So I spent some time shopping today and I've made my decision. Going with the Rubicon (500) for several reasons-biggest is the ability to lock the front diff, power steering, has a far better transmission and a better towing capacity. I drove both, the Rubicon felt more stable and the auto trans is awesome! Found out the Rubicon has sway bars and the Rincon does not. Overall the Rubicon is a beast! I really didn't find shifting to reverse to be much of a bother as some have stated but I was just test driving though so time will tell.
Honda offers the Rubicon with all the bells and whistles in a manual shift version as well. Has the foot shifter just like the old 3 wheeler I grew up driving. I seriously considered it(would be cheaper) but after some thought decided to go with the auto shift. I wondered how easy it would be to run that shifter in the winter with big bulky pac boots on? Also considered the woman and kids, auto will be much easier for them to run.
So, now I'm wondering if the extended warranty is worth the money? I'm a mechanic so fixing things is no big thing for me so its more about the parts. But these Honda's are bullet proof is the cost justifiable. If I don't put a ton of miles on a year it may not pay.
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By the way, a BIG THANKS to everyone! Your input is greatly appreciated and helpful.