Can't believe that I've missed this thread until now.

I've gone out "Jeeping" (I didn't even know that was a verb until a couple of months ago) a couple of times with a friend in his Rubicon and simply put: I'm addicted, and I want....no, I NEED a Jeep!

I've still got 2 years left on my current lease. Might try to get out of it next year after seeing what the new JL platform is going to offer. Sounds like it will have an 8 speed auto transmission, and a Diesel is probably coming as well (I'm probably not interested in that).

Rumor is a 4 banger turbo is going to be standard, which I'm not happy about. I'm hoping a V6 will still be offered.

Right, common wisdom is always to wait until the second model year of a new generation.

My problem? I honestly don't know if I can wait that long! It will be all I can do to wait a bit more than a year for the JL to come out. 2 years? Ugh.

There is a part of me that is definitely worried about getting a Jeep though. I don't think there is a vehicle in existence that there are more after market parts available for. It seems that there is no end to the money that one could spend building their Wrangler. So the cost is a big concern, but at the same time, it's the custom building aspect of it that is very appealing to me. I can see it being a hobby that can really take a lot of time and money, but without the return on investment compared to Pinball.

I mean I know Wranglers hold their value extremely well. But the after market parts that you add? Not so much..

Very nice! What year is that? Is that a Hard Rock edition? I love the hoods with the air extractors.

Very nice! Congrats!

I just had lunch and was returning to my car (STi), and this was parked next to me. It's a sign I tell ya!

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Don't sell that stock Rubi short. They are very capable even in stock form. Several stories of guys who took their stock Rubi's on the Rubicon trail. Not something that I would do, but guys who really know how to drive them can get a lot out of them.

That's what scares me about this hobby. Just putting on a good suspension/lift and new wheels and tires puts you at nearly $6k after installation. I don't have the experience to put a suspension kit on myself.

I think I'm going to go with the Raptor, mostly because of the awesomeness that is this video:

This is spot on, and is a huge part of the reason that I want a Wrangler. Even though I don't have one yet, I've been out a few times with a friend and have experience the Jeep culture first hand, and I am very impressed by it.

Very nice Rubi!

Did you have to use spacers on the stock wheels to get the 35's to fit?

Do you get the annoying wind noise from your light bar?

Cool, I wondered if those worked.

Chevy wants a bit of the ever expanding market of highly capable off road vehicles with the launch of the ZR2.

New Wrangler coming for 2018, new Raptor is hitting dealers soon, Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro, and now the Chevy ZR2.

LED headlights for one thing. Can't believe it took Jeep so long to go that route.

I agree, and that is one reason that I am a bit torn on whether to go forward with buying a JK now instead of waiting for the JL. JK is a proven platform with tons of aftermarket parts available. Obviously it will take time for the JL to get to that point.

Well said Kris, I can't argue with any of that.

There's still a part of me that wants to wait to at least see what the JL will offer before pulling the trigger on a JK.

Plus, I also want to at least see/test drive the new Raptor and the new Colorado ZR2 before making a final decision (even though those are obviously quite different than a Wrangler and a bit of a compromise off road, one of them might be a good compromise for me since it will be my daily driver).

I'm still trying to get a handle on what a modified JK would be like on the street as a daily driver. I hear that the 2.5" Rock Krawler X-Factor suspension is nice on the street than the stock suspension. But something like the ZR2 or Raptor would probably still be smoother on the street as they are also tuned for dunes/baja instead of just rock crawling.

Seriously?

Adding a 2.5" Rock Krawler lift is only going to improve the looks slightly and won't give it a "mean look of off-road" and I have zero intention of spending that kind of money (nearly $5k installed) for "looks." I have zero interest in a mall crawler.

I have every intention of using the vehicle off road on the weekends (we have some of the best off road trails anywhere here in SoCal). But it *will* be my daily driver as well, so I have to take that into consideration.

Rock Krawler markets their kits as "hardcore suspension for your daily driver" which is exactly what I'm looking for. The question is just how "drivable" the JK would be on the street with their kit.

