Question:
I'm gonna be in the market for a new jeep soon and I'm trying to decide if I want the Unlimited Rubicon or just a regular Rubi. If ya don't mind, add comments as to why you like one over the other.

Choices:
Rubicon
Rubicon Unlimited.

 

I just dig the longer wrangler. I've always liked the look of the AEV stretch wranglers. Once lifted I think it has a better 'presence' than a normal length wrangler.

Add the CRD and I'd be $30k more broke

Jason

i need more space than my tj has, but i think i would go regular unlimited and build it from there.

go long!!!! more space longer wheel base

I think the Unlimited is ugly and looks very stupid with the soft top up. It would have to have at least 220 horsepower to be even considered for me. Bigger Jeep, same power? No way.

If you plan to wheel it near stock with 33" tires or smaller then buy the Rubicon.

If you plan to slap 36" or larger tires on it then get the base unlimited and start swapping parts. The price difference of $4,500 would buy a long arm lift, a SYE with new drive shaft, and 36" tires.
Of course you still need gears, lockers, upgraded front axle shafts, and assorted other doo-dads that will run you another $4,00 or so.

whoops, I answered Unlimited Vs Rubicon Unlimited.

If it's short verses long wheelbase I say go long. More stable and more cargo.

Its an interesting decision. I presently have a Rubicon and I'm thinking of buying an unlimited Rubicon in 2006 model year. Might just use it as a daily driver for a while. I fully intend to keep my 2003 for another year or two as my primary off road jeep.

A good part of your decision should be based on your need for the additional space. The added wheelbase is a mixed blessing and will hurt you as much as it'll help.

For background on that, When I bought my first CJ7 in 1977, I took a lot of good natured ribbing about driving a school bus on the trails. Back then everyone had CJ5s, except for the guys still driving CJ2s and CJ3s. Long wasn't considered cool. The problem all those guys had was that the holes and ruts were all dug out by people driving with the same basic wheel base. Maybe they could bend around trees a little better, but I could use the holes against them and often go up a ledge or hill where they failed.

My assumption is that the same basic principle will work on Unlimiteds. Thats one reason Scramblers get around so well. Unlimiteds have the added advantage over them of not having the awful rear overhang.

The only thing so far that I've seen that I don't like on the 2005s is the mags. They're painted wheels! They get that nice cast/machined look by painting them with metallic paint! Talk about cheap.

I'm waiting till the 2006s come out for a couple of reasons. First, I don't really need it yet. It just seems to make more sense to have an extra year separation between my vehicles. There is a fair chance that DC will give us an engine option. Yes, as in CRD. That alone would push me over the edge. Not certain it will make the power to move the school bus down the road, but it couldn't be much worse than the current 4.0.

The crazy thing is I'm pretty close to buying something and now, I can't seem to find what I want. I may have to order. A few months ago I could find Unlimited Rubi's everywhere, now all I find are X's and a few regular Rubi's. But I can't even find them in the color's I'm interested in. I have heard Jeep is looking at going to a V6 (I think the 3.7 in the Libby's) and getting rid of the 4.0L for 06. Anyone know if there is any truth to that?

From Chris S:

quote:

If you plan to wheel it near stock with 33" tires or smaller then buy the Rubicon.

If you plan to slap 36" or larger tires on it then get the base unlimited and start swapping parts. The price difference of $4,500 would buy a long arm lift, a SYE with new drive shaft, and 36" tires.
Of course you still need gears, lockers, upgraded front axle shafts, and assorted other doo-dads that will run you another $4,00 or so.

It's interesting you mention buying a base Unlimited vs. a Rubi Unlimited. Every since Jeep came out with the Rubi's I thought that without a doubt, if I bought another new Jeep, it'd be a Rubi. Now that there is an Unlimited Rubi, I really thought I was sitting (can't say the reall word) in tall cotton. But I'm finding myself trying to weigh the pro's and con's of building my own version of the Unlimited Rubi vs. buying one. The plan's right now include a set of 35's on a 6" LA lift as my base. So the expense of the lockers, axles, etc., start making me wonder just how different in price I'd be for the same or better Jeep.

quote:

...I'm finding myself trying to weigh the pro's and con's of building my own version of the Unlimited Rubi vs. buying one. The plan's right now include a set of 35's on a 6" LA lift as my base. So the expense of the lockers, axles, etc., start making me wonder just how different in price I'd be for the same or better Jeep.

To build the same jeep it would cost you more to do it yourself. If you want a much better Jeep you are better off building it yourself. Thta is assuming you can do most of the work yourself.

quote:

Originally posted by Chris S:
To build the same jeep it would cost you more to do it yourself. If you want a much better Jeep you are better off building it yourself. Thta is assuming you can do most of the work yourself.

