Trim Level Advice

[Odyssey USA]

There is a set of youtube videos showing a guy doing some pretty serious rock crawling in a stock Jl sport. I can't post the link because the owners of this forum and that forum don't like each other. His forum is full of jerks. But he makes good videos .

He named his red jeep The PIPPI Project - which should be enough to google and find it.

Also, Tommy at TFL offroad purchased a stock Willy's sport and has several videos with the pro/con + he took it on several offroad adventures.

The wife on JL Life Offroad rock crawled the heck out of hers. She didn’t twist an axle shaft until she went with 37’s.

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[kah.mun.rah]

IMO:

Sport: Will get Wrangler owners 99% of the places they will actually go.

Rubicon: Once you own it you will no longer have to worry about passing another one and saying to yourself, "I wish I would have got the Rubicon."

Willys: Overall best bang for the buck.

Sahara: Not worth the added cosmetics

 

[randymac03]

IMO:

Sport: Will get Wrangler owners 99% of the places they will actually go.

Rubicon: Once you own it you will no longer have to worry about passing another one and saying to yourself, "I wish I would have got the Rubicon."

Willys: Overall best bang for the buck.

Sahara: Not worth the added cosmetics

Good perspective. I think at this point I’m going to keep a close eye on the market. Hope for a rubicon but not be afraid to go for a sport if the price is right and all else in place.

 

[Pig-Pen]

i think the willys is only a good bang for the buck if you get the 2024+ with the rear locker or an XR package (neither of which are likely close to your price range). or if you plan to leave it stock. if you plan to lift it and put 35s on it then it really isnt worth the extra cost.

 

[Odyssey USA]

IMO:

Sport: Will get Wrangler owners 99% of the places they will actually go.

Rubicon: Once you own it you will no longer have to worry about passing another one and saying to yourself, "I wish I would have got the Rubicon."

Willys: Overall best bang for the buck.

Sahara: Not worth the added cosmetics

I don’t know about now but in ‘19 the Sahara was a better deal if you were considering optioning up a sport.

 

[Bobby Hank]

My advice to folks that like the open air is to go to a car dealer and take the freedom panels off, store, them. then put them back on. keep a stop watch. For me 3 minutes is too long.

I was coming from a Miata ragtop where I could flip it open or closed without getting out of the car. Being able to flip the top closed at a stop light is actually important in Houston because we get random pop up rain showers with no warning. I can just pull over and flip it closed in 30 seconds, sometimes less. I have to unbuckle and stand up, but I don't have to open the door.

So it all depends on what you need. The original poster is from Houston.
Of course, you're from Florida and get similar random rain showers perhaps?

Yes, we get the pop up storms. But I watch the weather and keep the JLR garaged. I had the soft top on a ‘13 JKUR for 4 years, much prefer the hard top on its replacement.
Much.
Sound, water proofing, look stripped.

 

[Faded glory]

IMO:

Sport: Will get Wrangler owners 99% of the places they will actually go.

Rubicon: Once you own it you will no longer have to worry about passing another one and saying to yourself, "I wish I would have got the Rubicon."

Willys: Overall best bang for the buck.

Sahara: Not worth the added cosmetics

Sahara is probably the cheapest way to get 4 auto if you can find it. Some consider that feature alone worth it.

 

[SadRobot]

Rubicon: Once you own it you will no longer have to worry about passing another one and saying to yourself, "I wish I would have got the Rubicon."

This week all I have is regret for not buying a Rubicon in the first place.

 

[Jeep Wick]

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!

There is a 2020 Rubicon near you for $27k, but it is high mileage. I did find a Willys with limited slip that fits your criteria. A couple lifted Sports as well, 135 potentials on autotrader within 5 hours of you.

 

[randymac03]

There is a 2020 Rubicon near you for $27k, but it is high mileage. I did find a Willys with limited slip that fits your criteria. A couple lifted Sports as well, 135 potentials on autotrader within 5 hours of you.

Interesting. I usually use cars.com. You would think they would replicate but I’ll have to use both! Thanks!

 

[kah.mun.rah]

i think the willys is only a good bang for the buck if you get the 2024+ with the rear locker or an XR package (neither of which are likely close to your price range). or if you plan to leave it stock. if you plan to lift it and put 35s on it then it really isnt worth the extra cost.

I think all years came with the Rubi suspension, rock sliders, LSD in the rear, off-road tires, and blacked out grill. I think some years included LED lights, D44 front axle, and/or Rubicon fenders. The 2024 with the locker is a good buy.

 

[JL ME]

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!

You want a Willys.

 

[Slowcarton]

A Sport S will impress. I took mine (essentially stock, 2dr Mt limited slip) on last weekend's Drummond Island Jeep Jamboree and was able to hang with the big dogs. I did take a few bypasses but, I also had to drive it home.

 

[jimcoffey62]

so that our kids can hear us when we scream at them in the back seat while driving down the highway.

pro tip
The kids don’t hear you.
Volume and noise don’t matter.

I have five kids, and I know things.

they do watch your actions and how you treat people.
but listen? Nah

 

[Remorseless]

I agree with the soft-top option when it comes to the 2 door....which in all fairness, true Jeepiness is the 2 door version. Many of us that have the 4 door have it so that we can store more stuff in the back (which the hardtop keeps more secure), and so that our kids can hear us when we scream at them in the back seat while driving down the highway.

I mean my Gladiator's a 4 door with a soft top and the kiddo can hear me well enough in the back that I had the privilege of singing Wheels on the Bus softly for an hour straight to keep her asleep in her car seat in heavy traffic on Monday as we came back from a beach minivacation. Really it's fine back there with the soft top to have conversation with adults between front and back seats at normal conversational volume.

Way I figure it - you get the hard top if you would've bought an XJ instead of a Wrangler were it still made.

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