Can you guys provide periodic updates on gas mileage, the new 6-sp transmission, rattles & squeaks, and other issues?

As I mentioned on the other board, my wife and I are expecting twins in March, and I'm looking to pick up an Explorer in the summertime. The only think I'm waiting for (aside for more cash) are some detailed owner summaries. Since I'm not buying until summer, it may be better to wait for the 2007's, but you can always drive yourself crazy with that stuff as a consumer.

Can you guys provide periodic updates on gas mileage, the new 6-sp transmission, rattles & squeaks, and other issues?

As I mentioned on the other board, my wife and I are expecting twins in March, and I'm looking to pick up an Explorer in the summertime. The only think I'm waiting for (aside for more cash) are some detailed owner summaries. Since I'm not buying until summer, it may be better to wait for the 2007's, but you can always drive yourself crazy with that stuff as a consumer.

Loving my new Explorer, other than a tailgate rattle (gone) at 1st and an overly sensitive passenger seatbelt (on order) NO ISSUES!!

16-18 MPG
Smooth
Strong
No complaints
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v435/cosmolovesph/PB200018-webfriendly.jpg

This is Delray beach between Warrenton, OR and Seaside, OR on the Sunday before Thanksgiving 2006

2006 Mounty V8

The Highway #'s are accurate, averaging about 17 mog's on Thruway driving, but city driving (NYC) has yielded anywhere from 9 to 13 mpg's. Otherwise, every little complaint I had with my previous 97 V8 AWD has been addressed. If anything, the car seems to be too quiet at times.

I've had mine for about 5 weeks. Very happy with it. No problems or complaints so far. Like it better than my wifes MDX. It has every possible option available, more than I wanted. Mileage is not great. I have the 4x4 V8 and it only gets 15.3 mpg with mix of city/highway driving. The V8 is nice but the 6 cylinder I test drove was sufficient.

I've had mine for about 5 weeks. Very happy with it. No problems or complaints so far. Like it better than my wifes MDX. It has every possible option available, more than I wanted. Mileage is not great. I have the 4x4 V8 and it only gets 15.3 mpg with mix of city/highway driving. The V8 is nice but the 6 cylinder I test drove was sufficient.
I get about 16.5 + on my mileage and i am not afraid to dip into the V8 "rush"

don´t know what you guys expect on mileage for a 300 HP V8 engine powering a 2-tons-SUV. 15 mpg is okay, my ´90 XLT ( 158 HP ) only got 15 to 16 mpg, and my 99 X´( 205 HP ) gets only 13 - 14 mpg.

Take a new Audi, BMW or Mercedes with V8, I don´t believe they get more mpg´s then the 2006 XP .

90 XLT? you must have some sort of device that made explorers before Ford did or something. :P

Vanquish, my Ex-XLT was built in nov.´90, first owner shipped it to GE in jan. ´91. Was one of the early ones with duotone-finish. Any questions ?

http://www.crizzd.de/xpwheels/done/255er-001.jpg

http://www.crizzd.de/xpwheels/done/interieur.jpg

Ive had an 06 XLT 4x4 V-8 for a couple weeks. So far getting 16-18 MPG. Its been ok so far but stupid location for door handle (inside) and doesnt feel like 292 H.P. to me. I just traded an Escalade with 255 HP =1000 lbs. and felt the same to me.

Yeah, can I have it?

Ya know, i don't get the stupid handle design comments :confused: , it's just different and once you are "used to them" they work pretty well overall.

Well you must be a Ford diehard. The handles are STUPID you have to let go 3/4 of the way through the door close otherwise your hand slams your knee.By the way they will be gone next year I wonder why that is. :confused:

i dunno what to tell ya, they work, but unusual for sure.

Just changed the oil and filter at 506 miles on my 06 XLT - Dash reads 11.8 MPG -
Gotta get a little better with more mileage

Ive got 5k on my 06 Limted V8 and I am soo glad I got the V8. The mileage is about the same as my old Audi A6 2.7 Turbo. Get the V8!!

7000 miles and consistantly getting 16-17 mpg, mixed driving and using the V8 at times too!