Of course, but the reason I don't see what he is saying is because I already acknowledged what you are saying in my post:

If I go with a JKU, I have already pretty much decided that this is the exact route that I would go based on the research I've done.

Kris, do you remember if your Xfactor kit was the long arm or short arm version? That's the one thing I'm still researching in terms of whether the long arm is worth the extra cost over the short arm kit.

Damn, that is so cool!

Thanks, I didn't mean to come across as being offended (but probably did). I have definitely considered having two vehicles (that's what I've done with the sports cars I've owned) but I've come to the conclusion that it's not worth it for me to have two vehicles as the weekend vehicle inevitably does not get enough use to justify the cost.

So yes, I realize that some compromise may be involved here.

Cool, thanks bud!

I love your JKU, but you'd have to make me a hell of a deal to tempt me because even though it's going to cost me a pretty penny, a huge part of the appeal to me about getting one is doing all the mods myself and making the JKU "my own." Modding a Wrangler is a huge part of the hobby.

I test drove a 2017 Rubicon yesterday.

I've got the bug.

I don't think so.

Nice Jeeps!

Wow, I definitely learned something new today then. I thought "Unlimited" meant it was a 4 door.

The new platform, JL, will be a model year 2018. They will have a diesel option.

What 4x4 pickups have solid axles front and rear?

We are lucky to live where we do in terms of having access to a ton of great off road trails without having to travel too far to get there. Have you been out to Cleghorn?

When we went to look at a JKUR on Monday, we fell in love with the Rhino color. I haven't seen a color that changes appearance in different lighting as much as this one does in quite awhile. It goes anywhere from gray, to dark gray, to dark blue, to dark olive green, and almost black depending on viewing angle and lighting. Crazy.

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I'm curious as to what you read and saw with regard to the JL that made you decide to keep your current Jeep?

I can't tell much from the spy photos as they have all the camo all over them. I know the front windshield will have more of a rake to it, and will not drop forward onto the hood anymore. I think people are worried about whether the platform will be as robust as the current, as they are likely to make it lighter for better fuel economy. The diesel will be offered partly to help them meet CAFE standards.

It will not be offered with a V6 diesel, only the 4 banger, based on what I've read. If you have different information I would love to see a link.

Completely agree.

I can get a highly optioned 2016 Rubicon right now for $41k. They are dealing, trying to get the last of the 2016's off the lot. The deal that I was offered was 6% below factory invoice. Doesn't get better than that.

After reading that article I realized that I more than likely confused the turbo 4 hurricane motor with the upcoming diesel option. Also, I have been doing research on the upcoming Chevy Colorado ZR2, and it offers a diesel but only in a 4 cylinder turbo.

Man, it's hard to know what to do. A 6 cylinder diesel that makes 240hp and 420 lb ft of torque sounds pretty sweet, but how much is that going to cost? It may be hard for me to justify.

Many car mags/sites list the Wrangler as one of the worst values in a new vehicle.

I don't really agree though, because they maintain their value better than almost anything else out there.

Officially joined the Club!

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Bingo.

This really is what it came down to for me in the final analysis. As much as I wanted to wait to see what the JL had to offer, in the end I realized a few things regarding that wait: 1) Even if I like what I saw (looks, specs etc.) buying a first year new platform vehicle from Chrysler is pretty much universally accepted as a bad idea 2) one of the things I would have been interested in regarding the JL is the Diesel, but many people on the forums are saying that the Diesel won't even be offered in the 2018 JL...meaning I would have to wait at least 2 more years 3) The current JK platform is proven, I know exactly what I'm getting 4) The aftermarket parts support for the JK is amazing...to the point of being overwhelming. How long will it take for the aftermarket parts suppliers to get up to speed on the JL?

The final deciding factor: I found the exact Hard Rock that I wanted on a dealer lot. I mean if I ordered it myself, this is the way I would have ordered it. But...I was still less than half way through the lease on my Subaru STi. I was pretty sure that was going to be a deal breaker. My Lease company did not allow lease transfers either, leaving my only option being to trade it in. The first offer was $26k. Then they said maybe they could give me more but I would have to show it to them in person. I drove out there for the sole purpose of getting an idea on what I could expect on a trade, so I could put the Jeep thing to rest for another year (closer to the end of my lease) which had the added benefit of me being able to at least see what the JL was all about. In other words, I did not go to the dealer with the idea in my mind that I was driving away in a new Hard Rock.

