newbie question

I hope I am not disturbing this group by asking a sensitive
question, but here goes. My wife and I have been looking for a new car.
Final two cars in consideration are the jeep liberty and the toyota
highlander. No off roading, but we need something small, that also has a
decent amount of space in it, for camping and my wifes trips to pick up that
ikea crap. LOL
The question is, is that I am a large guy. I am 6 foot 4, and 270.
I am in law enforcement.
Is the jeep liberty built in such a way as to make
it stronger , and less prone to suspension problems, when carrying a big
guy, over potholed city roads, then a highlander, or am I looking up the
wrong road. The liberty is heavier, and seems to be heavier duty, but I dont
know if this is really true.
I also, like the idea of having true four wheel drive if
needed to get to work in inclement weather. My other car is a 1991 dodge
caravan with 175,000 miles on and still runs decently, but is nearing the
point of giving up the ghost, with muliple problems, that doesnt pay to fix
anymore, and will let it run its course till it quits on me.

Thanks for any information.

flatfoot2 did pass the time by typing:
> I hope I am not disturbing this group by asking a sensitive
> question, but here goes.

That's ok.. this group is fairly disturbed anyway.

Hard to say. I've had a liberty as a rental and found it to be acceptable but a bit on the small side even though I'm only 6'3"
190, give or take the donuts. My suggestion is before you buy one, rent it from enterprise or such and drive it for weekend trip
somewhere. Get a good solid 2-3 hours behind the wheel.

Might want to take a trip to Ikea and measure some of the boxes that stuff comes in. You might find the liberty doesn't have enough
inside space. Heck, I drive a ZJ and it's pressed to carry anything longer than 8' squeezed between the tailgate and front window.

Just remember that 4wd will get you going faster but every car stops the same. 4wd also has some interesting tendencies on slippery
surfaces. If you have access to a driving range skid pan I'd suggest learning the limits there.

--
-- DougW -- 93 ZJ 4.0 http://members.cox.net/wilsond
HESCO Supercharger - 300W IASCA Stereo - Edelbrock IAS Shocks
Gibson Exhaust - rear DCpower - custom gauge install - Stillen Rotors
Banks Header - and BEER, in the fridge!

On Wed, 16 Feb 2005 19:46:23 -0600, "DougW" > wrote:

>>flatfoot2 did pass the time by typing:
>>> I hope I am not disturbing this group by asking a sensitive
>>> question, but here goes.
>>
>>That's ok.. this group is fairly disturbed anyway.

Hey! I resemble that remark.

>>Hard to say. I've had a liberty as a rental and found it to be acceptable but a bit on the small side even though I'm only 6'3"
>>190, give or take the donuts. My suggestion is before you buy one, rent it from enterprise or such and drive it for weekend trip
>>somewhere. Get a good solid 2-3 hours behind the wheel.

A very, very good suggestion. Also, trade off with your wife and make sure that she
is also comfortable with driving it. My folks discovered with their new car (not a
Jeep) that the passenger and drivers seats are different inside, although they look
the same. Passenger seat is no where near as comfortable.

Have you sat in the Liberty? I wouldn't think you would be comfortable. I
would recommend a Chevy Tahoe.

--
JimG
80' CJ-7 258 CID, HEI
4.56 Gears, Lock-Right F&R
35" BFG MT on 15x10 Centerlines
D44 Rear, D30 Front. SOA
Dana 300 w/4:1 & Currie twin sticks
Warn X8000i w/ dual batteries

00' TJ Sport 4.0L, 5sp
4.56 Gears, TrueTrac rear
33" BFG AT on 15x8 Eagle Alloys
D35 Rear, D30 Front. 3" Suspension Lift

"flatfoot2" wrote in message ...
>
> I hope I am not disturbing this group by asking a sensitive
> question, but here goes. My wife and I have been looking for a new car.
> Final two cars in consideration are the jeep liberty and the toyota
> highlander. No off roading, but we need something small, that also has a
> decent amount of space in it, for camping and my wifes trips to pick up
that
> ikea crap. LOL
> The question is, is that I am a large guy. I am 6 foot 4, and
270.
> I am in law enforcement.
> Is the jeep liberty built in such a way as to
make
> it stronger , and less prone to suspension problems, when carrying a big
> guy, over potholed city roads, then a highlander, or am I looking up the
> wrong road. The liberty is heavier, and seems to be heavier duty, but I
dont
> know if this is really true.
> I also, like the idea of having true four wheel drive if
> needed to get to work in inclement weather. My other car is a 1991 dodge
> caravan with 175,000 miles on and still runs decently, but is nearing the
> point of giving up the ghost, with muliple problems, that doesnt pay to
fix
> anymore, and will let it run its course till it quits on me.
>
> Thanks for any information.
>
>

Wife and I took a liberty for a test drive, I'm 6'1", she's 5'6", I didn't
have any problems, but she had to move the seat so far forward to use
peddles that when she went to get out her leg hit the steering column, so
she had to move seat back, as this was going to be mainly her daily driver,
moving the seat eveytime she got in and out wouldn't be practicle, but as
for power, of the 4 vehicles we took for a test drive it had the most, felt
like I could squeal the tires if I wanted to, other 3 were a Jeep TJ, Chevy
Tracker and Ford Escape.

