Lets see what we think.:smiley_thumbs_up: If 1 is worst and 10 is best lets rate our patriots.
Use reliability, ease of everyday driving, comfort, dealership experiences, and whatever else we can think of...
so Let'r rip...!:pepper:

Ok, I'll jump in..

9.5 / 10

Overall, very happy with the rig after two weeks and 1,200 miles.

Big pluses--

Ended up costing less than I had expected by about $2-3k.
Getting GREAT mpg, almost 30 on 2.4L 4x2 CVT, better than I had expected by 3-4mpg.
Drives well & is comfortable in all the situations I've put it in so far
Easy to clean up with vinyl & plastic


Small Minuses--

Rattle in driver rear door, slightly out of alignment, going to get this checked out on Tuesday
Girlfriend wants to drive it all the time
Girlfriend wants to take it everytime we go somewhere together
Stock CD player isn't MP3 capable although I was told by dealer that it was

9/10

We loves ours - MPG, manual trans, room for kids + future dog or carpool guys, nice add'l features like aux plug, outlet...

Biggest minus for us is the dealerships. Some smaller issues that I wish Chrysler would have put in, but I know they were trying to keep the $$ down.

10, no problems at all, my Patriot has by far met my expectations.

I'd honestly say about 7/10. It's a good all-around small SUV, just what I expected at that price point. IMO they could have made it a better truck, but that would of upped the price. I took it out to the desert last weekend and it did everything I asked it to do..

9/10 ................

9.95/10 because I can't get the damn horn to keep quite when I lock the doors.

9.95/10 because I can't get the damn horn to keep quite when I lock the doors.

Screw it! Put air horns on it, if you gonna go,... Go big I always say. :D

9.95/10 because I can't get the damn horn to keep quite when I lock the doors.

Bring it to your dealer they will do that in a min.

9.5/10
The only thing I'm not a fan off is the blind spot!!

9/10 when you lock the doors its a big loud horn, when you need to use your horn its a sisssy horn - i think i'll put in an air horn

Also I need to upgrade my speakers - had to get basic sound - nobody had the better sound with out the sirius radio and 6disk changer and I only wanted the mp3 jack.


Other than 2 miner things that can be fixed, I love my new jeep.

6-7/ out of 10
for everyday driving preffer my neon,
and the neon actually has more passenger room,
what really brings down the score is the power,
4 cylinders isnt cutting it for a 4500 lb jeep

9 out 0f 10. Negatives are blind spots in traffic and lack of low end torque. Both expected. Positives are zero defects and general friendlyness of the interior. When kids have no trouble finding places to put stuff for a long trip and you don't get the whining about how they cannot sit anymore then something has been done right.

6.5

I am discovering why the Patriot is at the price point that it is.

not helpful.

why?

6-7/ out of 10
for everyday driving preffer my neon,
and the neon actually has more passenger room,
what really brings down the score is the power,
4 cylinders isnt cutting it for a 4500 lb jeep

Need the CRD in US - turbo and 310Nm of torque ....lovely

why?

(Car is 10 weeks old, 1280 babied all on road miles. Carport kept. Washed every week)

-My dash is fading(!).
-The plastic interior can be scratched and gouged with a feather duster.
-I am constanly snapping the roof rack end pieces back together.
-The fit, finish and tightness of the interior parts was tighter and better put together in my $11,000 Geo Metro.
-The REC Nav radio is not exactly feature rich for the $$ you pay.
-The plastic trim on the roof above the passenger and driver doors keeps popping out.
-My hood dangerously flaps in the breeze.
-Headlights not very bright.
-There are small faded dots appearing on my upper passenger door panel. (Met with another Pat owner over the weekend, he had the same thing in the same place)
-mpg is not anywhere near what was on the sticker
-One of my key fobs quit working. Was not batteries. Had to get replacement.
-Plastic moulding on the door down the driver side came loose.
-The gap between the hood and the body is huge. Makes it appear as if the hood is popped open when it is not.
-No light over rear seats. Had to add my own.
-No door lock/unlock on passenger door.
-Only one led in window controls on drivers door.
-Door detents are not very solid. Doors don't stay open by themselves on steep hills.
-Metal on doors very thin. You can buckle them in drying the vehicle by hand.

But I guess the point is,(good and bad) for the $$ I could not have gotten a NEW SUV with the options that came with the Jeep.

Jim

wow Jim, your taking the wind out of my sails and I haven't even collect my Patriot yet.

[QUOTE=nearly.normal.jimmy;26119.

-Headlights not very bright.
[/QUOTE]

I find that my headlights are way to bright. I get flashed all the time at night because people think my brights are on when they arnt.

wow Jim, your taking the wind out of my sails and I haven't even collect my Patriot yet.


Well.. I LOVE my Jeep. Hands Down. I do not regret the purchase at all.

I think you can tell how dedicated I am to it and all of us users.
But I am not by any means a fanboy. I am not going to raise the rah-rah flag and go blind to physical defects I am having with it. I am going to speak the truth about MY Jeep and how it is going with it. If this forum has turned into a place where we are only allowed to bow down and worship the Patriot, please someone let me know. Because I was under the impression it was a place to gather and talk about ALL of our experiences.

And I may have just gotten a funky one... Actually it's not really THAT funky... it's just...hmmm... kinda loose.... in places...

Some things, like the tightness of interior panels is not something others would ever notice. But once you own it for awhile, and put in new speakers or add some aftermarket stuff, you start to see that the interior pieces don't snap together in places with the greatest of confidence.

The 'overall' feeling I have in driving it is one of a well built vehicle with very good stability. The engine feels like it will last (just underpowered), the auto tranny is kinda fun once you know what you are doing. The interior noise is nice and quiet. The leather seats are amazing. I like the feeling the small windows give. Kinda tank like.

