2001 Explorer XLT Heritage Edition?

[XLTrunner]

Here's a new one for me...was at the local U Pull when they brought in a red 2001 (11/00 build date) 4-dr XLT. Looked like any other until I looked inside and the black leather seats had "Heritage Edition" stitched in red lettering on the seat backs (think Eddie Bauer and Limited style stitching). I didn't see any other special interior adornments or options that would differentiate it from a std XLT. It did have the Reverse/Backup sensors and wide lower body moldings in gray; along with std running boards. Forgot to check to see if it had a tranny cooler as part of a Tow Pkge. I guess this is what you got for the "Heritage Edition" option? I've scoured the internet for information on this option and have come up empty. Good looking vehicle with only 119K miles showing and little body rust. T-stat housing sure had been leaking, though...lol!

 

[koda2000]

Wasn't there a Heritage Edition F150? Maybe that's were the seats came from. I can't imagine there would have been a special edition XLT Explorer.

 

[XLTrunner]

The thought entered my mind...but, everything about the seats was correct for Explorers and the fabric matched the rear seats. Maybe it was a Regional sales marketing gimmick?

 

[Deleted member 352605]

pretty sure there was a heritage f150... did the seats look like this

 

[XLTrunner]

Nope...just regular style '01 Explorer seats (in this case black/dk gray leather with the red stitched lettering). If I had a clue as to how to attach a photo on here, I'd post some I took.

 

[Mbrooks420]

Nope...just regular style '01 Explorer seats (in this case black/dk gray leather with the red stitched lettering). If I had a clue as to how to attach a photo on here, I'd post some I took.

You have to host them elsewhere. To post directly here you need to be elite.

 

[koda2000]

Use Imgru (it's free). Upload your pics, edit them, use BBCODE to copy them and then you can just paste them into your posts.

 

[XLTrunner]

Okay...so I set up an Imgur acct. Uploaded a pic of the seats...but, have no idea what BBCODE is or where it's found (sorry...but, I am technology challenged). Here's my attempt at attaching the photo:

2001 Ford Explorer

 

[koda2000]

Okay...so I set up an Imgur acct. Uploaded a pic of the seats...but, have no idea what BBCODE is or where it's found (sorry...but, I am technology challenged). Here's my attempt at attaching the photo:

2001 Ford Explorer

Go to your acct in Imgru, when you find the photo you want, click on it to put it in edit mode. On the right hand side of the next screen you'll see your photo and a list of edit actions. One of the boxes says "BBCode (message boards and forums)" copy. click on it and your photo will be copied. Then go to the EF post you want to add the photo to and paste it. Done.

 

[XLTrunner]

How's this?

 

[Mbrooks420]

That works.

I don’t believe it’s real, as someone here would have had to have had one by now. If it were a real edition from Ford, it’d have outside badging.

To me it looks like the seat backs are in better shape than the bases. I’m betting those are aftermarket seat backs.

 

[koda2000]

How's this?

Good.

 

[XLTrunner]

Yeah...I don't know what to think of them. The truck only shows 119K miles and the overall condition of the seats and interior is near mint; with the exception of some typical minor leather wear on the lower seat edges. So, they would appear to be original covers. Why would someone only replace the uppers; especially, since those are the harder of the two to replace? Matching rear seats are excellent. It's definitely a mystery....

 

[Mbrooks420]

They may have just removed the factory covers and embroidered them. Machines to do it are more common than ever, and most malls have a booth that does it.

 

[XLTrunner]

But, again...why would someone go to the trouble? Stitching the name "Heritage Edition" doesn't resonate with anything that would add appeal to a ride IMO. By the same token, can't imagine a dealership trying to up sell a customer on just a name on some seats. Just weird...

 

[Mbrooks420]

But, again...why would someone go to the trouble? Stitching the name "Heritage Edition" doesn't resonate with anything that would add appeal to a ride IMO. By the same token, can't imagine a dealership trying to up sell a customer on just a name on some seats. Just weird...

I’ve seen far less worthwhile things, that took more effort. It’s not some rare holy grail, it’s someone’s one-of.

 

[koda2000]

Well, whatever it is all we can do is speculate how it happened and speculation is a waste of time IMO. so I'm out.

 

[Mbrooks420]

Bye.

 

[94Eddie]

Well, whatever it is all we can do is speculate how it happened and speculation is a waste of time IMO. so I'm out.

Speculation is a huge part of what we do here. Whether it is being done over seat embroidering, or speculating over how to diagnose a problem, it is all the same.

 

[XLTrunner]

Agree. Speculating on an anomaly such as this is kind of a refreshing deviation from the everyday troubleshooting of problems. I'm just not convinced someone would have gone to the trouble of replacing their covers with these. And, by comparing the slight wear pattern to those currently sitting inside a '98 Eddie Bauer out there...and, to those I pulled from a '96 Limited last summer (both with about the same miles as this one), I'm further convinced they are original to the vehicle.

So, here's a speculative theory for 'ya...since Ford introduced the restyled third gen '02 Explorers early in Jan '01, maybe they had plans to help get rid of the remaining '01 Explorer 5-dr body styles by branding them as Heritage Editions and had already made some seat covers in anticipation of a program that never officially materialized (this vehicle has a build date of Nov 2000). These seat covers may have just been installed in this vehicle because they were available. My research shows Ford pulled this marketing ploy early in the '04 F150 model year to get rid of the previous gen '03 leftover body parts and just called them Heritage (not to be confused with the 15K special '03 Heritage Editions sold).