Daily car or second car?

[Mark B]

I wrote a long reply to this but it didn’t post 🤦🏻‍♂️ 

anyways long story short, sand runner needs a lift and bigger tires it’s too low. 
Magnuson is great and I really thought about it but scared it will blow the engine! 
I might save up for a Hemi swap tho 😬

was thinking, back to the original question I’ve never driven one but a patrol safari might be best of both 🤷🏻‍♂️ 

[Josh S]

5 hours ago, Pavel Pashkovskiy said:

As a owner of 2 Jeeps need to clarify for you something important about Rubicon specifically. But before that, may i ask why you thinking about Rubicon trim? Any reason for that? 2 or 4 dr? Of course 2 dr. In upcoming winter you will remove roof and doors and run it like a buggy. Kind of experience you never get with any other car.

1. I read that Rubicon was best for off-road and cost isn't too much higher than other specs.

2. 2dr because I have no children. Only a spouse and small dog. The 4 door seems unnecessary, however if it is better in the sand or safer, I'd consider it.

Also, I can pick up a brand new 2023 Rubicon for about 200k, which I thought may be better value for money than AED130k-150k and 50k miles on a 2018 model...  What are your thoughts?

(Only fear is wrecking it in the desert, which I hope is fairly uncommon, or considerable depreciation)

Edited July 23, 2023 by controlz

[Gaurav]

5 hours ago, controlz said:

Thanks for this tips. I think I’m going to go for a wrangler rubicon with the intention of it being my off-road only car, however, if I end up enjoying it for on road then I won’t rush into the daily, however will get a daily too if necessarily. I can pickup a 2018 2dr for around 120-150k. I think the 2dr is preferred for desert over 4 dr?

You definitely can't go wrong with Rubicon, it's one of the best off-road toys.

I agree with Mark that sway-bar disconnect is more for rock crawling features, not apt for sand.

Diff locks are truly essential if you have it for sand, if you don't, yes they aren't a deal breaker. So if you buying a dedicated off-road car, look for one that comes with a factory rear diff-lock (at least) + the front locker is a luxury (in Rubicon).

Now 2 door vs 4 door comes to your need, but for sand 2 door is always better for having the best power-to-weight ratio, which can offer years of smiles on every tall dune climbing.

[Gaurav]

9 minutes ago, controlz said:

Also, I can pick up a brand new 2023 Rubicon for about 200k, which I thought may be better value for money than AED130k-150k and 50k miles on a 2018 model...  What are your thoughts?

If affordability isn't a question then newer will offer 5 years of peace of mind with warranty, for sure. Model wise 2017 upward all are JLU and have the same power and features more or less.

Don't worry about wrecking your car in the sand, as far as you are driving sensibly and with good comprehensive off-road insurance, which covers almost all unforeseen situations, very well in UAE.

13 minutes ago, controlz said:

2dr because I have no children.

Awesome choice.

[Pavel Pashkovskiy]

18 minutes ago, controlz said:

1. I read that Rubicon was best for off-road and cost isn't too much higher than other specs.

2. 2dr because I have no children. Only a spouse and small dog. The 4 door seems unnecessary, however if it is better in the sand or safer, I'd consider it.

Also, I can pick up a brand new 2023 Rubicon for about 200k, which I thought may be better value for money than AED130k-150k and 50k miles on a 2018 model...  What are your thoughts?

(Only fear is wrecking it in the desert, which I hope is fairly uncommon, or considerable depreciation)

Ok, seems you are not aware about main disadvantage of Rubicon, this is why i asked first, before give my opinion and advice. Main weak point of Rubicon in transfer case ratio. This car was designed for rock crawling, mountains and mud, but not for desert speedy drive and dunes climbing. Simply speaking Sport and Sahara much faster in the desert than Rubicon. Don't want to overload you here with technical details, from now on you can Googled and read more about it. At the beginning of your offroad adventure you will not feel much difference due to basic level of the drives you will be joining, but after some time you will regret about your choice, because you will not be able to "fly" over the dunes same like other Jeeps. 98% of all offroad vehicles in the region doesn't have sway bar disconnect system and difflocks. It's almost useless on sand, and designed for mountains and muds. My personal suggestion 2dr Sport. You main choice need to be between JL and JK. If you are looking for the car model somewhere 2018, i suggest to go for JK. Because 2018 was last manufacturing year for JK and it was near best of the best option, and 2018 was first year of manufacturing of JL, and like everything just released that cars had lot of issues. Why Sport? Because technically it's same car as Sahara, just without luxerious things, which you don't need at all in the desert. You will be always thinking to remove roof and doors or trying to keep leather seats safe, why you need this? Go unlimited. 

