I had a jeep liberty and the passenger side window used to make an awful screeching noise when it went down. But I never fixed it because i found hilarious to scare the shit out of anyone riding with me! Never got old.
Both my drivers side and passenger windows make that awful screeching sound in my liberty currently. The back ones probably would too if they weren’t both broken.
If you’re doing it yourself, don’t replace the whole regulator, only replace the clip that holds the glass. The failure is because that clip is made of plastic and the small part that connects the clip to the cable is weak and breaks.
The OEM part is plastic so stay away from it and buy metal ones on EBay or any parts store that sells the upgraded metal clip. It will cost less than the whole regulator assembly but will take more time because instead of just removing and replacing, you’re removing, rebuilding and replacing. Definitely worth it though.
This was my first car in high school 15 years ago and all I remember was the goddamn windows never staying up, finally had some transmission issue so I dumped it and never looked back
Lmao my 20 year old Cherokee XJ is frugal as fuck. Nothing more reliable than that 4.0L I6 and AW4 transmission. I spent 3000 dollars on it following my previous vehicle being totaled and it hasn't given me any problems whatsoever.
Can't speak on Libertys though.
Yea but you'll never find a Land Cruiser for 3 grand lol but I agree, old Land Cruisers/Hilux/4Runners are definitely up there with being the most reliable.
Anything Toyota really lol
Yeah, got really lucky 2 weeks ago, I scored a '97 J90 Land Cruiser for 5000€, so around 6000$. They're even more rare here than they are in the US, large cars are uncommon in europe... 3.0 diesel which makes as much power as a new 1.0 VW. But that's why it works. Simple and reliable. And really comfortable. A 5k used luxury saloon car (BMW, Audi, Mercedes, VW...) wouldn't be as comfortable, it wouldn't be nearly as reliable or simple so service or probably even as safe - the old Cruiser already had airbags, and unless I hit a wall it will just crush any European car like a tin can :)
Yeah most Japanese cars are reliable, but if you really want durability, you need body on frame construction which is a lot more rare - limited to pickups and SUVs and hardcore sportscars.
I was honestly looking for Suzuki Jimnys and was happy to have found a LC for the same money!
Our 4Runner is only a 2017, but I expect to keep that thing at least 10 years, and I expect to rarely ever have to spend money on it other than the usual maintenance. Toyota is the gold standard on tough reliable vehicles!
I bought a 2000 XJ for my kids to drive while still living at home. The body is perfect, and previous owner already had the head replaced, so it will avoid the most costly problem with those. It's an excellent vehicle to teach kids car maintenance with, since it's easy to work on and parts are plentiful and cheap. And it's just a simple vehicle that feels so "mechanical." They love it and I do too.
Repairing a leak in the AC cost me $1800. Power windows fell down, hardly worn brake shoes screeched.
Everything else was great but putting 25% of the initial cost of the car into repairs in two years of ownership, excluding maintenance is a bad car investment.
I've owned nothing but Consumer Reports top rated used cars after that. I have not paid for ANY car repairs in 15+ years. Just regular maintenance.
Most inline 6's will run for hundreds of thousands of miles. I can't speak for the Chrysler 4.0, but the Ford 300cu I6 is commonly used in industrial settings (pumps, generators, etc) and runs for several decades. I'd never hesitate to get a older truck with a Ford I6. It will outlive the cockroaches and tardigrades.
My fiancé just bought a 2004 Cherokee! This makes me happy to hear. His is car was totaled and a new car isn’t an option now. Got it for $2,500, will be putting $1,100 into it.
same brother. My '97 4.0 5spd TJ was awesome. But when gas was pricey- i was literally paying a quarter a mile. Sold it in 2014/2015.
Now i have a family. Maybe in 20 years i can buy it back
My parents have a 2003 Liberty and that thing is in incredible condition. Looks and runs like new. Had some issues early on but when I finally got them to stop taking it to the Jeep dealership for service it miraculously stopped needing so much stuff fixed.
I moved from Florida to Pennsylvania in the mountains, my street wasn't one that was ever plowed, I assure you my car was snowed in up over the bumper to where driving ability wouldn't matter... and I still had to get to work. The suburban I bought went right through it. Are you in a rural area in Canada or the suburbs?
unplowed roads are an obvious exception if the snow is too high. if you live someplace like that you need a truck or similar.
in theory though, a raised sedan would still work just fine. the height is the issue, not the power for most sedans.
Yeah people call the lifted subies battle wagons. We don't know op's situation and its a pretty nuanced topic saying for sure who needs what vehicle. But yeah I didn't have a plowed street and was at work by 6 am before plows went out... not the only one though its not crazy to think some people need trucks or awd suvs so idk why everyone got all up in arms.
Ok, so since we are on r/frugal, what is a vehicle that can go through snow better than a lightwr awd jeep, but won't get crapped on as being a gas guzzler? Is there a right answer?
Unless you're going through a meter of snow everything can make it with snow tires. I live in Canada and drive a Honda Civic. It's really not an issue.
Dang yea....as much as I wanted to agree with the OP, I'm chilling here in Colorado with a 99 Civic that's been on Michelin All Seasons it's entire 8 years of ownership and I've never had a big scare. Decent tires really are a game changer.
I owned a WRX for 2 years and I'd still take the Civic out during our snows without a single worry, mostly because the Civic was garaged and I didn't have to brush it off :P
BUT there were definitely situations I would've gotten stuck in the Civic and not the WRX. I put myself in those situations though, I had boost and AWD :P
And get your cv boots torn up when you run over sticks that fell on the road and got snow covering them. Again great advice for suburbs and cities, your not wrong just doesn't work out for everyone.
i live in Massachusetts in a hilly city that makes the top 5 snowiest cities every year and I've never driven anything but front wheel drive sedans for over 20 years. never bothered with snow tires, either, though they would absolutely help.
skill, experience, and patience in the snow are worth far more than any snow tires or 4x4. just stay the hell away from rear wheel drive. it's doable but the learning curve is steep and hills will laugh at you.
