Best Jeep liberty year to get?

[krissypoo29]

I am buying one really soon.

What year from 2002-2006 is essentially the worst one to get? Meaning which one has more headaches?

Thanks guys!

 

[CzarKJ]

It's all about condition and how they were taken care of. I don't think the years really matter.

 

[krissypoo29]

It's all about condition and how they were taken care of. I don't think the years really matter.

I was just reading reviews about Chrysler and how they have transmission and engine issues in some years and not the others.

 

[tommudd]

Buy one that you think is in good shape and you think has been taken care of and enjoy it.
Going to get pretty much the same answers here as on Jeep Forum due to we all jump from one to another

 

[krissypoo29]

Im saddened to even think that I am now considering a Mazda 3. I wanted the Jeep because it looks gorgeous but also because I live in Northern Ontario and I was thinking the Jeep is the best way to make me feel safe. I hate driving in the snow. Hate it. But reading all these reviews about these poor unfortunate people stuck with engine issues and transmission issues has made me not want to risk it. Who knows I am still undecided.

Even though my dad is an excellent mechanic, I somehow don't think that will save me from buying something that will cost me much much more in the future :icon_frown:

 

[CzarKJ]

I bet if you google that Mazda it has it's own issues as well. issues are just a way of life when owning a vehicle.


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[HoosierJeeper]

And 99% of Liberty owners will not have an engine issue.

 

[tommudd]

Im saddened to even think that I am now considering a Mazda 3. I wanted the Jeep because it looks gorgeous but also because I live in Northern Ontario and I was thinking the Jeep is the best way to make me feel safe. I hate driving in the snow. Hate it. But reading all these reviews about these poor unfortunate people stuck with engine issues and transmission issues has made me not want to risk it. Who knows I am still undecided.

Even though my dad is an excellent mechanic, I somehow don't think that will save me from buying something that will cost me much much more in the future :icon_frown:

You know you are really reading more into these reports than what there is really. You are reading of a few overall that have had issues and 98% I would bet was the owners fault anyways. The 3.7 is a good engine overall , you just hear the bad things, its like the evening news, they just report the bad not the good. I'll take one KJ to 50 Mazdas if they were all free since I know I'd get where I wanted to go.

 

[Snail Farmer]

I'll take one KJ to 50 Mazdas if they were all free since I know I'd get where I wanted to go.

And have a hell of a lot more fun getting there :happy107:

 

[tommudd]

You're spending all of this time worrying about what may or may not happen, is it really worth it?
I bought mine new in September 04, I read through some reviews for the past two years, and bought one. First time I drove a KJ was AFTER I signed the papers and the 30 day tag was bolted on. My XJ had 265,000 on it and needed to update, so went for it and never looked back.
You can research something to death and waste your life worrying about something that will never happen.

 

[SiRRuS]

Im saddened to even think that I am now considering a Mazda 3. I wanted the Jeep because it looks gorgeous but also because I live in Northern Ontario and I was thinking the Jeep is the best way to make me feel safe. I hate driving in the snow. Hate it. But reading all these reviews about these poor unfortunate people stuck with engine issues and transmission issues has made me not want to risk it. Who knows I am still undecided.

Even though my dad is an excellent mechanic, I somehow don't think that will save me from buying something that will cost me much much more in the future :icon_frown:

Every vehicle has its issues, I would rather be in a Jeep than a car though. yes everything else is a car if its not a Jeep.

 

[Chino78]

I have a 05 Liberty and my wife a 06 Mazda 3, both are great, but in the last 5 years we have spent more money in maintenance of the mazda than the liberty...

 

[krissypoo29]

I'm still torn. I love taking drives and and just cruising sometimes. The Jeep is a great vehicle but it doesn't have that smooth drive feel..correct. The 2 that I test drove had issues. I could tell that it ran rough, either due to the engine or whatever it was so I can't really compare.

