An idea I've been pondering..

benatc1 · Jul 20, 2016

All, As some of you may know i currently have a fairly built up 2012 2 door JK (pr44, lockers, 35s, bunch of stuff) . I am a year or two away from turning this into a non daily driver and am the point where the next mods (still down the road a bit) would be, 37s, coil-overs, rear axle, and various things here and there. I prefer to build things a bit above what is "needed" so to maybe lessen the chance of failure- and why not in reality. Based on a recent adventure with a bunch of people with a nice mix of Jeeps (all 4 doors) I ive been doing some thinking and if im going to do all of these future mods why not see what a stretch would end up being and maybe a double throw down (makes sense to me to go all the way if im going this route). This could make a very unique Jeep but i imagine it would not be cheap at all. On the Rubicon i found that while my shorter wheelbase may have came in handy at times a longer wheel base might be more advantageous throughout the entire trail. So when i thought about all this, another issue came to mind. As my family will be growing in the next several years i realized that with a 2 door there just isn't quite the interior room to do everything i will want to do in the future.

This brings me to the point, Im trying to decide if it smarter to sell my current Jeep nowish and buy a used 4 door and build that up, correctly, from the start (likely not DTD). I feel like it may set me back a bit but ultimately will give me what Im looking for, at maybe a cheaper price in the long run (idk). I have certainly not made up my mind yet and this will be a decision i flip flop on a lot i think, because i love my jeep and have put a lot of time, money, blood and sweat into. plus its taken me some pretty cool places so its part of me like many of your Jeeps are to you. I just feel as if Im at a bit of a cross roads with it and the personal side and was just wondering what people had to say, maybe ideas or just thoughts on the subject matter. Thanks in advance!

jeeeep · Jul 20, 2016

I've thought about trading in, selling, doing an LS swap with my 2010 JKU going on 2 years now.
the more I drive the 2015 the more i dislike the power/transmission in the 2010 but...it's taken me to a lot of fun, 136k miles very minor issues and lots of sweat getting it built-up so I feel your dilemma.
seeing as you have a growing family I'd say go 4dr for the comfort and added room.
After this last trip I'm in process of looking for a deal on a newer JKU and planning out what I can swap to avoid starting over since i still have most all the stock suspension parts.
the biggest pain i think will be swapping out the PSC hydro assist.
or...I'll still be in the same position over what to do 2 yrs from now.:doh:

benatc1 · Jul 20, 2016

jeeeep said:
I've thought about trading in, selling, doing an LS swap with my 2010 JKU going on 2 years now.
the more I drive the 2015 the more i dislike the power/transmission in the 2010 but...it's taken me to a lot of fun, 136k miles very minor issues and lots of sweat getting it built-up so I feel your dilemma.
seeing as you have a growing family I'd say go 4dr for the comfort and added room.
After this last trip I'm in process of looking for a deal on a newer JKU and planning out what I can swap to avoid starting over since i still have most all the stock suspension parts.
the biggest pain i think will be swapping out the PSC hydro assist.
or...I'll still be in the same position over what to do 2 yrs from now.:doh:

Thanks for the input, I think if I sell it will be private party as most of the things wont transfer to a 4 door so i wouldnt tear down to trade in, which means ill need the right person to come along to buy at the right price

zimm · Jul 20, 2016

I'd rock the 2012 for another year or so and then jump on the 2018 when it comes out. I have a JKU and my dad has the 2 door. I prefer the 4 in all situations minus turning around tight trees on east coast trails. Better highway ride, more towing capacity, I use all the room in the back hauling stuff, and with 2 small kids in boosters, the extra doors are invaluable.

Or keep the 2 door as a trail only rig and make a jku that's streetable.

RMC2 · Jul 21, 2016

I love my two door CJ7, but everything else I own is four doors: car, truck, and Jkur. I love the extra doors, especially with kids, friends and other stuff. Rides good too.

I dont even have kids in the house anymore, usually.

A lot of two door stuff will transfer. Bumpers, axles, tires, wheels, lights, even many suspension parts.

