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wizwoz

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
I'm a current Wrangler (2003) owner, former Landcruiser owner (1978,1989), looking at the Patriot since 2007 to replace the aging 1989 Landcruiser, currently being driven by my 17-year-old son.

While I realize the Patriot is not an exact replacement, I want something that is comparable in number of passengers, large cargo area and all-road capable, but gets great mileage.

I've been looking for a Patriot with the "Trail-Rated Off-Road" option in vain, in Alaska at the (1) Jeep dealer, and at over a dozen dealers in the Seattle area, since 2007. The dealers all have NO choice as to the models that are shipped to them, and CANNOT special order anything, so the "build your own" site at jeep.com is not helpful.

I rented a 4x4 Patriot last summer in Seattle and drove all over the Northwest on logging roads, and while it did well, I was wishing for that low-speed crawl ratio, better tires and skid plates.

How can I find a Patriot that meets my needs, or do I need to settle for "close enough" ?
 
#2 ·
wizwoz said:
I'm a current Wrangler (2003) owner, former Landcruiser owner (1978,1989), looking at the Patriot since 2007 to replace the aging 1989 Landcruiser, currently being driven by my 17-year-old son.

While I realize the Patriot is not an exact replacement, I want something that is comparable in number of passengers, large cargo area and all-road capable, but gets great mileage.

I've been looking for a Patriot with the "Trail-Rated Off-Road" option in vain, in Alaska at the (1) Jeep dealer, and at over a dozen dealers in the Seattle area, since 2007. The dealers all have NO choice as to the models that are shipped to them, and CANNOT special order anything, so the "build your own" site at jeep.com is not helpful.

I rented a 4x4 Patriot last summer in Seattle and drove all over the Northwest on logging roads, and while it did well, I was wishing for that low-speed crawl ratio, better tires and skid plates.

How can I find a Patriot that meets my needs, or do I need to settle for "close enough" ?
Click to expand...
Can you use one of those car websites that will get you what you want and bring it too you, although I imagine the cost might be prohibitive.
 
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#3 ·
After I had made the decision that the CVT was good... I went to the dealer and told them to find one for me, and they'd have a sale. No FDII, no sale.

3 days later, they had one in hand from a dealer a couple of hours away. Get your salesman to do all the legwork. Make him earn his sale. :)
 
#4 ·
Get a Liberty!
 
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#5 ·
UA_who said:
After I had made the decision that the CVT was good... I went to the dealer and told them to find one for me, and they'd have a sale. No FDII, no sale.

3 days later, they had one in hand from a dealer a couple of hours away. Get your salesman to do all the legwork. Make him earn his sale. :)
Click to expand...
same here. only thing i could not get on it was the BA sound. dealer currently has 9 pats. not one is TR!
 
#6 ·
wizwoz,

hold out for that FDII! There's one out there for you, even if you order it. I can't imagine why a dealer couldn't order one for you.


we've had heavy snow the last two weeks, and I've used my low speed crawl more in the last two weeks than I have in the last year. I'm so glad I got an FDII.
 
#7 ·
I don't think they can order because all of the plants are shut down, which results in those that have been produced are spoken for.

I recommend the Liberty because it sounds like you're looking for more room than the Patriot has to offer for both passengers and cargo. We've run into a couple instances where cargo space was an issue, or the rear opening size was an issue... A Liberty will also be more capable. The last thing you want is to be stuck somewhere in AK.

Don't get me wrong, the Pat is quite a bit more capable than some give it credit for, but I wouldn't compare it to a Land Cruiser.
 
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#9 ·
I too wanted a FDII and found zero in stock at dealers (and to get the rebates must buy from dealer stock). One dealership had 24 riots, only 8 were 4x4 and not one was FDII!

We ended up getting an '09 with everything I wanted except the FDII, as I really needed a second 4x4. So far it has been great (one week so far and we have had snow twice and an ice storm), although I really would like the skid plates and tow hooks, those I can add- the FDII on the other hand will have to wait for the second riot.

