My roof rack looks good and I do sometimes use it, but as you say, the money could have been spent someplace else.
Everyone in my local Jeep Club is lifted and has huge tires. This improves low speed off road capability, but also requires re-gearing to turn those big tires, raises the center of gravity, reduces highway speed and does not improve your gas milage.
The TJ series is a capable small off road vehicle in stock condition. Not perfect, but she'll do in a pinch. Once you start modifying them, one thing leads to another and $10K later, you'll wish you were back to "stock."
Detroit locker on a truck that see's a lot of street. Loved cruising my 75 Jimmy all over the place right up till the Detroit. It was awesome off road but on road in a curve you could steer the truck with the gas peddle. You always had to keep after it to go down the road straight. It made driving it a chore.
Polly body mounts. Just too much noise transmitted in the cab if you run without carpet.
I'll break with the trend and say I love my roof rack. I use it for light-but-large cargo so I don't have to pile such things in front of the back windows, and as a mounting location for lights and antennas. It also has a storage box for some lightweight dirty items I don't want in the truck (rubber boots for the mud, funnels for auto fluids, fuel filler, spill cleanup kit, etc).
I regret starting the relocation project for the washer fluid reservoir. After getting half way there (including removing the tubing up front) I found out that my year of vehicle ('04 Disco) has a bunch of smog equipment occupying the popular alternate location. As if that wasn't bad enough, about 2 weeks ago I found an aftermarket low profile tank that would clear the bumper I picked out... so it turns out I didn't even have to do the mod.
Unfortunately most people that get involved in the off road community see the "typical" Jeep or truck, and that's what they want. Without knowing the true purpose of every piece of equipment they bolt onto their trucks. If I knew what I know now I would have taken a completely different approach. I know I am not alone. I have had quite a few conversations with people about modifying their vehicle and it has always had a good outcome. Don't get me wrong I am not trying to persuade people to keep their vehicles stock or go with tall and skinny tires, but merely informing them and letting them make their own decision.
When I need to carry gear up top, I put the factory cross bars back on and attach a 20 cu ft cargo box......
Rigged,
Between "off roading" and going long with light off roading (also read overlanding or expedition driving) is a big place.
I just completed a 7,000 mile overland in my stock '01 TJ with 30" A/T tires...3,500 miles was on gps plotted dirt and gravel. When I got to Moab, did I wish I was in a more "off road" capable machine with lots of bolt-ons and bigger tires? Yes.
On the long ride back to Florida, did I wish I was in a more "off road" capable machine? No.
John