Caliber/Compass/Patriot

[vcrpro3]

Ok kiddies, i have narrowed my search to possibly one of the three or a Chevy HHR. My concern at this point is the reliability of the CVT automatic transmission in these. Anyone have one/know someone with one Caliber/Compass/ Patriot with the auto trans and can give me their input.

[dgc333]

My next door neighbor has a Caliber and another neighbor had a Compass. The Caliber is about 5 years old and the Compass is 2 and neither have had any issues at all.

That being said I went shopping last year to get another vehicle so I could semi retire my pickup. We drove a 11 Caliber and while it performed well enough I just didn't like the CVT tranny, the fact that it doesn't have distinct gears that it shifts through was just to weird for me.

We drove just about every small hatchback car and wound up getting a 12 Focus. The ride, handling, performance and overall sophistication is dramatically better than the Caliber. The car also gets better than 30 mpg all the time. Around town we get 33.5-34.5 and on the hiway it gets 38.5- 39.5. I also love the way the 6 spd DCT tranny shifts and performs. From what I have read if you are into all the touch screen connectivity the Chrysler U-Connect works better than Fords MyFordTouch. I got the basic Sync for hands free phone use and it will stream music over BlueTooth to the cars stereo from your iPod or phone and that works just fine. I also love the styling, looks like it just rolled off the World Ralley Championship.

[contraption22]

I also would pick the Focus over and above any of the Chrysler vehicles, unless you need AWD... and most people don't.

[Keito]

For my next vehicle, I'm leaning towards an Equinox.

[135sohc]

Actual CVT transmission is made by Jatco which is a Nissan company if thats any reassurance over chrysler and its history of automatic transmission blunders.

[RoadWarrior222]

There was a lot of "I don't like it and the dealer won't fix it" stories about the CVT when it came out, but that was just the CVT doing what the CVT is meant to do and people getting weirded out by it I think.

---------- Post added at 07:51 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:48 PM ----------

... oh for some reason, ppl who got the Patriot seemed happier about the gas mileage than the people who got the Compass or Caliber... I dunno what it was, but I was seeing people happy with high 20s, 30 on ling trips with the Patriot and complaining about mid 20s with the others...

[Opticon]

My mother has a Patriot with the CVT. It's been reliable and the high stall rpm is probably great for performance considering the engine's powerband... I just hate the way it sounds.

[contraption22]

My mother has a Patriot with the CVT. It's been reliable and the high stall rpm is probably great for performance considering the engine's powerband... I just hate the way it sounds.

Is there a high stall problem, or is that what the "perception issue is called?"

[Oggie Fisher]

I just spent a week in a rental Caliber with around 30k on the clock.
Engine sounds harsh, and there is a lot squeaks coming from the back seat area. Can't say I'd recommend it.
That said, I prefer the sight lines of the Caliber to the HHR.

[RoadWarrior222]

Actually was looking into it, and it might just have been the 1st year of Calibers with the CVT that had some kind of problem which also impacted gas mileage, there's a few reports of them doing in the teens for gas mileage, but it only seems to have been a few 2007s, but for following years gas mileage seems to have been up, and better than the patriots overall... I think the thing was, the Pat owners were thrilled to get "non-SUV" mileage, but the Caliber owners wanted Neon class mileage, but didn't quite get it.

[Opticon]

Is there a high stall problem, or is that what the "perception issue is called?"
It's certianly not a malfunction, It's just the way this CVT is set up. Honestly, I dislike the high stall rpm on many normal auto transmissions too. Many new "fuel efficient" engines don't make enough torque off of idle and the converters are set to hum along at >3000 rpm until you go fast enough to lock them up.

But again that's perception. Not a malfunction.

[vcrpro3]

The main issues i have heard about the CVT are; Some plate thing or another internally breaks and can cost up $4000.00 to rebuild/replace in the JATCO (mainly from reports by Nissan Rogue/Murano owners) and the price of a trans fluid/filter change- has to be done by dealer with special tool/certifications or warranty voided, $400.00 to $800.00 range:confused:

[Vigo]

It's been reliable and the high stall rpm is probably great for performance considering the engine's powerband...

Semantic problem alert..

It actually does NOT have a high stall. Technically it doesnt have any stall but i understand your implication of comparing the feeling of a CVT to that of a high-stall torque converter.

The CVT doesn't have a torque converter, it has a start clutch. When you start moving, the start clutch engages (it's noticeable) and you are then hooked to the tranny with no slippage. The CVT will start with it's lowest ratio. The problem is.. that ratio isn't low enough for a small-displacement motor to accelerate very hard.

That is actually my most-hated fact about CVTs. Their low ratio isnt very low and you dont have a torque converter to help you get past it. So if you floor it from a dead stop, what do you get? SH1TTY acceleration.

