It's a Daimler/Chrystler. Im not sure if the engine is MB or not. I have been WAITING for this. Wish money world was different at the moment.

http://rockcrawler.com/features/newsshorts/04april/jeep_2005_liberty.asp

__________________
"If anyone knows other lessons I need to learn, please tell me. I'm tired of learning them the hard way".
by JerryBro

The Glow Plug Wait: This waiting period is a moment of silence to pay honor to Rudolph Diesel. The longer you own your diesel the more honor you will give him". by SD Blue

My normal daily life; either SNAFUed- Situation Normal... All Fouled Up, or FUBARed- Fouled Up Beyond All Repair

62 UNIMOG Camper w/617 Turbo, 85 300SD daily driver- both powered by blended UCO fuels

Coach,
Have you ever driven a Liberty? IMHO, not even a Mercedes-Benz diesel could fix the problems one of those things has.

I rented one a couple of years ago when my vehicle was laid up and I needed to travel to OKC. They're twitchy, shortcoupled and affected by the smallest zephyr. You cannot relax for a moment while driving one...that trip was the most stressful 400 miles I've done in a long time.

At 70, the 4.0L gasser I drove buzzed and rattled like my Toad ...can't imagine a diesel in one.

__________________
Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

that sounds like any CJ-x to me..

I always wanted a jeep, an older one, but I do so much highway driving, could not justify it. I have no clue about the newer ones..

__________________
One more Radar Lover gone...
1982 VW Caddy diesel 406K 1.9L AAZ
1994 E320 195K

It's a Jeep not a luxery car. and I'm fine with that.

My main rides in life have usually been sports cars, beaters and/or offroad/onroad vehicles. I raced autocross for a very shortwhile too. Actually once I finally get a Liberty I have a solid front axle to swap into it. I guess I like the feeling that I have to actualy "drive" the car, pay attention, feel the road etc etc.

For example I just sold my "daily driver/trail rig" of: 97 Jeep TJ with 4.5" lift, 35" tires, modified gear ratios in axles and transfer Case and ARB lockers. I had also rolled it a few times. It took me across highway and trails in AZ, CA, UT, NV, CO, OH, PA. It also carted me and all my belongings from NV to OH when I moved across the country.

New owner is wheeling it hard in AL, GA, TN. That TJ still is amazing people. Granted he is a good driver, and an unbeleavable fabricator.

Now I'm back to a beater again and my Unimog. Once it is on the road; my 21yr old 300D will be my first thing close to a luxery car I have ever had.

__________________
"If anyone knows other lessons I need to learn, please tell me. I'm tired of learning them the hard way".
by JerryBro

The Glow Plug Wait: This waiting period is a moment of silence to pay honor to Rudolph Diesel. The longer you own your diesel the more honor you will give him". by SD Blue

My normal daily life; either SNAFUed- Situation Normal... All Fouled Up, or FUBARed- Fouled Up Beyond All Repair

62 UNIMOG Camper w/617 Turbo, 85 300SD daily driver- both powered by blended UCO fuels

Sounds like the Samurai that I used to own, only with enough power to not have passing maneouvers aborted by pushing through the air wake of a big truck. One hell of an awesome plaything. I wish that I would have kept it, and got that VW diesel engine stuffed under the hood.

I don't like how the article indicated automatic only. If auto only, then I'll pass. Otherwise, I'll give it a serious look if an when they ever do hit the market.

Did you see that it was a 5speed auto?

A lot of those heavy into offroading are coming to terms with the reality that except maybe for competition the automatics perform better off-road. I once prefered stick shift only. Now I prefer auto's in off road rigs, but stick in road vehicles.

__________________
"If anyone knows other lessons I need to learn, please tell me. I'm tired of learning them the hard way".
by JerryBro

The Glow Plug Wait: This waiting period is a moment of silence to pay honor to Rudolph Diesel. The longer you own your diesel the more honor you will give him". by SD Blue

My normal daily life; either SNAFUed- Situation Normal... All Fouled Up, or FUBARed- Fouled Up Beyond All Repair

62 UNIMOG Camper w/617 Turbo, 85 300SD daily driver- both powered by blended UCO fuels

For a daily driver I wouldn't be to excited but it'd make as a good DD/toy. Getting 21/27mpg is pretty reasonable figuring what the gassers get. Who makes this motor though? Cummins makes their Ram motors, but who makes this one? They just keep saying common rail but don't mention who....

While I don't plan on any type of rock climbing (which it can be good for!) I wouldn't mind a 3/4ton Ram CTD for a daily driver (which would have air ride for adjustable height and nice ride, thick aluminum front bumper, and 33" on/off road tires ), however realisticly speaking it'll probably be a while before I get one as for the next year or two I'll be putting on a lot of miles on my vehicles. I'm thinking of a 99-03 VW Jetta, nothing like 55mpg at 65mph. I can't even imagine driving a thousand miles between fileups, the best I've done is over 600 with my MB.

