Trim Level Advice

[randymac03]

Good Day All

The wife has given me the go ahead to get a jeep! I have decided just for safety and creature comforts I want to get a JLU.

With a $30k budget and self imposed 60k mileage limit it seems my search list is full of Sport trims.

I was really wanting a Rubicon trim to get the increased off road features such as lockers, better axle, etc.

Question being - for a weekend warrior - will the Sport trim have enough to handle most any trail.? Plan to 2.5”-3.5” inch lift and get 35” tires pretty soon after purchase if it doesn’t have already.

Thanks for any input!

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[BDinTX]

I would lean towards "yes" but have no direct experience with that trim.
Are there Willy's available in that price/mileage range?

 

[randymac03]

95% Sports with a Sport S or Sahara sprinkled in.

 

[yokramer]

What kind of trails are you really likely to do, and will it be a regular often thing you go out and do? Even a stock Sport Wrangler will surprise you at what it can handle, theres no need for lockers and a 4:1 transfer case for a Jeep that will only go out to do medium trails 5 times a year.

 

[JEEP4U]

Do you have mechanical skills?

If buying new..... A manual JLU sport is your choice.

 

[randymac03]

I’m in Texas so no Moab level stuff around. Probably be mostly “moderately” rated trails per Trails Off-road guide. Would love to make some trips to Colorado for Imogene Pass and places up there but that would be special trips. Weekends only maybe once or twice a month.

 

[randymac03]

Do you have mechanical skills?

I can turn a wrench if given pretty good directions.

 

[rcadden]

If you're wanting to put 35s on it, then I would go a few years older and shoot for a Rubicon.

The 3.45 gearing that comes with Sports, Willys, and Saharas aren't great for 35s.

I would also suggest that for your described usage, 33s would be a better overall solution than 35s.

The main differences between Sport and Sahara are creature comforts - A/C, leather, cruise control, etc. Willys is a bit like a discount Rubicon.

Even a bone-stock Sport is more capable than 90% of the people driving them, so I wouldn't worry about that. Figure out what features you care about first.

 

[yokramer]

I’m in Texas so no Moab level stuff around. Probably be mostly “moderately” rated trails per Trails Off-road guide. Would love to make some trips to Colorado for Imogene Pass and places up there but that would be special trips. Weekends only maybe once or twice a month.

Honestly you will probably be fine on 33s and with a Sport if you can find one that fits in the options you want on it.

If youre really set on a Rubicon you will need to either save up a bit more or relax your mileage restraint. Saw a few in the 80k mile range under $30k in a quick search on cars.com

 

[JEEP4U]

If you're wanting to put 35s on it, then I would go a few years older and shoot for a Rubicon.

The 3.45 gearing that comes with Sports, Willys, and Saharas aren't great for 35s.

I would also suggest that for your described usage, 33s would be a better overall solution than 35s.

The main differences between Sport and Sahara are creature comforts - A/C, leather, cruise control, etc. Willys is a bit like a discount Rubicon.

Even a bone-stock Sport is more capable than 90% of the people driving them, so I wouldn't worry about that. Figure out what features you care about first.

JLU manual Sports come with AC and cruise

 

[randymac03]

If you're wanting to put 35s on it, then I would go a few years older and shoot for a Rubicon.

The 3.45 gearing that comes with Sports, Willys, and Saharas aren't great for 35s.

I would also suggest that for your described usage, 33s would be a better overall solution than 35s.

The main differences between Sport and Sahara are creature comforts - A/C, leather, cruise control, etc. Willys is a bit like a discount Rubicon.

Even a bone-stock Sport is more capable than 90% of the people driving them, so I wouldn't worry about that. Figure out what features you care about first.

Thanks for this. It seems like the main things that stand out as “better” on the rubicon are the Dana 44 axles, lockers, and sway bar disconnect. Lockers seems like a pretty rare needed thing for me. Most lift kits come with a manual sway bar disconnect. That leaves the axles.

are the sport stock axels easy to break? Or do you have to beat them down pretty hard for them to give up?

good point on 33s. I’ll definitely consider.

 

[Camaroboi13]

If you can make it work with the Mrs there’s a few Rubicons out there that are just outside your budget. You might just have to do a little driving.

https://www.redlandscdjr.com/used-Redlands-2019-Jeep-Wrangler+Unlimited-Rubicon-1C4HJXFN5KW689142

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/9b97ca78-16a0-4176-8fec-0821dbaa2100/

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/961f9a4b-7f5a-416f-b16c-027658ac3024/?oauth_redirect=true

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/cd96223f-e042-44c3-9248-2ec7b671d308/

 

[randymac03]

Honestly you will probably be fine on 33s and with a Sport if you can find one that fits in the options you want on it.

If youre really set on a Rubicon you will need to either save up a bit more or relax your mileage restraint. Saw a few in the 80k mile range under $30k in a quick search on cars.com

Yea I lifted that and also got out of the Houston area and caught a few. Not sure it’s worth driving 1000 miles for or not.

Only thing sport doesn’t have that the wife would probably want is power windows and locks. I can just hear the griping about having to roll the window down….

 

[yokramer]

Yea I lifted that and also got out of the Houston area and caught a few. Not sure it’s worth driving 1000 miles for or not.

Only thing sport doesn’t have that the wife would probably want is power windows and locks. I can just hear the griping about having to roll the window down….

Yea I can see the roll down windows being an issue lol. 1000mi may be pushing it but would be a fun story to tell and would for sure find any issues it may have on the way home.

 

[Camaroboi13]

Texas Jeeps do exist too

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/3116bd02-9827-42b1-8134-0c3d87b2cebc/

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