Introductions & Welcome Thread 👋

[Rick12785]

Hey there! My name is Rick, I live outside Charlotte, NC. Just sold my 2012 JK Sahara and waiting on my JLS to come in. Factory says due at dealership between April 11-15. This will be my 4th Wrangler (2001, 2007, 2012, 2018). Learning lots of great stuff on this forum.

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[Grimm_E]

Hey All, I just got my JL Rubicon 3 weeks ago and I love it! The Billet Silver really shines in the sun.

For those of you with Jeeps JL's on order... it is well worth the wait. I am looking to put in a 4 channel dash cam system as one of my major upgrades. I will wait to move to 35" tires when the 33's wear out.

 

[RandomGuy03]

Hi I’m David, have owned an TJ in the past and wanted to get back into a Jeep now that my kids are older. Picked up the JL a few weeks ago and have been enjoying the experience all over again.

 

[Bay Sailor]

Hi I’m David, have owned an TJ in the past and wanted to get back into a Jeep now that my kids are older. Picked up the JL a few weeks ago and have been enjoying the experience all over again.

Hey David. I'm in the same boat. I had a "new" at the time 1999 TJ and just loved it. I was wanting to get back in the Wrangler club and when the JLs came out, I was sold! Bought a Rubicon on Saturday. Love it. Enjoy your Jeep!

 

[GTXcellent]

Well gang, just placed my order to get back into the Jeep club (fine, it was a Liberty we had 15 years ago, but it was still a Jeep). Ocean Blue Rubicon Unlimited. No dealers anywhere around will carry a manual, so we had to order.
2 years ago we waited 7 months for our 6 speed Chevrolet SS to come from Australia, so we're used to waiting - and knowing that the end result is well worth it. Can't wait!

 

[86mets]

Hello All! My name is John and I'm from upstate NY I'm planning on purchasing a JL Rubicon in the near future. This forum has been a huge help. The amount of knowledge here is truly amazing!

 

[jedwards849]

Hey everyone, names Joe. Longtime lurker. Have always wanted a Jeep Wrangler. Am just now able to save up to get one. Waiting for two-door JLs to hit the lots and I'll probably get one by the end of the year!!

 

[MainOffender]

Hello all! Just got my VIN today for my JLUR, from Koons. The waiting game continues, but one step closer.

I've been lurking as a guest for a while and have spent a good amount of time on here, so I figured it was time to register (and actually post). Thanks to everyone for all of the information up to this point. It's been super helpful. Looking forward to reading and learning more!

 

[MainOffender]

Well , we all signed on at one point .
I also just got my VIN, now I feel part of forum community.

 

[sten]

Hey, Sten from Melbourne, Australia. Thanks for all great information on this forum! Moving to Austin, TX, soon and have started to discuss with a dealer to have a Rubicon waiting for me on arrival, but really interested in the one-touch roof so may have to wait a few months... :-( Have rented and driven a lot of JKs and very much looking forward to owning a brand new JL with all the good trimmings! Any tips of buying a Wrangler in the Austin area is very much appreciated!

 

[BeachNJeep]

Traded in the '16 JKU Sahara, Nav, Auto, painted top, tow package, LED lights, LED fog lights, light bar and cube lights for an '18 JLU Sport S, 6spd, premium cloth top, tow package, and auxiliary electrical. This being the first year of production, I didn't want to have to deal with too many gremlins, especially electrical and computer ones (8 speed trans, parking sensors, uconnect, etc.) and I wanted to reduce some weight (that's why I went with the soft top) since I am a big overlander/camper with many beach runs to Ensenada, Baja, CA. While the passenger room has improved, especially in the rear (I have a 2 year old, 4 year old and 8 year old all in car seats and they can really feel the difference), the cargo carrying has diminished. I used to be able to put my 8 man, 4 room Jeep tent, 2 folding chairs, beach chair, camp grill/stove, cooking gear, folding table, cooler (with canned food), all terrain wagon, folding cook table stand, 2 queen blankets, a backpack, a duffle bag, Razor Scooter, 5000W power inverter, beach toys, hats, baseball glove, recovery gear, portable power pack/air compressor, lanterns, tool kit, reusable shopping bags, tow gear (ball, connectors, pins, locks, etc.), porta potty and a 12' x 12' eaved Coleman canopy in the back of my JKU.

