2006 Mountaineer

[420peacefrogs]

Currently I have my baby, the '95 Explorer. I am going to keep it but it needs some work, thinking of getting an '06 Mountaineer Premier....wondering if any one has experience with the reliability or anything.

 

[Brandon96]

To the best of my knowledge, the sum of the opinion of the new unibodied explorer, (by that I mean 3rd and 4th gens because they are so similar) is to stay away from 02-04, be weary about the '05, and the '06 and up were well built vehicles.

When test driving you'll probably want to keep and ear out for any rear end, more specific rear differential whining. And make sure it shifts from 2-3 well, and goes into reverse without doing anything funny.

 

[swetrid]

Make sure the radiator was replaced because they fail on all 06 models.

 

[420peacefrogs]

Awesome y'all thank you for the info. I am going to look at it again today...although it is a luxury not premier only the v6....hopefully all will be well

 

[JLindley]

To the best of my knowledge, the sum of the opinion of the new unibodied explorer, (by that I mean 3rd and 4th gens because they are so similar) is to stay away from 02-04, be weary about the '05, and the '06 and up were well built vehicles.

When test driving you'll probably want to keep and ear out for any rear end, more specific rear differential whining. And make sure it shifts from 2-3 well, and goes into reverse without doing anything funny.

02-05 explorers are not bad vehicles. Its the luck out of the draw with any vehicle you get. All depends how u drive them and service em. Ive had my 02 Explorer for 5 years and not had a single problem beside replacing the back wheel bearing. By the way the 3rd gens are nott unibodied. They are definitely built on a truck frame. The 2011 Explorers however are unibodied to reduce weight for better gas millage. The 02-05 mechanicly are built the exact same as the 06-10, the body style is not that much different than the 02-05, But the interior is what is truly different.

 

[Brandon96]

...

That is true, unibodied was the wrong term to use; Should have said "Unibody-styled", meaning with Front and Rear IFS, coil springs everywhere.. and the construction of the frame itself more resembles a car/crossover than a truck :\

 

[DavidEBSmith]

When we were shopping a year ago we decided to look for an 07 or later for a few reasons: the 07 has the factory line in plug and my wife uses her MP3 player constantly in the car, has the better inside door handles, seems to be past the radiator issues. If you care about that kind of thing the 07 has the clear tail light lenses.

That being said we put 30K in a year on top of the 30K that was already on it. We just replaced the tires that were still the originals, replaced a ball joint (under the extended warranty), had the transmission TSB done, and I have to spray WD-40 on the folding running board hinges about once a week in the winter. That and oil changes is all the service we've done. The payments and maintenance on the 07 Mountaineer are less than the monthly repair bills on our old 1996 Exploder Limited. The Mountaineer handled as well as our Subaru in last weeks 20" blizzard.

 

[EX-SV]

DavidEBSmith - Are the door handles different on the 06 versus the 07 Explorer?

 

[willied]

The 02-05 mechanicly are built the exact same as the 06-10, the body style is not that much different than the 02-05, But the interior is what is truly different.

Wrong, the 4th gen has a new chassis made by a different supplier, has redesigned rear suspension, more powerful V8, etc.

DavidEBSmith - Are the door handles different on the 06 versus the 07 Explorer?

Yes, they are.

 

[DavidEBSmith]

DavidEBSmith - Are the door handles different on the 06 versus the 07 Explorer?

Yes. A picture would be better but it's 19 degrees and snowing and I'm not going out to the garage.

The 07 has the goofy useless handle in front of the armrest and has a handhold in the armrest where you expect it to be.

I actually test drove a 2006 and the salesman apologized for the door handles and said the later versions were better. Possibly not the best sales pitch.

 

[JLindley]

Wrong, the 4th gen has a new chassis made by a different supplier, has redesigned rear suspension, more powerful V8, etc.

Yea, the v8s are lil different because they are a 24valve engine. As for the rear suspension goes all thats different to the naked eye is the A arms. Even though the chassis is made from a different supplier they are still made the same way, just a different brand in simpler terms.

 

[EX-SV]

Yes. A picture would be better but it's 19 degrees and snowing and I'm not going out to the garage.

The 07 has the goofy useless handle in front of the armrest and has a handhold in the armrest where you expect it to be.

I actually test drove a 2006 and the salesman apologized for the door handles and said the later versions were better. Possibly not the best sales pitch.

What makes the 06 door handles worst than 07?

 

[EX-SV]

Yea, the v8s are lil different because they are a 24valve engine. As for the rear suspension goes all thats different to the naked eye is the A arms. Even though the chassis is made from a different supplier they are still made the same way, just a different brand in simpler terms.

Yes the V8's are different resulting in significantly more power with the 24 valve version, not to mention the change to a 6 speed auto tranny and better highway mileage as a result.

The frame is not just a different supplier, it's a different frame that is stiffer and stronger than previous gen that looks similar.

 

[420peacefrogs]

Well, I went ahead and got it. I think my Explorer knew. When I tried starting it again to take it to my backyard to rest and await fixing, it took many tries to get it start and stay running once I went into gear....and somehow the gas pedal weld spots discod from the body and had to reach under the dash to pull to get it rest of the way....many repairs await it.

 

[thebrakeman]

Enjoy. And yes, you're '06 has a stiffer frame than the '05, but I think your V6/5speed drivetrain is carryover.

 

[TowingExplorer]

What makes the 06 door handles worst than 07?

The 06 didn't have a pocket on the arm rest to pull the door closed, just a pull handle under the arm rest (just like the rear doors). I believe they added some type of pocket in 07+ to make the doors more obvious in how to close.