Ford should be proud

[chimoman]

Hey,
Just thought I get some positive reactions to the EX. Lot's of complaining going on and not enough positive feed back. Lets hear the things you like about it. This is the bizarro version of Ford should be ashamed. LMAO.

I love the smooth quiet ride. I love MFT as mine works great. Not having any problems. Love the cooled seats, they rock. Love the BLIS, rearview camera and cross traffic alert. They have come in handy alot. Kids love the EX. Especially my 8 year old boy who gets to charge his DSi while driving thanks to the 110 outlet. Which I might say we use all the time. Love using the Ex as a hub or router. Long drives everyone can sit and surf. Kids love watching DVD. Makes for a nice quiet ride. Love the moonroof. Especially now that summer is here. Driving at night the kids can lay back and look up at the stars. During the day they get to lay up and watch the sky go by. Seats are extremely comfortable. The center console holds alot of crap. Love the sunglasses holder. The adjustable pedals rock, The tilt telescopic steering wheel is great. The memory seating is very useful, I love getting in after the wife has been driving it and pressing MY button and getting everything just right. The HID headlamps are so bright I can see for miles at night. Have picked out a couple of deer, which are plenty around here, and the brakes have stopped me very quickly once when one jumped out in front of me on a windy road. I can go on. Theres so much more about this vehicle that is positive. Cheers.

TTFN.

 

[Gandalf]

^ +1 to your entire list! ^

(Except for the stuff about the deer. Don't see too many driving on the LA freeway system! )

I love my new Explorer also. No, its not perfect, but nothing would be. The longer I have it, the more I like it!

What router/hub are you using?

To add to the list, I am now very spoiled by the keyless entry and push button start/stop.

 

[lynchy wa]

Cool alternate thread Chimoman

 

[batman89]

I agree that the positive more then surpasses the negative. Great stable, firm ride and is as quiet as my 2000 Lincoln town car. More power then the Town Car with better mileage. Handling is better on the X with more control. Town car soft ride seems to float to much for adequate control. My MFT ver 2.8 works great. Have not had to reset it and all functions works great.

Only short fall right now is when it rains hard on the roof it sounds like a hail storm. Hard to use MFT voice commands and Bluetooth cell phone connection due to the Mic being install in the ceiling above the driver. I would expect Ford to find a fix for this issue soon. Look at post about rain noise.

Bruce

 

[Vic]

Since I havent ordered an Ex yet, I've been trying to balance some of the comments on here with what I've heard from owners I've met and talked to (who had positive experiences).

It's interesting to see that 2011 Explorer owners are the "most satisfied" owners in that class, per the May 2011 AutoPacific Vehicle Satisfaction Awards. Considering the 2011 Explorer is all-new, I think that's a pretty good achievement.

As for MFT, I think Ford is leading the way with this technology. Normally cutting edge techologies start on the high-end European vehicles and trickle down to the more common brands. In this case, its the reverse, so kudos to Ford for giving us "commoners" a chance to order this technology (if we choose to select that option) on vehicles as "lowly" as a Focus (granted the Explorer is not a cheap vehicle).

Some people are "early adopters" and embrace new technologies and the challenges and rewards that come with being on the cutting edge. Others don't. As long as you know what side you fall on, it's not an issue.

To Ford's credit they've demonstrated they're actively updating and refining the system and have improved the system's responsiveness and performance. (I personally think some of the issues stem from issues with certain phones, but whatever).

 

[lookgoodn43]

I have had my Ford Explorer for one month now, everyday day I drive it I enjoy it even more. It's like driving a Lazy-Boy. My other car is a Toyota Yaris and I find it is easier to park the EX than the Yaris parallel park, parking at the mall at work, still haven't figured that part yet but I do think it is because the steering system is so efficient. I love the MFT I haven't had one issue since I have had it but then again my wife does call me Mr. Gadget, so I do embrace that technology, but it does take awhile to get use to it mind you ( roughly three weeks ).
The first time my wife actually seen the EX for the first time was when I brought it home from the dealership, she fell in love with it right away. The next morning she took her first drive in it and her response was that it felt like she had drove it all her life, now what you people must know is that it was her 1997 Honda CRV that we were replacing, she was really reluctant in replacing the Honda with a Ford, but after that first drive she could not be happier. Everyday she drives the EX she is really impressed like me.
One more thing I would like to add the EX looks awesome, there are not to many EX's in Canada yet so we really get the looks, I have had one Porsche Carrera and a Audi A4
slow down beside me on the highway and the guys gave me the thumps up, that says it all.
We really love our EX.

 

[chimoman]

Yep,
Just got back from a ride. It's a beautiful day here. I went out for an ice cream. I had an Acura owner MDX type come up and ask if he could give the Ex a peek. He was very impressed and said he was envious. Me being me I let him sit in the seat, passenger of course, and play with all the bells. Then I showed him the fact that it parks itself. Well, he almost fell over. When I was finished with him we had about 4 people walking around it. I'm gonna hit ford up for advertising. I finally seen another Ex today. I think there is only about six in the whole Province. LOL. Cheers. Enjoy the ride.

