[loveracing1988]

I know that I have read multiple places that whatever radio your jeep has when it leaves the factory is the one that stays in it until the end of time but my question is why?...
What makes it so they are not interchangeable? Is it because of the new electrical in them or is it something else? The reason I am asking is I want the Ra3 in my wife's jeep, but the only way to get it on a Laredo is to get the 18" wheel and 8.4" radio group, which is $1495. I want just the radio though, I want the 17" wheels that come standard. I happened to find 3 Laredo's with just the Ra3 radio as a stand alone option for $505. When I brought the window sticker to the dealer he said since it was a pre release order it could have been ordered that way but now you have to get the package, it is frustrating to me because I don't want to pay $1000 for rims!

 

[SW03ES]

Just adding the components of the factory radio after the fact will cost you the $1,500, if it can even be done.

 

[bill_de]

Radios become part of the entire onboard network, Uconnect.

I don't know if there is something physically different in the system based on options, or just the way it is programmed. Someday, somebody will figure it out. For now, you have to decide up front.

Rule of thumb,

If you want the Ra3 but prefer the smaller wheels and a $1300 savings, skip the radio.

If your wife wants the Ra3 in her car, fork over the money and don't look back. Life will be so much better.

 

[loveracing1988]

Radios become part of the entire onboard network, Uconnect.

I don't know if there is something physically different in the system based on options, or just the way it is programmed. Someday, somebody will figure it out. For now, you have to decide up front.

Rule of thumb,

If you want the Ra3 but prefer the smaller wheels and a $1300 savings, skip the radio.

If your wife wants the Ra3 in her car, fork over the money and don't look back. Life will be so much better.

Excellent advice. She could care less, I just want the options later in like navigation and u connect access.

 

[eibyer]

I'm also curious as to why the clamping down on swapping radios. Also interested as to what aftermarket harness manufacturers will cook up to overcome it.

 

[SW03ES]

Excellent advice. She could care less, I just want the options later in like navigation and u connect access.

Just get the package. If you want those options and skip them, you'll be wanting to trade down the road and thats just going to cost you more.

 

[Specx]

I agree, just add them now and be happy. I went through the same decision when I was thinking of getting a Limited, but I would have settled on the upgrade just because I would hate to want to finally be able to upgrade, but stuck because there still isn't any options to be able to.

 

[Keirik]

Add them now and look to make a few bucks back by swapping out the wheels with someone who wants 18" later on. It might seem like a headache now, but swapping out wheels is a lot easier than swapping out that radio later

 

[SW03ES]

Out of curiosity, what is its about the 18s you don't want? I think the truck looks much better on the 18s than the 17s.

 

[loveracing1988]

Out of curiosity, what is its about the 18s you don't want? I think the truck looks much better on the 18s than the 17s.

The ride is better and replacement tires are cheaper and more plentiful with the 17's.

 

[SW03ES]

The ride is fantastic on the 18s, they have a ton of sidewall to provide a great ride. If we were talking 20s we could talk about ride.

PLENTY of tires available for the 18s. Tire Rack lists 43 for the 17" size and 41 for the 18" size. The 17s are maybe on average $20 a tire cheaper.

So the question is it worth skipping the equipment you want to maybe save $80 on a set of tires when you need them 60k+ down the line?

 

[loveracing1988]

The bad thing is I am right at the top of my price range right now and adding the wheel and radio package would almost put me over what I want to spend per month. I just now did the math and if I added that package I would pretty much be at the price of a limited, off by about a grand or so. If I could get a good enough deal I would just change to a limited and solve the problem right there, it's not like it would delay the order any more.

 

[Northland]

How are you pricing your ideally-configured Jeep? If you aren't basing it off invoice price less at least $1,750.00 (these deals are available in many parts of the country), you're not getting the best deal and might be able to afford more options/higher trim level than you thought.

 

[myoung84]

How are you pricing your ideally-configured Jeep? If you aren't basing it off invoice price less at least $1,750.00 (these deals are available in many parts of the country), you're not getting the best deal and might be able to afford more options/higher trim level than you thought.