It may just be a first year run thing. Maybe mine was built on a Friday or a Monday or by disgruntled workers or a cranky robot. But my gut tells me once I discover all the small pieces that are coming loose so soon, and get them attached and squared away like they should have been from the get go, I am going to have a very solid vehicle for a long time.

But as of right now, I have to report the truth. And that is that I unfortunatly seem to find a new loose piece every week.

I am sure some are ready to pounce all over me with the 'I am not having problems, THAT doesn't happen to me, MY Jeep is well built'.
Well, I am truly happy for them. That is exactly what we all want.
But I also think that maybe some folks still have new car fever and just aren't looking for problems, want to admit they are there, or have not had the vehicle long enough to actually test things.

It's easy to be a fan-boy and tough to be a critic. ESPECIALLY with something you love.

Cheers,
Jim

Well.. I LOVE my Jeep. Hands Down. I do not regret the purchase at all.

I think you can tell how dedicated I am to it and all of us users.
But I am not by any means a fanboy. I am not going to raise the rah-rah flag and go blind to physical defects I am having with it. I am going to speak the truth about MY Jeep and how it is going with it. If this forum has turned into a place where we are only allowed to bow down and worship the Patriot, please someone let me know. Because I was under the impression it was a place to gather and talk about ALL of our experiences.

And I may have just gotten a funky one... Actually it's not really THAT funky... it's just...hmmm... kinda loose.... in places...

Some things, like the tightness of interior panels is not something others would ever notice. But once you own it for awhile, and put in new speakers or add some aftermarket stuff, you start to see that the interior pieces don't snap together in places with the greatest of confidence.

The 'overall' feeling I have in driving it is one of a well built vehicle with very good stability. The engine feels like it will last (just underpowered), the auto tranny is kinda fun once you know what you are doing. The interior noise is nice and quiet. The leather seats are amazing. I like the feeling the small windows give. Kinda tank like.

It may just be a first year run thing. Maybe mine was built on a Friday or a Monday or by disgruntled workers or a cranky robot. But my gut tells me once I discover all the small pieces that are coming loose so soon, and get them attached and squared away like they should have been from the get go, I am going to have a very solid vehicle for a long time.

But as of right now, I have to report the truth. And that is that I unfortunatly seem to find a new loose piece every week.

I am sure some are ready to pounce all over me with the 'I am not having problems, THAT doesn't happen to me, MY Jeep is well built'.
Well, I am truly happy for them. That is exactly what we all want.
But I also think that maybe some folks still have new car fever and just aren't looking for problems, want to admit they are there, or have not had the vehicle long enough to actually test things.

It's easy to be a fan-boy and tough to be a critic. ESPECIALLY with something you love.

Cheers,
Jim

even those with lemons (not that my pat is a lemon) love their jeeps
Sister, who loves her jeeps,
had a lemon, yet with all the pain of keeping it running, she had it for 175K miles before they stole it,
didnt stop her from getting another jeep

even those with lemons (not that my pat is a lemon) love their jeeps


Please don't anyone think my criticism is coming close to reaching lemon status.

Mechanically and structurally my Jeep is solid. It just seems like a lot of little plastric things are loose or getting that way.

Once I get them all buttoned down as should be, I have a feeling I will be good to go for a long time. At least I hope so....

Jim

I know my headlights are bright. Got in it the other night to go to the store and I had to check to make sure they weren't on bright.

Hmmm something else I was going to say and I don't remember what it was.

I know my headlights are bright. Got in it the other night to go to the store and I had to check to make sure they weren't on bright.

Hmmm something else I was going to say and I don't remember what it was.

recall them mentioning and was checking it on a dark side road,
have no problems with mine,
seem quite bright, and items such as signs and reflectors really seem to pop out compared to my other cars,
possibly lights dont flood the road in front of the vehicle, yet really light up other objects,
that may be giving them the dim effect

(Car is 10 weeks old, 1280 babied all on road miles. Carport kept. Washed every week)

-My dash is fading(!).
-The plastic interior can be scratched and gouged with a feather duster.
-I am constanly snapping the roof rack end pieces back together.
-The fit, finish and tightness of the interior parts was tighter and better put together in my $11,000 Geo Metro.
-The REC Nav radio is not exactly feature rich for the $$ you pay.
-The plastic trim on the roof above the passenger and driver doors keeps popping out.
-My hood dangerously flaps in the breeze.
-Headlights not very bright.
-There are small faded dots appearing on my upper passenger door panel. (Met with another Pat owner over the weekend, he had the same thing in the same place)
-mpg is not anywhere near what was on the sticker
-One of my key fobs quit working. Was not batteries. Had to get replacement.
-Plastic moulding on the door down the driver side came loose.
-The gap between the hood and the body is huge. Makes it appear as if the hood is popped open when it is not.
-No light over rear seats. Had to add my own.
-No door lock/unlock on passenger door.
-Only one led in window controls on drivers door.
-Door detents are not very solid. Doors don't stay open by themselves on steep hills.
-Metal on doors very thin. You can buckle them in drying the vehicle by hand.

But I guess the point is,(good and bad) for the $$ I could not have gotten a NEW SUV with the options that came with the Jeep.

Jim


Were you drunk when you bought it!! All these things are easy to see when you test drove it!

Were you drunk when you bought it!! All these things are easy to see when you test drove it!

That's exactly the kind of smart ass, ignorant fan boy remark I was expecting.

Thank you for not letting me down.

And obviously you did not even read my list as for most of the things happened after purchase.

Now do you have something that actually pertains to the original subject to say? Or are you just trying to be an *******?