They increased their offer for my STi to $28.5k. I told them I needed at least $30k to consider it. They didn't budge. Told them I was going to go outside, think about, talk to my wife, etc. I actually got cold feet, went back inside, and told them I needed to get home and could not do the deal tonight, even if they gave me the $30k I wanted for the STi.

Next thing I know, the sales manager comes out and says "even if we can do the $30k for the STi?" Then the very young (20 year old) salesman spoke up and said "he said he would go up to $31k" The manager was noticeable upset as the salesman obviously spilled the beans on how high they would go. I said yes, at $31k I will seriously consider it and call my wife. I couldn't pass up the deal given how much they gave me for my STi, combined with getting thousands off of MSRP on the Hard Rock. In the end it kind of made it a no-brainer.

I traded in a car that is near the top in terms of retaining it's value, for the one that is at the very top at retaining it's value.

You should have seen all the young salespeople drooling over my STi. It was hilarious. One guy went as far as to say I was crazy for trading in my STi. lol

Oh, one other reason that I felt like I wanted to move a bit quicker: they stopped making the Hard Rock edition. It is being replaced by the "RECON" edition, which is basically still a Hard Rock, but the front grill is a dark gray, they have an ugly RECON sticker on the hood, and an ugly black decal on the center of the hood. I didn't care for the looks at all.

Couple of pics of the RECON edition. When I showed these to my wife, I pretended to be slightly excited by it in order not to sway her opinion of it negatively. Her near immediate response: "It's ugly!" lol

The RECON has new wheels on it too. Also looks to have better rock sliders.

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Yep, people are digging those rock sliders. Looks like they can be used as a step too, unlike the current HR

Wrangler forum is where I'm at too.

There is also Jeep garage and JK owners forum.com

The one I bought has the 4.10's on it. Had to make sure I had those gears in anticipation of putting 35's on.

Even in stock form, the Wrangler is a bit underpowered. An additional 50 hp and torque would certainly be welcome.

You can do that on the current HR edition too.

Good to know.

How much road noise do you get with the KM2's?

One thing I am loving about the stock BFG's is that they have very little road noise.

Great, thanks for the heads up on that one. Will have to keep that tire in mind when I upgrade to 35's.

Just not true at all, other than the sliders. The vast majority of people who buy the Hard Rock stay with the stock bumpers, front and back. The back bumper already has the hole to add a swing mount tire carrier too.

I obviously priced out a normal Rubicon before buying the HR. Bottom line: it actually would have been stupid for me not to buy the HR considering how much more you get for your money.

Here is all the stuff included in the HR package, that you would have to add separately or after market if you get the regular Rubicon:

Leather seats (heated)

Steel Front Bumper

Steel Rear Bumper

Extra tow hook rear

Vented Hood

9 speaker Alpine stereo with subwoofer

Rock Rails

Fuel Door

Slush Mats

Steel Skid Plate

Info/Msg Center

Connectivity Group

Uconnect with voice command

So the sticker was about $2k more for the HR vs a regular Rubicon. Just the hood alone was worth it for me. If I got a regular Rubi I would have ordered that hood. By the time I had it painted, it would have been $1600.00 or so just for the hood alone.

When I first started looking I didn't think I wanted leather. Then everyone told me that leather was actually much better than cloth because it was so much easier to clean than the cloth, which just grabs and holds on to the dirt.

Yeah, we were talking about a Hard Rock vs a regular Rubicon.

One other thing I forgot to mention regarding the HR bumpers: the front bumper is winch ready, unlike the Rubicon's. Also, the "wing" extensions can be removed, resulting in a "stubby" bumper, which gives better approach angles. As such, the only reason I see to remove the front bumper of the HR and replace it with an aftermarket one would be a preference for it's appearance.

As far as Rubicon vs Sport, you also get the locking diffs.

