[CalTom]

This new thread is to consider both the positive things about the Renegade along with the negative things. Seeing the big picture can help decide if the Renegade is the vehicle for you. Everything in life have Pros and Cons, when you look at the balanced view you can make a better decision.

So, I'll take the first try:

Pros:
Smaller package, easier driving and parking.
Better on-road manners, smother ride, better gas mileage as a daily driver (DD) than the Wrangler.
Box shape more true to the Willy's heritage than the Cherokee.

Cons:
Jeep/Chrysler/Fiat components and potential poor reliability.
No Glass Sunroof in the U.S. ?
Does not have the “Hurricane” four-cylinder engine (in 2016?)


What is your list?

 

[raz-0]

This new thread is to consider both the positive things about the Renegade along with the negative things. Seeing the big picture can help decide if the Renegade is the vehicle for you. Everything in life have Pros and Cons, when you look at the balanced view you can make a better decision.

So, I'll take the first try:

Pros:
Smaller package, easier driving and parking.
Better on-road manners, smother ride, better gas mileage as a daily driver (DD) than the Wrangler.
Box shape more true to the Willy's heritage than the Cherokee.

Cons:
Jeep/Chrysler/Fiat components and potential poor reliability.
No Glass Sunroof in the U.S. ?
Does not have the “Hurricane” four-cylinder engine (in 2016?)


What is your list?

I don't believe it is getting a glass sunroof anywhere. From the sounds of it, even the sunroof option is their funky polycarbonate and whatever compound. From what I could gather from the videos and brochures, sunroof = single panel, power open, non removable, power shade. My sky = dual panel, removable, maybe power open, mystery on power/manual/any shade.

 

[nagofra]

Hi
I'm about to order a Renegade (I'm in France) with an optional glass sunroof which can be electrically controled.
Name of the option is "command view" which is different from the "mysky" option.

 

[Jeepers]

I don't see how the missing sun roof is really a problem. You have the My Sky roof to use if you choose it and you can also get a sunroof standard, right? I also was not aware of FCA parts being poor quality. Is this a common opinion?

 

[CalTom]

I don't believe it is getting a glass sunroof anywhere. From the sounds of it, even the sunroof option is their funky polycarbonate and whatever compound. From what I could gather from the videos and brochures, sunroof = single panel, power open, non removable, power shade. My sky = dual panel, removable, maybe power open, mystery on power/manual/any shade.

Hi Raz, I was referring to the "Command View ® panoramic glass sunroof" you mentioned in this this thread:

So the roof options:

MySkyTM is a two-piece modular roof system with two separately removable panels. These are easily unlocked by a handle and stowed in the luggage compartment. The modules are light (each about 4.5 kg), sound proof and robust. The front panel operates as a conventional sunroof, via an electric lifting and sliding function.

The Command View ® panoramic glass sunroof provides a two-part glass area of ​​more than 0.8 m2. The front glass element has an electric lift and sliding function. An electric roller blind also serves as sun protection.

Looks like you have a choice of panoramic sunroof with removable panels, or panoramic sunroof with fixed panels and a power sun screen. Not a manually removable option and a power sunroof option as implied in previous comments to the media.

 

[tony]

One downside is no diesel engine option, yet. I say yet, because with the way the industry is moving it seems like more and more vehicles will be getting diesel, the Renegade being a great vehicle for this (IMO), and something we could possibly see becoming an option. I'd rather see this over the hurricane 4 cylinder.

 

[CalTom]

I don't see how the missing sun roof is really a problem. You have the My Sky roof to use if you choose it and you can also get a sunroof standard, right? I also was not aware of FCA parts being poor quality. Is this a common opinion?

Jeepers, you are correct, it is not a problem, just a Pro vs a Con. So for your personal list, it does not belong, but for mine it does. That what is nice about this thread, everyone will have a different opinion about what is a Pro or Con, but at the end of the day everyone can decide for themselves what constitutes their list.

Regarding "FCA parts being poor quality" that is a little different from what I meant. I'm referring to brand and model "reliability". There are a number of surveys and discussion threads on the internet that point to the FCA products not being as reliable as say a Toyota or a Honda.

 

[raz-0]

Hi Raz, I was referring to the "Command View ® panoramic glass sunroof" you mentioned in this this thread:

Keep in mind that's speculative and a translation using google and myself as a non native speaker. Google supplemented my vocabulary, and I supplemented some of google's bad grasp of grammar for meaning and context. Keep in mind, I learned what one might call formal German about 25 years ago. More casual German gets a bit weirder, and is increasingly common even in written materials. It might be something as simple as something like referring to the two panels as panes in english. Even if you look in a dictionary, that would imply they are glass, but if it fills the same function, we might call it the same thing. Like saying thanks to Scotty traveling from the future, the window panes are made of transparent aluminum. The schlubs installing them would still call them window panes, but it wouldn't correctly mean they are glass. My language skills aren't nuanced enough at this point to tell you one way or the other. Literally it translates as glass panel roof, and mysky translates as mysky panel roof.

Given the polyurethane and fiberglass thing is fro weight savings/fuel economy, I doubt it will be optional.

For all we know, the polyurethane and fiberglass honeycombis for the structural bits, and the panels are actually glass, although some "pre-production" shots make them appear opaque while the implication of demo shots were that they are not.

Although opaque plastic with a removal mechanism vs. glass with a single slider might explain why both options cost the same in Germany.

