Jeep Liberty

[dw06]

I'm looking at buying a used liberty soon. Looking at 04 or 05 and most likely an automatic trans.Would rather have a standard,but they are hard to find and always in the 2 colors I don't want. Anyhow liberty owners,give me your impressions and likes and dislikes.

[R.W.Dale]

Not a liberty comment but rather a jeep in general observation.


The time money and effort spent finding a jeep with a stick instead of a cryco slushbox is a worthwile endeavor.

[alsaqr]

I'm looking at buying a used liberty soon. Looking at 04 or 05 and most likely an automatic trans.Would rather have a standard,but they are hard to find and always in the 2 colors I don't want. Anyhow liberty owners,give me your impressions and likes and dislikes.

We bought our 05 Jeep Liberty new in December of 04.  It has automatic and the tow package with a 3.73 differential ratio.  On the road at a constant 70 we have gotten up to 25 mpg, depending on the quality of gas.  Around town it gets 16-17 mpg.  The car has 49,000 miles on it and we have had no problems with it.  The cruise control stinks.  When going down a moderate grade it downshifts the transmission:  This could be because of the tow package.     

[nodlenor]

I have an 02 Liberty.V6 Auto. Has lots of zip but the mpg isn't great, about 19 or 20 is the best I can get. Otherwise I like it just fine. It has over 100,000 on it and runs great.

[GatCat]

Although I don't have one, I would really like to have one with the turbo diesel engine that they offered for a few years, if it had low miles. Especially if it was a stick.
If you get an automatic, I'd have the tranny serviced asap, unless it was done recently. Good maintance goes a very long way with todays very complicated trannies.
Mark

[dw06]

Thanks for the replies. I found one that I want right down to color,but an automatic. I can live with that,as its going to be driven mostly by a brother who is disabled and makes couple trips to V A about 200 mikes away. At least as long as he can do so.
 Just wondered if the transmission was as good as the ones in the cherokee as another brother just sold one with 285,000 miles with no trouble and still running fine.

[R.W.Dale]

Just wondered if the transmission was as good as the ones in the cherokee as another brother just sold one with 285,000 miles with no trouble and still running fine.

In a word NO

A cherokee (xj) used a AsinWarner aw4 transmission made in Japan and used in many toyota's

A liberty uses a pos Chrysler 42RLE if it's a 4 speed

545RFE Transmission if it's a 5 speed (don't know much bout this one)

[markc]

Mine is an 06 model.  I love it.  It is the gas 3.7 V-6.   auto tranny.  I tow a little 4X7' trailer with my generator, ice chests, firewood etc out to our ranch.  In low it will climb really well up the rocky hills. 

[Hooker]

I have a friend that has a Liberty, she likes it.
Me I'm not interested in them, don't want one. While driving the wrecker I had a chance to pick up several that had been in
accidents. Like most modern vehicle they don't survive well, but the good news is the Liberty seems to do very good job of protecting it's occupants. I was impressed at how the cabin area holds up.

Pat

[R.W.Dale]

Like most modern vehicle they don't survive well, but the good news is the Liberty seems to do very good job of protecting it's occupants. I was impressed at how the cabin area holds up.

Pat

and this is bad thing how?

Modern vehicles are designed to sacrifice themselves to save YOU. Now I don't know bout you but I don't give a rats rear how the rest of the structure fairs if I get to survive a serious accident. That's why I send State Farm $120 every month.

In fact I'd rather the vehicle get totaled than give today's amateurish body shops a chance to cobble together a purely cosmetic repair and me be stuck with a massively depreciated rattle trap as a result.

[Hooker]

and this is bad thing how?

Modern vehicles are designed to sacrifice themselves to save YOU. Now I don't know bout you but I don't give a rats rear how the rest of the structure fairs if I get to survive a serious accident. That's why I send State Farm $120 every month.

In fact I'd rather the vehicle get totaled than give today's amateurish body shops a chance to cobble together a purely cosmetic repair and me be stuck with a massively depreciated rattle trap as a result.
[/quote]

I didn't say it was a bad thing quite the opposite.
But since we are on the subject of insurance premiums. One of the major reasons why your's are so high is that it takes very little to total newer vehicles. What would have been a minor fender bender on an older vehicle is now a total. And insurance companies are passing all that cost on to us

Pat

[R.W.Dale]

We will prolly never know the exact figure but I'll wager decreased medical/injury claims more then offset the increase in vehicle claim costs for the insurance companies. It doesn't take much of an injury to rack up a bill that costs several times what the replacment of the auto did

[cwlongshot]

I bought the wife a '04 after she rolled and totalled a '99WJ. The Lil KJ drives like a car, quick and nimble. Very well suited to her. My single complaint is its back seat, in short it stinks.

