High milage explorers?

[Grey Ghost]

Ditto!

Originally posted by redexplr
uh, you haven't got a clue have you!! Take a blazer or most other 4x4 from 12 years ago and see the problems they have, and how much more rust they have. I've seen buddies explorers which have added 20 hp to their engine and their engines still are lasting 130,000 plus miles. I hope this guy comes back to this site to read these posts, cause he will be missing out on a good vehicle if he thinks explorers are not relaiable.

Amen! Some people expect to walk into the perfect deal. They fully expect to get something that has been suspended in time just for them.

137,480 miles and going strong - what a fine machine.:redexp:

 

[funnyperson1]

Well I was about to buy a mint EB (1996), but after reading this thread I wont do that. Too bad because I loved all the creature comforts and looks. But I dont want to rebuild the thing while I own it! I cant believe the list of things that goes wrong with these vehicles. Thank God for this web site!!! Might have saved me a bundle...

It is also important to remember that most people don't go out searching for help unless they have a problem.

 

[warchant7]

I am back...

The EB has 117k on it. I went back today to look at it again. I dont expect perfection. I have a Mercedes 420 SEL gas with 220k on it, and it would go to across the country at 90 mph tonight so maybe I am a little spoiled. You might expect if I took the time to research this web site, that I was quite interested in a Explorer. I ran a carfax on it, but that was useless. So after reading a million posts about all the problems how can anyone blame me for being disappointed?? I dont know if the tranny was replaced. It is an all wheel drive, and most people on here with those AWD have done extensive repairs on those models. I expect repairs on a used vehicle, but the repairs people are talking about on here are quite expensive. Tranny replacement? Radiators exploding? Transfer cases? Front ball joints....etc. Believe me, I love the way it drove and looked but yes I am spooked after reading all those posts. I have a Dodge Ram 1997 with a 5.7. Other than an A/C repair and brakes, it has ran flawless. It has 135k on it now. Incedently, fixing an evap on a EX and you get to pull the dash out....many hours of wasted labor$$$. Lastly when I came back to test drive the EB tonight, (and this is no joke) the check engine light never went out. It seemed to run fine, but I dont know anything about these vehicles so.......wihout any way of figuring out the history of this clean truck, I am staying away.
P.S. I have went to to other forums and they didn,t hold a clue to all the extensive research that this site has but some were not as scary as this one as far as repairs go!! Lastly I am a car nut and dont want mean to offend anyone with a EX. But I do my homework before I pluck my hard earned!!!

 

[rfuree11]

1.)the AWD V8 explorer is by far the most reliable

2.)carfax is just for accidents

3.)Your ram is still on the original tranny? thats amazing!!!! (no sarcasm here)

4.)youve read the problems, but theres problems with every car, you never hear about people with no problems because there happy. I havent heard of many AWD X owners with blown trannies.

i will give you the fact that a CEL would scare me, however.

also, my X has 168,000 miles on it and has had no major work *knock on wood*

 

[jol]

My 93 XLT has 170,000 on it and is still pulling our pop-up camper where we need to go and yes has had minor problems, except transmission that was rebuilt 70,000 miles ago but that was because in a moment of weakness took it to a "fast" oil change place as we were going out of town and in there expert and trained employee atmosphere they put a two wheel drive filter on a four wheel drive, basically was starved for fluid on a 3,000 mile trip towing camper to Colorado, they did fight it saying that the transmission was bound to quit anyway but at there suggestion took it to arbitration with Better Business bureau and documentation and of there own admission it was the wrong filter and they paid for the rebuild, and gave me ten free oil changes, lucky me. Have done the routine stuff and brakes, etc took off auto hubs could not handle that ratcheting noise when they decided to malfunction plus lost confidence in them when I needed four wheel drive plus one shift motor, thanks to the local four wheel drive people in the town I live in that they are into building Explorers for off road and really know the vehicle.

 

[redexplr]

well, good luck to you warchant7, no offense meant to you or taken. There is nothing wrong with the research you are doing, just remember most used vehicles that you get into are gonna have something. Also keep in mind that many of the people on this site do some wheeling, so they aren't just babying their trucks, so allot of the repair work you see is from driving in a little more extreme conditions then your average soccer mom. I agree with you, if the check engine light was coming on during a test ride, just move on to the next vehicle, but don't write of explorers yet, just try another one.

 

[agallant]

2000 XLT 96K
Items i have replaces:
water pump
radiator
thermostat
idle sensor motor
front drive shaft
3 sets of breaks
front left hub
tires

 

[i8u]

I have had a 91 explorer that still ran rine at 178K miles when I sold it. It had the original 4.0l pushrod engine.

Original tranny and third member as well.

The an auto hub died at around 120K.

I had an intake manifold gasket leak at around 160k.

Water pump bearing failed at 170k

That was pretty much all that went wrong with it besides wear and tear items.

I loved this car! I beat the **** out of it and it always came through.

Took me over 2500 miles over the rockies and back at 140k no problems.

 

[i8u]

I also have a 98 explorer that I have had since new.

I love the torque of the 5.0L and the simplicity of the AWD not to mention it's effectiveness.

broke the front driveshaft

I also had a bad DPFE sensor

Am about to replace the hub/wheel bearings and ball joints.


