Comments on: Dogmobiles: Road-testing the Range-Rover and the Jeep Liberty http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/02/02/dogmobiles-road-testing-the-range-rover-and-the-jeep-liberty/ Blogging by a team of pet-care experts led by Dr. Marty Becker. Sun, 21 Mar 2010 11:12:01 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: h. http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/02/02/dogmobiles-road-testing-the-range-rover-and-the-jeep-liberty/comment-page-1/#comment-11601 h. Sat, 24 Mar 2007 01:16:34 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/02/02/dogmobiles-road-testing-the-range-rover-and-the-jeep-liberty/#comment-11601 I am really shocked by your positive review of the compass. It looks nice and isn't high off the ground, which is a mixed blessing, easy to jump into, but the blind spots are magnified by the low profile and made so huge that I would never willingly drive one with any passengers, especially dogs or children. I rented one when my employer (Daimler-Chrysler) sent me on a trip last month, despite repeatedly carefully adjusting my mirrors I nearly ran over another vehicle every time I changed lanes. In my opinion the Compass is not one of our best offerings, but there is admittedly more crate room in it than the liberty, which I feel is safer to drive, but it's definitely a single large dog or little poochmobile. I am really shocked by your positive review of the compass. It looks nice and isn’t high off the ground, which is a mixed blessing, easy to jump into, but the blind spots are magnified by the low profile and made so huge that I would never willingly drive one with any passengers, especially dogs or children. I rented one when my employer (Daimler-Chrysler) sent me on a trip last month, despite repeatedly carefully adjusting my mirrors I nearly ran over another vehicle every time I changed lanes. In my opinion the Compass is not one of our best offerings, but there is admittedly more crate room in it than the liberty, which I feel is safer to drive, but it’s definitely a single large dog or little poochmobile.

]]> By: Rachel http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/02/02/dogmobiles-road-testing-the-range-rover-and-the-jeep-liberty/comment-page-1/#comment-11036 Rachel Thu, 22 Mar 2007 22:08:02 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/02/02/dogmobiles-road-testing-the-range-rover-and-the-jeep-liberty/#comment-11036 I have a Range Rover Sport and we specifically bought for our large dogs - while I am happy to see the positive dog review for it, I think some key attributes were not noted. We searched long and hard for an SUV that worked for our dogs, lifestyle and yet not overly gas guzzling. What earned the RRS our vote was the layout and cargo space. So many SUVs have holes and hooks on the cargo floor - all dog hazards and several don't even lie flat - also dog unfriendly. The RRS is truly dog safe without hooks, holes, and needless crevices to get paws into. It also puts its space in width, rather than height as many others do, which is always more meaningful to dogs in my view. And for my Golden with poor joints, she appreciates the smooth ride! I have a Range Rover Sport and we specifically bought for our large dogs - while I am happy to see the positive dog review for it, I think some key attributes were not noted. We searched long and hard for an SUV that worked for our dogs, lifestyle and yet not overly gas guzzling. What earned the RRS our vote was the layout and cargo space. So many SUVs have holes and hooks on the cargo floor - all dog hazards and several don’t even lie flat - also dog unfriendly. The RRS is truly dog safe without hooks, holes, and needless crevices to get paws into. It also puts its space in width, rather than height as many others do, which is always more meaningful to dogs in my view. And for my Golden with poor joints, she appreciates the smooth ride!

]]> By: Lizabeth http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/02/02/dogmobiles-road-testing-the-range-rover-and-the-jeep-liberty/comment-page-1/#comment-4701 Lizabeth Sun, 18 Feb 2007 15:12:20 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/02/02/dogmobiles-road-testing-the-range-rover-and-the-jeep-liberty/#comment-4701 I have to disagree with your take on the Jeep Liberty. I've had a Jeep Liberty 4 x 2 LTD edition since 2002 and it has been an awesome dogmobile. From what I can tell on your reviews, you own large breed dogs and, while it wouldn't be a good choice of verhicle to travel in with them, if you have smaller breed dogs as I do, it is an ideal trialing SUV. I own Jack Russell Terriers and travel well over 20K a year with them. The Liberty has been reliable, gets excellent gas mileage and fits a surprisingly large amount of people, dogs, and gear. I've only needed the most routine maintenance on it over the 134K it has been driven. We can fit driver and passenger, four crated terriers, four 48" ex-pens, two ez-ups, large cooler, suitcases, trial bag, 40 qt dunk bucket, two 6-gal water carriers to fill the bucket, chairs, grooming table, and a bunch of misc. stuff and still see out the back window. If we put a hitch haul on the back for some of the gear (ez ups, chairs, etc. fit in it nicely) we have room for up to 6 terriers w/out stacking them two-high. Mine had the seats that folded flat-ish (slight incline) which appears to have been addressed in newer models (they now fold much flatter). The only real drawback I've found is that there are only a few ways I like packing it up, so when we're ready to come home, I need to remove all the loose odds and ends to repack it in its original configuration. I'm in the market for a new dogmobile at the moment. The only reason I can't consider another Liberty is that I haven't found one on the lot with all the features my current one had (leather heated seats, moonroof, etc.) and to order it will take 3-4 months, which I don't have. I tested the Nitro and Commander this weekend and am probably leaning toward the Nitro by default. I really liked the Nitro on the inside, especially the load and go, where I can strap down a crate and pull it out for better air circulation. The outside I was unimpressed by, but at least I don't have to look at it while I'm driving. IMO the Commander was VERY dissappointing as a dogmobile. The seats sloped quite a bit, and the second and third row slope were at different heights, making it difficult to put gear in such as ez-ups and ex-pens. Then there was a huge gap between them the two folded rows where small things like grooming tools and racing muzzles will inevitably fall and get lost. I LOVE Jeeps and really had high hopes for the Commander, but was sorely disappointed by it. I have to disagree with your take on the Jeep Liberty. I’ve had a Jeep Liberty 4 x 2 LTD edition since 2002 and it has been an awesome dogmobile. From what I can tell on your reviews, you own large breed dogs and, while it wouldn’t be a good choice of verhicle to travel in with them, if you have smaller breed dogs as I do, it is an ideal trialing SUV.

