I'm looking at a second hand Ford Explorer from a local dealer (non-Ford). It's a 2000 XLS, with ~67,000 miles on it.
Is there anything special I should be aware of with regards to this vehicle, the engine/powertrain, etc?
Eg, I currently own a 91 Plymouth Chrysler and they have notiriously bad transmissions, and the engines last on average 160K miles.
Any input would be greatly appreciated!
I can't give you details on specifically what to look for. You might go to
A friendly Ford dealer may be able to give you TSB, recall and maintenance historic stuff from Ford's national database if you provide the VIN number and mention that you intend to bring the vehicle there for service and repairs.
Some BIG recommendations:
Ask to see the paperwork on the vehicle and get the name of the previous owner and CALL!!! Find out everything about this truck, including accidents, whether anyone else ever owned it, maintenance, why they got rid of it, etc If the name is that of a leasing company or rental company, be careful. Personally, I wouldn't buy such as used car. If he doesn't have the title, be extra careful. The vehicle still may have a unpaid lien. If he won't show you the paperwork, assume it is the halves of two salvage Explorers welded together :o(
Have a mechanic check it, one that will charge you $75-$100 and use a comprehensive checklist and test drive to provide a written report. Make sure he checks for signs of major body repairs and salvage rebuilding. Skip the extended warranty.
A
Leave any deposits on a credit card only. Get any promises in writing.
Good luck.
If you are buying this vehicle from a dealer, you can usually talk them into running the VIN through carfax or autocheck. This will tell you if the car has ever been totaled, lemon lawed or other significant problems.
LCC
CarFax stinks...
The record I got from CarFax was incomplete at best. My explorer was a transfer title, and not only did that not appear nor did 4 years of registration in two different states. The used car dealer had those papers, and gave them to me. CarFax didn't have any of that info.
They promised me a refund when I complained, but I never got it.
Just my $0.02
I agree.... to a point.
Carfax is just a tool, but don't put all your stock in it.
I usually look for the things is DOES tell me rather than what it doesn't (example, if it DOES tell me the car has a salvage title, it is probably true, however if it DOESN'T tell me it's a salvage title, it *may * not be true )
I have personal knowledge of a vehicle that has over 130k miles on it, and has been in a pretty serious accident, but yet Carfax shows NO accident reports, or rebuilding, and has an odometer reading of under 80k ! They even offer their "5,000 title guarantee on it "
Point is, they can only be as accurate as the data that is available, and states vary greatly as to what is reported, and how often.
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