Jeep Liberty

1181921232481

Comments

  • drew_drew_ Member Posts: 3,382
    I guess you didn't think of checking the tire pressure for your test rig? It may have well be left at the factory shipping pressure (which is usually 45 psi) and that may explain why the ride was very stiff. Of course, it could be that the ride is just stiff even though the pressures were correctly set.


    Drew
    Host
    Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards
  • scootdalescootdale Member Posts: 8
    the 2WD versus 4WD thing, in my case when I bought my truck, I couldn't afford 4WD, but desired the covered cargo room and clearance of a truck...there was a 2WD Blazer, used, for about the price I could pay, so ...there you go...

    However, I think buying a new Liberty in 2WD might be different, and don't buy a 4WD and then never take it anywhere rugged...My little 2WD Blazer has bumped over some funky trails in Death Valley...if that is all you are going to do, then save $$$ and go with 2WD...suspension and clearance are as important as 4WD unless you are really goin' off the beaten path...
  • scootdalescootdale Member Posts: 8
    that second part was for jasmine 14...sorry

    Scott
  • keninplacitaskeninplacitas Member Posts: 120
    What's with these folks who keep popping in suggesting the purchase of a Subaru. I owned a '98 Forester and got rid of it before a year was up (less than 18,000 miles on it). The Forester's interior doesn't hold a candle to Liberty's, driving a Forester is like driving a station wagon (only noisier), the new car feel wore off in no time at all (and, yes, I take good care of my cars), two of the three differential couplings chattered (yes, it was a manual transmission), the service department was mediocre at best (gee, I didn't notice anything), you don't sit any higher in it than in a car even though it's tall (good though if you wear a 10 gallon hat), and the dealership which also sells Lexus provided two different courtesy vans, a nice new one for the Lexus customers, an old Chevy for the Subaru drivers.

    Up 'till now I've tried to be polite, but the more comments I read from these folks who suggest buying a Subaru instead of the Liberty, the more I feel the need to tell it like it is (was).
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    Jeep's image, more so than any other 4WD brand, is so ingrained with "4WD," that, except for maybe in parts of the deep South; that 2WD Jeep models have about zero resale value. That may not be the case with Chevy or Ford 2WD SUVs.

    I think anybody considering buying a Jeep, even if they never use or need 4WD, should get it; just so they get a decent return on their investment at trade-in time.

    Bob
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    I too have had Subarus. In fact we own two, my wife's '01 Forester with about 14K on it, and my son's '86 Impreza Outback with 80K on it. Unlike you, we think they're great cars. To each his own.

    And, if you've been following this forum for any length of time, you should know I'm also a big Liberty fan. However, as much as I do like the Liberty, I think for some folks, a Subaru (or some other vehicle) would be a better choice.

    Bob
  • jimsxnjimsxn Member Posts: 108
    ..You guys (and gals) may want to take a peek at forum


    There are many better alternatives available to this quarter sport quarter utility half gas sucking vehicle.


    Let the wardrums roll...
  • carvoicecarvoice Member Posts: 10
    While shopping for a small to mid sized SUV I happened to look at the Liberty. Many of us have stayed away because of dependability problems with other Jeep products. However, Jeep seems to have made significant improvements with the Liberty. The interior and fit and finish are fabulous. However, I have been taken aback by Jeep's failure to include safety oriented options which everyone seems to want. My local dealer had at least 15 new vehicles and not a single one had anti-lock brakes. Only the Limited at $27k+ had the great side curtain air bags. Why not at least make the anti-lock brakes standard so everyone can benefit.? Jeep's poor option choices will make me look elsewhere. By the way, I was surprised by one dealer I called. The salesman said the Liberty has a "five star safety rating." He also added that his dealer added $4,000 dealer mark-up. No thanks for now but in 6 months this will probably be the rig to have.
  • winbrowinbro Member Posts: 235
    has anyone anywhere seen a liberty with ABS yet?
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    font reset?

    Steve
    Host
    Vans, SUVs and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards

  • comanchownercomanchowner Member Posts: 3
    Supposedly antilock brakes were on "restriction" due to supply problems. They should be showing up soon, as all restrictions have been removed from the Liberty. Additionally, not all people actually like antilock brakes, particularly on a 4wd. Although Jeep disables the antilock brakes when in 4-low, some people would prefer to have them disabled in 4-high also.