I own Jack Russell Terriers and travel well over 20K a year with them. The Liberty has been reliable, gets excellent gas mileage and fits a surprisingly large amount of people, dogs, and gear. I’ve only needed the most routine maintenance on it over the 134K it has been driven.

We can fit driver and passenger, four crated terriers, four 48” ex-pens, two ez-ups, large cooler, suitcases, trial bag, 40 qt dunk bucket, two 6-gal water carriers to fill the bucket, chairs, grooming table, and a bunch of misc. stuff and still see out the back window. If we put a hitch haul on the back for some of the gear (ez ups, chairs, etc. fit in it nicely) we have room for up to 6 terriers w/out stacking them two-high.

Mine had the seats that folded flat-ish (slight incline) which appears to have been addressed in newer models (they now fold much flatter). The only real drawback I’ve found is that there are only a few ways I like packing it up, so when we’re ready to come home, I need to remove all the loose odds and ends to repack it in its original configuration.

I’m in the market for a new dogmobile at the moment. The only reason I can’t consider another Liberty is that I haven’t found one on the lot with all the features my current one had (leather heated seats, moonroof, etc.) and to order it will take 3-4 months, which I don’t have. I tested the Nitro and Commander this weekend and am probably leaning toward the Nitro by default. I really liked the Nitro on the inside, especially the load and go, where I can strap down a crate and pull it out for better air circulation. The outside I was unimpressed by, but at least I don’t have to look at it while I’m driving.

IMO the Commander was VERY dissappointing as a dogmobile. The seats sloped quite a bit, and the second and third row slope were at different heights, making it difficult to put gear in such as ez-ups and ex-pens. Then there was a huge gap between them the two folded rows where small things like grooming tools and racing muzzles will inevitably fall and get lost.

I LOVE Jeeps and really had high hopes for the Commander, but was sorely disappointed by it.

]]> By: Pet Connection Blog » Dogmobiles: Road-testing the Dodge Nitro http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/02/02/dogmobiles-road-testing-the-range-rover-and-the-jeep-liberty/comment-page-1/#comment-3787 Pet Connection Blog » Dogmobiles: Road-testing the Dodge Nitro Sun, 11 Feb 2007 18:44:16 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/02/02/dogmobiles-road-testing-the-range-rover-and-the-jeep-liberty/#comment-3787 [...] Well, I don’t know about that, but I do know a pretty nice dogmobile was delivered this week: The Dodge Nitro. So far, the only DaimlerChrysler vehicle that hasn’t made a great impression was the Jeep Liberty, and since it’s an old model that’s supposed to be redesigned next year to be more like the Nitro, it’ll soon be difficult to get a Dodge or Chrysler minivan, SUV or crossover that won’t make a great dogmobile. [...] […] Well, I don’t know about that, but I do know a pretty nice dogmobile was delivered this week: The Dodge Nitro. So far, the only DaimlerChrysler vehicle that hasn’t made a great impression was the Jeep Liberty, and since it’s an old model that’s supposed to be redesigned next year to be more like the Nitro, it’ll soon be difficult to get a Dodge or Chrysler minivan, SUV or crossover that won’t make a great dogmobile. […]

]]> By: KathyF http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/02/02/dogmobiles-road-testing-the-range-rover-and-the-jeep-liberty/comment-page-1/#comment-2727 KathyF Fri, 02 Feb 2007 22:46:09 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/02/02/dogmobiles-road-testing-the-range-rover-and-the-jeep-liberty/#comment-2727 I have to admit I've got Land Rover envy. There's an off road driving course near Birmingham. Maybe I should go work it all off there. I have to admit I’ve got Land Rover envy. There’s an off road driving course near Birmingham. Maybe I should go work it all off there.

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