 

[Porkchop]

As to ride and handle the right springs and shock and it will be better than when it was new and most likely has baged out springs on it anyway so (talk them down in price). As to running ruff have it checked out by a mechanic first most likely it not a major issue so (talk them down in price). And as allways you should have any use vehicle checked out by a qualified mechanic before you buy it.

 

[joeaub]

Looking at reviews online, almost every vehicle I have ever owned has been rated POOR, or WORST lol.

Every mazda I have seen lately has been really rotten so watch out for rust.

If you want to get a Liberty look for a good clean one at a very good price. Ask yourself before you buy it... what can I sell it for if I hate it. If you cannot even sell it for the price you would be paying walk away.

 

[krissypoo29]

Looking at reviews online, almost every vehicle I have ever owned has been rated POOR, or WORST lol.

Every mazda I have seen lately has been really rotten so watch out for rust.

If you want to get a Liberty look for a good clean one at a very good price. Ask yourself before you buy it... what can I sell it for if I hate it. If you cannot even sell it for the price you would be paying walk away.

Yah so clean as in clean on inside and out? Is that what you mean? The 2003 limited Im looking at has some surface rust on the bottom corner of rocker panels. Im gonna get my dad to look at it and see how much it will be to fix. Also can he look at the engine and tell if the oil changes were made at regular intervals? Or if not that can he tell if engine is in good condition? And ya my dad and I looked at one mazda 3 and there was rust in the flares...which apparently is a spot where they tend to rust. I might still go with the Liberty...Going to go look at it soon.

 

[seabass1858]

http://www.jeepkj.com/forum/f196/300-000-miles-never-been-towed-47497/


read this, enough said

 

[JasonJ]

I bought a 2003 Liberty 4x4 Limited for my wife when her buick skylark became unsafe to put on the road… I wanted something that could handle the Michigan winters, would be safe, and durable. I’m a car guy, have been since I was 5, that’s almost 26 years of loving cars and trucks. I worked for a Mazda dealer for 4 years, seen that they were good cars, but had lots of maintenance and repairs when they occurred, were expensive.

I have NEVER regretted buying our Liberty. Its been a fantastic vehicle. It is safe, reliable, durable, good to look at, easy to maintain, and other than a small glovebox and mediocre cup holders, a wonderful purchase.

The mazda may be a better fit for you, it may not. Sounds like the Liberty’s you’ve test driven were not good examples of this vehicle. I’d keep looking for one. And as long as the BASIC maintenance has been done, it’ll be a good vehicle. Consistent engine oil changes would be the top thing I’d look for.

We bought our ’03 with 63,660 miles on it, it just ticked over 94,000 after 3.5yrs of ownership, NO REGRETS. I plan to keep it as long as possible, my son is 2 now, I can see us making a lifted off-road father/son project out of this truck when he’s older…

And my wife? She’s never gotten stuck in snow, never slid on wet pavement, been hit in both fenders by crazy bad drivers, and always been safe.

 

[Katmandu]

Looking at reviews online, almost every vehicle I have ever owned has been rated POOR, or WORST lol.

Did you look at this site yet ?

TrueDelta -- Real Car Owners Driving Real Car Information

We bought a 2005 Liberty Renegade brand new and had absolutely ZERO issues with it before we traded in for a 2012 Liberty Latitude.

The only real complaints I've had about both was the ****** ride and handling of both. WAY worse than my 2013 Wrangler Sport.

As far as reliability of either of our Libertys, again, ZERO issues with the drivetrain.

Our 2012 has blown struts with only 7,000 miles on it as of today. That really does piss me off!

 

[John3seventeen]

Did you look at this site yet ?

TrueDelta -- Real Car Owners Driving Real Car Information

We bought a 2005 Liberty Renegade brand new and had absolutely ZERO issues with it before we traded in for a 2012 Liberty Latitude.

The only real complaints I've had about both was the ****** ride and handling of both. WAY worse than my 2013 Wrangler Sport.

As far as reliability of either of our Libertys, again, ZERO issues with the drivetrain.

Our 2012 has blown struts with only 7,000 miles on it as of today. That really does piss me off

Are you the original owner?