__________________
Jeff M.
Mercedes W123 DIY pages are now located here.
1983 / 1984 300D Sold
2000 CLK430 Cabriolet ~58k Sold
2005 Avalanche 4x4 ~66k

Yes, I saw that. The Liberty's primary purpose would be for carrying passengers, and light towing on winter trips. As I'm a high mileage driver, I want the stick to maximize the fuel mileage. While I would go off roading with it, it would only be occasionally, and nothing anywhere near what the vehicles are put through for their trail ratings.

makes general since. Though....with a 5speed auto and different axle ratio are you sure there will be any real difference in gas milage between auto and stick?

__________________
"If anyone knows other lessons I need to learn, please tell me. I'm tired of learning them the hard way".
by JerryBro

The Glow Plug Wait: This waiting period is a moment of silence to pay honor to Rudolph Diesel. The longer you own your diesel the more honor you will give him". by SD Blue

My normal daily life; either SNAFUed- Situation Normal... All Fouled Up, or FUBARed- Fouled Up Beyond All Repair

62 UNIMOG Camper w/617 Turbo, 85 300SD daily driver- both powered by blended UCO fuels

I think (notice I said think) that the engine (Diesel) is Italian made. I read that in some other forum several months ago, from what I remember it was supposed to be a "trouble free" long-lived engine. Quite an overdrive on that 5-speed auto too, shouldn't be turning too many revs at cruising speed.

__________________
1985 300D Turbo ~225k
2000 F350 (Powerstroke) 4X4, SWB, CC, SRW, 6spd ~148k
1999 International 4900, DT466e (250hp/660 ft/lbs), Allison MD3060 ~73k

I was under the impression that the Liberty came with a solid front axle stock? I could be wrong; haven't looked closely at 'em...

You sound like me My 300D is the first vehicle that I've owned that didn't have either 4 wheel drive or a 3/4 ton or higher payload rating since a year after I got my license.

I wish I could have kept my van, but fuel costs dictated a smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicle...and I can say that I think I made the right choice

__________________
2001 VW Jetta TDI, 5 speed, daily driver
1991 Ford F-350, work in progress
1984 Ford F-250 4x4, 6.9l turbo diesel, 5 speed manual
Previous oilburners: 1980 IH Scout, 1984 E-350, 1985 M-B 300D, 1979 M-B 300SD, 1983 M-B 300D
Spark-free since 1999

Toyota makes the Land Cruiser in an Inline Six TurboDiesel
configuration (200 H.P. , AUTOMATIC) available in Panama.

Yanmar (The Japanese Marine Diesel manufacturer) buys
Toyota's inline six blocks and supplies 24 valve heads and
turbos (and some other neat improvements!) for Toyota
to complete assembly for marine use. The Yanmar/Toyota
UPGRADE produces 315 H.P.---Remember Marine engines
must produce POWER constantly---estimated T.B.O on
these engines is in the 10,000 hr. multiples!

Imagine a Land Cruiser (automatic) with this engine!

I'm telling you we get the DREGS of engineering here in
the U.S. ,automotively.

Does any american suv / offroad vehicle come standard
with a "safety cage/rollbar" setup???????????????????
Have you ever seen some poor schmuck killed in a
"Rollover" walk into his local Ford/Chevy/Gmc/Chrysler
dealer and purchase a replacement vehicle?

"Penny wise and pound foolish"?

American producers will only, if forced , allow us to protect
ourselves and our families!

I beg to differ. There was a Jeep wrangler YJ almost unmodified that rolled down Lionsback in Moab UT. Mom was driving with kids in the back. They all survived with no injuries. Trust me... very few things would survive rolling down Lions back. It is steep and long.

I rolled my Jeep 97 Jeep TJ down an embankment (black ice incidant 1999) and after 1 3/4 rolls, I climbed out and then helped my dog out. Neither of us injured. Roll system worked AWSOME. 11 grand in damage. I kept it ugly and only fixed the essentials and upgraded it's offroad ability. Drove it for another 3 years before I sold it and its still on the road/trail today.

__________________
"If anyone knows other lessons I need to learn, please tell me. I'm tired of learning them the hard way".
by JerryBro

The Glow Plug Wait: This waiting period is a moment of silence to pay honor to Rudolph Diesel. The longer you own your diesel the more honor you will give him". by SD Blue

My normal daily life; either SNAFUed- Situation Normal... All Fouled Up, or FUBARed- Fouled Up Beyond All Repair

62 UNIMOG Camper w/617 Turbo, 85 300SD daily driver- both powered by blended UCO fuels

Liberty is IFS. when it came out that way the Jeeping Community near about shiat in their pants. It's BLASPHOMY...... lol

__________________
"If anyone knows other lessons I need to learn, please tell me. I'm tired of learning them the hard way".
by JerryBro

The Glow Plug Wait: This waiting period is a moment of silence to pay honor to Rudolph Diesel. The longer you own your diesel the more honor you will give him". by SD Blue

My normal daily life; either SNAFUed- Situation Normal... All Fouled Up, or FUBARed- Fouled Up Beyond All Repair

62 UNIMOG Camper w/617 Turbo, 85 300SD daily driver- both powered by blended UCO fuels

Probably not as much as the gap used to be. However, there would still be a few mpg difference. Then there is still the idea of having a long life tranny behind a long life engine. Even modern automatics still have more problems over their lifetimes than manuals, not to mention the added service intervals to keep them clean and happy internally.