    You should be able to buy this vehicle for MSRP or even lower. A 5k markup is ridiculous. I was going to buy a VW Golf and ended up walking out of the deal because they were going to add a 1k markup to the price of the Golf. Five months later, when the next year's models came out, they were willing to deal.
  • scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    the NW region for 24-25K. Sports go from 19,999 to 22K depending on dealer. Jeep is not gouging by any means in my area. Even the Sport with the 3.7 V6 is nicely optioned when comparing an Escape V6 XLS.
  • rfleckrfleck Member Posts: 11
    Upon hearing that the ABS & Sunroof restrictions had been lifted I called DC Customer service to check on the status of my order which was initiated on June 10. To my chagrin I discovered my order was on hold not because of parts issues but due to "Dealership Allocations Restrictions". Apparently my dealership is only allocated so many vehicles and my order is placed on hold until their inventory reaches a certain level. To say the least I was highly Pi**ed. Of course the dealeship said it would be taken care of but I wonder how long this situation would have continued if I hadn't called DC. If this crap continues a Suburu,CRV or Xterra will start to look better & better.

    Bob
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    The biggest issue I have with the Liberty is that major items, that in my opinion, should be standard, aren't. Namely Select Trac and ABS.

    I know I can "order" these features, but I don't like to shop that way. I like to find the vehicle I want on the lot—and purchase it, right then and there. I don't want to wait 6-8 weeks to get my new vehicle.

    I suspect a lot of Liberty customers are forced to order vehicles because their local dealers don't stock them the way they want.

    Bob
  • winbrowinbro Member Posts: 235
    do you have any kind of ship date? my liberty order of 5/22 with abs etc..has a ship date of 7/23. I hope they stick to that - good luck push your dealer on this
  • rfleckrfleck Member Posts: 11
    No...they had no ship date , no built date...nothing. Just on indefinite hold due to dealer allocations which is ridiculous. Ordered Libbys are considered "sold" so a hold of this kind makes no sense!!
  • tonysracingtonysracing Member Posts: 80
    This was a big problem with the PT Cruiser. It has nothing to do with the factory and everything to do with the dealer. In essence, a dealer cant contact the factory and say "send me 500 Libertys right away". They are only allowed so many vehicles based on their previous sales, in this case the Cherokee. If the dealer's inventory level is say, 10, that means that the dealer cant have more than 10 Libertys on the lot or on order. Each time they sell one, they are able to order another. The level is also set to keep the vehicles on the lot and have new ones coming in as they are sold. Some people who ordered PT Cruisers waited over a year, but I doubt you'll wait 1/6 of that time. The dealer should have definitely told you he didnt have allocation. I shopped a few dealers before I placed my order, some had allocation some didn't. Some also told me and some I had to ask. If you are able, finding a dealer with allocation shouldn't be hard. Or at least you can find out how many are ahead of you before your order will be accepted.
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    Just got my new issue of Car & Driver in the mail today, and there's a road test of the Liberty inside. In short, they loved it. The only real complaint is that it's so heavy, and all the negative implications that entails. Although it's heavy because it's built to withstand a lot of off-road abuse.

    The one they tested was a loaded Limited, with Select Trac, off-road package, trailer package and (yes!) ABS. It stickered $27-something K, but it had just about everything on it.

    Bob
  • winbrowinbro Member Posts: 235
    havent see you around recently. is your order still on schedule?

    mine is still at d1 status but the original ship date of early july has been moved back to the 23rd. I suspect ABS had something to do with it.

    I call the 800# every few days to make sure it is still the 23rd.

    later
    tinoman
  • petersburg100petersburg100 Member Posts: 29
    Sorry, I got lost. Does it mean that if I want my Jeep Libert asap the dealer should have should not have allocations? I.e. are allocation good or bad?
  • petersburg100petersburg100 Member Posts: 29
    I can't understand how some folks are able to get their Jeep Libery w ABS already on July 23, 2001 if ABS is on hold/restricted until August 13, 2001. They do not even start to produce cars w ABS until August 13, 2001 as told by their 1-800 AND my dealer in Washington DC area. They told me that I could get the car on October 2001 (i.e. 6 to 8 wks later) but not earlier. I responded that "maybe I should buy Ford Escape". Their reaction was "sorry, we cannot do anything". Any views?
  • winbrowinbro Member Posts: 235
    I think abs was restricted until mid june, then with the flood of abs orders to fulfill, it had to go on restriction once again. I have a vin# and a ship date of 7/23 for an order with abs. I spoke with a dealer in rockland county NY (NYC area), and they said they would not get ABS models in for 3-4 more weeks which would also verify my order's timeframe.
  • tonysracingtonysracing Member Posts: 80
    Your dealer doesnt need allocation to place an order. They need allocation to have the vehicle scheduled to be built. A dealer can order as many vehicles as he possibly can, but if he only has allocation for 10, he has to sell those 10 before he can order another 10. So, you can see it can take some time if the dealer doesnt have allocation to place an order. In short, allocation good, no allocation bad!
  • tonysracingtonysracing Member Posts: 80
    Im still scheduled for 8-01-01. Do you have trouble getting through to the 800#? I cant get anything but a busy signal until after 6PM EDT. Wonder if they're that busy or im just having problems. Good luck on your order. By the way im starting to see a few Libertys driving around town. I saw a bright red Limited and a white Sport near me(NE PA). I was in Philly today and was behind a black Sport, just like the one I ordered. Seeing them around makes me want mine more! Take it easy..

