Just ordered a new Jeep Rubicon!

[Torment Leaves Scars]

Well, it's been a while.  My wife and I were involved in a bad crash which totaled our car and left us pretty banged up.  We're still feeling the effects of it but we're moving around.

Anyway, given I needed a new vehicle, I chose to order a new Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited (4dr).  Just wondering if anyone else here owns one and how he/she likes it.  :icon_smile:

 

[AutoBat]

Several members of the Lotus forum I'm on have them and find they're quite useful.  I wouldn't be able to get over the 16 city 20 highway fuel economy on 'em.

 

[dudesweet157]

I love the look of a Jeep, but I can't get over the super rough ride and gas mileage.  I understand that they're purpose built machines, and I'm sure they serve that purpose well, but as a daily driver, no thanks, and as a fun machine, I'd rather have a classic with a BIG V8!  :toothy12:


Somthing like this!

 

[Torment Leaves Scars]

I love the look of a Jeep, but I can't get over the super rough ride and gas mileage.  I understand that they're purpose built machines, and I'm sure they serve that purpose well, but as a daily driver, no thanks, and as a fun machine, I'd rather have a classic with a BIG V8!  :toothy12:


Somthing like this!

Been there, done that.  I had a '71 El Camino with a 402ci making over 500 hp.  I got about 9 mpg, then swapped the Quadrajet for an 850 Holley and got about 13 mpg.  :headbang1:

I came very close to coming home in a 2012 Charger R/T with the "Track Package."  It was on the showroom floor and my god, this thing was HOT!  :blob7:

Anyway, I've never done the "4x4 thing," so I figure I'll give it a whirl!  :hello2:

 

[Jusatele]

Have an 08 Rubicon unlimited
great jeep, have really taken it on some nice off road trips

now you do understand, that getting a Rubicon you are paying a lot of money for a bunch of offroad stuff, and you could get all the "step up" features for around 4 or 5 grand less by getting a Sahara?

I see a lot of guys who buy Rubicons and they remain street queens, the reason they buy a Rubicon is the think they are the top of the line Wrangler when in fact the Sahara is.

Having said that, We love our Rubicon, have used it and abused it, broken the rear axle twice on rock crawling trips and knocked the auto disco so much we had to have the computer reflashed. I do have a list of essential skid plates and a few other mods you should make if you plan on taking it off road. Oh one of my main hobbies is offroading and I own 2 other Jeeps set up for the Hard Trails.

ok, it rides like a truck, that is because it needs to so it can go where it can, we like that
it is noisey, well that is to save weight. It eats gas like a SOB, well you are getting 4.11 gears, the Sahara has much more friendly gears for the highway. It does not like going over 80, see gearing comment. It is a nice truck, but it is a truck, most guys judge trucks by the P(*&y Suvs that are put out to sell to soccer moms, this is not a soccer mom truck so do not expect the amount of luxury and car type ride the other Suvs get. Now remember that and you will love the truck, think that you are getting a refined ride, Better call the dealer and get the Grand Cherokee.
Rough ride, yep and gets worse with lift and tires
loud yep
and I love it.

 

[Torment Leaves Scars]

Have an 08 Rubicon unlimited
great jeep, have really taken it on some nice off road trips

now you do understand, that getting a Rubicon you are paying a lot of money for a bunch of offroad stuff, and you could get all the "step up" features for around 4 or 5 grand less by getting a Sahara?

I see a lot of guys who buy Rubicons and they remain street queens, the reason they buy a Rubicon is the think they are the top of the line Wrangler when in fact the Sahara is.

Having said that, We love our Rubicon, have used it and abused it, broken the rear axle twice on rock crawling trips and knocked the auto disco so much we had to have the computer reflashed. I do have a list of essential skid plates and a few other mods you should make if you plan on taking it off road. Oh one of my main hobbies is offroading and I own 2 other Jeeps set up for the Hard Trails.

ok, it rides like a truck, that is because it needs to so it can go where it can, we like that
it is noisey, well that is to save weight. It eats gas like a SOB, well you are getting 4.11 gears, the Sahara has much more friendly gears for the highway. It does not like going over 80, see gearing comment. It is a nice truck, but it is a truck, most guys judge trucks by the P(*&y Suvs that are put out to sell to soccer moms, this is not a soccer mom truck so do not expect the amount of luxury and car type ride the other Suvs get. Now remember that and you will love the truck, think that you are getting a refined ride, Better call the dealer and get the Grand Cherokee.
Rough ride, yep and gets worse with lift and tires
loud yep
and I love it.

