A few weeks ago I bought a 2008 JKUR its pretty much stock with the gutless auto trans (had to make the woman happy too) it has 187k on the chassis and 60K on a reman. dealer installed 3.8. although its not the ideal set up I paid around $12k for it which I think is still an OK deal. My questions is, should I put money into this jeep and build it how I want or should I go for a newer JK just because the motor is much better? Its not my daily driver but I plan on using to go into the mountains and camp as well as some decent off-roading. Thanks for the help/opinions in advance.

 

Your first sentence, (or two, or three), says to me you may never be happy with the 2008 JK, no matter what you do to it.
You are the only one who can tell you if you should go with something else.

 

So, you bought a Jeep because it was cheap and now you want to go buy a newer more expensive Jeep ? Why did you buy the '08 ? Diff, strokes for diff. folks I guess ! lol Anyway, I still have my '08 jkur from when I bought it new. I don't believe in making vehicle payments forever, I like to keep them way past the last payment unless they are costing me a fortune and/or leaving me stranded. I like to 4 wheel my Jeep and I do it all the time. My Jeep is a big fat slow turd on road but is superman off road, probably a lot like yours. Have you ever had it off road ?

 

As mentioned- it depends on you, it's not really a decision people on the internet can help you make because you can bet nobody here will be donating cash to your "I'd prefer the 3.6" fund. Have you considered re-gearing it as an alternative to bumping to the 3.6??

 

I know many people who wheel the hell out of their 3.8s, a good buddy of mine is on 38s with his, no forced induction, just a good tune and deep gears.

My wife's uncle (uncle-in-law?) has a 3.8 sport with crappy diff gearing, sitting on 35s, he got one of the more expensive tuners (bulldog maybe), and since he changed to the higher performance tune it does pretty good. (Granted he has to run 91 octane gas, but still). It is what you make it, and how much you are willing to spend.

It is a choice you have to make on your own though.

Happy Jeeping!

 

12k for a rubi JKU? That's cheap as duck

 

Put a LS 6.2 in it along with 60s and you will have a much better rig than even a new one for about the same money.

 

Thanks for all the feedback, I have had it offroad twice in two weeks I've even done some crawling and even with the worn out M/T's it just pulled right up and through it! I guess a bit of buyers remorse coupled with all the negative things out about the 3.8 had me second guessing if I made the right choice. But with 60k on the motor I'll just regear once I lift it and enjoy the wheeling. Thanks again

 

The 3.6L engine isn't perfect, either.

 

208K miles on my 3.8 and they'll have to bury me in it. Would I rather have a 3.6? You bet! Would I rather have a Hemi? Oh, most definitely. But my 3.8 does just fine getting me all around North America--from the Mexican border to the Arctic Circle.

Couple weeks ago, a few miles from Sonoyta, Mexico ...



Last June, on way to Inuvik, Northwest Territory ...



Just south of Deadhorse, Alaska on the Dalton Highway ...



My friend photographs the Arctic Ocean (you must take a shuttle bus the last ten miles or so--no private vehicles on the oil leases) ...