Making Your Jeep Wrangler Unique With OEM Parts and Add-Ons

There are some Jeep Wrangler drivers who just bring their vehicle home and never change or add anything to it, but that’s not the case for most of us. Customization is one of the most exciting reasons to own a Wrangler in the first place. The best way to make your Jeep unique is by adding OEM parts and mods. You can make your Jeep special by adding fun mods, add-ons, and parts from Mopar. Just make sure not to fall for aftermarket parts seller gimmicks that pop up when you type in “OEM Jeep Parts for sale.” If it isn’t a genuine part, you run some unwanted risks and may even void your warranty.

Why OEM Over Aftermarket?

There’s no doubt about it, if you own or plan to own a Wrangler with warranty coverage, you need to stay away from aftermarket parts, period. Aftermarket parts are not guaranteed to fit your Jeep like OEM parts are. Many aftermarket manufacturers may give it their best shot, but they can’t officially and identically replicate parts which can lead to malfunctioning and even vehicle damage. Once your Jeep receives damage from an aftermarket part, that liability is on you, and your warranty can be voided.

You may not see the risk behind aftermarket parts if you’re fixing up an older Jeep that isn’t warranty-covered. After all, aftermarket parts are typically more affordable, but affordability and potentially quicker add-ons and repairs do not outweigh the risks that come with aftermarket parts, even on used or older Jeeps. In addition to safety and damage threats, if you plan to ever sell your Wrangler, aftermarket parts can cause you issues down the road. When you add aftermarket parts, you can become liable for any future issues or damages that happen to the next owner, allowing them the right to sue you.

Some insurance companies also prefer OEM parts, and you run into payout and coverage issues if you choose aftermarket parts despite this. Conversely, OEM parts are made by the manufacturer, specifically for your exact model, and these parts often include warranties that cover the part and its functioning for a specific time period.

What OEM Parts Should I Get to Make My Jeep Stand Out?

You’ve probably seen other Wranglers with mods already, such as winches, grille guards, and fender flares. The truth is that with so much variety, you can easily make your Jeep unique by combining your favorite parts all together to make one design that’s uniquely yours. More specifically, though, a great way to make your Wrangler unique is by adding grill inserts. You can find a grill insert for every interest, personality, and many different fandoms. Whether you’re obsessed with a specific sports team, you love animals, or you want to rep a particular flag, there are several available options.

Hood decals are another option for making your Jeep unique. Depending on what generation you own, you can add different hood decals to your Jeep. A newer JL comes with options for blackout hood decals, a Jeep Heritage decal, a grayed-out American flag, Jeep’s “1941” origin year, and more. The JK generation has the “freedom star,” a dragon decal that goes from the hood to the doors and sidewalls, and much more.

Wrangler owners also like to swap out their grills and hoods. There are several OEM grill upgrades and front bumper modifications that can change your Jeep’s look in no time, including the beloved “angry eyes” grille and other similar designs. Plus, you can change out your wheel flares to better suit your off-roading needs or to snaz up your aesthetic appeal. Simply adding a winch and winch guard can enhance your Jeep’s looks while providing you with more capability.

Looking for more off-road performance-based upgrades? Then you may want to look into suspension and lift kits, lighting, and armor. Adding a lift kit helps increase your ground clearance, making it easier to pass over large rocks, logs, and other off-pavement debris. Since the last thing you want to do is go off-trail in the wilderness, light bars and off-roading light kits can make it easier to see trails when the sun goes down. Add rock rails, tailgate reinforcement, additional skid plates (if you don’t have a Willys or Rubicon), and body armor to increase your off-roading Wrangler’s longevity.

Some of Our Favorite Parts

There are so many OEM Wrangler parts and add-ons out there that it can get overwhelming fast. In addition to everything we’ve mentioned, we have a few specific parts that we recommend to any Wrangler enthusiast to help you narrow down your search for add-ons and mods.

Unless you’re planning to drive in the city 24/7, rock rails are almost essential for a Wrangler. We love the Satin Black Production Rubicon Rock Rails, available on both two-door and four-door Jeep Wrangler JK models. The Black Powder-Coated Steel Production Rubicon Rock Rails for the Wrangler JL (two-door and four-door) are excellent as well.

Mopar’s official Snorkel for the Wrangler JL is also high on our list. While you certainly don’t need one for city travels, hardcore off-roaders benefit greatly from this add-on. Simply put, the Snorkel is part of the cold air intake system. What this means for off-roaders is that it cools your air and removes debris. More importantly, it filters out water and mud, keeping them away from your engine. While you can’t drive on the ocean floor, you can more confidently ford through your Jeep’s Trail Rated Water Fording rating, knowing that mud and water are far less likely to cause issues. Just make sure to add Mopar’s All-Weather Floor Mats if you plan on pushing the Snorkel to its fullest potential.

We also really love tube doors and grab handles here, especially if you’re doing any warm-weather trailing. Sometimes your seatbelt just doesn’t feel like enough when the doors are off. Tube doors make it easier to enjoy the outdoors while still feeling protection from rough rides and damage. Adding on a stronger, heavy-duty grab handle like Mopar’s official Wrangler JL Jeep Brand Logo Grab Handles makes it easier to quickly swing in and out of your off-roading machine. This one is larger than standard grab handles and is also much easier to grip.

Make Your Jeep Unique With OEM Parts and Add-Ons

Now that you know the ins and outs of Wrangler parts and add-ons, it’s time to place your order. Typically, upgrading your Wrangler is going to take some time, so you won’t be buying all your upgrade parts at once. Start with what’s most important to you, whether it be appearance or performance. Then, you can start budgeting for your next upgrades until you finally build the Wrangler that’s unique to you. Before you order from Mopar’s website and other parts dealers, check with our expert staff, and we can help you pick out what’s right for you when you order directly through us.

We also run special deals on service parts that are worth checking out before you place an order elsewhere. While you’re more than welcome to self-install your OEM order, our team can speed up the process for you and remove any concerns you may have about the process. Whether you want us to order the parts for DIY installation or you want us to order and install the parts for you, we’re here to help. We look forward to working with you.