Well, they ARE the top of the line...for offroading. 

I've always viewed the Sahara as the "upscale" model of the Wrangler, while obviously viewing the Rubicon as the "hot rod" of the bunch.

I drove a Rubicon a few months ago after stepping straight out of my STi and compared to the STi, the Rubicon felt like a Cadillac.  I'm pretty sure I can handle it.

I can't wait to get it.  I've never owned a 4x4 before, OR a convertible.  This time it'll be all in one!  I'm antsy to get it and the wait is killing me.

That being said, I know there are "rules" with 4x4s.  How do I know when it's okay to ride in 4WD?  During the winter it obviously snows but I'm going to have to get to work.  What if the snow is packed and there isn't a lot of slippage?  Is it okay to ride around in 4H?  There are times when I have to drive 40 or 50 miles at a time in the snow.  Is it okay to ride for periods of time in 4WD?

 

[AutoBat]

4H is fine, that's the high gearing. 4L is the gearing you don't want to go quickly in (at least for very long).  Low is for crawling, towing, playing in the mud/rocks. I'd grab a Land Rover for that, but I'm probably in the minority.

 

[Torment Leaves Scars]

4H is fine, that's the high gearing. 4L is the gearing you don't want to go quickly in (at least for very long).  Low is for crawling, towing, playing in the mud/rocks. I'd grab a Land Rover for that, but I'm probably in the minority.

Good to know!  Thanks!

 

[Jusatele]

Daze PM me your phone number and I will walk you through a lot of advice about 4x4ing
I am 53. grew up in a 4x family and have done it all my life. Know how to keep a 4x4 alive on road and off.

 

[Torment Leaves Scars]

Daze PM me your phone number and I will walk you through a lot of advice about 4x4ing
I am 53. grew up in a 4x family and have done it all my life. Know how to keep a 4x4 alive on road and off.

Okay, will do.  Sorry but I never caught your actual name.  I'm sure your parents didn't name you, "Justatele."  :laughing8:

 

[AGWAN]

I know an insane amount about the current Jeep Wrangler

Not all that much about the older ones. but good lord, I can proudly say I know more about that vehicle than most anyone.

Just that one (The JK) and the generation before it (TJ) problems, design flaws, year to year changes. the best upgrades and so on.

I'm just crazy about those cars. If I could afford a JK I would own one. and I miss my TJ severely. Its the only vehicle I ever loved... and I'm a car guy.

 

[Torment Leaves Scars]

I know an insane amount about the current Jeep Wrangler

Not all that much about the older ones. but good lord, I can proudly say I know more about that vehicle than most anyone.

Just that one (The JK) and the generation before it (TJ) problems, design flaws, year to year changes. the best upgrades and so on.

I'm just crazy about those cars. If I could afford a JK I would own one. and I miss my TJ severely. Its the only vehicle I ever loved... and I'm a car guy.

I heard about some engine issues with the earlier Pentastar 3.6s with build dates leading up to about December 2011 but other than that I haven't heard of any issues. 

The only reason I can afford one is because of the check I got for my totaled 2005 STi, otherwise I'd still be saving.

 

[AGWAN]

you got it totally wrong.

the 3.6 is a good little engine. the engine it replaced was the 3.8

two totally different beasts. the 3.6 is cutting edge tech, the 3.8 was a spiffied up Minivan motor. it is not a bad motor... but it was a horrid choice for the Wrangler. particularly the 4 door hardtop automatics. It's not all that bad in the 2 door soft top.

but even if the 3.8 had been good. it replaced the 4.0. which is honestly one of the finest motors ever built. for anything ever. It even had a ridicuously long production because it was so good. (About 70 years!)

but yes, the 3.6 blows the 3.8 out of the water.

