Warning: I've got very limited experience with offroading and vehicles in general. This is all pretty new to me and are just notes I've been taking as I've been learning.
Several friends got jeeps and want to go offroading. My wife is really excited about it, because it gets me out of my office (and off my computer) - so she gave me the go ahead to sink some cash into my 2012 Nissan Frontier Pro-4X.
After talking to several local 4x4 shops and doing lots of reading & research, I found that if I sink ~ 15k into upgrades for the frontier (not unreasonable), it still won't be able to keep up with a stock Rubicon offroad:
- frontier aftermarket options are extremely limited in comparison to jeeps and tacomas
- frontier upgrades are very expensive, since it's a much smaller pool of manufacturers who provide them
- with a 5" calmini lift kit, I can put on 17" wheels with 33" tires
- that increase in tire size will cause me to lose 20-30% of the overall power
- to make up that power, I'll need to do an expensive gear ratio change (and other minor upgrades)
When all said and done - I've still got the same independent frontend suspension. Even with the improved clearance, I still will not have as much strength, flex or travel as a stock rubicon. I'll also have pushed the frontier way outside the standard build specs - maintance becomes much more difficult and expensive. This is all pretty subjective - it's not based on my personal experience (I don't have any) - but on things I've read and what I've been told by people I consider experts. It could be wrong, I don't know enough really to swear by it, but it seems accurate.
If I knew more about vehicles, really loved my frontier, and was willing to do all the work myself - then it might be worth it to stick with the frontier and go down that path, just so I can have a unique setup, but since that's not me - it really just makes more sense (in this case) to take the easier path and get a rubicon.
I work at home - and I don't drive much. After 5 years, my Frontier has 20k miles on it. We have a two car garage - and a two-car driveway - so it's much more convenient to simply replace my frontier with a jeep - so I'm already leaning towards that option. However, I thought it was a good idea to do pros and cons for each option, before deciding:
| Daily Driver | Third-Vehicle | |
|---|---|---|
| Budget |
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| Parking |
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| Tinkering |
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One of the questions I'm trying to figure out - is at what point (in terms of offroad upgrades) it begins handling poorly as an on-road daily driver. I've read that the newer JK's are very comfortable for on-road driving with 3" lifts and 35" All Terrains - and I've read in some places that it's just fine with additional upgrades and some 37" tires.
Note: After test driving several at the dealership, including one with a mopar 3" lift, 35" tires and 4.10 gearing - both my wife and I agreed that are definitely a comfortable ride for a daily driver and those setups (though we haven't driven/ridden in a rubicon with more than a 3" lift and 35" tires yet).
I knew jeep makes a whole bunch of models: Wrangler, Cherokee, Patriot, etc. From everything I've read online - people generally prefer the Wrangler for off-roading to any of the other models. This appears to be for several reasons:
- The other models appear to have sacrificed some of the off-roading capbilities for 'city driving'
- The wrangler platform has stuck to being as 'simple as possible', making it easier to work on
- The wrangler is the only model with a solid front axle
- The wrangler has larger wheel wells, accomidating larger tires with less modifications
It seems that one of the most important factors - is a basic 'chicken-egg' scenario - wranglers are the most commonly used vehicles for off-roading, and therefore have the most aftermarket support, the most readily accessible information and guides, etc. It's common, so there's more support and information, so more people do it (and it's easier for novices to break into).
After limiting myself to looking at Wranglers - there were still lots of options to sort thorugh: Sport, Sport S, Sahara, Rubicon, JKs, TJ's, YJ's, and then a whole bunch of other terms: Backcountry, Freedom, Altitude, etc. It would have been nice if there was a straight-forward guide to understanding what all of these things meant - but there isn't. It took a little bit of digging to sort it all out.
JK/JKU, TJ, YJ, and CJ primarily refer the years in which the jeep was built:
| Model | Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| JK/JKU | 2006 - Present |
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| TJ | 1996 - 2006 |
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| YJ | 1986 - 1995 |
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| CJ | 1970 - 1986 |
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This determine the major features of the jeep - i.e. there are significant differences between a TJ and JK. There are also differences in JK's based on the year in which they were built - some of the most notable differences are:
- In 2011 the interior was redesigned for all JK/U models, making them much more comfortable.
- In 2012 the older 3.8L V6 was swapped for a Pentastar 3.6L, which has more power and gets better mileage.
- In 2013 the luxury trim options (LED lighting, alpine speakers) and top removal mechanism were upgraded.
- In 2015 the luxury sound system was improved, adding a 552w amp & recessed 200w subwoofer.
The upgraded engine in the 2012+ JK's is a very important consideration. The 2012+ JK's have improved performance and hold their resale value better than just about any other vehicle.
Note: I didn't look into the various differences between the TJ/YJ/CJ years because I was primarly interested in purchasing a newer vehicle (more comfort for family usage).
In addition to these nomenclature type - Jeep also offers 'unlimited' versions of the JK - also referred to as a 'JKU'. In the context of a 'JK' - these are typically referred to as a 'Wrangler' and a 'Wrangler Unlimited'. The Wrangler Unlimited is essentially Wrangler with 4 doors:
- 4 doors
- longer wheelbase
- reduced manuverability
- increased stability
- increased cargo space
- family friendly
- variations in trim, trim packages, trim options
The Wrangler JK/JKU also comes in four 'standard editions'. These are essentially upgrade packages that are intended to be available from year to year. Jeep also releases various 'limited edition' trims and packages - most of which can be bolted onto any of the standard trim levels as an optional upgrade.
| JK Trim/Package | Type | Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sport | Standard |
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| Sport S | Standard |
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| Sahara | Standard |
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| Rubicon | Standard |
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| Altitude | Limited |
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| Backcountry | Limited |
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| Black Bear | Limited |
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| Call of Duty | Limited |
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| Dragon | ? |
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| Freedom | Limited |
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| Hard Rock | Limited |
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| Islander | Limited |
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| Moab | Limited |
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| Rocky Mountain | Limited | 2009 |
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| Willy Wheeler | Limited |
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| Willys Wheeler W | Limited |
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| X | Limited |
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What's very important about this is that essentially all Jeep JK models and editions (2012+) are built on the same platform. The only difference (relevant to my offroad interests) is the Rubicon - which comes some basic (essential) features that are important for offroad performance.