2008 Sport D 4X4 FD1 5sp - I would give my one month of ownership a 9.5 so far.

Only issues to date are still the 'popping' rubber shift boot (was told that this should go away with more miles on the clock), and a loose piece of foam (approx 10 in x 4 in) that was laying on top of the drivers side strut tower, which I noticed when I checked the oil yesterday.

I don't believe this foam piece was ever attached at the factory. The silicone adhesive on one side of it was still pristine - as if was just squirted on. From what I could make out, it looked like it was supposed to be attached at the base of the windshield on the front fender under the hood, so that's where I ended up putting it.

Curiously, I could not find an identical one for the passenger side. I thoroughly checked the engine bay to make certain that it wasn't floating around anywhere and then firmly pressed down the remaining foam pieces.

If anyone can check under the hood and let me know if your foam pieces are accounted for and that I put it in the right place, I'd greatly appreciate it!

I can see where Jimmy has his complaints, I love my car, but I have complaints too about it. Like the no passenger door lock, and no light in the back, and yes I knew about these things when I bought it, but I can still grip about them.

And it just seems like jimmy has had some extra quirks happened to his, like the keys not working, and the plastic parts coming loose.

Thats the point of these forums is to see if other people have the same problem. Unfortunately for Jimmy, but somewhat lucky for the rest of us we don't have these problems... yet

Yes its a cheap car, but for some of us 17,500 is a lot of money to pay for a car to fall apart, if I wanted to repair a car all the time I would have kept my old one.

I find that my headlights are way to bright.

There are no "headlights" that are too bright! They are just thanking you for flashing them you "headlights". :banana:

The one thing that is bugging me is there looks like there is a defect in my windshield in the bottom driver corner. It looks cloudy. When I have it serviced I'm going to ask about it. We thought it was a reflection, it's not.

I keep forgetting about it.

I give mine an 11! I love my Jeep. Have found nothing about it I don't like. Sure I'd like better MPG, but 22 MPG is nothing to complain about in an SUV. I think it handles nicely on the road, and is much quieter than my other vehicles. The wiper blades seem kinda cheap, so I'll be putting some different blades on soon... but overall, nothing to complain about!

Scramjet, the shift boot can be silenced by pushing it down.

nearly.normal.jimmy, Sorry you are having these issues. My March build car has been trouble and defect free for 5000 miles. There is no evidence of fading. While I park it outside I do cover the car or shade the dash out of habit. No loose plastic anywhere.

We've got a 2007 Patriot Sport with 4700 miles, sits outside all the time since the middle of June. No problems so far... 8.5/10.

(Car is 10 weeks old, 1280 babied all on road miles. Carport kept. Washed every week)


-My dash is fading(!).

Haven't seen this. Have you used Armor-All?

-The plastic interior can be scratched and gouged with a feather duster.

Yes, wife has scraped driver's door sill with keys, not a feather duster.

-I am constanly snapping the roof rack end pieces back together.

Haven't seen this. Do you use the roof rack for cargo? If yes, isn't there a Mopar roof rack kit for loads?

-The fit, finish and tightness of the interior parts was tighter and better put together in my $11,000 Geo Metro.

Never owned a Metro, but I agree the interior fit and finish is cheap.

-The REC Nav radio is not exactly feature rich for the $$ you pay.

I suspected this all along. Also big time failure on no AUX input on upgraded radios.

-The plastic trim on the roof above the passenger and driver doors keeps popping out.

Haven't seen this, but did re-install plastic seat belt cover once.

-My hood dangerously flaps in the breeze.

I don't have this problem. Did you take it back to the dealer for adjustment?

-Headlights not very bright.

In low or high beam? Perhaps the headlights aren't aimed correctly? Don't have this complaint. I also noticed that the headlights say "Hella" on them.

-There are small faded dots appearing on my upper passenger door panel. (Met with another Pat owner over the weekend, he had the same thing in the same place)

Glass cleaner overspray? Does Armor-All or other dressing take care of this? Do you have photos?

-mpg is not anywhere near what was on the sticker

We get 24-25 MPG with 4x4... not as good as we hoped. Darn teaser numbers! See the new 2008 mpg ratings!

-One of my key fobs quit working. Was not batteries. Had to get replacement.

Warranty, I assume?

-Plastic moulding on the door down the driver side came loose.

Can't argue... cheap interior.

-The gap between the hood and the body is huge. Makes it appear as if the hood is popped open when it is not.

Don't have this. See my hood flap comment.

-No light over rear seats. Had to add my own.

I agree with this lacking feature.

-No door lock/unlock on passenger door.

I also agree with this lacking feature.

-Only one led in window controls on drivers door.

Threepeat.

-Door detents are not very solid. Doors don't stay open by themselves on steep hills.

I'll have to take notice next time.

-Metal on doors very thin. You can buckle them in drying the vehicle by hand.

Most new cars have thin sheet metal. Both our Hondas do. How hard do you need to push to dry? I usually don't buckle the sheet metal.

I'm glad to hear that you DO like your Jeep, but these nitpicky problems can take away from the joy of ownership.

Overall I'm very happy with my Jeep. I'd say 8/10.

The good:
It rides nice, stock stereo is good, plenty of power, CVT is enjoyable once you get used to it. A/C is nice and cold, interior well designed with plenty of pockets for stuff. Good amount of space when seats folded down. Great gas mileage (25city/27highway). YES seats are awesome.

The bad:
Paint is nice but seems "soft"... already have a bird bomb etching in the driver's door. Interior plastic is too hard and easy to mark/scratch. Stock steel wheels are butt-ugly. No standard cruise control. Visibility isn't the greatest. Developed rattle in center of dashboard 2 weeks after I purchased it.