[Josh S]

10 minutes ago, Pavel Pashkovskiy said:

Why Sport? Because technically it's same car as Sahara, just without luxerious things, which you don't need at all in the desert. You will be always thinking to remove roof and doors or trying to keep leather seats safe, why you need this? Go unlimited. 

Actually, leather is very important for me as the plan is to actually see if I can use it as my daily toot sinceI test drove one on the road today . As it was going to potentially be my daily too, that is why I opted for Rubicon but if the general consensus is rubicon is a mistake, I will look at Sahara!

Would it be a big mistake?

Edited July 23, 2023 by controlz

[Gaurav]

7 minutes ago, Pavel Pashkovskiy said:

Main weak point of Rubicon in transfer case ratio. This car was designed for rock crawling, mountains and mud, but not for desert speedy drive and dunes climbing. Simply speaking Sport and Sahara much faster in the desert than Rubicon. Don't want to overload you here with technical details, from now on you can Googled and read more about it.

Wow, I never knew about this transfer case ratio is an issue for Rubicon. Thanks for sharing this.

Do you mean the top speed in HI gear is restricted or are you comparing LO gear top speed of Rubicon vs sandrunner?

[Pavel Pashkovskiy]

1 minute ago, Gaurav said:

Wow, I never knew about this transfer case ratio is an issue for Rubicon. Thanks for sharing this.

Do you mean the top speed in HI gear is restricted or are you comparing LO gear top speed of Rubicon vs sandrunner?

It's not an issue, it's just specification let say. Rubicon transfer case ratio is 4:1, when Sport, Sahara and Sand Runner/Mojave is 2.71:1 At same driving conditions Rubicon generally much slower, which is huge advange in rock crawling and disadvantage in dunes climbing. Rubicon positioning as an high loaded option, but all that quite useless in the desert. 

12 minutes ago, controlz said:

Actually, leather is very important for me as the plan is to actually see if I can use it as my daily toot sinceI test drove one on the road today . As it was going to potentially be my daily too, that is why I opted for Rubicon but if the general consensus is rubicon is a mistake, I will look at Sahara!

Would it be a big mistake?

Any Korean or Chinese crossover will be 100 times more comfortable for daily drives than any Wrangler with leather seats, without leather seats or even without seats at all.

[Mark B]

Rubicon and sand runner are both 4.10 ration, but low range is 2.72 for sand runner and 4.1 for rubicon, be sure to check with your dealer even buying a sport or Sahara, as in the US they come with 3.73 for sport and 3.45 for Sahara both 2.72 low range where here they tend to use 4.1 for low range for some reason even tho is crap on sand. It is a different transfer case, command trac or selec trac, there are opinions which is better but command is what the sand runner uses. 

rubicon is as it says on the tin, rubicon is a rock trail in the US and which is what they are made for and are very good at! 

have a think about if your going to want bigger tires etc, bigger tires equals higher gear ratio well lower but higher numerically lol 

 

[Pavel Pashkovskiy]

17 minutes ago, Mark B said:

Rubicon and sand runner are both 4.10 ration, but low range is 2.72 for sand runner and 4.1 for rubicon, be sure to check with your dealer even buying a sport or Sahara, as in the US they come with 3.73 for sport and 3.45 for Sahara both 2.72 low range where here they tend to use 4.1 for low range for some reason even tho is crap on sand. It is a different transfer case, command trac or selec trac, there are opinions which is better but command is what the sand runner uses. 

rubicon is as it says on the tin, rubicon is a rock trail in the US and which is what they are made for and are very good at! 

have a think about if your going to want bigger tires etc, bigger tires equals higher gear ratio well lower but higher numerically lol 

 

I think you are talking about gear ratio, but not transfer case ratio.