2002 Explorer or Mountaineer?

[Chief]

You know the question....which one, as far as appearance goes, would you prefer? I saw the new Mountaineer and Explorer in person...trust me, the new Mountaineer looks much better in person than it does in photographs, so for me I'd probably be inclined to buy the Mountaineer.

 

[NoBoundaries]

I was driving next to the 2002 Mountaineer one day. You're right, it looks worse in pictures then in person. I haven't seen the 2002 in person, but I think that I would still go for the Explorer.

 

[DarkFox1]

I absolutley hated the 2002 mounty when I saw it.. but its very very slowly growing on me.. I think I said this in another post? heh, can't remember.. at this point.. I wouldn't make a purchasing jugement on either until I see them in person (and see what kind of accessories are going to be made)

 

[Tim K]

I saw them both at the Philly auto show today...I do NOT like the Mountaineer front at all. I think the Explorer looks much better. I think the Mount. looks as bad in person as in pictures.

 

[PHOGJR]

I paln to purchase a new Explorer in 2003 (I DON'T TRUST FIRST YEAR PRODUCTION VEHICLES)! If you choosing between 4 wheel drive modes is important to your driving needs (i.e., off roading) then go with the Explorer over the Mountaineer! Why? Well, the Mountaineer is equiped with a full time all wheel drive system. The Explorer on the other hand is equiped with a 4 wheel drive system that is switchable (i.e., Auto, HI, & Low)! I plan to opt for the 4.6 liter 8 cylinder engine! I really look forward to the fully independent rear suspion! It may not drive like a new Corvette but I asume it will drive like no other SUV currently on the market!

Thanks,

Paul

 

[JoeC5]

The new moutaineer is horrible. I cant believe what they did to it. I also saw it in person and i wish they would have kept the old body style. On the other hand, I really like the new explorer eddie bauer. Very sharp looking and a not too shabby V8. 240 horse...NICE

 

[Charlie H]

Explorer all the way!! I hate the look of the new Mount. front end and grill. What the hell were they thinking when they designed that!?!?

Just my humble opinion.

 

[NITELIFE]

I like the new Mountaineer and I can't wait to see it in person.

--mark

 

[Tars]

Personally I wouldn't buy either. I don't think either one is that good looking and to me now they are nothing but tall station wagons. There is no sport utility about them. I could live with IFS, but IRS, no way, oh no, not here. Ford lost me as a buyer now. I can just hear the Dodge boys calling it sounds something like hey Matt we have your truck ready, front and rear solid axles, manual shift t-case, ohv V-8, stand alone styling.

I don't need all that fancy pants nice riding and handling indepentent suspension stuff! I still say my dad Jeep rides much much better than my Explorer and my Explorer rides pretty darn good and my dads Jeep had straight axles. I don't see the benifits of independent suspensions.

Back to your question, if I was forced to buy one I would take the Explorer, the lesser of two evils.


But I would turn right around and sell it to some yuppie in the city who wants it to look cool. Sorry to anyone that likes the new Explorers. I'm not knocking you its just my opinion and I'm sick of seeing people driving around TC in these fancy 4x4's when they will never use them. Yeah the Explorer looks better, but not much.

 

[DarkFox1]

if you don't plan on going offroad or at least having some fun with the front axles.. don't get 4x4.. thats my view on it, I agree with you on that, of late we have had a "soccermommification" of suvs.. more and more women are buying them and the market is changing them to suit their needs. soft.. squishy. USELESS grovery getters.. I'm insulted by this chance, and rather rudley respond on the road to woman who may be driving a 4x4 that has never seen dirt.

my opinions seem a bit rude as well.. heh, but I know what you are saying. I didn't get 4wd cos 1. it cost more and 2. I had no purpose for it.. everything I did to my vehicle is for looks and street usage.. theres no offroading here to do anyway.