Despite all the leaks, we realy know jack about the US vehicles in detail.

 

[Karamich]

Regarding "FCA parts being poor quality" that is a little different from what I meant. I'm referring to brand and model "reliability". There are a number of surveys and discussion threads on the internet that point to the FCA products not being as reliable as say a Toyota or a Honda.

Yes you are right, reliability is a big worry for me especially now that my 2010 Patriot, in addition to all its noises and squeaks in suspension and other parts, the engine starts to vibrate at idle... I have about 88.000KM in it...

So the more issues I see (or hear) in my present Patriot, the more reluctant I become toward this beautifully designed little jeep..,

 

[DogsRule]

Pro: Lets say everything is good. Too many pros to list.

Con: No diesel. I'm a petrol head but I'd like to try diesel for stop-light launching and also the economy for the hour drive to work on cruise control.

Diesel. May need diesel-exhaust fluid. Diesel is also 50+ cents more per gallon.

Packing the fender wells and dead spaces with foam. Just like the fender lips and rocker panels are covered in plastic. I'm scared of rust.

 

[ManEater666]

that´s the difference ... over here in Germany Diesel is about 20 Cents less/ltr. as Gas

 

[CalTom]

Packing the fender wells and dead spaces with foam.

Hi JFS, please explain more, I've never heard of this, is that for sound absorption or what ?

Where have you read that is what they are doing in the Renegade?

 

[Jeepers]

Hi JFS, please explain more, I've never heard of this, is that for sound absorption or what ?

Where have you read that is what they are doing in the Renegade?

I'm confused about this also. I haven't heard of this happening, and if it did happen I question if it is really a con. Sound deadening would be great. Only other thing I think it could have to do with is safety. A source for this info would be great though.

 

[DogsRule]

I'll dig it up. Give me a little time. I remember reading it and saying "uh-oh".

Here's a possible con: The Jeep Liberty can't have its automatic tranny oil checked by owners. There's no oil dipstick. It HAS to go to the dealer with their special dipstick that reads it against a special temperature range to estimate the oil level. That cost me $80.

Now I see the (at least) euro version of the owners manual says the trans fluid should be checked by the dealer and offers no other explanations...so I hope there's a transmission dipstick and a way for me to check my own fluid and not by the stealership.

 

[DogsRule]

Hi JFS, please explain more, I've never heard of this, is that for sound absorption or what ?

Where have you read that is what they are doing in the Renegade?

Noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) reduction includes laminated acoustic windshield glass, body-cavity silencing foam, under-flush rolled-framed doors with triple seals and acoustic wheel-well liners to absorb road noise and quiet the cabin.

Found under suspension and body in the Allpar website:
http://www.allpar.com/SUVs/jeep/renegade.html

I have seen them tout the sound deadening materials in numerous articles but this one made me think of either expanding urethane foam between panels and in fenders or maybe air-foam blocks. Eitherway, I won't like trapped water in my panels.... And I'm probably getting my pressure up prematurely.

Well, I'm heading down to the Jeep dealer and I'll check on a few items.

 

[CalTom]

I found this in a search for NVH body-cavity silencing foam:

DOW BETAFOAM™ is a foam solution that can be injected in body cavities for 3D sealing and thus prevents water leak and gas intrusion as well as it reduces wind, road, engine and tire noise. The improved strength of the body provides a better overall NVH performance with 1 – 5 db noise reduction compared to baffle technologies. The Application can be introduced flexible and on short notice, i.e. at the production floor with no extra tooling costs.
http://www.dowautomotive.com/news/2011/20110406a.htm

DOW BETAFOAM™ polyurethane foams
Engineered to provide barrier protection against airborne noise, BETAFOAM™ polyurethane foams also can be useful in NVH (noise, vibration, harshness), stiffness and energy management applications. These two-component polyurethane foams adhere to primed metal surfaces and combine insulating and sealing performance in a single product. Several BETAFOAM polyurethane foam products also provide local reinforcement to body structures for crash and energy management.
Benefits
Enable excellent body joint rigidity
More than 40 percent more mass efficient compared to steel at equivalent weight
Enables down gauging or elimination of body-in-white content
Improved performance with net body structure mass and cost savings
Design flexibility due to foam filling any cavity shape and contour, and no redesign required after sheet metal changes
Low material cost and reduced or eliminated metal tooling cost
Low-MDI formulations may relieve ventilation requirements and can be more easily facilitated in assembly plant environments
Enables increased performance to meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) requirements
http://www.dowautomotive.com/capabilities/product_family/betafoam.htm

 

[CalTom]

BETAFOAM Foam Technology demonstration:

 

[DogsRule]

Wow. Great find CalTom. Looking forward to learning more.

 

[DogsRule]

Here's a possible con: The Jeep Liberty can't have its automatic tranny oil checked by owners. There's no oil dipstick.

Update: Yup. Per the 2014 Cherokee O.M., the 9 speed tranny has no dipstick, so checking your new-fangled 9-speed tranny fluid is a dealer-only service:

 

[Frederikos]

Just did a test drive with 140bhp 4x4 diesel. It's very roomy inside, drives well, good suspension. Took it through bad roads and a mud road, no problem. No noises on bad roads so it's well built. Engine is powerful enough and manual gear is smooth.
Passenger seats lacks adjustments to be comfortoble but it's okay.'
The is an option for my sky roof or panoramic sun roof (both €1500)
Backseat is just for 2 persons, booth is OK but is square which is good.