4wd for the wife - Jeep Rubicon Unlimited

I actually looked at a Jeep Cherokee in the mid 90's.Whilst in the process, I happened to be at the Auctions looking around & saw one that had been lightly sideswiped. It took it really badly & distorted so much it was a stat writeoff. A disco would have been an easy repair.
Whilst we shouldn't look on the dark side of anything, if I had bought one and my better half had had a bad prang I would hate to live with the thought that she was in a lesser vehicle by choice. I mean that thing just nearly collapsed. I'd be checking to see how much fiberglass is in the newer models for starters.

Actually, - as usual I researched after making a comment- it looks like a few area's have been improved.
1998
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSqhp2Ug650&feature=related"]YouTube - 1998 Jeep Wrangler frontal offset test[/ame]

2009/2010

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvvJIFCLxdw&NR=1"]YouTube - 2009-2010 Jeep Wrangler 4-Door IIHS Frontal Offset[/ame]

My wife is buying a JK jeep.
I have talked her into the Rubicon Spec.
They appear to be one of the last true common off road vehicles on the market with live alxes and all the gear for true off roading with out extensive lifts and modifications etc..
My wife doesnt like the looks or the comfort of a defender and the disco is out of the price range.(too complicated if it goes wrong)
There is alot to like about the JKs and the 2011 spec has a new range of features.
From my mechanics point of view the cast iron single valve low tech 3.8 motor should be straight forward as is the rest of the vehicle.
The 78 to one low range ,hose out floor,good towing, bolted to the chassis rock sliders and standard cross axle diff locks sweeten the off road package to me.
The missus likes the removeable hard top roof (for the convertable driving effect) and side air bags and the impressive standard sound system.
The only negatives appear to be a slightly weird driving position(easy fixed), smaller interior space than the Terrrican it will replace and the lack of factory under chassis rust proofing which I will fix.
Sorry to the Landrover fans and I am one , but the newer landys are not fitting our needs/price and the newer Jap stuff is getting too soft or expensive to service.
Ron

You get a hell of a lot for the money and my own test drives left me with the impression that they are great drive and a lot of fun. If the Rubicon had come with that fantastic diesel I would probably be driving one today and not my puma. It's a shame we don't have the J8 jeep in this country, that I would buy in a heart beat.
Good luck with the purchase. :thumbsup:

If it was a 6 seater then I would have pushed for one as the new family wheels.
Don't know how mych the purple paint job would have added to the price tag though.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DeeJay

I actually looked at a Jeep Cherokee in the mid 90's.Whilst in the process, I happened to be at the Auctions looking around & saw one that had been lightly sideswiped. It took it really badly & distorted so much it was a stat writeoff. A disco would have been an easy repair.
Whilst we shouldn't look on the dark side of anything, if I had bought one and my better half had had a bad prang I would hate to live with the thought that she was in a lesser vehicle by choice. I mean that thing just nearly collapsed. I'd be checking to see how much fiberglass is in the newer models for starters.

Actually, - as usual I researched after making a comment- it looks like a few area's have been improved.
1998
YouTube - 1998 Jeep Wrangler frontal offset test

2009/2010

YouTube - 2009-2010 Jeep Wrangler 4-Door IIHS Frontal Offset

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Be careful, I'm not really sure how well a 110 would go in a collision like that either, and at least the Jeep has air bags. ;)

The story goes (and I'm not sure how true it is) that air bags can't be fitted to a Defender as the firewall/bulkhead distorts too much on deployment.

...If SWMBO likes it....buy it. At least you can rest assured that it will be way more reliable than a Land Rover Pajero.. er, sorry, "Disco"...

My dyed-in-the-wool Pommy car loving mate (Disco II, 88 RR, Triumph Stag) wanted a new RR to tow the van... Wife won, and now they have a Kia Sorrento (2nd hand, on LPG) which he now prefers. Biggest appeal is the reliability...

James

The EH, 95 Classic Vogue SE with working EAS....and stuffed viscous.

Did you have a look at the diesel wrangler with the off road pack in an auto, it has the merc. engine and a very good gearbox, it will cost almost the same but not have the lift and sliders of the rubicon. I remember reading that you can get a factory 2in lift added to the rubicon so you can have 33in tyres(4x4 oz or overlander cant remember which one).

LR really should listen and build a pommy version of the rubicon in a defender spec.

"LR really should listen..." :lol2::lol2:

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Originally Posted by Siska

I like the auto hill start braking that it had.

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My 1955 Jaguar Mk VII auto had that. I've never understood why it wasn't more commonly adopted. One could stop on a hill facing downward, take one's foot off the brake pedal and the car wouldn't move until you pressed the accelerator.