Now, I can't carry the canopy, scooter, power inverter, wagon, folding table and only half the reusable bags. While the soft top has more available head and gear room, the soft sided windows are easily scratched and don't hold in gear like glass windows. Also, there is no full width windshield light bar available probably due to the reduced number of allen head bolts since the front windshield is easier to fold.

I haven't compared axle clearances, but it seems like my JLU beaches more easily (reduced clearance and break over angle) than my JKU. The transmission, is super easy to shift and the clutch is light. The soft top is DREAM to operate and my JK/JKU buddies with soft tops are super jealous!

However, I feel like it is less like a traditional Jeep and more like an SUV. It will appeal to more customers, no doubt, but rear parking sensors? Cross traffic alert? Apple CarPlay and Android Auto? It's clear that FCA wants to sell as many of these to the masses by making this an all around SUV. But I can't imagine having to pay to replace a bad parking sensor or blind spot sensor if I hit some brush or come down on some rocks/rough terrain.

I saw a newbie in an '18 JLU Rubi loaded to the gills with every possible option at an off road park in Corona and he was so afraid of breaking something. C'mon, Jeeps are supposed to be tough and take abuse. Plus, who would pay to get all those electronic doodads and then upgrade with better bumpers or lights and then lose the functionality? I'm all for safety, don't get me wrong, and I applaud FCA for installing these and I would have ordered them if durability and reliability wasn't an issue. However, I just believe simpler is better.

Plus, with all of these luxuries, Jeeps will be everywhere and that special brotherhood we share will get somewhat diminished by mall trekkers and urban off roaders who only bought it to look cool dropping their kids off at soccer practice and school and will never see an off road trail or a mud bog.

Don't get me wrong. I love my new JLU. I think it drives better on road and off than a JK/JKU. The ergonomics are better and passenger room is better. The uconnect interface, even the basic one I have, and the multi information display on the dash are also better.

But I can't help coming back to my one mantra: Keep it simple and build it the way you want. Keep it a Jeep.

 

[cabnfvr]

Hello, my name is Tim. My riding buddy is Susan. Our first Jeep was a 1984 CJ7. Interspaced with other modes of transportation we've had an '87 Wrangler, '92 Cherokee, '98 Cherokee, '02 Liberty, '12 Liberty, and now our 2018 JLU Sport hardtop in granite. We drove the '12 Liberty to the top of Mt Tilton (Crested Butte, forest rd 740) in 2015. It was a Jet edition. Wrong Jeep, wrong tires, but fun! I looked around several JL forums but this one seemed to have the best group of renegades out there so here I am.

We're one week into the JLU and loving every minute of it !!

 

[mobilejay]

I've been lurking in the background for a while now as I really want to buy a JL as my first ever Jeep. I've wanted one for 20 years and just may be right around the corner, couldn't be more excited to enter this world! Hurricane Harvey is what really made me want to make the jump into one as none of our other cars are anywhere near capable of dealing with the shitty flooded roads here in Houston. Hell it will rain for two hours and a lot of streets are flooded. Hopefully soon I'll be playing in the water with something capable!

 

[spblat]

Hi everybody. Finally checking in. Just finishing the ordering paperwork for my wife's Punk'n JLU Rubicon. It's been over a decade since our days camping in Anza Borrego, Mohave, Death Valley and the Grand Canyon and we're ready to resume those adventures.



That YJ was my wife's dream car and we only had it for a short time. When I found myself commuting in it without AC, I sold it before she was ready. Finally making it right!

 

[wahlsaint]

I've been lurking in the background for a while now as I really want to buy a JL as my first ever Jeep. I've wanted one for 20 years and just may be right around the corner, couldn't be more excited to enter this world! Hurricane Harvey is what really made me want to make the jump into one as none of our other cars are anywhere near capable of dealing with the shitty flooded roads here in Houston. Hell it will rain for two hours and a lot of streets are flooded. Hopefully soon I'll be playing in the water with something capable!

It is so choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up. - FB

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