I think that's a long shot for many people. I was only able to get 1.75% off invoice ($826) and I feel that I'm a good negotiator. Two of the three dealers in my area wouldn't come off of invoice and basically told me to go screw myself when I tried negotiating with them. Getting the third dealer down to 1.75% was tough.

Also, $1750 off a Laredo is a much bigger discount than a loaded Limited. A Laredo E with the Wheel and radio group has an Invoice price of $33,625. A $1750 discount is 5.67%. A Limited like you have with a $1750 discount is less than 4.5% off, which is still great, but still more than 1% difference.

 

[scooterha]

just negotiate a deal on a base limited 4x4 also consider whether you want leather or not... everything I have read on here and asked from reliable sources. the radios are not interchangeable. it has something to do with each level has its own electrical architecture. and besides later on down the road a unit by itself can EASILY cost 1700+ and in the dealer fee for flashing it and navigation. Jeep has put the consumer in the position that if you want a Laredo with Nav you will pay for it.... I wont be surprised if in the future Jeep drops the Laredo name badge all together and it just becomes the Limited, Overland, Summit and SRT. Jeep is moving the Grand Cherokee into a upscale vehicle and is starting to group the packages such as Mercedes, Volvo and Range Rover. The Grand Cherokee is a great vehicle and stands out all on its own but. Fiat is trying to give Chrysler a better image, and if making it more upscale to achieve its goal and revive the brand as a whole then go for it. Do I agree with some of the pricing and packages no, pretty much everyone on here has had something to say about it. I do think this and its just my opinion. The GC is one of the most modded vehicles in the Jeep lineup and I think ChryFi is trying to make some mods preventable so they get the money upfront instead of letting people do what they want to the vehicle. That's just opinion. In any case, will I buy a 14' or 15' nah not right now. Will I buy the 16' when the total body design and newer tech comes into play. Most likely unless it has that squinty back window like European cars have!

 

[loveracing1988]

How are you pricing your ideally-configured Jeep? If you aren't basing it off invoice price less at least $1,750.00 (these deals are available in many parts of the country), you're not getting the best deal and might be able to afford more options/higher trim level than you thought.

If I lived near one of these group buys that would work, but without a group buy you have to have a lot of luck to hit those numbers, especially on a Laredo. I know the dealer is going to make money on the deal one way or another. If I negotiate the price down it will reflect in my trade value, which is more important to me at this point for a down payment, if my wife's jeep ever gets built I am going to get all of these group buys together and go in there to negotiate, I will be fine with 1 percent below invoice but he is going to give me what I want on my trade.

 

[Northland]

I think that's a long shot for many people. I was only able to get 1.75% off invoice ($826) and I feel that I'm a good negotiator. Two of the three dealers in my area wouldn't come off of invoice and basically told me to go screw myself when I tried negotiating with them. Getting the third dealer down to 1.75% was tough.

Also, $1750 off a Laredo is a much bigger discount than a loaded Limited. A Laredo E with the Wheel and radio group has an Invoice price of $33,625. A $1750 discount is 5.67%. A Limited like you have with a $1750 discount is less than 4.5% off, which is still great, but still more than 1% difference.

I couldn't strike a deal with any of the dealers in my area, either - so I went out of state to purchase mine. I refuse to hand over that much money to any dealer who doesn't need, want, or appreciate my business.

 

[Andrew Klossner]

So the question is it worth skipping the equipment you want to maybe save $80 on a set of tires when you need them 60k+ down the line?

60k+? I had to replace the 18" tires on my 2011 Overland at 25k with the tread nearly gone. The original tires were nothing special.

 

[SW03ES]

My Jeep has 24,000 miles on it and my Michelin Lattitudes look like new, no wear at all, I'm easily 30k away from needing to think about replacing them.

if you only got 25k out of them you must have either had them underinflated or driven incredibly hard...

 

[padgett]

I just used the aux jack to add a tablet with everything including a wireless rear camera, CD/DVD & engine/trans diagnostics. When Bay Trail comes out it is an easy upgrade. Of course if you really want to help the dealer pay for his yacht...