Jeep Liberty

gypsy116

I am loving my baby... and no pictures yet. I am going to wait until the running boards are on (and maybe the brush guard) so then everyone can see my baby all dressed.
You asked how long it takes to build... to actually build the vehicle it take only a day. Have you called DC to get the status of your Libby? You will never the either the VIN# or the VON# (get it from you dealer). As soon as I got my VIN# from the dealer I called DC every week to see how she was coming along. From the day it was built to the time it was shipped was about a week. Then it was another week and a half for delivery. You should hope that you Libby comes before the end of December, so you are entitle to the 7yr/100,000 mile powertrain warrenty.
Good Luck and keep me posted....gypsy

rsholland

They compare the Liberty against the new Land Rover Freelander. The Freelander won, mainly do to better on-road manners.

Also, and related to braking (see other Liberty Braking forum discussion), the Freelander's (dry) stopping distances were much shorter than the ABS-equipped Liberty's.

Bob

scottw4

I saw the C&D article, they had some very unfavorable comments on the Liberty. Things like:

"head-tossing ride on ANY surface",
"623 pounds" over weight
"unfriendly seats"
"bounced and shuttered" on the highway like "an empty pickup"
"obstacles that tossed heads in the Liberty resulted in little more than an audible psst! from the Freelander"

On the positive side they liked the door handles on the Liberty.

I was surprised that the Freelander is basically the same price as a comparably equipped Liberty.

with the most recent recall announced this week, how many recalls has the Liberty had?

cheryl3038

There has only been two recalls. The knee blocker and the air bags. I'm still a proud Liberty owner. I think it's a smart thing to put a recall out on something, rather than have it cause serious accidents and injury. Get it fixed before it's a problem.

gsogymrat

The Freelander seems considerably more expensive than the Liberty according to Edmunds. Are they really comparable?

ladyliberty

Hi, Thanks for the response. Yes, I do have my vin# DC actually gave it too me about 2wks before the dealer even called. I called Friday 12/7 and they said it was suppose to be built the first week of Dec and was not so I could call next week to find out if it has been started. I asked the girl how long it takes to be built and she wasn't sure but thought a couple of weeks. Which I thought was odd. So I am glad to hear it is a day. I was told before that it should be sent a couple days after it was built depending on how and where it was going. I am not worried about the warranty as I found out from my dealer that if it gets delivered in Dec I must take delivery by end of year, but if it comes in January I must take within 5 days. I ordered Nov 3rd so I am within the offers time frame. He said any deals that come in from then until delivery we will get.
Thanks again, I will keep you posted!
Lady Liberty

rvbroker

I can't believe how paranoid some folks are. Are you afraid to leave your home each day as you live in constant fear??? Wake up and live in the real world. Stuff happens! You cannot be in control of every possible event that MAY or may not happen. Remember September 11th. The Liberty is by far one of the better vehicles made today. Sure, it is overweight but that indicates to me that it has substance and not all plastic. If you drive it aggressively like a sports car and it rolls over, perhaps you will learn a lesson in physics and common sense. If you think that you can hedge against all possible road hazards and scenarios, perhaps you are on the wrong planet or need to locate a Sherman tank instead of a SUV. Get real! The hype just sells magazines.

winbro

dec 2001 issue shows the liberty as one of their 2002 design award winners. Some media venues will trash certain brands no matter what. obviously many, including C&D dislike jeeps.

scottw4

The Car and Driver article says "Optioned correctly, the base Jeep Liberty Limited Edition and Land Rover Freelander price out to a wash". The Freelander comes standard with most everything, including four wheel drive and ABS, power everything, etc etc. If you skip the expensive GPS Navigation system and Harmon Kardon stereo system options on the Freelander they seem to be priced similarly.

scottw4

Anyone know why the braking disance on the Liberty is so long compared to its competitors? Car and Driver tested the Liberty at 209 feet and the Escape at 171 feet. That is a difference of 38 feet or almost the length of 3 Libertys.

mad0865

Here is a break down of the price difference. Moderator hopefully won't delete this.

http://applications.edmunds.com/products/vc/VehicleComparison

tidester

mad0865,

Moderator hopefully won't delete this.