No other problems. Runs great at 124K miles!

Also have a 2000 explorer eddie baur with the 4.0L SOHC engine

Already did the update for the timing chain tensioner and the intake manifold gaskets along with ball joints.

The engine pings at around 2800 rpm under load. Tried many things even cleaning the carbon out of the combustion chambers. It has to be in the tune. It has done since new. Now has 34K miles.

 

[Bexplorer94]

i have a 94 XLT with 173.000

Things i replaced:
Tranny
Ball Joints
O2 Sensors
Exhaust system including cat!
Tires x3
hubs
wheel bearings
mass air flow sensor
shocks
rotors
tensioner pully
thermostate
u joints all around
starter
3 fuel injectors
coil pack
k&n filter
brakes x4
oil pan (dont ask)

thats all i can think of now.. but it seems like alot more cuz my wallet is pretty slim now!

 

[bhults]

I've done...

...Wheel Bearings, and trans (but the previous owner did that!

 

[rusty3335]

96 eddie bauer
132,000 miles

tires
brakes
radiator
front transfer case for 4x4 (1800 bucks)
battery

not bad considering the high mileage. I still would never trade it in for anything. Not only is an expolorer one of the nices looking SUV's, but it may be the most comfortable. I also have cherokees, and a grand cherokee, limited and they can never compare with my eddie bauer.

 

[Jimbo]

91 4dr 4x4 4.0 OHC V6 Automatic

165,000 miles
(Leaks Oil and Power Steering Fluid)

Here is a list of everything that has been replaced:

Radius Arm Bushings
Power Steering Pump
Power Steering Gear Box
(Moms Fault)Transmission(Dont put that Bullshit "Unclogger")
(Moms Fault)Engine
Tire(1)
o2 Sensors

Been driven across country twice... and still pulls through 4x4... but all of those are basic ware and tear except engine and tranny....

 

[bauer91]

1991 xlt

I just bought it two weeks ago with (are you sitting down) 375,982 miles on the *****.


The guy who sold it to me gave me receipts on what was replaced,

Tranny 45,000 ago
fuel pump 65,000 ago
radius arm bushings 4 times (wore out again)
water pump 10,000 miles ago
steering box
complete a/c system
radiator about 15,000 ago
etc.
p.s. its still the original engine and rearend.

I asked him what he did to make it last this long and he said change the oil reguraly

 

[NOTAJP]

1991 4door XLT 4x4. 155k miles.

Replaced clutch, driveshaft and front end (SAS) cooling system, A/C system, and valve cover gasgets. The rest is all stock and wheeled all the time.

 

[Rottenronny]

High milage

1993 Eddie 301,000 kms

Still running great, just cranky when cold

 

[Happy94XLT40]

Yrs & mil's

94 XLT 4x4 4dr 173K

Tranny, of course but not by me 1st owner, but did have to take it back still under Warr. after 6K it would heat up and throw up all its fluid. They resealed the pump OK for now. Other then tune-up, oil (this motor had only Full Syn. Oil from day one). Therm was sure but i did it any way.
I see alittle leak from the drive side radiator not worried about that, yet.

 

[gdogkzo]

I Just bought a 97' XLT 4x4 w/V6 4.0 (Non-SOHC). I love this truck. I payed $4800 for it and it has 116K Miles. The body is in Perfect shape, as is the interior. I also have all the service records. The previous owner, who owned it since 34k, brought this thing in to have everything done. He kept this thing in excellent shape. The only real work done on it besides regular work was:

-Replace front sway bar links
-Replace hatch handle
-Replaced 2 Serpentine belts
-Replaced 5 various sensors
-Replaced tail light and dent in back door from accident.

I'm hoping to drive this thing till it dies, I turn 16 this summer and get my license, so now I have time to get familiar with how she drives, and add things to it.

My parents said they would not buy me a car, and if I wanted one i would have to buy it myself. with the $4000 I had from working my @$$ off the last 3 years, I was looking at used accords, but when I found this for around the same price, I decided that I would much rather drive this beast than a little accord.

 

[aldive]

Congratulations on YOUR new truck';you will appreciate it much more than if your folks had bought it for you.

 

[GeorgeC]

97 XLT 182K

Bought it in 2000 with 87K on it. My brother-in-law was a Ford dealer. Since then has sold out. This was the 3rd time he had sold that same XLT.

All I have done to it is routine. Brakes, tires, oil, lube(every 3-4K).

Battery
Pressure valve on A/C Twice
Ball joints

I haven't even had it tuned. Orig. tranny.

It still runs and drives like a new truck. I drive back and forth to Nashville, 150 miles, twice a week.

I keep wondering when it is going to start giving trouble. It has a V8, 2WD. I had a '92EB before. At 100K with a V6 I started having engine problems. Rebuilt lower section twice. All that back and forth to Music City was just too hard on it.

FWIW: I have a close friend in SC who has an Expedition. He is a big shot with Ingersol-Rand. HE drives a lot. He is at 450K on it. A 1998. He said it still runs like new. He is afraid to get rid of it...

I can remember growing up when we would never think about having a vehicle with even 80-100K. Some things have improved..

Hats off to FMC

George