Highly Customized Gladiator Rubicon "Launch Edition" - Worth $120K?

[Biscodave]

To be honest no jeep enthusiast would ever pay north of 50k for it, launch edition only had I think badging and a bluetooth speaker that's about it that I remember.

But I'm sure there's someone willing to pay 75k or more that really doesn't know anything about jeeps though .

exactly.. when I hear custom it better look like this and it’s only $48,000

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[jlc64uk]

I'd give him no more than $52,650

 

[sass JT]

Here’s my .02. He will not see a dime over what the sticker was on the JT even with the mods. If the vehicle was brand new, never wheeled... less than 10 miles, maybe if maybe he could get the price of his mods out of it, new rolled up into a loan. I bought my JTR used for $51k, 7k under sticker with 177 miles and I have added around $10k so far and I will never ever see that money except for a smile on my face.... and mine will drive circles around that one with the lift and “steering component upgrades” that I have done. Again this my opinion... he can try and sell it for any price he wants.

 

[ZTMAN]

Hopefully he got some money up front from the client, otherwise he is not going to make out so well.
Is this your friends jeep that he modified for a client, or a client's jeep that he modified?

 

[BLK HOLE]

Since I'd never pay someone to modify my vehicles then heck no...Since thats a 65K premium over stock at least half that is wrapped up in labor and margin. Plus dealer (aftermarket shops too) "pre-modified" vehicles generally suck.

 

[12BNNT]

A friend of mine asked for my help selling his 2020 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon "Launch Edition". He custom-designed it for a client who couldn't take it because of COVID-19. He's asking my advice on how he should price it. I've seen prices anywhere from $90K-$120K. He even put together a video on it. But I'm not sure what to tell him. It looks (and rides) amazing but I'm recommending under $100K since it has 3600 miles on it. What do you think is a realistic price for something like this?

.

Here’s the main issue......
As more than one person has said, once you start modding the truck, you start closing the buyer pool for the vehicle. You start hearing potential buyers saying things like “I like ____ rims better” or “I prefer look of ____ overland racks better” or “I like it but the top lights have to go” or “I Like it but.... “

The thing is, if the mods done aren’t to the taste of the buyer then they wont be a buyer. Fortunately it looks as though most of it Is bolt on mods so IF your buddy kept the original parts, he could swap them back to stock and have a quicker sale as a stock, lifted, Launch Edition and then sell the wheels and lights and rack to another customer.

My dealer told me years ago,
“Mod your Jeep to your taste, just make sure you keep the factory parts to put back to stock when you trade it in. You’ll never see a penny of the mods. Leaving a lift done right can help because most buyers will work with what’s there on that and it helps the Jeep not look bone stock drab. But a used car buyer wont accept a premium for vehicle upgrades they dont like and are going to replace anyway.“
SO... I bought upgrades for my JK to MY taste knowing that they would be taken back off and used again on my next Jeep. The stuff that didn’t fit the new Jeep went on craigslist. I could spend $5000 in parts to raise the value of the Jeep $2000 to the right buyer with the same taste as me (if I could find them) or pull the parts and have a head start on the next one.

In the end, your buddies best bet is to pull the mods, sell it Quick as a used Launch Edition with lift and offer the new buyer a discount on customization and a discount some part he has “laying around”. Chances are the new buyer may tell him they will buy one of the mods be it wheels or lights or rack to “get a Deal”.

 

[Alabama Mud Machine]

Advertise it for sale in the UAE... Just look on YouTube, those rich Arabs will overpay for anything. They got so much oil money, they don’t care.

 

[Sportsbiz]

This would be $70-75k at best, but likely $15-20k lower. The video, while well produced and edited, doesn't really highlight any mods besides the rack, winch, wheels/tires, and lift, and aesthetically it doesn't look anymore custom than most JTR's. In fact, I'd call it modified or upgraded at best. Custom denotes one off fabrication, and looks like these are off the rack items.

 

[NEWBWHEELER]

Your “friend” is on crack if he thinks he’s getting anything close to that kind of money for that Jeep.

 

[Be.Zick]

Don't take this the wrong way but your friend has to be crazy thinking that thing is worth any close to 75k with it being mostly stock and bolt on upgrades. Good luck tho

 

[49Gramps]

Jeep dealer in NJ supposedly has a new one on the lot for under 57K, so I would think there is no increased value in a Launch Edition....

 

[DocMike]

Perhaps throw it on eBay with a reserve and see what interest it generates?

 

[eaglerugby04]

Im not seeing how this is worth more than a few 1000 over a launch edition. Other than the winch and the lift the other items are things a lot of buyers might not want.

The rack is cool, but doubt many people want/need it.

I personally don't understand the amount of lights, and know I will fold down the windshield way more times than those would get ever powered on.

If he can I would say strip it down partially, and sell some things separatly, and there is a higher chance of selling it at a point to get the money back, probably nothing for his time though.

 

[NEWBWHEELER]

Jeep dealer in NJ supposedly has a new one on the lot for under 57K, so I would think there is no increased value in a Launch Edition....

So somebody please correct me if I’m wrong. The Launch Edition was limited to 419 units but sold like hot cakes so they did 10 times that at 4190 instead watering down any value they did have to begin with. Also from everything I know the difference between it and a loaded Rubicon is a badge on the tailgate and the dash trim off the overland? The best part is that they were never really the first to be launched and everyone bailed on them and grabbed Rubicons off the lot rather than waiting for there ”Launch” Editions...

 

[Blu542]

So somebody please correct me if I’m wrong. The Launch Edition was limited to 419 units but sold like hot cakes so they did 10 times that at 4190 instead watering down any value they did have to begin with. Also from everything I know the difference between it and a loaded Rubicon is a badge on the tailgate and the dash trim off the overland? The best part is that they were never really the first to be launched and everyone bailed on them and grabbed Rubicons off the lot rather than waiting for there ”Launch” Editions...

There were 4190 for the US, 419 for Canada and 419 for Mid East that I know of. I wouldn’t be surprised if down under had another 419, so that limited edition is pretty watered down.

I pulled mine off the dealer lot for $54900 the same day they received it back in August. To echo many of the replies I’ve seen so far, the mods and the price really limit the buyer pool. The mods will be worth more pieced out and the LE sold for market value.

I like my LE, but there really isn’t anything special about it In stock form. I do offer a sincere best of luck to the seller.

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