    Tony
  • winbrowinbro Member Posts: 235
    I get through to the 800 all the time & I call twice a week, but I wait about 8 minutes for a rep. do yo have a vin# ? I get frustrated with all the abs restriction talk and really wont believe anything til some rep tells me it's shipped. at first my ship date was 6/29 then they went to 7/23 & have been sticking to that for 2 weeks now.

    BTW did you read my post in yahoo about the moonroof? my dealer told me that there was no restriction for sport models with moonroof just limited models because of headliner parts being different.

    oh well - i'm calling the 800# again tomorrow and will also have my dealer try to verify the same dates.
  • hotcoffeehotcoffee Member Posts: 218
    Opted out of the Liberty after almost buying one and purchased a 2001 XTerra- great deal and (I think) a better truck. I suggest everyone drive both vehicles on the same day- and honestly assess all the factors of standard equipment, cargo room etc...

    I've had 2 jeeps and one was a Wrangler- the X is a winner on and off road- just did a 400 mile road trip... comfortable on pavement and dirt.

    I couldn't be happier that I didn't buy another Jeep- although it is a very nice vehicle.
  • cheryl3038cheryl3038 Member Posts: 42
    I'm a 24 yr. old female and am about to order my Liberty. I have one question cause I know nothing about cars. Would any of you even consider buying the Liberty without the ABS?? It seems like an extremely pricey option IMO, but also a needed safety item. I'd appreciate any help!
  • jefferson1964jefferson1964 Member Posts: 330
    I owned a 2001 Nissan Xterra SE 4x4, and put 40K miles on it. The xterra was a good dependable vehicle. To me the ride was harsh, the moon roof useless, rear door entry was difficult for an adult, and could not stand having to lift the entire tailgate to get anything out even a pencil, lol. The xterra does have good reliability which is very important. I sold my X due to poor gas mileage and the harsh ride as I drive at least 36k a year for work. Gas is not that big of an issue but the ride quality is a must.

    My father purchased a Liberty 2 weeks back so ive been able to drive it around town. The fit and finish seem better than xterra, the ride more comfortable than the xterra, the dash layout is better and the radio is more suitable to me, the exterior of the Lib is superior to xterra. The reliability issue is still unclear for the liberty but will find out in near future.

    I must say i own a loaded ford escape and it has more pep and better gas mileage but the interior is not as nice as liberty and is better than xterra. The radio is much better than xterra and equal to liberty. Interior room is a negative compared to liberty or xterra. The ride of escape is by far better than xterra or liberty, liberty being a close 2nd and xterra well its way down the list to ride comfort. If true offroading is what you wanna do the xterra or liberty will do fine and if around town and gravel and dirt roads is all then to me the escape wins for price, gas mileage, reliablity on later models. Of course this is all in my humble opinion, but is based on having owned the xterra for over a year and the escape for 5 months and driven the liberty as much as i can get the keys away from pop's. Good Luck in your choice.
  • farmedbfarmedb Member Posts: 1
    After reading so many complaints about the window control location, I wanted to put in my 2 cents. I drive a Lebaron with the controls in the middle. It is nice that my wife in the passenger seat can control any window in the car. I also like that the Liberty has auto down for both front windows.
  • vin_weaselvin_weasel Member Posts: 237
    Was at a dealership today and they had a bright Red Sport. I didn't like it but I think that's because of the colour. The cladding was a dull grey and if it was black, it would be sharp. I'm still not sold on the front end and the back looked a little squished and pushed up. I did like the amount of protection the cladding provided on the front, though. I didn't get a chance to look at the interior.

