Explorer sport track

So far, my wife's Sport Trac(20,000 mi) has had the 4x4 module replaced, a transfer case seal, both headlights (moisture), the belt tensioner, and a speaker replaced. Also major air leaks around both front doors and the right rear door. All fixed under warranty except the door leaks. They tried twice to fix them, but we still have a lot of wind noise coming in around the doors. Oh, if you're looking for good gas mileage, you might want to look elsewhere. Still, my wife likes the truck and that's what counts. H

Not an answer to your question, but rather a question to you. Why do you (or anyone else for that matter) want a Sport Track. I can't for the life of me figure out the attraction to those things. It seems that the bed is too short to do anything useful with it and you can't just fold down the back seat to get more length to the cargo area like you can with a regular Explorer.

It just seems to me that it would make more sense to get either a Ranger pickup (quad cab?) if you really need the outside cargo space or a regular Explorer if you don't.

Opinions?

-Fred W

Here is my Opinion Fred,

Most people who own trucks don't haul full sheets of plywood around very often if ever, and don't generally need a full truck bed. I have always owed and driven full sized long bed Ford pickup trucks, since

1979. If you would consider driving any one of these three undersized trucks, the Sport Track is a very intriguing option. I just ordered my New 2005 F-450 Crew Cab 4x4 DRW 9 foot bed, But I have to admit as a full time single person economical commuter vehicle, the Sport Track looks very appealing to me. If you don't really have the need for a full truck bed, and if you are hauling dirty things you don't want on your explorers carpet, garbage cans, potting soil, wet dogs, what ever, but most of the time only haul your own butt around, this is a great design, the best of both worlds.

:-)

You must be joking. I would *never* consider an Explorer (of any flavor) as an *economical* single person commuting vehicle. If it's just one or two people and you aren't hauling any cargo a car would be infinitely more suitable for the task.

As far as occasionally hauling dirty things, a rubber cargo area liner would probably take care of that, though I supposed you may have to "crack a window" if you'll be hauling the trash cans.

To me, it's the flexibility of the regular Explorer cargo area that puts the U in SUV. Personally I think they could drop the S as I don't see a whole lotta sport going on there... ;-)

-Fred W

And as an aside, leaving your dogs out in an open pickup bed should be punishable by law. Would you drive around with your kids bouncing around back there? The closed cargo area of a regular explorer is infinitely better for that purpose.

Bzzzzt! Wrong...

Bullshit! Spoken like a true "soccer mom", it is obvious you have never had the need of a real truck or had a real dog for that matter. Sounds like your perfect vehicle would be a minivan.

No I'm Not kidding about the Sport Track being an *economical* commuter vehicle! Beats the hell out of my current 6800 pound 460 powered single person commuting vehicle!!!

Yes I would put my dogs in the open bed of my truck, attached, as is required by state law. I do so quite often. Every time they swim in the ocean and get soaked and covered with sand, or in a river and get soaked and covered with sand or mud. Obviously you don't have any dogs, not real ones anyway. Your silly little rubber mat aint gonna protect anything. My dogs are between 90~150 pounds and if one was in the back of your cute little explorer on your silly little rubber mat right after one of there regular jaunts to the beach, and they shook you would be trying to figure out how to get the wet sand and mud out of your defroster vents on your dash and everywhere else in the vehicle.

You may not believe this, but before all of this "legislation to protect idiots from themselves", when I was growing up there were no seatbelt or helmet laws, and people and kids most often rode unbelted, and often rode in the back of open pickup trucks, and lived complete, long, intact lives as well. Get off your high horse about you perception of how I transport my dogs, you discount the use of an outdoor area on a vehicle with a silly argument, just because you don't care for a style of vehicle. That little outside space offered by the Sport Track just might be more then enough outside bed space for a lot of folks...

Damn, If you don't really want to hear others opinions, why are you asking for them?

Ouch. Nice language and an excellent example of gratuitous name calling. I hope it made you feel better.

Do I have the need for a "real truck"? No, not presently or I would probably buy one and ditch my current Explorer XLT. It sure would not be an explorer sport track, so what's your point? When we lived in the woods in Maine we had the need then to plow the 1/4 mile driveway and we had a nice old International 3/4 ton 4x4 for the job.

I do currently have a dog, a 3 year old Lab. We have always had dogs. We had 3 dogs at one time, but last year 2 died (of old age). We transport them in the back of the XLT with a barrier or in crates.

For the record, I'm a 47 y/o male, and our kids are grown and long past soccer playing age so I guess I'm not a "soccer mom".

We have (and will likely) never own a "mini-van" because they are of limited use in my opinion. The only thing that they excel at is people carrying and I very rarely have a need to carry more than 5 people.

Yeah, right. Because a lot of people commute in F-450s right?

I don't get it? You already own the "real" truck, why would *you* of all people have a need for a sport track as a commuter vehicle? Ever hear of something called a car?

Obviously I was referring to those that do not attach them, as is often the case. Not all states have the same laws you know, and even in states that do, it is not a priority for the police to enforce it.

I have no problem with putting dogs in the open back if they are restrained or in crates.

So you couldn't do that in your "real" truck?

Ironic. You denigrate my Explorer as a "cute little explorer" but you want to buy an Explorer Sport Track? I'm not following your logic here. Does it somehow become more masculine and acceptable when the rear cargo area is uncovered?

I am not a proponent of laws trying to protect people from themselves. Far from it. I'm actually a closet libertarian. In fact, I generally do not even favor the current crop of seatbelt laws because they are an infringement on personal liberties... except when it comes to young kids (and perhaps dogs?) who cannot makes these decisions for themselves. Other than that, I believe the "Darwin factor" takes precedence.

You apparently misunderstood my post. My thinking actually is that *if* you really need the outdoor space (as you seem to), then a 4 foot bed would *not* be enough. Essentially the same vehicle (with a bigger bed) is already available as a quad cab Ranger. That was the crux of my question about the Sport Track.

I did (do) want to hear other people's opinions, but not egotistical diatribes about how manly they are and about how their dog is bigger and gets dirtier then my dog.

Personally, I do not waste my money burning gas in my V8 Explorer to transport myself back and forth to work. There are cars in my driveway that do that far more economically, safer and more enjoyably.

I'm sorry that you can't discuss these things without becoming so emotional about it. I guess it was the thing about transporting the dogs in the open back that set you of. It was probably my fault for not being clear enough. I should have said "*loose* in the open back".

-Fred W