The plates & stuff were part of an additional package that was not standard & that would have also included the "all terrain" (
) 235/70/16 SR-A's that are actually shorter than the standard 225/75/16's. Shorter than standard is not the way that most people go for "off road" tires. My jeep had this package and the "off road" SR-A's sucked on pavement, let alone off of it. There were no drivetrain differences or gear differences or anything like that. Your engine/tranny combo dictated your gear ratio regardless of the appearance package you chose. The "rock rails" were closer to "step rails" when compared to legitimate ones. They and most every other renny-specific item are appearance-only. The '05-up flat-hood versions shared the hood/grille/rad. support with at least the Rocky Mtn edition and were not renny-specific as so many claim. The "storage basket" died after '04 and was some tupperware-ish panels attached to the standard roof rack. There is debate over '02 Rennies having trac-loc as part of the package. It was an option every other year, same as on the other packages. Trac-loc is in no way, shape, or form a "locker." If you want an honest to goodness drivetrain upgrade, get a 3.7 6spd and it will come with a 241 t-case that is measurably stronger than the standard 231. It doesn't matter if that 6spd is in a Sport or Renny or whatever.
Sport/Renegade/Limited were called appearace packages because that is what they amounted to being. The only legitimate height difference is that the very early '02's sat higher before tipping fears led Jeep to put shorter springs on the KJ mid-year. It had nothing to do with your appearance package, just your build date. The aforementioned tupperware lead the unknowing to believe that the Renny is taller in that, like the roof lights, it adds visual "weight" to the top of the vehicle. It does nothing for ground clearance, the measure that is what "taller" should mean.
If you like the looks of the Renny, find one, If you like the looks of the Sport, find one. If you like the Limited's looks, find one. If you like the Freedom Edition's looks, find one. If you like the Rocky Mtn Edition's looks, find one. Just realize that looks is the key word.
I have a very early '05 Sport. Had a seen the Rocky Mtn Edition before getting my Sport, I may have got one as I think that they are the best looking of all of the packages. The flat-hood Renny is also decent as long as they aren't all gaudied-up.
I pulled my roof basket off one day (due to the fact that the front parts behind the light bar rubbed grooves in the roof 
) and it has metal bars on the inside of the plastic basket that are mounted to the actual rails with metal brackets but yes it is still only rated at a crappy 65lbs.
. but the 6 speed manual is where it's at renny or not!