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OT: Put over 800 miles on a rental Explorer this Weekend

Back in January we planned a trip to Sunriver/Bend, Oregon with some friends. We decided at the last minute that it would be best to rent a car for the trip. The Ranger and the Civic just weren't going to work for 4 adults and a few days worth of luggage (including my skis).

So the plan was to rent an Escape and keep my fingers crossed that they wouldn't have any and they'd upgrade me to an Explorer (or bigger). The Escapes were only $150 for 5 days, after all taxes and fees, which was cheaper than any cars that could take the group. Seeing how we had about

350 miles each way to go, space was going to be valuable.

Sure 'nuff, they were out of 'scapes and I got an Explorer for a free upgrade. The difference in price had I booked it was about $125 for the 5 days. It had about 7800 mile on it with the 4.0 SOHC. I'm not sure, but it may have had the 5 spd auto, as does my Ranger. I wish it had come with the

4.6 V8 though.

My Ranger is a 99 with the 4.0 OHV motor. I was interested in seeing/feeling the difference between the two. The first thing I noticed was that the Ranger was MUCH quieter and smoother feeling. I really liked the interior setup, and the controls were just right for me. The 5 years between my Ranger and the Explorer showed improvement, but it felt much like home.

The one thing that I found is that the motor was a dog - a smooth dog. The mileage wasn't any better. In fact, I get better highway mileage with the Ranger. The best I did was a little over 20.5 mpg from Bend to near Tacoma, WA. That did include some mountain climbing but it also included the descent on the other side. I did somewhere around 27 with my Ranger to Whistler and/or over Steven's Pass and back. These both included climbing. I think the difference must be in the torque. I did do some passing, but it became quickly apparent that I needed distance to do this, especially when ascending hills.

The SOHC would outrev my OHV, but it seemed to lack balls at any RPM. Yes, I did have a few hundred more pounds on this trip, but I don't think that would have mattered. I would expect that the lack of power would be offset by much higher gas mileage. This wasn't the case. The fake carbon fiber was pretty out of place too.

Other than that, I have no complaints about the Explorer. I'm assuming it's a 2004 model, with the XLT trim. If the 4.6 version could get similar mileage (I dunno???), then the 4.0 SOHC has no reason to exist in this SUV.

All in all, I'm glad I didn't get the Escape for this particular trip. I had one when my wife and I were in Kona a couple of years ago. It was a great vehicle for cruising the Big Island and the little V6 worked very well.

Steve

72 Skylark
Reply to
A Guy Named Steve
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That's pretty cool Steve! Explorers are pretty decent vehicles.

My wife has a 98 Explorer 4x2 Eddie Bauer Edition. It's loaded with everything except a child seat. It also has the 4.0 SOHC 5R55E 5sp Automatic and 4.10 gears.

I was just out Sticker shopping the other day at my local Ford Dealer. The only differences I could really see between a loaded '04' Explorer and my wife's where the following....

- 04s have IRS -Vs- 98s live axle

- 04s have less than 100 miles, my wifes has 65k miles

- 04s are $30,000 - we owe about $5,000.

Looks like we're gonna keep my wife's truck until the wheels fall off!! :>)

Also, my wife's truck runs like a scalded ape and has PLENTY of torque! This is most likely due to the 4.10 gears in it. I do find the engine has plenty of power and is extremely smooth. Gas mileage sucks IMHO though. It gets about 18 MPG overall and tops out around 21 MPG out on the open road.

One thing I DON'T like about her truck is the ride and handling. It rides rougher than my 93 Olds Bravada (like a Blazer) AWD, and the steering is VERY touchy.

Plus I find it VERY difficult to sleep in the passenger's seat. Not nearly enough room for me. I'm only 5'9" 190lb.

She also uses it for her mobile office and it's packed with "stuff" most of the time. This makes it hard to go grocery shopping with!

I keep telling her she needs a larger vehicle, so maybe I can talk her into an Expedition next time! :>)

-ERIC

Reply to
Katmandu

ROFLMAO.. and you think you get bad gas mileage NOW.

I can't comprehend why people who buy these vehicles COMPLAIN about gas mileage. EVERYBODY knows they are gas hogs.. It's a given. It would be like buying a Cobra Mustang or a Viper and complaining about gas mileage. You don't buy them for gas mileage so lets not hear another word about it. Pull up to the pump, smile, and pay the man what you owe.. it was your choice.

