New Jeep Uncertainty?

[Killed by Death]

I am one of those guys from that other forum and I am coming to the realization that after almost a year of waiting I will probably not see my new "other vehicle" until the second quarter next year.

Me too...I went loaded Rubicon V6 w/ eTorque to call it a day. Sure, it's overkill but it gives me a slight lift and great tires. All I need for beginner to intermediate trails with no mods.

It sounds like you're a mod kinda guy so I'm not much help. But have you considered a Freedom edition? It is basically a 2 door Sahara and you could mod away. Order now if you are tired of waiting.... 2022s don't start production till December.

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[zouch]

i think the Willys is probably your best value package.

i've got a Willys (diesel) with the Mopar lift, and fit 35x12.5" Mickey Thompson Baja Boss MTs on the stock wheels without any other changes* proving to be necessary yet. i'm sure these tires run a good bit short, but they seem like they're at or near full width.

(*other than adjustable track bars front and rear to get the axles back where they belonged after the Mopar 2" lift proved to be over 4" in the front & almost 4" in the rear).

You can get 33s on a willys without a lift, and you can use the same wheels. For 35s you will need a lift and new wheels. Unless you get pizza cutters.

Keep in mind if you are not really off roading then the 35s are overkill and you should understand the cost and all the cons of going with 35s.

 

[aldo98229]

Me too...I went loaded Rubicon V6 w/ eTorque to call it a day. Sure, it's overkill but it gives me a slight lift and great tires. All I need for beginner to intermediate trails with no mods.

It sounds like you're a mod kinda guy so I'm not much help. But have you considered a Freedom edition? It is basically a 2 door Sahara and you could mod away. Order now if you are tired of waiting.... 2022s don't start production till December.

I never understood what the Freedom Edition is, so I just took a look: it is essentially a Sport S with leather seats, steel bumpers and Gladiator Rubicon wheels. You can add a hardtop, 8.4 with navigation, LEDs and LSD to it.

Sounds like it might check most of the OP’s boxes.

 

[631_Islander]

Hello all:

I am one of those guys from that other forum and I am coming to the realization that after almost a year of waiting I will probably not see my new "other vehicle" until the second quarter next year.

I am getting to the age where retirement is looming in the not so distant future and I want to buy one last fun vehicle while I can still justify it. I'm currently running a '19 Tacoma and I don't really like it. The Toyota seats are terrible and on long trips my back and hip are in constant pain.

I've had three Jeeps ('56, '72 and '90) and loved everyone of them. I sold the '90 about three years ago; the frame and suspension rust was out of hand and it was starting to get to the point of unusable.

I visited a local dealer and he had two identical 2 door Sports in stock. I drove one and I have to say that I wasn't thrilled about the amount of oversteering that I had to do on a brand new vehicle. I am not sure if this is just on the "base" vehicles or if this is something that is on all of them. I've had a lot of Mopars in my past so I am used to the constant steering correction; I just thought it would be eliminated by this time.

Honestly, I really hated the look of both of them; the wheels seemed like they were too small for the fender wells. Maybe it's just me but I really didn't like them. I want a two door; I'm just not a big fan of the four doors.

I have tried the factory build website but it is underwhelming. I can't seem to find the different options that I want. I found a few on the dealer search but some are a few states away and I can't justify the trip unless I am getting a "can't pass it up" deal. I am located in central Pennsylvania and I can't seem to find any large dealers with great reviews as far as service and price.

I want a Jeep with a nice stance; not sure how to describe what I like. I don't need lockers or sway bar disconnects but I want some height over the Sports that I saw and I want some larger tires.

What I'm looking for:
2 door
remote start
leather
heated seats
AC
Cruise
Auxiliary switches
auto
33" tires

What I am not sure of:
Which engine? Is the 4 turbo enough or am I better with the 6?
Can the "start/stop" feature be disabled?
Can I get factory lifts or can I add one without voiding the warranty?

