CRD Jeeps Libery vs Grand Cherokee

anyone here own one? Or driven one? With economy tune the CRD Liberty seems pretty impressive for the size/space available 4wd etc

My buddy has a crd liberty. Driven it once, road in it a bunch of times. For a small rig it sure tows easy as long as you put sway control bars on the tow setup. I'd totally own one.

Going back to my other thread. I was kind of wanting to replace wifes matrix. She would prefer an SUV we were eyeing the CX-5 but I think a Liberty/Grand Cherokee would be slightly larger. Chipped it would be comparable and maybe even better highway than the Matrix.

The fact it could possibly have AWD and be tow capable would be pretty awesome (if I ever got a trailer for the miata etc)

Don't the CRDs have an issue with the torque converter unless the ECU has been reflashed to limit the torque?

BoxheadTim wrote: Don't the CRDs have an issue with the torque converter unless the ECU has been reflashed to limit the torque?

That is why you pull the trans and install a better converter. The factory fix is just the cheapest way out.

BoxheadTim wrote: Don't the CRDs have an issue with the torque converter unless the ECU has been reflashed to limit the torque?

I read with some earlier models this was an issue and that with the economy torque there was some warning about not towing. I also heard a bunch of them had trans stuff changed out by factory recall?

How expensive is the torque converted to upgrade?

I was looking at one a couple years ago and passed based on the numerous issues that seemed prominent on the LOSTjeeps message boards. Oil blowby is a big issue leading to failing EGRs. The torque converter/transmission issue already stated above. They're pretty rare, and parts are nonexistent so nobody around here wants to touch them. I didn't want the headache of daily driving a vehicle with more than one or two severe known problems, that I'd have to do all my own wrenching on.

The CX-5 is bigger inside than the Liberty as well - 34/65 cu ft with seats up/folded compared to Jeep's 26/62. The Mazda is actually nearly identical to the Grand Cherokee in interior volume.

I believe the aftermarket tune actually disables the EGR

Doesn't the 2007-8 GC have the mercedes 3.0 CRD as an option? Probably expensive secondhand, but certainly interesting. Any experience?

My dad has one. He bought it new and put about 150k on it in the first couple/few years. It's been pretty solid, with the exception of some crappy dealer service that kept it going back in the shop several times. The torque converter was indeed a recall item, so they should all be done now. Early ceramic glow plugs and their module should be swapped to later parts (not a recall, may be a TSB). His also needed a turbo manifold replaced under warranty.

But he loves it, and I'm pretty fond of it, too. Decent room inside (a bit cramped, but it is a small SUV), decent appointments, nothing fancy. He has a lifetime average of 26mpg, I think. It tows very well and does the Jeep offroad thing.

I'd recommend it with the only reservation being that you should definitely get one with a known good service history, ideally with a shop local to you that knows their quirks.

But I'm thinking about buying it from him when he's done with it, so I'm interested in hearing more about potential issues from you well-informed lot.

My opinion is that the grand cherokee diesel is a world apart from the liberty diesel and much preferred.

I really dont think either of them has issues big enough for me to put people off of them. I think they're just a vehicle that you need to know more about going in than the average car buyer knows going into the average purchase.

The Liberty CRD is an Italian made (VM Motori) 4 banger and yes it was real hard on transmissions. It's true that the recall killed torque to save the converter since that was the cheap way out, Chrysler had no intention of tooling up a high $ converter. I heard rumblings of aftermarket converters etc but when I moved on from Jeep there was nothing hard out there. They are pretty rare so there's not a whole lot of know how in the dealerships about them.

The Grand Cherokee diesel is a Mercedes Bluetec engine, basically. Again they are sorta rare so there's not a whole lot of knowhow at the dealership level. I drove a couple, they move out pretty good and I wouldn't mind having one except that whole megabux repair thing. Mercedes shops are in the same position GM was with Isuzu was at the end of Isuzu's production, an Ascender might be a Trailblazer but the GM dealership's testers don't recognize a 'foreign' VIN meaning they can't test the things.

I've found a few used Grand Cherokees with the CRD locally for 16-19k. I have a good independent mechanic I use for my TDI Jetta that may know the CRD motor if its a mercedes as well

But if it isn't any bigger than a CX-5 on the inside then it diminishes its value for me

Diesel Cherokee is on the short list.

Love those wheels on those. I think they are made by the guys who do v8 conversions etc?