Hello all,
My family and I are in need of an SUV with 3rd row seating and are considering a Ford explorer. I refuse to have car payments (especially given the economical outlook under this administration) and will be purchasing from savings so that seems to put us looking at 04-05 with roughly 100k on the clock or roughly $7-8,000 or less.
I would like to know the ins and outs of the explorer (pros and cons) and PLEASE don't be biased just because your a"Ford guy"...... I have always drove JEEPS and Subaru's and I know there issues from front to back and how to prevent most of them or deal with them when they happen. I am VERY "OCD" about maintenance, I even go as far as changing the brake fluid every other year. When I bring home a 100k vehicle I usually spend another grand changing ALL fluids and o2 sensors, filters etc. etc. This discipline has prooved to pay of time and time again. I will also do most repairs myself.
All I ever here about are explorer transmission problems and how poor the oiling setup on the 4.6 is, and that guys are replacing tranny's and 4.6 v8 all the time........... So I guess that puts us in a 4.0 but that concerns me as well for the simple fact of lack of power in a vehicle that big. This will pretty much be my wifes DD and a vehicle we would use for family trips locally and out of town, very good chance we may tow our pop-up with it ( this is probably unlikely, as we also have a truck and 2 other JEEPS), it must also be 4x4.

-what is the best overall explorer, what year to stay away from ?
-what are common issues for one that I would be looking at within the above price range and Mileage ?
-Is the 4.0 underpowered ?
-do they have tranny issue with proper maintenance ?
-what tranny's are problematic ?
-what kind of MPG am I looking at ?
-what rear diff, transfer case,front diff and transmissions are offered, what are the most reliable of each ?

Any info, help ,opinion's will be much appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Dave

 

Really nobody here (in a technical forum) knows enough about the technical aspect of there vehicle to help me ??

OR are they that problematic of a vehicle...........

 

I I just purchased a 2004 I can say right around 120000 miles the timing chain becomes an issue there is one in the back causing you to have to pull the motor (very expense) 2,200 worth.

Gas Mileage not what I thought it was going to be considering I drove Ram 2500's also not great on gas and hydraulics in the transmission going bad....

Uni-body so you can't lift if your into that....

Underpowered? No.

Just my experience so far with mine... Hate it, I would trade it for anything else...

Maybe someone else can give you better News