To Rubicon or not to Rubicon

[Cherokee30D]

Hey all, thanks so much for your replies.

MightyMouse - It will be my weekend warrior and play thing during the week. If I stumble across a well priced Rubi, then I would go for it, otherwise the Sport sounds quite capable. If / when down the track, I decide to go more hardcore, I would get diff locks for the Sport.

mike_nofx - Not fussed whether it is petrol or diesel, as it wont be my daily drive. At the moment I have 2 petrol's and 2 diesel's......the diesel's being my wife and my daily drivers.

LeighP - That track does look narly, even in the photos. If the Sport will go up and down that without a problem, then that would do me......

Nanook - As you mentioned, a Sport will probably do, however if a Rubi comes up at a good price, I would grab it. Yes, the Jeep thing.....they need to drive them and then they will change their mind.

dru - As previously mentioned, if a Rubi comes up at the right price, it's a no brainer.
As far as mods, (if not already on the vehicle I purchase) I would definitely get a lift kit and 33" tyres. The other bits can either wait or get as I need.

Another reason for the purchase is that I intend to use it as a bit of a promotional tool for my building company. I want it to 'stand out in the crowd' and will sign write the buggery out of it......

Thanks again for all your advice and keep it coming.

Cheers, Craig

[NTRubicon]

I went for the Rubicon because I figured any modification I was going to do to a sport was going to be what a Rubicon offered. Glad I did, because I've not had to do much to it, and I'm as capable, if not more so than every other 4WD I venture out with. The only thing I've found as a shortcoming from the Rubicon is the tyres. The AUS version comes with the same tyres as the sport model (USA gets BFG muddies from the showroom) and thus traction is limited in certain situations. If you buy second hand, check the underbody for scratches and dents, if you see none, it probably has never seen any serious action off road.

Also, songwriting the side of your Jeep makes good sense for protecting the paintwork before taking it past scratchy plant life. Tax deductible paint protection

[Cherokee30D]

Thanks NTRubicon.

Seems like the way to go if the budget allows.

Re: The Rubicon - Does it come out the same height as the Sport? If so, do you think it needs lifting?

I will be doing it in any case.

Now all I need is for one of you buggers to sell me your beloved.. Haha!!

Cheers, Craig

[Kiwi Jeeper]

I found a 22 month used Black Rubicon 2 door going at a very reasonable price a couple of years ago by chance. I had a TJ already. Bought it. Kept both for a year. Rubicon 4.11 diff gearing is so much more fun driving even around town. In 4 low, its a completely different thing. Sold my TJ a year ago.

[Kiwi Jeeper]

Previous owner had put BFG Muds from day one, factory size. Been great so far.

[YamahaDOC]

I went with a JKU auto sport since it was a run out model and was $11,000 cheaper than the best JKUR quote I received. After a year being honest all I will need that the rubicon has stock is a rear locker ($1100) and sway bar disconnects ($200 for that). Everything else would have been put on a rubicon anyway if I went that way like winch, suspension, bars etc

Crazy how a lot of people on the American sites say the sport is if you only do 'mild' off-roading. I spent 14 years taking my un locked IFS hilux to many places it shouldn't have gone according to them!

[Kiwi Jeeper]

Originally Posted by YamahaDOC

I went with a JKU auto sport since it was a run out model and was $11,000 cheaper than the best JKUR quote I received. After a year being honest all I will need that the rubicon has stock is a rear locker ($1100) and sway bar disconnects ($200 for that). Everything else would have been put on a rubicon anyway if I went that way like winch, suspension, bars etc

Crazy how a lot of people on the American sites say the sport is if you only do 'mild' off-roading. I spent 14 years taking my un locked IFS hilux to many places it shouldn't have gone according to them!

I would have been happy with a Sahara/Renegade, given my 14 years of TJ fun. But luckily found a clean Rubicon for a similar price via private sale - still under warranty. So went with it instead.