"flatfoot2" > wrote in message
news:nnSQd.55831$8a6.20719@trndny09...
>
> I hope I am not disturbing this group by asking a sensitive
> question, but here goes. My wife and I have been looking for a new car.
> Final two cars in consideration are the jeep liberty and the toyota
> highlander. No off roading, but we need something small, that also has a
> decent amount of space in it, for camping and my wifes trips to pick up
> that
> ikea crap. LOL
> The question is, is that I am a large guy. I am 6 foot 4, and
> 270.
> I am in law enforcement.
> Is the jeep liberty built in such a way as to
> make
> it stronger , and less prone to suspension problems, when carrying a big
> guy, over potholed city roads, then a highlander, or am I looking up the
> wrong road. The liberty is heavier, and seems to be heavier duty, but I
> dont
> know if this is really true.
> I also, like the idea of having true four wheel drive if
> needed to get to work in inclement weather. My other car is a 1991 dodge
> caravan with 175,000 miles on and still runs decently, but is nearing the
> point of giving up the ghost, with muliple problems, that doesnt pay to
> fix
> anymore, and will let it run its course till it quits on me.
>
> Thanks for any information.
>
>

Ditto, I believe the Cherokee, Explorer, or Dodge Durango would be
too small, too.
Good choice to getting out of the van, three where killed here in
San Diego yesterday, when they hit a stalled truck, that could only have
only have happen to in van.
God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O
http://www.billhughes.com/

JimG wrote:
>
> Have you sat in the Liberty? I wouldn't think you would be comfortable. I
> would recommend a Chevy Tahoe.
>
> --
> JimG
> 80' CJ-7 258 CID, HEI
> 4.56 Gears, Lock-Right F&R
> 35" BFG MT on 15x10 Centerlines
> D44 Rear, D30 Front. SOA
> Dana 300 w/4:1 & Currie twin sticks
> Warn X8000i w/ dual batteries
>
> 00' TJ Sport 4.0L, 5sp
> 4.56 Gears, TrueTrac rear
> 33" BFG AT on 15x8 Eagle Alloys
> D35 Rear, D30 Front. 3" Suspension Lift

With the Sentry alarm at least the Cherokee moves the peddles, seat
and mirrors to driver's preference.
God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O
http://www.billhughes.com/

Greg wrote:
>
> Wife and I took a liberty for a test drive, I'm 6'1", she's 5'6", I didn't
> have any problems, but she had to move the seat so far forward to use
> peddles that when she went to get out her leg hit the steering column, so
> she had to move seat back, as this was going to be mainly her daily driver,
> moving the seat eveytime she got in and out wouldn't be practicle, but as
> for power, of the 4 vehicles we took for a test drive it had the most, felt
> like I could squeal the tires if I wanted to, other 3 were a Jeep TJ, Chevy
> Tracker and Ford Escape.
>
> "flatfoot2" > wrote in message
> news:nnSQd.55831$8a6.20719@trndny09...
> >
> > I hope I am not disturbing this group by asking a sensitive
> > question, but here goes. My wife and I have been looking for a new car.
> > Final two cars in consideration are the jeep liberty and the toyota
> > highlander. No off roading, but we need something small, that also has a
> > decent amount of space in it, for camping and my wifes trips to pick up
> > that
> > ikea crap. LOL
> > The question is, is that I am a large guy. I am 6 foot 4, and
> > 270.
> > I am in law enforcement.
> > Is the jeep liberty built in such a way as to
> > make
> > it stronger , and less prone to suspension problems, when carrying a big
> > guy, over potholed city roads, then a highlander, or am I looking up the
> > wrong road. The liberty is heavier, and seems to be heavier duty, but I
> > dont
> > know if this is really true.
> > I also, like the idea of having true four wheel drive if
> > needed to get to work in inclement weather. My other car is a 1991 dodge
> > caravan with 175,000 miles on and still runs decently, but is nearing the
> > point of giving up the ghost, with muliple problems, that doesnt pay to
> > fix
> > anymore, and will let it run its course till it quits on me.
> >
> > Thanks for any information.
> >
> >

The Highlander (HL) is closer in comparison to the Grand Cherokee than it is
the Liberty (LIB). The HL is roughly 10" longer than the LIB which
translates into better ride and more cargo room. Seating accomadation is
almost identicle with the LIB giving an extra 3/4" in headroom. You would
think it would be more considering the LIB is 3" taller than the HL!

Power and fuel economy both go to the HL. Comparing 4 cyl. models, the HL
claims 10 more HP, and is the same 165 lbft torque at 4000 rpm. The V6
comparison numbers are even more impressive for the HL 3.3L 230HP vs. the
LIB 3.7 210HP. The HL is one of the most fuel efficiant SUV's on the market
at 22/27 city/hwy for the 2.4L and 17/22 for the 3.3L. The LIB is 21/26 for
the 2.4 and 17/22 for the 3.7. Keep in mind the HL has a higher rated HP
and is roughly 160 lbs heavier than the LIB.