The ugly:
Terrible dealership experience. I will NEVER use this dealer again and I tell everyone I can about it.

Jimmy, I am glad you put out a list of 'issues' you've been having... as a prospective buyer I would have liked to have seen more lists like that on the board, so I knew what I was getting into. I'm very happy with mine overall, but realize that it was a $16,000 car so it's not going to have the fit and finish of a Lexus... if it runs for 150-200k without mechanical problems, THEN it's a winner, plastic pieces be damned.

AZCycle, I know what you mean about a poor dealership. I've owned Subarus since the mid 80's and the dealership in Glen Cove(North Coast Subaru) was excellent! I bought Subs for myself, my wife and our daughter. When I moved out to the east end of Long Island, the Subaru dealer out here was the pits. On the other hand the Jeep dealer in my town (Mullen Motors, Southold) has a sterling reputation. So I am getting a Patriot from them next week. I really buy the dealer, not the car (although I DO like the Patriot very much)!

For me 8/10

jimmy makes some valid points, although I have not experienced the defects he has had.

- I thought the OEM headlights were OK - but I put in silverstar bulbs which puts out good light
- I dunno about sheet metal thickness, but I saw someone hit my door while opening theirs and was amazed to see that there was no ding. FWIW applying Dynamat to the interior door skins makes the doors feel very solid (probably worsens a "weak detent" condition somewhat though)

The Patriot is fulfilling my expectations, so I definitely do not regret the purchase. I consider it a good value for the $23K I paid. Its got decent value, its American company-built, and (IMHO) its styling and character far surpasses the competiton.

9 out of 10 it is a great ride got 25.9 mpg on my last tank only got 1490 miles so i love it.

Getting better
started with a 6-7
now rate it at 7-8
Mpg is getting better from 21mpg to now 24mpg
power is still lacking,
But heck its a 4 banger, expected such

I would have to say 9/10 needs more power!!!!
Gas is great a lot better than our Discovery!
The drive is great!
All around a great little SUV!!

OK, after putting a few miles on my Patriot, close to 300, I rate my new Jeep at a 10. No problems, no rattles, VERY comfortable, and the autostick is really nice to have available.I have the sense that, like my trusty 97 Subaru Outback, which I gave to my son-in-law, this is the car that will get me to my destination no matter what mother nature throws at me.:smiley_thumbs_up:

February build sport 4x4, 5-speed 26E. - 7800 miles since April.
8.5/10
Visibility, low end torque, buzz in driver's door (anyone figured out how to fix that?), road noise on rough concrete are minuses...
On the other hand, my Riot is a comfortable long distance cruiser that gets 29-30 mpg, interior is ok, cleans easily, room for all my toys, I like the stock stereo. No mechanical issues so far.
Waiting for some winter, which will be the true test. If the FD1 gets me to my ski hill on a powder day the score will improve.

9/10. Overall an excellent vehicle. I love it's off-road ability. It is comfortable around town. I would like better mileage, but that is the price I pay for trail-rated...

I love mine! I give her a 10+ :)

Wow,I can go on & on about being able to by a "entry" level vehicle
for around 17 thousand dollars!!!!
Disk brakes all the way around. ESP traction control(high tech stuff) & the 2.4
VVT-engine is a very high tech engine!!!! air bags /5-star safety!!roomy actually has a very nice factory
radio( I known many will disagree with this) & AC blows plenty of cold air.head lights made by Hella.(mine are bright enough). The YES cloth
seating , and best of all ......LIFETIME POWER TRAIN WARRANTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm doing my best to beat EPA numbers ( I know i should get a real hobby)30 MPG-ish.
Payments under $300/month/ AND my wife likes it!!!!!! actually, I wanted
a new VW Jetta.......
Jeep has lots of nice add-on options / scan jet II/ trailer hitches etc...
70 percent domestic components is nothing to sneeze at either.
>>>>>>>>>>>>> I'm PROUD to buy USA !!!!!!!!<<<<<<<I work very hard for my little money that I earn.....
My dealer sold me a $349.00 package of
lifetime oil changes 3k/miles for life , includes factory filter & dino oil
(synthetic oil extra) they do not know how long I keep a vehicle...
Ask me how I like the Patriot in a year & all this may change....(high tech stuff excluded this is a plus).
Factory improvements MUST include ability to burn E-85 ethanol.....
This is OUR future & should NOT cost them very much , if any to include this....
I have a major issues with the local dealer.... quote (out the door price) should be
just that.out the door price,they added a lic/prep fee of $250.00................
Above & beyond what I was quoted as" out the door" & also had the gall
to say"Albuquerque dealer would have charged me more"....
Well ,,,,a out the door quote is just that....out the door....
I am afraid to ream the dealership too bad , as they may ream me....
When I go to collect the 3000 mile oil changes.....(jeep sent me a questionnaire).
Attn: Jeep:Corporation . E-85 compatibility should be JOB #1. (our future)
Continue to offer NO option Jeeps so working Americans(like me) can buy then....
Bottom line is just that ........ability to pay.
Use your technology to keep improving your product.designers should be aware of American public
& install cheap plastic bag hooks in rear area, (this should not cost mfg'rs any
more dollars just a simple design change...(think please)

OKAY NOW FOR The 1 to 10 rating...

8 for Jeep Corp there is NO reason every jeep made can Not be E-85 compatible (minus 2 points for this blunder alone)
also, nooks & cranys & wal-mart bag hooks do not cost any extra money & they have been excluded.( I should rate you a 7 but I'm giving you a 8 for being
American).
5 for my local dealership & that's is being generous .lies are just that.lies....
No need to lie for any price.
8+5=13 divided by 2= 6.5 overall number.

