2013 Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon

I'm 6'1" but long-legged. I drove a few now, and I do wish the seat went down just half an inch more, but have you driven an '05 and up Tacoma? Talk about staring at the headliner......

The Pentastar is very good, but the new 5 speed auto is even better than the new engine IMO. It's a quieter engine (if that matters) than my Tacoma.

Another cool thing is there is no driveline vibration at all between 5 and 20 mph in the Rubicon. I know there is a solution for it for the Tacomas now though.

I have an '05 Civic Si hatch that serves as my nearly 300 miles per week commuter car, so gas mileage isn't that big of a deal to me either.

Head recalls for 2012 only. Design change for 2013. And it sounds like they did fix the 2012s just fine under warranty too.

Spitfire, you running an auto or a 6-speed?

 

Not sure if I'd do it. But I'd give it some serious consideration................

 

That's where I am.

And I've heard a few folks say "sounds like you've already decided."

I haven't.

Reminder, I last talked to the salesman last week.....and I'm still deciding!

Actually, me not taking him up on his offer yet seems to be a decision of sorts me thinks.

Buy the Jeep and trade the commuter car for a 2wd Tacoma w/ a 2.7....????

 

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20120813/carnews/120819959

 

if you wanna wheel the jeep will outperform the tacoma in stock form. there is also a lot more aftermarket support for the jeep. with just a small lift you can bump up to 34 or 35 inch tires, add a couple skids where vulnerable and you are ready for action! next time around it will be jeep for me, sadly, unless toyota makes magic happen and redoes the fj to compete more directly with jeep.

 

I have to agree that the color looks kinds baby poopish. 4 door jeeps are more of a cross over type thing. Everybody wants all the cool switches and crap that do nothing but break. But i did see one at bohnam chrysler yesterday with a truckbed on it. Looked like an old FJ truck. But was bright orange in color though. Before you know it this place will be called Heep World!

 

I think the Jeep is more intriging initially..well cause its a jeep it has that thing going on, but overall and as a daily driver I dont think it compares to a Tacoma and reliablity is still sketcky for the fact Chrysler still cuts corners on all their vehicles, they just hide it better today then a decade ago. I think youll be dumping more money into it 5 years from now to keep it running then enjoying it, but if your a short term thinker Jeep is the way to go has more of a cool factor then a Tacoma.

 

Exactly, that color reminds me of this morning , guess cause I ate a bunch of salad last night

 

The Tacoma will still be humming down the road somewhere long after that Dodge has been recycled and turned into aftermarket parts for a Neon.

That's more or less the same thing my brother told me when I said I was looking at a Nissan Pro 4x Frontier.

 

I go backpacking allot and if I don't use an item after 3 extended trips, I don't bring it anymore. If the only reason you like the Tacoma is because of the bed but you don't ever use the bed, then perhaps you can do without it.

 

There was a red one at the Jeep dealership that I drive by everyday last summer, equipped pretty much the same as the one you're looking at (except it was a manual).

I saw this thing everyday. It just looks awesome with the factory lift and M/T's, so I decided to stop and take it for a spin.

After I recovered from the stroke that I had when I saw the sticker price, I went for a ride.

I was ASTOUNDINGLY unimpressed.

Everything feels cheap. It can't get out of it's own way. The brakes were terrible. I can't imagine how bad the fuel economy is.

It's amazing to me how they can charge so much for such a poorly made vehicle, with absolutely no utility value.

You sir, already have the perfect vehicle. Don't let the cool looks of that Jeep trick you into buying an inferior product.

 

Very good input, and I hear what you're saying. I can't help conclude however, that the one you drove was a 2011 or older. The 2012 and 2013 V6 runs every bit as good as Toyota's 4.0 in the Tacoma. That's a fact supported by both statistical data and by my very own seat-of-the-pants dyno.


FWIW, I honestly don't think there's anything wrong with my Tacoma. It does everything satisfactorily. Looks pretty good doing it too, as long as you don't think the headlights make it look a little sad.

The other part that's pushing me toward the Rubicon is this:

The aftermarket I'm chasing at this point for my Tacoma would be a rear Truetrac and a front air locker, OME 2" suspension, ARB bullbar, an Undercover Tonneau and sliders (brand TBD.) You can add up the costs if you want, but it'll be roughly the same as the difference I'm looking at now between my current Tacoma and the 13 Rubicon. A financeable, warranteed difference at that.

Jeep's got the drivetrain right this time boys and girls. It's a different ball game now.

 

It was a '12 (and it's still sitting there, almost a year later, if that tells you anything).

