liberty or compass?

[kccjeep86cj7]

Well my girlfriend and I are having a baby:friday: , and she wants to trade in her wrangler:1: . She went and test drove the liberty and patriot, she liked the liberty better. My question is which would be better? The patriot is less money but I'm not sure how well it's built, then I heard on this forum people having problems with u joints and ecm's or something with the liberty. So I'm not sure which way to go, she said she wants a jeep suv, only not a wrangler. Anyone have experience/suggestions? We'll probably try to sell hers private party, its a 2004 X electric lime green, 53K miles, my rubicon rims/tires, if anyone's interested.

[cherokee96]

Would you maybe consider a Cherokee or a Grand Cherokee? I heard Libby's don't have much room in the rear seat or cargo area. Maybe they've changed that in the last year or two. But when you think you have enough room for all the baby stuff you have to haul around, you're wrong. We know this from experience. LOL Congrats on the future Jeeper, and good luck!

[47driver]

Ditto!

Babies require lots of extra crap. There just isn't enough room in the back of either. I wouln't be looking at a NEW anything with a baby on the way. They are expensive and a new car payment takes away from what is needed for the new mini me. I'd also test the rear facing car seat to make sure it fits behind the front seats. I drove around with my knees in the dash for a while do the the baby seat pushing all the way forward.

Congratulations also!

[kccjeep86cj7]

Thanks and thanks for the input. She wants something else for more room, and I guess the wrangler isn't safe, for a baby. We were considering the liberty or compass because she still owes some money on the wrangler, and going with one of them the payments would be a little less. The grand cherokee or cherokee would be more. She wants to go with something under 5 years old, for reliability. She likes the grand cherokee and commander, but anything reasonably new and the payments would go up.

[47driver]

The Wrangler is just as safe as any. It's just how you drive.
Remember, the more hurried you are to get another vehicle, the more you pay. Patience pays off.

[oros35]

I too would lean toward the Grand. If it were me, I'd take a couple year older Grand over a newer liberty or compas anyday. Just a much better vehicle.

The Lib and Compas is nothing more than an all wheel drive Minivan.

[kccjeep86cj7]

I'd rather have the cherokee too, but we'll see what we can afford. I found a few grand cherokees that are 2004 2003 and reasonably priced, goin to look at them tomorrow. We don't plan on buying anything yet, just figured we'd start looking.

[AlaskaBill]

Not to hi-jack the thread, but a month ago I heard a radio add with what sounded like a screaming deal. Lifetime warranty on the drivetrain on any 2008 Jeep purchased. I only heard the add once, not being in the market for a new Jeep, I just filed that little tidbit away...Was this a national sales blitz? Or had my local Jeep dealer (finally) gone off the deep end? Bill

[renegadestang]

Neither. Get a Patriot. I would.

[rstarch345]

Neither. Get a Patriot. I would.
I gotta agree, the Patroit's the better choice.

[nonnie]

Patriot would be my choice if you have to have a JEEP. I had a ZJ when our baby came along. It was way too small to put a seat not to mention strollers bags etc. And as for the XJ ? forget it. Way too small for us. We have a Grand caravan now which is the family rig. The Dodge Magnum was a real favorite too BTW.(T-O-N-S of room and cool lookin' good fuel economy with the 3.5 liter too.

[tomsjeep]

:scratchhead:
Not sure why a Wrangler wouldn't be safe.
How many vehicles can you think of that you can flop or turn upside down and have the rollbar protection they offer?

As to the Libby... well, I went in thinking I was going to purchase a Patriot, and ended up getting a deal on the Libby - and in retrospect, I'm plenty happy. Enough room for a 3 person camping trip with cooking gear, tents and all, great commuter vehicle, and if I ever decide to play offroad with it, there are lift kits, etc. to make it more wheelable.
:bud:
Have you folks done some test drives on these? It's worth a look to compare vehicles... I rented a Libby for a week, drove it around enough to get a feel for it... and that changed my outlook on it.

[cherokee96]

I thought a Patriot and a Libby were about the same size? Patriot maybe a little bigger. :huh: Hmmm, I guess we'll have to go look at one for curiosity's sake.

