Jeep Rubicon

[1of40]

Wow, I’ve never driven or even ridden a modern Jeep until this week when I rented a 2023 Rubicon to get out on the Alpine Loop in SW Colorado. I will never buy one for myself because my trucks do everything I need them to. But holy cow, I’d recommend one to anyone that wants a well sorted ride that can do more than most people will ever need them to.

 

[rocky]

You have to respect the product. It’s always fun to wheel with other brands.

 

[BuyRovers]

I rented the burgundy gladiator in Aruba the other week and also had the same experience. It was on 37s and while nothing was super hard Offroad it really did everything well. Handled trails and driving around town with ease. They are a great option for sure.

 

[TravelinLight]

I have a 2010 that has been flawless, some minor repairs, but it is on its 2nd teenage driver after mee and it has been great. I have wheeled it before handover and was all I needed.

 

[erover82]

 

[mitherial]

"The Wife" has a Jeep Rubicon JL, and it really is what a classic Defender would look like if Land Rover had continued to update it to keep up with the times, and would be what I would own for everything I use my Defender for if I had "sensible common sense" instead of "exquisitely refined taste" and a preference for the vintage-classice, instead of the 'merely contempoary.' Evaluated as a modern car, the interior of the JL is vastly improved versus the JK or all of our Defenders, especially in the higher trim levels (though with a closer to 2016 model year, this difference would definitely be reduced relative to the Defender). The Wrangler's interior roll-cage is a substantial safety improvement, at a substantial reduction in rear interior cargo volume. In the US at least, accessories and upgrades are available at an order of magnitude lower price. But, in the US at least--as you see them on every street corner--they completely lack spirit or soul--thus, why I own two, wildly impractical, four-wheel drive British farm implements....

 

[John Z]

View attachment 28260

My girlfriend has a 2015 Willy's. They really are nice, I almost picked up that chief edition but didn't wanna have 2 of the same car. "God made so many amazing cars, why get the same one twice" is what I always say. I did add these stickers in blue to my defender. Girlfriend gets a laugh from it.

 

[erover82]

Witnessed this gem on my way back from IndyCar races yesterday, complete with angry eye Pretender headlights and acres of amber running lights.

I like the classic CJs and M38s but the culture has made the new ones the obnoxious Burning Man character of vehicles.

 

[mgreenspan]

Witnessed this gem on my way back from IndyCar races yesterday, complete with angry eye Pretender headlights and acres of amber running lights.

View attachment 28295

I like the classic CJs and M38s but the culture has made the new ones the obnoxious Burning Man character of vehicles.

While that may be true, the Defender and LR crowd in the UK has some equally terrible gems along the same lines as what you’ve described. It’s everywhere and happens with what is abundant and cheap.

Plenty of nice Jeeps and nice Jeep people out there. Brand specific clubs trend towards being meta. I have always found it’s more fun to wheel with those whom you enjoy being around regardless of what they’re driving.

 

[erover82]

There are definitely more than a few Turkish Defender Heeps, but thankfully they haven’t defined the image over here. I actually wish they were less expensive and that more people could enjoy them.

I like the the concept of Jeeps and have owned one. My father in law has an M38A1 that I’ve helped fix up. I just don’t like modern Jeep culture and don’t won’t to be associated with it. It seems like the classic Jeeps, even though relatively inexpensive, get turned into rolling parade floats less often. There’s a few clubs that take their old CJs on tough trails. Those are the types I like. Measured egos and minimal farkle.

There’s no doubting the new ones are very capable. They really are pretty close to what the Defender could have been. I think it would have looked better, drove better, and had more cargo and payload capacity though.

 

[Robert]

I like the the concept of Jeeps and have owned one. My father in law has an M38A1 that I’ve helped fix up. I just don’t like modern Jeep culture and don’t won’t to be associated with it. It seems like the classic Jeeps, even though relatively inexpensive, get turned into rolling parade floats less often.

I picked up a 7 a few months ago wanting a convertible. 90 would be great, but Im generally disgusted by what I see people doing to defenders in my area. the kahn crap and plastic stick on stuff with led headlights are just as bad as the grumper grills.

the cj hasn't exactly been cheap. I think I could have had an ok SW 90 for the same $, but not a soft top.

and omix told britpart "hold my beer"

 

[Robert]

seems appropriate for here

good read. definitely pre tread-lightly.

Amazon.com

31 Days in the Darien
https://a.co/d/gX7sgvh

they fed off the earlier RRC crossing, even found one of their ladders. This seems to be the event that most influenced the CT stuff

 

[blueboy]

thus, why I own two, wildly impractical, four-wheel drive British farm implements.

 

[erover82]

I picked up a 7 a few months ago wanting a convertible. 90 would be great, but Im generally disgusted by what I see people doing to defenders in my area. the kahn crap and plastic stick on stuff with led headlights are just as bad as the grumper grills.

the cj hasn't exactly been cheap. I think I could have had an ok SW 90 for the same $, but not a soft top.

and omix told britpart "hold my beer"

I've never seen a Kahn-clad Defender, maybe it's an east-coast thing.

Was surprised too when I looked into some Omix parts for the M38A1. Very expensive, yet the vehicles themselves, even fully restored, don't fetch much.

 

[erover82]

Saw a silver JL today with a nice tubular roof rack and a few tasteful mods. Looked very 110-like at a glance.

Also, the J8 Jeeps are intriguing. Originally JK, but now JL-based. Steel wheels, flat bumper with recovery points, and a small diesel engine.

 

[mgreenspan]

Saw a silver JL today with a nice tubular roof rack and a few tasteful mods. Looked very 110-like at a glance.

Also, the J8 Jeeps are intriguing. Originally JK, but now JL-based. Steel wheels, flat bumper with recovery points, and a small diesel engine.
View attachment 28306

Didn’t know anything about these. I like that 2 door version.

 

[blueboy]

Also, the J8 Jeeps are intriguing. Originally JK, but now JL-based. Steel wheels, flat bumper with recovery points, and a small diesel engine.

Thought these were only sold to mining operations or something like that and not available to the general public? Or am I thinking of another model.

 

[erover82]

Thought these were only sold to mining operations or something like that and not available to the general public? Or am I thinking of another model.

I think some were made available through AEV, and they're available to the public in several other countries, but yes they are difficult to get here. Ironically, AADS HQ is in Gibraltar and the J8 was a potential UK GSUP contender to replace the Defender.

AADS

www.aads-gib.com