Rubi_Rhod
Well-Known Member
- First Name
- Aaron
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2020
- Threads
- 1
- Messages
- 376
- Reaction score
- 749
- Location
- Washington
- Vehicle(s)
- '20 JTR 6MT, '55 Manx Clone Bug
- Build Thread
- Link
- Thread starter
- #1
Firstly, an introduction
Names Aaron, and just picked up a 2020 Gladiator Rubicon 6MT in Sting Grey. Options are sparse and include the no cost M/T tires, Hard Top, Tow package and the proximity entry.
It’s been named Rubi Rhod by a friend and It kinda stuck. I had a few different nicknames in my notes for the Jeeps I had shortlisted to buy. In this case, I said to a friend “the Rubi” and he came back with a gif of Ruby Rhod, the sassy fictional host in the Fifth Element.
I’m also known as A-rod for I am his doppelgänger. Since 18, if I shave, I get stopped in public frequently. Really, it’s only been the wearing of masks that has stopped it. So, the goofy and charismatic Rubi Rhod just seems to stick.
Never owned a Jeep before. But always liked em. As a gearhead and 4x4 enthusiast a Jeep was always a big toy that I wish I had a space in my garage for. But as I don’t really “wheel” or have many trail friends, I wasn’t quite incentivized to hop into a Jeep. But when they added in a pickup bed I was very interested, as what I really use often is a truck.
While I was really excited for em, having been a big fan of the Brute and even the early 2005 JK gladiator concept, my 130 mile commute didn’t allow me the luxury of 15mpg. Well, as our company and my field has basically just gone working remote and not going back, a 4x4 Jeep Truck finally made sense to replace my 85k mile 25mpg all terrain commute truck, without too many penalties.
Was originally scouting for a base sport manual with hard top, LSD and Tow package. But just an hour after I had sold my daily, a 17 Colorado Diesel CCLB, I called to place the deposit on my perfectly optioned Gator Sport 6MT, it was sold from under me!
But not to worry, they had a backup that was exactly the same specs I wanted, just a grand cheaper as it was in a more common white paint. NOPE! That one got damaged in transit and was returned to the factory.
At that point I had only been searching for Sport trims and was going to go DIY over a few years and put in big tires, gears, lockers, as well as upgrades to the infotainment (that 5”base is a little lackluster), and other such things.
Tallying it all up, it was a good whallop. So with the two Sport’s gone, and the other three sport deals I had on the line stalled out, I thought I would look at a base Rubicon that would give me all those upgrades, and a few creature comforts.
I found a dealer in Boise that had not one, but two identical and sequentially vin’d Rubi’s with just the hard top, and tow package, and the bonus keyless unlock. So hoped in with some friends and drove 500 miles to pick one of the twins up. (Its twin I was told was taken up to Alaska by its new owner)
My Build Plan is an overland machine that works great off road, but not too big and ponderous on-road. I enjoy rowing through the gears and having a pleasant drive. I also still have to do truck stuff with it. Home Depot, light duty towing, weekend projects and the like.
Need to do what I can to keep it lean. I I live far out from town, and like to roam out of state, so don’t want too much excess weight and drag killing my performance.
Overall my build plans were really the same had I gotten the Sport. The Rubicon was just a quick way to entry for the chassis and suspension vs for DIY or shops. While I am capable and have done many things to modify my vehicles, axle work is not my forte. I also was coming from my Colorado that I had done sliders, skids, Fox 2.0 coilovers and such to. So making it easy to have like for like, and not have to do it all over again, this Rubi was a good deal for me.
While my Colorado did have ALL the luxury and premium options, I was actually excited to go to something a little more casual and simple. All the luxury in the world won’t get me unstuck, so was a happy trade to feel more confident on the trails.
I will say, proximity entry is really slick. And as it already had Push Start, just kinda completes the whole fob thing. Everything I could possibly want to equip it with (Aux switches, LEDs, leather, stereo) is all just an easy-ish accessory after the fact. And that’s all fun stuff to get as money and time become available.
