Sponsored

JL Wrangler Sport or JK Rubicon

Hadoken

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2019
Threads
6
Messages
60
Reaction score
26
Location
NC
Vehicle(s)
2021 Gladiator Mojave (on order)
I had a 16 JKU sport and now a 19 JLU Sport S. When it comes to just every day livability the JLU is so far head of the JKU I can’t imagine going back. This is especially true with the manual transmissions and soft top.
So much more enjoyable as a DD but still feels like a Jeep. Haven’t owned either long enough to comment on theoretical longevity differences.
Sponsored

 
Last edited:

cosine

Well-Known Member
First Name
Chris
Joined
Jun 1, 2019
Threads
73
Messages
13,042
Reaction score
73,032
Location
NY
Vehicle(s)
2019 Wrangler Sport jl
Occupation
Gone Postal
Thanks but I’m East coast.. supposedly there is one dealership in North Georgia and another in Lakeland, FL.
since you are on the east coast, maybe you should look at criswell jeep. located in ganthersburg md. they give 8+% off. some of the members on here have driven, flown in, and traded in what ever they had. struck a great deal and drove home in a new wrangler. criswell have a pretty big inventory and they do custom orders too. i would check them out.
 

cthomas31

Well-Known Member
First Name
Caleb
Joined
Sep 22, 2020
Threads
9
Messages
57
Reaction score
50
Location
Ohio
Vehicle(s)
2024 JLU Sport S Manual Soft top
Get the Sport. It is more than capable for what you are looking to do.
 

Covet

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2018
Threads
2
Messages
392
Reaction score
520
Location
Los Alamos, NM
Vehicle(s)
18 JLUR, 22 392, 22 4xe JLUR sold x3, 24 392
Get the JL all day long.
 
OP
OP

Rkcmike63

Member
First Name
Mike
Joined
Oct 3, 2020
Threads
1
Messages
10
Reaction score
1
Location
Baca2131
Vehicle(s)
Rav4 and 2002 HD RKC
Thanks for all the replies. looking at a JL but hoping around the end of the month/year I can snag a deal On a rubi!
 

Sponsored

jeepoch

Well-Known Member
First Name
Jay
Joined
Nov 13, 2019
Threads
1
Messages
951
Reaction score
2,687
Location
Longmont, CO
Vehicle(s)
2019 JL Wrangler Sport S 3.6L Auto 2 door, 2.5" lift, 35s
@Hadoken,

As you can see, you are going to get every possible opinion on this forum. It sounds to me that your heart is set on a JLUR. The JLU Sport is what your wallet can likely manage so the JKUR is probably your best compromise.

Word of warning, the after purchase modding budget must also be factored in as well. You just know you'll have to personalize it in some way.

I can tell you a little over a year ago I was EXACTLY in your shoes. I was so torn (really, this was a tough decision). But I didn't have the luxury of waiting. A 16 year old driver on his phone clobbered me and totalled both our vehicles. I swerved enough where the collision impact was minimized, and everyone walked away pretty much unhurt.

Still I had to come up with a new daily driver quickly. I had about a $30K budget and just about 36 hours after the insurance totalled it to find something else.

I really wanted an off-road capable Jeep to replace the 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan but realized I could afford nothing in a JL Rubi (under any package). I like everyone on this planet is shocked at the prices of these Jeeps. Sure I could have probably swung a $500+ a month car payment but that would have been something I really wanted to avoid.

So (luckily) I found a 2019 Sport S pretty loaded for a song. $28.5K out the door. It had just under 1K miles and the original owner returned it because the EVIC display on the cluster went dark. Long story short the dealership even messed up the replacement. It took them over 3 months with a fix and they ended up putting in a cluster pre-configured for a Sahara. So it was blowing 'Auto Headlamp' faults for circuitry not found on a Sport.

They ended up giving the original owner a new Jeep and pretty much made the decision to dump this JL just to get it off their lot (and off their books). I was very happy to live with this fault and whistle all the way to the bank.

