Your favorite year for the Lib.

[styng88]

I've been reading a lot of posts, and it seems that Chrysler has done a lot of inexplicable things since the KJ first rolled off the line. I'll start as to what I've picked up, and please add your pros and cons as to what they've taken away or added.

Lowered vs. Pre-lowered- I get it, for insurance reasons etc. they had to do it. But higher is always better.

No more ashtrays? I'm not a smoker, but storage is storage.

Newer, not-as-good as the original, automatic trans.

Anyone else?

 

[-=JoN=-]

02's not becuase i have one, but it's like what you listed above
the better ******
standard smokers packave
pre lowered....
shinier badging....

the biggest reason would be the ******.....

 

[CHUD]

02's not becuase i have one,

02's BECAUSE I have one. Pre-lowered wit the shiny 4X4 badges on the side and the good ****** & ****** ball joints.

 

[-=JoN=-]

02's not becuase i have one,

02's BECAUSE I have one. Pre-lowered wit the shiny 4X4 badges on the side and the good ****** & ****** ball joints.

heh..alright, i retract my "NOT".....

love the 02's cuz i HAVE one

 

[yoda13]

I also love the 02's. For all the reasons stated above, but esp. because I have one \/

 

[jackie]

ask me in 10 years

 

[Marlon_JB2]

'02. It wasn't neutered.#-o However, if I had to choose... I'd take the '04 due to the passenger grab handle and airbag detection. Yeah, the grab handle looks very cool. =D> Oh yeah, I believe the '04's gas mileage is slightly better.

(however, I like not having the smoker's package. 1. I don't need it, not even for storage, and 2. discourages mother from ruining my Jeep's interior by way of tobacco smoke.)

I don't keep change in the Jeep. For all I know, I might leave that ashtray open accidentally one day. All I need is for some crackhead or whatever kind of thief to stroll around, and see the change. Boom, broken window, change gone, and damage to my precious Jeep.

EDIT: Why in the world did I say '02, when clearly, my post says that I would rather have an '04? ](*,)

 

[2003KJ]

Well i'll go out ona limb here and say the 03's, because I have one. The biggest reason is the majority of the recalls have been for the models all around mine. I have a late 2003, and wasn't affected by the ball joint, and i know there's a couple more, but i'll think of them later.


If I had my way though, I would take the ****** out of an 02 and put it in mine.

 

[4Factor]

If I had to buy a used one I would start by looking for an 02 or 03. The 03 has the slight edge IMO, so I'd be looking for this exact build...

2003 built before July 01, 2003.

Here's my reasons for this exact one
1. Beefier transmission (smaller ****** after July 01, 2003)
2. Like the style of the first Gen (pre 05)
3. Less problems (recalls/tsb's) than the 02's

Most people are picking the 02 due to the extra 3/4" clearance. Seriously folks, 3/4" isn't enough to make a lot of difference in a real off-road circumstance. If offroading was the goal and the KJ was the decided platform, I'd choose an 03 and get a much bigger lift.

 

[2003KJ]

I thought they switched the ******'s in the 03's in early 2003?

 

[TRAILN]

'02... because I have one and because of the bulletproof ******

 

[Bennett]

'02 best it was the best value I believe. It has all the little things the new ones lack.

And I have one woowoo.gif

 

[roadrunner]

'04 because they had a couple of years to get the inevitable bugs out before things got ugly in '05. Changing to rear wheel discs in '03 was a nice part of the evolution -- surprised nobody mentioned it. A lot of little refinements in '04 including fuel management improvement. Wouldn't know about the ****** problem -- the 5 speed works great! So obviously, '04 truely represents the Golden Age of Liberty. =D>

Purely as a coincidence, I just happen to have an '04! mj.gif

 

[Marlon_JB2]

'04 because they had a couple of years to get the inevitable bugs out before things got ugly in '05. Changing to rear wheel discs in '03 was a nice part of the evolution -- surprised nobody mentioned it. A lot of little refinements in '04 including fuel management improvement. Wouldn't know about the ****** problem -- the 5 speed works great! So obviously, '04 truely represents the Golden Age of Liberty. =D>

Purely as a coincidence, I just happen to have an '04! mj.gif

Hey, I forgot about my rear wheel discs! \/

 

[farwellbooth]

I don't like the new center console and gauges. The center console is really senior citizen looking. Nothing personal. And the two bar front bumper is a little odd. I like how the turn signal lights and fogs are more flush and sort of "cleaner" looking on the new ones though. On the lot I didn't like em but seeing the new body style on the road, they're growing on me.

I love my 02. Unfortunately it's post-prelowered, lowered, lower, not prelowered, not high, not higher, it's low

 

[grogiefrog]

'04 Limited. All the toys but not too much bling.

 

[Gsan]

I have an '05 Limited. I'm blinged out. But that won't stop me from lifting her when it changes over from being my wife's vehicle to my vehicle in a couple of years. And she'll still be all shiny too. Yes, I wash and wax. I ain't payin' 27K for a nice vehicle and then not takin' care of it. That's just stupid.

Anyway, what's all this about a ****** change? What really changed? And yes, not having a place to put some change drives me out of my friggin' mind. ALWAYS a good idea to have $5-$10 extra around for emergencies, or toll roads.

 

[-=JoN=-]

the 2002's and early 2003's had the 45RFE same one's use in dodge trucks (Rams) the current crop of KJ's uses the 42RFE's same one's in caravans...(slightly modified to work with RWD's)
interestingly enough....the 42's are in the Rubi's too...(according to some thread's i just read)

to date...everyone that has had the 45, then getting a new KJ with the 42, cant stand the 42.....well...all but one...(that has posted..) but this particular person has been "blunderous" to say the least.... :-s

 

[Gsan]

Sorry, I'm not a ****** head, but what exactly can't they stand about the 42?

 

[SRotblat]

'04 for the Disc Brakes. If I was interested in a vehcile that was bulletproof for offroading (ie concern over the "weaker" trans) then I wouldnt have bought a Liberty. That and the height of the "pre-lowered" Libs can be made up with any lift kit...