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What options are worth it?

BillG

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The only options that are worth it are ones that add value TO YOU.
Forget resale value, forget trying to impress others, just decide which ones add usefulness or pleasure TO YOU. To some people safety package and proximity are important. To me they added no value. I can push a button on a fob and turn my neck.
It’s your Jeep, make it YOURS.
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redjlrubi

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Hello everyone I am new to the forum and wanted to say Hi! I currently don't have a car because I am deployed but I am going to buy a JLU when I get back to the states. I will most likely purchase a Rubicon but I wanted to know from everyone what options are actually worth the money to getting. I know this is heavily opinion based but my friend has the alpine in his 17 JKU and it doesn't sound that great for the price. I don't have deep packets so trying to save where I can and go aftermarket if needed. Also should I wait for the 2.0 Turbo or pick up a 3.6 now?
I ordered a red rubicon 2 door with all options, but i agree with smithrd65, Every thing is a personal choice. I ordered premium soft top and premium cloth seats. I also got the alpine upgrade, a lot on members said it sounds awesome. I have 2 friends that got hard tops and they both now wish they got the Prem. soft top. So that helped me with that decision. good luck with your desicions and THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE...
 

RussJeep1

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what options are "worth the money...."

As prior posters have smartly alluded to "worth" has personal and market meaning. You could be asking, "which options do the vast majority of people think really aren't worth the money" (lets say for example of the older JK Wrangler where the aftermarket's produced better product at cheaper cost to MOPAR, a market yet to be established much for the JL).

You could be asking which options retain their worth most, or are likely to cost you should you sell the rig down the road (e.g. lack of A/C in the most basic trim)?

If your talking market worth: Wrangler's depreciate slower than most other vehicles, but all vehicles depreciate, particularly in their initial years Sure, there's the occasional customized rig that fetches lots of money, but it's the exception. Sure there's the guy who buys at 5% off invoice on a factory order an then sells the rig at market, but again, an exception.

And options on a rig: they depreciate even faster.

Some options are best done with the dealer or dealer parts for warranty issues.

Some options are better (if not financially wisely) done at purchase as their cost is amortized over the life of the loan/lease. People like to say things like "but look, my monthly payment only goes up by $13.50 if I get option X," forgetting that over the life of the financially obligation they just paid $4,500 (the #'s are made up, the principals are not) for a $2,095 matching colored hard top, where the net present value of those payments came out to $3,467.74.

We can't speak to your other financial obligations. We can't speak to your desire to save money over enjoying it now: neither in excess being a good thing I think.

All this said, I have my own biases.

Cold weather group....you've bought a Rubi..you're likely to dress for the weather and not need this feature (other's sweat buy it)

Active safety group: you're military..you know the importance of following protocol....when changing lanes you look over your shoulder first, others swear by these failsafes

Conversely: all weather floor mats...Rubi owners take the Wranglers to places where dirt resides...The $130 may save you damage to your rig's carpeting...on the other hand, you may prefer the aftermarket's options here.

Drive train...? don't know you well enough to say.

Sharing more about yourself might lead to more specific answers.
 

dave.j.fisher

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I've thought a lot about this topic and here's how I'm ordering... Please take everything as "IMHO"

Must haves: (for me)
8-speed auto trans
LED lighting
Trailer tow package (you get the aux switches with this and I will be towing)
Steel bumper group (probably only a nice-to-have but I'm getting them anyway)
Electronic Infotainment (larger UConnect screen, NAV, includes Alpine system and I like music)

Nice-to-haves: (I won't be ordering these)
Leather seats - (Overprice at $1500 and I can change out cloth for Katzkin later if needed)
Active Safety group (you still get the backup camera, the cross-traffic and back-up sensors/warnings are nice but I can turn my head)
Cold weather group (I have these features in my GC, I live in San Diego and hardly ever use them, if you don't get this you'll pay for remote start separately if you want it.)
Remote start (I would definitely get this if I lived in a cold weather climate)
Proximity keyless entry (I can use the button on the key fob just as well)
All-weather floor mats (I'll buy the Mopar ones with the red accents after the fact)

Definitely NOT:
Wheels with polished lips (I like the look of these wheels but only slightly more than the standard wheels, not worth the $900 upcharge)
Hardtop headliner - (Will add something like this later, from Hothead or the like.)
Smokers group (don't smoke, $30 for an ashtray?)
Trail rated kit (overpriced)
I don't think you ever mentioned, hard top or soft top or both? Warm climate or not, I'd like to switch up the top, its like getting a new jeep! I went with the mid-level screen and kinda wish I had gone with the largest one. I agree with nearly all of your options, excellent choices and thank you for your service.
 

