Buy a Rubi OR Mod the 07 ? Your thoughts?
JK Junkie
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 2,203
Likes: 4
From: Jacksonville NC
Oh, here is a picture. I'm removing the fenders and installing
the bushwacker flats this weekend. "Let The Mods Begin"
Attachment 413547
thanks again
the bushwacker flats this weekend. "Let The Mods Begin"
Attachment 413547
thanks again
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 286
Likes: 2
From: Was:Palmdale, CA Now: Cedar City UT
It's a tough decision!
I am currently in the same situation.
I purchased a new 2011 Unlimited. I was looking for a Jeep that I would not have to make payments on so opted for the Sport with the knowledge that I could upgrade/change to the things that I want and pay for it as I went. Since then I have purchased the Rubicon sway-bar with elec. disconnects, a Rubicon D44 rear axle with lockers geared 4.88, a Rubicon front D44 with lockers also geared 4.88, a 730N and other misc items. Since I was the original owner I could sign up for the unlimited mileage lifetime warranty and did so. Now, I have a lifetime warranty but not on all of the stuff that I purchased after the fact. And I miss the electric windows and electric door locks a LOT MORE than I thought I would and I don't have leather seats.
I've considered purchasing a new Rubicon and selling the stuff purchased after the original acquisition of my 2011 JKU but living in California just the SALES TAX on a new Rubicon is $4000.. When I was young I wondered how the government got all of it's money.... Now as an adult I wonder how they manage to spend all the money they get and still want more! But hey, they don't call it the Golden State for nothing. They earned that name. If you have any gold it goes to the state!
If I did buy a new Rubicon I would have to finance the difference and at this point in time THAT does not sound all that attractive.....but if I did I would have a brand new Rubicon....HHHmmmmmm. Yep, it's a tough decision!
I purchased a new 2011 Unlimited. I was looking for a Jeep that I would not have to make payments on so opted for the Sport with the knowledge that I could upgrade/change to the things that I want and pay for it as I went. Since then I have purchased the Rubicon sway-bar with elec. disconnects, a Rubicon D44 rear axle with lockers geared 4.88, a Rubicon front D44 with lockers also geared 4.88, a 730N and other misc items. Since I was the original owner I could sign up for the unlimited mileage lifetime warranty and did so. Now, I have a lifetime warranty but not on all of the stuff that I purchased after the fact. And I miss the electric windows and electric door locks a LOT MORE than I thought I would and I don't have leather seats.
I've considered purchasing a new Rubicon and selling the stuff purchased after the original acquisition of my 2011 JKU but living in California just the SALES TAX on a new Rubicon is $4000.. When I was young I wondered how the government got all of it's money.... Now as an adult I wonder how they manage to spend all the money they get and still want more! But hey, they don't call it the Golden State for nothing. They earned that name. If you have any gold it goes to the state!
If I did buy a new Rubicon I would have to finance the difference and at this point in time THAT does not sound all that attractive.....but if I did I would have a brand new Rubicon....HHHmmmmmm. Yep, it's a tough decision!
Last edited by KG6SLC; Jan 30, 2013 at 02:09 PM.
JK Junkie
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 2,203
Likes: 4
From: Jacksonville NC
Dude he already got it......... You only live once.... So what the hell... Good for him..
Plus he will have a better rig to run over zombies with when the zombie apocalypse hits.
But you got to get a good bumper to keep running them over with.
Plus he will have a better rig to run over zombies with when the zombie apocalypse hits.
But you got to get a good bumper to keep running them over with.
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 264
Likes: 0
From: Ida Michigan
Rubicon asskicker
Comes down to $$ and if you want to build something custom to suite you or just have something out of the box. My fiance has a 2010 JK that has 5" lift, 35s, shortened bumper and winch. Only mods so far, but it will get either new axles or just regeared with lockers. Now at the time of buying her JK the price difference was $10-15gs between her JK and a RUBI JK. That's any extra 2 years of payments. She also didn't want options and bought a base model so she'd know there wasn't anything extra to go wrong with it. We all know electronics in vehicles don't last forever. Now that we're dating she'll keep it forever as when the engine dies it'll get a V8. For the most part the difference in cost and interest between paying the extra amount we'll have spent it customizing her Jeep to kill any Rubi out there. But we can also do the work ourselves and have a shop with everything we need, so for us we rather save money and build a custom Jeep to suite her tastes and driving habits. If she had gotten a Rubi, everything except the t-case would've been replaced, so is the extra $10-15s + interest would've been a big waste of money.
