Is it worth getting the options from the factory, or adding myself afterwards?

[Wheelin98TJ]

The issue with the factory tails has nothing to do with quality. They stick out really far, and tend to get smashed on tight, technical trails where you're squeezing through rocks and trees, and rolling unexpectedly as you crawl over boulders. Often when people have that happen, they get the low profile Oracles. Your choice

That's only an issue for 0.001% of all Gladiator owners.

Sponsored

 

[fourfa]

Just trying to explain the confusion why some would see them as an upgrade and some would not. I’ve tried to break mine several times on various trails but so far they’re still alive.

 

[BearFootSam]

From reading on here I've learned that you still need a winch plate to install a winch on the factory steel bumper.

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/...edition-ready-for-a-winch.75640/#post-1233675

You do but the cutouts and mounting holes are all there so it's an easy job. I mounted mine solo in my driveway in a couple hours no sweat. I thought the steel bumper group included the steel rear bumper as well which I like. Magnets stick to it, you can kick it and bump it, no worries.

 

[BearFootSam]

The two JTR's I am looking at are 7k different in MSRP. I THINK I could probably get them within $6000 out the door with the current incentives.

#1 has cloth seats, cold weather package, tow package and black 3 piece hard top.

#2 has leather, cold weather package, LED lighting, auxilary switches, tow package, front trail cam, steel winch bumper, and black 3 piece hard top.

I dont really care much about leather, thats not a huge factor. But is it worth getting the factory LED's, aux switches, and trail cam or is adding that stuff via the aftermarket cheaper, easier, and better? I know there is a huge amount of headlight upgrades for Jeeps. And I think I have seen front camera kits for $150 or something.

FYI, I do have a 12k lb Warn EVO 12S sitting in my garage that I would probably put on the Jeep. So I guess the winch bumper is a bonus but I also know there are a billion aftermarket options.

I'd go with Option 2.

Leather wasn't important to me either, but my wife had made the point with our last car that it's fabric seats were far harder to clean than leather or synthetic leather. The latter two are easily wiped clean when a kid spills his milk, shampooing seats stinks.

Cold weather packages may be for soft handed folks, but I'll admit to enjoying them when I drop the roof in 50*f weather. The included heated wheel can be a treat if you've been dicking with tire chains or such. For what it's worth, I get bonus points for turning on my spouses seat heater for her, so there's that.

LEDs, Aux and Cam are where the money is. The cam is an edge case application for the most part, but it does shine when you do happen to need it. If you don't have a spotter or a competent one, the forward cam can get you pretty far and saves climbing out to look in a sketchy spot. Aux switches, self-explanatory, make cake of adding accessories. The real hack in them is the ability to dynamically change the power on and latching of each circuit. My driving lamp only works when the ignition is running, while my movable bed work light can be switched on while the truck is off, doesn't even need to be in accessory mode. I also feel that you are far less likely to bump into warranty issues if you are running accessories through the factory system. Finally, the LEDs are great. If you need more light then you have to add aux lamps. The quality is good enough I'd get them from the go and forget about the aftermarket.

With all this stuff the other thing to remember is that a factory option is going to contribute more to resale than aftermarket add-ons. I at least would be more enthusiastic about a used truck with factory installed electrical accessories over someone' garage handiwork. Sure, there are folks on here who I'd trust do better than factory work but that's the exception. You'd also have an easier time with insurance claims when the options are tied to the VIN vs trying to prove with receipts what was added and fighting for coverage. Those are hard to quantify values but, in my estimation, they make up for any cost differential from the aftermarket.

 

[maSS-hole]

I'd go with Option 2.

Leather wasn't important to me either, but my wife had made the point with our last car that it's fabric seats were far harder to clean than leather or synthetic leather. The latter two are easily wiped clean when a kid spills his milk, shampooing seats stinks.

Cold weather packages may be for soft handed folks, but I'll admit to enjoying them when I drop the roof in 50*f weather. The included heated wheel can be a treat if you've been dicking with tire chains or such. For what it's worth, I get bonus points for turning on my spouses seat heater for her, so there's that.

LEDs, Aux and Cam are where the money is. The cam is an edge case application for the most part, but it does shine when you do happen to need it. If you don't have a spotter or a competent one, the forward cam can get you pretty far and saves climbing out to look in a sketchy spot. Aux switches, self-explanatory, make cake of adding accessories. The real hack in them is the ability to dynamically change the power on and latching of each circuit. My driving lamp only works when the ignition is running, while my movable bed work light can be switched on while the truck is off, doesn't even need to be in accessory mode. I also feel that you are far less likely to bump into warranty issues if you are running accessories through the factory system. Finally, the LEDs are great. If you need more light then you have to add aux lamps. The quality is good enough I'd get them from the go and forget about the aftermarket.