We just had an emergency staff meeting to discuss the link you provided. After serious, intense, prolonged, agonizing and sober reflection on the matter we have decided to allow your link to remain on the board and your post will not be removed! :-)

tidester
Host
SUVs

mad0865

Didn't want to get that slap on the wrist again. Hopefully they supplied donuts at your meeting. :P

djasonw

I too read the C & D article and did not agree with most of what they had to say. First of all, the Liberty is my second vehicle. I primarily drive a 2001 Mercedes C320. That vehicle has superb perforance and great road manners. When I drive my Liberty , I will admit that the suspension is stiffer than my Mercedes (of course it is, it's a truck!). My head does NOT get tossed around and the ride is quite comfortable. I think those editors of that article are idiots. I don't regret purchasing my Liberty and though the Freelander is a nice truck, I think in the long run the cost of ownership will be higher in the Freelander. I am curious now and will certainly test drive one to see how it compares to the Liberty. Once I do, I will post my opinons here.

canadatwo

The Liberty takes longer to stop than the Escape for several reasons:
1. The Liberty is a much heavier vehicle.
2. The Escape has excellent brakes, almost best in class. Not everyone can be best. Ford also put softer brake pads on the Escape to aid stopping. The downfall is more brake dust and lower brake life.
3. Escape XLT has ABS standard. Did the test Liberty have ABS?

rsholland

it did have ABS. BTW, ABS does not shorten stopping distances.

Since the Liberty is heavier, perhaps it needs bigger brakes?

Bob

winbro

with the liberty much heavier and MUCH more solid than the escape with all kinds of reinforced steel (a-pillars etc.), which would you rather be in, in a crash.

canadatwo

We don't yet have the results of crash tests for the Liberty. The Escape is 5-star for frontal and side-impact. Heavier does not always mean better crash test performance.

AND
the Liberty is being recalled for an air bag problem so make sure that is fixed or it can do more harm than good in an accident

AND
The 38 foot shorter stopping distance of the Escape can make the difference between getting into a serious collision and completely avoiding it.

AND
the Escape's superior on-road handling can make the difference between being able to avoid a collision

AND
the Escape has not had any reports of rolling over in a slalom test.

AND
some people report "stalling" problems with the ESCAPE at highway speed which is not safe at all.

So, lot's of factors involved in rating the safety of a vehicle.

seltaeb

i bought my liberty in july and have almost 8000 miles on it. i've never gotten even close to the approx. mpg of 20 on the highway. about 90% of my driving is done on the highway and i've never seen it rise above 18 mpg. usually, it's around 16 or 17! has anyone else noticed this?

mad0865

Have 4800 miles, been getting around 285-300 per tank. Think it averaged out to about 20.5 to about 21 on highway mileage.

scottw4

The Car and Driver article measured the overall MPG of the Liberty at 16 mpg on their 1200 mile test. (on a side note, the article says the Liberty has a 18.5 gallon tank.) The Freelander got 19 MPG during the same 1200 mile test, or about 20% more mpg.

scottw4

I agree that a significantly shorter stopping distance (38 feet in this case) can help avoid a lot of white knuckles and maybe some accidents. I also agree that an independent rear suspension would help with accident avoidance in addition to the obvious benefits to the quality of the ride.

dove_j

What is the recomended octane rating of the fuel to be used in the Liberty? Will it ping on 87? Has anyone noticed better fuel economy or performance on higher octane fuels?

djasonw

I don't know what report someone was referring to but the Escape finished poorly in frontal collisions. I guess those great brakes aren't going to help too much!

basepro09

for the Liberty are supposed to come out tomorrow aren't they? I thought I read that somewhere last week. I'll try and find out where it was.

Went through some snow, ice and rain yesterday in my 2wd Liberty and made it through with no slipping or any problems, love my Liberty!

Matt

canadatwo

The Escape got 5 stars in the frontal crash test which is the highest rating available.

The marginal crash rating was for the offset crash test for a 2001 model.
It has not been confirmed, but there are reports that Ford slightly redesigned the 2002 Escape so that it would score better in the offset crash test.

