Joined
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9 Posts
My Renegade (Renee:x): 1.4L, 6-speed manual, Latitude
Extra Features: Automatic MySky, Rearview backup camera
Why manual transmission? I enjoy driving manual transmission. It allows more control in the mountains of Colorado. I absolutely hate transmissions that can't decide what gear you should be in when climbing a steep grade. Ok, the problems with the 9-speed automatic transmission also deterred me. I think if I was forced to get an automatic transmission car I would have gone with a Mazda CX-5 AWD.
The Good: I love this little Jeep! I was previously driving a 2003 Wrangler 2-door TJ, lifted, lockers, 5-speed manual... It was too much Jeep for a daily driver. I haven't been offroading like I used to and I was sick of the rough ride on the highway and poor gas mileage.
The Renegade solved both those problems and then some. Ok, so I've only been getting between 23-27 mpg so far, but I think that's so low because I sit in traffic. A lot. Even when my mpg went up to 27, I was driving mostly to/from the mountains and spent some time in traffic so I haven't hit that magical 30mpg yet, but I think I will next time I take a long road trip.
Around town Renee is great. The suspension glides over potholes and manhole covers with no complaints from the girlfriend. I've even had a chance test out the 4wd in the two snow storms we've gotten. When others were slipping and sliding or having trouble making it up a hill, I've driven right on by with confidence to spare.
The Bad: Ok, my biggest complaint so far is the automatic parking brake. The automatic parking brake control requires that the brake petal be depressed in order for the parking brake to be released. The problem is that I press the brake petal and then attempt to release the parking brake, but it does not release because I have not applied enough pressure on the brake petal. This is frustrating because there is no feedback to tell the driver whether or not lifting the automatic parking brake lever was successful. As a result, it has caused me to stall the vehicle on multiple occasions when I think I have released the parking brake, but in reality Renee just laughs and releases a slight odor of burning something. Ok, I'll do it again, but more slowly and deliberate. Thanks Obama.
Ok, ok... I understand that this was likely intended as a safety feature, but as someone who's driven manual transmission for a long time, it more dangerous to have an operation like removing the parking brake fail due to an overzealous brake pressure sensor than it is to remove the parking brake without the brake petal fully depressed. When I'm ready to drive, the car is in gear, the clutch is in and I want to go. Now!
The gearing on the 1.4L is a little high for the amount of power it has, especially since you don't reach the start of the turbo's power band until around 2k-2.5k rpm. Slightly lower gearing would make it feel peppier.
Ok Jeep, where is my spare tire? The fix-a-flat is a joke. I'm not truly off road capable without a redundant wheel. Slimer doesn't count. Someone call the ghostbusters.
Just two other minor complaints. The trim on the driver door isn't tight. I feel slight movement every time I close the door from the outside. Sliding the front seats forward and backward is a bit rough. Seriously, it's harder to move these seats than the seats in my old Wrangler.
Overall this little Jeep is great! I enjoy driving her around town and she definitely handles great in the snow. I even forget how terrible the potholes are on my street until I get into another car. All the sheep driving Subarus turn their heads when I drive by.
:ReneBlueWave:
Extra Features: Automatic MySky, Rearview backup camera
Why manual transmission? I enjoy driving manual transmission. It allows more control in the mountains of Colorado. I absolutely hate transmissions that can't decide what gear you should be in when climbing a steep grade. Ok, the problems with the 9-speed automatic transmission also deterred me. I think if I was forced to get an automatic transmission car I would have gone with a Mazda CX-5 AWD.
The Good: I love this little Jeep! I was previously driving a 2003 Wrangler 2-door TJ, lifted, lockers, 5-speed manual... It was too much Jeep for a daily driver. I haven't been offroading like I used to and I was sick of the rough ride on the highway and poor gas mileage.
The Renegade solved both those problems and then some. Ok, so I've only been getting between 23-27 mpg so far, but I think that's so low because I sit in traffic. A lot. Even when my mpg went up to 27, I was driving mostly to/from the mountains and spent some time in traffic so I haven't hit that magical 30mpg yet, but I think I will next time I take a long road trip.
Around town Renee is great. The suspension glides over potholes and manhole covers with no complaints from the girlfriend. I've even had a chance test out the 4wd in the two snow storms we've gotten. When others were slipping and sliding or having trouble making it up a hill, I've driven right on by with confidence to spare.
The Bad: Ok, my biggest complaint so far is the automatic parking brake. The automatic parking brake control requires that the brake petal be depressed in order for the parking brake to be released. The problem is that I press the brake petal and then attempt to release the parking brake, but it does not release because I have not applied enough pressure on the brake petal. This is frustrating because there is no feedback to tell the driver whether or not lifting the automatic parking brake lever was successful. As a result, it has caused me to stall the vehicle on multiple occasions when I think I have released the parking brake, but in reality Renee just laughs and releases a slight odor of burning something. Ok, I'll do it again, but more slowly and deliberate. Thanks Obama.
Ok, ok... I understand that this was likely intended as a safety feature, but as someone who's driven manual transmission for a long time, it more dangerous to have an operation like removing the parking brake fail due to an overzealous brake pressure sensor than it is to remove the parking brake without the brake petal fully depressed. When I'm ready to drive, the car is in gear, the clutch is in and I want to go. Now!
The gearing on the 1.4L is a little high for the amount of power it has, especially since you don't reach the start of the turbo's power band until around 2k-2.5k rpm. Slightly lower gearing would make it feel peppier.
Ok Jeep, where is my spare tire? The fix-a-flat is a joke. I'm not truly off road capable without a redundant wheel. Slimer doesn't count. Someone call the ghostbusters.
Just two other minor complaints. The trim on the driver door isn't tight. I feel slight movement every time I close the door from the outside. Sliding the front seats forward and backward is a bit rough. Seriously, it's harder to move these seats than the seats in my old Wrangler.
Overall this little Jeep is great! I enjoy driving her around town and she definitely handles great in the snow. I even forget how terrible the potholes are on my street until I get into another car. All the sheep driving Subarus turn their heads when I drive by.
:ReneBlueWave:
