Been doing a little research on the GC Diesel coming next year, I think that it will be the replacement for my wife's Rendesvous. One thing that I found interesting is that it has a different transmission than the Liberty and even the GC's with the gas V8 engines, they use the 545RFE. The Diesel GC in Europe uses an W5A580, anyone know what this is? is it a Merc transmission? I wonder if the US spec GC Diesel will use the same tranny?

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Gasoline is for washing parts - Alcohol is for drinking - Nitromethane is for racing - Diesel is for hauling.

2005 CRD Limited 4x4 - Deep Beryl Green - Selec-Trac
Trac-Lok - Skid Plates - BFG Radial Long Trail TA's- Rotella T 5W40 Synthetic.

2007 GC CRD Limited. Silver.

http://www.daimlerchrysler.com/dccom/0-5-7154-1-469181-1-0-0-466468-0-0-135-7145-0-0-0-0-0-0-0.html

http://www.wkjeeps.com/wk_transm.htm



http://www.manufacturingcenter.com/tooling/archives/0405/0405unified_production.asp

You can check the info above.

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06 CRD Spoat

A little confusing, which one are they using? One european article quotes:





While another article quotes:

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'05 CRD Sport born on 06/20/05, bought on 9/23/05, L.O.S.T. on 9/27/05 - modding ever since:

Daystar 2.0" Lift, P255/70R16 Revos, Boulder Bars, Reese Front Hitch w/9k Hooks, Poison Spyder Rock Ring, MOPAR Skids/Bug Shield/Roof Rails/Mats, WARN Hitch Shackle(Rear), 10k Hitch Hook(Front), Custom Tilt/Slope Meter, Ammo Box Mod, Rotella T 5W-40.

Confusion:

I don't work for DC, so I don't know what they ultimately will use. The "WK" article was written more than a year prior to the DCX GC CRD anouncement (that is the article in the DC link). I included the WK link since it gives some gearing comparisons of the two transmissions. TAZ asked if it was a "Merc" transmission. Apparently, that transmission has been used in Mercedes auto models. Daimler uses common components throughout their multiple lines, including Mitsubishi.

The 580 is manufactured here, although it may also be made in other "offshore" locations. So, the GC CRD will have a US made transmission, whichever one they use. Since they build the GC here, I would expect that the same transmission would be used in the US model as the export. However, Jeep can do anything they please. They can even stop production 11,000 units into the run.

I await the pricing announcements of the GC CRD with interest. I'm thinking a start price of $37k or a bit higher. I also think they will have to include something resembling a real warranty with the new CRD. Perhaps not. I am thinking that at $40k and up, most folk don't worry that much about fuel prices, except perhaps for the "green" types.

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06 CRD Spoat

The W5A580 is made in US and when the tranny comes in to the parts dept for replacement in a LX, or 5.7L Jeep it has all the MB markings and tags. This tranny is refered to in Dodge/Chrysler circles and by tech's as a NAG-1 and is a built in US MB tranny that is the same tranny used by MB for Sprinter and E320 CDI sedan. The MB dealer gets the same replacement tranny from same source. This tranny is actually a 6 spd and in MB applacations is used as a six speed tranny. This tranny is built to stand 650 ftlbs torque and was not used in the CRD as it was too long, that's not a problem in the GC so my money is on the diesel having the MB tranny that is really a pleasure to drive in the LX cars, including the 6.1L 435 hp SRT8 LX cars. The tranny is bullit proof except for like our trannys a few drops of water and it will shortly self distruct if fluild is not replaced soon enough. They have not seen any clutch pack or OD problems in the cars (% wise) that I am aware of that would make it a problematic tranny.

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91 MB 300D 2.5L Turbo. Her's

05 MB E320 CDI. Mine