I know it's near the end of the model year: do I try to order one now before the price increase or do I wait and see if there will be any changes in '22?

Thanks!

My recommendations in bold text below:

What I'm looking for:
2 door
remote start
leather
heated seats
AC
Cruise
Auxiliary switches
auto
33" tires
You can get all this in a 2 Door Rubicon or maybe even a Willy's edition.

What I am not sure of:
Which engine? Is the 4 turbo enough or am I better with the 6? Both are very good options. The 6 is an established Work Horse and is known for being one of the best 6 cylinders in the market right now from a reliability perspective. It is probably the 2nd best Engine ever put in a Wrangler after the 4 litre straight 6. The Turbo 4 is very impressive also and there have been no major recalls on it since it was introduced almost four years ago. It has a very nice kick to it. Premium Fuel is highly recommended for the Turbo but not for the 6.
Can the "start/stop" feature be disabled? Yes. You will need to buy an aftermarket accessory like the Tazer JL.
Can I get factory lifts or can I add one without voiding the warranty? You can get the Xtreme package factory installed as part of your custom order.

 

[Ghost7th]

I just checked on the Freedom Edition: unfortunately it is 4 door only.

From feedback I’m guessing I will get the stance I’m looking for without having to go above 33’s? I think it’s been answered but I can’t find it: 33’s will fit the stock wheels? I’m guessing just try to sell the factory tires on craigslist or marketplace.

Am I making a mistake wanting leather if I want to run without a top or with just a bikini? Will sun, dust, rain be an issue? Is there such a thing as vinyl or a similar type seat cover that looks good?

Thank you all for your feedback, it is greatly appreciated!

 

[entropy]

I just checked on the Freedom Edition: unfortunately it is 4 door only.

From feedback I’m guessing I will get the stance I’m looking for without having to go above 33’s? I think it’s been answered but I can’t find it: 33’s will fit the stock wheels? I’m guessing just try to sell the factory tires on craigslist or marketplace.

Am I making a mistake wanting leather if I want to run without a top or with just a bikini? Will sun, dust, rain be an issue? Is there such a thing as vinyl or a similar type seat cover that looks good?

Thank you all for your feedback, it is greatly appreciated!

33s WILL fit on stock wheels. But you can buy rubicon takeoffs. The rubicon comes with 33s, people take them off to put bigger tires. You can buy them and slap them on your Sport. that's what I did check the pictures I posted. It is a 2 door Sport S on 33 inch tires. Like that stance? that's what you need. Dont like it? youll need a lift and bigger tires.

I also bought a rubicon suspension for $150 and replaced my sport suspension for the rubicon. rubicon wheels + tires were $1,200. 80 miles on them.

The bigger the tires, the more stress on your suspension components, the faster things will wear out. Also your jeep will get more sluggish, and your MPGs will drop considerably. For 35in tires that is. 33s not so bad.

 

[Joe98]

Can the "start/stop" feature be disabled?

No.
I turn it off every time I start the motor.
Have you driven any modern cars because they all have it.
How come nobody asks whether Start/Stop can be disabled on a Honda? (Thats me having a joke)

 

[aldo98229]

I just checked on the Freedom Edition: unfortunately it is 4 door only.

From feedback I’m guessing I will get the stance I’m looking for without having to go above 33’s? I think it’s been answered but I can’t find it: 33’s will fit the stock wheels? I’m guessing just try to sell the factory tires on craigslist or marketplace.

Am I making a mistake wanting leather if I want to run without a top or with just a bikini? Will sun, dust, rain be an issue? Is there such a thing as vinyl or a similar type seat cover that looks good?

Thank you all for your feedback, it is greatly appreciated!

Hmmm I built a 2-door Freedom this morning.

Make sure to slide the "switch" to 2-Door before you click on BUILD --see below.

I found the standard cloth fabric to be a magnet for dust, hair and chocolate crumbs; leather cleans more easily. But I don't normally have to deal with the heat as other parts of the country do.

