One thing many people forget about the JK is the BLD (brake-loc differential) which is in essence a "soft" locker and comes standard on the all models including the X.

Although by no means a substitute for proper diff lockers, the BLD still is quite effective in many situations where lockers are required. The number of times people ask me what type of aftermarket lockers I have obviously fitted to my bone stock Sport after they've seen me clear obstacles that only locker-equipped vehicles were making it over still makes my smile.

 

There's a big slice of "know what makes you tick" in all of it.

In my case, for example, something stuck in my brain from childhood says "get full use before replacing" ... if I bought a Sport I would end up driving it for 30,000 miles before redoing the drive-line. It would have been worth a premium to me to avoid that.

The 2011 price bump for a Rubi is about $7200. You will quickly pass $7000 in parts (not labor) to make the sport match the Rubi... but chances are you won't even try to do a full job (are you really going to install power windows or a subwoofer?) and of course labor costs (either dollars or free time) can add up depending on whether you enjoy wrenching. You may or may not be able to offset your costs selling the take-offs. The nice part is that the cost of matching a rubi is also the cost of passing a rubi.

 

yeah i also struggled taking the perfectly good parts off for aftermarket ones, it took me 15k miles to bite the bullet. and i wasnt really talking about power windows, which my sport came with, i'd definitely want that. but more so the d44, locker, and rock rails. which for the difference in price you could get some nice stuff for that. all in what you want i guess

 

I guess what I was trying to say with the power windows bit is that the price difference shrinks when you realize that the Rubi package has between $590 and $1090 (4dr/2dr) in "extras" that you probably won't buy aftermarket but you may very well buy/want.

A better example is probably the e-disco. You probably aren't going to do that, so your build-up won't be quite as expensive, but if you don't do it that's a feature the rubi will have and you don't.

I was assuming you would upgrade:

• New front axle with e-locker
• Re-gear rear axle, add e-locker
• New transfer case
• Aftermarket (manual) sway bar disconnect

That right there will land you north of $6000 parts only, assuming you buy new. Of course you'll have better-than-rubi parts (well, not sure the e-lockers would be better or worse) for the most part, but given how many people replace this stuff I wonder how far selling your take-offs will bring the net down, and labor (your own time or a shop's) will bring the total up significantly.

 

Hello All,
First time to post on this wonderful site. (And it is VERY informative) Any way just was wondering why no one has mentioned the resale diff between the Rubi and the Sport? I notice in my area the Rubi's bring quite a bit more money than the Sport and are more desireable on the used market. I'm not saying that you get all the diff back at resale, but it seems the Rubi's hold a little higher percentage of resale value compared to the Sport. No you wont get your $7000 diff back at resale, but should without problem get the same percent value or higher on that $7000 as the whole Jeep deprictiates. Which from what I have seen you wont get a equal resale percent out of after market parts.
All that being said, any Jeep you buy will bring lots of happyness and it will never have all the goodies that you want on your ride.
I bought an 2011 Rubi because I could afford it (I'm not trying to brag) and will not add a lot of aftermarket goodies. I am only planning on adding a 4" Superlift with Bilstein shocks and 35 x 12.50 tires. sSo there for the Rubi gave me everything I needed right off the line.

Any way just my $.02 worth.

And again there arn't any bad Jeeps!

 

Welcome!


As I Rubi owner I did the math this way:

Let's say after N years the Rubi will be worth 50% of new purchase price while the sport is worth 40%.

New price * resale factor = resale price
$22,000 * 0.4 = $8,800
$29,200 * 0.5 = $14,600

Looks great for the Rubi.... you get $5,800 more back when you sell!

new price - resale price = net loss
$22,000 - $8,800 = $13,200
$29,200 - $14,600 = $14,600

Not so hot for the Rubi... you lose over a kilobuck more on the deal even though the percentage resale value is higher.

 

But don't forget WE get to drive around with the awsome word "RUBICON" on our hood sides!

Thats gotta be worth something, right? I mean how else could you get that?
I've heard tell out on the trail that just the sight of "RUBICON" has sent many a rock rolling for their life!

Even tho most of my friends and family have no idea what that is or "why I would put that on there" !

........................................Just Funnin

In the end if I try to justify my vehicle purchase to hard, I would be driving a striped down Honda Civic HF.............. YUCK!!! That'll give ya some NightMares.....

 

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So i think i like the idea of going with the wrangler unlimited while im young and just mod it out. After doing some reading i learned that most serious jeepers who buy rubis end up selling the parts and using mostly after market products. But now im curious how you all feel about the power of the unlimited...i also read that it sux!...and with any kind of big tires and a lift the engine will run at lower power all the time. What is the best fix...superchip...gears?...what gears if so...?
CHEERS

 

Gears will help you use the power you've got.

Supercharger will increase the power.

Anything else seems to be really marginal. Superchips helps a little (mostly if you get an automatic, by changing the shift programming) but it's not a huge change.


Honestly, with the 4.1:1 and manual transmission on my Rubi I'm pretty happy so far, but if you must change (and I think at 3.27 or whatever, "must" is fair) think about the 5.x range, especially for an auto.