Thinking of buying a Liberty

[captkirk]

So, what should I know? Are there any major problems I should be looking for, are there some years to stay away from? What about drive train. I am looking for one a couple years old and I do like the Limiteds a lot.
Thanks for any help on my purchase. This is for my wife and will be our main family mobile for trips and weekend camping. I will be towing a small pop-up camper with it. Any thoughts on towing with the Liberty.
Thanks every one!

 

[JeepJeepster]

Be sure to find a libby with the towing pack. It comes with an aux engine driven fan that keeps it much cooler. Theres no big difference between years. The 2002 libby had a stronger ******(45rfe) but no one is having troubles out of the trannys they use now(42rle). The 2005's come with a 42vlp ****** thay has better engine braking but I do not know if it's any weaker than the 42rle.

If its going to be the wifes, I would get the select trac transfer case. It allows the t-case to be in 4x4 and you do not have to worry about it. The lever will say 2wd, 4 part, 4 full, N, 4 low if it has select trac. If it doesnt then it will say the same but without the 4full in there. Never use 4part on black-top wet or dry. Some dealers will say its fine to use it on wet but its not, rocks, dirts, snow, things like they is where you use 4 part-time.

I love my 2004 libby, Its a limited. After you do one thing to it, you wont stop. I'm well over 3k in mods and I'm still going!

Be sure to wheel the heck out of it! they love it.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[Se7enLC]

Something to note - the manual transmission on the liberty is only rated to tow 3500lbs, but the auto can tow 5000lbs. Not sure if there's actually any real limitation there or if it's just what Jeep decided to pick for limits. What you're towing could be a lot less than 3500lbs anyway, so it's a non issue, but keep it in mind if you're thinking of towing anything larger.

 

[desertkj]

Also, if ground clearance is an issue for you. There are 2002s (such as mine) that are "prelowered". They sit a little taller than the ones out now because Jeep lowered them after some idiot tester rolled one in a slalom. My 2002 is very nice and I enjoy driving it. The 3.7 is no Hemi, but it'll get up and go.

 

[GoldBug]

Back when the Unlimited Wranglers came out my father wanted to get one and he didn't cause they weren't making them with a manual transmission. The guy at the dealer told him it was because of the high towing capicity and that the auto transmission would just shut down if it got too hot and that crysler didn't want to be replacing manuals all the time because people were burning them out. Would that have to do with why the auto transmission is rated higher or is there some sort of mechanical thing I don't know of that would change that?

 

[kjpilot]

I look for anti-lock brakes. When we bought our Limited I asumed it had ABS. I was quite suprised when the wheels locked up in a rainstorm!

 

[Se7enLC]

ABS

ABS is very rare in the liberties. Not sure why, but it was one of the things I had to put on the order sheet when I got mine. Some say "oh, ABS is bad when you're offroading, you want to be able to lock the wheels up", but they forget that ABS is automatically disabled when you put it in 4LO.

 

[grogiefrog]

When I shopped for my Liberty, ABS was very rare. I found only one from three dealers I shopped. I love ABS on slick roads. So much that I custom ordered my Wrangler with it (which was delayed due to ABS parts being out of stock... and it's no longer available). I bet I have the only 2006 Wrangler with ABS. =D>