ive been wondering the same thing for a while now. i'm about to get my first jeep and it took long enough do decide between 2 and 4 doors!
when i price the jeep online, i pick sport unlimited and check off a few options (power windows/locks, 3.73 gears, LSD) about 2000 worth of options, a rubi is about 5750 more, seems like it would be worth it.

 

Id like to get 37s because they look kick@$$, clearance, and it puts the jeep at a level i like with the 4" lift. Doing 17's and 37's keep the amount of tire I want around the rim....it looks like everybody that wheels has much more success on the trips with 37's also....thoughts?

 

Same boat here, don't want to have that "what if" moment later on down the road... Also, I love the new Rubi seats! Might sound dumb but I really like them...

 

It really depends on your long term goal. If you want to modify in the long term, then a basic sport is best to buy. If you have the extra $$ and never plan on modifying the Jeep, then get a Rubicon. Up here the price difference is $10-15gs so it's a bit obvious which to buy, but down there it's a bit cheaper. That other thread from last month has a TON of answers in it, but it'll really come down to what you want and how much you want to spend.

From what you want a sport sounds like it'd do the job just fine. We've got a sport with 35s (will be 37s) and 4" lift and it's being driving all over the states and through out back country up here and through Moab area and we've never had a problem. The fiance bought a bare bones Sport (no power options etc) cause she knew she wanted it for 4x4ing and knew long term it's better to have manual vs power options since there's less to go wrong...smart girl If I were to buy one it'd be the same though, bare bones as stock as could be JK and then I'd build it up from there, but that's what I like to do.

So decide if you plan on modifying it down the road or if you'll just leave it mostly stock and if you want to spend the extra cash.

 

This is one of many topics that have been beat to death around here...really, it depends on your needs and what you plan on doing long term.

What kid of wheeling, if any, do you plan on doing? Rock crawling? Trails? Mall parking lot?

If you're just going to do a 4" lift with 37s and absolutely call it a day, then a rubi would be perfect.


I bought a sport because it's considerably cheaper and I plan to eventually replace anything desirable that a rubi comes with.

 

I'd lean you toward a Rubi with 4:10 gears and a manual transmission with 35's. Just gusset the front C's and drive it (not to rough).

 

My response hinges on can you do the work yourself... I started a similar thread and asked virtually the same thing. If you can do the labor yourself, it seem more cost effective to go with the sport. If you start to add lots of interior options then the rubi may be the way to go. I was looking at an almost bone stock sport for price comparison. Here's the link you want more details about it

https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/modi...iclone-249548/

 

Unless you're going to swap axels, get the Rubicon. I haven't found many people who regretted it. Not to mention the added amenities like power everything and GPS. I'm biased though.

 

I am about to order a 2013 JKUR. I found myself in a very similar situation to the one that you are currently in. For me it wound up being about $7,000 difference between the JKU Sport and Rubicon. I will not use most of the hardcore extras on the Rubi like the lockers, electronic sway bar disconnect, and 4:1 transfer case. I wlll most likely use the others, and it is ready to drive, as I do not want to lift it, etc.

To quote Robert DeNiro in the movie Ronin: "If there is any doubt, there is NO doubt." Get the Rubicon if you can afford it. To me it is like buying the Camaro SS or Mustang GT, get what you know you really want, even if it may be more than what you really need.

 

Watch this 8 min well made video comparing the Rubicon to the Sport to lifting both of them. The video is done by Teraflex, and should get you to laugh a few times. It should put the differences into perspective for ya.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5iS5IM0-As