 

[Torment Leaves Scars]

you got it totally wrong.

the 3.6 is a good little engine. the engine it replaced was the 3.8

two totally different beasts. the 3.6 is cutting edge tech, the 3.8 was a spiffied up Minivan motor. it is not a bad motor... but it was a horrid choice for the Wrangler. particularly the 4 door hardtop automatics. It's not all that bad in the 2 door soft top.

but even if the 3.8 had been good. it replaced the 4.0. which is honestly one of the finest motors ever built. for anything ever. It even had a ridicuously long production because it was so good. (About 70 years!)

but yes, the 3.6 blows the 3.8 out of the water.

Umm, no, I didn't get it totally wrong.  Early versions of the Pentastar are having issues with a lot of tapping and there are more than just a few people getting heads replaced on those engines.    From what I've heard they're all engines that were leaving the Mexican plant, which doesn't surprise me in the least and most of the vehicles had build dates prior to December 2011.  I haven't heard of any issues in later models.  I believe that factory has since been shut down and in its place, engine manufacturing has increased at the Trenton facility, where the engines were also being manufactured.  As of today, Chrysler has already produced more than 1,000,000 Pentastar engines. 

The 3.8L was fairly decent, despite its minivan roots, but that engine should have been dumped years ago.  Unfortunately, due to Chrysler's financial woes, development was probably not an option. 

As for Chrysler's transmissions, I dunno about their newer 5spd auto that is found in the Rubicon but you couldn't play me to own a Chrysler auto.  I don't know anybody who hasn't had issues with Chrysler transmissions.  IMO the last decent transmission Chrysler had was the 727 Torqueflite.

 

[Jusatele]

Daze
it is Jim
ok
I miss my TJ sooooooooooooo much
I totaled it
was the best Jeep I ever had, I had about 20 gs in suspension and build in it
sold the wreck for 17 gs with a body that looked like a beat up can, but it ran and with all the mods that was a deal

I think the TJ was the most capable platform to wheel that has ever been produced. JK is nice but has a few issues that are hard to address. Plus the width is limiting. Oh Well,

My 67 CJ5 is my main trail mobile, My 70 CJ6 is my pride and Joy

 

[Torment Leaves Scars]

Daze
it is Jim
ok
I miss my TJ sooooooooooooo much
I totaled it
was the best Jeep I ever had, I had about 20 gs in suspension and build in it
sold the wreck for 17 gs with a body that looked like a beat up can, but it ran and with all the mods that was a deal

I think the TJ was the most capable platform to wheel that has ever been produced. JK is nice but has a few issues that are hard to address. Plus the width is limiting. Oh Well,

My 67 CJ5 is my main trail mobile, My 70 CJ6 is my pride and Joy

A lot of people swear by the TJs and are pretty rabid about them.  I figure they just get better with every model year but yes, the JK is a larger vehicle, which is a great thing for some of us, but not so great for others.  Personally, I'm glad Jeep offers a 4dr Wrangler because a 2dr is just way too small to be practical for what my needs are.

What are some of the JK's issues that are hard to address? 

 

[AGWAN]

Ohhhhh.... So a brand spanking new engine has a problem covered under warranty. What Hell Hath Wrought!!!!

I am shocked to hear the Wrangler had anything as major as a motor built in Mexico, It's kinda Trentons baby, and while I know of foreign sources on a lot of smaller things, They reaped what they sowed if they truly tried to do that.

I've owned two 727's, a 999 and driven a lot of JK's. The auto's aren't bad. and are rather reliable, by comparison to old jeep auto's they're fantastic and will be what is in my next Jeep.

I've heard complaints of vague and rubbery shifts from the manuals. though I found them pleasant. I've not had a chance to drive the new 6 speed-3.6 combo yet. but the auto-3.6 combo didn't really feel any better in the trans.

chronically leaky tops, stereo issues and paper thin sheet metal have all been complaints. A lot of people shear their door bolts the first time they take them off, Particularly if they've owned the Jeep a while. Jeep is still notorious for putting those bolts on dry, and by the time people try to take them off they've corroded together.

Jeepforum is full of gossiping idiots, so when you get your info there take it with a grain of salt.

Actually, car forums seem to be full of superstitious morons in general.

