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Looking to buy Jeep JKU Sport for my sons first car....lots of questions

xeon

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Hi there,
I am relatively new to jeeps. I am on my first one and love it. I have the typical take-offs:, rims, tires, shocks, springs, front and rear track bars, rock rails, etc...that I have replaced on my JLUR....bumpers are next. I was wondering what if any of this stuff would work on a JKU Sport. If the answer is not much then guess I might consider a JLU for him. Thanks in advance for any info.
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Compression-Ignition

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You can make things fit.....

First car? Get him an old TJ. 2.5 with a 5 speed manual. You should be able to find one cheap. He won't be able to get into much trouble with that engine and trans. Pretty reliable. You won't care a ton if he damages it.

Why a 4 door? 2 doors are pretty dang fun.
 

Strommen95

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I donā€™t believe much of those fit if any. The rims and tires will but for JL stock Rubicons 285-70-17 size youā€™ll need wheel spacers or a 1.5 inch slight lift on a JK to fit. Thereā€™s an ample amount of JK and JLs around so Iā€™m sure you guys will find what you want either way.
 

The Last Cowboy

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4 doors mean that he can take more passengers. Not good when for teens, exposes you to too much liability. Get 2 door and take out the back seat.
 

Dan M.

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4 doors mean that he can take more passengers. Not good when for teens, exposes you to too much liability. Get 2 door and take out the back seat.
Take out the back seat and put spikes in the cargo area to prevent shenanigans.
 

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The Last Cowboy

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The best buys right now are JKs with 3.8s, '07-'11. No lift, no engine mods. Teach him to drive a 6 speed so none of his friends can drive it. A good set of 32" AT tires is all it will need.
 

CT_LFC

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You can make things fit.....

First car? Get him an old TJ. 2.5 with a 5 speed manual. You should be able to find one cheap. He won't be able to get into much trouble with that engine and trans. Pretty reliable. You won't care a ton if he damages it.

Why a 4 door? 2 doors are pretty dang fun.
I really like this idea.

OP, do this.
 

freddiegs

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The best buys right now are JKs with 3.8s, '07-'11. No lift, no engine mods. Teach him to drive a 6 speed so none of his friends can drive it. A good set of 32" AT tires is all it will need.
Id stay away from those exact years. Those motors/trans setups were dogs and most of them have oil consumption issues.
 

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The Last Cowboy

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Yep, they are dogs. A teenage boy doesnā€™t need a fast Jeep. Itā€™s old enough where he can learn how to fix things on it too. The 3.8 is fairly reliable. And anyone who canā€™t be bothered to pull the dipstick at least once a week probably shouldnā€™t be driving. Those 4 speed autos sucked, thatā€™s why I recommended the 6 speed.
 
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mnjeeper

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I wouldn't buy him a JL specifically because you have a few hundred dollars in takeoff parts...

If you did the TJ like suggested above, avoid bigger lifts with a new driver IMO. Never drove a JK so I can't comment there.
 

aldo98229

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I owned a few 3.8L JKs with the 6-speed manual: it was a hoot to drive! Fast it was not, but it sure was fun, particularly in 2-doors.

I agree with the above: I wouldnā€™t put a teenager in a JL. Let him learn to appreciate things in life.
 

Dr. RGB

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Get him an old Iron Duke YJ with half-doors. It will never break down, going over 50 mph downhill is a chore, and there are no electronic component issues, only because the headlights and radio are the only electronic items. But it had the best heater ever built.
 

Oldbear

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I really like this idea.

OP, do this.
Yeah, a 2.5 TJ and you wonā€™t have to worry about any high speed incidentsšŸ˜. Pretty reliable and solid platform W/o a lot of the complexities of more modern Jeeps. Would be a great first car. Kid would learn to drive before in something powerful and expensive.
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