Hey all!

I've been lurking these forums for YEARS, but never signed up becuase of my total lack of jeep ownership.

I plan on buying my very first on saturday and I'm somewhat torn between two that I've been offered around the same price.

The first is a bare model Rubicon jk, nothing extra, even having the hard top taken off for a softy. It puts me right at 31k or so.
The next is a pretty bare Sahara jku, with the body colored hard top and connectivity group. it comes in at 30k (dealer deal)
They are both '12's and I plan on them being right in the same cost area. I have yet to test drive the JKU in any trim, so that has yet to be seen.

I'm not really looking for too much push from members as I know all the pluses and minuses for both. I still need to test drive the JKU and that might completely sell me in either direction, but I'm really afraid it won't. I originally didn't want power anything, but for the deal I'm getting on the JKU I'd be willing to compromise given I like it otherwise. The fenders would be replaced with tubes within the first year or so and the top would get replaced with a softy shortly as well.

I have one pretty decent question. If one were to be planning a doors off excursion cross country, is there a way to keep the doors of EITHER model handy in case the weather turned against one?
Other than that, I'm willing to take any and all advice on my two options.

Gerald

 

Go with the JKUR ... I bought a '12 JKU Sport and now completely regret it. I just bought a used Dana 44 front axle housing to replace my Dana 30, and Eaton E Lockers front and rear. I'm finding myself piecing together a Rubicon, but still won't have the ultra low crawl ratio from the transfer case (Atlas someday). Even if you're not sure how much you want to mod now, save yourself future headaches.

 

That's not in the cards for me at this time. I would have to wait until this time next year to buy so I could afford the difference and still try to find a JKUR with a stickshift of the previous model year to get the best deal. My only options at this time are JKR or JKUS. both of which I'm getting a deal on for being almost december and 2012's.

 

On a 2013 the norm price is about 800+ below invoice...

 

Depends on what you want to do with it down the road. Planning on running 37s, lots of crawling and off road then is go with the rubicon. I really like my unlimited the extra room is nice to have plus it was a must with my two kids.

However given your two options it seems like a waste if money to get the Sahara if you are going to get rid of the top and flares. You're paying for it now to be colored matched.

Check other dealers and websites. That's how I found mine with exactly everything I wanted.

 

Hello Gerald -- Towing a trailer is about the only way I can think of to carry the doors. I like long cross country trips as well, and always leave the doors on. The sun, wind, heat, cold, and rain can be brutal.

 

I Don't plan on Going bigger than 35's it's going to be a dd but also have some fun in trails. Probably more of a field rat than major rock crawler, but with a bit of both in mind when it comes to mods.

Essentially I'm getting like 4k off the JKUS (It's one of the first ones on the lot and he assured me that my trade would be worth signifcantly more on this one) and just have to talk to the guy on the JKR. So it depends on the deal and how I feel about driving the thing to begin with. And I'm still trying to get the guy to say He'll do the soft top with a credit on the sahara like he was so willing to do on the rubi.

I also work at a shop so I'm not looking at any labor costs for mods, and I have a lot of good sources for discounted parts.

I know that I won't be able to swing either way until I've compared them both for my purposes.

But no one has any ideas for traveling with doors, but not on the hinges?, I think I might have to come up with something on my own there, and I've got some ideas which should work fine.

 

I've seen someone fabricate a mount that slides into your hitch receiver. I'll try to find a photo, but that's always an option

 

Looked something like this

 

That was one option I was thinking to explore, the other was a roof mount of some sort, but I'm not sure how to get that to work with or without a roof.