Thanks for reading this............... any ideas?

9.95/10 because I can't get the damn horn to keep quite when I lock the doors.

Look in the manual. There are instructions for shutting off the horn when locking in the KEYs section. I did mine. It's fine. The horn is certainly no little beep when it goes off. :smiley_thumbs_up:

9.5/10
The only thing I'm not a fan off is the blind spot!!

There sure are blind spots. I bought/installed some small convex two inch stick-on mirrors and placed them on the lower outside edge of both mirrors. But, you know, I was impressed with how the mirror image lines up with the side profile of the Jeep.

Walmart-couple of bucks, very plain, black rimmed.

Overall, I'm very satisfied so far. I bought the Patriot for a 2 hour daily commute, and I enjoy driving it so much that it's made the commute much easier.

Breakdown:

Engine/MPG: Really enjoy driving the CVT. It's very responsive for me at high speeds on the highway. I'm getting almost exactly the revised MPG. Don't notice the lack of power, but that's probably because I'm coming from a 1994 Dodge Ram that didn't exactly fire off the line with its V8. 9/10

Exterior: Cleans up very easily, silver paint looks clean even when some dirt has accumulated. I love how it looks from the outside. 10/10

Interior: A couple of small spots on my driver's door that others have mentioned. Plastic is a little on the cheap side, but still not a downgrade from my last vehicle. AC works great. Seal noise on the driver's door when I hit bumps going under 60 mph, but I've gotten used to it, and maybe it'll get better as time goes on. The interior is not luxury by any means, but it's been easy for me to keep clean and good looking, and it's all I expected for the price. As some have noted, there's some noise on some road surfaces. However, when I have my radio on I don't notice it...my stock radio's been so good that I've decided to postpone upgrading it, which I had originally planned to do soon after purchase. 6.5/10

Reaction: Lots of favorable comments from others...not too many looks on the road, though, which I think is probably due to the silver color not standing out much. 8/10

Overall: 8/10.

you have electronic info centre below the speedometer...use the options in there to get rid of the horn on lock mode.

My '07 Limited has exceeded my expectations in every way. After 3 months and 6000 km, absolutely nothing has gone wrong. It's a delight to drive, gets decent gas mileage, and is very versatile. No flappen hood, no leaks... nothing, just reliable, fun driving. So far, 10 out of 10.

I researched my Pat thoroughly before buying it, and still kept with my decision to get it. I've owned Jeeps for over 15 years.

08 Patriot North, Inferno Red/Dark slate, 5-speed, 25E, fog lights, wheel & tire package, convenience package, heated seats, "tow package", full-size spare. Blacked out muffler, K&N, 2600Km so far

My score: 8.25/10

The great :pepper:
---------------------
Pricing - can't get anything close to it with those features at that price
Safety features - 4-wheel disc, ABS, 4 airbags, ESP, etc.
Traction - that ESP stuff work extremely well on slippery surfaces (snow traction, wow!)
Horsepower - is plenty, when revving at appropriate rpm
Looks like a Jeep
Roomy and comfortable
HVAC
Handling
Side mirrors size
Best gas mileage in category
Lockable "4-wheel drive"
My dealership experience


The not-so-great :(
---------------------------

Lack of torque or REAL low gear - If it's going to be a Jeep, it's going to need more torque OR a REAL granny gear - pleaase!
My YJ had waaay more room to put stuff in the door pockets and in the console (c'mon, it's a Jeep, we carry "stuff")
"Tow package" does not include installed wiring or anything to tow with...
Basic front bumper (non-FD2L) doesn't have "punch out" areas to install tow hooks (of course, with so little torque...what would you pull...no wait...it's to get pulled...oh yeah right: if it's a Jeep, it's not stuck, it's only temporarily unable to proceed in a forward motion...)
Short roof rack - "uh..about the canoe..." (hey, I'm Canadian, eh?)... and the sheets of plywood...
Thin thin thin foldable panels, feels like driving a piece of origami
Skidplates not available as upgrade (I say this lightly... "off-road group"). If it's going to be a Jeep... you know...
Can't shut off the TPMS if going to a non-TPMS steel winter wheel and tire combination (wow..switching to winter wheels, who does that...)
Gas tank size
No heated side mirrors


The unjustified :doh:
------------------------

Leaked at the back hatch when I got it (100 years of building vehicles, all that technology, and we can still make a vehicle that leaks... now that, is transfer of knowledge!). I've had a YJ, a ZJ and now a Pat: they all leaked, now that's Jeep tradition!
An oil cooler will not make it pull an 1800lbs trailer off the line on a moderate grade ("campground grades"), torque or low gearing will. But your oil sure will be cool...
Fit and finish ... now come on, 100 years of building vehicles, all that technology...no wait, I've used that already... let's NOT excuse or try to explain that with words like "disgruntled".
That hood thing...
Passenger seat track thing...
Interior plastics - my 04 Focus had way better quality, for certainly no more money
No central door lock on passenger door
no power outlet in the back...oh right, I can just run the cord through the middle of the vehicle... ick!

My special note: we CAN build a great north-american vehicle, we're just not quite doing it (100 years of building vehicles, all that technology...oh, never mind...)

I still love my Pat, wouldn't trade it and intend to keep it for a long time...(unless they bring a turbodiesel 6-speed (with granny gear...) to these shores...) ;)

I say 10.

It is more than what I expected. Great MPG. Handles great along highways and also in and around tight city turns and parking lots. Very comfortable. All in all, it's the just the best vehicle I've ever had. I love my Jeep!

