Explorer or Trailblazer?

[regina falangy]

A good customer of mine just bought a '04 TrailBlazer for his fiance and today he called me up wanting some of the phone numbers of local salvage yards, since the transfer case just grenaded on their ~60,000 mile pile of junk.
They have their oil changes, etc. done by me, and theirs was one of the first TrailBlazers I'd ever driven. I was completely and totally underwhelmed. Typical of my reaction to just about every newer GM vehicle. This thing is the epitome of cheap. The horrible painted radio face that wears off in about a year's worth of turning the knobs, the flimsy switches and buttons, and the list goes on. 275 HP??!? Where??? This thing couldn't pull a pregnant mouse off an anthill! GM engines have been dyno queens for many years, and this one is no different. They don't put the power to the road, and their peak HP is at a nearly unuseable RPM. Look at the quarter mile times for both the Explorer V6 and the TrailBlazer I6 and you'll see ETs that aren't a whole lot faster with the TrailBlazer...Something doesn't add up if it has a 65 HP advantage over the Ford.
Dare I mention the absolutely retarded idea of running the front axle straight through the engine's oil pan? That's just stunningly ignorant.
Even the exhaust system is ugly. They could have hid that big old beer barrel underneath, rather than have it hanging way out back with a little downspout on it.

Bear in mind...I didn't even own an Explorer when I drove their TrailBlazer for the first time, and even compared to my old '98 Jeep Grand Cherokee, it was pathetic. My 150,000 mile Jeep had vastly superior quality to this bloated pile of garbage.

So I guess your vote is for the Ford? (hah hah)
I do agree that that the peak HP @ 6000 RPM is a tad on the high RPM side.
As far as the driveshaft running through the oil pan though, that is not all that unusual in foreign cars. BMW has been doing it on their AWD's since the 80's.
Thanks for your input.

 

[jad2411]

When we were looking for a new suv for my gf, the guy we know at the lot had both a tb and an explorer, both kinda the same price, mileage but at the end she liked the explorer better, so she now has an 02 explorer

 

[34Ford]

My sister has a trail blazer and I personally dont like the bloated heavy look to it. Especially the runner boards.

But I LOVE the soft ride it has. To me it rides like a van.

But then I have owned 5 Lincoln Marks and a LS over the many years and my 02 Eddie is rough.

 

[Thelt]

My X does not ride great either. It is as good or better than other SUVs I have owned like an Xterra and Durango but it is not as good as regular passenger car or van.

 

[TidePride50]

The horrible painted radio face that wears off in about a year's worth of turning the knobs

My '03 Ex has that problem now. The black plastic piece that is under the radio in the dash is rubbing off and turning white. Also the buttons most used on the radio are tunring white as well.

 

[Blacksheep Josh]

you're on explorer forum. lol. what do you think we're going to say?! but i'll say this, my dad used to have an 03 explorer, and his girlfriend had a trailblazer of the same year. the explorer was more fun to drive, and the trailblazer rode a bit nicer.

but like someone else said, i'd go with the safer crash test rating. i'd rather have safety over comfort and ride if i had children in the car a lot.

 

[E.B. Cornburner]

So I guess your vote is for the Ford? (hah hah)

The funny part is up till I bought this Explorer, I was a pretty rock-solid Chrysler guy. I hadn't owned a Ford since back in '88 with my T-Bird and Bronco II. Even back then, GM's comparable SUV, the S-10 Blazer/S-15 Jimmy couldn't run with the B-II. My mom bought a new '88 S-15 Jimmy with the 4.3L V6, and I had by B-II with the 2.9L V6, and one day we decided to give them a little "stoplight drag race", and it was almost a dead heat. She couldn't pull on me, nor could I on her. She couldn't believe that her 160 HP/230 lbs./ft. engine couldn't run away from me, with mine only having 140 HP and 170 lbs/ft torque. Comparing more apples to apples with GM's 2.8L V6, the Ford was light years ahead of it. That engine was the official gutless wonder of the '80s. Power of a 4-cylinder, and fuel consumption of a V8!

The main reason why I decided to get a Ford product once again was based on the fact that Chrysler didn't have a good lineup of FFVs (vehicles that can run on E85 ethanol or gasoline) at the time, and a GM product was completely out of the question, the Explorer looked like a good choice. I got a smokin' deal on this one, so even if it wasn't a great vehicle, I could have still gotten out of it most likely at a profit.
Now that I've owned it for a while, it's really starting to grow on me. The quirky little "Ford-isms" that it has have all but been forgotten or overlooked. I've put almost 30,000 completely trouble-free miles on it since I've had it, and that's worth a lot in my book. Even my '01 Dodge Durango that I traded to get this one wasn't as trouble-free. Little things here and there failed, including one chronic problem with the evaporative emissions system, which seemed to plague lots of ChryCo vehicles of that vintage. The biggest gripe about that was the piston slap that it had when cold. A $38,000 vehicle shouldn't be clacking like a diesel with 70,000 miles on it. The 4.7L V8 is a great powerhouse of an engine, but it was a new design, and had its share of issues.

