Future of the Explorer in doubt?

[DaveU]

Well - not really it's future, more it's future in standard guise!

Well i've just spent a week in Vegas enjoying Christmas and New Year what a blast that was the Americans sure do know how to party they are crazy!!

Every other vehicle on the road was a truck and it was probably split about 50/50 between jacked-up off road style and dropped down pimped-out style.

Now I originally bought my Explorer as the 'sensible' car to drive to/from work and ultimately to tow a trailer so I can driver my other car around to destruction without fear of getting stuck somewhere (ie when I blow a gearbox simply phone the misses to come and bring the trailer) - well that's the theory anyway.

I'm no stranger to modifying cars and seeing all these trucks in Vegas really gave me the bug to start playing with the Explorer. I saw cars going up and down the strip with airbag suspension jiggling from side to side and although not new in the States i've never seen it in the UK and it was one of the coolest things i've ever seen. Explorers on huuuge 20-22" Chrome wheels as well lookes amazing (no spinners though - guess they had their day!). Every truck i saw had a billet grill as well - nothing standard and almost all had some sort of aftermarket exhaust. Most explorers were v6 and not v8's as well - don't know if that was coincindence or what.
The jacked up trucked looked rediculous - some of the bonnets were head height (ie 6ft +) absolutely massive! Alot of them had their front bumpers removed and had skid plates at the front as well. Not exactly ENCAP friendly but to be honest not much that size would be!

I was even in brief negotiations on the plane flight home with SWMBO to get a second Explorer so we can have one for off road/trailering and an airbag+chrome one for prowling the streets (I know the streets of Maidenhead and High Wycombe aren't as glamorous as Las Vegas but it's got to be pretty close - right?)

So do we think this is just a bit of a holiday romance with the Unique Styles of America or should I just get on with it and Pimp my Ride?

 

[-Luke-]

I was actually in the UK for a little over a week through Christmas and New Years and I also noticed something. Pretty much every car on the road is a car. I think the only truck that I noted was a Ranger, and the only SUV's I saw were all Range/Land Rovers.

I also noted that they aren't very big on modifying their cars in London (where I stayed). The only mod'ed cars were all rice rockets and they only people drivin em were Asians (no offense). So what, gas is about 5 pounds a litre or whatever . . . that's no excuse to drive a car like this -->

At least get a Ford Fiesta which gets over 50 miles to a gallon (or 50 kilometers to a litre, I'm not sure).