The Good...:)

The Pat handled EXCELLENT in the recent snowfall
The general size, contour and style
The price with respect to the features received
Although it will probably never see a Rubicon-ish trail, I am glad the capability is there from a headroom point of view (waterfording, extended shock travel, hill descent, etc.). This ain't your grandpa's Escort.
The long fold flat capability
Front wheel drive until you need 4X4
Ton 'o headroom even for rearseat passengers
The Boston Acoustics stuff -- all built in - no need for aftermarket add-ons
Full size spare

The Bad...:mad:

Small gas tank (my local gas bar guy knows me by my first name now)
Orange peel paint finish
Flappen hood (it's only occasional but would be better if it didn't flap)
A ton 'o blindspots
No front passenger all-round door locks
Not all window buttons are lighted
Louder engine noise in the cabin than anticipated
Almost $3000 for a stereo system and you'd think it would have speed sensing volume
Ultra sensitive fob buttons (Man, I can lock, unlock, and set panic a flying just reaching for my keys)

The So-So...:icon_rolleyes:

Integrated flashlight
The liftgate speakers
Only one Trail Rated badge
Gas mileage for the Trail Rated model


In sum, I give it an 8/10.

9.5/10

I love the mileage, jeep green color, FD II package lifetime warranty, dog barrier, off road capabilities, price vs honda crv and toyato rav4, turning radius (especially for parallel parking), and fun to drive.

The small cons for me are the fuel tank size and I have a squeek in my passenger seat when someone is riding in it.

Overall I love the jeep and my dealership has been great

...-No door lock/unlock on passenger door...

Is this true of all models, or only the ones with power locks?

Is this true of all models, or only the ones with power locks?

All doors have a manual lock pull whether power or not. Some people have an issue with the fact that the passenger does not have a powered lock button.

When the driver gets out can't the passenger request the driver to lock the doors if this is such an issue?

So far I've enjoyed my patriot. I have to agree with some of the complaints posted, mainly gas mileage and low end torque. But the positive aspects like looks and ride/handling out weigh the negative. So overall I would rate the Pat and 8.5/10

I'll give it a 8/10

I'm really enjoying my new ride. I especially like having a lot of room, a good engine, better-than-expected mileage and great sound system (I got Boston Acoustics). It feels good too having a car that's not common. But please let's not get over-enthusiastic about the Patriot. Some very basic design features are missing, or are worse than in cheaper cars. Many of them can be fixed easily so I hope Chrysler will improve future series of this model. But in a nutshell I like it and I think it was a good purchase.

I would give it an 8 out of 10.

Good points - Mileage is as advertised. Handles well. So far off road it had been great. CVT takes a little getting used to but it is fine. Love the Yes Essentials (heated) seats. The 2.4 engine has lots of pep.

Negative- Needs CRD in North America. Center console is too far back to be used as arm rest. Blind spots in rear. Mirrors not heated. Tow Hooks should be on all models. OEM Roof Racks too narrow for my canoe.

Of Course I forgot the obvious-
Good_ Price is great
Negative- Fuel Tank Size

Snow. riot score increases to 9.75/10. the riot kicks butt in winter. life is indeed good.
(can't figure out how to include pic - )

I love my Patriot-i'll give it a 9/10 only because I think it's just a tad too low to the ground(I know the Rocky Road lift kit will help out)

I'll give it a 9/10. Adding a turbocharger to that 2.4liter would make it a 10.

Adding a turbocharger to that 2.4liter would make it a 10.
In theory, would a turbocharger be possible for the 2.4 engine?

Yes, I think Chrysler offers the same engine with a turbocharger for the PT Cruiser? Although I think it's not very highly tuned (propably less than 0.5bar), meaning not much more horsepower. There's a superchip available which propably boosts the horsepower significantly though...

Even with your stock engine you could go about by swapping the pistons (10.5:1 compression stock) to something that has a compression ratio of circa 8.5:1 the engine would propably stand some 1bar boost without much problems. A boost like that would most likely bring some 50-70hp more and keep the milage pretty much the same. Installation would propably be quite easy and since it's already computer controlled you'd most likely get off easy by swapping in a customizable computer box like Megasquirt or similar. However it will involve knowledge in working with computer controlled cars and custom fuel injection/turbocharger controlling...

Love our '08 Pat !! A 10 for sure.
Actually more room inside than the Liberty we had.

I'd give my '07 Sport a 9/10.

Only problem's I've encoutered are that it pulls to the right - taking it in for repair tomorrow morning. I also found the strange piece of foam under the hood on top of the strut tower , no idea where it goes. I've gotta bet my car went down the assembly line just before or just after the other fellas and the worker just decided to lay them in there, must've been a late night at the bar the night before!

Gripes:
-Shift gate seems a little narrow (I've got the 5sp manual), sometimes hard to put into reverse.
-License plate clatters like !@#$ when I shut the liftgate. How much more expensive would the Patriot have been with 4 license plate screw points?
-No rear seat passenger courtesy lights. Again, charge me another $30 ok?
-Small gas tank - why not beef it up another 10 gallons so we could get 500miles per tank (only get 340 now)?
-Smells really strange when the heat seaters are on (YES! fabric). Perhaps too many trips to the BBQ joint for baked beans?

Accolades:
-Great mileage (getting around 25 with the 4x2 stick, synthetic oil, standard gas)
-Decent pickup (stick model anyway, have heard the CVT's another story)
-Great stereo system
-Comfortable on long trips.
-Gets pretty good traction @ campsites (although I've had the FWD slip a few times on the trails).
-Lots of great features for the money. I think i paid $21k for mine, has everything but the 4x4 & leather.....

4 out of 10

Too many trips to the dealer for service for a car with only 7000 miles on it.

