Ordering a 25 this week looking for advice

[jdru66]

Hi any advice would be appreciated. I am getting back in the Jeep game after awhile out. This will be a toy that I can get my kids in. My desire of wanting a 2 door jl is I loved my several YJ and TJ jeeps I had and this will allow me a summer toy to take my boys along in.

I’m between willys and rubicon. The rubicon is overkill from an off road use perspective but I want leather seats.

This leaves me with going willys and having katzkan done as I don’t like the perforated option. I also would want to change out the inside grey dash (looks like a pita) and the black front grille.

or go rubicon and spend the extra $ but get the leather seats, inside dash and front grille I like and not have to spend time after I get it messing around.

has anyone done katzkan or changed out the inside grey dash that can offer thoughts on how painful those two are?

On one hand Willys helps the pocketbook on the other hand I could go rubicon or rubicon x and just get it all and be done.

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[MaybeRubi]

My opinion based on the feel of your post: Get the Rubicon with what you want; no need to "mess around" as you phrase it. It also doesn't seem like the $ is crucial to you or you wouldn't even be considering the Rubicon. (And this is coming from a Willys purchaser.)
Oh, and use ratbert's below invoice dealer list either to purchase or for leverage with a local dealer.
Good luck.
Have fun.
Overkill, shmoverkill!

 

[kah.mun.rah]

A 2dr Willys with the Xtreme option would give you all and everything you would want and need.
As far as Katzkin leather, they are very high quality. Better than factory leather I have had in any my vehicles. Here are pictures of Katzkin that we put in our Rav4: https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...on-dropped-on-2024-willys.115248/post-2397203

 

[jdru66]

My opinion based on the feel of your post: Get the Rubicon with what you want; no need to "mess around" as you phrase it. It also doesn't seem like the $ is crucial to you or you wouldn't even be considering the Rubicon. (And this is coming from a Willys purchaser.)
Oh, and use ratbert's below invoice dealer list either to purchase or for leverage with a local dealer.
Good luck.
Have fun.
Overkill, shmoverkill!

Thanks I think I am there now. Tonight I’m debating Rubicon or Rubicon X. I cannot decide on if I like the painted flares or not. It’s 2600 difference comparing my builds and you get those painted flairs auto dimming mirror better radio and the supposedly better front class

Ratberts list helped a ton. I got with Brian at Koons and he has been great. They are 3 hours from me which is fine I have a trailer and can just fetch it when it arrives. The dealers by me never come close to forum deals. I went through it a few years back when we got my Ram.

 

[jdru66]

A 2dr Willys with the Xtreme option would give you all and everything you would want and need.
As far as Katzkin leather, they are very high quality. Better than factory leather I have had in any my vehicles. Here are pictures of Katzkin that we put in our Rav4: https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...on-dropped-on-2024-willys.115248/post-2397203

Thanks the 35 wheels and tire I don’t need.

katzkin seems great. And if the dash did not need to be hassled with too I may have leaned towards willys. Tonight I’m leaning towards rubicon.

my issue with going willys is the days and time hassle to get it where I want vs the rubicon that costs more but comes that way. Like the dash there is no doubt I’ll get it apart break a few clips shave to order some etc.

 

[2nd 392]

Willys /XR is the best bang for buck. Before reupholster, dash, and grille. The difference after ? Also consider resale value, those changes will likely add little or no value.

 

[jdru66]

Willys / Willys XR is the best bang for buck. Before reupholster, dash, and grille. The difference after ? Also consider resale value, those changes will likely add little or no value.

Right after I dump 3k into a willys I may as well just be at rubicon on resale. Willys xr is the best bang for the buck. If I could get non perforated leather and the dash changed I’d order that.

 

[kah.mun.rah]

Thanks the 35 wheels and tire I don’t need.

katzkin seems great. And if the dash did not need to be hassled with too I may have leaned towards willys. Tonight I’m leaning towards rubicon.

my issue with going willys is the days and time hassle to get it where I want vs the rubicon that costs more but comes that way. Like the dash there is no doubt I’ll get it apart break a few clips shave to order some etc.