So to that extent the mods will be focused to make it more practical and fit my lifestyle more than building a Jeep. At least for the near term. I think the best part of a Jeep is that they never get stale. They are a great canvas to build and have fun with, with a healthy mod community across all the generations.
Names Aaron, and just picked up a 2020 Gladiator Rubicon 6MT in Sting Grey. Options are sparse and include the no cost M/T tires, Hard Top, Tow package and the proximity entry.
It’s been named Rubi Rhod by a friend and It kinda stuck. I had a few different nicknames in my notes for the Jeeps I had shortlisted to buy. In this case, I said to a friend “the Rubi” and he came back with a gif of Ruby Rhod, the sassy fictional host in the Fifth Element.
I’m also known as A-rod for I am his doppelgänger. Since 18, if I shave, I get stopped in public frequently. Really, it’s only been the wearing of masks that has stopped it. So, the goofy and charismatic Rubi Rhod just seems to stick.
Never owned a Jeep before. But always liked em. As a gearhead and 4x4 enthusiast a Jeep was always a big toy that I wish I had a space in my garage for. But as I don’t really “wheel” or have many trail friends, I wasn’t quite incentivized to hop into a Jeep. But when they added in a pickup bed I was very interested, as what I really use often is a truck.
While I was really excited for em, having been a big fan of the Brute and even the early 2005 JK gladiator concept, my 130 mile commute didn’t allow me the luxury of 15mpg. Well, as our company and my field has basically just gone working remote and not going back, a 4x4 Jeep Truck finally made sense to replace my 85k mile 25mpg all terrain commute truck, without too many penalties.
Was originally scouting for a base sport manual with hard top, LSD and Tow package. But just an hour after I had sold my daily, a 17 Colorado Diesel CCLB, I called to place the deposit on my perfectly optioned Gator Sport 6MT, it was sold from under me!
But not to worry, they had a backup that was exactly the same specs I wanted, just a grand cheaper as it was in a more common white paint. NOPE! That one got damaged in transit and was returned to the factory.
At that point I had only been searching for Sport trims and was going to go DIY over a few years and put in big tires, gears, lockers, as well as upgrades to the infotainment (that 5”base is a little lackluster), and other such things.
Tallying it all up, it was a good whallop. So with the two Sport’s gone, and the other three sport deals I had on the line stalled out, I thought I would look at a base Rubicon that would give me all those upgrades, and a few creature comforts.
I found a dealer in Boise that had not one, but two identical and sequentially vin’d Rubi’s with just the hard top, and tow package, and the bonus keyless unlock. So hoped in with some friends and drove 500 miles to pick one of the twins up. (Its twin I was told was taken up to Alaska by its new owner)
My Build Plan is an overland machine that works great off road, but not too big and ponderous on-road. I enjoy rowing through the gears and having a pleasant drive. I also still have to do truck stuff with it. Home Depot, light duty towing, weekend projects and the like.
Need to do what I can to keep it lean. I I live far out from town, and like to roam out of state, so don’t want too much excess weight and drag killing my performance.
Overall my build plans were really the same had I gotten the Sport. The Rubicon was just a quick way to entry for the chassis and suspension vs for DIY or shops. While I am capable and have done many things to modify my vehicles, axle work is not my forte. I also was coming from my Colorado that I had done sliders, skids, Fox 2.0 coilovers and such to. So making it easy to have like for like, and not have to do it all over again, this Rubi was a good deal for me.
While my Colorado did have ALL the luxury and premium options, I was actually excited to go to something a little more casual and simple. All the luxury in the world won’t get me unstuck, so was a happy trade to feel more confident on the trails.
I will say, proximity entry is really slick. And as it already had Push Start, just kinda completes the whole fob thing. Everything I could possibly want to equip it with (Aux switches, LEDs, leather, stereo) is all just an easy-ish accessory after the fact. And that’s all fun stuff to get as money and time become available.
So to that extent the mods will be focused to make it more practical and fit my lifestyle more than building a Jeep. At least for the near term. I think the best part of a Jeep is that they never get stale. They are a great canvas to build and have fun with, with a healthy mod community across all the generations.
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