- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
Figured I'd better quit hijacking the Gladiator thread with my personal plans... 
First off, this is the first time I've ever bought a brand new vehicle.... those that know me know I usually buy used vehicles, sometimes projects, and build them up. I finally have the chance to buy new and choose all my options! I was lucky to have my JKU paid off when I listed it for sale and I've also been saving money up for sometime, planning on replacing it. This will be the most I've ever spent on a vehicle! More than likely, this will be the only time I buy new.
I figured I'd start at the beginning and document this one from the get go. I ordered my Gladiator at my local Jeep dealership in Grand Junction, CO. I selected a Rubicon and added quite a few options. I put my $500 down to get the process started on May 11th, 2019 but my order didn't go in until the next business day, May 13th. My salesman estimated a 6-8 week build time at that point. It has been about a week and a half and today I heard that my Gladiator has a VIN# assigned to it! From the sound of others that have ordered before me, 6 weeks is a pretty accurate estimate. So as of today, we have less than 5 weeks to go and I should see it around the middle to end of June.
Here's what my build looked like on the Jeep site after selecting my options. I really wanted the body color Gobi, but I'm impatient.... and selling my JKU left a huge hole in my life. I choose White, just like the JKU. The price is MSRP, I should be about $5k less than that and get it under invoice, as that was the deal. I added nearly $15k in options, the 8 speed automatic, Cold Weather package, LED lighting, Aux switches, bed liner, Alpine stereo, Safety Group, etc, etc.
So now it's a matter of waiting, but we can still make plans... I want to run around 3" of lift and 37's, to help with the breakover and departure angles. I've been a fan of Teraflex and like supporting the local businesses, so I plan to run their suspension with Falcon shocks. I have a set of new AEV Salta wheels and I'm planning to mount a set of 37" BFG's on them. I plan to add a Warn Zeon 10 for recovery and eventually some aluminum bumpers and sliders. I loved my last ARB dual air compressor, so eventually one of those will get added too. Probably some Baja Designs LP6 lights and perhaps some kind of bed rack for mounting the RTT when I don't want to take the OUT adventure trailer. I want the Gladiator to remain freeway friendly, so we can drive to amazing places (Baja!), but capable enough to get us thru nearly anything.
Stage 1; Stock, 33" Falkens, stock suspension (Fox 2.0 shocks), stock bumpers & sliders.
Stage 2; Teraflex 1.5" leveling kit, Falcon 2.1 shocks, AAL High-Line fenders and inners, 37" KM3's and AEV Salta wheels.
Stage 3; Teraflex RT3 suspension, Falcon 3.3 shocks, 5.13 gears, 39" BFG KM3's & Nomad Wheels
Stage 4??; TBD
So that's the plan!
First off, this is the first time I've ever bought a brand new vehicle.... those that know me know I usually buy used vehicles, sometimes projects, and build them up. I finally have the chance to buy new and choose all my options! I was lucky to have my JKU paid off when I listed it for sale and I've also been saving money up for sometime, planning on replacing it. This will be the most I've ever spent on a vehicle!
More than likely, this will be the only time I buy new.I figured I'd start at the beginning and document this one from the get go. I ordered my Gladiator at my local Jeep dealership in Grand Junction, CO. I selected a Rubicon and added quite a few options. I put my $500 down to get the process started on May 11th, 2019 but my order didn't go in until the next business day, May 13th. My salesman estimated a 6-8 week build time at that point. It has been about a week and a half and today I heard that my Gladiator has a VIN# assigned to it! From the sound of others that have ordered before me, 6 weeks is a pretty accurate estimate. So as of today, we have less than 5 weeks to go and I should see it around the middle to end of June.
Here's what my build looked like on the Jeep site after selecting my options. I really wanted the body color Gobi, but I'm impatient.... and selling my JKU left a huge hole in my life.
I choose White, just like the JKU. The price is MSRP, I should be about $5k less than that and get it under invoice, as that was the deal. I added nearly $15k in options, the 8 speed automatic, Cold Weather package, LED lighting, Aux switches, bed liner, Alpine stereo, Safety Group, etc, etc.So now it's a matter of waiting, but we can still make plans... I want to run around 3" of lift and 37's, to help with the breakover and departure angles. I've been a fan of Teraflex and like supporting the local businesses, so I plan to run their suspension with Falcon shocks. I have a set of new AEV Salta wheels and I'm planning to mount a set of 37" BFG's on them. I plan to add a Warn Zeon 10 for recovery and eventually some aluminum bumpers and sliders. I loved my last ARB dual air compressor, so eventually one of those will get added too. Probably some Baja Designs LP6 lights and perhaps some kind of bed rack for mounting the RTT when I don't want to take the OUT adventure trailer. I want the Gladiator to remain freeway friendly, so we can drive to amazing places (Baja!), but capable enough to get us thru nearly anything.
Stage 1; Stock, 33" Falkens, stock suspension (Fox 2.0 shocks), stock bumpers & sliders.
Stage 2; Teraflex 1.5" leveling kit, Falcon 2.1 shocks, AAL High-Line fenders and inners, 37" KM3's and AEV Salta wheels.
Stage 3; Teraflex RT3 suspension, Falcon 3.3 shocks, 5.13 gears, 39" BFG KM3's & Nomad Wheels
Stage 4??; TBD
So that's the plan!
