Description

Model History

Ever since its birth during the Second World War as a utilitarian tool for the United States Army and Allied Forces, the Jeep has remained an off-road favourite and American icon. Similar to their predecessors made for the warfront, the modern Jeep use a separate body and frame structure, rigid live front & rear axles, a tapered nose design featuring flared fenders, a windshield that can completely fold flat, and if desired, can have their side doors removed for a true ‘open-air’ driving experience. The third-generation Jeep Wrangler, also known as the ‘JK’, was released in 2006 after its unveil at the 2006 North American Auto Show – with several model refreshes released each year up until its final year of production in 2018. Just like preceding generations, it was available in a two-door body-style, with a factory standard four-door version (known as the ‘Wrangler Unlimited’ introduced that added an extra pair of doors and lengthened the wheelbase to 20 inches in total. Engines available included a 3.6 and 3.8L V6 engines, as well as a 2.8L turbo diesel straight-four, mated to either automatic or manual transmissions. The JK generation Wrangler also brought standardised computer-controlled vehicle functions to the Jeep range for the first time, as well as power windows, remote door locks, and electronically detachable sway-bars.

History File

Featured here is a 2014 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 4 – finished in Bright White with a Black interior. It is an original Swire Motors car, made for the Hong Kong market. Being the ‘Rubicon’ model, it is the ‘off-road ready’ variant in the Wrangler family – featuring 32” BF Goodrich off-road tires, 17” alloy wheels, and ‘RUBICON’ decals on the body, as well as off-road specific features to make handling rough terrain easier to manage; including lockable front/rear differentials, a front stabiliser bar than can be decoupled, a more robust front axle, skid plates, as well as a ‘Rock-Trac’ transfer case with higher gear ratios. In addition, as an ‘Unlimited’ model, it features four doors. The current owner bought this Jeep mainly to serve as their company vehicle to transport clients – aiming to offer a unique VIP experience for them to be shown the city than in a typical luxury sedan or MPV. As they only used this Jeep for shuttling clients,  this Jeep has only accumulated 29,883 km since they took delivery of it – as they did not use it daily. The list of modifications they have done to this Wrangler includes 17 x 9JJ Rugged Ridge XHD wheels paired with BF Goodrich All-Terrain tyres, aftermarket wheel arches, an ARB rear bumper (with tow bar and bracket), and JK Spartacus Front Bumper – all of which make it perfectly suited to deal with tough weather and road conditions (as the owner lives in Sai Kung). The interior has had water-resistant/soundproofing interior carpets installed (the original carpets will be provided), all-purpose seat covers, as well as a folding soft top roof (unused) and front/rear dash cams for added safety & security. Running gear wise, the owner has installed lifted shocks, as well as a heavy-duty steering damper to reduce the effects of the infamous Jeep ‘wheel wobble’.  Aside from a small stone chip on its windshield (that does not prevent it from passing its M.O.T inspections), there is no accident damage to report on this car and all of the body panels are in their original colour. The current owner has kept all of the service records on file and have ensured all of the regular maintenance, such as oil changes have been taken care of. Its current road license is valid until 6th August, 2022.

Exterior

The shape of a Jeep is easy to distinguish – much like the sloping silhouette of a Porsche 911 or Volkswagen Beetle makes them easy to figure out even from a far distance away at any angle. Upon close inspection, the body of this Wrangler Rubicon is in excellent shape – with no paint fade or imperfections to report of. The exterior plastic wheel arches, front bull-bar, and external rear bumper are all perfectly intact with no serious wear on any of them – aside from some small stone chips that have collected on the corners of the front bumper. All of the doors open and close without issues – no corrosion was found on any of their hinges and their plastic door handles are all in perfect condition. The same goes for the front hood – it is in excellent condition and no wear was found on its plastic hook points (which are used to hold it in place). The rear hatch, as well as the rear window itself open and close without fault. The soft top roof is solid and has held up firmly over the years – with no signs of it ageing to be found and does not leak. The headlights, tail lights, and side markers function normally and their casings are damage free. The external fuel cap and its surrounding trim is present with no missing pieces. All four Rugged Ridge XHD wheels are fully intact with no kerb rash or scratches – the all-terrain tyres have protected them well from the outside elements and all have plenty of life left, including the rear spare wheel. All of the Jeep badges are present with none missing trim pieces or being severely worn down – as well as the original ‘Wrangler’ and ‘Rubicon’ stickers. All of the surrounding window trim is fully intact. There is some visible patina on the side door steps as well as on the rear tow hitch – the current owner acknowledges this car is not in pristine or ‘as new’ condition, but highlights this has never seen any extreme off-roading and these demonstrate this Jeep has been used as it was engineered for.

Interior and Trim

Swing open the doors and a modern Jeep cabin greets the driver and passenger – rugged, robust, and with plenty of off-road character as much as the outside speaks of it. All of the original leather seats are in excellent condition thanks to their protective seat covers that prevent dust, liquids, or sand collecting on their surfaces – they can easily be removed to clean them off or if anyone wishes to seat in comfort. The steering wheel is fully intact with no signs of wear on its trim – the buttons and surrounding chrome outlines are all solid. The instrument cluster and all of its chrome surrounds are fully intact – the LCD displays have no missing pixels and all of the instruments work normally. The gear shift lever and handbrake, as well as the transfer case [low range]  lever are in excellent condition with no wear on their leather or chromed surfaces. All of the plastic dashboard and trim feels solid to touch and inspires confidence that this interior can take on many more journeys ahead. The infotainment system is fully operational and all of its functions work as they should. All of the switchgear – from the window switches in the centre dashboard to the air conditioning controls and side stalks are not missing any pieces, nor stick when used or have any serious surface wear. The side door panels do have some visible scratches from regular use overtime, but as this is a rugged off roader – these are to be expected of a 4×4 that is meant to be used. All of the interior carpeting has been replaced with rugged floor mats that allow the interior to be well shielded from the outside elements, as well as add a layer of soundproofing to make the cabin more insulated from road noise.

Engine and Running Gear

Turn the key and the Jeep’s 3.6L ‘Pentastar’ V6 engine starts up without any issues – the engine bay has accumulated some dust over the years and could use a thorough detail, but it all adds character to this off-roader – ready to take on any terrain that comes its way. The 5-Speed automatic shifts through all of its gears smoothly – kick-down happens easily when power is demanded. The transfer case works without any faults to adjust the car’s off-road settings when needed. The brakes are responsive to help this Jeep stop promptly. The steering has plenty of feedback – with wheel wobble that is known to affect Jeeps due to their solid front axle setup hardly noticeable thanks to the addition of the steering damper. We had the opportunity to look at the underside of this Jeep thanks to its lifted height off the road and can report the chassis and suspension are all in perfect condition with no rust or serious corrosion on any of the component surfaces. For anyone who is looking to satisfy their itch for over-landing and off-road adventures, but wants to experience it behind the wheel of the modern iteration of one of the first ever off-roaders ever made, this Jeep Wrangler Rubicon – with less than 30,000 km on the clock and purpose-ready is the ideal 4×4 for the job. This American icon is accepting bids here – right at the Car Farm.

Buyer’s Premium:

5% of Winning Bid

(Minimum – HKD8,000.00)

(Maximum – HKD50,000.00)