To buy or not to buy - a ford explorer

I had a 1993 Eddie Bauer that I bought used in 4/96 with about 40k miles, and then traded in (at about 85k mi.), in 4/01, for a 2000 Limited with 19,000 miles. That one now has 39k miles. I bought both mainly because I felt I got great deals; they pretty much give away used Explorers. I am by NO MEANS a Ford fanatic, and given my druthers would much rather own a Jap vehicle than a US-brand vehicle. That being said, I have been pleased with both vehicles. They have been pretty solid and trouble-free, although as you can see I don't put a lot of miles on. The only unusual problem I had with the '93 was a $300 replacement of the ABS brake system sensor, which took place about a week after I bought the darn thing...freaked me out a little but after that I really had no problems with it...just replaced a thermostat once when it was running cold. The Limited has outrageous gizmoes, and the one problem I recall I had with it was the airbag light kept coming on about a year ago. This was apparently tied to the driver's side side-airbag, and I think ended up being only a problem with the connections. It took the dealer 3 tries to fix it right, and it was fixed while still under warranty. I do currently have the famous radio-display outage that you can read about elsewhere on this board, and may or may not get around to fixing that sometime. I would buy another one, probably a 2002-3 which I'm told finally rides much better than past versions. Good luck. Rob

I have a 2000 Explorer Sport which I purchased used in April. I have never owned an SUV before and the fact that it "drives like a truck" took some getting used to. When you go over pot holes, etc., you are bounced all over the place! Last week we took it "off road" for the first time ever and it was fun but very bouncy. I understand that it does drive smoother when you have a load.

Other than that, I really like the vehicle a lot! Mine has all of the options but leather and a sun roof and I really like the keyless entry and other "bells and whistles". I expect that this won't be our last Explorer (although I they have discontinued the Sport - stupid idiots).

Overall, if you are looking for a good, solid vehicle, I would recommend it highly.

SD

I've had my 1993 Explorer Ltd. since that fated year, and after

310,000km of almost completely trouble free use and abuse, its absolute reliability has me becoming the proud owner of a 2004 Explorer Sport. I'm still keeping the 93 so that I can finally spend some guilt-free time learning about the engine and trying my hand at things like oil changes and such.

I can't speak for everyone, but I can comfortably tell you that you would do well to invest in an Explorer. All I can do is laugh at friends who comment on my Exploder getting long in the tooth, as their Civics break down left right and centre.

A hush fell over the crowd when, "Shashay Doofray" stepped up to the podium and announced:

I test drove an '02 and never bought it because it reminded me of the ride I had with my 91. The '03 was complete redesigned. It's longer, wider and has a completely different suspension system than previous models. The ride was significantly different.

I bought the '03.

I currently have a 2002 Eddie Bauer. It is a great vehicle. It is my fourth explorer. I've had a 93, 97 and 99. All of them have been very reliable. With only minor repairs (thermostats, alignments, belts). The ride of the

2002+ models is much better then the earlier models. The third row seat comes in real handy too.

Actually the redesign was 2002. Here's an extensive review by Edmunds of their year with a 2002, very thorough, which also describes changes for 2003, etc.:

*

Rob, Just curious about your statement "get an 2003. Much better than an '02". I have two '02's and they have never given me any trouble. They are both V-8's, and I get close to 19 mpg on a trip. What differences have you noticed between 2002 and 2003?

Thanks, Al Seelbach Poughkeepsie, NY

A hush fell over the crowd when, "Alan E. Seelbach" stepped up to the podium and announced:

Alan,

Somehow the posts got munged. I was the one that posted that comment, however I meant 2001 not 2002 Explorers. Sorry for the confusion.