 

[luvmyfords]

I refer to my new ride as the playstation on wheels. It's a fun vehicle to drive and I've had no hiccups to report as of yet. And by chance if I ever do, I feel 100% confident Ford will handle it. Ford has gained alot of respect within the last 10 years as far as overall satisfaction. It's paying dividends for them finally and I'm sure they don't want to loose what they have gained.
To make a long story short, yes, I like my new Explorer.

 

[Sgt1411]

I refer to my new ride as the playstation on wheels. It's a fun vehicle to drive and I've had no hiccups to report as of yet. And by chance if I ever do, I feel 100% confident Ford will handle it. Ford has gained alot of respect within the last 10 years as far as overall satisfaction. It's paying dividends for them finally and I'm sure they don't want to loose what they have gained.
To make a long story short, yes, I like my new Explorer.

I like my Ex too. I think we are all, for the most part "happy" but a little frustrated at how great this vehicle could be. Its almost there, but not quite. My frustration is that I didnt get exactly what I was promised in the advertising, I think others are too.

I too have confidence in Ford's ability to remedy these issues. All very good points.....hopefully our fixes are forthcoming but none are insurmountable.

PS luvmyfords Please pass on a big Thank You to your son. Its only because of him and others like him that we are afforded the security we have here in North America. Its that security that allows us the ability to sit peacefully in our homes and complain over the internet about things like SYNC and MFT. I for one greatly appreciate that security and never take it for granted.

 

[Joe Dirt]

Great thread

 

[chimoman]

Joe,
That dude is freakin me out man. Is he at a strip club? If he is, no touching. Please!!!!

 

[drober30]

Hey,
Just thought I get some positive reactions to the EX. Lot's of complaining going on and not enough positive feed back. Lets hear the things you like about it. This is the bizarro version of Ford should be ashamed. LMAO.

I love the smooth quiet ride. I love MFT as mine works great. Not having any problems. Love the cooled seats, they rock. Love the BLIS, rearview camera and cross traffic alert. They have come in handy alot. Kids love the EX. Especially my 8 year old boy who gets to charge his DSi while driving thanks to the 110 outlet. Which I might say we use all the time. Love using the Ex as a hub or router. Long drives everyone can sit and surf. Kids love watching DVD. Makes for a nice quiet ride. Love the moonroof. Especially now that summer is here. Driving at night the kids can lay back and look up at the stars. During the day they get to lay up and watch the sky go by. Seats are extremely comfortable. The center console holds alot of crap. Love the sunglasses holder. The adjustable pedals rock, The tilt telescopic steering wheel is great. The memory seating is very useful, I love getting in after the wife has been driving it and pressing MY button and getting everything just right. The HID headlamps are so bright I can see for miles at night. Have picked out a couple of deer, which are plenty around here, and the brakes have stopped me very quickly once when one jumped out in front of me on a windy road. I can go on. Theres so much more about this vehicle that is positive. Cheers.

TTFN.

I just got excited again after reading! I really hope Ford feels I'm worthy of having my X shipped soon!

 

[GTMD]

Way to go chimoman.This is a great pick me up after reading all the whining.I could not be happier with our Explorer.Great Ford service on this forum.No problem getting the minor flaws taken care of.A-pillar fixed,updated to 2.8,moisture in lamps fixed.I new ,going in, there would be minor bugs to over come with the new launch and I new Ford would stand behind this vehicle.It all makes for a great automotive adventure.

Ipod and voice command makes it great to play over 800 songs with out scanning the list.I discovered by pressing on the album art and selecting " whats playing" gives you a better idea of how to pronounce your commands.Once you get her pronunciation down voice cammands are much easier.

I think Ford has jumped way ahead of the competition and will only improve the Explorer this year to move farther ahead.

 

[dco43054]

Just thought I get some positive reactions to the EX. Lot's of complaining going on and not enough positive feed back.

Yeah - the internet & *****ing, they somehow go together. There are some bad vehicles out there for sure. It happens. Mine does not happen to be one of them at this point, and I'm hoping it does not become one.

I've got a bit over 1,000 miles on the clock and on week 4. I really love this thing overall. My '97 I loved. My '02 was just OK. This one I love.

Are there some little things that need to be fixed? Sure. MFT still has a way to go to be bug free. But mine works, and I have gotten used to it and into a routine (like don't try to use MFT/Sync/Bluetooth to initiate a call in the first 2 to 3 minutes after starting the vehicle). But the seating position is good, it drives great, towing was excellent, the flat load floor is almost back to where the '97 was in terms of utility. The engine is smooth and powerful.

Things they need to perfect include MFT/Sync setup. And they need to set user expectations on what Sync will/won't do well. Navigation it doesn't do well.

Overall, I do love this thing. Hope I will be saying the same in another 100K miles.

 

[new to ford]

We are also extremely happy with our '11 Ex XLT.
First FORD that we own, all three last vehicles have been VW passats.
Really impressed so far with the Ex, just hope it will turn out to be as durable as the '99 passat wagon we just sold in running condition with 198,000 miles.