Fit and finish of the HL is light years better than the LIB.

Resale value leans heavily toward the HL and can erase the initial price
difference (roughly $2000 more) if you decide to sell or trade within 1-7
years.

The LIB gets a bad rap off-road among Jeep owners because of it's
independent front suspension (as is 99% of the market) but it is still one
of the best (albeit crude and outdated) 4 wheel drive systems. It's in 4wd
or it's not, simple and dependable. Can't say anything good or bad about the
HL off-road, I don't think anybody has ever seen one perform on anything
more rugged the a poorly maintained gravel parking lot.

If I had to decide between these vehicles for your criteria (daily driver,
no off-road), I'd go for the HL. Toyota is reknown for excellent customer
satisfaction, top notch quality, reasonable maintenance and repair costs and
outstanding resall value.

-Brian




"flatfoot2" > wrote in message
news:nnSQd.55831$8a6.20719@trndny09...
>
> I hope I am not disturbing this group by asking a sensitive
> question, but here goes. My wife and I have been looking for a new car.
> Final two cars in consideration are the jeep liberty and the toyota
> highlander. No off roading, but we need something small, that also has a
> decent amount of space in it, for camping and my wifes trips to pick up
> that
> ikea crap. LOL
> The question is, is that I am a large guy. I am 6 foot 4, and
> 270.
> I am in law enforcement.
> Is the jeep liberty built in such a way as to
> make
> it stronger , and less prone to suspension problems, when carrying a big
> guy, over potholed city roads, then a highlander, or am I looking up the
> wrong road. The liberty is heavier, and seems to be heavier duty, but I
> dont
> know if this is really true.
> I also, like the idea of having true four wheel drive if
> needed to get to work in inclement weather. My other car is a 1991 dodge
> caravan with 175,000 miles on and still runs decently, but is nearing the
> point of giving up the ghost, with muliple problems, that doesnt pay to
> fix
> anymore, and will let it run its course till it quits on me.
>
> Thanks for any information.
>
>

Thanks to all responders. My wife and I both sat in numerous
vehicles, and these are two vehicles, we would both be happy to drive, and
both be reasonably comfortable in. A lot of vehicles, as someone suggested,
she had to pull the seat up so far, her chest was in the steering wheel,
like on the crv.
Some of the suggestions of vehicles in a response, are out of the
question, because it is a matter of space available for parking. My wife
loves the rav4, but no way am I fitting in it. LOL>
THE MAIN question I am trying to get answered, is if the
general chassis and suspension on a jeep lib, is heavier duty then the
toyota highlanders. Since I tend to drive mostly at night, over a lot of
city roads that are just plain crap, with potholes, and my size, I want
something that I think might be more heavy duty. If the liberty meets that
description, I will go for it, but if in the groups opinion, the
suspensions are of the same reliabilty, I would be going for the highlander.
I hope I am not confusing anyone. On my dodge van, I was always
having suspension problems(front end work being done), and not sure if it
was because of my weight(again I am a big muscular type of guy, around 270
lbs- and I sometimes have two fellow officers in the car with me), or just
the general crappiness of cars. Thanks for any ideas and thoughts you can
share with me.

flatfoot2 wrote:
> THE MAIN question I am trying to get answered, is if the general
> chassis and suspension on a jeep lib, is heavier duty then the toyota
> highlanders.

The Liberty suspension is much more heavy duty than the Highlander.
Think truck vs car. If you really want to compare apples to apples, look
at the Toyota 4Runner.

The Highlander has independent MacPherson strut suspension front and
rear. Pretty much the same suspension and drive train as in the Toyota
Camry. In many ways, the Highlander is just a Camry with extra ground
clearance and all-wheel drive.

Vehicle specs:

http://www.toyota-hawaii.com/vehicle...der/specs.html
http://www.allpar.com/model/jeep/liberty-2005.html

The Liberty has a solid (live) rear axle with a coil-link suspension
much like the Jeep Grand Cherokee or Wrangler. Liberty has a 5000 lb
towing capacity vs 3500 for the Highlander.

Around here we like to crap on the Liberty's independent front
suspension for it's compromised off-road performance (as opposed to a
solid live axle), but it still has a respectable 8" of wheel travel and
a much beefier design than the car-like strut suspension of the Highlander.

On the flat stuff, the Highlander with it's stiffer spring rates likely
has better handling, stability, and a more even ride, but the Liberty
should stand up to much more pothole abuse and be more comfortable on
really rough roads. As for general reliability and safety ratings, the
Liberty is consistently near the top it's class and beats out all other
Jeeps in every listing I've seen.

If you go for the Liberty, choose the 'SelecTrac' full time 4WD option
over the standard 'CommandTrac' part time 4WD. It's easier to use when
slippery conditions are intermittent and still gives you the option of
locking the center differential for 'true' 4WD. Also consider the
'TracLoc' rear differential limited slip option for improved traction.
Another interesting option available this year on Liberty is the 2.8L
Common Rail Diesel:

http://www.aicautosite.com/Reviews/2...rty-diesel.asp
http://www.allpar.com/model/jeep/liberty-review.html

Steve
http://xjeep.dyndns.org