I took everything off my 09 I could. I even got the dealer to swap tires for me while I waited to drive it off of the lot.

benatc1 · Jul 21, 2016

zimm said:
I'd rock the 2012 for another year or so and then jump on the 2018 when it comes out. I have a JKU and my dad has the 2 door. I prefer the 4 in all situations minus turning around tight trees on east coast trails. Better highway ride, more towing capacity, I use all the room in the back hauling stuff, and with 2 small kids in boosters, the extra doors are invaluable.

Or keep the 2 door as a trail only rig and make a jku that's streetable.

I think the kids thing is what may push me over the edge honestly. don't know if I want the first run of the 2018s but will def look into them once we all figure out what they will be for sure.

RMC2 said:
I love my two door CJ7, but everything else I own is four doors: car, truck, and Jkur. I love the extra doors, especially with kids, friends and other stuff. Rides good too.

I dont even have kids in the house anymore, usually.

A lot of two door stuff will transfer. Bumpers, axles, tires, wheels, lights, even many suspension parts.

I took everything off my 09 I could. I even got the dealer to swap tires for me while I waited to drive it off of the lot.

I may consider transferring some stuff, don't think I will tear down and trade in though. I ideally could get more cash back if sold as is privatly, would just have to find the right buyer who wants all that ready to go.

Judesign · Jul 21, 2016

Benatc1 I'm deciding the same thing myself. My situation is a little different in that we have no kids (yet). It gets tempting to start over with money saved to do exactly what I want immediately on an unlimited but then sometimes I like the thought of my 2door being just for me and fiancée and our stuff.

benatc1 · Jul 21, 2016

Judesign said:
Benatc1 I'm deciding the same thing myself. My situation is a little different in that we have no kids (yet). It gets tempting to start over with money saved to do exactly what I want immediately on an unlimited but then sometimes I like the thought of my 2door being just for me and fiancée and our stuff.

yea that's a big thing too, won't have a capable of a jeep right away. we don't have kids yet either but we're heading that way after we get married so just kinda planning for the future I guess, maybe get the jeep built up before kids arrive and consume all the money!!

Kyle7R · Jul 21, 2016

I've been going back and forth on this same exact thing.

What has been holding me back is I would be nearly doubling my payment for a newer Jeep with as many, or even more miles than my current rig (09 2 door Rubi, just hit 46k). All for a back seat that I will use maybe a handful of times a year.

As of today, I'm holding off on getting a JKU, continuing to mod my JK with stuff that can be easily transferred to a new rig down the road and holding onto all my stock stuff.

Judesign · Jul 21, 2016

benatc1 said:
yea that's a big thing too, won't have a capable of a jeep right away. we don't have kids yet either but we're heading that way after we get married so just kinda planning for the future I guess, maybe get the jeep built up before kids arrive and consume all the money!!

Lmao that's where im at! I guess best case scenario I get prorocks front and back, evo dtd, then ls swap and then I swear I'm done...

zimm · Jul 21, 2016

After you find out a baby is on the way, resist the urge to dump all your toys. I sold a year old Shelby gt500 when kid 2 was on the way because a backwards car seat won't fit in the rear. Dumb idea. After 2 years the kid is in a forward seat and would be back riding in a Shelby. But she's long gone and no way will I get to buy another.

Ddays · Jul 21, 2016

benatc1 said:
I think the kids thing is what may push me over the edge honestly. don't know if I want the first run of the 2018s.

I have bought three first year model cars over the years and will NEVER do it again. I know lots of people do it and have no problems but unfortunately I ain't one of them.

A 4 door with kids makes it practical IMHO. Having that extra room makes a huge difference. Even without kids they're awesome...

sipafz · Jul 21, 2016

^ 2nd that - 1999 we bought a new release Pontiac Grand AM GT - Black. It was just beautiful sitting on the lot. It was also during the GM strike which should have been a huge red flag. Turned out to be the biggest POS that we ever owned! During the four years that we had it, it had about a dozen different problems where each one took multiple trips to resolve. It seemed like we had a standing reservation for a loner. It was a great day when we dumped it for our 2003 Liberty which has been awesome and still have. Jeep man for life!

benatc1 · Jul 21, 2016

zimm said:
After you find out a baby is on the way, resist the urge to dump all your toys. I sold a year old Shelby gt500 when kid 2 was on the way because a backwards car seat won't fit in the rear. Dumb idea. After 2 years the kid is in a forward seat and would be back riding in a Shelby. But she's long gone and no way will I get to buy another.