IRS on explorers.. and now a FWD "suv" the escape.. sounds more like the AAH! RUN AWAY!! to me

 

[Tars]

If my above post sounded rude, I'm sorry. I was in a really bad mood about this whole subject yesterday. I didn't mean to offend anyone that likes the new Explorers or Mounties or anyone that buys them with the intent of never going off road. I'm just really really mad at the auto industry for taking our trucks and filling them with all this electronic crap and making them so they can not be used off the road. I studied marketing in school so I understand what they are doing, but at the same time one of the things we were taught in school was if you are going to change a product make sure you do not alienate your current customers. The whole auto indutry has ignored people that use their trucks for work and play. They are only interested in serving up fancy upper end SUV's for the well heeled. That is their target and they have forgotten about the rest of us. That is why I am mad. OK now I will stop I just wanted to explain myself.

 

[Stephen S]

I like the look of the new Explorer over the Mountaineer but I don't like the independent rear suspension. It just doesn't seem like a truck anymore. More like an Escape, just an SUV shell stuck on top of a car.

 

[Stephen]

Tars, such a small percentage of Explorer sales are to offroad enthusiats, thats why they dont worry about it.

 

[DarkFox1]

yea, its like I said.. the market is women.... soft squishy women who's biggest concern is if her earrings match her nails or if someone wears the same shirt as them.. go figure.. I'll never understand women but its normal for a company to go where the money is, I can't say I blame them..

 

[Tars]

Originally posted by Stephen
Tars, such a small percentage of Explorer sales are to offroad enthusiats, thats why they dont worry about it.

I know. I don't blame them for going where the money is. It just angers me that they ruin a perfectly good, useable truck. Its not just the Explorer that gets me, its all the trucks and Sport utes these days. Even Jeep is moving away from it. But they are doing it too themselves they price these things so far out of reach that only the people that use them to go to their country club can afford them. But I know thats what they want, they get more money this way. I understand the whole game. I just don't like it. It just seems to me that strength and simplicity do not even come into the equation any more.

 

[DarkFox1]

hehe, I feel your pain really tars, to be honest the very idea of a woman driving a 4wd expedition and it never leaving the road makes me sorta sick.. I don't normally say anything about it tho.. I've been attacked before about that very thing.. putting stuff on my car like clear tails and guards.. I've been accused of ricing, and doing the same thing as soccer mommies.. but hey.. I'm 2wd and really have no interest in doing offroading right now.. and thank god, none of that name calling has come from this place.. I love this forum!

 

[bzcat]

I'm also considering buying a 2002 or 2003 Mountaineer. I saw both at the LA autoshow and I'm kind of disappointed with the look of Explorer. It seemed very "old school" is the best way I can describe it. Plus the interior is kind of tacky with fake wood (on EB and Limted model). I'm not big on fake wood in cars, let along a truck. It's quite disgusting. Plus the trim color for wedgewood blue (my first choice) is slime green with a hint of beige, very umm... ugly combination.

The Mountianeer on the other hand looks quite nice with avant-grade finish and styles inside and out. I especially like the brash aluminum look on the inside. Very nicely designed and exceuted. Plus light graphite interior trim color is standard so that definately swayed my decision. Just waiting to drive one with AWD to see if I like the way these new trucks drive.

 

[DarkFox1]

I love the brushed aluminum look on the inside.. I wish they made a kit like that for us.. I'd snap one up flat out that'd look so sweet

 

[Tars]

OK, now I'm going to hear it. I stopped at the Ford dealer in town here to ask a couple questions about my truck, as I was driving thru the lot I noticed a 2002 Explorer sitting next to the building. So being curious I stopped to look at it. Now comes the funny part, they look really good, much much better than the pictures I've seen. I even parked my Explorer next to the new one. They look very similar. Which to me is a good thing, I've always like the look of the original better than the 95-01 models. I even crawled undernieth it to see this fancy IRS. Well it deffinately is different. But to Fords credit it looks well built, the rear arms look very solid, very strong.

Overall I was impressed with it. Still don't like independent suspensions, but at least this one uses real arms, not those flimsy links, like some other Sport-Utes with IRS. Anyway I wish to retract my statements from above, the new Explorers are very good looking, and if I was in the market for another Sport-Ute I would add the 2002 Explorer to my list to look closer at.

 

[Stephen]

Its like I say, never pass judgement on a car until you've driven it. Take one for a spin.