If you're planning to do lots of upgrades (specifically for offroading) - then the various trim levels (except for the hard rock) really don't offer offroad value.
While I wanted to purchase a brand new vehicle, I decided that I should do some research on price differences. As it turns out - Jeeps hold their value better than just about anything else on the market. After looking around - I also found that (at least in my area) the demand is very high - so there aren't many available to choose from.
Looking at local dealerships - there was a very limited number of preowned jeeps available - and almost none made after 2012. The prices for a preowned 2012+ resulted in savings of only a few thousand vs. buying brand new. The Preowned 2012+ models that I did find, had minimal trim options. The two rubicon's I did find were priced about 1000$ less than what they sell for brand new.
- https://www.reddit.com/r/Wrangler/comments/2qst1z/old_jeep_wranglers_vs_new_ones/
- http://www.autotrader.com/best-cars/toyota-lexus-and-jeep-wrangler-shine-for-resale-137686
- http://www.jeep.com/en/wrangler-unlimited/awards/
- https://www.reddit.com/r/cars/comments/2w57sk/the_jeep_wrangler_has_the_best_resale_value_again/
- http://www.cars.com/jeep/wrangler/
- http://www.autotrader.com/research/used-cars
- http://www.faricy.com/
Offroading with a manual vs. automatic seems to be a matter of personal preference. In general, I much prefer driving a stick - but my wife hates it. I've read a lot of conflicting information, but what seems to make the most sense:
- on long rides, you constantly start and stop - having to shift and use the clutch gets tiresome, even for drivers that enjoy it
- when doing more difficult and technical terrain, not having to think about the clutch and shifting allows you to focus on other important factors
- drivers that can't drive stick (or don't enjoy it - i.e. my wife) will enjoy driving an automatic
- even though it's an offroad vehicle, most of the time you're still on the road
- Automatic vs. Manual Transmission
- https://www.reddit.com/r/Jeep/comments/3agowe/jk_manual_vs_automatic_transmission/
- http://www.jeepgarage.org/f89/real-world-advice-3-73-4-10-auto-vs-manual-trans-in-rubicon-82643.html
- http://www.drivingline.com/articles/gear-grinding-is-an-automatic-or-manual-transmission-better-for-the-trail/
Jeep now offers OEM mopar upgrades installed onto a brand new jeep. These are installed at the dealership and covered under the factory warranty.
After pricing out the OEM upgrades, I decided on a stock 2016 JKU Hard Rock. This gave me the balance of entry-level offroad capabilities and comfortability I was looking for. While the factory installed lift, wheel, and tire upgrades would have been nice for several reasons:
- warranty coverage
- upgrades rolled into loan
- recoup cost of stock wheels & tires (factory would buy them back since I was doing a direct upgrade)
However, I ended up just going with stock build (for now), for several reasons:
- the recouped costs from tires and wheels were less than what I can get for them selling privately
- the factory upgrades can be done at any time (just can't be rolled into the original loan)
- i'm still evaluating doing all the work myself (for fun, experience, and so I know how to fix it)
- if I don't DIY, the warranty through a premium aftermarket installer is less expensive and more comprehensive than the factory warranty
- i'm a noobie, and I probably won't even need these upgrades immediately
Bookmarks:
- http://truckyeah.jalopnik.com/jeep-is-finally-making-in-house-lift-kits-for-all-jk-wr-1697825893
- http://www.mopar.com/assets/pdf/Jeep_Performance_Catalog.pdf
My frontier hasn't fit in the garage for quite some time - it's just too long. JKU fits nicely. Still need to figure out what upgrades can be done and still be able to fit it. Most likely a lift + roof rack would require modifications to the garage door opening to fit it inside.
| Dimension | Garage | JKU (Stock) | Clearance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length | 19'10" (238") | 14'5" (173.4") | 64.6" |
| Width | 07'10" (094") | 06'2" (073.9") | 20.1" |
| Height | 06'11" (083") | 06'1" (072.3") | 10.7" |
In the end, I decided on a 2016 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Hard Rock Limited Edition. Originally I was set on a blacked out JKU, with a 3" lift, upgraded wheels and 35" tires. However as soon as my wife saw the 'StormTrooper' Hard Rock build, she immediately feel in love (and I like it too). The stock setup is off-road ready - steel sliders, front & rear bumpers, tow hooks, a full-size spare, tire mount & brake relocation (plus a bunch of luxury upgrades). While the stock white rubicon's are white-on-white (too much white, IMHO), the hard rock has all black trim, which looks really nice.
I purchased from Robert at Faricy Motors and had an awesome experience - I got exactly what I wanted on my trade-in and we didn't do any haggling - Robert offered me the jeep (essentially at cost, per the factory purchase sheet). After giving me the pricing information, I went home, called several other dealerships, did a bunch of research - and couldn't find anyone who would match their price.
I called him up, let him know I wanted to purchase it (using sub 1% financing through USAA for the balance after the trade-in), he did up all the paperwork - I drove back in and signed and was done in less than 2 hours.