Jeep TRUE off-road ruggedized version (base)

[xray]

I'd love to see basically a Sport with 1/2 doors, 2" lift, 35s, bedlined/rubberized interior, rear locker, and manual front swaybar disconnects, and a manual transmission/V6, and aux switches for $35k. vinyl seats, AC could be optional, and steel wheels.

I'd consider trading my JKUR in on one. Just an all-business Jeep with no unessessary stuff on it.

I’m onboard with this.
The whole reason I bought a rubicon is to get diffs, axles, the usual stuff.

But what I really want is to have less forced creature comforts, and things that are too expensive at the trim level.

Using the Defender as an example, they have these cool patches to protect seats from getting worn coming in and out. I have seen this on other cars, but the small touches keep a more outdoorsy vehicle looking not so worn after 5 years.
My kids are already killing the leather seats.

I agree with the steelies, people like to swap. But I am guessing this is where Jeep will try to capture the aftermarket during the sale.

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[FunWagon]

I'd love to see basically a Sport with 1/2 doors, 2" lift, 35s, bedlined/rubberized interior, rear locker, and manual front swaybar disconnects, and a manual transmission/V6, and aux switches for $35k. vinyl seats, AC could be optional, and steel wheels.

I'd consider trading my JKUR in on one. Just an all-business Jeep with no unessessary stuff on it.

That’s close to what I would want/need to replace my JK with a JL... manual transmission, but a Rubicon with half doors. Keep most of rest simple, like black plastic fenders and bumper, soft top (although I had my eye on the retractable hard top), cloth waterproof seats, some waterproof flooring. But I would put 37” tires on it.

By the way, again, I love having a safari roof rack. This is what my kids used to do when they were younger:

 

[xray]

I My Rubi has the rubber floor mats, does yours?

First thing I bought was rubber everything. My vehicle goes to the beach and the mountains very often. Within two trips there is sand everywhere, especially in the back where the tie down rails are. It’s a miserable vacuuming experiences. If I could just use a hand broom, it’d save me an hour. I’d just keep in the Jeep.

 

[FunWagon]

Ha ha, don’t mean to hijack, but had to post this. Years ago. Two old guys barely balancing on my roof swinging sticks around.

 

[Zandcwhite]

I know for those of us active on these forums and in the off road community it seems like many buyers would jump on a stripped down, base rubicon. All the off road goodies and none of the creature comforts. The fact is we are the vast minority in the jeep market. Most people don't wheel, the vast majority definitely don't wheel hard. The model you describe would barely be cheaper to build, it would be a hard sell for most buyers to spend $45k+ on a stripped down off-roader. The rigs are still loaded with tech due to modern drivetrains, it would just be silly to build a steel dashed, all mechanical controlled, wash down interior when our gauge cluster is basically an iPad. AC? I've wheeled in moab when it's 104⁰ and Arizona when it's 120⁰, ac is mandatory. Heated seats/steering wheel? Not mandatory, but sure feel amazing when I hop in the jeep on a freezing day. If I wanted uncomfortable, loud, hot, stripped, built just for wheeling I'd be in a buggy not a jl.

 

[ItsNo4RE]

That’s close to what I would want/need to replace my JK with a JL... manual transmission, but a Rubicon with half doors. Keep most of rest simple, like black plastic fenders and bumper, soft top (although I had my eye on the retractable hard top), cloth waterproof seats, some waterproof flooring. But I would put 37” tires on it.

By the way, again, I love having a safari roof rack. This is what my kids used to do when they were younger:

Could you pull the top down with that?

 

[Traktor31]

People here have far more Jeep history knowledge than me and I guess I havent been paying attention but....didn't Wranglers used to have rubber flooring? And you could hose them out and the water would drain without any issues to the vehicle?

I guess this is no longer the case?

 

[Zandcwhite]

People here have far more Jeep history knowledge than me and I guess I havent been paying attention but....didn't Wranglers used to have rubber flooring? And you could hose them out and the water would drain without any issues to the vehicle?

I guess this is no longer the case?

They still have the drain plugs, and are supposed to be water resistant interiors. That being said, I'm not taking a pressure washer anywhere near the interior of mine even if it had no carpet. Digital gauge cluster, ac vents, 8.4 touch screen. Guys remember the old bare bones days and picture rubber floors and vinyl or waterproof cloth seats but forget that our vehicles are loaded with electronics now. Many of which are 100% mandated by the government. Air bags, seatbelt sensors, etc. Even if they tell me it's waterproof, I'd avoid getting any of that wet. You just can't build a modern rig without a whole bunch of electronics, and water and electricity are not friends no matter what you try.

