Hey guys, first time poster here.... I was at the Pre-President's Day Auto Show in Worcester, MA today. Many local dealers with their product lines to check out, it was pretty nice. I spoke with the General Sales Manager of a 5-star Jeep dealership and he said 2 weeks for the patriots, but we won't have FDII until July. :mad: I am pretty dissapointed about that news! Is this just local or is there a delay across the country?

it's everywhere. they just haven't started to make them yet. it won't be long though.

New poster here...we "built" a Patriot online earlier this month and included the Freedom Drive II off-road package (higher clearance, skid plates, etc.) and when we tried building one again today on the website we noticed the Freedom Drive II off-road package is no longer an option. Wonder what has happened? You can still select the CVT w/ off-road crawl ratio, but not the off-road package.

probably means the dealers asked jeep.com to pull it as an available configuration and were sick of people asking for fdII when its not available for a while. late availability.

I noticed that a while ago. The Patriot I priced w/ the offroad package came out the same as w/ the cvt W/ off road crawl. I think that if you get the cvt w/ off road crawl is the FDII off road package. I think mabye they did that to get rid of some of the confusion as to the differance b/t FDI and FDII. The price of cvt w/ off road crawl and w/o are the same so Im not sure if that has the skid plates or not. I wasnt aware you could get the off road crawl w/o the off road package. I dont know why they wouldnt let you price the off road package b/c of availabilty b/c they let you price the GPS and that has late availability.

Well, the CVT with off-road crawl ratio IS the same price as the CVT without, but the Freedom Drive II off-road group package is an additional $725, and is now not on the website as an option.

Perhaps it was removed because of delays in availability, but one has to wonder...

right and the cost of 700 ish for the off road package right? and that was for the tow hooks / skid plates etc...that doesnt seem to be incorporated with the cost of the off road cvt. Really the off road cvt is just different software so why not buy it separate.

I am kind of confused now....so basically if you get the limited which, (I think) comes with the 17in tires, fog lamps, etc....there really is not much difference between the FDI and FDII other than that extra inch and the lower gear ratio which still seems like an option?

I am kind of confused now....so basically if you get the limited which, (I think) comes with the 17in tires, fog lamps, etc....there really is not much difference between the FDI and FDII other than that extra inch and the lower gear ratio which still seems like an option?

well those two things plus tow hooks, skid plates, and I believe it has some extra engine or transmission cooling.

probably means the dealers asked jeep.com to pull it as an available configuration and were sick of people asking for fdII when its not available for a while. late availability.


very sadly two dealers out here are saying the FDII may not hit the lots until this fall... say Oct/Nov !!! :( :mad: that's very dissapointing. I won't wait that long... been waiting since last summer... :mad: :mad:

very sadly two dealers out here are saying the FDII may not hit the lots until this fall... say Oct/Nov !!! :( :mad: that's very dissapointing. I won't wait that long... been waiting since last summer... :mad: :mad:

I second that, I was wanting one by april.

very sadly two dealers out here are saying the FDII may not hit the lots until this fall... say Oct/Nov !!! :( :mad: that's very dissapointing. I won't wait that long... been waiting since last summer... :mad: :mad:

Hehe...me too. I've gone 180 degrees and decided to get a MINI Cooper.

wow that is a 180. being 6'2 the mini isnt an option for me. I road in one as a passenger. that thing is a fun ride but i'll put it this way we did go-carts along the way and my knees hit in both the go cart and the mini. if only they would have let me take the copper S on the track. would have smoked those 12 year olds good.

Only 6'2. My bro in law is 6'4 and says he has plenty of room.

all legs...i'm tellin you those things are cramped.

very sadly two dealers out here are saying the FDII may not hit the lots until this fall... say Oct/Nov !!! :( :mad: that's very dissapointing. I won't wait that long... been waiting since last summer... :mad: :mad:

Did they say anything about when you might be able to order a FDII? I wonder if I was to go in and order an FDII in March if it could be recieved before oct or nov?

Did they say anything about when you might be able to order a FDII? I wonder if I was to go in and order an FDII in March if it could be recieved before oct or nov?

Nope. They wouldn't go further into it. I don't know if they wanted me to focus on whats on the lot or just order what I can right now to get paid today or just didn't know... I'm not sure.

Nope. They wouldn't go further into it. I don't know if they wanted me to focus on whats on the lot or just order what I can right now to get paid today or just didn't know... I'm not sure.

That is exactly the feeling I am getting. I had one dealer who was like The FDI and FDII are basically the same....you should come down and test drive anyway....you will really be satisfied with the FDI.

I don't know if I can wait until the middle of the year. But I am not sure I want to settle on FDI, especially when I am sitting at a stoplight next fall and a Patriot with FDII pulls up next to me.

I'm not convinced of the FDII at this point. Early On I was all over it. Now not so much. One inch more of groud clearance isnt all that impressive to me. Also the software created low gear isnt sounding like a true low 'gear' (and yes i know there are no gears with the cvt so lets not go there again)...if it was a manual with a low gear i'd be sold. I dont think I need it anymore do hit our back roads.

At this point i'm thinking about FDI with a stick shift.

Nope. They wouldn't go further into it. I don't know if they wanted me to focus on whats on the lot or just order what I can right now to get paid today or just didn't know... I'm not sure.

I constantly get the feeling that we know more than the dealerships. I wont get one thats not a FDII b/c I need to drive off road occationally I dont want to drive off road with anything that doesnt have skid plates. If I cant get a FDII before oct/nov I am going to be very disapointed with Jeep.

Isn't the "low range" selector and hill descent control already shown as an option on the Jeep website?

So, it sounds as if the FDII package consists of skidplates and a 2" increase in ground clearance. One could hope this this lifts the entire vehicle 2" too.

Unless these is something that is not being shared with us, it sound strange NOT to offer it now. It sounds like they'd only have to add an additional work cell or two on the line. :confused:

I hope that Jeep is not going to renege on a Trail-Rated Patriot!!! :mad:

I was just looking at the Jeep website and they list the FDII under patriot-features-capability.

I don't need the extreme low gear, but I do need the clearance.

Having seen a couple without FDII, I can't see buying one that low. The extra inch or two of ground clearance is, IMO, a necessity.

I need a car sooner than next fall. If there is any credibility to what that dealer said, the Patriot is off my list of possibilities. I hope it is just dealer b.s.

I was just looking at the Jeep website and they list the FDII under patriot-features-capability.

Right, but go into equip-price and it's not an option. Stinks that it's not until the Fall that it's coming out.

For those interested in the off-road group option, also remember that this will decrease your fuel economy...according to Jeep's website...

4x4 with CVT (no off-road pkg) = 23 mpg city/26 highway
4x4 with CVT (with off-road pkg)= 21mpg city/23 highway