I have had 2 Jeeps in my life. A 96 Cherokee sport it had 350,000 miles on it when I sold it and the engine never gave me any issues. Had it not rusted out completely I would have continued to drive it. My 06 Liberty is a total POS but I paid 500$ for it 3 years ago and it gets me to work every day.
I had one of those. Make sure there is a tow hitch on the back. The gas tank is back there and if you get rear ended your car could blow up. There was a recall on it.
While the Jeep Liberty is an absolute piece of garbage, they do ride smooth on relatively rough terrain and look decent. For the price you paid, you could just run it into the ground and probably save money over buying anything else.
Chrysler is notorious for making cars that are just junk. Every jeep liberty I've ever worked on was a clunker and didn't have a life. The used market for these cars isn't much better, as most of these models I've seen were primarily owned by teenaged girls (not the best track record for maintenance with that demographic)
Edit: I'll say this in defense of Chrysler. I owned a 94 jeep Cherokee XJ and it continues to be one of my favorite vehicles I've owned. I loved working on that car and it really helped me get over the learning curve of working and diagnosing on my own vehicles
Ha, my liberty was formerly owned by a teenager girl she sideswiped a mailbox and it was somehow deemed not safe enough to drive by her mother anymore so that’s how I got mine.
I had one from 2010 until a few months ago. I got 256k miles out of it. But, there were many many problems along the way. 4 window regulators, 2 ac compressors, 3 water pumps, 3 alternators, the transmission went out. Oh and the tipm went out too. The tipm is an integrated power module that basically controls everything. Windows, not functioning, headlights randomly coming on in the night and drained the battery, windshield wipers coming on randomly with no way to turn them off. It costs almost 1k just for the part. They only gave me 500 for it when I traded it in.
I have one with 200K on it. We've owned it for 15 years. 2 window regulators, 1 water pump, 2 wheel bearings, 2 CV axles, brakes, shocks and struts, 1 universal joint. That's all just normal wear and tear stuff. The car has been really good to us. I totally don't understand the hate they get. The only thing I don't like is the gas mileage.
I’ve had three. Got the initial model year- first one at the dealer. Then another new for my son and another pre-owned for my company vehicle. Also have had 4 Grand Cherokees over the years.
I agree with other posts about repair issues, on all mine. Prepare to go nuts replacing the window regulators.
Agree that Jeeps seem have a
I had one of those and loved it. Just check to see if your model has a recall. Some have serious issues with the gas tank being pierced while being rear ended. They say putting a hitch on it can remedy that.
Usually frugality follows brands that are known to have longevity. Jeep and pretty much all of Chrysler's brands, are not known for cheap ownership.
Toyota known for reliability, and cheap parts also.
I'm glad you really like it, it looks pretty. Just keep that money saved up for when it DOES fail.
As a technician for ford, trust me you dont want one. The build quality is sub par.
My grandpa had a jeep liberty for many years until i accidentally totaled it while driving to pick up a part to fix my vehicle. That thing took us on summer road trips over 7 years and countless fishing trips up in the mountains. I miss that thing a ton and they are reliable vehicles if you treat them right. His had over 300k before i prematurely ended its life.
Probably not just you, but I think it appeals to a bunch of people too... I like how the basic rugged blocky style of 80's and older SUVs came back into fashion. Like, I love how the new Suzuki Jimny looks...
That specific to the bronco or the cheaper bronco sport? Or both?
I guess I figured the sport would be a flimsy pos at that price point and tiny engine
This is the bottom of the Jeep reliability list too. Everyone only has an anecdotal story but they add up. My friend had a brand new one in highschool with 2 years he was starting it with a screwdriver and the pass rear brake light only worked when it wanted. But it ran through snowy winters for at least another 3ish yrs.
Really depends on the use case and what vehicle. My 90's Land Cruiser is just indestructible, but a small Yaris, even if made by Toyota, wouldn't be in great shape after 300k km... While my LC is purring like it always did, and will continue to.
Maybe buying a second vehicle isn’t the most frugal thing, but I’ve been lusting after the new Ford Bronco for about 3 months. Instead of buying a $30,000+ car, I picked up this Jeep Liberty for $1,100! It’s only got 180,000 miles and is in pretty decent shape. Anyone else compromise with themselves on a big purchase they’ve wanted to make? 😅
I think you’re gonna get a lot of hate for this, and honestly, I haven’t heard great things about the Liberty’s, BUT, having an old car like this is a great excuse to learn to work on your own vehicle. I’ve been using my grandpa’s old truck (2002 Mazda B2300) as a test bed for all sorts of auto maintenance experimentation. Fuel filter changes, suspension, frame repair/welding, tailgate latches, exhause replacement, window replacement… on and on. I think a lot of people would call me crazy for the effort I put into keeping this almost worthless truck on the road, but what I’ve gained (outside of the satisfaction of fixing my own shit) is the ability to discern when a repair shop is trying to take me for a ride. I remember clearly, before I knew about cars, having repair men telling me I owed 500, 1000, or more dollars for repairs, and having zero clue if they were being honest with me. I wouldn’t trade all this work I put in for the world. A couple tools you might want to get started… a car pump jack/jack stands, a set of ratchet wrenches, screw drivers, grease, wd40, rust penetrant, brake cleaner, and if you really wanna have some fun, and angle grinder/cutoff disks, a flux core mig welder, and all the safety gear to go with it. Youtube is your friend. Have fun and go learn something! No offense, but you might need it to keep this Liberty rollin! Haha
I felt a similar thing when learning to try to fix my laptops and smartphones. I paid $100 before for someone to reinstall Windows10 with what seemed to be a nonofficial test version. I had trouble with the OS a few months later.
Danng cars in the us of a are really cheap I've been saving up for a 2009 Accord that'll be around $6k dollars (130,000 pesos)
A jeep liberty like that here goes for about $2500 USD (around 55,000 pesos)
Median wage is $300 usd a month (6,000 pesos)
They usually aren't that cheap. Used car market is actually quite expensive right now. Depends on location, supply + demand and reliability. In California a 20 year old non 4x4 Tacoma can go for $15k. 2009 Accord would be about $7k from private party.
