First Car: 2004 Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer V8 4X2 ?

[16EBBOY]

Hey everyone !
I've posted this for some quick and any advice that explorer owners could offer. Well I'm a 15 year old guy and im getting a car this month or next month but have found one that i want, and its a Red 2004 Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer V8 with 85,000 miles on it. My friend has a 2003 Eddie Bauer V6 which seems like it has alot of pickup and such which i would be fine with getting a V6, but my dad said that hed rather me get punished at the gas station than having more problems with the engine itself. Is this assumption true? My parents will pay for insurance and the truck but I will pay for gas and maitnence. Seeing how it has somewhat low miles i would like to keep this truck throughout the rest of highschool (im a sophomore) and college and so on until it stops then ill get a new something. So i would like some input on this vehicle overall. Thanks!
Here's the link if you would like to take a look: http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail.jsp?tracktype=usedcc&csDlId=&csDgId=&listingId=30497917&listingRecNum=19&criteria=sf1Dir%3DDESC%26alMdId%3D21105%26mkId%3D20015%26stkTyp%3DU%26mdId%3D21105%26rd%3D50%26crSrtFlds%3DstkTypId-feedSegId-mkId-mdId%26zc%3D29414%26rn%3D0%26PMmt%3D1-1-0%26stkTypId%3D28881%26sf2Dir%3DASC%26sf1Nm%3Dprice%26sf2Nm%3Dmiles%26alMkId%3D20015%26rpp%3D50%26feedSegId%3D28705&aff=national

 

[blue_goose]

When these vehicles have problems, it usually isnt so much the engine you have but the drive train. From my knowledge the engines will outlast the rear diff (although yours may be new enough not to have the problem), the cats and the tranny to name the big ones. So thats where your money will go. About the engines, an American V8 will always outlast an American V6. I have never seen a V6 made by any of the big 3 that will their V8's. The 4.6 is used in the F-150 and the previous gen mustang also so it is made to be tough and compared to what those vehicles put it through the Explorer should be nothing for it. The V6 is not that way from what I have seen. I have heard otherwise but not sure if it is true or not but from my experience the 4.6 is a good motor and will outlast the V6. However, as I mentioned earlier your repairs probably wont involve the actual motors but the rest of the drivetrain itself. And you may spend more in gas then the cost of repairs in the V6 vs the V8 but all explorers seem to be different and its hard to tell. My advice: If its a good clean truck that hasnt had a ton of probs then go for it. if not I would look elsewhere as some are good and others not so much.

 

[16EBBOY]

Yeah i have heard alot about the tranny's but not so much the cats. But this Explorer has a nice tranny, i mean its been takin care of nicely, i looked at the CarFAX and it has had scheduled tranny flushes and has been maintained pretty good. Im going to tak another look at it on saturday, the only thing thats kinda messed up is on the Liftgate that strip where the Ford Emblem is its cracked like i have heard but my dad will just expect them to take off how much that is off the totall price of the vehicle and or make them replace it. But where i live, Charleston, SC its so hard to find these trucks, especially V8 and Eddie Bauer trim. Thanks for the input by the way!

 

[blue_goose]

It sounds good. I found one that had a very short list of work performed and its been good except for the cats, but it seems all fords have cat problems between 100k-140k so no suprise there. If it dosnt have a long list of repairs, which seems like the case, then it should be a good truck and the 04's are good cause they more than have the bugs of the 3rd gen worked out by then. And especially if they're rare there it sounds like you found a good truck and thats hard to do so I would get that if the price is decent.

 

[Josef86]

The 4.6L is one of fords best engines. Its been on wards top 10 more then once. The engine should out last the rest of the explorer.

The tranny like most cars tends to be the weakest link.

 

[XLT]

Looks like a decent truck.. In all honesty the v6 and v8 get similar gas milage but the v6 sohc has so much more potential. Look at aldive who gets upwards of 35mpg out of his v6. As far as v8 out living there v6 brothers that can be disputed. I have seen people on the boards who claim to have 300,000+ on there old ohv v6. Cant remeber any v8s with that much. Both the sohc v6 and v8 are great motors. Good luck on the purchase.

 

[alexk]

Honestly, aviod it. Sure they are good safe cars but you better have a good job to pay for the maintence and repairs. Mine has had minimal problems (2 rear coil springs, 2 wheel bearings, new oil filter housing, replaced 3 coil packs, and some wire in the windshield wiper). I get my stuff done cheap from my mechanic and all that has added up to 1K in 8 months. Dont get me wrong, they are good cars and I would definatly buy one again but I would imagine it would be pretty frustrating to have a first car and then have the chance to have it keep being repaired. If your set on an explorer I would go down to an xlt and get a lower mileage 05.

How about this one? 06 4.0 4x4 http://www.cars.com/go/search/detai...2Nm=miles&rpp=50&feedSegId=28705&aff=national