does anyone here have a Jeep Rubicon?

vash · vash's Garage

how are they holding up? what do you like/dislike? i kinda like them. i had 2 CJ-7's growing up, and basically learned to wrench on one. i never got too extreme with the mods, but i made it so i rarely got stuck offroad.

are they offering deep discounts on them yet?

onewhippedpuppy · 06-16-2009, 01:43 PM

I dig the 4 doors with the removable hardtop. Pretty sweet trucks.

pavulon · 06-16-2009, 02:03 PM

Don't own one but have been told and read that they are severely underpowered...nothing a salvaged 5.7 or 6.1L can't cure. There are a few people out there making componenets for the swap.

vash · vash's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by pavulon

Don't own one but have been told and read that they are severely underpowered...nothing a salvaged 5.7 or 6.1L can't cure. There are a few people out there making componenets for the swap.

not happening in my lovely state.

azasadny · azasadny's Garage

Cliff,
My father had a 2006 Jeep Rubicon that he bought new and sold last spring on Craigslist to the 1st guy who looked at it. My dad really liked it, but at 71, he was getting tired of shifting the car and the ride was too stiff for him. He leased a Ford Fusion and I have given up trying to get him to buy a Boxster or Cayman. He sold the Rubicon for almost what he paid for it and it was immaculate with 16k on the odometer. He drove it to the deer hunting property a few times a year and loved the way it handled in the deep snow, but he didn't take if off-road any more than that...

onewhippedpuppy · 06-17-2009, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pavulon

Don't own one but have been told and read that they are severely underpowered...nothing a salvaged 5.7 or 6.1L can't cure. There are a few people out there making componenets for the swap.

Expecting big power out a vehicle designed to perform well off-road is missing the point. My FJ80 is by no means quick, but it can go almost anywhere you point it.

Dantilla · 06-17-2009, 06:49 PM

My wife's daily driver is a 2005 Rubicon. The 4:10 gears are far better than the old Jeep's 3:73 axles when the 33" tires are mounted. While Jeep's 4.0 litre 6-cylinder is bullet-proof and has plenty of torque, the 3:73 equipped Jeep had pretty anemic acceleration.

Overall, it's cheaper to start with a Rubicon than to buy a regular Wrangler then start upgrading. Lockers front & rear, Dana 44 axles, and better brakes from the factory.

Great off-road capability, and loads of fun in the summer with the top and doors removed.

Any of the coil-sprung Wranglers (1997 and later) have far better road manners than the old leaf-sprung Jeeps. Old CJ-5s look cool, but are no fun for more than short trips with their twichy on-pavement handling.

mattdavis11 · 06-17-2009, 07:04 PM

This pretty much sums up the quality of a heep. Not much has changed.

How+%22NOT%22+to+pull+a+truck+out+of+the+mud!

onewhippedpuppy · 06-17-2009, 07:21 PM

Dantilla, so the '97 and later has a better suspension? I'm trying to find my father in law a Wrangler.

Dantilla · 06-17-2009, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattdavis11

This pretty much sums up the quality of a heep. Not much has changed.

The ONLY way to pull anything out of that muck is to pull it back from the way it went in. What do you expect when to try to pull it deeper into the muck?

The basic structure of a Jeep is sound. Fully boxed frames and bulletproof engines, unfortunately the secondary things like electrical components took on a Chrysler-like quality over the last few years.

Dantilla · 06-17-2009, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Dantilla, so the '97 and later has a better suspension? I'm trying to find my father in law a Wrangler.

Yup. Check for coil springs. The old CJ series and YJ series (square headlights, first to use the name "Wrangler") had leaf springs all the way around. The "TJ" was introduced in 1997 with a return to round headlights and a completely new coil-sprung suspension. The new suspension completely transformed on-road stability, yet is superior off-road, too.

No Jeep Wrangler is going to have "good" handling for somebody who is used to driving a Porsche. And the gas mileage sucks. And they are suseptable to strong side-winds. And they lack storage space (Long wheelbase Jeep? That's like high heel tennis shoes. Makes no sense whatsoever).

But despite all their faults, they are really fun. And don't forget the "Jeep Wave" when you see another one.

lm6y · 06-17-2009, 07:34 PM

How was that the Jeep's fault? Some dumbass wraps the strap around the axle, and not the recovery point on the front bumper.