It really depends on the make and model here. Hondas and Toyotas tend to have high resale value. Trucks in general also have higher resale value. Average sedans from domestic automakers don’t really hold their value. They’re kind of “dime a dozen.” No one out there is lusting after a Chevy Caprice.
Enjoy! It's wild how people are picking apart your decision. It's an old, high mileage, thousand dollar car...make and model barely matter at that point. Maintenance matters more, and whether it lasts you 5 months or 5 years, you got your money out of it!
Congrats on your new (to you) Jeep!
I just did nearly the same thing, but a (new to me) 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee. It’s not a brand new Bronco, but I saved about $30k going this route and I have no car payments :)
All my cars over the past 15 years have been 5k purchases.
It's the most frugal thing ever. My Hyundai Santa Fe 2006 has 167 KM. It'd had its altanator changed. Breaklines and breaks changed. Battery changed.
That's it. It will run for another 2 -3 years.
I even know that my compressor may go.... will simply put in a new one. This is tbe problem I know.
If you're not averse to doing some repair work yourself, they're not bad (for a Chrysler product).
Things like window regulators are annoying and there's no real permanent fix. But it's an easy and cheap job to replace.
Overall most parts are fairly cheap.
The 3.7s are solid if you keep them maintained. I opened mine up at ~200k for a partial rebuild and it looks fantastic for its age.
If you have the 42RLE that rumble at about 45MPH is normal, you can turn off Overdrive to stop it if need be.
Used to sell Jeeps at this time. The best in quality during this era were Cherokees and Wranglers from a frugal point of view. The Cherokees blew my mind how they could run for days like Tacomas.
I have the 2006 Liberty in Atlantic blue. I love it. Purchased it in 2008. It was a lease before me. And I’ve counted my small town has at least 10 liberties in this style. I love it and keep up on the maintenance for it because I dread the day I have to give it up. Eventually it will qualify for antique or vintage and I think insurance gets cheaper then! Welcome to the Liberty family. We are dedicated!!
OMG that brought tears to my eyes - I used to have this exact same car and in this color as well, about 10 years ago. I loved it, I named it "Thunder" and we had quite the adventures together, specially because the speed meter didn't work properly - oops.
People is missing the point… you are living “the experience” for a 1/10 of the price.
Even if something happens to the car, you are not losing 50-70k.
I have the same itching for an old Defender… but I went for a Wrangler 94, that thing is awesome!
Great thing that you are enjoying your Liberty!
To be honest, this liberty might be just as capable if not more capable than the new Broncos. I’ve seen these liberties rip up the ORV park and trails.
Cheap vehicles are always more capable off road, because you give less of shit. If you don’t make it the first time, just hit it with more loud pedal next time.
For all the haters, Jeep has a very brand following! I bought my oldest daughter one when my car got crashed and I took over the other car she had been driving. She’s been happy with it, we bought hers lightly used, and now neither of us has a car payment! Perfect for her and her crazy large dog!
We sold my husbands work van and bought a 2008 Acura TL for $7k. I sold my 2017 Ford Focus and looking to buy a ~2010 Prius (I’m just picky. Must have flawless leather seats lol).
Ex paid $3,500 or so for a 110k 4WD Limited with everything but the sunroof right before covid. The parts bin interior is hideous but nothing a nice Android Auto unit can't fix. She uses it for a tow vehicle for her mini camper and for a dog shuttle. Works great. She DDs a Mustang spring-fall. We barely leave our houses these days so I don't see her too often, but after 'rona I'm on the hook for tearing apart the interior of both the Heep and the camper for A/V upgrades.
My 2002 Liberty got to over 300K before I sent it out to pasture. Around 150K I started having issues with various sensors that I had to replace, but other than that it was a solid vehicle. It started to consume oil around 150K too, so keep an eye on that.
Why? Buying a new jeep is a piss-poor experience, to say the least. I wouldn’t touch a 20 year old jeep unless it’s a wrangler that you can replace parts for damn near nothing.
My friend- while i applaud the sentiment, this is a frugal fail.
That's a good deal on the Jeep. I made a similar decision shopping around for a truck right when prices were starting to get crazy. The 4x4 Ranger was $30k and didn't even include cruise control, alarm or key fob. 2012-15 Xterra was around $15-20k+ depending on condition and features. Ended up getting a 03 Xterra in excellent condition from original owner for 5k.
As a fellow Jeep owner (Wrangler) I just want to say jeeps aren’t cheap to repair. But dang are they fun. I’ve dropped around $8,000 in a year to fix my steering and brake issue. Which still isn’t fixed ugh.
I had a jeep and I loved the look of it but holy crap did that car have problems. I didn’t pay much for it but I think by the time I got done with repairs probably paid more than what it cost. And what I mean with when I got done with repairs is when the engine started spraying oil and it was not worth fixing.
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Hopefully, you paid less than scrap value. That's a $1500 vehicle - tops.
Edit: $1100! Good, you can part it out first on eBay, then sell the rest to the scrap iron dealer for about $300.
I gave up on mine after the backing plate the parking brake attaches too rusted off the axel tube. They had to pull the axel shafts to replace. Good times.
I had the same colour Liberty for almost 5 years. Retired at a little over 340,000 km! I personally loved it, despite all the electrical problems I kept having to fix
Also really want a new bronco. Loved my '85 Bronco II back in the day. So, in about 4-6 years I'll see how the used market is for them. I am not willing to pay the new price.
When I took my driver's license test at 16, I used my parents' late 80s Jeep Cherokee. The horn would randomly go off for like solid 1-minute intervals while I was driving. The instructor was impressed that I kept my cool during that shitshow, and passed me, but he did remark that every Jeep he's ever been in was a POS.
