How did you end up with your KJ?

[Sasquatch]

I kinda feel guilty about it honestly.

Wife's nephew "owned" it. It was in my MIL's name. The kid got tired of it, complained about the weird handling. So they sold it to me for $1 and leased a new Tacoma. I fixed the "weird handling" and clunking by lubing the front swaybar. Put new tires on it. And haven't had a bit of trouble out of it since.

 

[joeysjeep]

wife wanted a liberty ever since we got married so what do i do i bought her an 02 ponitac grand prix lol well kept that for 2 years and 120k miles later sold it for what i paid for it 1900 well turned around and she wanted a liberty again so me being the great husband i was bought a 00 isuzu trooper 2wd for 400 had it for 3 years and 58k miles sold it for 1000 then poking around on craigslist found an 02 sport 4x4 for sale the girl wanted 2800 well took it for a ride it drove fine she had the transfer case and transmission rebuilt the check engine light was on (o2 sensor out) and the front bumper cover was ripped and had no front drive shaft well got to talking with her boyfriend and found out that she tried to trade it in at a dealership and they only offered her 700 for it A. for all the reasons listed above and B. cause it reeked of weed so i told her 1000 and then we settled at 1500 shampooed the inside replaced the bumper cover and aired the thing out for a week to get rid of the smell and i'm good as new so now the wife says if anything blows on it that i will just be replacing it since she finally got her libby lol

 

[mikejeepstarternoob]

I've had this about almost a year i think.
I live with my family, and I was trying to move out. I wanted something that would give me enough storage...and a jeep. It's an 05 sport model, bought for $6400. ("Inspected" with $$ under the table at that time) Part of me was sick of Honda civic and odyssey, so SUV was definitely the choice for me.

...and as far as me moving out, I ended up not and I still live with them lol. Been spending on lifting since then.

 

[smittyfromPA]

Traded in a 2003 ford Escape for my first Jeep, a 2005 KJ Renegade. I bought the Escape for for daily driving and for a hunting/fishing/camping vehicle. Was not impressed and wanted more off-road capability. So a few years later I started seeing more Liberty's on the road and did some research. I decided that would be the way to go and found mine on a local lot.

 

[megatone]

Copied and pasted the following from my introduction posting to this forum:



Well, i just bought my daughter a Liberty....she loves it. She is 17 years old now.....

On her 16th birthday I gave her my old 1980 Honda Civic. I told her if she drives it for one year without wrecking it or getting any tickets, I would buy her any car she wants (within reason ofcourse). At that time she said she wanted a blue Jeep Liberty. I then printed a picture of a blue Liberty and taped it to the dashboard of the Civic (where the picture stayed for the entire year). Every day she drove that Civic she was reminded of the Jeep Liberty she wants....the Civic has no air conditioning, no power steering, no power windows, no radio, no sunroof, no options of any sort, the floor doesn't even have carpet, it's covered with a rubber mat (stinks really bad in the summer time).....plus the Civic has over 400,000 miles on it and nice powdery oxidized banana yellow paint....couple primer spots....it's a cream puff. She learned to drive in that car for a year (as both my other kids did). And now she has her Jeep.

I did the same thing with both my other kids on thier 16th birthdays....they had to drive the banana slug Civic for a year before they got the car they wanted for thier 17th birthday.

My other kids are Jacob and Destiny.
When Jacob turned 17, he got a red 1993 Mustang GT convertible (which was actually my old car that I had parked in the garage for 2 years). (So the price was right, free). One day, this car is going to be a valuable classic car.

When Destiny turned 17 she got a burgandy 1996 Impala SS. This car is kind of a gas hog on city streets, but does good on the freeway. The seller was asking $7,000 for the car, but I flashed him $5,900 and he took it. One day, this car is also going to be a valuable classic.

Poor kids of mine....tortured with driving the beat-up, super-ugly, banana Civic. But the rewards were worth it, for both them and for me.

 

[Birdman330]

I met mine in Sept of 2013, it came in at the Ford Dealership I was a salesman at from Auction. I honestly didn't give it a second thought other than it was cool to see a Manual Jeep Liberty.

It didn't sell during our mega sale at the end of Sept, I was outside re-arranging the lot when I went to move it. I started it and the check engine light started flashing, the engine was running like it was on three cylinders (It actually was) and I managed to limp it over to the service side of the building. Told the Service Manager it needs looked at and my ''Initial Reaction'' was this thing is one huge pile of S***. Fast forward a couple days later, the tech hands me the keys says it needed a tune up. I go and take it out for a drive, well lets say I was ''blown away'' at how incredible it was to drive. So I had to patiently wait couple more months, the wife paid her car off in December, we needed a second vehicle since I lost my car and had the money for the Down Payment. I bought it the moment she said her car was paid off. Been with it ever since and loving just about every moment with it. I've learned a few great things about this Jeep and I plan to hang on to it as long as I possibly can because of its history.

