Well this weekend the wife and I loaded up and went camping. We had the seats in the CRD folded down, and the back filled with coolers, camping gear, etc. Then I hooked a 16' flatbed trailer up, and put our two 4x4 ATVs on the trailer and strapped them down. So trailer (2,100 lbs.), ATVs (1,200 lbs.), and camping gear (probably around 300 lbs.) plus both of us and a full tank of diesel...you're looking at about 4,180 lbs. total load on the CRD (Max. towing capacity is 5,000 lbs.)

I set the cruise on 65, with the overdrive (actually 5th gear) ON, and the CRD didn't even cough. KY hillsides that used to work my Ram 1500 with the 4.7L V8 to death seemed easy for the CRD. My tranny didn't even have to downshift with the load. That is something I have never experienced before with any gas truck, fullsize or not. And I got 20.5 mpg with that load! I don't know why anyone would want anything other than a diesel. These things are amazing! The CRD has gobs of torque in the lower RPMs where it's needed and I'm loving it. These Jeep CRDs are no joke! Can't wait 'til somebody comes out with a tuner for them.

 

Cool! Where think'n about trading the wife's conv. VW bug for one.

 

Yeah, I cant seem to find any info here on them. Are us Californians screwed again?

 

I wish I could convince the wife to drive a diesel. I want to get her one but she says no way she is going to touch a diesel fuel pump. And she just plain hates diesels all the way around. That and the fact that her Grand Prix is paid for.

 

Funny, I was in Wisconsin last week and pulled up next to a new black CRD at a diesel station, driven *very enthuastically* by a women! She was crazy about her new rig, and was in the process of convincing many of her friends to trade in thier SUV's for one of these as well. I was very encouraged!

 

Yeah these things are pretty sweet. I've got 1,500 miles on it now...I've been a fullsize pickup truck guy all my life but this little SUV is really impressing me. From what I hear these engines are built pretty tough. It's already close to 300 lb/ft, when someone comes out with a diesel tuner maybe 400 lb/ft or more will be a possibility?? hmmm...

 

If im not mistaken.. and i most certainly can be alot. he he he he. i think Van Aaken already has a tuner for these rigs.. Best of luck! now i want one too...

Tx

 

Now isnt that just plain hott???? he he he he he he Need me one of them gals down here in Tx....

Tx

 

I looked into getting one around the first of the year. Before I found my truck. The dealers around Reno all wanted me to by one and take delivery about two months out. I just couldn't do it without a test drive or without ever seeing one. I had already been waiting over a year to even have a chance of seeing one. The dealer kept telling me they were limited to a certain number of CRDs and they were going to test the market first. Then he told me he had a lot of people interested, but only one buyer so far. I wonder why? Get the things here so there is some exposure. I have never seen one in Reno. A little disapointed here. really wanted one, but sick of waiting.

 

My wife has one and loves it. She has about 4,000 miles on it and it has been doing about 23.5 to 26.5 mpg, and she has a hard foot.

 

4000lbs and you got 20.5mpg. If that's hand calculated (?), that is pretty darn good. Better than most of our trucks get empty... however it IS hard to believe. If that's the reality of the situation, it really makes our trucks farther away from something most of us NEED and more closer to WANT. Lots here tow heavy, but at least half don't tow at all or tow less than 5k lbs. If this thing is getting such great mileage towing that kind of weight...our trucks make less sense. Of course our trucks have more room and other benefits, but wow. It will be interesting though to see how these liberties hold up over time though. I somehow doubt they designed these liberties with constant/frequent towing in mind...