LJH

95GT
Reply to
Larry Hepinstall

My 98 Mustang GT gets about 18mpg city driving... I wish it had better gas mileage.. I don't consider it BAD... but I do wish it had better gas mileage. I knew it'd get 17~18mpg when I bought the car... doesn't mean I can't still wish it got better MPG.

-Mike

Reply to
<memset

The last Explorer I drove was a 1994 Sport 4.0 5spd manual. That was at the same time I had my 93 Splash 4x4 4.0 5spd manual.

I don't know what gears this had, but I think I remember glancing at the sticker and seeing a Z code - but I may be wrong. That's one thing my Ranger has is the 3.73 gears, although it's running a pretty tall tire too.

I'd like to get rid of my Ranger, but with the almost $5000 the new longblock cost, I don't see it happening soon.

That sounds about how it went for me. I'm curious how the 4.6 fares in comparison.

Wow! That is something I remember. We have two speedbumps to go over on the way into our neighborhood. The first thing I thought was how much stiffer it was going over the bumps. The other thing was how touchy the wheel was. It didn't have that little bit of "dead centering" that is nice on a long highway drive. I forgot about those until now.

I drove the whole trip - so I only got a few minutes of shuteye :) I'm the same size as you, and I had plenty of room in the driver's seat. Plus they have the center fold down seat in the 2nd row. My skis didn't quite fit (177's) so we had to put that down and separate the back passengers.

Those are a bit too big for me. I see that Buick has come out with the Rainier. I'll keep an eye on that one. We'd like to eventually have a car and an SUV type vehicle. But if I have an SUV, I want it to have the capacity to pull a (race)car on a trailer too. :)

Steve

72 Skylark

Reply to
A Guy Named Steve
** My 98 Mustang GT gets about 18mpg city driving... I wish it had better gas ** mileage.. I don't consider it BAD... but I do wish it had better gas ** mileage. I knew it'd get 17~18mpg when I bought the car... doesn't mean I ** can't still wish it got better MPG.

I get 22-24 around town in Charlene, and close to 28 mpg. highway. 18 is pretty bad!

  • How long has it been since you've had a REAL tuneup, including O2 sensors, all filters, check computer error codes, replace plugs, check wires, and do a thorough cleaning of ACT, MAF, EGR and PCV valves?

  • Are your tires aired up to at least 32 psi? (30 is recommended by Ford, but I find that 32 yields much better mileage with an acceptable ride)

  • What brand of fuel are you using? (ARCO and others who cut it with huge amounts of alcohol will yield terrible mileage)

  • Do you jackrabbit around and downshift to every stop? (Shifting at 2,000 rpm and never downshifting will increase fuel mileage and extend clutch life)

  • Do you purposely hit green lights, or to you race from red to red? (I coast quite a bit around town to hit every green light, and LAUGH as angry morons roar around me, only to come to a screeching halt at every red light, then grimace as I slowly drive by them.)

  • Are you using synthetic lubricants in the engine, transmission and rear end?

  • Is your engine heavily modded? OEM engine and intake components optimize mileage and driveability. I found that pulling the MAF screen and intake silencer lowered fuel mileage and low-end torque.

  • Do you have a heavily modded exhaust? OEM exhaust scavenging design plays a big part in overall driveabilty, fuel mileage and low-end torque. Some aftermarket designs make lots of noise and maybe a few extra ponies at the top end, at the expense of fuel mileage and driveability.

  • Do you regularly haul fat chicks around? 400+ lb. payloads in the passenger seat are devastating on fuel mileage. (J/K)

-JD

-------------------------------- Enlightenment for The Masses: http:/207.13.104.8/users/jdadams--------------------------------

Reply to
JD Adams

Reply to
Ralph Snart

I recently replaced all plugs, air filter, O2 sensors, MAF, cleaned IAT.. haven't touched EGR, ACT, PCV, and I don't think wires were ever touched.

I keep them at 35psi & check every 3 days.

I usually use Shell gasoline.

I usually shift at 2300RPM... I downshift occassionally.

I coast every now & then... but no I don't race from red to red... and i find it HILARIOUS when people roar around me too.. especially little honda boys.

Mobil 1 syn motor oil. Switching tranny & diff. fluid to Mobil 1 syn. also very soon.

Just a CAI

No exhaust mods

Awww I just haul my girlfriend around & she's only 130lb =)..

I dunno.. could be more than 18mpg now... I haven't REALLY paid close attention again until recently (changed driving habits.. used it drive it pretty hard everywhere & downshifted a lot).. and I don't think it's enough to really tell an accurate MPG yet.

-Mike

Reply to
<memset

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