 

[luvmyfords]

I like my Ex too. I think we are all, for the most part "happy" but a little frustrated at how great this vehicle could be. Its almost there, but not quite. My frustration is that I didnt get exactly what I was promised in the advertising, I think others are too.

I too have confidence in Ford's ability to remedy these issues. All very good points.....hopefully our fixes are forthcoming but none are insurmountable.

PS luvmyfords Please pass on a big Thank You to your son. Its only because of him and others like him that we are afforded the security we have here in North America. Its that security that allows us the ability to sit peacefully in our homes and complain over the internet about things like SYNC and MFT. I for one greatly appreciate that security and never take it for granted.

Sgt1411, much appreciated for your words and support to our armed forces. It's amazing how many parents I speak with that say, "there's no way" I'd let my son ( or daughter ) fight in a war that is gaining nothing and causing our country to go bankrupt. I just tell them, you may have a valid point, but just think of all the 9/11's that our military has prevented. If it wasn't for out our military breaking up the terrorist groups and the plotting of evil against our nation, more lives would be lost. Thanks again for your patriotism, and to all others that feel the same.

 

[JDraper]

I'll add my praise to this. My Explorer has performed very well so far. My MFT boots quickly (under 15 seconds) and since I upgraded to 2.7 has not glitched out on me and I've never had to re-boot it. All functions work with a single button push with no excessive lag. Outside of it giving me some small problems synching phones at first, it's worked very well. It does well recognizing voice commands and works fairly quickly. The longest delays with it are waiting for it to calculate a route, which can take up to 10-15 seconds. I do think that they need to upgrade the Nav Maps though..

The rest of the vehicle has been great. I need to take it back in for moisture in the mirrors, but that's about it. Fuel mileage has been very good for a vehicle this large, it tows EXTREMELY well, it's very comfortable to ride in and drive.

I'd buy it again in a heartbeat and would recommend it to anyone looking for this type of SUV.

 

[Moo26]

1,000 miles in on the new Ex and so far I love it!! Took it out to Havasu for the weekend and got over 20MPG ( a big step up from the Tahoe). Truck is very roomy, rides great, MFT is a little slow, but nothing I can't deal with, kids love the moonroof and their individual seats (we have buckets in the second row), second row console is perfect for storing their games systems and DVD's.

 

[sdm9465]

i like my ex too. I think we are all, for the most part "happy" but a little frustrated at how great this vehicle could be. Its almost there, but not quite. My frustration is that i didnt get exactly what i was promised in the advertising, i think others are too.

I too have confidence in ford's ability to remedy these issues. All very good points.....hopefully our fixes are forthcoming but none are insurmountable.

+1

 

[Rocketfan]

+1 for this thread. While waiting for my order, I got really worried reading this forum. Now that I have my Explorer (Ltd./ 301a/ center console/ buckets) I really love it but I have not had the issues some have complained about here (first year model/ first year MFT). Take heart in the satisfaction survey that someone posted here already. No car is perfect especially the first year out so there will be some issues, but it looks like the majority of owners so far are satisfied.

Here are my thoughts from the "ashamed" thread which really belong here. I took my new day old Explorer with MFT 2.8 and nav on a Memorial Day weekend trip (pretty worried because of the problems reported here). Other than issues getting songs to actually play from my iPhone 3GS from when plugged into usb (shows onscreen as playing but no sound) and accidentally hitting the hazards a lot (come on Ford, this didn't show up in testing), it worked great.

I don't know if it is generational thing (like programming the Betamax (VCR) if you remember VCRs), but things seemed to go much smoother because my 13 year old son sat shotgun on the way out and kept correcting me and teaching me what to do as we played with MFT fighting Memorial Day weekend traffic.

By the time we got to our destination, I was a lot less frustrated and more pleased with MFT thanks to my son's guidance (though I still think the user interface and control layout is unsophisticated and not intuitive at all). That being said, except for not being able to get any sound from my iPhone songs for my 3GS in USB mode, MFT worked for me like a charm all weekend. Nav was great (at least as good as my Infiniti's nav) though inputting directions by voice is never as easy as you think it would be (great source of humor for my family but no worse than any other car I test drove or own: that is why touchscreen is good because it makes inputting directions by touch much easier). There was some lag, but it was not too bad or distracting.

The voice controls worked really well (when my son and daughter weren't yelling out alternate commands or radio stations).

The worse thing about MFT from my perspective is distracted driving (looking down at the center console a lot). Hopefully, this will get better as I get used to MFT. Plus, I started using the steering wheel controlled dual LCDs to quickly change climate, radio stations, set NAV using POI or favorite destinations, etc. all with no lag and much less distraction than going to the big touch screen in the center console.

This is a long way of saying as long as your unit is not defective (knock on wood: first gen model/ first gen MFT), I really love everything MFT can do and believe that if you can live with its really cumbersome user interface, you will discover a system that can do more than just about anything else on the road. That is what I was looking for since I saw it at CES in 2010. My son gives it two big thumbs up (no "are we there yet?" refrains from him the entire trip). Even my wife warmed up to it at the end (though she still has not driven it despite many offers to do so).