With all this stuff the other thing to remember is that a factory option is going to contribute more to resale than aftermarket add-ons. I at least would be more enthusiastic about a used truck with factory installed electrical accessories over someone' garage handiwork. Sure, there are folks on here who I'd trust do better than factory work but that's the exception. You'd also have an easier time with insurance claims when the options are tied to the VIN vs trying to prove with receipts what was added and fighting for coverage. Those are hard to quantify values but, in my estimation, they make up for any cost differential from the aftermarket.

I bought a 2018 Chevy Bolt a few months back and it has a heated wheel. I really love it, thats why I want it on the Jeep.

 

[Lost1wing]

Leather interior also gives the back seat a flip-down arm rest with cup holders.

I have cup holders in the back?? ?

 

[maSS-hole]

I have cup holders in the back?? ?

Honestly, thats a thing. My F150 has, no joke, like 10 or 12 cupholders and we use them. 4 in the center console, one in each door, two in the rear seat armrest. We will have coffee, smoothies, water, kids drinks, etc when we leave the house to go camping.

first thing I said to my wife when we jumped in the jeep was we would be taking a serious cup holder hit. No door holders, 2 in the console, 2 in the rear seat ?

 

[Lost1wing]

I'd go with Option 2.

Leather wasn't important to me either, but my wife had made the point with our last car that it's fabric seats were far harder to clean than leather or synthetic leather. The latter two are easily wiped clean when a kid spills his milk, shampooing seats stinks.

Cold weather packages may be for soft handed folks, but I'll admit to enjoying them when I drop the roof in 50*f weather. The included heated wheel can be a treat if you've been dicking with tire chains or such. For what it's worth, I get bonus points for turning on my spouses seat heater for her, so there's

I second these option. The aux switches that I installed were easy and cheap. They fit in the factory location and everything I needed came in the kit from STech.

 

[Lost1wing]

Honestly, thats a thing. My F150 has, no joke, like 10 or 12 cupholders and we use them. 4 in the center console, one in each door, two in the rear seat armrest. We will have coffee, smoothies, water, kids drinks, etc when we leave the house to go camping.

first thing I said to my wife when we jumped in the jeep was we would be taking a serious cup holder hit. No door holders, 2 in the console, 2 in the rear seat ?

I have 2 cup holders in my Duramax, they are useless because that is where my pup sits. The JTR has more than I'm used to because the lack of a bench seat forces my pup to ride shogun. I'm going to look in the backseat now.

 

[Volt0]

I have cup holders in the back?? ?

The wife and I use the front 2, spare bevs in the lower cup holders, and spent cartridges in the upper back holders.

 

[Panther69]

None of this came on my truck, I added them all with factory parts:

Aux switches
Tow Package ( fan, alt, receiver )
Front Trailcam
Cargo rails
LED headlights, fogs, and DRLs. ( truck had rear LEDs from active safety group )
Rubicon steel bumper + bed sliders

...so I am a good person to ask. While I was able to add all of the above, I would have preferred the truck came with them. You don't save any money at all adding these things later. I just saw a truck on the lot and "had to have it". No patience for ordering.

The trailcam install is much easier now that we realized we don't need to install certain things in the factory location. It is, however, expensive. Adding the Aux switches is a total PITA and isn't even as good as factory - no inside battery lead and key-on lead - just the 4 Aux switch leads.

Trailcam took me like 14 hours but much of that was ordering the wrong CVPM, breaking interior clips and having to fix stuff etc. I know how to do it now though, given that and the new CVPM location guys are doing I could do it in less than 3 I think..

So I located a rubicon steel bumper with bed sliders. Any tips on install? I saw a video of a guy installing on his mojave and he made a sleeve for the long bolt that attaches the slider bracket to the hitch. Didn't know if that was necessary. also where did you get the rivnuts and tool to attach bumper to hitch?

 

[MPMB]

Honestly, thats a thing. My F150 has, no joke, like 10 or 12 cupholders and we use them. 4 in the center console, one in each door, two in the rear seat armrest. We will have coffee, smoothies, water, kids drinks, etc when we leave the house to go camping.

first thing I said to my wife when we jumped in the jeep was we would be taking a serious cup holder hit. No door holders, 2 in the console, 2 in the rear seat ?

There's an aftermarket cup holder/cell phone holder (either/or) that mounts between the center console and grab bar. It's been handy.

The cold weather package is necessary. And being in UT, choose the not "leather" option, since Jeep doesn't have cooled seats. If you're out in the summer with top off/doors off, that interior is gonna get hot.

Upgrade to the aftermarket heated headlights.

This is after an hour of snow-free travel from Jackson through part of ID:

Sponsored