So then, if you are going to be in an accident in an Escape, make sure it is head-on, not offset????

It will be intersting to see how the Liberty scores in the frontal, side and offset tests.

huck7

If we were so concerned with our brakes, we could stay at home on our couches, avoiding most automobile accidents altogether. Living is a risky venture. I am sure that despite braking distances, the Liberty is safer than the KIA I am now driving.

On MPH, do not rely on your onboard computer to get this for you, it can be pretty inaccurate regarding the average milage. I think that this came up earlier in this forum, maybe July or so.

clk2001

Another publication is supposed to release results this week of rollover testing conducted on the Liberty, results are not good, stay tuned.

rsholland

I just read somewhere(?), that a German Auto magazine may have experienced wheel lift in a slalom test.

Bob

scottw4

According to the official government crash test results, the Escape got the highest ratings in its class. Lots of stars. Heres the link to the info

http://www.nhtsa.gov/NCAP/Cars/2001SUVs.html

djasonw

Recently Subaru has been advertising the Outback vs. Escape and towards the end of the commercial they show a crash dumby walking out of a Suby then they show the Escape crashing head on in the crash test. They mentioned the bad rating for the Escape vs the great rating for the Outback. I think that's unfair. Regarding the Liberty, I still find the handling very good for a truck and haven never lifted a wheel off the ground.

canadatwo

Not really deceptive.

They are comparing the OFFSET crash test where the Subaru did much better than the Escape.

Glad to hear you have not lifted a wheel off the ground!

basepro09

I have to get rid of my Liberty. I don't want to explain why, it will take to long. But since I have to, do you think that I'll be able to get it paid off as a trade in? I owe almost $23000 on it still. I've only made one payment. I want to trade it in, and get a different vehicle, cheaper safer and roomier in the back seat. It could be anything as long as it's those three. Is there a review on Edmunds that gives the top ten safest cars? I know this doesn't have a lot to do with the Liberty, but any advice would be appreciated. Thank you.

Matt

canadatwo

Try the VW Passat with side air-curtains, or Ford Crown Victoria, Buick LeSabre, Subaru Legacy, or Ford Taurus.

They probably won't be any cheaper to buy than the Liberty, but they will be cheaper to run.

Other safe cars are more $$$$ - Volvo, Audi, Mercedes, BMW etc.

canadatwo

see:

http://money.cnn.com/2001/12/11/autos/crash_test/

The Liberty first failed due to an air-bag issue.

It then received a score of "marginal" which matches the score received by the Escape.

The MDX and Explorer were given "Best Pick" with a "Good" rating. The Higlander was also rated "Good"

ericbway

I think it is gonna be nearly impossible to get it paid off in trade. As soon as you drove it off that lot you took a hit in value. Good luck, sorry to hear you have to sell off so soon.

klbrmb

Here is the link to the insurance institutes site for the Liberty

http://www.highwaysafety.org/vehicle_ratings/ce/html/0127.htm#1

I didn't see any major safety issues. It received the same rating as the old Cherokee (Marginal - for the reason of head and neck restraint). Everything else was good or acceptable.

klbrmb

If you are looking for a safer auto, then I suggest you stay away from the SUVs. As far as being able to unload you liberty and its payments go.... Your chances are slim and none. You could try to find someone to take over your payments but I doubt a dealership will pay off your entire loan. I traded in my pontiac grand am for my liberty and it was just over a yr old. Original sticker was approx. $22,000 and when I traded it in the value was down to $12,000 (= the amount of my loan). I lost my entire down payment. You are better off sticking it out no matter how much you hate or need to get rid of your liberty.

canadatwo

No, he and WE are better off if he gets rid of his Liberty because he is really freaked out about driving it.

We don't need any more freaked out people on the roads.

What is your safety worth?

vin_weasel

I'm interested in knowing why you feel the Liberty is not safe or is it just one factor in many of your decision to get rid of the vehicle?

