So in my previous post, I asked a question regarding sport vs Rubi given my plans. It essentially all came down to what you can find for the price. Agreed.

So here is what I found. For a good price. With nearly every option I wanted. 2018 JKU Altitude edition. Was a short term lease. Low miles. Power interior. Nav/touchscreen. Freedom panels. Tow package.

I know some arent a fan of all painted jeeps. I desperately wanted a color matched hard top. Keep in mind this will be getting bushwhacker flat flares, wheels and tires in a couple weeks. Then next spring half doors, soft top. Lift, axles, bumpers.

Some other bits and pieces to come.
Here she is...

 

Looks like a good start. Hopefully you can sell those painted flares for a decent bit if you're going to something else. Bushwackers......are less than desirable unless I guess you're 100% on the pavement.

 

Nice lookin Jeep right there!

 

I dont plan on 100% pavement. But in all actuality it’ll be 80/20 road/off-road.

Having said that. Why do you say the bushwhackers are less than desirable. I had MC full front and rears on my 05 LJ Rubi and although they were stout I’ll never buy another set of steel fenders again. The rust and chipped paint on them infuriated me.

I had them painted to match the jeep.

I wish I would’ve gone with bushwhackers on that one. Powder coating maybe make a difference but I wanted them to match.

 

Plastic doesn't hold up to trees, rocks, big off caber washouts. Those fenders are very rigid, and if they get bent at all, they crease and never return to previous form. knock or rub once against something the slightest bit and you break plastic connections and spend more time repairing them. BUT, the biggest drawback is how they mount. They mount in a manner that when any pressure is applied to them from the side (like rubbing past a tree), they exert that pressure to the weakest part of the body (thin sheet metal) rather than pinch seams. It's a great way to cave quarter panels. Oh, and if getting the standard JK dimples isn't enough when you accidentally forget the check strap on the front doors, those stupid elephant ears of front fenders will put a nice effing crease in your front doors as they slam in to them

I'm not terribly reckless, but in about 18 months, i busted both rear fenders, bent a front fender, caved my rear quarter panel a couple times and creased both front doors. I also turned my $600 in to about $80 which is what I salvaged from em. If you don't like steel, spend the money for aluminum. Just my opinion. Not to say they won't work ok for you.......BUT, if any of those things happens, just consider yourself having been warned.

 

Aluminum fenders could be a possibility. However they are not cheap whatsoever, and to this point I have not been in any situation where the aluminum or even steel fenders would have proven of any additional benefit. I am not a man who enjoys pushing things to the limit. Breaking things and paying for fixes constantly.

I would rather be on 60s and on a trail rated at 3-4 and be happy, satisfied in my rigs performance, and not worried about limping out vs 44s and on a 5 trail bouncing and struggling and using the skinny pedal to get er done. Might bend something up a little innthe furure with the bushwhackers, and in all honesty I’d be upset. But the daily with the rust and chips of thensteel fenders is just so unappealing at this point it’s not even a consideration.

Any input on other non metal, additional clearance, fender options?

 

Oddly enough, most of my damage with those flares didn't come from aggressive trails. The worst was sliding in between a couple trees on a very narrow flat trail. I went real slow and thought i had escaped damage free, only to realize later nope, flare had caved in my rear quarter panel where they mounted. Another trail that was not very aggressive, found myself in a big washout with a high dirt wall. It got a bit off camber and you couldn't avoid the vehicle leaning a bit in to the dirt side. Same thing....pressure applied was distributed to the thin sheet metal. Just saying, not all damage is from aggressive rock crawlin.

For a short while there, Bushwacker actually made some aluminum flares that were very competitively priced. idk if they just didn't take off, what or why, but they seem to have been discontinued. I do agree in general, nice aluminum flares are pricey.....and hurt to buy. After I pretty much killed my Bushwackers, I went fenderless with delete kits. It was more due to budget than desire, cuz after chunking $600 in the trash, I couldn't afford $1k+ for quality metal flares. Years later I'm still fenderless.

IMO, the tube on the edge of the BW is the real downfall as that is what adds the rigidity. You might just research some of the other plastics before pulling the trigger on something, and pay particular attention to how they mount and where pressure would be transferred to if you were in situations like I described.

 

Have you considered the MCE's or the Xenon's? I think the MCE's are probably the better of the two choices. I have had the Xenon's on the G/F's TJ (she now has a JK 2door Rubi). We added a set of 285/70/17 on aftermarket rims (4.5" backspacing) and I am considering adding Flat Fenders to ensure a little more clearance. I like the Aluminum but it is pricey, and can cause body damage if impacted against a tree. The MCE's are paintable and if desired. Additionally they carry a lifetime replacemant warranty. Just a thoought.

 

What I can say, it's a great choice. Is there everything in it's nav panel / touchscreen? When I was buying my last car there was damaged touchscreen, but long story short I've simply looked for dozens of website and found one here, that could offer me all the information about touchscreens, that I had to know for making my choice and buying a new one. You should pay attention to it.