I'd have to say I'd totally recommend an Explorer to anyone. Sure, if you read thru this forum, there's been a share of people with problems, but the percentage of Explorers on the road that have been very good definitely outweigh the few that had some problems. Two thumbs up from me!

 

[joetoyc]

EX vs TB

Before I bought my EX I researched Trailblazers and EDMUNDS.COM rated them as one of the worst used cars to buy. There actualy were many Chevy's on that list.

 

[E.B. Cornburner]

Before I bought my EX I researched Trailblazers and EDMUNDS.COM rated them as one of the worst used cars to buy. There actualy were many Chevy's on that list.

I sell cars for a living...There's a lot of Chevys on my list too!

My boss just picked up an '06 TrailBlazer for his mom, but they've always been die-hard GM folks, and his dad wouldn't be seen dead in a Ford. They don't drive it much, so it'll probably be okay for what she's going to do with it.

I've always joked around with his dad saying he'll probably end up going to the cemetary in a Lincoln hearse, just because he said he'll never be caught dead in a Ford product.

 

[Justin Klare]

keep the explorer and sell the chevy.

 

[Ranger482]

KEEP THE CHEVY!!!! the explorer might have a better crash rating on paper, but, check for yourself.... just look under the trailblazer... these are built like tanks.... then look at the explorer... and, well, not built like the trailblazer. I currently have both, and by far the trailblazer is in another league, the trailblazer rides better, handles better, is more comfortable, and the I6 motors are awesome, tons of torque. I have a boat that i tow, and the towing with the trailblazer is unbeleivable... these tow things a 4.0 explorer will have hard times with... Both are nice vehicles, but, since the explorer is a 4.0, not a 4.6, i would keep the trailblazer. I just think that the 4.0 is not as good of motor as the 4.2 I6...

 

[regina falangy]

KEEP THE CHEVY!!!! the explorer might have a better crash rating on paper, but, check for yourself.

I seems to me that relying on info. from NHTSA actually crashing a car under controlled test conditions is probably more reliable than me looking under both cars!
I do agree that the Trailblazer suspension is softer, therefore it has a more comfortable ride. But the independant rear on the Explorer definitely has it's advantages. Thanks to everyone for all the input.

 

[ghoster]

One thing that made me buy a second X over many brands I looked at when shopping was this forume. I tried to find other sites when researching and nothing compaired to this. I know if I ever had a problem with my X I know I can get an answer and in most cases a step by step repair procedure that usually has pics.

Can you get that kind of support with the trailblazer?

Yes..there is 2 sites that offer great info. You make a thread and i can guarantee you that within an hour you'll have 3-4 informative replys.
One of the sites have many post ****** and have made it into a myspace type of site but when you ask a question you do great lots of help.
the other site is tbssowners.com its for trailblazer ss owners but for the most part they know what they are talking about and go right down to business and help you out alot

KEEP THE CHEVY!!!! the explorer might have a better crash rating on paper, but, check for yourself.... just look under the trailblazer... these are built like tanks.... then look at the explorer... and, well, not built like the trailblazer. I currently have both, and by far the trailblazer is in another league, the trailblazer rides better, handles better, is more comfortable, and the I6 motors are awesome, tons of torque. I have a boat that i tow, and the towing with the trailblazer is unbeleivable... these tow things a 4.0 explorer will have hard times with... Both are nice vehicles, but, since the explorer is a 4.0, not a 4.6, i would keep the trailblazer. I just think that the 4.0 is not as good of motor as the 4.2 I6...

I couldn't agree more w/ you. I don't know where that other new member got that the trailblazer was the worse rated in accidents. Look it up...you'll never see a trailblazer rear ended and totalled. The hitch is part of the chassic and its like hitting a brick wall. Ride is amazing and smooth. Feels like your driving in a car not a truck. Gas mileage is alittle better and it has more HP and TQ than the explorer.
I put both my explorer sport and trailblazer to the test about an yr ago. We were pulling out some tree from my house. We tied a rope around the bottom of the tree/scrub and pull it out w/ the truck. Well the explorer would just not take it out. Put it in 4WD..still nothing..4WD low..same if not worse.
Did it w/ my trailblazer..attached the rope and in 2wd it yanked it out. The tq they put out is amazing.
You might be asking your self..so why did you buy a explorer and sold your trailblazer..trailblazer is alot more expensive than the explorer. With the money i got my fully loaded eddie..i could have gotten a bone stock trailblazer and in 2wd. 4WD is a must for me due to the snow, so i had to settle for the explorer.
Plan on selling it within a year and get me another trailblazer. This time a SS, for those who don't know comes w/ a nice LS2 they come in 2wd or AWD

 

[carguy828]

haha...that's always the first thing I notice when driving behind a trailblazer....that you can clearly see the spare tire and muffler...wtf?!? they couldn't have hidden them a little better!!!

to answer the question...I've never driven a tb so I can't compare them for you, however if safety is a factor does the tb have side airbags, rollever canopy or Advance-Trac/RSC like the x does (if equipped)?

