2004-2008 Jeep Liberty

[skitzo_inc]

I'm looking at a couple different vehicles for winter traveling (possible weekly travel all winter for me) and I've found a couple Jeep Liberties that I like. Plenty of room for storing stuff, not horrible gas mileage, good 4x4. I just don't know much about the 3.7 motor.
Anyone had any experience with these vehicles?

[contraption22]

Have you considered an older Cherokee or Grand Cherokee with a 4.0L? Cheap to manitain and pretty reliable.

[Tmerritt530]

Depends on the year.

[skitzo_inc]

Have you considered an older Cherokee or Grand Cherokee with a 4.0L? Cheap to manitain and pretty reliable.

I'm trading in my 350z on it so it has to be a newer vehicle. I know the 4.0's are awesome motors.

[GLHNSLHT2]

My g/f's has been pretty trouble free for the 137k miles we've owned it. Did have to replace just about everything on the cooling system at 100k. Rad got a pin hole in the end tank, upper hose burst, gaskets on the T-stat and water pump started leaking. Not a big deal. The ignition switch has some plastic gear inside that likes to break. When it does you have to replace the whole column.

As far as getting around in the snow the thing is a beast. We got 3ft in 24hrs in 2008. The jeep was un-stoppable. 70MPH down the freeway, up and over 3ft berms trying to get into our parking spot when the apt management decided to shove all the snow off the car ports. People in big 4x4 trucks were getting stuck all over the place. Not the jeep. Jam it in 4wheel drive and GO!

[thedon809]

3.7's are a pretty decent engine. Avoid overheating it. I have seen water get into the spark plug holes on 3.7's and 4.7s. The window regulators go out on them but they have a lifetime warranty.

[GLHNSLHT2]

The only thing that really bugs me is that the person who programmed the tranny controller needs to be taken out back and shot!

getting on the freeway at part throttle you hit 40MPH and it hits overdrive and locks up the TC making it a dog, But ok you've got plenty of room so you keep your foot in the same place, Hit 50 and it unlocks the TC and the car jerks fwd. It's like WTF?!?!

[thedon809]

You could take it to a dealer and see if there is a flash update for the TCM.

[GLHNSLHT2]

I ask everytime I go in. Nothing If i ever meet the guy I'm going to beat him like red-headed step child.

[thedon809]

Tell him to do a quick learn and clear the VLP. It may possibly help. What year is it? If it's pre 2007 it uses a DRB and it's a PITA to flash with.

[GLHNSLHT2]

what's the VLP? It's a 04.

[black86glhs]

Vehicle learned problems. Kind of like your kid in school picking up bad habits.

[skitzo_inc]

Got a 2005 Jeep Liberty with 87K miles on it. Pretty much straight trade for my 350z.

[Tmerritt530]

Good lookin rig!

[GLHNSLHT2]

looks nice. We've gone through 4 sets of tires since we've owned ours. the stockers, 2 sets of yokohama's and are now on the Pirelli Scorpion ATR's. By far the best tires we've had yet. They had way more traction on snow right out of the box over the Yoko's and the wear on them so far is much much better. Going on our 3rd winter with them and they show hardly any wear. And we don't drive it easy through the corners in the summer time either. I'm amazed at how fast we can take on-ramps in it. We do cross-rotate maybe once a year just to keep any wear even, but haven't yet on the pirelli's because wear hasn't been an issue.