Want to purchase a '05 Highlander

Hi guys, I'm new to the group. I am interested in a new '05 Highlander. To all of you Highlander owners, what do you think of the vehicle, would you buy another? Pro's and Con's?

My wife wants a new Ford Freestyle. It looks great, but come on, it's a Ford. Plus it's and unproven launch model. It's the Ford 500 made into an SUV crossover. Ford crappy quality, she loves the roomy 3rd row seat, and doesn't like the really small 3rd row seat in the Highlander, but I keep telling her Toyota is and always has been about trouble-free quality. We have an Explorer now, cracked block after about 40k miles, had to replace all the ball joints, I am just fortunate to have had a

100,000 mi extended warranty, or I would have been toast.

Help me convince her, guys.

Thanks, Allen

Reply to
I'm_a_dreamer
Loading thread data ...

I had a 99 Explorer that I traded in at about 45k miles on an 02 Highlander. The Highlander is at about 41k now.

I wasn't unhappy with the Ford but it had several recalls a couple pretty potentially serious (bushing in front drive hubs) - There has been two on the Highlander. One to check a gasoline line clamp other to make sure rear passenger doors child lock was okay.

The Ford had a few more bells and whistles, the Highlander just goes. It is much more secure feeling on icy/snowy roads.

I'd pick the Highlander (I've also had Blazers and Jimmy's) over most because it is right for us. Back seat ride in the Explorer was torture by the way - supposedly Highlander rear seat is better. You can get 10' length of PVC sprinkler pipe in it by the way.

Reply to
ron

Thanks for the input. Yes the ride in an Explorer is pretty bad in any seat when you hit any bump, runover RR tracks, etc.

Reply to
I'm_a_dreamer

The Highlander will probably ride better, it is basically only a higher bodied Camry. The Explorer, although it has fully independent suspension, is not the comparable vehicle. The Explorer is built for heavier duty than the Highlander, on a truck chassis. The comparable Ford vehicle to the Highlander is the Freestyle, built off the chassis Ford first used on Volvo

  1. Before I would buy either I would drive and price both the Highlander and the Freestyle, then decide which best suits my needs and budget.

mike hunt

I'm_a_dreamer wrote:

Reply to
BenDover

If I knew the Ford had the quality of the Toyota, I would go for it. Too many unknowns with the Freestyle though. I love the way it looks and drives, but I'm looking a few years down the road, and owning another Ford scares me.

Reply to
I'm_a_dreamer

Look at the Ford Escape and try it before youi buy anything. The 2004 up Sienna is THE now grand van.

Gordon

Reply to
Raneman-GR

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.