Why Not A Rubicon?

[Jamrock]

I am sure. Buy a Rubicon if it makes you happy. Other people have different reasons for buying a Jeep. Not everyone wants or needs a Rubicon.

To quote a member of the forum. "Do you hear that sound? It is the sound of freedom."

Nice Porshe by the way...

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[RubiSc0tt]

If anything, we (me specifically) are lazy and don't want to put in the time and effort to build a Sport to the level (or better) of a Rubicon.

Nope. TL;DR: I look at it this way: I put in my time, and money, on the last 2 Jeeps.

I drove my 98 Sport on 31's. I roasted a rear bearing following the guys on 33's, and so put an EZ locker and Chromoly shafts in. Then I traded for a beat up Teraflex 3" lift. I bent the axle splines on the Chromoly shafts following the guys on 35's. I found a Ford 8.8 at a Club member's shop, stripped it, cleaned it, and he set it up with a 4 link and bracketry, stuffed it with an ARB, and swapped axles. I had brackets rust off so I went to my RK long arm kit installed (because again, my welding skills are next to non-existent), and followed the guys on 37"s. I never said I was smart, just clever enough. In the end, I couldn't stop the rust. The frame started to rot and that was it. I got a good decade of hard wheeling out of it, probably. I did all the work, with the exception of welding and gear set up, which I didn't have any experience. I paid for everything (parts, occasional labor, etc). When it came down to it, I probably held on too long but we all do that with our first love.

My 04 Rubi was stock, and I was following guys on 33's, and going places my old TJ on 33's had trouble. Hill climbs, rock gardens, any place that required a 2nd or 3rd gear clutch dump for momentum, this thing walked, and completely stock. It was fantastic. After a few years I saw the writing on the wall- I knew this Jeep would suffer the same fate as the last one, being a daily driver in the rust belt. I got tired of the cycle of buying, building, and getting maybe 3-4 years out of it before the frame rots and you need to put more money into it than it's worth. Ultimately I had to pull the trigger early because that Jeep wouldn't fit my son's massive car seat.

I figured buying a '19 JLUR that comes with 33's and 0 miles would help me hit the ground running and buy me enough time. Granted, my work schedule is way more intense now, but it's there when I need it, and when I do get a chance to get out on the trail. If I didn't have my low range, 33's, and lockers this winter I would have likely missed work several times due to blizzards.

 

[cosine]

first off, the rubicon is a great model in the jeep wrangler line up, just as all the model of wranglers.
i looked into getting a rubicon because it has the d44s, lockers, and 33" tires. but i cant justify paying the $50k price tag. the more i looked at all the features that came on the rubicon, i realize that i i didnt need all the bells and whistles. also i didnt particulrely care for the high fender look, the wheels that were offered, and the red dash.

so, i test drove the sport s unlimited and wasnt to enthused with the options on that one. i ended up getting a 2 door sport with only four options. i decided to avoid all the bells and whistles to keep the cost down. now i can build the wrangler they way i want it over time.

now if jeep offered a base model rubicon, i would intrested in one. this would start off with a base model sport and rubicon option which would include the d44 axles, lockers, disconnect, etc. this would avoid getting stuck with other options that no one want and the pricing would be more reasonable.

 

[Jamrock]

now if jeep offered a base model rubicon, i would intrested in one. this would start off with a base model sport and rubicon option which would include the d44 axles, lockers, disconnect, etc. this would avoid getting stuck with other options that no one want and the pricing would be more reasonable.

That would be a bad business decision on the part of FCA. Typically, a company will want to have a high end product to sell to more affluent customers. It is important to distinguish between the base product and the high end product.

Give the Rubicon additional features. Make it be a more prestigious product. Make it appeal to more affluent customers. Make better margins on it.

If you make the high end product too similar to the base product, customers will not pay a premium for it. That is just business 101.

 

[BA33]

I went with a base 2 door Willys Sport. Aux switches/tow is the only upgrade. I'm an outlier here, but to me, a Jeep should be a pretty spartan vehicle. Mild inconveniences are part of the allure. Also, it's going to be my DD. I seriously doubt that I'm going to get into a situation where a stock Rubi could get through but my stock Willys can't, knowing that I have to drive it to work on Monday. Lastly is the price. I could buy more Jeep if I wanted, but I'm into a new Jeep for 30k and still get the obligatory "wave".

 

[Thinman]

Warranty and Financing.

You can indeed save that $10k on a Sport and spend $15k to turn it into a Sporticon, and you will no doubt have a better rig then a Rubicon. Air lockers goood....Prorock44's moooo goooooooood. Yummie.

...but you will have no drive train warranty and few who buy new and fewer who finance, are willing to kill their warranty out of the gate.

At least with a slightly mod'd Rubi, even running 37s, you can either find a friendly dealer or toss stock items back on and enjoy full warranty coverage.








...oh and red tow hooks

 

[entropy]

Warranty and Financing.

You can indeed save that $10k on a Sport and spend $15k to turn it into a Sporticon, and you will no doubt have a better rig then a Rubicon. Air lockers goood....Prorock44's moooo goooooooood. Yummie.

...but you will have no drive train warranty and few who buy new and fewer who finance, are willing to kill their warranty out of the gate.

At least with a slightly mod'd Rubi, even running 37s, you can either find a friendly dealer or toss stock items back on and enjoy full warranty coverage.








...oh and red tow hooks

That warranty doesn'l last that long anyway. Can always do it once it is over. The only real issue is resale value if you care much about it

 

[cosine]

That would be a bad business decision on the part of FCA. Typically, a company will want to have a high end product to sell to more affluent customers. It is important to distinguish between the base product and the high end product.