 

[shadowless127]

I'm in no way bias. I love certain fords, i love certain chevys, and i dislike most Chrysler Corp. vehicles .

IMO here are the pro's and con's of both

3rd Gen 4.0 X

Pros:

• Seats are extremely comfortable
• more rear leg room
• better turning radius
• safer
• you can pretty much drive it till the engine falls out
• much more affordable

Cons:

• no 2wd mode unless you mod the 4Auto button
• IMO the radios are pretty cheaply constructed except for the MACH unit
• 4.0 puts out less power
• Rear hatch is prone to cracking
• the transmission SUCKS

Trailblazer

Pros:

• More power
• True 2WD Mode
• Extremely nice head unit
• Standard dual-zone climate control
• On-Star
• Message Center controls on steering wheel (when equipped)

Cons:

• Very pricey
• Short seat bottoms make long trips uncomfortable (been there, done this)
• Very cramped....especially in the rear
• no 3rd row option

These are from both experience on my current shopping around.

I'm in the market for a mid size SUV and have been looking at both the TB and the X. I'm leaning towards the X only because my Fiance said she prefers driving the X over the TB. However, i'm ALSO looking a V8 equipped X and after test driving a v8 AWD Mounty this past week the trailblazer doesn't look like it's going to stand a chance.

NOW, if it were a TB SS i'd question why you were asking this question and not trading in the X to get more parts for the SS.

But in the end it's what you're comfortable with.

 

[regina falangy]

I'm in no way bias. I love certain fords, i love certain chevys, and i dislike most Chrysler Corp. vehicles .

IMO here are the pro's and con's of both

3rd Gen 4.0 X

Pros:

• Seats are extremely comfortable
• more rear leg room
• better turning radius
• safer
• you can pretty much drive it till the engine falls out
• much more affordable

Cons:

• no 2wd mode unless you mod the 4Auto button
• IMO the radios are pretty cheaply constructed except for the MACH unit
• 4.0 puts out less power
• Rear hatch is prone to cracking
• the transmission SUCKS

You forgot to mention the rear end whine!

 

[E.B. Cornburner]

I've driven many Gen III Explorers, and only heard the rear end whine in one '02.

 

[m4dc0w]

I have no brand loyalties, I own both fords & Chevys also. I was never a member of one camp or the other.

But from recent issues that I had with my 2004 Trail Blazer with its front end and suspension system it was in the shop almost 2 full months of the lease agreement. Yet my 2003 EX has been in for minimal time.

IMO the explorer is much more reliable SUV.

 

[DavidS]

The Toyota 4Runner is by far the most durable vehicle among the lot (at least prior to '04). They are quite ready for off-roading without any modifications. My son's '00 4Runner while having a shall-we-say "compact" interior, none the less is much more truck-like than my '02 EB and drives accordingly. If I were in the middle of f*cking Africa or something, then I'm sure the 4Runner is a superior vehicle as the Explorer is rated among the worst off-road vehicles in recent tests. As far as travelling to the local Wal-Mart or the exotic trinket stand of Target, then the Explorer is hard to best in everday use. I wish the Explorer was available with 2WD only as it seems that the whole 4WD system is the reason that it's such a piece of crap when it comes to reliability and customer satisfaction. This area of NE TN has received less than 4" of snow total over the past 4 years so that 4WD is totally unneccessary other than for mud-bogging which better that 95% of the locals will not have a clue what you mean. As far as driving is concerned, my '02 EB is the best driving SUV that I've ever encountered. If it got 25 MPG, I might consider marriage!

 

[E.B. Cornburner]

Toyotas may have durable drivelines, but their bodies dissolve like an Alka-Seltzer tablet if there's any winter road salt in their environment.

I saw a newer Lexus LS400 a while back that had about 4" of its rear quarter panels above the wheels all blistered and rusted thru. That's embarassingly poor quality for a car that cost upwards of $40,000 when it was new, and this one was probably less than 6 or 7 years old.

We've been buying some late '90s Camrys for the lot, and I have to tell ya...They're not all they're cracked up to be. We typically buy stuff that comes from bank repos, etc. so you get what you get, and fix the problems they have before they get sold. I've seen more engine problems with these Camrys (both 4 and 6 cylinder) than I have with most the domestic cars we buy this way. Engines cost at least 3 times as much to rebuild and/or replace than a domestic car typically does, and bodies are rustier than most domestics that have been on the road for at least 5 years longer.
They're about as bland as a slice of Wonder bread. I really don't see why people love them so much, and why they hold their resale value so well when they're one of the most underwhelming vehicles on the road today. Toyota has figured out a way to completely remove the entire element of fun from driving when they built the Camry and the greater majority of their other vehicles. They're transportation appliances and that's about it.