thoughts on our 2019 Rubicon

[Tom_Barb]

We traded our 07 JK for a new 2019 Rubicon, It is giving us 23.+ gas milage, has better brakes, rides better, drives more like a car than a jeep. Has push button starting, (no key) as long as the module is in the jeep, push the button and start. Has media support with USB ports plus a Music input port.

Changes we are making:
winch bumper up front with bumper tow brackets, draw bar for trailer towing, light kit for trailer tow. It has LED lights, witch won't power up a trailer with out a brain box. Extra lights for towing which will be removed for driving.The wire kit to use the existing LED lights is over $490.00 nope I have a better idea.

Haven't towed it yet, but there is no steering lock to contend with. just place transfer case in (N) and go.

[Groover]

mike brez wrote:
Never seen a rubicon that was not trail rated. I believe all 2019s are push button and a new trans. My push button start the fob has a key that can be used to start. What color did you get Tom?

The original definition of the Rubicon version was a vehicle that could do the famous and very challenging Rubicon trail showroom stock. I certainly hope that they are still "Trail rated". It would be a real bummer if not.

[jolooote]

Not concerned of State, worried about Tow vehicle temp. and Transmission.

[rk911]

bjbear wrote:

Tom/Barb wrote:

vjstangelo wrote:
How much is a new Rubicon running nowadays? With Wranglers in such demand I guess the dealers don’t have to negotiate much.

Ours as equipped $41.4k

Looking at one now. It is $62.5 K. Of course that is Canadian Loonies so $46K in US$

:E:E

[rk911]

Tom/Barb wrote:

vjstangelo wrote:
How much is a new Rubicon running nowadays? With Wranglers in such demand I guess the dealers don’t have to negotiate much.

Ours as equipped $41.4k

:E

[TWZMYJP]

et2 wrote:
So we own a 2017 Wrangler Rubicon Recon edition. Nope not getting 23mpg , more like 17 city 20 highway. Love the car.

Well I took it in for an oil change a couple weeks ago to the dealer. They gave it back without putting oil back in it. So they had it for a bit while they put a new engine into it on their dime.

Had a 2019 wrangler to drive for a week and half. Ride is comparable, but the new models tend to wander on the freeway. Mine stays where you put it as long and there's no wind blowing you around in comparison to the 2019. I attribute that to the new electric steering in the 2019 vs a hydraulic power steering. Mine is a tighter steering.

The new transmission is a 9 speed vs 5 on mine. It seems to give a little smoother power range and peppier at the accereration from a dead stop. But not much. Always seems to have the right gear at the right time. This is were the gas savings is in my opinion. Also the start stop feature helps ... But I hate it! Yes you can turn it off , but everytime you start it.

The engines are the same 3.6 Pentastar.

The doors on the 2019 are aluminum. Glad I have steel doors. Just feel safer.

The view out the rear window is better on the 2019 as they moved the wiper arm to the bottom of the window, freeing that motor from blocking the view at the top like on mine.

Some like the new dash on the 2019. It was more ... Feminized ... if I'm allowed to say it than the older models. I really like the old dash better even with the small media screen.

Optics, the new body style isn't working for me for some reason. I really like mine and even with the new engine installed after 35,000 miles I'll keep mine for as long as I can.

The biggest thing I liked was the transmission on the 2019. But it wasn't enough to get me to move.

OH ... And the Gladiator Rubicon I saw was $60,000. Crazy

Just a couple corrections for those that may use this thread for any actual research...

1. The JL uses an 8-speed automatic, not a 9-speed. It is a variant of the ZF-8HP that is widely used across the industry.

2. The 3.6L Pentastar in the 2018+ JL Wrangler is not the same as the 3.6L Pentastar that was in the previous generation JK Wrangler. Among the many key differences:

* Cooled EGR valve
* New valve train
* New PCV
* Smaller oil sump
* Higher compression
* ESS (as mentioned above, this can be disabled at start-up)

[mike_brez]

bjbear wrote:

Tom/Barb wrote:

vjstangelo wrote:
How much is a new Rubicon running nowadays? With Wranglers in such demand I guess the dealers don’t have to negotiate much.

