For me, stick shifts are unnecessary work and I gave up driving them long ago in favor of autos. The CVT is indeed a different experience and takes getting used to, I love mine and enjoy the smoothness - no auto shift jerks. I average 28mpg on my 90% freeway commute.

You don't say whether the '07 manual is a 4X4, but for the money the '08 CVT seems better value. However, since you see say you enjoy driving stick, you might well miss that changing to a CVT unless it has auto-stick (mine has). Perhaps you should check out another dealer to see what they have.

 

go with the manual - IMO

 

the cvt is a great tranny. go for it.

 

I guess that's the never-ending question. CVT or stick... I personnaly prefer stick, but I've been driving manual cars since the first one I had. When I was looking for my Pat, the only reason I would pick a CVT is for the FDII package. But since I decided to stay with a FDI, manual was the way to go.

I'ld just say : test-drive both of them, and make yourself your own opinion.

You'll have plenty of people here telling you to go with the CVT, and almost as much telling you to stay with a good-old stick transmission. Not sure this will help you a lot!

 

I have the 5 sp and my daughter's Pat has the CVT. After a year and a half of driving both, I'd vote for the CVT.

Manual tranny is cheap, shifts poorly and the mileage advantage of 2-3 mpgs isn't worth the pain you'll inflict upon yourself. Clutch disc is also undersized and reverse gear is a nightmare.

Do get some winter tires for the MN winters and you'll have a tank.

p.s. - I've been driving sticks on and off for over 30 years and it isn't me.

 

So I drove the stick today, I did enjoy it a lot more then the Auto the car does feel a lot more peppy - but the stick car had 50k on it for $14000. I need something reliable that will last me a good few years...I think I am going to go w/ the auto since it did have the semi-manual crap. Does that really help much on the expressway?

 

The way the transmission feels like can be an issue to those who haven't thought about how it works. The ride in a Patriot is pretty smooth so it does not feel like you are going all that fast, even when you are. People are accustomed to engine RPM being directly linked to accelerating, whereas with the CVT you have steady RPM and a smooth ride - a combination that may feel to some like the vehicle is not really going anywhere. But if you get this feeling, take a look at the speedometer. Preferably before you exceed the speed limit too much...

The CVT may take some getting used to, but that doesn't mean it's a bad system. It is funny though, how the complaints about the CVT really are complaints that it lacks the unevenness and jerkiness of more traditional transmissions.

I think I am going to go w/ the auto since it did have the semi-manual crap. Does that really help much on the expressway?

I don't think the automatic transmission needs any help, so that renders the question moot. But using the AutoStick will give you a more "traditional" feeling of the engine revving up as the speed increases.

 

Drove a Caliber for a week while in San Diego. It had the CVT. Was looking forward to trying it. Alas it sucked! Every time I stepped on it even a little as in to merge on the 5 the rpms went wild. When I got my riot it was 5 speed or nothing thank you very much:banana: Ric

 

The following web link gives a good description of how a CVT works http://auto.howstuffworks.com/cvt5.htm
...Extract from the article:
When you step on the gas pedal of a car with a continuously variable transmission, you notice the difference immediately. The engine revs up toward the rpms at which it produces the most power, and then it stays there. But the car doesn't react immediately. Then, a moment later, the transmission kicks in, accelerating the car slowly, steadily and without any shifts. In theory, a car with a CVT should reach 60 mph (100 km/hr) 25-percent faster than the same car with the same engine and a manual transmission [ref]. That's because the CVT converts every point on the engine's operating curve to a corresponding point on its own operating curve.

 

the cvt is good choice, but in this case, looking for a pre-owned Pat, IMO: the patriot with CVT, is 2008 (vs 2007) and less milages...

good luck!

 

Well, when looking for used you have to prioritize your needs. Sometimes you can;t meet them all with what's available.

For me the 4x4 would be near top on the list, and when I bought mine the FDII was near the top, and only available in the CVT. Well, not just the FDII, but what came with it, skid plates, hooks, more clearance, etc.

I've driven sticks and autos for over 40 years, and the CVT does take some getting used to, but I have learned to like it.

There wasn't another vehicle that gave me the room, capabilities, and mileage of the Pat.

 

I prefer the 5-speed.
I haven't had any of this:
"Manual tranny is cheap, shifts poorly and the mileage advantage of 2-3 mpgs isn't worth the pain you'll inflict upon yourself. Clutch disc is also undersized and reverse gear is a nightmare."

I don't even like regular automatics, so for me the CVT is a big No.

 

+1 here. Have driven a CVT Mitsubishi Outlander and it drove me insane! I've been turned off since. Have always driven stick and, if left no option, I prefer the old style auto trans (a bit more predictable). Even rode a scooter once with CVT and it felt like I was never in full control over it!

At the end of the day, each to his own. Just my 2 cents.

 

" In theory, a car with a CVT should reach 60 mph (100 km/hr) 25-percent faster than the same car with the same engine and a manual transmission [ref]. That's because the CVT converts every point on the engine's operating curve to a corresponding point on its own operating curve."