 

[Ghost7th]

I wasn’t on the actual build page: I had searched Freedom Edition. It does come in two door.

I need to compare some builds tomorrow and try to find a dealer in my area. I’ve been looking at the dealer post but not finding any in PA yet. Over 200 pages so it will take awhile.

 

[ilike2breakthngs]

I’ve been looking at the dealer post but not finding any in PA yet. Over 200 pages so it will take awhile.

You don’t necessarily need a dealer in your state. Try the out of state ones like Gupton Motors in TN or Tri-City and email them your build. They will email you back the price which could be up to 9% off of MSRP with affiliate (Tread Lightly or Access Funds donation, if you do not have one). Once the Jeep is built in 4-8 weeks, you can either have it shipped or fly down there to drive it back up.

 

[DUNE RAP]

I am also very close to retirement and decided to get my toy early. I bought a 2021 two-door Rubicon. I got the Rubicon because I knew I could leave it completely stock and be happy with the extra height and tire size. It also comes with 410 gearing and that combined with the 3.6L E-torque engine I’m getting 23 miles per gallon and I absolutely love the jeep!

 

[Odyssey USA]

-2 Dr Willys Hardtop
-Katzkin leather seat cover swap
-2.0 Auto (that is the opposite of high strung being that high strung is an engine you have to rev high to get power. Having both engines in two Jeeps, I’ll take the 2.0.)
-Tazer Lite to disable start/stop

Additionally, if you want a better ride on washboard roads …a small slippery slope of…..
- Basic replacement base Rubicon fenders
- 33’s
-Apex Autolynx sway bar disconnects where you turn a knob to disconnect and reconnect with an easy push down of one side of the sway bar. Takes 15 secs.

 

[The Last Cowboy]

2 door Willys, V6 auto, add the tech group and get the 8" screen/nav. Order the tow pkg to get the auxiliary switches. The 25W package should include LED head/fog lights. Have non perforated leather added aftermarket.

Keep the black wheels and drive it straight to a tire shop and trade the mud tires for some nice ATs. My Firestone MTs are good tires for what they are, but most people won't like the noise. The 33s should fit fine, but you may want to go with something like a Terraflex spacer kit or Rubicon takeoff springs.

The picture in my avatar is a Willys with the 24W pkg (which has been superseded by the 25W pkg). The tires are 32" and the suspension is unmodified.

Edit. Here are some pics. I like the look on 32s. These are true 32” tires vs most others that measure out around 31.5”. Most 33s spec out at 32.5”, so these tires split the difference.

 

[Reinen]

I don't think there were good descriptions of the difference between the 2.0t and 3.6. Since you may not be able to test drive them...

• They're both pretty much identical on paper.
• The 2.0t will be the more powerful engine at altitude.
  (but you won't get high enough in PA to see much of a difference)
• The 2.0 is a turbo so it has a turbo power curve as opposed to the 3.6's flat power curve. That's where people get "high strung" from. I wouldn't call it that, I'd say they're just not used to the "punch" of the turbo power curve.
  (I got used to it very quickly and like having it at my disposal)
• The 2.0t will make the Jeep feel "punchier, faster and sportier" than the 3.6, which is smoother steadier power. Which one is better is very subjective.
• The 3.6 has been around longer and has a good reputation but while the 2.0t hasn't been around as long, it appears to be on it's way to the same reputation.
• The 3.6 sounds beefier and more powerful than the 2.0t, even though it isn't.
• The 2.0t gets better MPG.
• Although it doesn't matter to you, only the 3.6 can be paired with a manual trans.

I can tell you that I greatly prefer the 2.0t but that is primarily because I'm at 1-2mi elevation and the 2.0t is significantly more powerful up here.

 

[The Last Cowboy]

Flip a coin with the engine. After 4 years the 2.0 is looking to be equally as reliable as the V6.

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