Recommendations - might need to buy a "new" jeep

[AstraX]

Soooo, I think I made a rookie mistake...I showed the little video that Joel posted of the New Years day run to my wife and now she doesn't seem to like the idea of me taking our new jeep out to get beat up (I think it was the comment about the yellow jeep "ohhhh, that's body").  I'm afraid it might have to stick being a pavement princess until it gets paid off.  So that being said, my wife made the mistake of saying "you will have to go buy a beater to take out" so in my eyes that's a green light to start looking for another jeep (and trade in her civic).

Now with that out of the way.  I am trying to think of what the best option will be.  I have been pretty amazed at how wranglers hold their value,  I don't want to spend a tonne on anything but I want it to be trail ready (meeting the minimum requirements for your runs) so I don't have to sink a bunch of money into it as soon as I get it just to be able to take it out.  Is it worth spending the extra money to get a Rubicon?  Is there a year of jeep that is better than others?

Thanks for your thoughts

[w squared]

At this rate, you're going to end up with more Jeeps than Robin!

I would not suggest a Rubicon unless you get a good deal. You start getting into some pretty agressive runs before a locker starts showing up in the requirements...and you will want a couple years of wheeling experience under your belt before you start going on those runs.

If you've got 33's (or so), front and rear tow points, a CB, and a winch, you will qualify for 90% of CJA runs. Wheeling open/open will teach you a lot about line selection as well.

[fug]

I am going to disagree with getting not getting a Rubicon.  If you can afford it ... I would definitely get one.  Why?  It gives you D44 front and Rear, rear disk brakes, 4:1 tcase, 4:11 gearing.  Thats the stuff everyone wants and ends up paying big bucks trying to retrofit into their jeep (ask me how I know!!!).

If I had to do it over... I'd start with a decent rubicon... wheel the crap out of it until I could afford a decent mid/long arm kit.. then throw some 33-35" tires on it... maybe regear... and that combo would be enough for almost anything we have to wheel here. 

If you CAN'T afford a rubicon... then wheeling a beater can be fun too... and teach you buttload about maintenance.  I'd never say don't wheel if you don't have a rubi... Just don't sell yourself short if you can afford the rubi upfront.

[JackstandJohnny]

you should buy my YJ, so the WJ build can begin  

the odds of finding a good used rubi under 12000$ isn't very good.  

x2 on what Robyn has said, if you wheel an older TJ, or a YJ of some sort, you'll learn a lot about wrenching

[Spinalguy]

Did she or you buy the jeep?
Is she or you making the payments?
 

[FiEND]

i wouldn't get a beater if you need to trade in a daily driver for it.  you wont have time to rip it apart for mods nor will you want to risk breaking it if you need it for work the next day.

rubicon is nice and i would do it if possible.  may cost more per month but will save a lot of money in the long run and its a lot more fun wheeling when you aren't worried about breaking something.  with a rubicon, all you have to worry about out of the gate is 33" tires and a winch and you can keep up with most trails around here.

[specialk]

My buddy, Silverfox, asked me the same question last fall.  I gave him a list of the upgrades to expect to do with a non-Rubi.
He got a rubi.

Well worth the up front cost if you are going to wheel.

[Bnine]

I agree. But then again, you could get the none rubi and then bring me the 5-8k to get your axles up to rubicon standards

If you can do the rubi off the hop it will be money in your pocket in the long run.

The only way an older rig will serve you better is if you are prepared to do all the upgrades yourself. Therefore saving you a lot of money in upgrade labor.

hth

[AstraX]

Thanks for the input guys.

w squared - Lockers aren't my thinking behind it, it more leads into what fug said, having the D44 front and rear.  Now I have no experience in this, but anything that I have read, people are always talking about how the D30's & D35's are a bit too weak if you start putting larger tires on etc.

JohnnyC - most of the Rubi's I've been seeing are in the 14-18k range, a bit pricier but not out of the question.  I don't mind getting my hands dirty and learning some new things, I just don't want that to be my primary activity to start off with.  I do have some tools, but most of them were for when I was welding so I don't want to have to go and buy a bunch of new ones right away.

Spinalguy - "I" bought and pay for the jeep, my wife however makes more money than I so the money coming out of my account is only a technicality  .

FiEND - Our JK is our primary daily driver, the civic is just a secondary vehicle for when we need it. So if I do break something I'm not up poop creek without a paddle.

specialk & Bnine - noted thanks for the input.

Now if I look to the newer end of things, the JK's, I know there isn't a lot of love for the new engine but do they do ok with the right mix of gearing?  Something like this, but this is about the max I would want to go for used http://www.autotrader.ca/a/JEEP/WRANGLER/EDMONTON/Alberta/5_9528249_200411692616706/?ms=trucks_vans or I could go to this http://www.autotrader.ca/a/JEEP/TJ/RED+DEER/Alberta/5_9713265_CT20041126102321706/?ms=trucks_vans and save myself $5k.

[specialk]

JKs are just TJ wanna bees.  And 5K buys some goodies.

[AstraX]

JKs are just TJ wanna bees.  And 5K buys some goodies.

Ah yes, but isn't that what Jeeper's said about the TJ when it first came out and replaced the YJ?  And the YJ's compared to the CJ's?

[specialk]

no... those evolved into the TJ.. Natural progression. 

[JackstandJohnny]

my YJ is your TJs daddy Kev,
remember that

[Knox]

+ There are a ton of TJs out there for pulling parts, I think JKs are still quite a bit more rare in the junkyards.

Do you want a Red Jeep or a Green Jeep? Did you ask yourself that haha

[tubby]

"ohhhh, that's body"

Sorry man ! That was me with the big mouth. I saw Adrians yellow JK the next day at a Future Shop parking lot and it doesn't look that bad actually. My vote is for something older and not so pretty for wheeling. Good luck with your search.