Cheers!
~Kevin
 
#10 ·
When I first was looking for the TR version it was hard to find..I'd recommend what was siad earlier about having the dealer do some legwork or "browse" the Jeep websight to make sure your covering all the dealers so you can at least test drive one.
Good Luck
Rich
 
#11 ·
Dawson said:
Get a Liberty!
Click to expand...
HoosierMud said:
I second that! Especially, if you live in Alaska, you might want that extra power of a 6 cyl. engine, compared to the 4 cyl. Patriot engine.
Click to expand...

ABSOLUTELY! Get the Libby.....MORE room, MORE capability. Also, the gas mileage on the MK's (Patriot and Compass) doesn't seem to be as good as they claim. Mine runs about 22 mpg combined with 70% highway driving. On my trip this week to KC from Indy, I was lucky to get 18 while running 65-75 mph.

Get the Liberty. And if the dealer doesn't have one on their lot, ask them to locate one FOR you. Of course they would rather sell one off their lot, but they 'may' be able to do a dealer trade and achieve the same results.

Good luck!
 
#13 ·
pdxbubba said:
If you're going bigger it's only a slight jump to go to the 4dr wrangler.
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I would wholeheartedly endorse a 4-door Wrangler, except in this situation, it seems interior cargo space with passenger capability are key. I believe (correct me if I'm wrong) but the Libby has more room inside. Not to mention the ride of the Libby with IFS is probably better than the Wrangler for all those dirt roads in AK.

The 4-door Wrangler has really grown on me. I only wish it had a completely enclosed steel version. I digress...
 
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#14 ·
Dawson said:
I would wholeheartedly endorse a 4-door Wrangler, except in this situation, it seems interior cargo space with passenger capability are key. I believe (correct me if I'm wrong) but the Libby has more room inside. Not to mention the ride of the Libby with IFS is probably better than the Wrangler for all those dirt roads in AK.

The 4-door Wrangler has really grown on me. I only wish it had a completely enclosed steel version. I digress...
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If money was no object I would go with the wrangler unlimited up in AK. The liberty has squat more room than the patriot. They should really just get rid of the liberty. I think you would be surprised to find very little difference in interior volume in the three vehicles...that is what roof racks are for!
 
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#15 ·
the dude who started this thread is right! i am a potential jeep patriot owner (still deciding if i should get rid of my honda civic)...and i have been in contact with dealerships all around philadelphia. there are some dealerships that have 1 or 2 Patriot FDII's...but they are always missing something that i want. if i went with the patriot, i would want the following:

Jeep Patriot Sport 4x4
Exterior: Black or Jeep Green
Interior: Dark Slate Gray
FDII
Safety and Convenience Group
Sun and Sound Group



I can't find a dealer that has all of those things together! ahhhhh! :doh:
 
#16 ·
I have put miles on both a 4DR JK and a KJ and they don't get the mpg of the Pat. So if that is your main criteria, hold out and keep looking for the FDII if that is your preference, or you won't be happy.......just my thoughts.
 
#18 ·
DaveJKJ said:
I have put miles on both a 4DR JK and a KJ and they don't get the mpg of the Pat. So if that is your main criteria, hold out and keep looking for the FDII if that is your preference, or you won't be happy.......just my thoughts.
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I don't think there was ever a question that the Pat gets better mileage. I'm just saying if I were in AK, I would go for the knowledge that if I get into somewhere more than just a dirt road in the back country of nowhere, I will be able to get out - within limits of course. But, if all you do is drive it around town, and hit the light trails on the weekend, the Pat is perfect. Again, it doesn't compare to a Land Cruiser.
 
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#19 · (Edited)
Hi wizwoz. Just last week I placed an order for a Patriot Limited 4x4. The dealer *really* wanted me to take a vehicle off the lot or find one that would be delivered by Dec 31, but I wanted a special order vehicle to be delivered after the winter. We ended up ordering one for delivery in March.

I'm taking the moral as: if you are not in a hurry and know the specific vehicle you want, then go ahead and ask the dealer to order it. A car is a lot of money, and you might as well get what you want :)

Good luck!
 
Discussion starter · #20 ·
Yeah, I can wait for the right vehicle. In Alaska, the dealer gets their vehicles shipped on a barge, and they get whatever the factory ships, no special orders, and right now no orders at all. We'll see what happens...
 
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