cucmd1

Hey guys. I've had a 2dr X for a couple of years and we love it. We might trade our Liberty in on a 4dr Rubi. My 2dr has an auto/3.73 and the Rubi would be an auto as well but with the 4.10. My question is: in stock form will the Rubi have much more pickup from it's gearing, or is the weight of the 4dr going to negate the gearing benefit. Will mileage decrease quite a bit too, or will it be more efficient with a little lower gearing? (no I don't care that much about gas, but I'd still like to know what I'm getting myself into) I'm trying to convince the misses the benefit of buying the 4dr Rubi over a Sport or Sahara. I need some ammo. We're expecting our first kid in June and we need more cargo area than we've got with either the 2dr or the Liberty. Thanks,

Clay

RubiDude

Can't speak to comparative power as I have only driven my JK...bought it sight unseen basically! Prior to that I spent lots of time in my setpfather's TJ...totally different animal. I can tell you that my sister has a Commander with the same 3.7 engine as the Liberty and I honestly think my Rubi rolls better...could be that that engine in the Commander is way TOO small though!However, as far as having kids, family and what not, I think it is great! So long as you expect that that no matter what Jeep model you drive you will never win a race! Where the Rubi shine, IMO, is that is an extremely offroad rig right out of the box.

My wife loves mine and we even switch out every now and again and I drive her Chevy Traverse and she drives the Rubi. There is tons of storage in the rear and it does fine on the HWY...we drove from VA to FL this summer and cruises the whole way down between 75-80 mph...mileage falls off a bit at that speed, but otherwise I average about 18ish and my commute is half hwy and half clogged city streets with brutal stop and go. When my wife drives for the week she will get 21ish as he drive is mostly all hwy.

You guys will love it!

cucmd1

is your Rubi an auto? No, I don't expect to win races (or would even try to), but I do want to hit the gas and go, and I also don't want the transmission hunting for gears nonstop. With as close as I am to STL there's a lot of fast highway driving. It's good to know that you guys are comfortable with the long trips in the 4dr. I know our 2dr can be a bit squirrely at times.

RubiDude

Yeah mine is an auto and I find it just fine...especially in stop and go, change lanes quickly the way I drive. I also have no problems getting to hwy speed and staying there...no gear issues!

cucmd1

Awesome, thanks!

It'll still probably be closer to this summer before I can scrape up the funds to pull it off, but I'm pretty sure that's what I'm going to hold out for. The other option was to get an extended cab GMC Sierra Z71. I get the GM employee discount through my wife, so that would be an extra $3200 or so off whatever deal I could swing. On top of wanting a 4dr Rubi, GM changed the trucks with the 5.3 this year so you have to get the 6sp auto, and you can only get a 3.42 gear in them. I test drove one like that and it was a dog! I hate bean counters.

cucmd1

That IS too much gas. The 5.3 is fine, that transmission and gearing is not. I loved that engine with the 4 speed auto and 3.73.

RevyJKU08

STAY AWAY from an extended Cab truck if you can with your first kids....If you get a pick-up get a CREW CAB!!!! The room for the car seat down the road will be much better in the Crew Cab for the kids legs. The Extended Cab is a PITA with kids car seats as most of the time the kid's legs will bang against the front seats if you or our spouse need leg room. Get the Rubi!!!

cucmd1

thanks for the input. I hate the look of the crew cabs, and I don't care for the small bed. I traded in my truck to buy my 2dr, and I've been missing it ever since. I really would like the 4dr too, so I'm doing a lot of thinking. My big thing is I feel really stupid owning 2 SUV's now, and that's potentially what I could be doing again! Oh well, we'll figure something out. It'll probably be closer to the end of summer anyway.