One Confusing part of the Rubicon vs. Sahara question.

[BillG]

If you’re gonna be a bear, be a grizzly.
Rubicon = grizzly
Sport= black bear
Sahara = Snuggles the fabric softener bear

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[Arterius2]

Sahara takeoffs are a little more difficult to sell, but still possible. I sold my Sahara side steps and wheels/tires for $700. I bought rubi takeoff rock rails, trailer hitch, and wheels/tires for $850. Well worth $150 for the upgrade.

Oh that’s really good, you may be the lucky few, especially if you live in more remote areas. Rubicon steel bumpers, fenders and suspensions are also much easier to sell and goes for a lot more.

I’ll probably never be able to sell my Sahara take offs here in Canada.

 

[Djmatt85]

Oh that’s really good, you may be the lucky few, especially if you live in more remote areas. Rubicon steel bumpers, fenders and suspensions are also much easier to sell and goes for a lot more.

I’ll probably never be able to sell my Sahara take offs here in Canada.

I must admit, I got killer deals on the rubi take offs and also had to ship my side steps and tires. Definitely a PITA but it did help offset the cost.

 

[Arterius2]

I must admit, I got killer deals on the rubi take offs and also had to ship my side steps and tires. Definitely a PITA but it did help offset the cost.

Yep, I couldn’t even get that price for the tires alone here.

 

[Jlmoe]

Only benefit I see are:

The presence of LSD on the Sahara.
Sahara also more smooth on the roads (tires fitted).

Selec Trac is on both Sahara and Rubicon where I live, so no benefit to the Sahara on that

Other than that, Rubicon all the way..

 

[Jeeper Fever]

Sahara dominates the Mall, Rubicon dominates the Trail.

Unless, you take your Rubicon to the Mall.

Either way you can still drive over stuff.

It's a Jeep.

 

[multicam]

I chose the Rubicon because they don’t offer the Sahara on the 2-door anymore. Slide whistle

 

[JayD1056]

I don’t really do any serious off-roading so sway bar disconnects and lockers aren’t needed. I’ll see some ruts and need the Clarence when I visit Death Valley this year. But most of the time any skilled driver can do what I’m looking for.

I have logged about 25 hours in 4H-Auto on the Sahara this year doing ski trips so I guess I’m happy with the use I’ve got from that and the LSD in the first 9000 miles.

 

[brewtus98]

I chose the Sahara because I wanted the limited slip rear differential. The lockers on the Rubicon are nice, but the LSD is more useful for the reality of my driving. If I were off roading 50% or more of the time, the Rubicon would have been a no brainer, but seriously I offroad 1% or less of the miles I put on it. And, quite honestly, this Sahara is a beast offroad. I didn't even push it's limits, yet I was incredibly impressed.

Same reason I got Sahara- Limited slip in the snow with 95% on road driving. Don't need lockers/auto sway bar disconnect as I am not rock crawling in Ohio. And 4.10 gears not needed because I am sticking to 33's on the daily driver. I got Rubi Takeoff suspension and wheels tires for $1200, sold the Sahara stuff for $700. Mine now sits higher than a stock Rubi after a 1/2" spacer lift and I am into it for far less than a Rubicon with the same appearance.

Matter of personal choice.

View attachment 163010

 

[uglyyeti]

Have you considered a Moab edition? It's essentially a Sahara with Rubicon bumpers and hood with black wheels and its own wider rock rails (that kinda pass as a small side step.) Has a lot of the Rubicon look and feel with Selec-Trac. (Limited to the 3.6 though, and I wanted to try a 2.0T this time so I got a Rubicon.)

 

[Shooting or Jeeping]

that $5000 difference is actually more like $1000 once you start upgrading parts, your rubicon take offs are worth their weight in gold on the used market. but Sahara take offs?? Crickets.

Maybe the wheels and hood, but that’s about it. Most every other Rubi takeoff is selling for $100.

 

[Shooting or Jeeping]

Look, you mentioned it is 5000 more. So right off, the question is your statement about “you get so much more”. If what you get isn’t what you want- why pay for it?

But the bigger question is why you left the sport out. If you are all about off-roading, many pick the sport because you are going to scrap the stock stuff anyway. I always chuckle a bit when Rubi owners stand by their off-road prowess, but end up removing everything that made it different from the factory. And if you don’t, I’ve seen and driven plenty regular upgraded models that torch stock rubis on the trail.

Fact is, if you are asking this question, I would lean to stating that you aren’t intending to hit the trails heavily and the extra bits are going to be utilized for looks and bragging rights. Only you can decide if that’s worth 5000 bucks more.

 

[CriticalMass]

I also believe a Rubicon will carry a higher resale value, of course if you don’t intend to sell this isn’t relevant.

So you are saying a much more expensive variant of a vehicle will sell for slightly more money in the used market? I think i need to subscribe to your financial blog.

 

[Jo's Jeep]

Sahara's are for soccer dads

If you want a mans Jeep it comes at a premium

Sahara bias over here. Personally it just depends on what you intend to do with your rig. I only tend to do trail runs and light off-roading no rock crawling. I don’t need the off road perks of the rubi. As long as it’s a stick I’m happy and I really think I made the right decision.

These two posts speak volumes and they just happen to be posted sequentially. One is written with forethought and logic the other, not so much. Can you tell which is which?

 

[wvgasguy]

4:1 ROCK-TRAC HD PART TIME 4WD
PERFORMANCE SUSPENSION
DANA 44HD WIDE AXLE F&R
TRU-LOK FRONT & REAR AXLES
FRONT DISCONNECTING STABILIZER BAR
ROCK PROTECTION SILL RAILS
TRANSFER CASE SKID PLATE SHIELD
TRANSMISSION SKID PLATE
FUEL TANK SKID PLATE SHIELD
High Rise Fenders
POWER DOME HOOD_Vented
LT 285/70R17C

I find these to be well worth the premium one pays for the Rubicon. However, to many people on the forum this is overkill. Spending $5,000 on things that they don't need or even want is wasteful, especially when there are kids to feed and wives to please. It was overkill for me. A Sahara probably would have been better for me for my intended purpose but I like to looks of the more aggressive Rubicon. Had the MOAB been available when I ordered I might have considered it, though the mud tires are a deal breaker for me. I traded my 2017 JK Sahara for the Rubi and don't regret it. But the limited slip and the automatic 4wd available on the Sahara would be more useful to me.

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