Looking at an 02 Sport

[Jason94sport]

My 1st gen I love it, but it's got 3 oil leaks, roof is rusting & the original clutch. 93K miles
I found a 02 Sport 2WD 5 speed 300 miles from me. I have yet to see it. Trying to decide if it's worth the drive. It would be a see & take deal because I'm not driving back there.
93K original miles
Mechanic owned
New clutch a year ago, all motorcraft parts, & 4 new tires at the same time
New fuel pump last month & battery
The guy says it quite with no chain noise
The outside is shiny & looks great from the pics, no rust
The interior looks ok, some wear but nothing major.
Power windows/locks, but no cruise. 6CD HU.
Asking $3200 but I'm sure I can get it down some, I might even get him to take my 1st gen as partial trade to bring the cost further down.
I'm conflicted. I realize my 1st gen is ticking away with time before something major but I'm concerned with the chain issues & all the emissions stuff on the 02. My friend has a 01 auto & he has nothing but problems with the emissions stuff. EGR melting, clogs cats, sensors etc.
One thing it's not a DD. I only use the X currently for hauling things too big to fit in my little 2 door car & to the golf course a few times a month. I may put on 3K miles in a year on it.
With all that...any problem areas 3rd gen specific I should be looking at?

 

[Jason94sport]

No one? I'm driving up tomorrow. VIN checks out fine.

 

[Mbrooks420]

The SOHC would make me nervous. You aren’t going to put a lot of mileage on it, which is good, but I don’t know if it’s the kind of motor you want sitting.

Other than that second gens of that mileage would be about due for ball joints, and sway bar bushings and endlinks.

 

[swshawaii]

^ Ditto + body mounts. IIRC, 2001-03 two-door Sports have orange MCU foam mounts in eight locations, ST only four.

AGCO Automotive Repair Service - Baton Rouge, LA - Detailed Auto Topics - Ford Explorer and Sport Trac Frame/Body Cushions

Body Mount Bushings Kit - Ford Explorer - DST DFM002

 

[Jason94sport]

That helps. The under carriage pics I was sent show the mounts are toasted. I'll take this & see if the guy comes down more.
https://i.imgur.com/fpXlFud.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/rIETEfW.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/a8zDaVk.jpg

 

[swshawaii]

No surprise the mounts are shot, but if the rest of the vehicle is in similar condition to that super clean undercarriage, you may have a winner. Fact that it has the manual M5OD just makes the vehicle more desirable. Not sure if you or the owner are aware, but the price of OEM replacement body mounts are incredibly expensive. Last time I checked a couple years ago the best dealer price I found was around $1000 for the Sport Trac that has two fewer locations. Labor estimates from dealers or independent shops ranged from about $500 to $1500 for the complete job. Definitely use this as leverage to negotiate, but be reasonable. Search body mounts on this 1995-01, and 2001-05 Sport Trac sub forums, most have replaced them at home without regrets.

 

[Jason94sport]

I did buy it. The mounts actually do not appear to be causing anything right now. No squeaks or clang noises, or clunks.
The upper & lower ball joints are worn & will need replacement on both sides, but again right now they do not seem to effect the drivability. Looks like fairly new sway bar end links were put on. And no leaks!
The engine is quiet.
The bad things are cosmetic. The power mirrors do not work(not the 5 amp fuse), & the 6CD radio has CD's stuck & won't play(getting rid of it anyway) & it needs a good interior cleaning. Overall I'm ok with it. Drives really nice(straight 3 hour drive back) & the body is in great shape.