Been out twice so far, both times with the family and they are loving it. Well, they didn't love it quite as much the second time out as it was a bit more challenging than expected and we were by ourselves....and we are still newbies!

Loving the Jeep and the hobby so far.

I need to decide on a lift. Teraflex, Rock Krawler, MetalCloak?

I'm going with 35" tires, and I'm thinking that I won't need more than a 2.5" (or 3.0" inch S/T3 from Teraflex) lift.

What is it about the AEV kit that would make it a better fit for me than the others? Cheaper? Smoother on the street? What kind of springs does the AEV kit use, Dual, Progressive, or Linear?

I've pretty much decided that these are the shocks that I'm going with, not sure how this will impact which lift kit that I go with (but they are fully adjustable so they should be able to be dialed in). These are the first shocks ever specifically designed for the JK and JKU from the ground up:

Got fully adjustable Falcon shocks for the Jeep. Couldn't pass up the Easter Jeep Safari sale at Northridge 4x4.

Now, if I could only make a decision on which lift kit to pair it with! Too many choices with so many contradicting opinions. Ugh.

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Update. I went with the MetalCloak 2.5" Game Changer lift kit. Decided I wanted to stay with a lower center of gravity. After adding the 35" K02's and the lift kit, the Jeep is 5.2" higher in the front, 4.5" higher in the middle, and about 4.0" higher in the rear.

Still loving the hobby. I get mad at my friends when they don't want to go wheeling every weekend!

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Congrats!

Every time that I am in the car with my youngest daughter (16 years old) she points out various cars that she wants for her first car. The Renegade is at the top of the list. I have to admit, they manage to pull off being cute and cool at the same time. They are more than we are going to want to pay for her first car though, as even the used ones seem to hold their value well.

Have fun!

Video from our run at Pilot Rock Truck Trail. At the 50 second mark you can hear what I thought at the time was my rear tire rubbing on a fender, but as it turned out, it was actually the rear axle hitting my gas tank skid plate

Are you talking about the 6:00 minute mark? No, I did not do that line. In fact, the Jeep you see at the 6:00 mark is the only one in our group who took that line, and it's a case of what you are talking about: he didn't give a shit if his Jeep flopped on it's side, or fell into those bushes. I couldn't risk it, and everyone else felt the same way.

Funny thing is that I was the only one who took the hard line through the steep rocks at the 1:30 mark, which surprised me.

Dishpan Springs

Just another example of why it's best to not buy the first year of a new platform.

That's a nice empty canvass on which you can paint. Building the Jeep to your specs is half the fun of the hobby.

Congrats!

I came very close to buying a used one in that same color. It really pops!

Hairy moment on the trail yesterday with a guy in our group. Driver error for sure, as he let his driver side tire get on the wall on the left. He has a manual trans and felt like he was going to stall so he gave it more skinny pedal and it shot him up like that. The guys behind him thought he was going over backwards for sure. His rear spare tire saved him as it dug into the ground.

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Just a local trail in San Bernardino County near Lake Silverwood called 2N17X. It's considered an intermediate trail, with some very steep hill climbs and some really rutted out sections which are worse now because of all the rain we've had this season.

Video from the close call last weekend

What kind of wheeling do you guys do out in Florida? It's so flat...

I remember that door. Not as good as Rotor Dave does, but I remember it.

I love the Hyper Green!

When I got my 2017 Rubicon Hard Rock, that was the color that I wanted. Unfortunately they discontinued it for 2017 and I went with white.

Very nice, congrats!

I see you are in TN. Very different, and in many ways more challenging, wheeling out there. With all the rain you guys get, you are almost always dealing with wet trails. One of the most difficult trails we have out here in Big Bear is Holcomb Creek. It's not just the boulders that make it difficult, it's the boulders combined with the water!

Love Tennessee. My wife and I are planning our vacation there next year. We want to scope out areas for a possible move in the next few years. Still doing our research, but leaning towards eastern parts of the state.

See there?

A great example of Southern hospitality and I haven't even been there yet!

And I will definitely take you up on your offer!

That's a very capable rig, and super fun indeed!