Trim Levels, is it worth it?

[eternus]

Don't forget, as mentioned above, Mojave also has some beefed up components underneath to take a beating from going out on the dunes at speed.

True true, forgot to mention the beefed up frame... but I'm not taking a $45k+ vehicle and beating the shit out of it, so I'll be fine with my "regular" frame.

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[ShadowsPapa]

True true, forgot to mention the beefed up frame... but I'm not taking a $45k+ vehicle and beating the shit out of it, so I'll be fine with my "regular" frame.

Mojave may be a beefed up dune machine, but check out what's making the grades in the sand where all there is are rocks and SAND.......

 

[Sarge502]

Get an Overland.

Just cause.

 

[The Crusader]

Overland diesel. Setup better for overlanding, diesel is more powerful and less likely to need regearing, and you'll get better mileage.

 

[Gladman]

I love it when people respond to "is it worth it" - humans will almost always justify what they have decided and say it's the best. To do otherwise is suggesting that maybe they could have done better. But nope, my choice was the best and it's best for YOU, too.
Lockers have been discussed to death - buying something because it has lockers? Ho-hum, yawn, why do I need 'em? I don't. In fact more than one thread has suggested - even all but proven, for even a typical or average Jeep owner they aren't needed. The rough and tumble guys that crawl boulders and get into some serious stuff may have reasons to have 'em, but I'd bet that 80% of all Jeep owners would truly never miss them if they weren't there.
And to claim that "Mojave/Rubicon will have the best resale" , etc. is bunk. Been debunked.
It ain't even true on Wrangler - why would it be true on a TRUCK?
People also leave out the cost of the money spent.
If I saved 5K by buying an Overland over anything else - that 5K over 5 years at even so-so market years is worth 7K. So that 5K I didn't take out of my investments to buy a truck is now worth 7K only 5 years later.
In a normal spread of time, investments over the last century have averaged at least 10%. So if I left 5 grand in my investments instead of spending it on a level I didn't HONESTLY and truly NEED, that 5 grand over 5 years would be $8,000. That means that I could take the resale value of my truck after 5 years and add another 3 grand to it as money saved is money earned in that case.

If I/you had to BORROW? Similar - that money you borrowed to buy a more expensive vehicle cost you more. In the end your Mojave or Rubicon will not be worth "that much more" because of the equipment and badging. There's multiple posts in other threads on that. So please stop claiming "my truck will be worth more in the end because it's a Rubicon/Mojave".

But people gotta justify their choices - especially to others - or - are they REALLY trying to convince themselves?

Only YOU can decide if something is "worth it" to YOU. Why would I want or need a Rubicon or Mojave? My truck will do everything I've ever asked of it, and even if I some day take it into some dunes or over some rocks or across the Jordan River - it will likely do fine.

(I paid cash for my JT. That means the money I did NOT take out to buy this truck after 5 years will go from $6,000 to being worth $9,600. So I really saved almost 10 grand by buying Overland instead of Rubicon)



LOL - seriously? Someone's actually gonna ask or even think that? Doesn't take a genius to re-gear differentials. I hang out with dozens of people who have re-geared drag cars putting out hundreds of ponies more than these thing can dream of - and a hell of a lot more torque.
These guys bust axles, snap drive shafts and blow up flywheels. I've done differentials for years.
Try doing 8 second 180 mph quarter miles - and yes, on differentials they geared themselves.
But I get trying to justify your choices.

No one is gonna ask "who did the gears" after they've been in there for a few years especially. Most folks will assume a shop did it - properly. Issues on these things show up fast so unless you re-gear and sell it in the next few months, no one will care. If it's made it a year, it's fine.
And referring to the above, the almost 10 grand saved/earned by buying a lower trim level will more than buy pro work on such things. That's 10 grand I can put into a lot of things. Don't need or want "lockers", not needed (see other threads on that), and if I did decide to go lower gears, a couple grand can likely do that.
All that's needed for differential work is a clean shop, decent tools and attention to detail. (follow the freakin' book if in doubt). I'm far more concerned about idiots doing transmission work than differentials.

I can’t disagree with any points made here.

However, I have never purchased a vehicle as an investment, or have never considered re-sale value in the process.
To me, vehicles are barely even an asset given the cost of ownership with insurance, fuel, consumables, and maintenance - if one does in fact properly maintain those items - and it really doesn’t matter what vehicle it is unless it is a collector of some type.
So I buy the vehicle, enjoy using it, look after it, and then sell or trade when I want a different one. Money is rarely a consideration because I buy what I can afford. This is why I drive a Jeep and not a Bentley.

 

[Gladman]

Overland diesel. Setup better for overlanding, diesel is more powerful and less likely to need regearing, and you'll get better mileage.

Even better - High Altitude diesel. Same axles as Mojave and Rubicon without a front locker

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