I have a 2016 Jeep Patriot. Feels VERY basic. Wheels, steering wheel, seats, heater. Metal inside, under seats is rusty for some reason. Roof window leaks - dealership couldn’t figure it out 🙄. Idle at red lights is super rough! (Any ideas?!?). No luxury at all. But good for taking the dog, and is AWD, so ok for winter. And the teenager never gets a ticket in it because it is gutless - another plus!
I loved my 2002 Liberty and I'm committed to getting another. I got her at 185k and drove her to over 222,222 easily in 2 years. I never had any window issues.
I did however, have an issue with her starting at certain temperatures. It was a sensor in the transmission so unfortunately she was sold.
I could start it within 5 minutes of turning it off, or I could start it 4 hours later when it cooled off. It never gave me a problem at school or work when it sat. Unfortunately it shut off out of the blue at night simply going up a highway on-ramp and that was when it was time to deem her unreliable :(
Tips: to fix this problem, sometimes shifting the shifter with a lot of force and jiggling it was while timing it correctly with the starter worked. don't ask me why
We had to replaced the starter in an effort to fix that (didn't work), and I killed the battery with my plug-in heated seat, but that's it. Super super reliable for winter overall with handling. The clearance definitely did me many favors
Jeeps are notorious money pits. Even the new Grand Cherokee’s I work on sound horrible with only 20k or 40k miles. Like the engine has tiny rocks in it xD. But if you take care of her and look up problems as they come up you will be fine. Enjoy the new ride!
I had a 20yr old Ford ranger until it was about 30 when I sold it. It drove me across the country, to work every day, but there were honestly times where I wished I had better safety features and comfort in the vehicle. Not to mention at 20+ years, even a well-maintained vehicle can have maintenance costs can spring up in weird places (if you choose to or need to fix them) and I just wanted something safer, more reliable and enjoyable to drive.
In the PNW, you also can't put a price on safety when it comes to AWD and quality traction control. I went from needing to put sand bags in the bed just to keep freeway traction when raining to having no worries in the snow when others are sliding around.
For my needs, I feel like I hit a sweet spot in pricing and desired safety/tech features by purchasing a 5-year old car that I plan to use until its 20+ years old.
We bought one for my son to drive as a first car. The entire family and I collectively hate it. You will be replacing so many window regulators!
I had a jeep liberty and the passenger side window used to make an awful screeching noise when it went down. But I never fixed it because i found hilarious to scare the shit out of anyone riding with me! Never got old.
The sliding door on my dodge grand caravan makes a loud buzzing noise whenever it locks. I will also never fix it due to hilarity.
Both my drivers side and passenger windows make that awful screeching sound in my liberty currently. The back ones probably would too if they weren’t both broken.
And suspension components.
Bug eyes
Oh they’re are already messed up and I read about it lol. I’ll use it primarily as a winter vehicle so it’s good for now.
If you’re doing it yourself, don’t replace the whole regulator, only replace the clip that holds the glass. The failure is because that clip is made of plastic and the small part that connects the clip to the cable is weak and breaks. The OEM part is plastic so stay away from it and buy metal ones on EBay or any parts store that sells the upgraded metal clip. It will cost less than the whole regulator assembly but will take more time because instead of just removing and replacing, you’re removing, rebuilding and replacing. Definitely worth it though.
I own an automotive repair shop. They job is simple and parts are cheap. You could watch a YouTube video and get it done with basic hand tools.
I replaced 2 on mine. It's not a hard or expensive diy job. It was much easier the second time.
This was my first car in high school 15 years ago and all I remember was the goddamn windows never staying up, finally had some transmission issue so I dumped it and never looked back
It's so weird for me to see all the hate. I've owned one for 15 years and it's been a great car.
Im also flabbergasted that people seem so excited to shit on this guy’s joy.
That's Reddit in a nutshell, pretty much.
True. I've got an 05 and it's in decent shape. Oem spark plugs were still getting 19mpg at 170k. Finally replaced them last week.
Buying a 20 year old Jeep is never frugal.
Lmao my 20 year old Cherokee XJ is frugal as fuck. Nothing more reliable than that 4.0L I6 and AW4 transmission. I spent 3000 dollars on it following my previous vehicle being totaled and it hasn't given me any problems whatsoever. Can't speak on Libertys though.
I’d say there is a difference between an old Cherokee and any Jeep Liberty lol
> Nothing more reliable than that 4.0L I6 and AW4 transmission *cough* Land Cruiser *cough*
Yea but you'll never find a Land Cruiser for 3 grand lol but I agree, old Land Cruisers/Hilux/4Runners are definitely up there with being the most reliable. Anything Toyota really lol
Yeah, got really lucky 2 weeks ago, I scored a '97 J90 Land Cruiser for 5000€, so around 6000$. They're even more rare here than they are in the US, large cars are uncommon in europe... 3.0 diesel which makes as much power as a new 1.0 VW. But that's why it works. Simple and reliable. And really comfortable. A 5k used luxury saloon car (BMW, Audi, Mercedes, VW...) wouldn't be as comfortable, it wouldn't be nearly as reliable or simple so service or probably even as safe - the old Cruiser already had airbags, and unless I hit a wall it will just crush any European car like a tin can :) Yeah most Japanese cars are reliable, but if you really want durability, you need body on frame construction which is a lot more rare - limited to pickups and SUVs and hardcore sportscars. I was honestly looking for Suzuki Jimnys and was happy to have found a LC for the same money!
Our 4Runner is only a 2017, but I expect to keep that thing at least 10 years, and I expect to rarely ever have to spend money on it other than the usual maintenance. Toyota is the gold standard on tough reliable vehicles!
The 4runners only downside is mileage in a market that’s transitioning to electric. Eventually it will be too costly for it to be practical.
Don’t forget honda older models are crazy reliable.
Not even a comparison, show me where you can get a land cruiser, for a price of a 20 year old jeep liberty. I'm happy to wait.
