1st 2020 ST in Puerto Rico! Finally! | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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1st 2020 ST in Puerto Rico! Finally!

Joined
December 18, 2019
Messages
16
Reaction score
2
City, State
PR
Year, Model & Trim Level
2020, Explorer, ST
Great Forum Guys! Congratulations!

I finally took possession of my star white 2020 Explorer ST (Last week). Actually the first one to reach the island.
It was ordered in September but for some reason it was built in April. Serial 00285! Strange! Seems it was one of the first ST built and held there for some fixes for a while.

Anyway, I like to share my first impressions and comments:

Impressive performance, handling and looks! Overall I'm happy and will be patient with some of the problems to be expected from these early production models.

Quality issues found (some already mentioned in other posts):

1- Sunglasses storage console - Not closing properly. (Dealer ordered a new one)
2- Rear bumper loose at the bottom. It seems a part is missing to hold it in place. (Dealer ordering one too) (P# 7811782)
3- After problems indexing USB music, dealer upgraded to Sync Build 19274. So far so good!
4- Bubbles in the dash "Carbon Fiber" Trim. (Dealer ordered a new one)
5- Seats outer skin not holding in place. Clips keep falling off! (Dealer investigating)

Disappointments:

1- No reverse tilt on side mirrors
2- No wireless Car Play
3- Sloppy paint job in engine bay! They even over spray engine components! (not really important but it is supposed to be a top line model!)
4- Finally, the ugly cheap noise from the transfer case most times you open the driver's door.

Good luck for the ones still waiting and happy driving!
 



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Great Forum Guys! Congratulations!

I finally took possession of my star white 2020 Explorer ST (Last week). Actually the first one to reach the island.
It was ordered in September but for some reason it was built in April. Serial 00285! Strange! Seems it was one of the first ST built and held there for some fixes for a while.

Anyway, I like to share my first impressions and comments:

Impressive performance, handling and looks! Overall I'm happy and will be patient with some of the problems to be expected from these early production models.

Quality issues found (some already mentioned in other posts):

1- Sunglasses storage console - Not closing properly. (Dealer ordered a new one)
2- Rear bumper loose at the bottom. It seems a part is missing to hold it in place. (Dealer ordering one too) (P# 7811782)
3- After problems indexing USB music, dealer upgraded to Sync Build 19274. So far so good!
4- Bubbles in the dash "Carbon Fiber" Trim. (Dealer ordered a new one)
5- Seats outer skin not holding in place. Clips keep falling off! (Dealer investigating)

Disappointments:

1- No reverse tilt on side mirrors
2- No wireless Car Play
3- Sloppy paint job in engine bay! They even over spray engine components! (not really important but it is supposed to be a top line model!)
4- Finally, the ugly cheap noise from the transfer case most times you open the driver's door.

Good luck for the ones still waiting and happy driving!

Congrats!! Seems like minor issues fortunately and easily fixed. Production didnt start until May 6th I believe so not sure how yours was built in April.

Also,to note regarding the paint overspray. I am wondering if something had to be repainted because a factory paint job would not get overspray on your engine. All body parts including the shell of the vehicle are painted independently and then assembled on the assembly line. The engine is installed after everything has been painted. The only thing that makes sense is if something was repainted afterwards on the vehicle.

Hopefully you will be able to enjoy it for many years problem free after this.
 






Welcome to the Forum Carlos.:wave:
Congratulations on the new ST.

Peter
 






Thank you!

Curious about the date of manufacture, I too heard that production started in May! but then mine was probably some kind of prototype?
Explorer VIN.jpg
 
























April 23, 2019 is your build date. That makes no sense how you got that and how they sold it to you.
How do you know the day built was the 23rd? I'm slowly getting new information down here; Seems this was to be what they call a local "Press Car" but never used as intended and then sold to me with 32 miles in the odometer since it was the same car I originally ordered in September. It was mostly assembled by hand since the production equipment was just being installed in the Chicago factory the same week! What is a Press Car anyway?

Crazy!!
 






How do you know the day built was the 23rd? I'm slowly getting new information down here; Seems this was to be what they call a local "Press Car" but never used as intended and then sold to me with 32 miles in the odometer since it was the same car I originally ordered in September. It was mostly assembled by hand since the production equipment was just being installed in the Chicago factory the same week! What is a Press Car anyway?

Crazy!!

If you look at the sticker you posted, at the bottom is a bunch of numbers "1201904239117".

Your build date is 20190423 or YYYYMMDD or 04/23/2019. So it was build April 23rd.
 






How do you know the day built was the 23rd? I'm slowly getting new information down here; Seems this was to be what they call a local "Press Car" but never used as intended and then sold to me with 32 miles in the odometer since it was the same car I originally ordered in September. It was mostly assembled by hand since the production equipment was just being installed in the Chicago factory the same week! What is a Press Car anyway?

Crazy!!
A press car is a early production, some people call them pre-production vehicle depending on which assembly plant they come from . Some are built on the main line others are hand-built off the main line using main line parts generally press vehicles are gone over more closely to ensure proper fit and finish door gaps ,hood gaps and check for paint imperfections so that when they're delivered to the Press they get good reviews

The Press get the vehicles for 7 days at which time they make their reviews of the vehicle. The press vehicle is then delivered to a dealership and sold to a customer.
 






Thanks for the info! a lot of new details now.

I don't know if this "hand built" thing is good or not but at least it sounds like the way they put together a Rolls Royce!:) But Ford is no Rolls!:(. Time will tell.
 






The main difference between a line vehicle and a press vehicle is that the press vehicle receives more attention in reference to fit and finish and details of vehicle.
 






Media/Press vehicles are titled to Ford. Once they are done with it it goes to auction, usually Mannheim in Detroit for a closed auction only available to Ford dealers. Bottom line is it could never be sold as new if it were in fact used by Ford as press, demo, executive, or test mule.
 






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