My mind is made up and I’m 100 percent getting a wrangler. I just have one more question.

[YJdude]

I highly recommend getting what you want straight from the factory. Avoid aftermarket lift. Based on your situation (being concerned about it as a daily driver) if you or some shop add a lift/rims/tires you're most likely not going to like the result. It WILL NOT ride the same.
Just order it right the first time.

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[multicam]

You can’t go wrong with any Wrangler. Get what you can afford and what you think looks the coolest.

 

[Shelly_16_86]

I went with a Willy’s XR after a very similar debate. Don’t regret it for one second. The factory wheels, 35’s, and 4.56 gears absolutely are worth it. I’m going to be tossing on a set up sway bar disconnects and living my best life.

 

[Spartan99]

Good news is you can’t go wrong. Both are overkill for most of us. Hell the cheapest most basic Wrangler is overkill for most of us. So much of offroading is pure skill and technique on the trails you’ll see people do amazing things in practically nothing, and people do practically nothing with an amazing rig. Either way you can’t lose.

 

[TaiMc]

I went with a Willy’s XR after a very similar debate. Don’t regret it for one second. The factory wheels, 35’s, and 4.56 gears absolutely are worth it. I’m going to be tossing on a set up sway bar disconnects and living my best life.

FREAKIN GORGEOUS!

 

[zouch]

FWIW, i went with a Willys instead of a Rubicon for a variety of reasons, not the least of which was i didn't want some of the alleged "upgrades" the Rubi would have stuck me with.

since i was hooked on the EcoDiesel from the first time i drove one, i knew that i was going to get Dana 44s front and rear with the Diesel on a Willys.
i also prefer to have a gear-driven Limited Slip in the rear for the kind of washboard Dez roads i expected to play in, and didn't see the point in paying for E-Lockers i was going to pull out. (i always planned to do an Air or E-Locker in the front when i regeared to compensate for the larger tires i planned, but didn't want to be stuck with the factory option.)
i also preferred to not have the Front Anti-Sway Bar Disconnect because i'd seen it be troublesome and it allegedly reduced articulation over just disconnecting the Anti-Sway bar completely.
i also hated (seriously HATED!) the red dashboard that came with with any of the interior colors i wanted (along with the red tow hooks), although that is admittedly a personal thing and not impossible to resolve if you don't mind putting the work/$ into replacing the red bits.
further, i don't really want the 4:1 low range that comes in the Rubicon Transfer cases; it's just too dang low for anyone not running tires larger than 37" unless they never get out of the rock gardens, and that's not the only place i play,... plus, remember Diesel? i've already got the torque down low.

all this on top of my admitted repulsion to every idiot around buying a Rubicon that's never going off the pavement because they wanted the sticker on the hood because they want everyone to know they bought (what they think everyone else thinks is supposed to be) "the best" (on their way to and from the Detail Shop); i'd be having to pull that sticker off as soon as i got it home to a hair dryer.

bottom line; too many things in a Rubicon i didn't want (and didn't want to have to pay for), so the Willys was the perfect platform on which to build what i really wanted. the XR package wasn't available at the time or i would have had to seriously consider it (as i've now done many of the same things to mine that the XR pkg comes with); in my case i had a dealer put on the Mopar Factory Lift and went from there.

 

[dragoneggs]

FWIW, i went with a Willys instead of a Rubicon for a variety of reasons, not the least of which was i didn't want some of the alleged "upgrades" the Rubi would have stuck me with.

since i was hooked on the EcoDiesel from the first time i drove one, i knew that i was going to get Dana 44s front and rear with the Diesel on a Willys.
i also prefer to have a gear-driven Limited Slip in the rear for the kind of washboard Dez roads i expected to play in, and didn't see the point in paying for E-Lockers i was going to pull out. (i always planned to do an Air or E-Locker in the front when i regeared to compensate for the larger tires i planned, but didn't want to be stuck with the factory option.)
i also preferred to not have the Front Anti-Sway Bar Disconnect because i'd seen it be troublesome and it allegedly reduced articulation over just disconnecting the Anti-Sway bar completely.
i also hated (seriously HATED!) the red dashboard that came with with any of the interior colors i wanted (along with the red tow hooks), although that is admittedly a personal thing and not impossible to resolve if you don't mind putting the work/$ into replacing the red bits.
further, i don't really want the 4:1 low range that comes in the Rubicon Transfer cases; it's just too dang low for anyone not running tires larger than 37" unless they never get out of the rock gardens, and that's not the only place i play,... plus, remember Diesel? i've already got the torque down low.