My best friend's wife has an 07 4dr Rubicon with 4" of lift, and 35's. She drives it everyday, actually wheels it, and they take it on vacation. It has 60k on the clock, and it's getting ready to make it's second trip to Moab this september. It hasn't been babied at all, and still runs / drives really well. The back seats are kinda hard to get in / out of if you are over 6ft tall though.

Dantilla · 06-17-2009, 07:38 PM

One other thing- If you're going to upgrade wheels/tires, you need to find one with at least the optional 3:73 axles, or budget for a ring & pinion swap. 4:56 gears are common with 33" or 35" tires.

I'm very happy with the Rubi's stock 4:10s with 305/70/16 tires- Very close to 33/12.50/15 tires that are so common.

aigel · aigel's Garage

Wheel base on the Jeep is very short. That's good off road but not good bouncing to your hunting spot on the interstate. All my arguments that I had against your early Bronco idea apply to the Jeep as well. In addition the Jeep has no room whatsoever. If you go camping in it you will look like the Beverly Hillbillies. Leave alone killing something and bringing it home. Finally, I would never buy a Chrysler product that's built after 1975.

But it IS good to see you are trying to buy a manly car, after antique shows and vegetable dinners!

Cheers, George

vash · vash's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by aigel

Wheel base on the Jeep is very short. That's good off road but not good bouncing to your hunting spot on the interstate. All my arguments that I had against your early Bronco idea apply to the Jeep as well. In addition the Jeep has no room whatsoever. If you go camping in it you will look like the Beverly Hillbillies. Leave alone killing something and bringing it home. Finally, I would never buy a Chrysler product that's built after 1975.

But it IS good to see you are trying to buy a manly car, after antique shows and vegetable dinners!

Cheers, George

o-oh....i have been peeking at 2001/2002 dodge 3/4 ton diesels.. i can get one CHEAP!
george, when i hunted with my other two jeeps, a jeep CJ-7 golden eagle, and my regular 1984 cJ-7...i always had a tiny off road trailer with me. nothing better than dumping the trailer and going deep deep into the backcountry.

aigel · aigel's Garage

Cliff,

The trailer will slow you down to 55 mph on the interstate and it still will be a bouncy ride. The Jeeps are also gas hogs, especially considering their size!

I do agree that the Jeeps do well in the terrain. Go buy the big diesel and then drag a stripped bare bones jeep into the woods with it!

If you buy a 3/4 ton truck, I'd stick with a 7.3 PSD Ford.

George

mattdavis11 · 06-17-2009, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vash

when i hunted with my other two jeeps, a jeep CJ-7 golden eagle, and my regular 1984 cJ-7...i always had a tiny off road trailer with me. nothing better than dumping the trailer and going deep deep into the backcountry.

They'll knock your fillings out too. Even though I have one, albeit much older, I'll never subject myself to that type of punishment again. Drop into a cruiser sometime. A 60 series is nice for being leaf sprung, the 80 is a Cadillac off road.

campbellcj · 06-17-2009, 09:16 PM

Long ago we had a 93 Wrangler Sahara -- leaf spring version -- with the 4.0 i-6 and manual tranny. It was a fun vehicle and totally reliable while we owned it, but it was the most uncomfortable effin thing I have ever driven. Freeways are brutal with a soft top and any road (or off road) is brutal with that suspension. The new ones are intriguing though. If I were in the market for something in that genre I would also probably look at the Toyota FJ. For now our Land Cruiser is still da bomb for our needs.

willtel · 06-17-2009, 09:21 PM

I'm renting a Wrangler X (base model) in Arizona at the moment and I am pretty impressed with it. To be honest it is refreshing to drive something modern that is built with a purpose in mind other than trying to satisfy everyone with a license. It has performed very well off road and I would consider owning a Rubicon model myself.

I own an early Bronco so I pains me to say it but the new Wranglers have no competition in today's market.

lm6y · 06-18-2009, 04:30 AM

Why is everyone comparing the newer Jeeps to the 10 to 25 year old models? Go drive a newer one. They are NOTHING like the old Jeeps. Sure they aren't going to ride like a Bentley, or handle like a Porsche, but they are light years ahead of the old CJ, YJ, and TJ models. I'm pretty sure that Vash is looking at a newer Rubicon, not asking about the 1947 models.