Steveo

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I don't think you ever mentioned, hard top or soft top or both? Warm climate or not, I'd like to switch up the top, its like getting a new jeep! I went with the mid-level screen and kinda wish I had gone with the largest one. I agree with nearly all of your options, excellent choices and thank you for your service.
The top is something I struggled with and is really just a personal preference thing. i.e. Ask yourself "How are you going to use the Wrangler JL?" I still struggle with that question even after ordering. I ended up getting the Hard Top because I figure I can add something soft later, probably from Bestop.

Thanks for the comments but the only thing I've serviced is myself. :) (No stolen valor here!)
 

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K9Jeeper

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LED headlights are a must

And the Infotainment package is a great value, so I’ll call that a must (auto dimming mirror, larger screen, nav, premium audio all bundled together)
 

smithrd65

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Options are personal choice if you let the Nice people on the forum choose your options you will miss out on what you may want.
This shouldn't be a group discussion its your money your choice.

You will end up with BUYERS REMORSE.
 

Matthew/E36

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The ones you want are the ones that are worth it. It's your Jeep get what you want not what the forum tells you to get.
Yeah, it's cliche...but accurate!

If you have a budget it helps. If you can afford it, just go through the options online and select as you go. For every option you can find someone posting that it will turn your life around and it is totally useless! Hahahaa.

GL and please make it back safely.
 

Matthew/E36

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PS, maybe based on where you live you can cross some off.

Then any option you were on the fence about?
 

Sftdyna0326$

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Hello everyone I am new to the forum and wanted to say Hi! I currently don't have a car because I am deployed but I am going to buy a JLU when I get back to the states. I will most likely purchase a Rubicon but I wanted to know from everyone what options are actually worth the money to getting. I know this is heavily opinion based but my friend has the alpine in his 17 JKU and it doesn't sound that great for the price. I don't have deep packets so trying to save where I can and go aftermarket if needed. Also should I wait for the 2.0 Turbo or pick up a 3.6 now?
Ok, so now that we have established your pocket size get the stuff that’s most important for what you do. Your in Florida so perhaps a hardtop isn’t needed, the informant alpine sounds excellent to me and we have range rovers with expensive meridians and the alpine is dam close in sound quality plus you get the Nav. Leather can always be added down the line so you can leave that one out! LEDs are absolutely worth it to me but you need to decide, tow package is well worth the money just to get the aux switches pre wired and programmed from the factory, plus bigger alternator. Upgraded wheels not worth it and body colored fenders are cheap if your into that. You certainly don’t need the cold weather package but you do get auto start so you decide. Proximity keyless entry was the only option I didn’t want as less electrical stuff to break the better. Steel bumpers are very nice but you could buy something nicer down the line. Take your time and you will figure it out.
 

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Nash

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Get the smokers group !!! Omg 75$ for a cigarette lighter!!! It's a steal :) ..... ps dont listen to me !!
 

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I'm happy that I spent the money on the LED, Infotainment, tow, upgraded soft top.
 

Ruby Jack

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It's mostly personal choice, but I think EVERYONE should get the LED package if they can. They not only look better, but they greatly increase view and clarity while driving at night which also makes it possibly one of the best safety upgrades you can make, especially if you drive at night often.

I also got the Tow package on mine because it not only gives you the 4 extra wiring buttons on your console, but also a hitch and a beefed up alternator, which is pretty good especially since you're gonna be restarting your vehicle constantly with the ESS. Beefed up alternator is never a bad thing.

Another option that I didn't get but starting to wish I did was the upgraded entertainment system. It's pretty expensive (like $1400) but it also includes a bunch of extra things like extra software, on-board wifi, acoustic glass, AND the upgraded sound system.
 

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The Rubicon models are way overpriced as far as I'm concerned. When you start paying that much for a vehicle, are you really going to be taking it hard off-road? If you put every option on a JLUR, you can get to around $60K. For that price, you could get a base level Cayenne that will handle better on-road and do everything that someone who is buying the fully decked out JLUR is actually going to do with their vehicle anyway. And the creature comforts of the Cayenne is definitely better than you will find in any of the options for any of the JLs.

There's a good chance that most of the people buying Rubicons in places like Florida are buying a vehicle with more capability than they need. If you live somewhere that is flat, why do you need rock crawling capability or extremely low gears? The type of off-road vehicle that can go out into the Everglades or along the beaches is different than the type that can go to Moab.

Personally, I don't care about the sound system in the JL that I ordered. Maybe if I was young and still had good hearing, it would be different. Between the damage from when I was in the Navy, to the fact that back in the day, we never wore hearing protection on the gun ranges, to just getting older, my hearing is probably not that great these days. And let's not forget "repetitive noise-induced hearing loss" (i.e. your wife's voice). If I want to hear music, I'll just put a pair of headphones on and that will also help muffle out the other environmental sounds.

Buy what you can afford and not what you can get a loan for...
 

dgulia

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Tow group and LED group will be my choice
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