that wasn't enough to make me want to pay for all the other stuff about a Rubi that i didn't want/like.

The Willy's diesel definitely closes the gap between the Rubicon and the sport, especially since the diesel Rubicon gets the same 3.73 gears. We run fairly tough trails, and rarely use the front locker. The torque of the diesel helps make up for the lack of the 4-1 transfer case as well. If we were going the diesel route, we might lean that direction. Any of the gas options, we would go the same way we did with out 2019, straight for the Rubicon. Especially now that the xtreme Recon package is available, factory fresh with 35's, 4.56 gears, and a lift it's a no brainer in my opinion.

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