bermudabums

I'd prefer the look of the body-color hard top and fenders.

I will use my vehicle for the daily drive, and in particular to meet with clients. As much as I'd personally prefer a rugged looking, lifted Rubicon with 37's, I think that the Sahara's solid color looks a bit more conservative and is more suitable for work considerations.

Does anyone know if you can order a Rubicon with body color fenders and hard top?....or are they available to order from Jeep or others? will a Sahara hard top and fenders fit on a Rubicon?

If I go with a black Rubicon, this is matching body color is less of an issue, but I'm wondering how hard it is to keep the plastic fenders and hard top looking shiny and clean after a weekend in the mud? I won't be doing too much bush wacking, so scratching up painted fenders are not too much of a concern.

The Rubicon's fenders and hard top look 'textured' to me, so I'm assuming simply having them painted would not give the same look as the Sahara.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Ross
(currently shopping for '11 Rubicon Unlimited)

tpm152

The textured gray plastic fenders and textured fiberglass of the hard top are not hard to keep clean at all. Honestly I purposely got my JK with the gray plastic and unpainted roof because they hide scratches (from door dings in parking lots in addition to off-road excursions) much better. As for keeping them pretty, all you need to do is wash it like normal (all the mud comes off the textured plastic real easy with a rag and water) and then hit it with some turtle wax ice. It is a clear "wax" that shines up and protects all types of plastic. I wish I had taken a picture after mine was all washed and waxed this summer because it looks real sharp.

As for interchangability of parts, I am fairly certain that as long as the fender flares and the hard top are from the same model year and from a JK with the same number of doors all the parts should swap between a Rubicon, Sahara, and Sport.

One thing to keep in mind is the Hummer factor with the painted top. Even with the gray plastic fender flares and non-matching hard top, my 4-door has already been called a Hummer a few times. I would hate to see how often it would happen if I had a matching hard top

wired

I don't have a rubicon, but I'm pretty sure that the hard top is the same on all models. It will look tectured no matter what you do.
Go pick up the clients, and [U]take[U] them out mudding. Bound to make some of them happy that way.

EzK

Why are you opposed to a Sahara?

I feel like if you aren't going to go places where the Jeep may be harmed then you don't need a Rubicon. A Sahara will do more than enough for 99.9% of people.

But yes, Sahara body parts will fit a Rubicon.

him

I bet you could make a Rubicon look like a Sahara for about $2500. The Sahara flares are about $650 but must be painted, and the roof of course. I don't think you could make a Sahara work like a Rubicon for that price.

However, and not knowing your industry, if you can get away with a Sahara you can get away with a Rubicon. To be honest most people don't know the difference and will judge them all as "jeep". The few that know the difference but aren't jeepers might say "Rubicon = more money" and be impressed by that, and of course the jeepers will be impressed that you showed up in a jeep. Get what you want.

phantomandy

If you don't need the upgraded 4x4 components (HD transfer case, HD suspension, electronic disconnects, etc) that come on the Rubicon, then just go with a Sahara and add a little lift and get the tires that give the look you want.

If you go with the Sahara, the flares are body color, silver accent on the center part of the front and rear bumpers (silver regardless of body color) and you can add the body color hard top for an additional $980 (in addition to the $735 cost of the hard top, or $1625 dual top group).

The painted hard top on the Sahara (new for the 2011's) is a smooth finish, not textured like the black hard top.

Personally - I prefer the contrast of the black hard top against any of the paint colors. I've seen most of the 2011 colors now with body color tops and it just doesn't do anything positive for me (more negative really) and the extra $980 on top of the cost of the hard top really sealed the deal for a black top for me. I ended up with the dual top group so I'll have the soft top for summers and the hard for late fall through early spring (and those longer road trips that I want to take the Jeep on).

As others have said - you can always pickup the paint matched hard top and flares for a Rubicon (once the painted hard tops become available <IF they become available> through the dealership). Remember however that adding that body color hard top will run closer to $3000 to add on later. I would imagine paint matched flares would get into at least $1000 by the time you buy the smooth flares and have a body shop paint them and install (and I would bet it would be closer to $1500-$2000).

You can see my Mango Tango 2011 Sahara (stock) in my profile photo gallery here on JK forum.

remark

I don't like the painted flares. Trail scratches would bother me. With the regular black plastic ones scratches are hidden pretty well. On the down side I have gotten some red mud that seems to have stained some of the black plastic. I have tried everything to clean it and just gave up. It isn't very noticable anyway.

him

I mostly agree.

A month or so ago I saw a stone white Rubi with a white painted hard top. That thing looked great. Of course it wasn't a 2011 or a Sahara but it was pretty.

From what I've read you take the black top off, strip it down, sand it, paint it, and you are good to go with whatever color you want.

trick50

In my opinion your better off getting a black rubicon with a black hardtop. If you really want painted fenders, you can prolly either buy a set of black painted ones used off someones sahara or just pick up a new set for like 1000 painted and installed. As for the painted hardtop I think its a bad idea, they scratch easy and really look kinda crappy. Most of us on here will tell you that just by removing your top seasonaly your gonna scratch the bottom slightly even if your careful. The nice thing about the black textured one that comes standard on all models is that it can easily be touched up with a sharpee.

Plus the black textured top is a richer black and blends well with the black paint on the jeep. If anything I would say you wanna paint the inside of the top black cuz the white really looks cheap. If you buy the rubicon your already getting good tires, beefier suspension 4.10 gears, and sway bar disco and I think a better front axle. I think regardess of the color jeep a black hardtop looks great I dont think it is too rugged looking i think it simpy makes it a jeep, its what makes those non jeepers say, hey nice jeep "you can even take that top off right"!! Look at it this way most convertibles (that aren't retractable hardtops ie: Lexus and BMW) the ragtop is a different color then the body. Just get a 4dr Rubicon and if your really concerned with making it look fancy get painted fenders.

Enjoy good luck and congrats in advance.

BTW My brother inlaw is a Lawyer he is always driving clients around he just picked up a new 2011 4dr Sahara with Nav in that creme color with a black top. His previous was a 2007 4dr X Jeep Green Dual tops no other options. and before that 2004 Jeep (whatever was before the JK) black with a ripped up softop lol....he made his wife drive it after he ripped the top.

nikbass

A little Back to Black or even some cheap tire shine from Advanced works great on the black fenders and they look sharp with little effort.

The Bushwacker pocket style fenders come in paint to match and they look sharp.