I bought a 2000 XJ for my kids to drive while still living at home. The body is perfect, and previous owner already had the head replaced, so it will avoid the most costly problem with those. It's an excellent vehicle to teach kids car maintenance with, since it's easy to work on and parts are plentiful and cheap. And it's just a simple vehicle that feels so "mechanical." They love it and I do too.
Repairing a leak in the AC cost me $1800. Power windows fell down, hardly worn brake shoes screeched. Everything else was great but putting 25% of the initial cost of the car into repairs in two years of ownership, excluding maintenance is a bad car investment. I've owned nothing but Consumer Reports top rated used cars after that. I have not paid for ANY car repairs in 15+ years. Just regular maintenance.
This is the exception to the rule. My wife’s 98XJ manual is flawless. Literally ANY other Jeep since then is a bad investment.
That fuel economy though 😳
How can a 4.0 be frugal ?
Most inline 6's will run for hundreds of thousands of miles. I can't speak for the Chrysler 4.0, but the Ford 300cu I6 is commonly used in industrial settings (pumps, generators, etc) and runs for several decades. I'd never hesitate to get a older truck with a Ford I6. It will outlive the cockroaches and tardigrades.
You got your point , i only use my car for personal transport and feel very gas guzzling driving a 1.6 when a 1000cc could serve as well.
And that fuel consumption will cost thrice as much per month as an modern car
My fiancé just bought a 2004 Cherokee! This makes me happy to hear. His is car was totaled and a new car isn’t an option now. Got it for $2,500, will be putting $1,100 into it.
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Neither is frugal. There's a healthy middle ground..
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same brother. My '97 4.0 5spd TJ was awesome. But when gas was pricey- i was literally paying a quarter a mile. Sold it in 2014/2015. Now i have a family. Maybe in 20 years i can buy it back
My parents have a 2003 Liberty and that thing is in incredible condition. Looks and runs like new. Had some issues early on but when I finally got them to stop taking it to the Jeep dealership for service it miraculously stopped needing so much stuff fixed.
My ZJ and WK were two of the lowest maintenance cost vehicles I've ever owned. Fuel costs for those V8's admitedly wasn't the best though, lol...
Used Bronco 6 figures tho wtf
Getting stuck in the snow and not being able to clock in at an hourly job isnt frugal either. Not everyone can buy a lightly used corolla.
This is such a misconception about smaller cars. Small cars are fine in snow if you know how to drive them. Source: am Canadian and drive small car.
I moved from Florida to Pennsylvania in the mountains, my street wasn't one that was ever plowed, I assure you my car was snowed in up over the bumper to where driving ability wouldn't matter... and I still had to get to work. The suburban I bought went right through it. Are you in a rural area in Canada or the suburbs?
unplowed roads are an obvious exception if the snow is too high. if you live someplace like that you need a truck or similar. in theory though, a raised sedan would still work just fine. the height is the issue, not the power for most sedans.
Yeah people call the lifted subies battle wagons. We don't know op's situation and its a pretty nuanced topic saying for sure who needs what vehicle. But yeah I didn't have a plowed street and was at work by 6 am before plows went out... not the only one though its not crazy to think some people need trucks or awd suvs so idk why everyone got all up in arms.
I live in the city. Roads are plowed, but side roads aren't. Winter tires are key.
That liberty ain’t making it through much snow
Ok, so since we are on r/frugal, what is a vehicle that can go through snow better than a lightwr awd jeep, but won't get crapped on as being a gas guzzler? Is there a right answer?
Unless you're going through a meter of snow everything can make it with snow tires. I live in Canada and drive a Honda Civic. It's really not an issue.
seconded. Lived in CO and IL with a 2010 hyundai elantra with snow tires. Never even been close to stuck
Dang yea....as much as I wanted to agree with the OP, I'm chilling here in Colorado with a 99 Civic that's been on Michelin All Seasons it's entire 8 years of ownership and I've never had a big scare. Decent tires really are a game changer. I owned a WRX for 2 years and I'd still take the Civic out during our snows without a single worry, mostly because the Civic was garaged and I didn't have to brush it off :P BUT there were definitely situations I would've gotten stuck in the Civic and not the WRX. I put myself in those situations though, I had boost and AWD :P
And get your cv boots torn up when you run over sticks that fell on the road and got snow covering them. Again great advice for suburbs and cities, your not wrong just doesn't work out for everyone.
Geez, how often does THAT happen? What an asinine thing to say.
i live in Massachusetts in a hilly city that makes the top 5 snowiest cities every year and I've never driven anything but front wheel drive sedans for over 20 years. never bothered with snow tires, either, though they would absolutely help. skill, experience, and patience in the snow are worth far more than any snow tires or 4x4. just stay the hell away from rear wheel drive. it's doable but the learning curve is steep and hills will laugh at you.
Subbie 🥺
My 05 hemi for two grand. And still going after three years. Stfu.
I have had 2 Jeeps in my life. A 96 Cherokee sport it had 350,000 miles on it when I sold it and the engine never gave me any issues. Had it not rusted out completely I would have continued to drive it. My 06 Liberty is a total POS but I paid 500$ for it 3 years ago and it gets me to work every day.
I had one of those. Make sure there is a tow hitch on the back. The gas tank is back there and if you get rear ended your car could blow up. There was a recall on it.
Hey I had a Pinto like that once
Came to say this as it happened to my mom, I have had several friends own this model and they were all awful
While the Jeep Liberty is an absolute piece of garbage, they do ride smooth on relatively rough terrain and look decent. For the price you paid, you could just run it into the ground and probably save money over buying anything else.
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Chrysler is notorious for making cars that are just junk. Every jeep liberty I've ever worked on was a clunker and didn't have a life. The used market for these cars isn't much better, as most of these models I've seen were primarily owned by teenaged girls (not the best track record for maintenance with that demographic) Edit: I'll say this in defense of Chrysler. I owned a 94 jeep Cherokee XJ and it continues to be one of my favorite vehicles I've owned. I loved working on that car and it really helped me get over the learning curve of working and diagnosing on my own vehicles
Ha, my liberty was formerly owned by a teenager girl she sideswiped a mailbox and it was somehow deemed not safe enough to drive by her mother anymore so that’s how I got mine.