I hope to continue to be in a position that i wont "need" to do that but i guess ya never know, i can see how it would be worth it to find a way to make it work for a bit.

Ddays said:
I have bought three first year model cars over the years and will NEVER do it again. I know lots of people do it and have no problems but unfortunately I ain't one of them.

A 4 door with kids makes it practical IMHO. Having that extra room makes a huge difference. Even without kids they're awesome...

yea, may be "cool" to have one of the first ones but not worth the potential headache in my eyes. I wouldn't need to justify to my wife why id keep a 2 door trail rig but i think it would certainly be more practical for a family like you said and who knows maybe allow more funds to flow its way!

Judesign · Jul 21, 2016

zimm said:
After you find out a baby is on the way, resist the urge to dump all your toys. I sold a year old Shelby gt500 when kid 2 was on the way because a backwards car seat won't fit in the rear. Dumb idea. After 2 years the kid is in a forward seat and would be back riding in a Shelby. But she's long gone and no way will I get to buy another.

Ouch. I totally understand your reasoning but damn that is one of my all time favorite cars. Had to be fun while it lasted. I wonder if it's possible to stuff a coyote into a jk

wayoflife · Jul 21, 2016

benatc1 said:
All, As some of you may know i currently have a fairly built up 2012 2 door JK (pr44, lockers, 35s, bunch of stuff) . I am a year or two away from turning this into a non daily driver and am the point where the next mods (still down the road a bit) would be, 37s, coil-overs, rear axle, and various things here and there. I prefer to build things a bit above what is "needed" so to maybe lessen the chance of failure- and why not in reality. Based on a recent adventure with a bunch of people with a nice mix of Jeeps (all 4 doors) I ive been doing some thinking and if im going to do all of these future mods why not see what a stretch would end up being and maybe a double throw down (makes sense to me to go all the way if im going this route). This could make a very unique Jeep but i imagine it would not be cheap at all. On the Rubicon i found that while my shorter wheelbase may have came in handy at times a longer wheel base might be more advantageous throughout the entire trail. So when i thought about all this, another issue came to mind. As my family will be growing in the next several years i realized that with a 2 door there just isn't quite the interior room to do everything i will want to do in the future.

This brings me to the point, Im trying to decide if it smarter to sell my current Jeep nowish and buy a used 4 door and build that up, correctly, from the start (likely not DTD). I feel like it may set me back a bit but ultimately will give me what Im looking for, at maybe a cheaper price in the long run (idk). I have certainly not made up my mind yet and this will be a decision i flip flop on a lot i think, because i love my jeep and have put a lot of time, money, blood and sweat into. plus its taken me some pretty cool places so its part of me like many of your Jeeps are to you. I just feel as if Im at a bit of a cross roads with it and the personal side and was just wondering what people had to say, maybe ideas or just thoughts on the subject matter. Thanks in advance!

What I can tell you is this, Cindy and I have owned a CJ, a TJ and a 2-Door JK and as much as they were fun and we enjoyed them, when it comes to wheeling, we prefer a 4-door. I should note enough so that when it came time to buy a 2nd one, we again bought a 4-door. The extra space you get with one for camping trips is worth it all by itself but built right, the longer wheelbase is an advantage on most of the terrain we have out west. With a family or even a dog, I personally think it's a no-brainer. Of course, that's just me.

NevadaZielmeister · Jul 21, 2016

benatc1 said:
This brings me to the point, Im trying to decide if it smarter to sell my current Jeep nowish and buy a used 4 door and build that up, correctly, from the start (likely not DTD). I just feel as if Im at a bit of a cross roads with it and the personal side and was just wondering what people had to say, maybe ideas or just thoughts on the subject matter. Thanks in advance!

My good friend Ben. I am glad you are thinking in the future. It is always good for people to have a 1, 5 and 10 year plan. So this is a good time for you to think about things.