[47driver]

I just warn against looking at cars based off the payments. Sure you can afford a $400 payment each month now, but babys are expensive. I'd rather pay $400 a month on a $9,000 car than $400 on a $30,000 car any day. When you drove off the lot in the $30,000 car, it is now a $25,000 car. When you drive off the lot in a used $9,000 car, it is still a $9,000 car, and you can get from underneath the loan if needed later on by selling it.

Just the $.02 of an old guy that learned from his experience.

[tomsjeep]

OK, re-reading the OP, simple answer...
she will like the Libby better.
There's an old thread in the Liberty forum on all the reasons it's a "chick Jeep"...
To follow up on 47driver's comment, the best way to get a good deal is to arrange your financing first via your bank, then go deal for the purchase price. Secondary method is to wheel and deal purchase price with the dealer and take their financing "deal" (which usually is not a good deal, but can work in your favor towards getting a good price) then go to your bank and refinance immediately. The make a couple of extra payments early in the loan life... you'll save a lot in interest that way over the life of the loan.
Since you're in Northern Mass, have you looked in NH?
Also, try Brigham-Gill in Natick... although normally a high-cost area, the dealership has been there about 50 years, so they own the property, and their overhead costs aren't as steep.
And if you're a veteran, your dd214 will get your ANOTHER $500 off the cost, over and above any other deals, as that is a rebate through Chrysler.

edit: Link to LOST w/ photos of modded KJs.
http://www.lostkjs.com/forum/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=18924
It is inaccurate to assume that Libby's can't be wheeled (or modded aside from street bling).

[muddyjeep]

well... here's the deal.

patriot = compass in terms of basic DNA. just different bodies. the only advantage the patriot has over the compass is the available freedom-drive-II trail rated package (1" higher, hooks, and 19:1 crawl trans). other than that, same engine, same transmissions, same drivelines, same seats, same dash, etc. just a little more cubic volume in the patriot.

when it comes to the libby, it would depend on if she wants an '07 or an '08. '08s are complete redesigned... but the '07s have some killer rebabates on them right now. main advantage of the '08 over the '07 is more room... and that the rear seats in the '08 recline, so any full-size people in the back seat are going to be 100x more comfrortable. i'm 5.'10 and 270 lbs and the new libby is the most comfortable back-seat i've been in (even more so than the grands). so if the wife wants to ride in the back seat with the baby, that'd be the way to go.

throw the stigma's aside. the compass, patriot and liberty's are great jeeps each in their own right.

compass would be the fun sporty choice
patriot would be the classic jeep choice
'07 liberty would be the $$$ choice for the rebates
'08 liberty would be the space choice

keep in mind anything "new" right now comes with the life-time power-train warrenty (both on '07's and '08's).

the patriot and compass are going ot run you low 20's depending on options... the liberty's run mid to high 20's (basic sport is around $24k, limited around $27k) but with the 07's you're looking at around $5k off... so you're down around $19k for a new '07 liberty.

just some food for thought.

[XJ777]

:musik026: :musik026: I..think..liberty..2008..or.GC..'04-05

[Vipers-pit]

Not to hi-jack the thread, but a month ago I heard a radio add with what sounded like a screaming deal. Lifetime warranty on the drivetrain on any 2008 Jeep purchased. I only heard the add once, not being in the market for a new Jeep, I just filed that little tidbit away...Was this a national sales blitz? Or had my local Jeep dealer (finally) gone off the deep end? Bill

No this is a national deal. I find it funny that when they dropped the 7 year warrenty they said it was "to pass the savings on to the consumer" and that the past issues had been fixed. How are they going to spin the new lifetime deal?

Also when you drive off the lot with a $40,000 truck, you have a $36000 truck. when you drive off the lot in a $7000 car you have a $3500 car. There is TONS more mark up in a used car. A salesman will walk past 3 new car buyers to get to a used car buyer. the salesman will get $150-$200 bucks selling that $40,000 truck, or any new car. but on a used car, they can pocket $1500 to $3000. I have the commision sheets to prove it. alot of new cars are actually sold at a "lose" to the dealer, at least in the eyes of the salesman.

Car sales are tough. I have seen guys make 8 grand in one day, and seen guys make min wage for 3 months straight. they are just people tring to make a living.