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Specifically for those who have had trouble off-road....

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unclejjg

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Discussion starter · #1 · (Edited)
Specifically for those who have had trouble off-road (Grand Vitara comparison)....

Would any of you, in retrospect, trade your Patriot for a Grand Vitara given:

-the relative in price.
-the relative gas mileage. (17/21)


The Grand Vitara w/a true transfer case (4hi, 4lock, N, 4lo) and a 185hp/184 torque motor can be had for $21, 694.00 base (with manual) up to $26,394.00 for a luxury model with automatic (no other options selected).

Also, keep in mind that the new 3.2L V6 (244hp) is coming out and has reportedly better gas mileage than the old 2.7L V6....so lets change the argument and say the numbers are now 18/22...any takers?

Visit Post #9 for pics of GV offroad.
 
#2 ·
I wouldnt buy an import

unclejjg said:
Would any of you, in retrospect, trade your Patriot for a Grand Vitara given:

-the relative in price.
-the relative gas mileage. (17/21)


The Grand Vitara w/a true transfer case (4hi, 4lock, N, 4lo) and a 185hp/184 torque motor can be had for $21, 694.00 base (with manual) up to $26,394.00 for a luxury model with automatic (no other options selected).

Also, keep in mind that the new 3.2L V6 (244hp) is coming out and has reportedly better gas mileage than the old 2.7L V6....so lets change the argument and say the numbers are now 18/22...any takers?
Click to expand...
not even a consideration,
But doesnt mean i dont acknolwedge Suzuki's
Thought Samurais made great basic 4x4's
dont know too much about vitara's but have seen loads of 4x4 aftermarkets for them,
if theres a 4x4 market, then they must be hitting the trails.
 
Discussion starter · #3 ·
Terasec said:
not even a consideration,
But doesnt mean i dont acknolwedge Suzuki's
Thought Samurais made great basic 4x4's
dont know too much about vitara's but have seen loads of 4x4 aftermarkets for them,
if theres a 4x4 market, then they must be hitting the trails.
Click to expand...
RR made a liftkit for them...2.25" I believe. The wheel wells will accept a larger tire than the Patriots, so that adds a bit of potential as well, but the GV only starts with 7.9".

So far, there is no mechanical locker or LSD available that I know of. Pretty good pics available of the GV off-roading.

Also, unlike the Liberty, it seems as though their advertised gas numbers are fairly accurate.
 
#4 ·
Uncle,

Sorry but relative MPG of 17/21 doesn't come close to what I'm getting with my Jeeps. I would consider +/- 10% close, but 17 City / 21 Highway is about 6-7 MPG off of my city / highway numbers.
 
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Discussion starter · #6 · (Edited)
Wade said:
Uncle,

Sorry but relative MPG of 17/21 doesn't come close to what I'm getting with my Jeeps. I would consider +/- 10% close, but 17 City / 21 Highway is about 6-7 MPG off of my city / highway numbers.
Click to expand...
Wade,

That is understandable, but you are comparing 4x2 MK's to a 4x4 GV. I'm interested in a response from guys like JeepJim, Dawson, etc. At the very least I'm looking for people who have been off-road or fully intend to off-road in their Patriot. FDII drivers are also targeted here.

FDII drivers are said to get between 20 - 22 mpg, so if the new 3.2L V6 engine improves the GV efficiency and performance (it is said to improve both from the current 2.7L V6, currently sitting at 17/21 185hp), what I'm asking is would people sacrifice a few gallons of gas for a true transfer case and a stronger engine (in hindsight)?
 
Discussion starter · #8 ·
Let me further clarify this thread by explaining my concern. I have been a part of this board since before the Patriot was released...yet I have not purchased the vehicle. Why? I'm a skeptic at heart.

On paper, Jeep said all the right things...good mileage, best-in-class capability, inspired by Cherokee, etc.

However, I waited. For a few years I've greedily read the stories others have shared. Dawson posted some pics and videos of offroad trips that made me pretty nervous. His Patriot stopped sending power to the wheels in certain situations, and in one video, we saw him get stuck on a oversized pothole.

JeepJim has complained about the performance of his 5-speed Patriot. Another user recently mentioned that he couldn't get up a freakin' hill with a couple buddies in the cab.

I can't have that. I have a place in the hills, with only a dirt road to access it and I'd be one ticked off dude if I got stuck in the winter...let alone in the summer.

Further scaring me is that another summer is nearly gone, and the majority of the pictures in my "offroad" thread show the Patriot on a dirt road, grassy hill, or on a snowy driveway. Not awe inspiring, but a good effort nonetheless.

