Shifting strategy from Rubicon to "Custom Sport"

[minisoda]

I've read quite a few threads on this, but looking for someone to poke holes in my strategy and let me know if I'm missing something. We are purchasing a JLU as a third fun vehicle for the family. Our teenage daughter will also drive it. We absolutely love the Rubi styling and we're heading down that path. After getting a couple of vehicles sold out from underneath me, it was back to the drawing board and spending around $50k plus TTL.

Thinking more, I thought about going "classic Jeep"... buy a lightly used stripped down Sport for $29k and throw $7k at wheels/tires/fenders/lights/winch/stereo/hood. I think it'd be a REALLY fun winter project with the family and would save around $18k. Since we're paying cash, $18k savings is more than just a difference in payment.

No CarPlay and no rear backup camera bugs me, but we can live without the rest. I know I lived without features when I was in high school driving an '88 Suzuki Samurai!!!

Love to hear your thoughts!

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[SmoothJeepOperator]

Do you need lockers and a beefier front axle?

 

[minisoda]

Not really. They are super cool features, but I think our off Roading around here would be limited to fire roads.

 

[EDH_JL]

Sports have a backup camera

 

[AlexJeepVB]

It all comes down to what you and your family plan to use the Jeep for. If you don't plan on doing rock crawling and not plan on going larger than 35" tires then your Sport plan will make sense. I came from having a JK Rubicon and bough a JL Sport. I loved my Rubicon but really only used the lockers one time so seemed was not really necessary for my JL. Also all new Jeeps have backup cameras even with the smaller 5" screen on the Sport and you can also upgrade the radio for car-play if you want.

 

[Token]

The Sport is already very capable of road. The Rubi gives you the Dana 44's front and rear, lockers, electronic disconnecting swaybar, and the far less mentioned 4:1 transfer case which makes a HUGE difference in serious off road situations, but won't help much on fire roads.

 

[cbrenthus]

If you're going to lift, put on new wheels and tires, and don't really need the lockers or electronic swaybar d/c - then yes, a base is good. But, if you'd like to keep it stock for warranty, longevity, etc, then go Rubicon.

Price wise - your issue is that you seem to be looking on the lots - dealer inventory is notorious for only having fully loaded rubicons. I was looking at a Sport S with Auto, 7", and Hard Top as the only options. I was able to get a Rubicon with Auto and Hard top, (7" stereo is standard) for ~$6K more. To me, the wheels, tires, and hood was easily worth 3K, then having a bit more height, the lockers and swaybar d/c was worth the rest. So I ordered that!

 

[agarber5687]

Do all of your other cars have the basic modern safety features of back-up cameras and parking sensors?

In the end, that was my line in the sand in why I didn't opt for a used JK and bought a new JL instead.

I strongly considered keeping my car and the family mini-van to get a cheaper "project" Jeep JK. However, after one weekend of driving my in-laws older Chevy Impala that was missing a back-up camera and sensors, I quickly realized how uncomfortable I was going back and forth between vehicles with and without those features.

I understand your point and agree, living without those features was fine back when they were never an option. But now that we have had them for so long and use them daily, they become part of how you drive safely and comfortably. The end result is needing to retrain your brain each time when switching.

I may be making a mountain out of a mole hill here but for me it was the final reason I needed to go with the JL.

 

[minisoda]

Done. Just bought a Sting Gray 2019 JLU Sport with 12k miles. $28,800

God help the UPS man over the next few weeks!

 

[AlexJeepVB]

Done. Just bought a Sting Gray 2019 JLU Sport with 12k miles. $28,800

God help the UPS man over the next few weeks!

Congrats! Pics or it didn't happen lol.

 

[Mangoman]

Congratulations !
I had an anvil JK 2 door. I got so many compliments on that color. The Sting Gray is similar.

 

[Jamrock]

If you're going to lift, put on new wheels and tires, and don't really need the lockers or electronic swaybar d/c - then yes, a base is good. But, if you'd like to keep it stock for warranty, longevity, etc, then go Rubicon.

Price wise - your issue is that you seem to be looking on the lots - dealer inventory is notorious for only having fully loaded rubicons. I was looking at a Sport S with Auto, 7", and Hard Top as the only options. I was able to get a Rubicon with Auto and Hard top, (7" stereo is standard) for ~$6K more. To me, the wheels, tires, and hood was easily worth 3K, then having a bit more height, the lockers and swaybar d/c was worth the rest. So I ordered that!

How much did you pay for the base Rubicon?

 

[cbrenthus]

How much did you pay for the base Rubicon?

Stickered at over 47K, I paid about 42K.

 

[minisoda]

I'm actually pretty excited to customize and definitely feel great about getting a good deal. Here's a quick pic... gonna look very different in a couple weeks.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0fzQjoIM0wp2fb17KYFBrm3Yg

 

[Cthehentz]

I'm actually pretty excited to customize and definitely feel great about getting a good deal. Here's a quick pic... gonna look very different in a couple weeks.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0fzQjoIM0wp2fb17KYFBrm3Yg

What a exciting adventure, and I wish you all the luck on your fun family adventures. I just bought my Rubicon last month then had knee replacement surgery and uh well the wife is like what the hell, UPS has been here almost everyday. My only defense is OXI-Shopping for the jeep is down right awesome then you multiply that by Jeep Forums and well GUILTY....

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