I'll believe that when........no....I'll never believe that. They're track record is unforgivably poor

 

I'm not defending Jeep, I'm simply stating facts. It is as quick and powerful as the current Tacoma V6, which is what I'm comparing it to. It is not as quick as the new Viper though So when you state "it can't get out of its own way," it tends to discredit you as an authoritative source. Just sayin'. Especially since someone who owns a 2012 with the same drivetrain already told us he gets in the upper teens and low 20s on the freeway.

It is a narrower interior than the double cab Tacomas and I can't believe Jeep doesn't put a "dead pedal" just inside the driver door. I've gotten so used to that in my trucks. I'm not huge fan of the radio integrated into the nav screen, but I have one station I listen to mostly and I can flip through the station with the steering wheel controls if I get really bored or the wife and I are on a trip. Pretty sure if it had a bed, I would've already bought it and moved on. AEV makes one, but it's approximately a $30,000 option.

Also, when it comes to interiors, I probably am comparing apples to oranges a bit. I'm currently driving a Tacoma double cab, with ZERO factory installed options, vinyl floor and all. Even had to supply my own floor mats, which I took out of my '07 And it's as nice to drive as a pretty much fully loaded 2013 JKUR, leather heated seats, leather wrapped steering wheel and the nav system really classes up the dash even. Maybe you didn't see the picture I posted awhile back. The black interior with the leather trimmed seats is really, really nice. Again, this is the one I'm looking at.






If this is "cheap" I'd love to see your idea of nice.

 

x2 on everything you have said.

Also I had an 08 Taco traded for a 2010 Tundra to move to WA, then traded that for a 2013 Corolla. Granted never owned a jeep, but have an uncle who has a Wrangler and hates everything about it. He is (as we speak) sinking money into that thing to keep it on the road. He, like most Jeep owners when offroad, drive it hard...play hard. With that being said we tend to do that with our Tacomas...That Tacoma will hold up way longer than that non-American made Jeep. Toyota is one of the most American made vehicles now a days. Just saying. I cannot wait to get myself into another Taco!!!!

 

Why did you not look at all this for you Tacoma when you bought it? You would probably have spent well over $35k, but I'm sure you are spending well over that for this Jeep also.

 

Just because it "kinda" looks nice, doesn't mean it isn't cheaply made.

My dad's Chrysler looks like that, but when you actually get in it, you can tell it's no Audi....

But then again, you are coming from a stripped down Taco, and I'm sure the features of the Jeep are tempting, but I promise you'll be back.

FYI: I traded my first Taco (a '98) in for a Dakota, and after a few weeks I couldn't wait to get back to Toyota, and I've been with them ever since.

 

go for it. I just ditched my taco. IMO the taco isnt really "great" at anything other than resale value.

 

Seriously guys, read the thread or don't comment. Ignorance is not bliss.

You can take or leave the color. I don't like 4x4s that are bright blue either

I'm going to have to buy this thing just out of spite now.

My Tacoma's parts were built in Japan and it was assembled in Mexico. Check your VIN. I used to defend Toyota because they made vehicles here too, however, that's not always the case.

Resale value leaders in 2012 1. Jeep Wrangler 2. Toyota FJ Cruiser 3. Toyota Tacoma

1. The options I want on my Tacoma are not offered from factory, i.e., front and rear limited slips with full time lockers, heater leather seats, heated mirrors. Try to build a Tacoma with those options. I could take or leave the navigation, but it does dress up the dash nicely.

Again, I'm mostly happy with my stripper model Tacoma, just so happens I have an opportunity to buy this Wrangler JKUR with VERY low mileage for $6,000 less than sticker and the dealer is offering me $2,000 more than I paid 8 months and 7500 miles ago for my truck.

I think my questions/dilemma has been mostly answered anyway. Thanks for the constructive discussion from those of you with open minds.

 

For what its worth I think all vehicle dash interior materials suck because they are all some scratchable form of a plastic. And the day where they put some real protective/bulletproof laminate over the dash is when I will consider vehicle dashes "not cheap". I was more content with the 04 Tacoma dash material over the 13 I have, but the 13 interior looks damn nice! My air vent plastic already has a knick in it and my door has a nice scuff, but it is what it is and its no big deal, its life and shit won't stay pretty forever.

Since OP wants our 2 cents, i'll throw in mine as, if its not a DD, and its more for wheeling than anything else, go for it. Consensus seems to be 12-13 JK's are more solid compared to their most recent predecessors. If I was you I'd go on a jeep or wrangler forum and read until your eyes fall out to catch EVERY SINGLE POSSIBLE issue people are having, and make my decision based on that. Don't let thoughts of "oh that looks nice" or whatever else (considering you have a base level interior currently and most anything may tend to catch your eye), persuade you into a compulsive tradein/buy that you may regret later.