Upcoming JLU Rubicon purchase - Electronic Infotainment Package vs. standard radio/7.0 screen?

[Soon2beJeepingPA]

Hi all,

Hoping to order a JLU Rubicon build in the next few days.

Am clear on all the options I want, except for a decision on the Electronic Infotainment Package.

Is it worth it? How so?

I don't believe I really care for and need GPS (I swear by Waze), the larger screen certainly is nicer, but 7.0 is good in my book, don't care for all the SiriusXM services and have never in 20 something years of car ownership worried too much about investing in incremental car sound systems.

What did catch my attention was the active noise-cancelling feature and laminated windshield in addition to the auto-dimming rearview mirror. I know strange bird...

Anyhow, what am I missing? I welcome the education and opinions and inputs from members who made their choice, one way or another.

Thanks!

EDIT: Thank you all for your thoughts and input. Much appreciated.

I DID ultimately place the order WITH the Electronic Infotainment Package. I'll report back once I get it in a few weeks. Can't wait.

EDIT: 2-12-19 picked her up today. I am SO happy with the Electronic Infotainment Package. In fact I am literally blown away. Very very impressed. If you are at all on the fence, like I was, GO FOR IT, you will not regret it.

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[mwilk012]

Well, the alpine audio upgrade is about 1200 on its own, the upgraded infotainment on top of that is what, an extra 200-300? It’s much much larger than the 7.0 inch screen.

 

[TA1ton]

I’d say it depends on what you plan to do with the Jeep. If you plan on having the top off a bunch, I’d probably spring for the alpine. I wish my non-alpine had just a bit more power for when the top was off. Hopefully someone with the alpine can chime in cause maybe the alpine doesn’t make that big a difference with the top off. I have the 7” screen and it works great, but the 8.4” screen has more features. By the sounds of your post, none of those features will probably interest you...mainly just “neat” features. Also...it seems like most (if not all) JLs come with the laminated windshield. Unless I’m mistaken and the acoustic windshield is different than the laminated...but my understanding is that they are the same. My sport s has the acoustic windshield.

 

[Djmatt85]

Something to add about the having the NAV... when out of cell reception, Waze and other phone mapping apps won’t work. So, when I’m up in the mountains on a trail, I can see where I am, leave breadcrumbs on the map, and such.

I know it’s not something that can’t be worked around, but I have found it useful more than a few times. Since I was getting the alpine audio upgrade either way, the extra couple hundred bucks for a bigger screen, nav, and the off road pages was a no-brainer.

 

[BillG]

I’m not a techie, and the 8.4 didn’t really seem worth it to me. The 7 is fine, although mine does have the alpine.
Alpines come with the acoustic windshield, but it seems like most Jeeps are. At any rate, don’t worry about the windshield. You’ll be replacing it soon enough and can choose either type then.

 

[Sital]

One thing that may take the decision out of your hand...are you going to get the advanced safety group (ACC/Forward Collision Warning+)? Even though it didn't appear when I used the builder on Jeep's website, I had two different dealerships show me the conflict generated in their ordering system with the 7.0 screen and the advanced safety group. In other words, if you want the advanced safety group you have to get the 8.4 screen.

In all honesty, I probably would have gone with the 7.0 if there was no conflict, but I was squarely on the fence about which system I wanted (mainly for the noise cancelling too), so it was easy for me to bump up to the 8.4 infotainment package.

 

[melendez69]

I went with the 8.4 primarily for the nav & size of the screen; I can't find my way out of a closet with a door & the iPhone screen is just too small for me. I've also never had a use for SiriusXM and the weather alerts are intrusive (Tazer fixed that), but there are times when I'm done listening to my playlists & podcasts so I go to SXM for variety or sports updates. It's free for a year so, what the hell.

