Jeep Liberties - top of my list for gas guzzlers

Well, now that I sold my 06 Jeep Liberty Limited at auction, I'll be happy to tell you that when I drove it to St. Louis from Springfield Missouri it just about bankrupted me in gas fees. You would think a small SUV like that would not be any big deal on gas, but if you combine automatic, 4 wheel drive, V6 and heater blowing it adds up quick. I've taken that trip a hundred times (literally) and I never gave gas prices a second thought. I have the receipts but I must have spent $60 there and back.

I guess it was the fact that it was such a small vehicle that really set me off about it. I could understand if I was driving a Yukon or Navigator, you would at least expect it then. But what a surprise this was.

While I'm on the subject of Liberties, have you ever driven a 5 speed liberty? It kind of reminds me of driving a 3 wheeler for the first time. It has a very strange feel to it, just not natural. I'm mentioning this because a friend of mine just bought one to resell. It turned out to be a 5 speed with 2 wheel drive. I'll have to ask him about the gas mileage on it...

We did some work on it for him when he got it at the auto auction. So, I drove it to my shop and in the middle of the drive I had to call and warn him of the vehicles strange feel on the road. He said I was imagining things. He was at the sale the next week trying to dump the thing. "Nobody is ever gonna buy this heap after they drive it!" he says.

Well, I don't like slamming other peoples products, but in this case they are a frustrating little truck. Jeep has made some great ones over the years, but this one has missed its mark.

But, as I always say, "I couldn't have built it any better."