The RockCrawler review spoke highly of the 6 speed tranny w/diesel. As far as I can tell here in the US (North Carolina at least) the Jeep Liberty CRD is only available with an automatic.

1. Is there any way to purchase a CRD with manual tranny (say from Canada or Europe) and have it legally imported?

2. Does anyone have insight as to the 2006 model CRD? Any chance it will be offered with the manual transmission?

Thanks for any info. I've been negotiating the purchase of a CRD locally, but want to exhaust possibilities of getting the manual tranny I want before I finalize my purchase.

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Originally posted by John McDermon:
The RockCrawler review spoke highly of the 6 speed tranny w/diesel. As far as I can tell here in the US (North Carolina at least) the Jeep Liberty CRD is only available with an automatic.

1. Is there any way to purchase a CRD with manual tranny (say from Canada or Europe) and have it legally imported?

I really doubt this. Doing a 'gray market' import of a vehicle that is (for all the legal people care about) already being sold in the US is nearly impossible. If it is possible, then it will have to go to an approved shop and have its emissions equipment retrofit to the US standards. Not something the politicians will let you do yourself it must be done by a registered 'conversion' shop.

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2. Does anyone have insight as to the 2006 model CRD? Any chance it will be offered with the manual transmission?

Not sure, why so intent on the manual? The 545RFE used is a fairly potent auto. They'd first have to start doing the lower trim levels in CRD. I'm not even sure the 2.8 CRD in Europe is available in a manual at the higher trim levels. And those people hate automatics.

I guess was just checking to see if it might be possible to purchase a Euro Jeep Liberty CRD w/manual tranny in much the same manner as BMW provides for the purchase of their vehicles in Europe for the US market. With them, you pick up your vehicle at the factory, tour Europe for a week or two, and then they ship the vehicle to you in the states w/o hassle. While you likely don't really save any money, you do get a trip to Europe out of it.

Was just thinking that if something similar would get me a manual tranny to boot, it might be tempting. I simply would prefer a manual, but may well end up with the auto.

Now it looks like I just need to find a Jeep dealer who will give me a good deal. The local dealer has already begun his "these are rare vehicles and we've got to get top dollar for them" song and dance. I was told that rebates do not apply to the CRD model...which I hope is not the case. He did say that if I let Chrysler finance it (ouch!) that they'd knock $1000 off the price.

Anyone know a Jeep dealer in NC, VA, TN, or SC who will make it worth my while to buy there?

In '99 I ended up flying to Cincinati to pick up a TransAm Firehawk as local Pontiac dealers not only wouldn't sell below MSRP, but wanted as much as a $5000 premium just to put one on order. Walt Sweeney Pontiac in Cincy ordered me one for $500 over invoice.

They seemed to do a real short run of the US versions. (I honestly think all of them are made out in Ohio, so flying to germany won't help much. They're all sitting in the Port of Baltimore waiting to get on boat).

I was told that the most dealers could expect to have was one of these and I have yet to see one in person outside of the 2 that they had at Camp Jeep last year.

I had to do a similar thing with my 02 WRX, most dealers in the area were selling it for 5-7k over sticker. I found one down in VA that was moving a bunch of them and sold them for $500 under invoice. No wonder they were getting a full truckload of them like once a week.

Jason

I have a new crd engine still on a pallet and its all set up for a maunal transmission, I even have a nv 3550 5 speed to go with it. Sitting in my livingroom, makes a nice coffee table stand. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewIte...ame=STRK%3AMEUS%3AIT