A continued issue on JK's, that only affects people who care about looks has also been body panel alignment. even up to 2011, we'd see front ends on JK's that skewed almost a full inch in one direction. though only about one in ten seemed to mind.

we sent 3 or so to the body shop to have that tweeked in my time there. took little more than loosening a bunch of things and repositioning them, inner aprons always pinned true. so it was just how sheet was hanging.

other complaints people have had related to how they used the vehicle and wished to modify it. a distate for C clips and the thickness of the axle tubing, which I feel is more related to preference than flaws.

 

[Jusatele]

rear axle has a bit of thin tubing, if you wheel hard you have to have it sleeved
rocker panels are not as easy to protect as a tj, the units however that are good bolt to the frame
a easy fix for the charcoal canister is a 35 dollar skid plate, it is in a bad place

the JK rubi has a electronic sway bar disconnect that is way nice, but out there so you need to skid plate that, most kits for it come in junction with a new bumper, that is nice the also as the bumpers on  JK are shiteee and need to be replaced, but that has been any Jeep
the drive shafts on the JK have CV style U joints and are problematic off road so if you wheel hard they need to be replaced with new shafts. and your skid plate for your gas tank is plastic, like that is going help.
Now I have 5 or 6 gs into mine and I do the labor and weld up a lot of the fabs, of course out here we see a lot of rock trails.
I put 2 inches of lift under mine and added 33s, it is way streetable, the wife, 5'4", can jump right in and she uses it as her DD, We take it as a camp vehicle when we go out, and I will grab the CJ5, tow out a trailer with all our camping gear and wheeling spares. We go out for a long weekend each month and a few one week trips several times a year.
THe CJ6 id a rare bird and does not see any rough terrain. It is one of those Jeeps you show off because of how rare it is.

PS, I do not hang around TJ or JK forums, to many posers giving out rotten advice because the nubes will listen to them
I hang out at JeepCJ.com, it is a CJ forum, do not see a bunch of kids trying to show off when the main point of most CJ owners is to restore them and keep them nice, they are getting rare

 

[AGWAN]

Jusatele your jeeps sound fantastic, Is there by chance an image gallery out there for either of them?

 

[Torment Leaves Scars]

Ohhhhh.... So a brand spanking new engine has a problem covered under warranty. What Hell Hath Wrought!!!!

I am shocked to hear the Wrangler had anything as major as a motor built in Mexico, It's kinda Trentons baby, and while I know of foreign sources on a lot of smaller things, They reaped what they sowed if they truly tried to do that.

I've owned two 727's, a 999 and driven a lot of JK's. The auto's aren't bad. and are rather reliable, by comparison to old jeep auto's they're fantastic and will be what is in my next Jeep.

I've heard complaints of vague and rubbery shifts from the manuals. though I found them pleasant. I've not had a chance to drive the new 6 speed-3.6 combo yet. but the auto-3.6 combo didn't really feel any better in the trans.

chronically leaky tops, stereo issues and paper thin sheet metal have all been complaints. A lot of people shear their door bolts the first time they take them off, Particularly if they've owned the Jeep a while. Jeep is still notorious for putting those bolts on dry, and by the time people try to take them off they've corroded together.

You're not telling me anything I don't already know, but thanks for informing those of us who don't know a thing about a 3.6, 3.8, or 4.0.  :tard:

Jeepforum is full of gossiping idiots, so when you get your info there take it with a grain of salt.

Actually, car forums seem to be full of superstitious morons in general.

From time to time we run into that same issue on this forum...

A continued issue on JK's, that only affects people who care about looks has also been body panel alignment. even up to 2011, we'd see front ends on JK's that skewed almost a full inch in one direction. though only about one in ten seemed to mind.

we sent 3 or so to the body shop to have that tweeked in my time there. took little more than loosening a bunch of things and repositioning them, inner aprons always pinned true. so it was just how sheet was hanging.

other complaints people have had related to how they used the vehicle and wished to modify it. a distate for C clips and the thickness of the axle tubing, which I feel is more related to preference than flaws.

Well, thanks for your..."expertise."  I'm sure I will keep all of that in mind, considering it came off an internet forum.

Thanks for your uncalled for, smart comments, too.