Never got as low as below 15... :eek:

got my V8 Eddie with 700 km , meanwhile its 2300. At the beginning i´ve been at 12 - 13 mpg, meanwhile between 14.7 and 16 mpg ( shortdistance trips 90 % ). Takes less fuel than my 99 XLT V6 ( 13 - 14 mpg )

2006 4x4 Limited - bought on Dec 24th, early Christmas gift.

Love the 6 speed, 75 mph = 1900 RPM's, only complaint is if you do a rolling stop the trans shifts a bit hard.

Gas milage...
My trip to work is only 5 miles each way, in the winter my avg mileage was about 12.5-13, about 14.5 now that it is warmer. On the highway I have gotten as good as 19.8 when taken as a full tank - dividing gallons into miles, not the computer.

Major complaint - the trip computer
Maybe I am being anal about this but if they are going to tell you your gallons used and MPG they should be dead on. I always get .5-.7 mpg less than the computer says and when I fill up, always on an empty tank, I use .5-1 gallon more than the computer says I used.

Other than that I love it. I have an intermitent valve tick that is annoying, but nothing to complain about.

Bojans, how many miles has your Limited on the clock now ? Have had the shifting-prob too, now with r.a. 2300 mls on the clock it´s nearly gone.

Crizz,

I have about 6300 miles on it now. The only time it does the hard shift is when I slow to almost a stop and then accelerate, could really be eliminated if I just followed the law.

had the prob when I slowed down to a redlight ahead , never on a harder breaking or accelerating after slowing down. Curious.

I don't really have that issue much, thou i have had it since ownership, but not frequently enough to bring it in or think something is wrong.

My biggest thing is the TCS and sometimes it cuts in at the wrong time (rains a lot in Seattle) when you are trying to accelorate and big brother steps in, then i let off, power comes back and then it's a smoothness battle at that point.... :confused:

Actually my biggest complaint is with the auto 4x4 - if it needs to shift in 4 wheel drive, I want to know I am in 4 wheel drive. I want to know if the road is so slippery that I need to be in 4 wheel drive.

From what I understand its always 30% to front wheels 70% to rear wheels,unless front needs more traction,,

If it wouldn´t have a 4x4-Auto-mode, I wouldn´t miss it. Depending on the weather I shift to permanent 4x4, unless if it would do it automaticaly. Why do you need some more indicators for slippery roads ? Isn´t the RSC-lamp enough ? To me it´s more than my ´99 XLT has : 4x4 Auto, no RSC or eq., and the only indicator for switching the frontwheels to 4x4 is the noise and the vibes in the steering wheel when it works. I don´t like this binary 4x4-handling, that´s why I started searching for the 4x4-shiftingmotor or sensor to disengage / disable the automatic-mode to a "RWD only"-mode.

Have you found anything on that Crizz? Would love to have an indicator light.

I would tend to dis-agree on the full-time with the 4x4 (vs. the available AWD) drive-train.

Playing in the snow, sand or mud in the "AUTO" mode, sure rotates like a 2wd (with the T/C switched off) so, that is some food for thought.

Just changed the oil and filter at 506 miles on my 06 XLT - Dash reads 11.8 MPG -
Gotta get a little better with more mileage

Why did you change the oil/filter after so few miles? Thanks.

My V8 2WD Limited is getting about 15mpg so far (only about 350mi.).

I really like the vehicle (my first) although the ride is a bit stiffer/jiggly than I expected.

The navigation is great although for some reason if it shows a route with parts highlighted in yellow it insists on saying something about these areas aren't mapped, you're on your own, which doesn't make sense to me because it mapped the route through them!

I drove from Florida to Texas in May 2008 and I had 19 the first tank then 21 the next and then 24 the next. And I set the cruise at 70 the whole way.
Oh it is an 07 Ex 2wd Ebony Ironman. One mod but after trip which was getting rid of airbox and putting an open air filter on the MAF. Gained about 0-3 MPG's depending on whether my foot is heavy or not.

I remember 06's only having 270hp? 292 came in 2007? Also 2006 v8's tend to have some shifting problems from gears 1 to 2.