    Then again, I drive a box on wheels (Cherokee) so take my opinion with a grain of salt. They're also finally being advertised here in Canada. They should do huge sales just before winter.
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    is worth every penny IMO. It has saved my tail on several occasions. It should be standard on all vehicles.

    Bob
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    Anybody notice that roof rack cross bars are no longer standard? They're standard on all Cherokees and Grand Cherokees; however, not on the new Liberty. In fact, I don't think I've even seen a picture of one as an option.

    Bob
  • winbrowinbro Member Posts: 235
    they are an option on the liberty. personally it may be good that way because they do contribute to wind noise. I also found a waterproof collapsable roof carrier which works with or without cross rails. for the 2 or 3 times a year I need the extra space, this will do fine.
  • vin_weaselvin_weasel Member Posts: 237
    I heard an ad on the radio this morning about how the Liberty is cheaper than the Cherokee of last year. I thought there was no way so I went to the Jeep website and built my Cherokee as a Liberty. The end result: Cherokee $33,115, Liberty $31,675 both MSRP. I was suprised. Now I'm sure that the Liberty isn't selling for near invoice (yet) and they didn't have the near $4000 in rebates that they had on the Cherokee but with this price they are going to sell a lot of them here. It's cheaper than the Forester, Rav and CRV.
  • hotcoffeehotcoffee Member Posts: 218
    I just bought an XTerra- (ABS is standard)- but I like the fact it was optional on the Liberty.

    It allows the entry-level buyer to decide what they need depending on use and climate.

    It is sort of like the difference between choosing "Command Trac" or "Selec-Trac"- I think Selec-Trac is a safety advantage because you can leave it in full-time 4 on all road conditions. But it costs more and many only need 4 wd occasionally and it is no problem shifting into 4 when they do. And it saves them $400.

    It is not the responsibility of a car company to make every safety feature standard.

    The Liberty is a fine vehicle and I think people will be happy with their choice (even though I went for the Nissan I'm sure I would like the Lib if I'd bought one).

    Have fun.
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    If Select Trac and ABS were standard, it most likely will be cheaper than if you were to purchase them as options. Yeah, the Liberty would be more a bit expensive, but not a whole lot more.

    When you standardize (more) items, it makes production a lot simpler, and therefore cheaper.

    Bob
  • tonysracingtonysracing Member Posts: 80
    I have to say i'm glad ABS is not standard on the Liberty. I ordered mine without. My S-10 has 4-wheel ABS. The reason I say this is my own personal experience. The only time I get nervous or unsure in a vehicle is going downhill on a snowy or icy road. In that situation, ABS is useless. I felt like I could stop the wheels and slide a few feet to a stop, but the ABS keeps battling me wanting the vehicle to keep going. Otherwise, I feel more confident and trusting in my abilities than having the vehicle adjust braking power into a situation I don't want to be in.

    Tony
  • cheryl3038cheryl3038 Member Posts: 42
    Thanks for the info everyone! I'm just soaking all this advice in. I'm about a month away from ordering, so I do have time to make up my mind. I live in Northern MI and I will go thru many situations like Tony described above! Thanks again!
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    Sorry, I got to disagree with you on ABS and snow. It's always worked fine for me.

    Maybe it's your vehicle. I know GM trucks have been heavily criticized in the past, the S-10 included, for poor brake performance. I know the new full-size GM truck have much improved brakes.

    Bob
  • bobcatbobbobcatbob Member Posts: 187
    Don "The Rip-off Lot" White's dellaership here in Timonium has 7 Liberty's on the lot and noen, nto one, of them have prices on the sticker.

    That portion of the factory sticker is missing. These aren't sold vehicles, they are all "in-line" and on the lot...Why would a dealer do this? And is it agaist the law?
  • keninplacitaskeninplacitas Member Posts: 120
    Where I live, often in the Winter we'll get 2 or 3 inches of snow (deep snow is easy to drive in). Anyhow, the roads get VERY slick. My daily drive to work used to be down a long 5 mile hill. I found that if the car started to slide, breaking using the 94 Saab's ABS along with a slight turn of the wheels would straighten out the car. You can't get the same effect with standard breaks. One time (same car) I was driving on a California freeway during a visit with family,when the car in front of me stopped dead cold for no apparent reason. I slammed on the breaks while, at the same time, turning into the next lane. By the time my car came to a stop, my front bumper was a full two feet ahead of the other car's rear bumper (I was, by then, in the next lane to the left). I would not have been able to pull that maneuver with standard breaks, I'd have crashed. Since that time, ABS has been a must for any car I've purchased.