Not in this world.

 

As someone else explained in this case if these are your two choices the 2008 has more going for it then the 2007. Allthough depending upon when it went into service this is 2010 and if it did go into service in 2007, your warranty might not be as long as you think it is as factory warranty begins at in service date/year in most states.

I d still go for the cvt. I have a 2.0 cvt and supposedly it is suppose to get the same mpg that the 2.4 manual gets. No mention of the engines in either so I assume their both 2.4.

I ve gone from hating the CVT to thinking it is kinda neat...

 

Just curious, what's your gas mileage?

 

actually better then most even with my new tires i average about 25 27 mpg.. Suprisingly my new tires have only pushed that to the lower end 25.. I m happy with that

I drive about 1/2 highway and 1/2 city give or take

 

No question. If you even bothered to ask, it means you are willing and able to drive a manual, so get the manual. We have both, a Compass CVT and a Patriot 5 speed. Other than the GM Turbo-400, I like the Jeep CVT better than any other automatic I have ever driven, but I still like the 5 speed better.

 

Just so you guys know the revised ratings. This compares the MT with the FDII... I know a lot of CVT owners get better than the ratings, but MT owners can better as well.

Here are the revised fuel economy ratings under the new standards..

2.4L MT 23 City 28 Highway
2.4L FDII 20 City 22 Highway

FDI is 1 MPG better than FDII

Visit http://www.fueleconomy.gov and compare side by side.

 

My 5-speed 4x4 2.4 gets a bit over 23 in the city, and has averaged 30 on highway trips. I've seen as high as 33.

 

Just as an info, mine is a CVT 4x4, I manage to get around 28 mpg with it, and I have bigger tires on it. It all depends how you deal with the CVT.

From my experience, the best mpg result comes when you let the CVT work around the 2500 rpm mark and try to avoid going over 3000 rpm. When the engine gets to 2500, keep your foot steady and just wait until you get to the desired speed. You will be surprise by your mpg.

By the way, I don't drive anything faster than 65mph to get those results, and I mostly do highway.

Also, if you buy used, there is a trick you can do that reset the car computer so it relearn the driver's habits. This will also help because you don't know how the previous owner was driving. Here are the procedures:

Turn on Ignition, Depress Accelerator pedal very slowly to the floor, Let pedal come very slowly back up again.You have now re set the Electronic Engine Management Unit.

I think you can also get those instruction in the Pat's manual.

I would suggest you to go for the 2008 w/CVT. If you do, get used to the CVT a bit (a week or 2) then reset the EEMU, so it will relearn the driving habits of a driver that is used to the CVT, not the habits from someone tried to get used to it

Cheers,
Alex

 

I have found with my new 215/70r16 tires i still get god gas milage highway up to about 65 however, anything over 65mph and my milage drops significantly. Kinda odd... 65mph I get about 28 mph 75 i go down to 23...

 

I love my 5 speed manual transmission and was so lucky to get it, since there weren't many in stock for 2010s they were clearing. I know I've heard that there are some manual tranny problems for some, (and a TSB for bad synchros), but heck with a 4 cyl engine, I need to gear down to handle some of the hills around my house. Also helps with passing, too. I've found shifting to be very smooth. It is difficult to find reversve sometimes, but only because I am not used to this gearbox (my other car shifting radius is more spread out).

I even find my Pat to be easier to drive in traffic, as I can crawl along in 1st gear a lot easier than my other car (where 1st revved to high at my crawl speed and then almost stalled when trying to crawl in 2nd). That worked out well...

 

I have the cvt, it took alot to get used to, then...I needed a reprogram of the ecu for the tranny, after that im very pleased...

I would go to the cvt before manual trannys anyday now. I can drink my coffee no shifting required.!

 

I've got the cvt and one of the best things i like about it is that I can get almost to 75mph and cruise and keep the engine at a tad over 2000rpm. I've never had a gear ratio like that before. Out of curiosity what's the engine speed at 75 on the manual?

 

awsome....I have the FDII package and at 60 mph im running 2700 rpm. 75mph i am well over 3000....

difference in gearing.

 

We have the 5 speed and in 5th gear at 105km/hr about 65 mph the tach shows about 2400 rpm. In 4th gear the tach shows about 3400 rpm at the same speed where the redline is over 6000 rpm. We usually get at least 30 mpg in 5th gear and have gotten 26 mpg when using only 4th gear at highway speeds.

 

We have the 5 speed and in 5th gear at 100km/hr about 65 mph the tach shows about 2600 rpm. In 4th gear the tach shows about 3400 rpm at the same speed where the redline is well over 5000 rpm. We usually get at least 30 mpg in 5th gear and have gotten 26 mpg when using only 4th gear at highway speeds.

What size are your tires? I ask because mine are the stckk 205-70-16 and I have a 5-speed. At 65 mph in 5th my tach is at 2400rpm. at 60 mph, it's 2250, and at 60 mph in 4th it's 3200.

 

I noticed the CVT to be a bit "jerky" at low speeds, especially on initial acceleration. Not a big deal for me now I've gotten used to it.