My last 2 JLs have been Rubicons but with what the Willys comes with today (D44 axles and rear locker) I would go with a Willys on my next one. We all think that 33" are good enough but that doesn't last long...haha: https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/35’s-on-2021-rubicon-questions.110581/post-2296084
The Willys XR has a stronger axles than the Rubicon and comes with a small lift, 4.56 axle ratio, and 35" tires that are covered by warranty.
The advantages with the Rubicon are the 4:1 transfer case, front locker, different hood, and electronic sway bar release. All great things for extreme off-roading but never used for mild to moderate off-roading.
All of that said, if you get a Willys and wish that you had a Rubicon every time one passes by, maybe a Rubicon would be the best option.

 

[jdru66]

Any opinions on the painted flares of the rubicon x? Is that just a personal preference thing? The black ones fade and yes you can rub the black stuff on them. The painted ones I wonder how they hold up.

 

[jdru66]

My last 2 JLs have been Rubicons but with what the Willys comes with today (D44 axles and rear locker) I would go with a Willys on my next one. We all think that 33" are good enough but that doesn't last long...haha: https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/35’s-on-2021-rubicon-questions.110581/post-2296084
The Willys XR has a stronger axles than the Rubicon and comes with a small lift and 35" tires that are covered by warranty.
The advantages with the Rubicon are the 4:1 transfer case, front locker, different hood, and electronic sway bar release. All great things for extreme off-roading but never used for mild to moderate off-roading.
All of that said, if you get a Willys and wish that you had a Rubicon every time one passes by, maybe a Rubicon would be the best option.

Thanks i will be happy with either one. It’s just more a time factor having to take the willys in for seats to be done. Spending a day swapping dash and grille.

 

[kah.mun.rah]

Any opinions on the painted flares of the rubicon x? Is that just a personal preference thing? The black ones fade and yes you can rub the black stuff on them. The painted ones I wonder how they hold up.

I was always anti-painted fenders since I do a lot of off-roading where the fenders rub; however, after having painted fenders now vs the faded black ones on my past YJ and JK, I am big fan of the painted ones.

 

[kah.mun.rah]

Options that I have that I think are not worth the $$ are front camera, auto 4wd, SOT, paint matched mirrors, adaptive cruise (might be standard in all Wranglers now), premium audio, and headliners.

 

[jdru66]

Options that I have that I think are not worth the $$ are front camera, adaptive cruise (might be standard in all Wranglers now), premium audio, and headliners.

You mean hardtop headliner? I had that selected as I am going hardtop just to have it. I do plan on soft top most of the time but do want the hard top for down the road.

I could save a few $ going regular rubicon skipping headliner and premium audio. The one I test drove didn’t have it and sounded fine. Adaptive cruise is never touch and front off road camera I don’t need.

I want the blind spot.

At this moment I kind of have myself talked into going big and getting rubicon X and there isn’t anything left to say I wish I would have got X.

 

[kah.mun.rah]

Thanks the 35 wheels and tire I don’t need.

FYI, if you want an automatic transmission and a Rubicon X, you will be forced to get 35s.

 

[kah.mun.rah]

You mean hardtop headliner? I had that selected as I am going hardtop just to have it. I do plan on soft top most of the time but do want the hard top for down the road.

I could save a few $ going regular rubicon skipping headliner and premium audio. The one I test drove didn’t have it and sounded fine. Adaptive cruise is never touch and front off road camera I don’t need.

I want the blind spot.

At this moment I kind of have myself talked into going big and getting rubicon X and there isn’t anything left to say I wish I would have got X.

I have had a JL with and without the hardtop headliner and didn't notice any difference. The same with the premium sound. Yes, blind spot is a MUST HAVE in a Wrangler. As I mentioned above, if you want an automatic transmission, the only way you can get that in the Rubicon X is if you get the Xtreme 35" tire option which pushes the price to almost $60K. A lot of $$ but a pretty sweet ride.

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