The 3.8 is a complete dog compared to the 4.0 - on the highway and off road. I'll take a 4.0 in a JK - then I'd get a better suspension, more interior room and an engine that belongs in a jeep
Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
Can't really go wrong with most Jeeps. I wouldn't hesitate to jump in an old 4.0 XJ Cherokee with 200,000 miles and drive cross-country, perhaps one of the lowest dollar-per-mile (in terms of purchase price and repairs, not so much gasoline!) vehicles ever built. The Liberty, for all the shame it takes for replacing the XJ Cherokee, really is a pretty solid vehicle. The 3.7 v6 won't break any records, but its rugged. I actually like the 2-nd gen (boxy) Liberty quite a bit- the first one looked too much like my daughter's barbie toys. The 3.8 used up until the Pentastar came out in the Wrangler is very much like the old inline 4.0 it replaced- solid, low-tech, iron-block dependable. Can't kill them with a sledgehammer. The Pentastar had a few teething pains in the first year and a half, so if you do look at a newer one with the Pentastar 3.6, go for a LATE 2012 build or a 2013. They found and fixed the issue (cylinder head related) at that time. It is miles ahead of the others in performance, but its a more complicated engine by far.
I know people on here have had good luck with the Patriot, but I just can't make myself accept that platform as a real Jeep. Its a front-drive with grafted-on AWD- yes, its capable enough for a small AWD, but I'm admitting personal bias here. The fact that it shares its platform with the Dodge Caliber puts a blight on it for me.
From your description (wife car, DAILY exposure to 4x4 use) I think I'd look at a 4-door Wrangler if you feel you should emphasize the ruggedness, or a Liberty (before they go out of production!) for something more civilized but still capable of rough use without falling apart.
And just a general comment on Chrysler products- I think they're generally better engineered than Ford, Toyota, Honda, or GM products, but at times they're poorly executed (build quality is more the issue than design), and this goes all the way back to the 1950s in cycles of boom-or-bust. There have been a handful of design boo-boos also- the A604 transmission (which evolved into the 41TE) and the 2.7L v6 engine that was mandated by Daimler management... but for the most part the problems are assembly related and the bad years are rather well known. For that reason, I would avoid the later Daimler years (about 2005-2009). I (my dad, I inherited it) got a good Ram from that era, but the company was really struggling and quality was all over the map. But as of 2013, they have got their stuff TOGETHER and the skyrocketing sales prove it.
My thoughts are the same - they try harder and have neat engineering, but they just can't make it work.
If I had a choice of 3.8 vs 3.6, I'd get the 3.8. The 3.8 is more of a Jeep engine than the 3.6 is. As long as it's one of the American built and not Mexican built engines (that drink oil and spin bearings) I think it would be a better choice.
My parents had one of the mexican built 3.8s ... Never had any power, consumed oil like crazy.