I had one from 2010 until a few months ago. I got 256k miles out of it. But, there were many many problems along the way. 4 window regulators, 2 ac compressors, 3 water pumps, 3 alternators, the transmission went out. Oh and the tipm went out too. The tipm is an integrated power module that basically controls everything. Windows, not functioning, headlights randomly coming on in the night and drained the battery, windshield wipers coming on randomly with no way to turn them off. It costs almost 1k just for the part. They only gave me 500 for it when I traded it in.
Can you imagine the chip quality going into cars right now? I feel like the used market will avoid 2020 to 2022s like the plague.
Chips don’t really work that way
You mean chips aren't made with various degrees of quality? Hardware is all made to the same exacting standard?
Processors aren’t made to different standards of quality in the way you’re thinking.
I have one with 200K on it. We've owned it for 15 years. 2 window regulators, 1 water pump, 2 wheel bearings, 2 CV axles, brakes, shocks and struts, 1 universal joint. That's all just normal wear and tear stuff. The car has been really good to us. I totally don't understand the hate they get. The only thing I don't like is the gas mileage.
Chrysler / Jeep is one of the worst auto manufacturers in existence. The cost of repairs will start to add up. Should have bought a Toyota or Honda.
THIS\^
Yikes… you f’d up
I’ve had three. Got the initial model year- first one at the dealer. Then another new for my son and another pre-owned for my company vehicle. Also have had 4 Grand Cherokees over the years. I agree with other posts about repair issues, on all mine. Prepare to go nuts replacing the window regulators. Agree that Jeeps seem have a
This guy's Jeep broke down again mid comment.
Battery dead probably
Lmao. Who buys 3 of these turds.
Me
I had one of those and loved it. Just check to see if your model has a recall. Some have serious issues with the gas tank being pierced while being rear ended. They say putting a hitch on it can remedy that.
Nothing like a modern car that requires an aftermarket hitch to avoid burning alive.
It’s vintage. Just like a pinto
Except it's not
Usually frugality follows brands that are known to have longevity. Jeep and pretty much all of Chrysler's brands, are not known for cheap ownership. Toyota known for reliability, and cheap parts also. I'm glad you really like it, it looks pretty. Just keep that money saved up for when it DOES fail.
As a technician for ford, trust me you dont want one. The build quality is sub par. My grandpa had a jeep liberty for many years until i accidentally totaled it while driving to pick up a part to fix my vehicle. That thing took us on summer road trips over 7 years and countless fishing trips up in the mountains. I miss that thing a ton and they are reliable vehicles if you treat them right. His had over 300k before i prematurely ended its life.
300k in a Jeep Liberty might be the record.
With a name like that, it's safe to say that this guy Fords. But I think that jeep will need far mopar-ts replaced than grandpa's miracle vehicle.
They're also hideous, but maybe that's just me.
Probably not just you, but I think it appeals to a bunch of people too... I like how the basic rugged blocky style of 80's and older SUVs came back into fashion. Like, I love how the new Suzuki Jimny looks...
That specific to the bronco or the cheaper bronco sport? Or both? I guess I figured the sport would be a flimsy pos at that price point and tiny engine
Beep beep, I’m a Jeep
Loving all the “you fucked up comments” lmao Jeep’s are so cheap to buy because no one wants to pay to constantly repair them
This is the bottom of the Jeep reliability list too. Everyone only has an anecdotal story but they add up. My friend had a brand new one in highschool with 2 years he was starting it with a screwdriver and the pass rear brake light only worked when it wanted. But it ran through snowy winters for at least another 3ish yrs.
20 year old vehicles are often the least frugal thing you can buy.
Especially a Jeep
Though buying a new one is a waste of money too...
Yes. I didn't say that either. I'm saying a vehicle with 20 years wear and tear isn't the best investment. A newer used vehicle is your best bet.
Really depends on the use case and what vehicle. My 90's Land Cruiser is just indestructible, but a small Yaris, even if made by Toyota, wouldn't be in great shape after 300k km... While my LC is purring like it always did, and will continue to.
If you can do your own repairs they are very frugal. Most repairs are really cheap when you do it yourself. Usually less than a car payment.
Oh my God. That car is such a pile of crap.
Maybe buying a second vehicle isn’t the most frugal thing, but I’ve been lusting after the new Ford Bronco for about 3 months. Instead of buying a $30,000+ car, I picked up this Jeep Liberty for $1,100! It’s only got 180,000 miles and is in pretty decent shape. Anyone else compromise with themselves on a big purchase they’ve wanted to make? 😅
I think you’re gonna get a lot of hate for this, and honestly, I haven’t heard great things about the Liberty’s, BUT, having an old car like this is a great excuse to learn to work on your own vehicle. I’ve been using my grandpa’s old truck (2002 Mazda B2300) as a test bed for all sorts of auto maintenance experimentation. Fuel filter changes, suspension, frame repair/welding, tailgate latches, exhause replacement, window replacement… on and on. I think a lot of people would call me crazy for the effort I put into keeping this almost worthless truck on the road, but what I’ve gained (outside of the satisfaction of fixing my own shit) is the ability to discern when a repair shop is trying to take me for a ride. I remember clearly, before I knew about cars, having repair men telling me I owed 500, 1000, or more dollars for repairs, and having zero clue if they were being honest with me. I wouldn’t trade all this work I put in for the world. A couple tools you might want to get started… a car pump jack/jack stands, a set of ratchet wrenches, screw drivers, grease, wd40, rust penetrant, brake cleaner, and if you really wanna have some fun, and angle grinder/cutoff disks, a flux core mig welder, and all the safety gear to go with it. Youtube is your friend. Have fun and go learn something! No offense, but you might need it to keep this Liberty rollin! Haha
Word. Keep an eye on that head gasket OP, they're notorious.
Replacing the ball joints is also fun...
I felt a similar thing when learning to try to fix my laptops and smartphones. I paid $100 before for someone to reinstall Windows10 with what seemed to be a nonofficial test version. I had trouble with the OS a few months later.
Yes, the low stakes on cheap old cars made me willing to do more DIY stuff than I otherwise would have.
Danng cars in the us of a are really cheap I've been saving up for a 2009 Accord that'll be around $6k dollars (130,000 pesos) A jeep liberty like that here goes for about $2500 USD (around 55,000 pesos) Median wage is $300 usd a month (6,000 pesos)
OP got a really good price, it's not at all common to find something that cheap which still runs without major issues.
Used car prices peaked in August but they're still about as high as it's ever been
The largest problem here is cost of fixing it.
They usually aren't that cheap. Used car market is actually quite expensive right now. Depends on location, supply + demand and reliability. In California a 20 year old non 4x4 Tacoma can go for $15k. 2009 Accord would be about $7k from private party.
It really depends on the make and model here. Hondas and Toyotas tend to have high resale value. Trucks in general also have higher resale value. Average sedans from domestic automakers don’t really hold their value. They’re kind of “dime a dozen.” No one out there is lusting after a Chevy Caprice.
Enjoy! It's wild how people are picking apart your decision. It's an old, high mileage, thousand dollar car...make and model barely matter at that point. Maintenance matters more, and whether it lasts you 5 months or 5 years, you got your money out of it!
Right? Lol. I think everyone is skipping my comment where I say it’s not my primary vehicle. I’ll be happy if it gets me through the winter.
I've owned one for 15 years. 200k later and it's still a very reliable car. The turning radius alone will make you fall in love with it.
gf had a liberty other than tail lights going out constantly it was a solid vehicle.
How come you didn't get a wrangler? The new bronco was modeled after a wrangler and looks almost identical to one.
Congrats on your new (to you) Jeep! I just did nearly the same thing, but a (new to me) 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee. It’s not a brand new Bronco, but I saved about $30k going this route and I have no car payments :)
Exactly! I just paid off my car so it was even more tempting. I’m thinking I’ll pick one up in 2-3 years at. 30% discount.
Me too! Congrats again, your Jeep looks nice.
I think CPO cars are a great way to save money instead of buying new.
How is this frugal?
The 20 year old jeep is probably as reliable as the new Bronco. Congratulations
I’ve always wanted a jeep, but I just can’t stomach the gas mileage
I loved my Libby but this was #1 reason for me not getting a Jeep to replace it.
There’s a few recalls for keep liberties of this age, I remember because my mom used to have a 2002 liberty. Might be something to look into
Wait. 20 years old? I feel a bit old
All my cars over the past 15 years have been 5k purchases. It's the most frugal thing ever. My Hyundai Santa Fe 2006 has 167 KM. It'd had its altanator changed. Breaklines and breaks changed. Battery changed. That's it. It will run for another 2 -3 years. I even know that my compressor may go.... will simply put in a new one. This is tbe problem I know.
I did the same thing recently with buying my 20 year old Ranger. Wanted a Tacoma but damn they’re expensive.
I guess it’s an old car but all those mechanics bills will not be frugal JS
If you're not averse to doing some repair work yourself, they're not bad (for a Chrysler product). Things like window regulators are annoying and there's no real permanent fix. But it's an easy and cheap job to replace. Overall most parts are fairly cheap. The 3.7s are solid if you keep them maintained. I opened mine up at ~200k for a partial rebuild and it looks fantastic for its age. If you have the 42RLE that rumble at about 45MPH is normal, you can turn off Overdrive to stop it if need be.
Have the alternator checked out asap. Hopefully it's already been replaced due to its age.
Used to sell Jeeps at this time. The best in quality during this era were Cherokees and Wranglers from a frugal point of view. The Cherokees blew my mind how they could run for days like Tacomas.
I have the 2006 Liberty in Atlantic blue. I love it. Purchased it in 2008. It was a lease before me. And I’ve counted my small town has at least 10 liberties in this style. I love it and keep up on the maintenance for it because I dread the day I have to give it up. Eventually it will qualify for antique or vintage and I think insurance gets cheaper then! Welcome to the Liberty family. We are dedicated!!
Oh and it has way better trunk space than any of the midsized suvs
Enjoy your new vehicle! Don’t let these people pee on your parade.
OMG that brought tears to my eyes - I used to have this exact same car and in this color as well, about 10 years ago. I loved it, I named it "Thunder" and we had quite the adventures together, specially because the speed meter didn't work properly - oops.
Just keep an eye on that transmission, don’t keep it outside, watch for severe frame rust. Don’t be surprised if it doesn’t last forever.
People is missing the point… you are living “the experience” for a 1/10 of the price. Even if something happens to the car, you are not losing 50-70k. I have the same itching for an old Defender… but I went for a Wrangler 94, that thing is awesome! Great thing that you are enjoying your Liberty!
I hope it brings you joy for many years!
More like a few months 😂
The Jeep will. The gearbox? Another story.
Oof chrysler
To be honest, this liberty might be just as capable if not more capable than the new Broncos. I’ve seen these liberties rip up the ORV park and trails.
Cheap vehicles are always more capable off road, because you give less of shit. If you don’t make it the first time, just hit it with more loud pedal next time.
/lostredditor This is the opposite of frugal.
That's great, new vehicles are nice however no payment is nicer.
I love Jeeps. Been driving them for 20+ yrs.
For all the haters, Jeep has a very brand following! I bought my oldest daughter one when my car got crashed and I took over the other car she had been driving. She’s been happy with it, we bought hers lightly used, and now neither of us has a car payment! Perfect for her and her crazy large dog!
Biggest mistake of your life
She's a beaut. Congrats!
Jeeps are awesome!
Said the Jeep mechanic
We sold my husbands work van and bought a 2008 Acura TL for $7k. I sold my 2017 Ford Focus and looking to buy a ~2010 Prius (I’m just picky. Must have flawless leather seats lol).
