It was an interesting day

[07EddyB]

We've been looking at a new Explorer for a few months now to replace my wife's minivan. We finally decided to go for it but were unsure what color to get. You know how things are now - it's not like you can go to a dealer anymore and see the different colors in person. White? Sure - but we were interested in the green but wanted to see it first. Watching a local dealer inventory we saw an XLT and a Timberline show up in inventory in that color so we headed up today to check out the color and see if it was what we wanted. We had an alternate and fully intended to order an optioned out XLT before we left.
Turns out the Timberline was a dealer order and it was for sale. My wife - that insisted that she would only have the sandstone interior and hated the ebony - really liked the green interior on the Timberline - and really liked the lack of chrome - and it went on from there.
And it had what we were going to order on the XLT - and more - for about $1K more based on our internet builds so it about evened out actually.
So I have a new Timberline sitting in my garage now.
I went online and built the car we just bought - and it was over the sticker on the one we just bought - by close to $2K. Still trying to wrap my head around that - but it really looks like either the online build is priced higher than an in dealer order or they have jacked up the price. Even though the dealer ordered mine for stock - it still was several months ago so maybe they jacked up the price some since.
Anyway - I've been hanging out here for a long time as my DD is a 2007 Explorer so I guess I have another part of the forum to keep up with now. They are both parked in the detached garage right now and it's interesting to see them side by side - 2007 versus 2022.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

We've been looking at a new Explorer for a few months now to replace my wife's minivan. We finally decided to go for it but were unsure what color to get. You know how things are now - it's not like you can go to a dealer anymore and see the different colors in person. White? Sure - but we were interested in the green but wanted to see it first. Watching a local dealer inventory we saw an XLT and a Timberline show up in inventory in that color so we headed up today to check out the color and see if it was what we wanted. We had an alternate and fully intended to order an optioned out XLT before we left.
Turns out the Timberline was a dealer order and it was for sale. My wife - that insisted that she would only have the sandstone interior and hated the ebony - really liked the green interior on the Timberline - and really liked the lack of chrome - and it went on from there.
And it had what we were going to order on the XLT - and more - for about $1K more based on our internet builds so it about evened out actually.
So I have a new Timberline sitting in my garage now.
I went online and built the car we just bought - and it was over the sticker on the one we just bought - by close to $2K. Still trying to wrap my head around that - but it really looks like either the online build is priced higher than an in dealer order or they have jacked up the price. Even though the dealer ordered mine for stock - it still was several months ago so maybe they jacked up the price some since.
Anyway - I've been hanging out here for a long time as my DD is a 2007 Explorer so I guess I have another part of the forum to keep up with now. They are both parked in the detached garage right now and it's interesting to see them side by side - 2007 versus 2022.

how does the new tomberline drive? they seem real cool! and 2k over sticker is alot! perhaps report that dealer in the dealer report page... soemwhere on here... seems like a busy day!

 

[jsgoofn]

We've been looking at a new Explorer for a few months now to replace my wife's minivan. We finally decided to go for it but were unsure what color to get. You know how things are now - it's not like you can go to a dealer anymore and see the different colors in person. White? Sure - but we were interested in the green but wanted to see it first. Watching a local dealer inventory we saw an XLT and a Timberline show up in inventory in that color so we headed up today to check out the color and see if it was what we wanted. We had an alternate and fully intended to order an optioned out XLT before we left.
Turns out the Timberline was a dealer order and it was for sale. My wife - that insisted that she would only have the sandstone interior and hated the ebony - really liked the green interior on the Timberline - and really liked the lack of chrome - and it went on from there.
And it had what we were going to order on the XLT - and more - for about $1K more based on our internet builds so it about evened out actually.
So I have a new Timberline sitting in my garage now.
I went online and built the car we just bought - and it was over the sticker on the one we just bought - by close to $2K. Still trying to wrap my head around that - but it really looks like either the online build is priced higher than an in dealer order or they have jacked up the price. Even though the dealer ordered mine for stock - it still was several months ago so maybe they jacked up the price some since.
Anyway - I've been hanging out here for a long time as my DD is a 2007 Explorer so I guess I have another part of the forum to keep up with now. They are both parked in the detached garage right now and it's interesting to see them side by side - 2007 versus 2022.

Congrats getting one you like without waiting!

 

[07EddyB]

how does the new tomberline drive? they seem real cool! and 2k over sticker is alot! perhaps report that dealer in the dealer report page... soemwhere on here... seems like a busy day!