If you don't like to modify vehicles yourself and just want something out of the box and want to keep having payments for another 5-years then that's one route to go. I see it as having an almost paid of vehicle (warranty doesn't matter as most is void once you modify it) and then the $$ you would've spent on Rubi payments you can put in your "modification piggy bank" and over time build a Jeep far more capable compared to a stock Rubi. That's just one way to look at it though. Lots of people want things fast and see the Rubi has items they want, but if they are serious builders everything except the t-case will disappear and then they have a modified Rubi, which is the exact same as a modified Sport
A Jeep is a Jeep and in the end it comes down to the driver and gear you have to work with. If we're to do it over again, I'd go down to Cali and buy a 2-wheel driver 4dr and import it up here then build it up. Rubi's here are around $40,000. I could get a 2-wheel drive for around $25gs imported up here and have $15gs to modify it and it'll be way better than any out of the box vehicle. Or I could buy an older Jeep for around $14gs and spend $20g on a V8 swap if I wasn't mechanically inclined. Or do it myself for say $5gs or so, then have $15g still left over for lift, tires, rims, bumpers, winch, protection etc.
So how far have have you gotten with turning youre girlfriends jeep into a Rubicon ass kicker. By the way what model do you own. Sometimes when you settle for less in the beginning you still wind up with less in the end. You can build a better jeep than a stock Rubicon but to do it right you are going to spend a lot more money and have spent a lot less time on the trails. Next time you decide to slam our Rubicons have SOMETHING to show us.
There's more to it than just looking at it from face value, but the majority of people don't or can't build/modify their own vehicles so it's not worth it for them to buy the lower models and save money. It's worth it for them to pay a premium for a vehicle that is already modified from the factory. That's fine, if they have the $ and no time to do it, why not. Everybody is different, so it's a personal choice. Personally, I'd never buy a Rubi and if I was given one I'd sell it and get a base model, but that's just me. Nothing against the Rubi, but when you look at a Rubi owners sig on the forum and see they've change every item the Rubi was originally bought for it's just a waste of money in the end in my opinion unless they bought it as a status symbol because it's a Rubicon and most expensive Wrangler there is
If you don't like to modify vehicles yourself and just want something out of the box and want to keep having payments for another 5-years then that's one route to go. I see it as having an almost paid of vehicle (warranty doesn't matter as most is void once you modify it) and then the $$ you would've spent on Rubi payments you can put in your "modification piggy bank" and over time build a Jeep far more capable compared to a stock Rubi. That's just one way to look at it though. Lots of people want things fast and see the Rubi has items they want, but if they are serious builders everything except the t-case will disappear and then they have a modified Rubi, which is the exact same as a modified Sport
A Jeep is a Jeep and in the end it comes down to the driver and gear you have to work with. If we're to do it over again, I'd go down to Cali and buy a 2-wheel driver 4dr and import it up here then build it up. Rubi's here are around $40,000. I could get a 2-wheel drive for around $25gs imported up here and have $15gs to modify it and it'll be way better than any out of the box vehicle. Or I could buy an older Jeep for around $14gs and spend $20g on a V8 swap if I wasn't mechanically inclined. Or do it myself for say $5gs or so, then have $15g still left over for lift, tires, rims, bumpers, winch, protection etc. So how far have have you gotten with turning youre girlfriends jeep into a Rubicon ass kicker. By the way what model do you own. Sometimes when you settle for less in the beginning you still wind up with less in the end. You can build a better jeep than a stock Rubicon but to do it right you are going to spend a lot more money and have spent a lot less time on the trails. Next time you decide to slam our Rubicons have SOMETHING to show us.
There's more to it than just looking at it from face value, but the majority of people don't or can't build/modify their own vehicles so it's not worth it for them to buy the lower models and save money. It's worth it for them to pay a premium for a vehicle that is already modified from the factory. That's fine, if they have the $ and no time to do it, why not. Everybody is different, so it's a personal choice. Personally, I'd never buy a Rubi and if I was given one I'd sell it and get a base model, but that's just me. Nothing against the Rubi, but when you look at a Rubi owners sig on the forum and see they've change every item the Rubi was originally bought for it's just a waste of money in the end in my opinion unless they bought it as a status symbol because it's a Rubicon and most expensive Wrangler there is
JK Junkie
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 2,203
Likes: 4
From: Jacksonville NC
Everyone has to decide whats best for them. Here is a good article to read.
http://www.edmunds.com/jeep/wrangler...-or-sport.html
http://www.edmunds.com/jeep/wrangler...-or-sport.html
Last edited by Jonathan_JK; Feb 10, 2013 at 03:00 PM.