Non Benz ? but is Diesel ( Jeep )
 

I am looking at a couple of used vehicles for my wife. Does anyone here have experience ( owned or worked on ) the 05/06 Jeep liberty Diesels ?
I am aware of the QC issues with some Chrysler products but have read mainly
good reviews about this drivetrain/ engine combo. Thoughts ?
Thanks
Alan

There was a time when you had to pay full sticker for these, they were in short supply and sold relatively well. My neighbor has a red diesel Liberty with a stick shift and loves it.

It is interesting to note that Chrysler makes a diesel Wrangler for export that gets somewhere near 40MPG. Not available here. Go figure.

Daman858, Thanks for the info. I have not found many available so either they are enjoyed by the owners or they did not sell many.
Alan

My brother looked at one of those a few years ago as a towed vehicle behind his (big diesel pusher) motorhome. He decided that (at that time) the Jeep was overpriced and underpowered.

I looked at them briefly but couldn't get one with a manual at the time.
One big red flag: Timing belt, and a nasty habit of pitching the timing belt if not changed at or before the service interval. It's not an easy one to change, either.
I had an Isuzu Trooper TD that also had a timing belt despite being a pushrod engine, and it did not give me trouble, but I was waiting for that day it killed the engine. Timing belts have no place on a diesel.

The engine produced too much torque for the transmission and would tear up the torque converter. The "fix" was to retune the engine for less torque. They also had problems with the in tank electric pump dying, and air leaks at the pump as well.

Can we give the timing belt whining a rest? A belt provides more precise timing over its life then a chain, and is quieter. How bad is the belt to do on the Jeep? I can't imagine it's much worse then the belt on my VWs, heck it's probably easier with no injection pump to time. Just redid the injection pump on my ex 92 and that involved redoing most of the timing belt. With the proper tools it's a walk in the park.

-J

You do have to take apart half the motor to get at the timing belt, way more involved than the VW, but, incredibly solid block design, cracked rods, and a cast block with a machined bore for the crank to insert from the end, WAY stronger than standard block construction.

Libertys are cheap no matter the power train!!! My daughter has had one for several years and it is just horrible!! :eek:
There is an intermittent short that takes out the radio, dome light and power door locks, and ANYONE with a Liberty better get ready to replace multiple window regulators. We have already done 4!! Google "Liberty window regulator" for a bunch of reading....:rolleyes:
Don't get the Liberty!!!!

Cecily has a diesel Liberty. Maybe she will chime in in a bit.....

Wow ! I did not expect to get this much feedback pros and cons. Again my wife drives highway miles and I want her to have either 4wd or AWD since her job is one that she can not just call in and say "I can not make it in today" ( even if she could it is not in her nature) To be honest the prices for 05/06 with the diesels make me scratch my head in wonder. Why such a small number available but again I have not yet searched the numbers sold and how many were diesels.
Thanks to everyone and any new comments. My candid experience with the Mopar products of the last 10-12 years has not been good ( Pacifica, Durango,
LHS ) but still had some pros. Possibly as a used car and not new my expectations will be lowered.
Thanks
Alan

They did not sell that well.

The larger jeep also came with the mercedes v6 diesel. I saw one at the local mopar dealer. It was a nice looking vehicle with full leather interior. IIRC it had 60k miles on it and the asking price was mid twenties. Seemed a little steep to me.

I have not been to a dealer yet but have done some research online. The V6 seemed appealing bu 1. We have an 03 Suburban for family hauling and such 2.
The size of the liberty works better for my wife since she is not comfortable driving and parking the Suburban in the City ( Washington D.C.)
It's a shame that we in the U.S. have not embraced and then pushed forward Diesel technology. Heck I have looked at more than a few used Diesel Suburbans
and am amazed that G.M. stopped offering them on the SUV's.
Anyway I have not driven one of the CRD Liberty"s since they are far and few between at the dealerships so we may change our plans. My wife works at the airport and is also a nurse downtown so even though I drive her in when the weather is extremely severe it would be nice to have another option. The Suburban just uses to much fuel to go into and out of the city twice in one day.
I was going to have her drive the 85 300SD but she is worried there will be a problem and she will get stuck and in her job's that just does not work.
Alan

I've driven a few, never owned one. They two I drove smoked like freight trains when we got them in, a couple days of driving and they seemed to run better. One would shake like all hell like it had a dead glow plug or 3 with only like 80k on it. However once they were warmed up and had been given an italian tune up I rather liked them. The gas ones are total pieces of crap, as are a lot of jeep products, flame suit on. My '04 wrangler was a piece of crap too.

BTW, whoever mentioned the diesel wrangler, it doesn't pass emissions, it too is a VM-Motori. Thats why they quit selling the Diesel Liberty. They weren't MB/blutec, they were VM-Motori and the motors couldn't pass the tightening emissions laws in the states.

Deutz has been using timing belts on their 10XX series of engines for years. It is a very substantial belt which only drives the oil pump and the camshaft, each cylinder has cam operated pumps. I have owned many of them, the belt is a non-issue. The only downside is that replacement requires special engine positioning tools, as there are no timing marks or keyways used on the engine.

Yeah I agree about the Mopar products ( shields up and at Maximum Mr. Whorf !) My 98 Durango ran fast and strong and did not have a squeak or rattle when I sold it at 139k miles. The biggest issues were dead battery after 1st month,
and tranny and rear end went south within a year of each other at around 65k miles. The dealership I bought it from and took it to for service is no longer in business. I stopped going there when I took it for service and paid for the service. I had made a few notes before bringing it in to ensure those things were done. They were not and when I went back the New service manager apologized and said the other manager no longer worked there.
Admittedly the Dodge Mopar products lack any finesse but my Durango towed what it was supposed to ( non hemi ) went off road everywhere I took it to without issue and worked well over all.

Well, I've owned several Chrysler products (2 Jeep Cherokees, Dodge Coronet, Plymouth MiniVan) & never again will I EVER own another Chrysler product. They are ALL a POS, as far as I'm concerned. Flame away....