You misunderstood - we payed MSRP - that's a deal I wouldn't normally take but those are the times. The 2K number was about the discrepancy between the online build and the sticker on what we bought. My dealer did not charge over MSRP. And it drives great. It's an SUV - it should have tires with a tall sidewall. Not for off roading specifically - but for the ride and frankly the extra traction on snow it affords. I don't get the move to 20+ inch rims on SUVs with short sidewalls. It might look good - but you are giving up some ride comfort and some traction. It's an SUV - not a sports car.

Congrats getting one you like without waiting!

Thanks - it really was a right time at the right place moment. My wife has been researching the Explorer for months - and wouldn't even consider a Timberline. But upon seeing one in person - that changed. I didn't steer her toward it - I never would have predicted it in a million years. Of course I like it - but I would have never guessed that she would have liked the chrome deletes and the black wheels and the unique interior that sets it apart from the other models.
But it spoke to her - and I had no problem with that!

 

[07EddyB]

I will also mention - even though it pains me to do so - that even with a very brief time behind the wheel I honestly believe that her Explorer would outrun mine - not just at takeoff but overall.
I've got a 4.6L V8 - she has half the engine - a 2.3L four cylinder (with a turbo of course). I've got a 6 speed trans - she has a 10 speed trans.
We are both rated about 300 horse and about the same torque - but it is faster. Mine sounds better - but her's would beat it.
Time and technology marches on - I'm beginning to accept our new 4 cylinder overlords.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

You misunderstood - we payed MSRP - that's a deal I wouldn't normally take but those are the times. The 2K number was about the discrepancy between the online build and the sticker on what we bought. My dealer did not charge over MSRP. And it drives great. It's an SUV - it should have tires with a tall sidewall. Not for off roading specifically - but for the ride and frankly the extra traction on snow it affords. I don't get the move to 20+ inch rims on SUVs with short sidewalls. It might look good - but you are giving up some ride comfort and some traction. It's an SUV - not a sports car.

Thanks - it really was a right time at the right place moment. My wife has been researching the Explorer for months - and wouldn't even consider a Timberline. But upon seeing one in person - that changed. I didn't steer her toward it - I never would have predicted it in a million years. Of course I like it - but I would have never guessed that she would have liked the chrome deletes and the black wheels and the unique interior that sets it apart from the other models.
But it spoke to her - and I had no problem with that!

i see now then if you paid msrp thats great in todays world! congrats ok the purchase! we need some pics!

 

[07EddyB]

i see now then if you paid msrp thats great in todays world! congrats ok the purchase! we need some pics!

 

[Fix4Dirt]

View attachment 428840

wow! looks sharp, never really seen a timberline in the road yet... only in pictures!

 

[07EddyB]

This is the first one I've seen in person also - apparently they are pretty rare. When we were looking at them online the wife dismissed the Timberline right away. But when she saw this one - the game changed. It helped that they also had a green XLT on the lot that was presold so she got to compare the two - for that color the blacked out chrome and the black wheels really make it pop.

 

[I bleed Ford Blue]

It's an SUV - not a sports car.

Go drive an ST and you might be singing a different tune. I lowered mine and added a larger rear sway bar and put on some 285/40/22's and it handles like it's on rails. I also added a larger intercooler and a custom tune and now my best 0-60 is a 4.34 seconds and a 12.59@110.12mph in the quarter mile all out of a 4600 lb suv on pump gas.

Honestly, I would rather have something that handles like a sports car. If I wanted something that acted like a tug boat in storm, I'd go borrow grandpa's 75 Cadillac.

 

[Rick]

Go drive an ST and you might be singing a different tune. I lowered mine and added a larger rear sway bar and put on some 285/40/22's and it handles like it's on rails. I also added a larger intercooler and a custom tune and now my best 0-60 is a 4.34 seconds and a 12.59@110.12mph in the quarter mile all out of a 4600 lb suv on pump gas.

Honestly, I would rather have something that handles like a sports car. If I wanted something that acted like a tug boat in storm, I'd go borrow grandpa's 75 Cadillac.

People's opinion of ride quality is very subjective. Some think the ST is too stiff. I drove a 4cyl Explorer the same day as the ST and to me the 4cyl Explorer felt like the '75 Cadillac mentioned above, and that was a deal breaker. Personally I like the tight, responsive steering over the soft shocks, and "decoupled" feeling I got from the base model.

 

[jsgoofn]

The Timberline has PIU shocks which helps with the stiffer ride too.

 

[07EddyB]

The Timberline has PIU shocks which helps with the stiffer ride too.