 

[DanW]

People here have far more Jeep history knowledge than me and I guess I havent been paying attention but....didn't Wranglers used to have rubber flooring? And you could hose them out and the water would drain without any issues to the vehicle?

I guess this is no longer the case?

No, but the carpet has always been easy to remove and we've got drain holes now, front and rear. So you can still hose them out. People are starting to spray liners in these things now. There are also aftermarket companies popping up with rubber floors that replace the carpet.

I had Line-X sprayed inside my YJ once my carpet got old and I was sick of drying it out after every rain storm. Once that was in there, no floor mats, no nothing. I kept the drain holes open. It was great. It had vinyl seats, too. The only thing I'd do differently now is to use Rhino Liner instead of Line-X. It has more sound insulating properties because it is thicker. That little Jeep was an echo chamber with Line-X. But I didn't care, really. Loved that Jeep.

Two things I left out of my proposed bare bones Wrangler were a Dana 44 front (even if open diff) and 4.10 axle ratio as an option. I wouldn't mind the Rubi's 4:1 transfer case, either, but now it is starting to look like a Rubi-light.

Of course, it wouldn't be hard to just order a bare-bones Sport, especially once the 1/2 doors are out, and do all this stuff to it. You'd probably be just past $30k for a 4 door, which isn't terrible.

 

[Spearmin]

When is Jeep finally going to go backwards in time and make the Jeep far more utilitarian?
Things such as:

• Rubberized flooring.
• Abrasion resistant, non-leather seats.
• A real rack mounting system for the hard top.
• 35" tires
• Durable stock Rubicon rims.
• Real mount points inside around the dash.

Honda element, new Defender - and other vehicles that don't even pretend to be as capable as a Rubicon trim have these.
Bronco is hitting many of these elements.

How long (with this new accessories factory) will it take before Jeep offers TRUE off-roadering grit with the same reflected on the inside. Will this PSA deal make this happen with new capitol?

Now that I have lived with a Rubicon for 2 years, I am getting concerned with the amount of wear it's getting and annoying amount of vacuuming of the carper I have to do. I need more utility.

Anyone else second these notions? Is it time for another trim level?

Aymen...

 

[Traktor31]

Gotcha, it must have been the removable carpet and not actual rubberized flooring where I got mixed up because I knew it had the drain holes.

Yeah I'd be weary to pressure wash anything in a vehicle no matter how rugged lol, but I have seen people using regular hoses on the Element and stuff, seems to work well.

 

[DanW]

Gotcha, it must have been the removable carpet and not actual rubberized flooring where I got mixed up because I knew it had the drain holes.

Yeah I'd be weary to pressure wash anything in a vehicle no matter how rugged lol, but I have seen people using regular hoses on the Element and stuff, seems to work well.

Yep, same here. I did pressure wash the dash of my YJ once. A pelican dropped a deuce across it and it was the worst smelling mess of fish-eating bird bacteria I've ever had the pleasure of inhaling in my 52 years on the planet. I just couldn't wipe it all up. But the YJ's most sophisticated electronics were probably the light bulbs in the dash.

I had a sideways raining gullywasher hit my JL dash, propelled by 70mph gusts, though. I had the doors off in a severe storm and we had to take shelter indoors because it was a tornado warning, too. Nothing I could do. It made the 8.4 screen go wonky and the climate control was in total confusion. After it dried out, everything was fine, but I was worried sick about it. But I still won't do that or anything like it intentionally.

 

[xray]

I still think Jeep needs a true halo vehicle. The Rubicon trim is pretty much identical to the Sahara in many ways.
Sure - Jeep could make a stripped down Rubicon, but they don't want to give away the cow.
I say the Rubicon needs to either go back to the intent, or they have a new trim which is more rugged - like the WIldtrak Bronco option.

 

[jl_misfit]

I'd love to see basically a Sport with 1/2 doors, 2" lift, 35s, bedlined/rubberized interior, rear locker, and manual front swaybar disconnects, and a manual transmission/V6, and aux switches for $35k. vinyl seats, AC could be optional, and steel wheels.

I'd consider trading my JKUR in on one. Just an all-business Jeep with no unessessary stuff on it.

I have a 3.6l Sport with manual windows/locks/transmission, with 2” of lift, 35’s, bedlined fender flares (doing interior soon!), manual disconnects, and am swapping on Rubi axles w/lockers. When the axles with e-lockers and the bedlined interior are done, I’ll be under that $35k mark... just sayin’

 

[Oldbear]

To me it would make sense to sell a “bare” Rubicon, with the luxury goodies being options vs “standard”. Knock a few k$ off the base price and allow folks to build with comfort items as they wish. There are some folks who’d buy a stripped rubicon, others would opt them up. (Might see a lot fewer mall crawler Rubi’s then too)

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