I'm like everyone else in that the gas prices scare me. So I'm looking at a more efficient alternative to my Blazer. The Patriot sounded good, but over a few years is starting to not look like the answer. The GV sounds decent, and from what I've seen, it is tackling a lot more than the Patriot so far.

Thus the post.
 
Discussion starter · #9 ·
Also, I know some of you will say that the Patriot is superior to the Grand Vitara offroad. I encourage you to visit the following link.

I strongly urge you to view from the bottom the page up. As you progress you will note that there are some "posing" pictures. However, you will see the capability of this vehicle if you are patient and progress through.

These are the types of pictures I was hoping to see from the Patriot. It is becoming clear to me that the reason we are not seeing them, is because the Patriot can not go where the GV can.
 
#10 ·
I would not trade my Patriot for anything else. It is exactly the car I need for what I want to do. American made, Winter stability and capability on roads and highways with excellent fuel economy.
 
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#11 ·
I've done this several times in the FDII with no problem at all. It's just hard to get out and take pics.

Image


I'm also confident this wouldn't be a problem, but even less so once the lift is installed (just waiting for that damned bracket they redesigned).
Image


These GV's are also heavily modified. Keep that in mind. The one that's all painted up is probably also an offroad team with a budget that can make thier own parts instead of waiting for the aftermarket to catch up.

Incidentally, RRO says they're having trouble keeping up with the demand on the Patriot lift. Keep on ordering them guys, so they'll start designing more for us!
 
#12 ·
No way. I think Jepster67 hit it on the head. Everything is relative. If I wanted to buy a vehicle with worse gas mileage and better trail capability I would buy a Wrangler, but I don't so I didn't. The Riot works great for my needs.

Oh, and I can't resist discussing the Chevy Blazer... My department has several of those vehicles and I can't wait for when they get removed from service so I can have my recruits cut them to pieces. Anything is a better alternative to one of those.
 
#13 · (Edited)
I was the one having trouble going up the hill, but the problem seems very likely the fact the ESP was FULLY engaged, the experience another member posted that ended up being ESP was SPOT ON to what happened, that said the Vitara is "alright", but if I was going for something that kind of mileage, i'll find a 01 Cherokee Classic with the Select Trac (or was it the Command Trac?) that offers 4 hi, 4 low, and a fulltime 4WD setting. Then again, i am biased as I LOVE my parents 96 Sport Cherokee and love it's capabilities and is a main reason i bought the Patriot. Hell, i may end up getting a Cherokee in the future just to have for a hunting vehicle or even better, a Comanche pickup truck to keep the smelly dogs out of the cab ;) Also the Cherokee has 190 HP and similar mieage to the Vitara (my parents averages 18ish MPG in mixed driving). And the torque that engine has is just great. Also, in the Patriot, I have tackled a simirlarly steep road before, but it was shorter and much smoother (ie no jagged rocks and not as dusty) and have went through some decently tough stuff where the hills were less extreme and that took some crawling, overall this thing has surprised MUCH more than it has diapointed me.
 
#15 ·
Unclejjg, you seem to be a very, very ,very well informed person. It is obvious you have done your homework and then some. So much so that you have waited......waited........and ............waited for you to make an informed decision. In reading your "main question", would I "sacrifice a few gallons of gas for a true transfer case and a stronger engine" ; the answer is no. I dont know what your current mpg is with your blazer, but I have to wonder, is it better than what you would get with a Patriot, or GV? Are you maybe........ losing a game that you have not yet begun? Is it possible that you can already have what you want without having to wait more? Granted, ultimately it is your decision........make it already! Sometimes you have to go with what you feel, not with what you know. You may end up choosing the GV, but what if once you start using it you dont like it? I am not saying it cant happen, but it can and visa versa with the Patriot.

I AM an FDII owner.
 
#17 ·
Well on monday the 28th I plan on taking my FDI patriot to the place where I go hunting to test its limits. I will take pictures and make a report. I looked at all of the small suv's. As far as I'm concerned the patriot seemed like the best offroader in its class. Plus I figured there would be more aftermarket support like lift kits and such for a jeep product than the others. The patriot gets better gas mileage than any other suv. I don't care what suzuki says the new engine will not come close to the patriot in gas mileage. A 4 banger will beat a 6 cylinder every time in mpg's. The patriot is not a hard core offroader and neither is the Gv. If the patriot gets me to my hunting spot I'm happy.
 
#19 ·
metalhead said:
If the patriot gets me to my hunting spot I'm happy.
Click to expand...
well said.

if it gets me and 3 buddies and 4 bikes up a rough logging road (which the FDII does), I'm happy.
 
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