That is correct - and we didn't even know that when we bought it. Our Timberline is far from a land barge - I would rate it as crisp actually - but no - it won't handle like an ST and that's fine with us. Like Rick said - everyone's opinion of ride quality is very subjective. Unless you have some very expensive hardware to control the suspension to make it variable then it will be tuned to the purpose of the vehicle. I've owned sports cars in the past and the idea of the ST is appealing to me - but that's not why we bought an Explorer.
Also, on the 'I didn't know it had that' front because we never really looked at the Timberline before we bought one - we were in it today and I noticed the gear selector had a button the the middle with a M on it. We were confused - she mentioned that there was an M on the gear selector indicator on the dash. Looking at the dash from the passenger seat I then noticed that it had shift paddles on each side of the steering wheel. I then concluded it had a manual shift mode. I don't remember seeing that on the XLT we had driven. Also, I did not know it had a limited slip differential until we were driving it home and I was looking over the sticker. I had looked at the options part of the sticker at the dealer but never dreamed a limited slip would be in the standard equipment part. We keep finding stuff it has that we didn't even know about because we had never really looked at them.

 

[jsgoofn]

That is correct - and we didn't even know that when we bought it. Our Timberline is far from a land barge - I would rate it as crisp actually - but no - it won't handle like an ST and that's fine with us. Like Rick said - everyone's opinion of ride quality is very subjective. Unless you have some very expensive hardware to control the suspension to make it variable then it will be tuned to the purpose of the vehicle. I've owned sports cars in the past and the idea of the ST is appealing to me - but that's not why we bought an Explorer.
Also, on the 'I didn't know it had that' front because we never really looked at the Timberline before we bought one - we were in it today and I noticed the gear selector had a button the the middle with a M on it. We were confused - she mentioned that there was an M on the gear selector indicator on the dash. Looking at the dash from the passenger seat I then noticed that it had shift paddles on each side of the steering wheel. I then concluded it had a manual shift mode. I don't remember seeing that on the XLT we had driven. Also, I did not know it had a limited slip differential until we were driving it home and I was looking over the sticker. I had looked at the options part of the sticker at the dealer but never dreamed a limited slip would be in the standard equipment part. We keep finding stuff it has that we didn't even know about because we had never really looked at them.

I had a Timberline for a short time. The paddle shifters were nice because it seemed that the transmission would lug a bit at low speeds and it was nice to shift when that happened. I just didn't care for the road noise and some other quirks so I traded for an ST-Line. Didn't need a bazillion horsepower (or the price) of an ST. It does not have paddle shifters.

 

[Spacey]

Check your sticker content closely against the on-line build specifications. There is probably some content differences or a different package. Seems unlikely they have raised the base price 2K in the past few weeks.

 

[07EddyB]

The Timberline has PIU shocks which helps with the stiffer ride too.

I've been looking into that and I'm having trouble confirming it. I found a MotorTrend article that states it - but I can't find anything on the Ford site itself that would verify it. I would think they would call it out but they aren't. When I look at the chassis specifications between a Timberline and an XLT on the Ford site they are identical. It's strange that they would do an upgrade like that and not brag about it. I guess I need to do a parts search and see what comes up.

 

[I bleed Ford Blue]

07EddyB, when you get a chance could you take a pic of the label on your rear axle? It should look like this



On the bottom row in the middle it should rear either 88 or 81. That number denotes the size of the ring gear. All other 2.3 equipped explorers have the 81 and the 3.0's get the 88. And the timberline is the only explorer to get a torsen rear diff. If the timberline also has the 88, then those of us who have the ST could upgrade to a timberline rear to gain a torsen diff.

 

[07EddyB]

So I'm doing a parts search. First is with my VIN - looking at the LH front strut. This is the part number it gives me for my vehicle:


Doing a generic search on a 2022 Explorer for front struts I get this:

It appears to be dependent on the engine size (there is no option for the 2.3L that includes the police package) not whether it's a PIU. If I indeed have the PIU struts and shocks then a parts search isn't bearing that out. Again - my first search and resulting part number was based on my VIN - the second search was based only on a 2022 Explorer. Within that search the main difference appeared to be the engine size although there was one different strut specified for the Platinum.
I may be missing something here - and correct me if I am but I'm not seeing the same part numbers for mine versus the PIU.

 

[07EddyB]

07EddyB, when you get a chance could you take a pic of the label on your rear axle? It should look like this

View attachment 428862

On the bottom row in the middle it should rear either 88 or 81. That number denotes the size of the ring gear. All other 2.3 equipped explorers have the 81 and the 3.0's get the 88. And the timberline is the only explorer to get a torsen rear diff. If the timberline also has the 88, then those of us who have the ST could upgrade to a timberline rear to gain a torsen diff.

I just crawled under it and I can't find a label anywhere on the unit.

 

[I bleed Ford Blue]

I would be right on the bottom of the rear axle housing just in front of the rear cover, just like in the pic.