all this on top of my admitted repulsion to every idiot around buying a Rubicon that's never going off the pavement because they wanted the sticker on the hood because they want everyone to know they bought (what they think everyone else thinks is supposed to be) "the best" (on their way to and from the Detail Shop); i'd be having to pull that sticker off as soon as i got it home to a hair dryer.

bottom line; too many things in a Rubicon i didn't want (and didn't want to have to pay for), so the Willys was the perfect platform on which to build what i really wanted. the XR package wasn't available at the time or i would have had to seriously consider it (as i've now done many of the same things to mine that the XR pkg comes with); in my case i had a dealer put on the Mopar Factory Lift and went from there.

Okay zouch... beyond your repulsions to idiots that have bought Rubicons, what alleged upgrades would you have been stuck with?

 

[zouch]

well, looks like you're reading things i didn't write, and not reading what i did write, so we're already done.

Okay zouch... beyond your repulsions to idiots that have bought Rubicons, what alleged upgrades would you have been stuck with?

 

[cafecito820]

Another vote for the Willys XR. There's a lot of good to be said for Rubicons, but for the situation you're in, I think the Willys makes more sense. Adding a lift and larger wheels and tires gets expensive fast, and when you add those larger tires, you're eventually going to be tempted to regear, which is even more money you'd be spending on the already more expensive of the two.

With the XR, the Willys is ready to go with the bigger tires and correct differential gears for them. As others have said, you can also add sway bar disconnects and lockers later if you REALLY think you need them, but I think you'll find the Willys plenty capable as-is.

 

[dragoneggs]

well, looks like you're reading things i didn't write, and not reading what i did write, so we're already done.

Those were your words. Anyone can go back to read. Sorry I didn't quote them specifically.

I was just trying to understand where you are coming from. Seems you want to one bucket all Rubi owners. Giving up so soon?

 

[MayThe4x4BWU]

Something I think that matters, well it did for me, is how long you plan on keeping the Wrangler.

I no longer keep vehicles for more than 3 years. In fact the last vehicle I kept longer than that was a 2005 Acura TSX until I gave it to my mom in 2009 after paying it off early.

For me it's a combo of business write-offs and general boredom of vehicles after a time that make me plan budgets around getting rid of them after 3 years. I tried to convince myself to break that habit/cycle when I bought a 2019 GC SRT back in 2019. Didn't work lol

When I started looking at Wranglers earlier this past summer, I told myself that I needed to select something that I didn't need to mess with, yet still would let me go play off road for the 3 years I'd own it. Rubicon fit the bill...perhaps a bit overkill, but it was the best option for what suited my needs.

And I think that's the key...get what suits your needs.

If you plan to keep short term and have the budget, Rubicon is a great option. If you plan to keep long term and see yourself upgrading over time, Willys XR is a great start. You really can't go wrong with any of the trims, as many have said since these things are designed to be upgraded and added onto out the wazzooo to your hearts content

 

[FCCinAZ]

As a first timer, you’ll never approach the capability of the Rubicon off road and it‘s just a lot of stuff you‘ll never use. The Willys XR will be more than capable, will look great on 35’s (which is the sweet spot aesthetically IMHO), and leave some cash in your pocket to do some important upgrades like skid plates, rocker guards, and a winch. Most trails don’t need lockers and it’s best to learn without them. It forces you to pick the right lines and modulate your skinny pedal. Then again, Rubicons probably hold their value better, so there’s that.

 

[Tank the Jeep]

I vote for the Rubicon. A lift and 35s is a cheaper upgrade than lockers and D44 front axle.

 

[roaniecowpony]

Which ever you decide on, go with the 8 speed auto. It's the best transmission I've driven. Avoid the manual tranmission with the exploding clutch/flywheel which has burned down many a Wrangler. Jeep has turned down any warranty claims on the clutch issue. They claim it's operator wear/error even though it's statistically established to be a defect. Someone is going to loose a leg over this.

 

[migs]

Which ever you decide on, go with the 8 speed auto. It's the best transmission I've driven. Avoid the manual tranmission with the exploding clutch/flywheel which has burned down many a Wrangler. Jeep has turned down any warranty claims on the clutch issue. They claim it's operator wear/error even though it's statistically established to be a defect. Someone is going to loose a leg over this.

Yea I’m choosing between the 2.0t or the 3.6l. I’m leaning towards the 2.0t at the moment.

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