- Bad alignment.
- Needed a new transmission.
- Dealer damaged my door when it was in getting a new transmission.
- Dashboard has been rattling like crazy for the last 100 miles or so.

The dealer has been horrible.

When I've called Chrysler about my problems, they've been indifferent.

I wanted so much to love this car. I love how it looks. I've enjoyed driving the CVT since I got the TSB for it done. It's been very capable off-road and in the snow. Just too many things, big and small, have gone wrong with my Patriot that's it's become a hassle to own.

At this point I'm just try to decide whether I should sell it and pay off the loan or if I should trade it in for something else even if I go a little upside down on the loan, just so I can get out of this car.

6.85 outta 10.
Too many trips to the gas station

After 15000 km, a 9.5. My wife's only complain; missing power seats.

9/10. Needs PDL switch on passenger side, and keyed locks on the passenger side and tailgate.

The 2.4L is not the same as the 2.4L in the GT cruiser. The 2.4L in the Pat is the world engine with VVT and all the other electronic goodies. There is a turbo available for it, you can find it in a Caliber SRT-4 and pushes out about 285 HP and 265 lb-ft of torque.

More info here: http://www.allpar.com/cars/dodge/caliber-srt4.html

I would have to give it a 9.5, Would have been a 10 if it had at least a 16 gallon gas tank. I commute 80 miles round trip a day and can't make it through the week without
having to fill it up before the end of the week. But it's only a small gripe and I knew this when I bought the jeep. At least it doesn't cost as much as my Sierra did with a gas tank twice the size. Had her 5 months now and no issues at all with reliability or comfort.

I'd have to give mine an 8/10. My main, yet minor, issues are that the rear-view mirrors are too small for my liking, my outside temperature gage is starting to "stick" on occasion and the dealer is starting to bug me about coming in for an oil change even though I only have 2200 miles on it.

Solid 10/10, would like to see rear hatch release in car and on fob, power seat option, outside heated mirrors, bigger gas tank and some other things I knew about before I bought it. It is what it is, good value for the price and great in the snow. Couldn't afford a Lexus so no complaints about my Jeep!

9/10 thus far.

Bit low for my liking, but a lift kit will fix that.

10 for me. No problems of any kind coming up on 20,000 Km.

About a 7.5 out of 10. Love the fun to drive because of the 5 speed, bulldog grip, room, easy to park, easy to clean, great MPG, adequate power from the 4 banger, lockable 4WD, all the features, and all the extras (ie regular outlet on the center console and the rechargeable flashlight) that you didn't know you'd miss so much if they weren't there.

Not so much of love, rattle in passenger side window when on rocky terrain, wish it had some more ground clearance (though doing research 8 inches standard is at or near the top of the rung and the 9 inches of the FDII is well above the norm). More power, a turbo 4 or small 6 would be great. Wish I had a low gear, just in case, but have not been suffering without it, still don't have the passenger side speaker fixed, and the dealership service dept has been beyond horrible.. BUT she serves me well, do all I ask so i can't complain too much :D I do like the Pat alot, just a few things need to be added before I'd say i love it. I do love the PAtriots charm, it's not perfect at any one thing, but it does everything well.

I just hit the 15,000 mile mark on mine and so far:
Pros:
Great gas mileage- I can pull 30 mpg on the highway just about anytime (as long as the roads flat)
Ample storage space- You wouldnt believe the amount of crap I can shove in this thing. Well, you guys have them so maybe you can.
Curb Appeal- I dont have to tell you all, but the Riots a sexy mofo:D I love that its boxy and not egg shaped like most vehicles these days.
Easy to clean- With my vinyl seats and all the plastic parts I could almost get away with hosing it out if not for the carpet. Makes detailing a breeze.
No frills base model- No worries of having things break afer the warranty expires because the most complex thing in the car is the stock cd player.
Its a Jeep- Even though mines pretty flashy looking with all the chrome and what not, its pretty damn sturdy. I always feel sure footed in the rain and off the pavement. And besides, I am completely in Love with this thing. It suits me well.

Cons:
Already replaced O2 sensor- Went bad around 12k miles.
Failed to start once- Already had a thread about this.
Seriously Underpowered- The Ozarks made my Riot their B***h, I would hate to see what real mountains would do to it. Downshifted all the way to third at 60 mph and watched the speedometer continue to fall with the gas to the floor.
Flimsy Metal- I am in a constant state of discovering new door dings on this thing, and Im sure that some of them may have come just from people staring to hard at it.
Random plastic pieces keep uninstalling themselves- From the seat adjustment lever, to the seat belt cover, to the roof rack caps and one mysterious piece that I found under the seat and still have no effin clue where it came from.
Arthritis causing armrests- Sure they are fine for around town, but sit in this thing for 500 miles and see if you can still bend your elbow comfortably.
Orange Peel Paint job- Looks like they painted my car with a Spin art kit from Walgreens.
Fading Plastic- Luckily Ive covered most of the black plastic on my car with some type of chrome. Everything thats exposed is turning grey. The most noticeable being the scuff guard on the back bumper
White fabric on the roof/headrests- Just looking at it makes it dirty.

Well, from the looks of it, there are quite a few more things that I dislike than I actually like. Overall Im still very pleased with it though and wouldnt trade it for anything short of a Rubicon.

Performance- 6
Handling- 8
Features- 7
Interior style- 10
Interior quality- 6
Interior comfort- 9
Exterior style- 9.5
Overall quality- 7
Reliability- 8
Value- 10

Grand total- 8.05/10

I'm happy with it. 9 out of 10. :smiley_thumbs_up:

Happy with the 5MT, power, ground clearance, gas mileage (check my sig, mostly highway), etc.