Ours as equipped $41.4k

Looking at one now. It is $62.5 K. Of course that is Canadian Loonies so $46K in US$

You can spend over 80k US for one if you want to.

[bjbear]

Tom/Barb wrote:

vjstangelo wrote:
How much is a new Rubicon running nowadays? With Wranglers in such demand I guess the dealers don’t have to negotiate much.

Ours as equipped $41.4k

Looking at one now. It is $62.5 K. Of course that is Canadian Loonies so $46K in US$

[Tom_Barb]

vjstangelo wrote:
How much is a new Rubicon running nowadays? With Wranglers in such demand I guess the dealers don’t have to negotiate much.

Ours as equipped $41.4k

[et2]

So we own a 2017 Wrangler Rubicon Recon edition. Nope not getting 23mpg , more like 17 city 20 highway. Love the car.

Well I took it in for an oil change a couple weeks ago to the dealer. They gave it back without putting oil back in it. So they had it for a bit while they put a new engine into it on their dime.

Had a 2019 wrangler to drive for a week and half. Ride is comparable, but the new models tend to wander on the freeway. Mine stays where you put it as long and there's no wind blowing you around in comparison to the 2019. I attribute that to the new electric steering in the 2019 vs a hydraulic power steering. Mine is a tighter steering.

The new transmission is a 9 speed vs 5 on mine. It seems to give a little smoother power range and peppier at the accereration from a dead stop. But not much. Always seems to have the right gear at the right time. This is were the gas savings is in my opinion. Also the start stop feature helps ... But I hate it! Yes you can turn it off , but everytime you start it.

The engines are the same 3.6 Pentastar.

The doors on the 2019 are aluminum. Glad I have steel doors. Just feel safer.

The view out the rear window is better on the 2019 as they moved the wiper arm to the bottom of the window, freeing that motor from blocking the view at the top like on mine.

Some like the new dash on the 2019. It was more ... Feminized ... if I'm allowed to say it than the older models. I really like the old dash better even with the small media screen.

Optics, the new body style isn't working for me for some reason. I really like mine and even with the new engine installed after 35,000 miles I'll keep mine for as long as I can.

The biggest thing I liked was the transmission on the 2019. But it wasn't enough to get me to move.

OH ... And the Gladiator Rubicon I saw was $60,000. Crazy

[vjstangelo]

How much is a new Rubicon running nowadays? With Wranglers in such demand I guess the dealers don’t have to negotiate much.

[dodge_guy]

Yep, I’ve seen a couple of those in the wranglers now. Someone is making a lot of money. Wish I would’ve came up with it!

[mike_brez]

Drop Stop

[rk911]

dodge guy wrote:

rk911 wrote:

T18skyguy wrote:
My wife left the fob in her purse in the car in our garage. It quickly wore out the battery in the fob cause the fob constantly "talks" to the car.

is the battery commercially available anywhere or must owner's go back to Jeep and take out a loan to replace?

It’s a simple watch battery, I believe a CR2020?

And whatever you do don’t drop it between the seats!! It will fall down into the abyss of the center console. I’ve had to retrieve 3 now. And 2 were the same guy 2 different times. It kept falling out of his pocket. At least put it in your left pocket.

thanks. if we were ever to get a new Jeep with that system the fob would live on our key rings. I saw an item in the stores a while back, a plastic wedge with an open top that slips between the seat and the center consoles. 'sposed to prevent items from falling into that black hole by catching or at least defecting them.

[Tom_Barb]

T18skyguy wrote:
My wife left the fob in her purse in the car in our garage. It quickly wore out the battery in the fob cause the fob constantly "talks" to the car.

ours has a battery warning, simply change the battery when it's needed.