Very true. But it still comes back to knowing what you want before you start. As long as you don't plan on a serious horsepower upgrade (or driving like an idiot and jumping it) the stock Rubi 44s should do nicely. The same goes for the transfer case. When its all said and done, the stock components are pretty well balanced to the engine and horsepower being developed. You can even upgrade the power some and still have those parts live a long life. I don't think we have enough information to talk about the new 6 speed.

If the jeep has an engine transplant coming in the near future, then the buyer needs to be thinking about a better Tcase to match the larger and stronger axles. Get your calculator out and start adding in the cost of the tires and wheels ($500+ per corner), the Tcase (Atlas @ $2000+), quality drive shafts ($250 ea), Front and rear ends ($4,000 front, nearly the same rear), and lift ($3,000?). You've got as much in parts sitting on the floor as the cost of a fair, used jeep. So why buy a new one and discard or try to market the parts? Seems to me that you'd be much better off buying used if the goal is to replace the drivetrain and suspension.

If you can't do the work yourself, you're in a real bind. Thats how folks were buying $40,000 jeeps from Currie a few years ago. They were getting the best price off the internet they could find in Kali, then just having Currie replace the parts with ones they decided they wanted. It was no trick to take a $22,000 jeep up to the $40,000 level. They even gave you the extra parts, or shipped them to you. Thats a pretty expensive luxury.

Another consideration is that in most cases the aftermarket parts need significant maintenance on an ongoing basis. Few owners that don't do the original work themselves are capable of the minor things required to make the expensive new parts live a long and happy life. Dealers don't like working on jeeps with a lot of aftermarket parts. They aren't trained for that and they are constantly on the alert for warranty issues (if they do the work, you might want to hold them responsible for failures.)

A significant part of the price you pay for a new vehicle is related to the warranty. Regardless of how you view it, the manufacturers and dealers views are that as you mess with the factory masterpiece, you're making the parts less reliable. They didn't have control over the manufacture or installation of aftermarket parts. Bigger ones tend to add strain on the remaining parts. You're wasting a lot of money doing what we're discussing.

I would start looking for a used Umlimited and build it.

They already come stock with the rear 44 and a Dana 30 front. You can run 35's on those and add some lockers, and if your so inclined later, you can add in a rubi 44 front,

you can get them form Jeeps r us for around $1600 and its a factory part so you are likely covered there.

The Dana 30 front will likely take most of the abuse you can give unless you are really hard on vehicles, depends on your driving style. So you find a used unlimited and put the money for some lockers a lift, tummy tucker (which you'll have to do whether its a Rubi or whatever anyway), some bigger tires and your ready to go...

Now of course you won't have the 4:1 TC, so thats a downside, unless you pick one up used at a later date....

You know I guess it really depends how you want to go about it,

You know, the more I think about it, I'm glad I got the Rubi instead of building another jeep, screw it buy you a Rubi Unlimited and go from there

I'm sure a Factory Unlimited Rubi would suffice for quite some time. Like I said, 35/36's are in the plan. I don't think I'd go any bigger but...there's always that chance. I don't claim to be a real mechanic so there are things that would require me to find a buddy(s) that knows his stuff.

Thanks for the input guys!

i like the longer wheelbase, its like a scrambler

I've had mine for 6 days and have loved the smoothness of the ride compared to a regular Rubi. I drove both and went w/ the Unlimited because of the ride and the room. I belive the approach/departure angles are very close to the regular. I've only been out a few times so far, but have been amazed at what she'll do.Anyway I vote Unlimited as well!
Jerm
2005 Unlimited Rubicon
Interior and Travel Packages
-Borla Cat-Back Exhaust
Off Road Package
-Hi Clearance Bumpers F/R
-Warn XD9000i Winch
-Rock Rails
-Skid Plates (Oil Pan,Tranny,Steering Box,RockerPanels)
Standard Equipment
-Dana 44s F/R
-31" Goodyears
-Air Lockers F/R (they work like a mutha)
Anyway,bottom line for me was:

$34,568
I got 5.5% at the bank so it's like $574 or so for 72months...a little ouch, BUT WORTH IT!!!

I was looking on Jeeps web site the other day and it appeared to me they were going to bring back Solar Yellow. Can anyone confirm? If so...I'm stoked!

Bought mine fron Dave Smith in Kellogg Idaho. Got the Unlimited Rubicon Saraha $26,567.00 thats with 2600 down

Congrats to all the new RUBI-unlimited owners, I think they are Awesome, like a modernized scrambler... personally I would like the space so my vote goes to the unlimited

Another thing is, you could have a bigger tool box on the trail.

Rubi unlimited....higher tow capacity...longer wb better ride....