@Djmatt85 mentions the off-road pages... I've never owned a vehicle where the oil/coolant temps, battery, etc. gauges aren't immediately visible, so that's (one instance) where the off-road pages "feature" comes in handy. Sure, along with pitch/roll, etc. they're still available on the instrument cluster, but it's stupid that you have to scroll for each one individually. Many (not all) of us want to see them all at once. One-stop-shopping. The off-road pages feature is great when it works, but has its share of warts. Big, hairy warts.

@TA1ton.. To me, the Alpine works great with the top off at highway speed. I'm not the window-vibrating music type and I don't need the volume turned up to 11 to hear music/podcasts comfortably.

I don't know about the 7, but the 8.4 periodically reboots unexpectedly. Known issue here.

I also found the upgrade cost to be inconsequential. If cost isn't a factor, sometimes it's better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.

 

[jl73660]

Hi all,

Hoping to order a JLU Rubicon build in the next few days.

Am clear on all the options I want, except for a decision on the Electronic Infotainment Package.

Is it worth it? How so?

I don't believe I really care for and need GPS (I swear by Waze), the larger screen certainly is nicer, but 7.0 is good in my book, don't care for all the SiriusXM services and have never in 20 something years of car ownership worried too much about investing in incremental car sound systems.

What did catch my attention was the active noise-cancelling feature and laminated windshield in addition to the auto-dimming rearview mirror. I know strange bird...

Anyhow, what am I missing? I welcome the education and opinions and inputs from members who made their choice, one way or another.

Thanks!

Its worth getting it and also adds value for resale. The 8.4 plus the Alpine system is well worth it in my opinion

 

[Soon2beJeepingPA]

Something to add about the having the NAV... when out of cell reception, Waze and other phone mapping apps won’t work. So, when I’m up in the mountains on a trail, I can see where I am, leave breadcrumbs on the map, and such.

I know it’s not something that can’t be worked around, but I have found it useful more than a few times. Since I was getting the alpine audio upgrade either way, the extra couple hundred bucks for a bigger screen, nav, and the off road pages was a no-brainer.

Very helpful, this is not something I had thought about and the Jeep will definitely be heading into the sticks and mountains with me. Hmm.

 

[Soon2beJeepingPA]

One thing that may take the decision out of your hand...are you going to get the advanced safety group (ACC/Forward Collision Warning+)? Even though it didn't appear when I used the builder on Jeep's website, I had two different dealerships show me the conflict generated in their ordering system with the 7.0 screen and the advanced safety group. In other words, if you want the advanced safety group you have to get the 8.4 screen.

In all honesty, I probably would have gone with the 7.0 if there was no conflict, but I was squarely on the fence about which system I wanted (mainly for the noise cancelling too), so it was easy for me to bump up to the 8.4 infotainment package.

Thank you for the thought and information - I am not going with the advanced safety group package, so no conflict there.

 

[Soon2beJeepingPA]

Its worth getting it and also adds value for resale. The 8.4 plus the Alpine system is well worth it in my opinion

Valid points to consider. Thank you!

 

[JEEPJL]

It's definitely worth it in today's world and as others have said the resale will be a bonus

I love everything about the 8.4 Nav and the Alpine has a phenomenal sound with top on or off

my $.02

 

[Jeeporama]

Well, the alpine audio upgrade is about 1200 on its own, the upgraded infotainment on top of that is what, an extra 200-300? It’s much much larger than the 7.0 inch screen.

1.4 inches larger to be exact. Needs at least 2 inches extra to be much much

 

[mwilk012]

1.4 inches larger to be exact. Needs at least 2 inches extra to be much much

Only, that’s not how screens are measured. If you measured the area of each one, the 8.4 is nearly twice the size because it is much more square whereas the 7.0 is a wide rectangle. The measurements are diagonal.

 

[Mark Elliott]

Just do it, or regret it. Like some of us who “wish” they had this or that, easier to get it now instead of doing it later. Like me waiting for LED headlights, ordered steel bumpers, installed AUX switches. It would have been nice if they were all there when I got my Rubi~

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