If I wanted more power and was willing to get less gas mileage I would have bought a Liberty with the V6 and the six speed MT. I wanted the best gas mileage I could get in a vehicle with the capability and size of the Patriot 4x4 FDI. I looked closely at the Subaru Forester, but Subaru didn't give me the ability to put together the exterior color and option package I wanted. A white exterior was not available in all of the Forester models and all of the upgrade packages had a big hole in the roof. Thanks but no thanks.

Only Patriot dislikes are (1) the lack of a manual outside key lock on the right passenger door and the tailgate of the US "E" model and (2) the black steel full size spare wheel. How much did they save by not putting in a silver steel wheel? And two extra outside key locks on the upgrade models? I would have gladly paid it. I bought a couple more steel wheels so I can do a six tire rotation. And I plan to look into the feasability of adding the passenger door and liftgate locks from the base model.

If this one gets totaled, I'll buy a base model.

IMO and FWIW and YMMV. :)

Only Patriot dislikes are (1) the lack of a manual outside key lock on the right passenger door and the tailgate of the US "E" model. And I plan to look into the feasability of adding the passenger door and liftgate locks from the base model.

If this one gets totaled, I'll buy a base model.

IMO and FWIW and YMMV. :)

Having owned a 'base model' Compass for a year and a half, I can say that I really MISS the keyless entry feature. Not so much the power windows, but the keyless is really nice, especially when raining. BUT to 'change' your passenger door and liftgate over might be a bit impossible. For instance, the latch assemblies are different, as they include the lock actuators. The 'power' latch assembly has no place for a link from a lock cylinder, therefore while you could change the handle, there's no way for the lock cylinder to connect to the latch. I would think the same would be true for the liftgate.

BUT if you really want a 'base' model, hey.....go for it! I've regretted doing it, that and getting the CVT.

<snip>.

I hear what you're saying about the two mechanisms not being compatible. You may be correct on the Patriot. I know that it is possible to have both systems together; we do on the driver's door. But the engineers may have designed the right side and liftgate to make it difficult.

When I retire (maybe this spring or later this year) , I plan to look into it. I don't like carrying the bulk of the remote key in my pocket. I use a regular key on my key ring. And I really don't like having to unlock all of the doors to unlock the liftgate.

8.5 overall vehicle
2.5 Dealership
Company?
well I loved Jeepmonster take to that:
[QUOTE=thejeepmonster;39807]

My special note: we CAN build a great north-american vehicle, we're just not quite doing it (100 years of building vehicles, all that technology...oh, never mind...)

+1

I would rate it at about 7/10 right now. The cons are the horrible fuel economy (I don't care what driving style you have, a 4 cylinder vehicle should do better than 13mpg, and I am a slow, conservative driver), and the CD player which fails to eject the disc half the time. If it wasn't for the fuel economy though, I would rate it a 9/10

7/10. The back passenger door on the driver side has a hell of a gap and it make a bad knock when closed. For 23k I feel I could have got a lot more out of a car as so far as creature comforts go.

10, Before I bought it I researched the vehicle so much I knew more about it than the sales staff at the dealership.
It is all I expected it to be.
In snow it is better than I expected.

I would rate it at about 7/10 right now. The cons are the horrible fuel economy (I don't care what driving style you have, a 4 cylinder vehicle should do better than 13mpg, and I am a slow, conservative driver), and the CD player which fails to eject the disc half the time. If it wasn't for the fuel economy though, I would rate it a 9/10

TMan, if you're getting 13 mpg, something is seriously wrong. But I see you live in Winnipeg. Is all your driving in town? Rush-hour, stopping and starting? Waiting a red lights? If so, you won't get good mileage, although I would think even so, it should be better than 13 mpg. I would think 18 - 20 would be reasonable to expect in town. On the highway, 24 - 28, depending on your Pat's configuation, and your driving style.

Anyway, if the number you quoted represents a city-highway average, run, don't walk to the dealer and find out why. Something needs to be fixed.

Ownership experience - 6/10

9/10

2008 Patriot 2.4L, 172HP, Sport FWD CVT AUTOSTICK, 6 months old and around 5000 miles on it.

Pros:
* Price
* Power is great. Tested it at highways and streets and reaction is excellent (using both manual and auto shift). Passing other vehicles in highway is easy.
* Break system is great
* No dash fading or painting problems at all.
* Lights are very bright (low and high beam). Often get flashed at night by other drivers.
* Mileage is what I was told so was expected. Nothing special in this area.
* LED flashlight in cargo area and 115 volt. outlet in the center console are a great extra.
* Confortable
* Easy to keep clean
* Dealer and Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep Corp. always following up the sale
* Lifetime warranty
* The list goes on and on....

Cons:
* Just an ugly noise in front supension that was fixed by dealer ($0.00).
* Yes, interior plastic get scratched very easy.
* Sound could be a little better (I have single CD without MP3 and poor speaker system). Replaced the front door ones with a pair 3way speakers. Great improvement

I took test drives (and researched quite a lot before buying) Mazda 3, Nissan X-Trail, Honda CRV, Mitsubishi Lancer, Honda Accord, Toyota RAV, Ford Eco-Sport and Jeep Patriot. Stick with my decision to get the Pat. :smiley_thumbs_up:

All the pros a cons exposed here by others are the reasons why the Patriot is selling great all over the world. IMHO, the greatest compact SUV out there.

Peace!

Edit: BTW; I live and drive my Patriot at sea level (important data for performance).

9/10 Everything is great so far except having to deal with the Local dealer here. Well I guess that has nothing to do with the RIOT though. so 10/10 :)

Ownership experience - 6/10

Why so low, Mud?