Specs, Mods, Photos
- MODEL YEAR
- 2020
- MAKE
- Jeep
- MODEL & TRIM
- Gladiator Rubicon
- COLOR
- Gobi tan
- ENGINE
- 3.6L Pentastar V6
- TRANSMISSION
- 850RE 8sp auto
- FACTORY OPTIONS
- LED Lights, Premium Alpine audio, steel bumper, body color fenders/hardtop, tan leather interior, Fox 2.0 shocks
- MODS - WHEELS / TIRES / BRAKES
- N/A
- MODS - TIRE SIZE
- 33" Tires
- MODS - SUSPENSION / CHASSIS
- N/A
- MODS - LIFT HEIGHT
- Stock (Factory Height)
- MODS - POWERTRAIN / DRIVETRAIN
- N/A
- MODS - EXTERIOR
-
Solid stubby AM/FM Antenna
Warn VR-12S winch
- MODS - INTERIOR
-
Paracord grab handles
Mopar floor liners
Fire extinguisher holder
- MODS - IN-CAR ELECTRONICS
- Aux switch bank.
- MODS - SOFTWARE / TUNE / PROGRAMMER
- N/A
- HISTORY / EXPERIENCE / COMMENTS
-
This is my first Jeep, (JT Rubicon) and am intending it as an overland build for moderate OHV and extended outdoors exploration and camping trips. Purchased on 9/17/20 after almost 10 years of wanting one. (I almost bought the gray JL behind it, but decided the JT was better suited for my overland ideas).
Update: 10/22/20 Here are some observations I've made so far.
As a professional driver, I am used to long haul driving, 9-11 hours/day is standard for me. Fuel economy and the factors I previously mentioned are pretty much a daily concern. I also don't need to stop every 2 hours to stretch or take a leak. I recently drove my JTUR with stock bumper and winch, with no tonneau cover and only one small bag with overnight stuff from my home in Fort Worth, TX to a stop in Amarillo, TX and finally my hotel in Parsons, KS, then back to Fort Worth, almost 1400mi total round trip, with about 20-30mi of in-town mileage in Parsons. Overall I averaged about 16.4mpg and averaged 68-72mph. Granted, I had a 15-25mph head and side wind from Fort Worth to about OKC, but nothing after that. Painful in my Rubi at ~$30/fill for 87 octane. I filled up 7 times in the 3 day trip. Inside the DFW metroplex I consistently average 18-19.5 mpg without cruise maintaining 70-75mph. (gotta love Texas).
I'm kind of sorry I didn't wait for the diesel release before buying. Fuel econ would be a far cry better than what I'm getting now with the Pentastar. That trip took me from 2571mi to 3864mi on the odometer. I burned over 150gal at an average cost of $1.93/gal at the pump. Odometer is currently at 4089mi.
The only other complaints I have is that the lumbar support in the stock seats is almost useless and the steering gear box issue that I haven't had time to get repaired yet. My lower back was killing me after the first day, 13 hours of driving from Fort Worth to Parsons, KS.
Some things I loved about it. It's just super fun to drive, and it's still so new that everyone wants to check it out and talk about it. The LED headlights are fantastic, and the fog lights came in handy up in Oklahoma and Kansas when it got really foggy and then started light raining with road mist from other vehicles. I never had an issue seeing the road. The A/C is great and the heater is more like a blast furnace, which I like, but I am sorry I didn't get the heated seats, solely because my back could've used it.
Other things to note if you're considering buying. In anything over mild wind, it tends to get a bit noisy inside and the vehicle is light enough that it can be subjected to being pushed around by higher winds. Having a near vertical windshield, get used to things hitting the glass, like sand, dirt, small pebbles and bugs. Almost every fuel stop I made I had to scrub dead bugs off the glass, mirror backs, headlights and fog lights. The stock Fox shocks were ok at best for a drive like this, but I really wish I had a tunable suspension so I could've absorbed some of the bumps and dips a little more softly. Maybe my back wouldn't have felt like I carried a ton of rocks up Everest.
