Hello All - My girlfriend is looking at getting diesel liberty. We found an '05 with 87k on it, in what appears to be pretty good shape. Still need to go see it in person. Just looking for any thoughts or advise... Im not a diesel guy, never owned one and am not sure what to be on the look out for. Any common issues, what to expect maintenance wise. All that good stuff.

Anything anyone can tell me, would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

Most maintenance will be the same as a gasser. Oil changes, air filters, suspension components, brakes, etc. My old boss had one and liked it, until his wife picked up the wrong handle at the pump

You'll obviously have the turbo to deal with. Turbo's heat up quickly, and you will need to let it cool down by idling it before you shut it off (IE when you stop and run in somewhere leave it idle, and don't shut it off because it will actually stay hot and damage bearings and seals, thats why you always see diesel trucks idling at gas stations and 7 Elevens). The aluminum oil pan is something to be aware of, though not a big deal. Depending on where you live, you may need to add an Anti Gelling additive to the tank.

Keep in mind that they didn't make these for more than a couple years, so some diesel specific parts are going to be expensive and/or hard to find.

 

There were several TSBs and issues with the CRDs. Unless you are a fairly proficient mechanic and understand Turbos and Diesels, I would walk away. There is a reason they only made them for a couple of years.