Thoughts on Liberty

Houndoc

Registered User
Location
Grantsville
OK, not being patriotic here. I am thinking vehicles.

As I toss vehicle options around, trying to get good trail rig a well as daily driver for my 85 miles a day, thought came to be about the diesel Liberty. The ideal would be to sell my Montero, use that cash on a trail rig (LC, GC etc) and then pick up a small dd, but as we all know the used SUV market stinks at the momement.

Anyone got first hand (heck, I'll take second hand) experince with them? I would be interested to know what range of MPG they get (I know gas versions stink).

The next piece of the puzzle is off-road. Obviously off the floor they are lacking in tire and clearance. Did have one accidently join our group on PSM back in 07 at the U4WDA Winter Convention that did a decent job, esp for completely stock.

Now that they have been out a few years, what options are out there for lifts, lockers etc?

Did a little searching on the L.O.S.T. KJ site, had a hard time learning much about lifts although was a good thread about a soon to be released (they hope) rear Aussie locker for it (front is already out).

Thoughts, anyone?
 

Lifelong Jeeper

Well-Known Member
Location
Murray
The only experience I can relate on a diesel liberty is from a friend of mine who had one, well his wife rather. He loved the diesel and said it had tons of torque and fuel economy. It was great for around the town but when he took it off road (Moab) he changed his mind about it. They didn't do anything major in it being that it was bone stock and he said that once they got off the trail they started having transmission problems. It led to having to be rebuilt and the research that he did on it during this ordeal was the the transmission simply cannot hold up to the torque of the diesel. When the tranny went out there was relatively low miles on the KJ. He sold it as soon as he got it back from the shop. If they had a better tranny he said he would still have it.
 

Milner

formerly "rckcrlr"
We have 28K on ours. Love it. It has been a great vehicle for us. Later 2006 models had the earlier problems addressed. As with all diesels with auto trans, that is where the trouble will come. Knock on wood, ours has been good.
It is my wife's DD and our weekend driver....
Around town it gets 18-20, highway 28-30 depending on speed. We have run at least b20 from day one.
It pulls parley's at 85 no sweat. Never really towed with it....

LOTS of info here http://www.lostkjs.com/forum/phpBB2/index.php?sid=a9394ef6ddb0dcd96e6bdf987ce6b398
Don't let it scare you off....
 
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