I had a CVT caliber rental for about 2 weeks. The only time it accelerated 'well' was between 50-60mph. Im not sure why that is. I took it all the way to 120mph and flogged it everywhere and ended up HATING the cvt with a PASSION.

It wasnt really because of the poor acceleration once you were moving.. it was because of the poor acceleration from a stop. In that car, if you wanted to merge out into traffic from a side street, you literally had to floor it while cars were still passing in front of you to be able to make a gap that was still 100 ft away. The start clutch has to engage fairly slowly to keep from stalling the motor (just like letting the clutch out from idle in a manual) and even when it's engaged you dont have crap for power.. imagine being at idle in 2nd gear in a conventional 5spd car. So off the line, it literally pissed me off, and with my driving style it was frankly dangerous. I had to change the way i drove to avoid getting run into in that thing.

Nissan's V6 cvt cars work fairly well because the 3.5 has enough torque to move them pretty hard off the line despite the ratio deficit of the CVT. Having said that, i drove two similar weight and power cars, a 6th gen CVT maxima and a 6spd altima se-r, with the same motor, and the CVT absolutely KILLED the fun factor in that car too.

[RoadWarrior222]

I had to keep the hammer down to keep up with a Rogue a few months back, couldn't close much on him, that was CVT 170hp/175tq in #3500ish, 8.2ish 0-60, low 16s in the quarter. Don't know what it sounded like from his side... but didn't seem to have an sluggy spots vs 4 speed auto in #2400, 8ish 0-60 ???hp*/???tq

(* suspect about 120)

[contraption22]

I've ridden and driven a Patriot with the CVT. Took some getting used to, but after a while, I actually liked it. On paper, it seams ideal that when you go wot, the trans ratio would change to keep the engine in it's power peak.

[TheCanadian007]

Ok kiddies, i have narrowed my search to possibly one of the three or a Chevy HHR. My concern at this point is the reliability of the CVT automatic transmission in these. Anyone have one/know someone with one Caliber/Compass/ Patriot with the auto trans and can give me their input.

I would go with the Caliber over the HHR, but that being said there are better vehicles out there.


For my next vehicle, I'm leaning towards an Equinox.

Would advise against an Equinox. Look up the cost of a fuel pump, lol.

[Vigo]

I think pretty much every GM fuel pump module from the past 13 years or so has cost at least $400. Some are a lot worse.

The CVT thing WOULD be pretty great if it really DID keep you at an ideal ratio all the time. Problem being it doesnt really get to that ideal ratio until 20+mph, and if you dont have a big enough engine those first 20 mph suck balls.

[dgc333]

Would advise against an Equinox. Look up the cost of a fuel pump, lol.

You made me curious so I looked the Equinox fuel pump on Rock Auto. The price was between $195 and $325 depending on whether you get just the pump or a complete insert. Compared to the Caliber between $125 and $250 depending on what you get.

Definitely more but not enough to sway a decision on which vehicle to buy.

[black86glhs]

You guys kill me. Don't buy it because of the cost of a fuel pump?
Better not buy anything if that is your argument. They all break down.

[TheCanadian007]

You made me curious so I looked the Equinox fuel pump on Rock Auto. The price was between $195 and $325 depending on whether you get just the pump or a complete insert. Compared to the Caliber between $125 and $250 depending on what you get.

Definitely more but not enough to sway a decision on which vehicle to buy.

I was mistaken; thinking of the wrong year. A gentleman came in with a 2006 Equinox which required a new pump. He nearly fainted when I told him what my cost was. I see that the newer ones use a different pump, and bear in mind, this is through a Canadian automotive retail store, not quite on par with Rock Auto prices.

http://i.imgur.com/G4v8U.jpg


You guys kill me. Don't buy it because of the cost of a fuel pump?
Better not buy anything if that is your argument. They all break down.

True, they all do break, but some more than others. I have been unimpressed with the longevity of many of the General's vehicles and feel that there are better options out there, that's all.

[vcrpro3]

Seating height in the Caliber/Compass/Patriot overall is easier for me to get in and out of vs. the HHR, the trick on one of them would be to find one with a 2.4l engine which i am not seeing much offered on the used market...will not consider a 1.8l or 2.0l


I would go with the Caliber over the HHR, but that being said there are better vehicles out there.



Would advise against an Equinox. Look up the cost of a fuel pump, lol.

[Vigo]

From what i remember the 2.4/cvt ones did the 1/4 mile in about 17 flat (and they put R/T badges on some of them.....), which while not fast, is normal/acceptable. Maybe the 2.4 wouldnt have pissed me off constantly like the 2.4 i drove.