Would ya'll buy this?

[1991Jeep_Man]

Long story short, I need ya'lls opinions. And PLEASE don't hold back... if you have any experience (first or second hand) with this vehicle or anything like it, put your input in here. I am trying to help my mother find a descent vehicle that will give her a few years of reliable service so long as general maintenance (oil, tranny fluid, coolant, etc.) is kept up to date (that's my job, and I preach the importance of maintenance).

This is the vehicle:

http://www.kernmotorco.com/VehicleD...pass-4WD_4dr_Limited-Winchester-VA/1654039953

My mother doesn't offroad or anything.. she just needs a good 4x4 vehicle for the mountain/valley snows here during winter. Plus, the heated seats would really help her joint issues. Currently she owns a 2002 Ford Escape 4 cylinder 5 speed manual, and has had past issues with it. She really doesn't want a repeat, and is looking to me to help her find the right vehicle. My biggest concern with this Jeep after much research is the CVT and the suspension. If ya'll have any input, PLEASE don't hesistate. I appreciate the help!

 

[Ben824]

For your mother I think this would be perfect. My old roommate dated a girl who had the Patriot which is really close to the Compass. That always confused me why they made two vehicles so similar. But beside from it seeming kinda cheap, it never gave her any trouble in 3 years. If she needs an affordable 4x4 that gets good gas mileage and is reliable then this seems like a good option.

 

[1991Jeep_Man]

For your mother I think this would be perfect. My old roommate dated a girl who had the Patriot which is really close to the Compass. That always confused me why they made two vehicles so similar. But beside from it seeming kinda cheap, it never gave her any trouble in 3 years. If she needs an affordable 4x4 that gets good gas mileage and is reliable then this seems like a good option.

From what I've found, the Patriot is more Off-Road and and traditional Jeep square-styled. I think the Compass was Jeep's "let's make a car" approach, and the Patriot was the "let's take the car we made, and make it more off road capable and keep that tradition jeep body on it". Thanks for the feedback! 3 years sounds good, and if anything 3 years is plenty of time to save a nest egg for any repairs. I know every vehicle has flaws, and NO vehicle has parts that last forever (why does the XJ cooling system come to mind? lol). I just want to find her a vehicle where the parts being replaced aren't the engine/transmission/driveline/every interior piece.

 

[Darky]

The Patriot is the Compass with a different body which is a Dodge Caliber with a different grille. The Caliber is the replacement for the Neon.

I couldn't click on the link (down for maintenance) but if it's an auto, it's the CVT most likely. That could take getting used to for your mom. It may or may not be a reliable transmission. I've heard a pretty equal amount of good and bad, maybe 2 or 3 either way, tops. I drove a Compass to make some rounds while working in car rental (visiting local business clients to see how they're doing) and it was kinda cramped (but then I'm 6'2" and weighed about 230-240 at the time) with a pretty stiff suspension. Hitting a rumble strip mid corner caused the whole car to shift almost into the other lane (non-oncoming). I wouldn't buy it for me, but have her drive it, find some rough sections of road, and look into the reliability of the CVT. For an economical AWD/4wd car, it wouldn't be too bad.

 

[Darky]

Also, look up reliability for the Dodge Caliber. Just about all info pertaining to the Caliber will carry over to the Compass and the Caliber is more common so it should have more reviews available.

 

[loansmu]

In my opinion this looks like a great car for your mother. I like it that it's so big- especially for women it's comfy to have a better overview for the traffic. The insides look also great and it's a reliable car as far as I know and what I've heard, although it's not my personal experience.

 

[1991Jeep_Man]

The Patriot is the Compass with a different body which is a Dodge Caliber with a different grille. The Caliber is the replacement for the Neon.

I couldn't click on the link (down for maintenance) but if it's an auto, it's the CVT most likely. That could take getting used to for your mom. It may or may not be a reliable transmission. I've heard a pretty equal amount of good and bad, maybe 2 or 3 either way, tops. I drove a Compass to make some rounds while working in car rental (visiting local business clients to see how they're doing) and it was kinda cramped (but then I'm 6'2" and weighed about 230-240 at the time) with a pretty stiff suspension. Hitting a rumble strip mid corner caused the whole car to shift almost into the other lane (non-oncoming). I wouldn't buy it for me, but have her drive it, find some rough sections of road, and look into the reliability of the CVT. For an economical AWD/4wd car, it wouldn't be too bad.

That's one of my biggest concerns. I too have read the mixed reviews, and the suspension seems to be another trouble spot for this vehicle. However, most suspension failures are earlier on, and I am hopeful that they have already been replaced. A thorough inspection will establish this.

But again, the CVT is my main concern. I am hopeful to get more info pertaining to it. I don't like the fact that it isn't user servicable in sense of fluids.



Thanks for all the feedback so far ya'll! Irregardless, if we do go look at it, we'll run it by a garage just to be safe.

 

[bails85]

My wife has a caliber and it has done very well the year we have owned it.

 

[1991Jeep_Man]

Well, after further very extensive research, we have opted against the mentioned Compass. We don't want to deal with the risks and potential hassle of screwed up suspension components and that CVT. The CVT in these cars, especially this year Compass, are VERY notorious for failure.

SO, we found a good '08 Chevy HHR. Has everything this compass has minus the gps. No worries.. we have a tom tom. Very clean, 4 speed auto, 2.4L trans, upgraded suspension package, and a tad over 50k miles. CPO vehicle as well, so WARRANTY!

 

[jbmoose]

my neighbor has had her Patriot in to the dealer 4 times in the last year. Ball joints were ready to let go, CVT issues, and twice for steering. All major ($) sh1t. I believe it's a '08

 

[Darky]

The HHRs aren't bad little cars. Lots of space for the size, good mpgs, The Ecotec is fairly reliable, and it's built off the Cobalt which is a car I always liked.

 

[1991Jeep_Man]

The HHRs aren't bad little cars. Lots of space for the size, good mpgs, The Ecotec is fairly reliable, and it's built off the Cobalt which is a car I always liked.

Yeah, we're hopeful reliability is good. I've had nothing short of good experience with Chevy in the past. My old man had a metro that lasted damn near forever. So hopefully the HHR will hold up. Plus, I've been told the Stabilitrak and Traction Control help in snow, and usually any blizzard duty is left to the good ol' XJ.

 

[1991Jeep_Man]

So guys, the HHR fell through. Pretty disappointing, HOWEVER I think I found another looker. We're hopefully going to get a test drive Saturday. Any input on ya'lls end would be great.

It's an '09 Patriot. 2.4L, CVT, 4X4. From what I have read, the transmission bugs seem fixed with this. Appariently '09 was the year of refinements. I didn't see too many problems with suspension parts. Carfax is clean as a whistle, with regular service reports (oil, tire rotations, alignments, inspections). No reported problems. Hopefully this means its a good one? I appreciate any help!

http://inventory.marlowmotor.com/marlowmotorco/details/2009-Jeep-Patriot-Sport/1J8FF28BX9D113348/