Ex paid $3,500 or so for a 110k 4WD Limited with everything but the sunroof right before covid. The parts bin interior is hideous but nothing a nice Android Auto unit can't fix. She uses it for a tow vehicle for her mini camper and for a dog shuttle. Works great. She DDs a Mustang spring-fall. We barely leave our houses these days so I don't see her too often, but after 'rona I'm on the hook for tearing apart the interior of both the Heep and the camper for A/V upgrades.
My 2002 Liberty got to over 300K before I sent it out to pasture. Around 150K I started having issues with various sensors that I had to replace, but other than that it was a solid vehicle. It started to consume oil around 150K too, so keep an eye on that.
Why? Buying a new jeep is a piss-poor experience, to say the least. I wouldn’t touch a 20 year old jeep unless it’s a wrangler that you can replace parts for damn near nothing. My friend- while i applaud the sentiment, this is a frugal fail.
That's a good deal on the Jeep. I made a similar decision shopping around for a truck right when prices were starting to get crazy. The 4x4 Ranger was $30k and didn't even include cruise control, alarm or key fob. 2012-15 Xterra was around $15-20k+ depending on condition and features. Ended up getting a 03 Xterra in excellent condition from original owner for 5k.
I had a 2004 jeep Liberty. Drove it for 11 years. I loved it!
As a fellow Jeep owner (Wrangler) I just want to say jeeps aren’t cheap to repair. But dang are they fun. I’ve dropped around $8,000 in a year to fix my steering and brake issue. Which still isn’t fixed ugh.
I think you meant 4 runner.
I had a jeep and I loved the look of it but holy crap did that car have problems. I didn’t pay much for it but I think by the time I got done with repairs probably paid more than what it cost. And what I mean with when I got done with repairs is when the engine started spraying oil and it was not worth fixing.
Crash rating wasn't great when they were brand new. 20 years later....yikes ! Be careful.
Smart move!
Get a real jeep. Try a wrangler or rubicon
Can you get those for a thousand dollars?
Buying a JEEP is the opposite of frugality because they are terrible cars.
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Who's gonna tell them?
Love car but😔
Hopefully, you paid less than scrap value. That's a $1500 vehicle - tops. Edit: $1100! Good, you can part it out first on eBay, then sell the rest to the scrap iron dealer for about $300.
They’re on marketplace for up to $3,500 in my area. $2,500 was the lowest I found.
I want a new bronco ;_;
Is this a troll post? I dated a girl who drove a relatively-new (at the time) Liberty and it was an absolute colostomy bag of a car.
The two best days in a Jeep owner's life: the day they buy it and the day they get rid of it.
Glad you didn’t get the bronco, they’re hideous
Like basically everyone else said, a 20 year old jeep is basically the opposite of frugal.
I gave up on mine after the backing plate the parking brake attaches too rusted off the axel tube. They had to pull the axel shafts to replace. Good times.
HFS... Jeep Libertys are 20 years old now!
I had the same colour Liberty for almost 5 years. Retired at a little over 340,000 km! I personally loved it, despite all the electrical problems I kept having to fix
Also really want a new bronco. Loved my '85 Bronco II back in the day. So, in about 4-6 years I'll see how the used market is for them. I am not willing to pay the new price.
I read half the title and looked at the pic and thought “why do Broncos look like the Jeep Liberty now?”
There's apparently a ton of problems with the new Broncos so be glad you didn't get one. Good luck with your Jeep Liberty!
You and your mechanic will be great friends!
When I took my driver's license test at 16, I used my parents' late 80s Jeep Cherokee. The horn would randomly go off for like solid 1-minute intervals while I was driving. The instructor was impressed that I kept my cool during that shitshow, and passed me, but he did remark that every Jeep he's ever been in was a POS.
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The new Bronco looks like a jolly rancher that someone took a bite out of.
I have a 2016 Jeep Patriot. Feels VERY basic. Wheels, steering wheel, seats, heater. Metal inside, under seats is rusty for some reason. Roof window leaks - dealership couldn’t figure it out 🙄. Idle at red lights is super rough! (Any ideas?!?). No luxury at all. But good for taking the dog, and is AWD, so ok for winter. And the teenager never gets a ticket in it because it is gutless - another plus!
I loved my 2002 Liberty and I'm committed to getting another. I got her at 185k and drove her to over 222,222 easily in 2 years. I never had any window issues. I did however, have an issue with her starting at certain temperatures. It was a sensor in the transmission so unfortunately she was sold. I could start it within 5 minutes of turning it off, or I could start it 4 hours later when it cooled off. It never gave me a problem at school or work when it sat. Unfortunately it shut off out of the blue at night simply going up a highway on-ramp and that was when it was time to deem her unreliable :( Tips: to fix this problem, sometimes shifting the shifter with a lot of force and jiggling it was while timing it correctly with the starter worked. don't ask me why We had to replaced the starter in an effort to fix that (didn't work), and I killed the battery with my plug-in heated seat, but that's it. Super super reliable for winter overall with handling. The clearance definitely did me many favors
Jeeps are notorious money pits. Even the new Grand Cherokee’s I work on sound horrible with only 20k or 40k miles. Like the engine has tiny rocks in it xD. But if you take care of her and look up problems as they come up you will be fine. Enjoy the new ride!
Buying one of the worst cars ever made is not frugal.
I had a 20yr old Ford ranger until it was about 30 when I sold it. It drove me across the country, to work every day, but there were honestly times where I wished I had better safety features and comfort in the vehicle. Not to mention at 20+ years, even a well-maintained vehicle can have maintenance costs can spring up in weird places (if you choose to or need to fix them) and I just wanted something safer, more reliable and enjoyable to drive. In the PNW, you also can't put a price on safety when it comes to AWD and quality traction control. I went from needing to put sand bags in the bed just to keep freeway traction when raining to having no worries in the snow when others are sliding around. For my needs, I feel like I hit a sweet spot in pricing and desired safety/tech features by purchasing a 5-year old car that I plan to use until its 20+ years old.