Give the Rubicon additional features. Make it be a more prestigious product. Make it appeal to more affluent customers. Make better margins on it.

If you make the high end product too similar to the base product, customers will not pay a premium for it. That is just business 101.

not really. jeep could offer custom build with just the specific rubicon parts like d44s, etc. back in the tj model, you can order a sport and specifically order parts without requiring to order a option you dont want. jeep will do well if they offered this and i'm sure members on here would go that route vs buying a rubicon with the extra options you dont want in the first place.

 

[Headbarcode]

first off, the rubicon is a great model in the jeep wrangler line up, just as all the model of wranglers.
i looked into getting a rubicon because it has the d44s, lockers, and 33" tires. but i cant justify paying the $50k price tag. the more i looked at all the features that came on the rubicon, i realize that i i didnt need all the bells and whistles. also i didnt particulrely care for the high fender look, the wheels that were offered, and the red dash.

so, i test drove the sport s unlimited and wasnt to enthused with the options on that one. i ended up getting a 2 door sport with only four options. i decided to avoid all the bells and whistles to keep the cost down. now i can build the wrangler they way i want it over time.

now if jeep offered a base model rubicon, i would intrested in one. this would start off with a base model sport and rubicon option which would include the d44 axles, lockers, disconnect, etc. this would avoid getting stuck with other options that no one want and the pricing would be more reasonable.

Looks like they still do offer a base 4 door Rubicon. Thought something changed since I factory ordered back in late 2018. Msrp of about 42k. Mid to upper 30's at the right dealer. No frills, just basically a sport with the Rubi goodies.

 

[cosine]

Warranty and Financing.

You can indeed save that $10k on a Sport and spend $15k to turn it into a Sporticon, and you will no doubt have a better rig then a Rubicon. Air lockers goood....Prorock44's moooo goooooooood. Yummie.

...but you will have no drive train warranty and few who buy new and fewer who finance, are willing to kill their warranty out of the gate.

At least with a slightly mod'd Rubi, even running 37s, you can either find a friendly dealer or toss stock items back on and enjoy full warranty coverage.








...oh and red tow hooks

i hear you on the warrenty. but the drivetrain warrenty stopped after the 2018. the only warrenty is the 3 / 36. if one is to trade in before the 3 / 36 then thats ok. the other side is those who plan on keeping the jl long term. then the queston is, how well are the oem parts going to last. granted the tj / jk years rubicons held up well. so long term owners will opt to go with a sport and build them with tried and trued parts that are known to last a long time.

 

[cosine]

Looks like they still do offer a base 4 door Rubicon. Thought something changed since I factory ordered back in late 2018. Msrp of about 42k. Mid to upper 30's at the right dealer. No frills, just basically a sport with the Rubi goodies.

i have checked lately. but, i'm sure theres somethings are added in on the base model rubicon that you would be stuck. i'm taking it one step down further. picking a sport and add d44s rubi axles. maybe an option to opt out on the electronic swaybar disconnect or no lockers. something along those line.

 

[BroncoHound]

i hear you on the warrenty. but the drivetrain warrenty stopped after the 2018. the only warrenty is the 3 / 36. if one is to trade in before the 3 / 36 then thats ok. the other side is those who plan on keeping the jl long term. then the queston is, how well are the oem parts going to last. granted the tj / jk years rubicons held up well. so long term owners will opt to go with a sport and build them with tried and trued parts that are known to last a long time.

I don't think that's accurate. The window sticker of my incoming 2020 shows a 5/60k powertrain warranty still.

 

[cosine]

I don't think that's accurate. The window sticker of my incoming 2020 shows a 5/60k powertrain warranty still.

ok, warranty mix up. i was talking about the lifetime drivetrain. 5 / 60 is standard along with the 3 / 36.

 

[SmoothJeepOperator]

I know of many people with Rubicons that just buy it because it's considered the top of the line. I really got a sport because it was what I could swing. I'm not an avid off-roader although I plan to get off road some this year and next. The more I read and see and learn the more I get into the idea of off-roading. I am content with my sport. I never want to do serious rock crawling personally. I do want lockers though, I like the idea of being less likely to get stuck wherever it is that I take my Jeep. Rear arb lockers are in the future plans for sure.
The front axle being an m186 is the only thing I'm really unsure about with my build over time. Considering what I'll be doing I'm sure 35s will be fine. I would sure like the comfort of d44s up front though. Also don't know if I want to put a locker in the sport front axle.

I plan to have my jlu for a very long time though. So I feel like I've got an eternity to get where I'm going. As I off-road I'm sure what I want or thought I wanted will change over time. It will be interesting to see what I have 10 years from now.

 

[Notorious]

That shit didn't come overnight.

Myself and many other forum members did.

Hmmm... Where is Notorious??? It is not like him to be so quiet. Perhaps I will hear from him tomorrow.

Appreciate the welfare check. I’m still kicking. As mischievous and naughty as ever. I’m off of work until tomorrow evening so I’ll be jumping in when needed. Not all superheroes wear capes. Or underwear.

Not everyone wants or needs a Rubicon.

This guy doesn’t need a Rubicon, but wants a 2 dr Rubicon. Which is why I entered the Jeep Easter Egg contest. @JeepCares,

...oh and red tow hooks

That’s the icing on the proverbial Jeep cake. Rubicon prowess means nothing, it’s those damn red hooks that mean EVERYTHING.

You know, if Ford had those red tow hooks on their vehicles....nah, they’d still need a tow truck.

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