Last couple years we have taken it on VK trips. 1500 miles last year and about 800 the year before. Its comfortable for me @ 6" and 210lbs. The WJ was nicer, but drove more like a truck. (Fine for me as thats what I LIKE to drive.  )

CW

[dw06]

Well I found a nice 02 sport v6 auto and bought it.Got to test it out on the back roads here in Pa which most are still covered in snow and its packed down so its ice.It really surprised me how well it goes with good year wranglers with about half tread left.I never cared for them and will replace them soon.
It has the select-trac and only time I could get it to lose traction was in deep snow like 10-14'' so maybe with better tires it would do well there.Overall pleased with it,and like cw said drives like a car.Yes the back seats are not for grownups!
The good part is,my brother likes it and is comfortable with it and it has a couple 12 volt plugins for his machines to run on.
markc I like that front bumper on yours,looks heavy duty!

[EVOC ONE]

Well I found a nice 02 sport v6 auto and bought it.Got to test it out on the back roads here in Pa which most are still covered in snow and its packed down so its ice.It really surprised me how well it goes with good year wranglers with about half tread left.I never cared for them and will replace them soon.
It has the select-trac and only time I could get it to lose traction was in deep snow like 10-14'' so maybe with better tires it would do well there.Overall pleased with it,and like cw said drives like a car.Yes the back seats are not for grownups!
The good part is,my brother likes it and is comfortable with it and it has a couple 12 volt plugins for his machines to run on.
markc I like that front bumper on yours,looks heavy duty!

I would agree with your accessment of the tires.  We are on our second Liberty (1st was an '03, 2nd an '06).  Each is/was primarily my wifes daily driver.  The factory Goodyears provide decent traction in snow when new but after a couple years seem to become very yard.  Wet road traction significantly deteriorates at that point.  On both we replaced the Goodyears with BF Goodrich Long Trail's.  It was a good switch. No regrets.

On our Wrangler we have been using BFG All Terrain T/A's.  An absolutely excellent tire for both highway traction and off-road. I wouldn't hesitate to put them on the Liberty,  For the additional cost and the fact that we don't off-road the Liberty very much, the Long Trails provide what we need for a lot less money than the AT's.

Good luck with your Liberty.  We have enjoyed each of ours very much.

 

[boondocker]

I am a jeep guy and a auto truck mechanic for 35 years, although we are on our 2nd Grand Cherokee 05 with 75,000 no issues. 94 had 225,000 when given to daughter with trans rebuild at 210,000,1 water pump and 2 tuneups. She traded for a BMW  until the first snow (uphill driveway)  and now drives a 1995 Grand  with new engine 60,000 miles and rebuilt trans I got on a mechanics lean and loves it. Florida trips last year round trip 2300 miles we averaged 22.4 miles mpg fully loaded down.( synthetic oil)   Goodyears suck on auto, good on heavy trucks. I did try 2 sets of Long Trails at my tire guys advice 1 set on F150 and 1 on 05 GC advice but get better traction and wear life out of Firestone Destinations with still a some what straight tread. I live on a 1/4  driveway with a 90 degree halfway up all up hill in pa winters and we make it up no problem. The Firestones work good on my f 150 I plow with and that says alot for traction. As they say its a Jeep thing most don't understand.   (Cousin, friend and and coworker has Liberty's and love them, mad I get better mileage tho.)  Buddy just stuck an engine in 1 as the young lady cooked it with no coolant.)   

[dw06]

After researching found out the 02 and some 03s have the 45RFE trans,and it is said to be more heavy duty and better than the 42RLE.I don't know,just throwing  out what I've read and someone that knows more than me could respond.
I changed the oil and being a big fan of synthetic oils,went with the castrol edge full synthetic.So far put right at 800 miles on it,with brother putting 600 of it last week going to doctor appointments.It sure runs great and nice and smooth,and right at 20mpg.
Glad boondocker brought up the Firestone Destination tires,as been looking at tires and narrowed it down to #1 the destinations,#2 courser ats. The wranglers on it should last till fall so I do have time to look at more,but leaning very hard for the destination tires as they keep being mentioned and most are very happy with them.

[cwlongshot]

I put Goodyear Silent Armours on the Libby shortly after we got it. It came with the Coursers and after a couple hydroplaning issues right after buying the jeep I promptly removed them... I wouldn't take them if they where free...

I have been driving Jeeps and trucks since day one for me and BFG AT's are usually my first choice. But they are a bit noisy for a DD for the wife. So I went with the Goodyear and like them so far. (20K) We have had them on dirt roads, heavy snow and a couple long trips with excellent ride quality and never a tire related traction issue.

CW