2nd Apr 2024, 15:40
Fiats have been well made for a couple decades over here in Yerp now, and I understand the Renegade was a true collaboration between Jeep and Fiat engineers.
I think Stellantis is the new "Mopar"?
This really does feel a quality and stylish piece of kit, albeit with a horrible gearbox. A pity really as I need to use it as a farm car for my horses and donkeys.
17th Jun 2024, 13:04
Original poster here -
5k miles. What an excellent little do-all this Renegade is! Big enough to be a useful workhorse, small enough for city streets. The cabin is a lovely place to be, with great seats, well made surfaces and lots of visibility.
The ride is also perfect for broken UK city streets, right past rutted tracks.
It's really a striking looking car in yellow too. The garish colour really suits its personality.
There are only two flies on the cherry - 1: it is not as economical as a Multiair 1.4 should be - 29 MPG overall with a very gentle right foot is what I get from my Astra J VXR, with 280 BHP. Not great.
And 2: the gearbox is a horrible mismatch with this engine. Ruins the driving experience as it seems to never be in the right gear, its clumsy attempts at engine braking are a liability, when at steady throttle, the car accelerates for a second when the 'box drops 2 gears for downhill engine braking. Arriving at a stop, like a traffic light, the car feels like a pony, broncing and bucking while the gearbox tries to engine brake and the brakes massively overservo.
Clumsy safety features.
Once moving this is a lovely car. Changing speed is grim though.
Overall a great city workhorse, with a healthy dose of trail readiness, spoiled a bit by a clumsy gearbox.
2nd Apr 2024, 15:37
Original poster here - 2000 miles in. The ZF 9 speed gearbox is awful. It never seems to know what gear to be in and the small engine can't convince the 'box to stay in a high gear.
The brakes are horrifically over-servoed. This means that coupled with the clumsy changes from the gearbox, slowing down to a stop is like riding a pony.
I have a major service booked, including transmission fluid / filter change, a cambelt /waterpump change, and a flush and fill engine service to see if that improves smoothness. The McGard lug nut key is missing so I have to send off for a replacement from Germany before I can get this completed.
Not really happy with my purchase so far, despite it feeling very well built, extremely comfortable and great off-road. I'll report if the services improve things.