    As an aside, Saabs have had the window controls on the center console for years. It's a little awkward at first but you get used to it.
  • winbrowinbro Member Posts: 235
    if your ready in about a month to buy a liberty, look around, you can probably find what you want on dealer lots without doing a factory order. I'm starting to see libertys with all the options available and in a months time, ABS models will have arrived as well.
  • mad0865mad0865 Member Posts: 176
    Received a call from our Dealer yesterday (Fullerton Jeep, Somerville NJ). Said that the restriction was lifted and we should be receiving our Patriot Blue Sport (ABS, Select-trac) in 3 to 4 weeks. Just waiting on insurance and load info from credit union, should have it mid Aug.

    IMO, ABS is a must on snow and ice. Saved my butt more than a few times. Keep your foot down on the brakes, and no worrying about the car losing it's direction and stops straight. Used to have a Cavalier z24 with front discs, rear drums and I was scared quite a few times, even in rain slicked roads. ABS is awesome!

    -mad
  • cheryl3038cheryl3038 Member Posts: 42
    Well, lets say I'll be ready for the car about mid October :-) I need to save more money first. That's why I plan to order. That will give me the time I need. Also, I'm really picky about the stuff I want on the car....ordering is the best thing for me!
  • hotcoffeehotcoffee Member Posts: 218
    I agree- I like the cladding. I had a problem with the Liberty because I liked the Leather and the Overhead computer on the Limited- but hate the color matched bumpers and fenders- this is a sport utility vehicle and even the slightest impact of a branch etc- will scratch the bumper to gray primer!

    I would skip the Limited and any options that go exclusively with it and get the Sport just to get the cladding. I really like the White with the gray flares/bumpers, they look almost black against the white. And will be less hassle from parking lot dings and outdoor adventure impacts.

    Just my .02
  • chetelm2chetelm2 Member Posts: 3
    I am getting close to ordering a Jeep Liberty, but am concerned about the gas mileage. What kind of gas mileage has anyone been getting. I just want to make sure it is not less than the 16 city and 20 highway rating.
  • nickwebbnickwebb Member Posts: 7
    I too do not like painted cladding at all. The paint never looks the same on it as it does on the body. The RAV4 limited used to be that way and now even the regular ones have painted lowers.
    Jeep should make some of the limited options available for the Sport model. I went with the sport in silver and the dk grey cladding looks sharp with that color.

    As far as gas mileage goes, I'm not sure yet but I'm measuring this tank and will let the list know how I fare. It's nothing stellar I can tell you that.

    webb
  • drew_drew_ Member Posts: 3,382
    The braking-force coefficient and braking effectiveness are highest with the tire at the optimal brake slip. The ABS controller modulates the brake pressure to keep the wheel in the optimal zone. A locked wheel's coefficient is about 10% lower than optimum, so in actuality, not only do you lose all directional control when you lock your wheels up in the snow, but your braking distances are actually longer than if your vehicle had ABS!

    Of course, not all anti-lock braking systems are equal. The more sophisticated once have 4 channels and 4 wheel sensors. I believe GM's, at least for the pickups, only has a 3 channel system that activates the ABS once one of the rear wheels starts locking up. This means that the system can kick in prematurely, and longer than necessary, hence lengthening the stopping distance.

    ABS does allow you to straighten out the car somewhat because of something called Gier Moment Anstiegsverzögerung (at least this is what Bosch calls it). Basically GMA delays the brake pressure increase on the wheels with higher traction by a fraction of a second, so that the driver can respond to a braking-induced turning/yawing motion. One can also test the GMA delay when braking hard on split traction surfaces. Although GMA is a passive system which is only used during ABS modulation, it could've very likely inspired electronic stability control systems.


    Drew
    Host
    Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards
  • petersburg100petersburg100 Member Posts: 29
    Why Select Trac is important? Why should I buy it ? Security or convenience?
  • sirharpersirharper Member Posts: 112
    ABS should never become a legal requirement. In proper hands (or feet) the non-ABS braking system WILL stop shorter that the same vehicle with ABS. To evidence this the worlds top performance cars never include ABS (except Viper which recently sold out to uneducated popular opinion).
Sign In or Register to comment.

Your Privacy

By accessing this website, you acknowledge that Edmunds and its third party business partners may use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to collect information about you and your interactions with the website as described in our Privacy Statement, and you agree that your use of the website is subject to our Visitor Agreement.