We'll, after originally setting my heart on a JL Rubi, after a year now with this Sport I can say that I've never had a better daily driver (ever, bar none, period). With the desire to off-road it, I've invested about another $6K and installed the 2.5" Mopar Lift and a set of Duratrac 35's. I also added the Teraflex Sway Bar Quick Disconnects and haven't looked back.

I live along the Colorado Front Range and have since been four wheeling some pretty difficult to severe trails and truthfully it's been a blast. I've successfully accomplished a few obstacles where some stock Rubicon's had to be assisted. Sure, if you're desire is to run the really extreme cliff climbing, rock bouncing crap that you'll need to invest in all the under armor anyway, get the Rubi (in whatever model year you can afford). Otherwise, the Sport is more than capable to likely accomplish 90% of anything anywhere. My Sport has been able to take me EVERYWHERE that I have so far pointed it at. Never once (yet) have I gotten into any trouble.

Granted, while I have been having the most fun ever in a 4wd vehicle (even with the open, non-locking diffs), I do know my limitations. And tell you the truth, I wouldn't want it any other way. The Rubicon jocks can torture their underbellies twenty seven different ways to Sunday, I'm just after the crisp clean high mountain air at or above treeline.

My JL Sport has never yet disappointed me. It is way more capable than even I was giving it credit for. Would I ever want a Rubicon? Sure, maybe some day. But until then, there isn't a difficult to severe trail yet where I haven't had any issues challenging the other Rubi's. In fact most everyone is surprised to learn that there is a Sport in their midst at the top of whatever Mountain pass we're on that day.

No matter which way you decide, don't look back. I'm about as happy with my Sport as anyone can be with whatever model Jeep they can afford to drive. I'm loving every minute of driving mine both on and off-road.

In addition, with the 3.45 gear ratio on the open diffs, with my 3.6L 8 speed auto (even with it lifted on 35's) I'm getting nearly 22 mpg around town. Try doing that even on a stock Rubi.

Good luck, have fun and enjoy the ride with whatever you decide. My JL Sport S rocks.

[I'm sure yours will too.]
Jay

Jeep Wrangler JL JL Wrangler Sport or JK Rubicon InShot_20200915_223133135
 
Last edited:
Joined
Jan 17, 2020
Threads
0
Messages
22
Reaction score
25
Location
85202
Vehicle(s)
K5 Blazer, Jeep
Just my opinion...

Wranglers are very capable offroad and most Rubicons are never pushed to their potential. A sport will likely get you everywhere you want to go (and back). A JLU will probably be slightly more comfortable than a JKU. Long term, a JKU rubicon purchase will probably depreciate less than a JLU sport.
 
OP
OP

Rkcmike63

Member
First Name
Mike
Joined
Oct 3, 2020
Threads
1
Messages
10
Reaction score
1
Location
Baca2131
Vehicle(s)
Rav4 and 2002 HD RKC
@Hadoken,

As you can see, you are going to get every possible opinion on this forum. It sounds to me that your heart is set on a JLUR. The JLU Sport is what your wallet can likely manage so the JKUR is probably your best compromise.

Word of warning, the after purchase modding budget must also be factored in as well. You just know you'll have to personalize it in some way.

I can tell you a little over a year ago I was EXACTLY in your shoes. I was so torn (really, this was a tough decision). But I didn't have the luxury of waiting. A 16 year old driver on his phone clobbered me and totalled both our vehicles. I swerved enough where the collision impact was minimized, and everyone walked away pretty much unhurt.

Still I had to come up with a new daily driver quickly. I had about a $30K budget and just about 36 hours after the insurance totalled it to find something else.

I really wanted an off-road capable Jeep to replace the 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan but realized I could afford nothing in a JL Rubi (under any package). I like everyone on this planet is shocked at the prices of these Jeeps. Sure I could have probably swung a $500+ a month car payment but that would have been something I really wanted to avoid.

So (luckily) I found a 2019 Sport S pretty loaded for a song. $28.5K out the door. It had just under 1K miles and the original owner returned it because the EVIC display on the cluster went dark. Long story short the dealership even messed up the replacement. It took them over 3 months with a fix and they ended up putting in a cluster pre-configured for a Sahara. So it was blowing 'Auto Headlamp' faults for circuitry not found on a Sport.

