WranglerVirgin wants to buy a Jeep

[WranglerVirgin]

I prefer the Unlimited (which is synonymous with 4 doors), just for that little bit of extra space, and from pictures with back seats down, it appears that there's a bump in 2 door Wranglers whereas the four door Wrangler seats lie flat which is nicer to spread the swag on...
Have seen a couple of nice 2 door ones on carsales though and am not closing my mind completely on those... my research continues.
Thanks again for the feedback, it's really appreciated, especially because I know that there's nothing I can give back here... my knowledge on cars is pretty much non existent when it comes to technical questions. I can only hope some other readers benefit from the contents in this thread also - am sure I'm not the only WranglerVirgin on here

[crisis]

Unless you are a mad keen 4WD nut, you don't need a rubicon.
To be honest, in a Wrangler, a sport is all you need.
It will take you anywhere you want to go. An upgrade to AT tyres, no lift, will make a traction and confidence difference.
I have been driving 4wds for 20 years, a standard Wrangler JKU will do fine.
Just had mine written off and have gone for a Grand Overland. Not as surefooted offroad, but much nicer on.
Get a JKU - you wont look back

[WranglerVirgin]

Thank you crisis, the rubicon idea stems more from having to park between BMW, Mercs, Audis and the lot on my daily commute... but in the end I have to be reasonable and am not willing to just throw my money out for flash stuff I don't need... safety and reliability is what I'm after, so your recommendation about AT tyres certainly makes it onto my list also

[LeighP]

You won't sleep in the back of a JK, even though the floor is flat when the rear seat is removed....just too small for that. A JKU sounds more like what you'd need.
Any number of good A/T tyres out there......I'm just running a stock set of Rubicon 255 Silent Armor Goodyears that I picked up cheap.
When they finally wear out, I'm going with a set of Cooper STT Pro 33" tyres....an aggressive A/T (almost an M/T), that have some very good feedback for both on and off road use.

[WranglerVirgin]

JKU it shall be. Is it correct thatonly the basic sports model come with a black top? I know I definitely want a black top, tow bar, bumper bar. Just stumbled over a 2009 unlimited sports, 65k, never off road... newer model (2012) would have significantly more ks on it if in same price class. What's wiser? New and driven more or old and driven less? Am refering to new engine model...
Also: automatic vs manual. Am manual fan, but as off road newbie would the automatic be the safer choice? Any thoughts?

[Nanook]

A 09 model has the older 3.8l motor. It's close to bullet proof and are good to drive but a bit of a slug if you want to tow. It's also quite thirsty when compared with the newer 3.6 motor. It also has the older interior which isn't as refined as what came out in the 2011+ models. Not that it's a bad thing, it just looks a bit Spartan compared to the newer interior.

I love my manual but it will depend on what kind of driving you are likely to do. I prefer a manual on the road (I quite often tow a camper trailer) and in the bush however I do most of my driving on the beach where an auto gives you much better control. In soft sand changing gears in a manual saps you of momentum.

Keep an eye on the classifieds on this forum quite often a good example pops up that already has the good gear on it.

[LeighP]

I prefer automatics off-road, for the sort of driving I do. Much prefer them in city traffic.
There is something close to an 80hp difference between the 3.8 and 3.6......that alone would be worth holding out for the later engine, with the 5 speed auto....and bonus, they have the new interior.
The black roof/flares are stock on the Sport and Rubicon, colour matched roof/flares are part of the Overland package. You may find Rubicons with colour matched roof/flares, as its an option you can select at time of order.