 

[twowings]

I can't really remember....it was dark...they were big...

 

[libertybob]

2003 Liberty Limited

Was looking for a 4x4 Liberty for several weeks. Every one I saw had serious rust from up north or were priced unrealistically. Most were Sports. Saw Libby on Craigslist for $2k with a bad transmission. Went to see her and it was love at first sight - black Limited with cloth interior and no sunroof, just like I would have ordered at the dealer! She was filthy but interior and paint were in very good condition. Bought her for $1500. Located a low mileage trans for $430 and changed it out. Have done rolling restoration - new engine computer ($140), tires and alignment ($500), and some interior panels from salvage yard to replace scratched ones (yeah, I'm a perfectionist). Cleaned interior and polished exterior and now Libby looks new. Get a lot of comments from people who really like her. Best of all, wife loves Libby and off road capability. Couldn't get her to ride in my Saab 900 restored convertible but she hops right in the Jeep. Best of all, I saved a good Jeep from going to the salvage yard. Love it!

 

[sota]

Back in 2009 I was getting heavily into doing track days with my SRT-4, and decided I wanted something I could use to tow it to and from the track. I started researching vehicles I could get that I could...
a) afford
b) like to drive
c) potentially take over daily driver duties from my aging 1992 Dodge Shadow
d) tow
e) have a stick

The last one was really important to me, since all my other vehicles are stick and I am morally and ethically opposed to the concept of an automatic transmission.
I looked at the usual suspects... Durango, Grand Cherokee, Dakota, RAM 1500, Nitro/Commander, Liberty. After nearly 18 months of research, deliberations, test drives, and soul searching (I tried... I really tried to be ok with an auto... I couldn't do it) I concluded a Liberty would be the answer. I didn't want a KK because of that electronic transfer case, so a KJ was the answer. The criteria then became as follows...
1) v6, 4WD, stick (could number them 1,2,3 but really they're all critical)
4) sunroof
5) some kind of color
6) tow package

Well after 18 months of searching, I got my top 3, which really were the most critical, and I added on the tow package... in the dealer's lot that night to tow my car home.

You must be registered for see images

Yes, the first 90 miles of ownership I was towing with it.

The only bit I failed to discover in my research was the 07 KJ has throttle by wire (which ***** when paired with a stick. The cruise control system is fantastic and insanely smooth, so it least it has that going for it.)

You must be registered for see images

She gets about 18MPG with my normal driving loop, and 16.5MPG when towing the car to the track. Not too shabby overall.

 

[Gramps]

it's a long story - but here's the short version - I wanted a 4x4 subaru, my wifes had just died at 380,000 miles, we ended up at the subaru dealer looking for one, couldn't afford anything they had, they said they had a CRD liberty for 10,000, it had 80,000 miles on it.

we test drove it, it ran like crap, wasn't a diesel, it was a 2.4 liter powertech gas, I didn't want it, she did, I said it runs bad, she said I could fix it, I offered them 7,000, they said ok, we bought it, it darn near died driving from the dealer's lot to the gas station after we bought it, nursed it back to the dealer and asked them to fix it, we got a brand new Subaru WRX as a loaner while they worked on the jeep, tried to keep the loaner, that didn't work, had to give it back ...got the jeep, they said it was fixed, drove fine for a few weeks, and have been having minor little problems with it ever since, but it is a nice jeep and I'm not ready to give up on it yet, so far we've had to replace the timing belt, the clutch, the radiator, thermostat, plugs, and cam and crank sensors, and now it looks like the transfer case position sensor is bad ...... it's a very clean, nice driving jeep - when it runs

 

[John3seventeen]

I aquired mine as a result of my 02 Mazda Tribute self detonating. Hole in the engine the size of a golf ball! Needed a small SUV fast, preferably with 4 Lo something the Tribute was seriously lacking! Searched the Internet and found my 03 Liberty. It only had a few miles on it (130,000) and the price was right. I have had it for 3 years next month and out of all the vehicles I have owned it is my favorite to drive.

 

[SWilliams]

Wasn't really looking for a vehicle but my BIL tells me about a friends Jeep. Says the guy just wants to clear the loan. Went and looked at it, drove it around the yard. Guy says it was his daughters highway vehicle. She would drive into NYC on Monday, park it in a garage and move around the city on the subways/buses. Drive home Friday night. Asked him how much. He thought a bit and says, $3,000.00 should clear the loan. 03, 84K on it in 2010. Book was closer to $7500.00. Followed him to the credit union, hit DMV and drove it home that day.... OHH, BIL has been kicking himself ever since.....