Since I know you and your soon to be wife, I suspect that you both will be having more than one child, mostly because you are both awesome and people like you both should have more than one. So think about what it would take to have a Jeep for more than one child. In my situation, there was no way I would be able to sell the idea of a 2 door Jeep to my wife since we have two children and that would make it just my vehicle and not one we can take for family adventures. To be clear, my primary goal for my rig was to get the family out and about to far off places since they are not strong enough physically to hike long distances or carry heavy loads.

I gave your situation some thought and find that you would be best not to change anything more on your current Jeep. Your rig does REALLY well and any investment you put into it now would be unnecessary. In order for you to get a 4-door and get an automatic, you would need to change rigs, that is for sure. My recommendation would be to wait until you get things saved up on another rig and then make the plunge. The reason why is because when you have children, in the beginning, there are not going to be a lot of outdoor adventures. The wife will not have a good time wheeling while pregnant, trust myself and QuicksilverJK on this. When your body is splitting in two in preparation for the birth of a human, bumps REALLY suck.

My next point is that a small children is not ready for any bumps. They would need to be in the rear seat, in a rear facing child safety seat and their neck muscles would not be able to handle the jostling that comes with off-roading. So there will be a few years where they might not even be able to physically handle the riggers of the off road.

My final point, the most important one, is time. When you have children, your available time for spending outdoors and in the garage dwindles to nothing. You are going to be busy helping your awesome wife while facing challenges of raising a new family (i.e. lack of sleep, financial pressures, new lifestyle, etc.). I would never think that I need to get everything before this. You simply put everything on hold until they (the kids) are up and running, literally.

So my ultimate suggestion would be to wait with your current rig. When the family starts, you might get away a little bit, but you would not be taking the family anyways, so you will be solo anyways, no need for a 4-door at that time. Then, when they are all good for your adventures, likely from about 3-4 years of age and onwards, then you can get the 4-door and build it up properly. By that point, you will have money saved up for your dream build and get everything you need. You can easily sell this all of the family to justify an adventure vehicle that all benefit from, not just yourself.

As you know, this mirrors my situation, but I had to wait a lot longer, like 20 years. In my situation, it was always money and lack of need for a Jeep. I always wanted a Jeep, but never had the reason to buy one until recently. Now that my kids are 4 and 5 years old, they LOVE getting out with RubySky. You and I also have great women in our lives, so I am sure yours will be supportive of your passion. Since she hung in there and enjoyed everything with you on the Rubicon, you are set with that plan. Keep your current well built Jeep, sell it when you have your first child or later, save up to buy your perfect rig, then continue with the Jeeping lifestyle. I can't wait to see you when you get DTD put in. To give you an idea, let's switch rides this Saturday. That might help sell my idea.

benatc1 · Jul 21, 2016

wayoflife said:
What I can tell you is this, Cindy and I have owned a CJ, a TJ and a 2-Door JK and as much as they were fun and we enjoyed them, when it comes to wheeling, we prefer a 4-door. I should note enough so that when it came time to buy a 2nd one, we again bought a 4-door. The extra space you get with one for camping trips is worth it all by itself but built right, the longer wheelbase is an advantage on most of the terrain we have out west. With a family or even a dog, I personally think it's a no-brainer. Of course, that's just me.

I like your point, as it stand now i cant bring my 120lb dog if i have more than a day trip packed up in the back of the Jeep, and he loves to ride along and go out on the trails. I guess its more of an "end game" idea even though that will evolve over the next 20 years im sure- just like not many drive CJs anymore because the jeeps have evolved. However I feel like the JK/JKU might be a pretty good set up that will be tough to beat over time with regards to how its built and can be built. I appreciate the input, definitely gets the wheels turning..

benatc1 · Jul 21, 2016

NevadaZielmeister said:
My good friend Ben. I am glad you are thinking in the future. It is always good for people to have a 1, 5 and 10 year plan. So this is a good time for you to think about things.

Since I know you and your soon to be wife, I suspect that you both will be having more than one child, mostly because you are both awesome and people like you both should have more than one. So think about what it would take to have a Jeep for more than one child. In my situation, there was no way I would be able to sell the idea of a 2 door Jeep to my wife since we have two children and that would make it just my vehicle and not one we can take for family adventures. To be clear, my primary goal for my rig was to get the family out and about to far off places since they are not strong enough physically to hike long distances or carry heavy loads.