If you want to try selling it online, basepro, you might want to post something in the For Sale or Liberty section of Jeeps Unlimited. You might take a bit of flak from the other Jeepers there because of the anti-KJ bent outside of the Liberty forum.

http://forums.jeepsunlimited.com/cgi-bin/ju/Ultimate.cgi?action=intro

huck6

Does anyone have the link to the vehicle sales figures? I kick myself for not bookmarking it.

Thanks.

basepro09

Who said anything about being freaked out about driving it?! I don't have the problem with my Liberty, but you just assumed without knowing all of the facts, didn't you. If you have a problem with people giving their concerns or reactions about the Liberty on this Jeep Liberty message board then maybe you should start hanging out elsewhere.

Thanks to everyone else for the advice I appreciate it. And like I said it's not really what I want to do, but I don't want to explain a long story, thanks.

Matt

canadatwo

Sorry if I overstated your concerns with the Liberty.

When you indicated you wanted a "cheaper, safer" vehicle I naturally assumed that something bothered you from a safety aspect about the Liberty. If something bothers you about your vehicle, then it usually affects your driving - hence "freaking out". This does not mean you are mentally unstable, but possibly not driving with all due care and attention.

I have offered advice in a previous post on some vehicles that are considered "safer". I hope that you can accept that and things work out for the best and your issues are resolved (whatever they may be) with whatever new vehicle you end up with.

Good luck.

hvan3

If you want to get rid of your Liberty so soon, especially when you still owe $23K, I would suggest you "hang" out at the dealership. When you see a couple shopping for a new Liberty, tell them you want to sell yours at a reduce cost. I'm sure they'll take the bait. (just don't tell them that the Liberty isn't safe).

Or, you can make "friends" with the salesmen. Tell them you'll offer them $500 if they can sell your almost new Liberty to someone who's looking for a new Liberty.

Just an idea....

mad0865

Good luck selling your Liberty. I would try the internet as a start, and hope you get what you want without explaining your long story . Good luck Matt.

richardcoulson

ISUZU AXIOM -
moderately high forces on the dummy’s head, going into the airbag. And also some moderately high forces on both dummy’s legs.

TrailBlazer -
There’s a possible broken right leg, and potential injuries to the ribs and head

Liberty -
You’re talking about a concussion.

Possible head injuries and possible broken legs gets an acceptable rating for the axiom vs. a concussion for the liberty which get a marginal rating??? The trailblazer gets a broken leg, head and rib injuries and is still rated the same as the liberty??? I would think that the axiom would be marginal like the liberty and the trailblazer rated below the liberty.

klbrmb

I so agree with you. I was literally screaming at the TV last night during the dateline story. I read the website earlier in the day and then saw dateline. I used to have some faith in those tests. Now I feel they are totally bias. I don't see how the liberty can be marginal and the others acceptable when head and neck injuries seem the same.

richardcoulson

How could the highlander get a good rating when the head/neck and also kinematics categories were rated only acceptable? The commentator on dateline actually said that there could be a concussion from the head bottoming out in the air bag in the highlander. The liberty only had the head/neck as marginal, but got a marginal rating. This is not consistant. The highlander should have only been rated acceptable.

The bumper test don't count since they do not have an impact on safety, but instead only a factor in repair cost.

scottw4

The Liberty got the bad rating I think because the Head / Neck injury measure were so poor. I believe the overall results are weighted more toward the Head/Neck injuries since those are the most life threatening.

The weird thing is Jeep had two chances at this test and still got a poor rating on their second attempt.

I would not discount the results too much, if this test actually led to Jeep recalling 120,000 Libertys it must have some credibility.

djasonw

I too watched Dateline and knew what was coming. The recall of 120,000 Jeeps has nothing to do with the poor second time around results. I believe it has to do with the delayed deployment of the air bag as demonstrated in their first test. They are going to fix the wiring when you bring your Liberty to the dealer for the recall.

I do like the way the structure held up. I believe the airbag deployment on the second tested Liberty exploded with too much force and could have caused injury to the driver. I realize these tests really don't demonstrate real world experience. How often do you see people smashing head on into stationary barriers? Regardless, the tests shouldn't be ignored either. I am still NOT afraid to drive my Liberty.