Buyers tips?

[Frdbronco8]

New member here and current shopper of 06-2010 Mountaineers. My wife had a Milan and likes the Mercury but we are also looking at Explorers. Any tips on things to check out when test driving? Our sights are currently on a 06 Mountaineer with 118k miles. Its a Premier with the V8 an AWD. I have heard of Transmissions being replaced but does the one behind the V8 last longer? Any other issues with higher mileage models? This particular one just had the exhaust manifolds replaced (probably same issue I had with my 5.4 F150 years ago)

Thanks

 

[qb100]

I just got an 07 eddie bauer, so far so good... the two headaches I found are the power 3rd row seats.. see if they work properly.. they easily strip the plastic gears and get stuck up or down and they don't move manually, the fix is not cheap.

power running boards, I have one that works and one is stuck down.

neither item is a mechanical issue.. just annoying

the exhaust manifolds pop up a lot on the forum but the one your looking at is already taken care of.

good luck

 

[Explorer_PL]

Mine is 06 v8 eddie bauer.

Currently 252k miles

Exhaust manifolds - replaced at 150k miles I believe
Power 3rd row seat broke just recently. For half a price of a new motor, i bought a manual matching seat from a wreck and replaced it, I am good forever
Power running boards - my son's 07 eddie bauer had them, were stuck in down position. Got a pair from a junkyard - regular fixed ones, and replaced them as well.
I am still on original 6R60 tranny, they last, just change the fluid every 60 k miles, works for me. Much better tranny than the 5r55, on our 07 v6 it lasted only 117k miles.
Rear wiper will get stuck, the mechanism/shaft needs to be cleaned and greased
Rear heater hose Y split cracks and leaks antifreeze, passenger side by the exhaust manifold.
Front and rear bearing go bad every 75-100 k miles on average.
The list goes on but it's one of the better cars I have had. Holds pretty well, no rust even here in NY.
You just need to know how to wrench a little.

 

[thebrakeman]

The only think I haven't heard mentioned is the spark plugs. At least of few of them may break upon attempted removal, leaving partial plug in the head. if not yet replaced, at this is a dealer sale, have them replace them on their dime. If a private sale, just know that places charge $200-300 for the job. Some will charge a flat rate no matter how many break, others will charge a smaller flat rate for the job, plus a surcharge for each broken plus (for the additional labor per plug.

 

[Explorer_PL]

...I forgot that minor issue on the 06-08 v8 motors
Thanks Thebrakeman.

When I was pricing it out with the dealer, they quoted me $ 399.99 plus $ 150 for each broken one.

Did it myself in the end, broke one and it was a nightmare....

 

[Frdbronco8]

Thanks all for the tips. I don't mind a little wrenching and I like that one can swap broken power seats for manual ones. I just did the plugs on my V10 and lucked out! Its a 2010 though and they are 1 piece.

I did just find out the carfax on this mountaineer shows it was totalled in Michigan in 2013 even though it has a clean title here in Washington. That and it living in Michigan for the first 90k of its life concern me. Too bad because it has everything we want.

 

[Explorer_PL]

If it was totaled, then re-selling it would be difficult. Mechanically, it may be still perfect.
The heads were redesigned in 2009 on the 3 valve modular motors.
This is my post:
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums...-3rd-row-power-seat-with-a-manual-one.466072/

but if you search the forum, you can find many good write ups from different members, very helpful dealing with common repairs on these trucks.

 

[qb100]

Mine is 06 v8 eddie bauer.

Currently 252k miles

Exhaust manifolds - replaced at 150k miles I believe
Power 3rd row seat broke just recently. For half a price of a new motor, i bought a manual matching seat from a wreck and replaced it, I am good forever
Power running boards - my son's 07 eddie bauer had them, were stuck in down position. Got a pair from a junkyard - regular fixed ones, and replaced them as well.
I am still on original 6R60 tranny, they last, just change the fluid every 60 k miles, works for me. Much better tranny than the 5r55, on our 07 v6 it lasted only 117k miles.
Rear wiper will get stuck, the mechanism/shaft needs to be cleaned and greased
Rear heater hose Y split cracks and leaks antifreeze, passenger side by the exhaust manifold.
Front and rear bearing go bad every 75-100 k miles on average.
The list goes on but it's one of the better cars I have had. Holds pretty well, no rust even here in NY.
You just need to know how to wrench a little.

Rear heater hose Y split cracks and leaks antifreeze, passenger side by the exhaust manifold

I think this may be the same issue I have as well.... I'm losing coolant somewhere and found it dripping somewhere near the manifold...

 

[Explorer_PL]

Again, very common and unless you know about it, you will be loosing coolant and have no drips on the driveway. I thought my head gasket went south....

 

[Frdbronco8]

Again, very common and unless you know about it, you will be loosing coolant and have no drips on the driveway. I thought my head gasket went south....

how difficult or expensive is this of a fix?

 

[Explorer_PL]

The OEM assembly is about $ 200. But all it takes is a metal or plastic Y and few clamps. Total less than $ 20 and about 30-45 minutes of work. You can access it thru the wheel opening.

 

[Frdbronco8]

Doesn't sound too bad. Thsnks

 

[WaltZ]

If possible, negotiate an aftermarket extended warranty with the dealer. It saved me at least $5k for the first 2 years I owned mine. I have spent over $6k more since then. EVERY problem mentioned above and throughout these forums I have had, except, no tranny problems [other than the reprogram issue you will read about]. The engine has the pinging/dieseling, but still runs like a raped ape.

I bought it 5 years ago with 60k miles. Now has 162k miles. My most recent problem, a year ago, was the rear heat hose leak mentioned above. When you start replacing all of the front-end parts, get Moog or some other good aftermarket brand, so the job only has to be done once.

Good luck!