O.T. Ford Explorer

Gene Davis (Ga.)

Well-known Member
This is a little off topic, but I guess it is tractor related in the fact it will help me keep my tractor hauler/
towing pick up going longer. My grandson turns 21 next month and his other grandparents want to give him some
money(10K)so he can replace his worn out 1998 Honda Odessy minivan. Where I come in is that he borrows my F-150 pick
up to tow a trailer loaded with band equipment(5 x 8 U-haul) and luggage. There are four other guys in this band
and this month on one of their trips they put almost 1,700 miles on my truck and were gone for a week. I don't have
a problem lending him my truck, but he now wants to purchase something like a Ford Explorer or a Chevy Tahoe or the
GMC equivalent. He is not brand specific yet. Some where in the year range of 2005-2009 if that is in the price range. What do you people
recommend to look at or shy away from? What engine choice, but no 4 wheel drive. He lives in Perry, Ga. and is still single and in college.He also holds down a full
time job and commutes about 40 miles a day to college classes in the early evening. Thanks for the amazing knowledge you people share on this site.. Gene Davis
 
Can I put in my five cents on this. The ford explorer is a nice little Automobile. If he is towing I would like to suggest to get one with a V-6 engine in it. The gas millage will be a little bit less than the Honda. I forget that if your a student Gasoline millage is important but I think the V-6 engine would be good. I would suggest a full size would give not so good gas millage with a V-8 engine. Have you ever thought a good used nice truck. I was shocked to find that my dads 2000 G.M.C 1/2 ton 4X4 booked for 3,800.00. I have found out used trucks might be a good buy because with a new one you might have to work out the problems. Most used cars I have bought where the best because those problems where fixed.
 
The Explorer is a good choice, but I would recommend NOT getting the V-6. The only V-6 available in that year was the 4.0 SOHC. While it is a fairly durable engine with a decent service record, it is difficult and expensive to service in terms of head work, timing chains, etc. The 4.6 V-8 is a much better choice. Better up to the task, and its most common issue is blown out spark plug threads. The spark plug issue is fairly easily remedied, and once fixed it is pretty much fixed for good.
As far as 4-wheel drive, I would recommend strongly that you DO get that option for a couple of reasons. First is that it add a great deal of stability in inclement weather. Second is that a vehicle in that class has little resale value without 4-wheel drive. This would come into play if there were an insurance issue to come up. Might make the difference between losing the vehicle and getting it repaired. With 2-wheel drive, even a wrinkled fender could be enough to total it. Vehicles in this class are expected to have 4-wheel drive.

Since I am not very experience with the GM offerings, the only issue that I know of is that their transmissions tend to be a bit on the weak side.
 
We've had experience with 5 or 6 explorers in the last 10 years or so. 2001 - 2003. The 01 was a 4.0 v6. It started having timing chain issues around 160k. All the rest have been 4.6 V8s. Mileage really isn't a whole lot worse, but the v8 sure is a smooth engine.

Somewhere around 06 they went to a 6 speed trans. I have no experience with those. Prior was a 5 speed that wasn't one of fords better transmissions. We replaced one and bought one with a newly rebuilt trans, both around 150k. I see them all the time on craigslist with bad transmissions.

The explorers are a nice suv. The mrs loves them, and I even had one for a while as a go to work vehicle til I got a good deal on a gmc pickemup.

If he is going to do much towing, I would probably suggest a Yukon or Tahoe with a 5.3.
 
U-Haul will likely refuse to rent a trailer if they think you are going to pull it with an Exploder. My daughter discovered that the hard way. The Exploder is way too unstable for towing which is why they have that tiny (I do not know what the class is called) receiver. Check with a trailer rental company before a decision is made.
 
I like my Ford trucks and cars, I ran a 4.0 V6 2 wheel drive 1996 for 18 years with no trouble, about 250,000 miles water pump and brakes is all that I changed, normal stuff,, I am not sure what model V8, but some where between 2005 and 2009 they had a tube made onto the spark plug that would break off and stay in the cylinder when you changed the plugs, at that point the head had to come off,, those models are cheaper because of that issue,, so try to find out more about that...
 

Forget the Explorer and Tahoe. If he continues with the band, that 5x8 will soon be outgrown. I'll suggest doing it right the first time and find a full sized, 1/2 ton truck with the full, 4 door cab.
 
That's just about the end of the lifespan on a Ford 4.0. We got 269,000 on our 02 Explorer Sport Trac before it ate the timing chain. We put one in it out of a wreck with 119,000 on it. We've got just a few shy of 300,000 on it now without any other major issues.
We've got an 02 Explorer XLS sitting in the yard right now with 240 on it. It died on the road. I don't know if we ever will figure out what's wrong with that one. Royse brought his scanner up and scanned it. It won't even throw a code.
 
(quoted from post at 08:24:01 04/17/17)
Forget the Explorer and Tahoe. If he continues with the band, that 5x8 will soon be outgrown. I'll suggest doing it right the first time and find a full sized, 1/2 ton truck with the full, 4 door cab.

Ooops, sorry. Meant to agree with RustyFarmall. :p
 
head does not need to come off, they make extractor tools for those plugs when they break , unless you break the extractor too off , there is no need to pull head.
 
might look at a suburban tough as nails and have as much tow capacity of a 1/2 ton, much more comfortable seating, decent milage for their size.
 
I forgot to add have you seen the prices on new trucks these days. !0 K will not buy a lot of truck. He still will have to do payments. I hope this person has a job to pay for the fuel and his payments.
 
Maybe it lasted so long because I had a spar 4.0 on the shelf,,any way I had a vehicle reduction program here a while back and it was in the program, I bought it and a 1995 F-150 at about the same time back then,, I just re-built the F150 from the ground up,,it was my favorite..
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If he's towing I'd look at an Expedition - not an Explorer. For some reason the crew cab Fords with the tiny bed are EXTREMELY expensive even with 200K miles on them. The older Expeditions with the exact same engine, power train and suspension can be had for $2500.
 
I have towed a few light things with my Tahoe with a 5.3 a couple times. It was a dog before trying to tow anything, and worse with that 18' trailer with a desk, a dresser, and a couch on it. I can't even imagine trying to pull a bumper pull 22' trailer with it like my buddy did. My wife likes it though for some reason. It'd probably be ok pulling a little trailer like the OP was talking about, but after trying mine twice, I told the wife the Tahoe is for looking pretty and the F250 is for work that needs to be done.
 
U-Haul is not the final authority in choosing what vehicle that I drive. Also note that the reason for their extreme policy dates back to about 1992 when there was an issue with the Firestone tires that the Explorer came equipped with. Seems that Ford's recommended tire pressures were the cause of premature tire failure. That issue was quickly resolved by an adjustment of the recommended tire pressures.
Also, the original problem only applied to models previous to 2000.

Just so you know - don't be so quick to condemn Explorers. Mine just turned over 270,000 miles, and has been among the best vehicles I have ever owned. The transmissions may not be the most heavy duty, but I will put them up against ANY 4L60 or 4L65 that Government Motors has.
 
Why not a 2wd F-150? How much does the musical equipment weigh? Volume? What about a fullsize van? Just thinking of alternatives to the Explorer (I like them, just have no experience pulling a trailer with them) or Tahoe, which I think are popular, hence, expensiive.
 

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