They ended up giving the original owner a new Jeep and pretty much made the decision to dump this JL just to get it off their lot (and off their books). I was very happy to live with this fault and whistle all the way to the bank.

We'll, after originally setting my heart on a JL Rubi, after a year now with this Sport I can say that I've never had a better daily driver (ever, bar none, period). With the desire to off-road it, I've invested about another $6K and installed the 2.5" Mopar Lift and a set of Duratrac 35's. I also added the Teraflex Sway Bar Quick Disconnects and haven't looked back.

I live along the Colorado Front Range and have since been four wheeling some pretty difficult to severe trails and truthfully it's been a blast. I've successfully accomplished a few obstacles where some stock Rubicon's had to be assisted. Sure, if you're desire is to run the really extreme cliff climbing, rock bouncing crap that you'll need to invest in all the under armor anyway, get the Rubi (in whatever model year you can afford). Otherwise, the Sport is more than capable to likely accomplish 90% of anything anywhere. My Sport has been able to take me EVERYWHERE that I have so far pointed it at. Never once (yet) have I gotten into any trouble.

Granted, while I have been having the most fun ever in a 4wd vehicle (even with the open, non-locking diffs), I do know my limitations. And tell you the truth, I wouldn't want it any other way. The Rubicon jocks can torture their underbellies twenty seven different ways to Sunday, I'm just after the crisp clean high mountain air at or above treeline.

My JL Sport has never yet disappointed me. It is way more capable than even I was giving it credit for. Would I ever want a Rubicon? Sure, maybe some day. But until then, there isn't a difficult to severe trail yet where I haven't had any issues challenging the other Rubi's. In fact most everyone is surprised to learn that there is a Sport in their midst at the top of whatever Mountain pass we're on that day.

No matter which way you decide, don't look back. I'm about as happy with my Sport as anyone can be with whatever model Jeep they can afford to drive. I'm loving every minute of driving mine both on and off-road.

In addition, with the 3.45 gear ratio on the open diffs, with my 3.6L 8 speed auto (even with it lifted on 35's) I'm getting nearly 22 mpg around town. Try doing that even on a stock Rubi.

Good luck, have fun and enjoy the ride with whatever you decide. My JL Sport S rocks.

[I'm sure yours will too.]
Jay

Jeep Wrangler JL JL Wrangler Sport or JK Rubicon InShot_20200915_223133135
Jay, The struggle is real!!! Thanks for the very thorough reply. I have always done a thorough research of vehicle choices before buying a vehicle in the past and it has paid off. However this time I am trying to keep the purchase within a budget. As I get older I find I don’t like to compromises when making purchases. You get to the point where you think I‘m not get any younger and I’m gonna get what I want. However I am making some lifestyle changes that will include much more than just buying a Jeep so I’m trying to throttle myself. Thanks again!
 

Sponsored

OP
OP

Rkcmike63

Member
First Name
Mike
Joined
Oct 3, 2020
Threads
1
Messages
10
Reaction score
1
Location
Baca2131
Vehicle(s)
Rav4 and 2002 HD RKC
Just my opinion...

Wranglers are very capable offroad and most Rubicons are never pushed to their potential. A sport will likely get you everywhere you want to go (and back). A JLU will probably be slightly more comfortable than a JKU. Long term, a JKU rubicon purchase will probably depreciate less than a JLU sport.
Very true but I don’t push my Harley, Ar, shotguns, pistols, knives or my wife to their potential either but I ”had” to have them!! I know your right and thanks for the input!!!
 

Covet

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2018
Threads
2
Messages
392
Reaction score
520
Location
Los Alamos, NM
Vehicle(s)
18 JLUR, 22 392, 22 4xe JLUR sold x3, 24 392
Thanks for all the replies. looking at a JL but hoping around the end of the month/year I can snag a deal On a rubi!
Even without a year end deal, what I said above.
Sponsored

 
 



Top