I gave your situation some thought and find that you would be best not to change anything more on your current Jeep. Your rig does REALLY well and any investment you put into it now would be unnecessary. In order for you to get a 4-door and get an automatic, you would need to change rigs, that is for sure. My recommendation would be to wait until you get things saved up on another rig and then make the plunge. The reason why is because when you have children, in the beginning, there are not going to be a lot of outdoor adventures. The wife will not have a good time wheeling while pregnant, trust myself and QuicksilverJK on this. When your body is splitting in two in preparation for the birth of a human, bumps REALLY suck.

My next point is that a small children is not ready for any bumps. They would need to be in the rear seat, in a rear facing child safety seat and their neck muscles would not be able to handle the jostling that comes with off-roading. So there will be a few years where they might not even be able to physically handle the riggers of the off road.

My final point, the most important one, is time. When you have children, your available time for spending outdoors and in the garage dwindles to nothing. You are going to be busy helping your awesome wife while facing challenges of raising a new family (i.e. lack of sleep, financial pressures, new lifestyle, etc.). I would never think that I need to get everything before this. You simply put everything on hold until they (the kids) are up and running, literally.

So my ultimate suggestion would be to wait with your current rig. When the family starts, you might get away a little bit, but you would not be taking the family anyways, so you will be solo anyways, no need for a 4-door at that time. Then, when they are all good for your adventures, likely from about 3-4 years of age and onwards, then you can get the 4-door and build it up properly. By that point, you will have money saved up for your dream build and get everything you need. You can easily sell this all of the family to justify an adventure vehicle that all benefit from, not just yourself.

As you know, this mirrors my situation, but I had to wait a lot longer, like 20 years. In my situation, it was always money and lack of need for a Jeep. I always wanted a Jeep, but never had the reason to buy one until recently. Now that my kids are 4 and 5 years old, they LOVE getting out with RubySky. You and I also have great women in our lives, so I am sure yours will be supportive of your passion. Since she hung in there and enjoyed everything with you on the Rubicon, you are set with that plan. Keep your current well built Jeep, sell it when you have your first child or later, save up to buy your perfect rig, then continue with the Jeeping lifestyle. I can't wait to see you when you get DTD put in. To give you an idea, let's switch rides this Saturday. That might help sell my idea.

Neil, Thanks for the thoughtful and long response.. Im not sure if ill ever end up with a 4 door and DTD, just not sure if thats the length ill end up going- maybe a long arm and bolt on coil over may do the job-IDK yet(maybe you can sell me). was just saying that if i were to continue to build my current jeep and stretch it id go all out. But you do bring up some great points about family and waiting until the time is right personally and financially. One thing I know i will run into if i were to make the switch soon would be wanting to invest the money into it sooner than later as id be used to having a built jeep. It may be 4 or 5 years until kids are in the picture but like Eddie mentioned the dog is part of the family so he needs a place too haha.. However I am hesitant to keep building my current Jeep knowing I may replace it, also I may get a better return on my current investment now instead of 4-5 years down the road. I think ultimately what i want is a 4 door for a handful of reasons i just keep flip flopping because i built every aspect of this very capable 2 door,except the gears, so its part of me ya know. Like you said though I dont NEED to continue to build my current set up, some things would be nice but its handles its own pretty well.

RMC2 · Jul 23, 2016

Your friend and everyone else raise good points. Let me add this for you to consider though.

Is the jeep your daily or even often driver? Is it something you drive to the store or out to dinner? Is it something you run around in when not hitting the trails?

Then you will definately want a four door to get the kids in and out, plus the associated diaper bag and stuff.

If it is a dedicated only drive when trail riding or playing rig, then you could go either way. You don't have to go new either. There are a lot of jku's out there that have never been off road or even in four wheel drive. Sometimes I wish I would have kept my 09 and spent the money on an LS swap. But it was still a 4 door.

No matter what, it is awesome that you are thinking of your future family.

An idea I've been pondering..

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