 

[Birdman330]

Wasn't really looking for a vehicle but my BIL tells me about a friends Jeep. Says the guy just wants to clear the loan. Went and looked at it, drove it around the yard. Guy says it was his daughters highway vehicle. She would drive into NYC on Monday, park it in a garage and move around the city on the subways/buses. Drive home Friday night. Asked him how much. He thought a bit and says, $3,000.00 should clear the loan. 03, 84K on it in 2010. Book was closer to $7500.00. Followed him to the credit union, hit DMV and drove it home that day.... OHH, BIL has been kicking himself ever since.....

You did more than take him to the cleaners on that one. Well done sir well done.

 

[BionicKJ]

I was given my 04 2wd sport by my brother who drove it in Tampa traffic and rarely performed maintenance. It threw a rod through the pan and now its sitting in my yard waiting to be reborn. Christmas is when it'll get the motor and then income tax it'll have a full makeover including a 4x4 conversion:icon_lol:

 

[Kal-El]

My 99 Grand Caravan ate it's second water pump in the space of a year, soooo, being tired of driving and maintaining an under-powered user-UNfriendly "bus", I perused Craigslist for something smaller and stronger. Checked out lots of Libbys, Durangos, and Cherokees over a week before settling on my 04 Limited Libby. Got a couple of bugs to work out in it, but man am I happy with it!

 

[pmathis_0]

My dad used mine as a way to get back and forth to work and didn't really care about it much then we moved and he sold our old house and bought a brand new f150 and gave me the liberty

 

[GitEmSteveDave]

Was looking to replace my 1996 Dodge Ram 3500 Dualie Diesel that had racked up $4k in repairs in 6 months(brake hard line replacement and ball joint snapped/starter went). On the way home one night, the bypass we had done after I had hit a UPS truck and killed the ATF cooler, popped a hose clamp and drained all the ATF fluid while driving. Didn't realize it until I lost all power to the wheels. That solidified my choice.

Still have the Dodge, but she's for sale now.

 

[Disco95]

In 2007 wife needed a new car, she was driving a 2000 Honda Civic. We were tossing up between the KJ and a SSV Commodore sedan. We decided on the jeep as we'd just moved to the country and liked the size and the 4wd factor, there was also t he clearance under, with the prevalence of wombats in the area. Those ******* will take out you steering and sump pan if you go over one at speed.
When my '95 Disco caught cancer and I had to have her put down, I took the KJ. A couple of years later I bought her a 2012 Range rover as compensation.

 

[Billwill]

I bought a diesel Landrover Freelander in 2000 as my new GF and her two sons wanted to visit the nearby Game Parks and beaches. The Freelander was very low powered, mainly front wheel drive with the rear diff kicking in when needed. Very unreliable and local Dealerships useless. Got stuck on the beach one day with the tide coming in and about to wash us out to sea so had to dig out under the wheels, put the inside rubber mats under the wheels and with GF and sons pushing I managed to get out just in time!

Beach driving was banned soon after that in SA to preserve the envirement which I totally agree with!

I had driven a lovely old army style open Jeep and original Landrovers during my army service in SA....including in Angola in 1976 when the Cubans were invited in so I knew my way around 4 wheel-drive vehicles and did buy a used Landrover in1975....6 cylinder with side valves...no power and chewed fuel!

In the beginning of 2002 I was just about to buy the old diesel Cherokee...a workmate had one...when I saw pictures of the Cherokee replacement to come ie. the KJ.

The first KJs to hit SA were the 3.7 gassers in automatic only....good reports by all the local magazines but chewed petrol which at that time was about twice the price of diesel here in SA. So I put my name down on a CRD....the Salesman told me it had the Mercedes Diesel engine in it so how could I lose!

Took months for it to arrive while the price kept climbing up due to our local currency dropping against the Us Dollar. When it arrived I traded in my Freelander and saw my lovely new dark-green 2.5 CRD with factory fitted tow-bar, roof rails and rubber splash guards. When I popped the hood I noticed the "Mercedes" engine had morphed into a VM Italian diesel engine...the Salesman just stared blankly when I enquired about this!

Now 16 years later I am still driving my lovely Lady...would have liked to have had disks at the rear and ABS but those only came the next year!

Best vehicle I have ever owned!:icon_razz:

 

[duderz7]

Traded in the expedition for a smaller SUV with better mileage and lower payment, had no idea how cool it was til after I already need it. Sometimes things just work out better than expected. Although very different it makes me miss my '71 wagoneer.