Looking at an 05 XLT....need advice

[lrlima]

Getting ready to go look at a 2005 XLT with 4.0 motor 4wd. It has approx 135k miles. Pics look good, has new tires, owner says its in pristine condition inside and out (lol). Says the only maintenance its ever needed is oil changes and no major parts have been replaced yet, which is good and bad i guess. He's asking $3500 for it....

I currently have a 2000 explorer with the 5.0 setup. i know its a very reliable motor / tranny combo. I could probably sell it for close to what I'd pay for the 2005, but I dont want to run into problems with a drive train that may cause me trouble in the long run.

Any input on the 05 4.0 drive train would be great, as well as anything I need to look for when I go test drive. thanks....

 

[lrlima]

actually, in looking at the pics i believe its an XLS, the owner says he doesnt know lol. prob still a decent deal.

 

[DAT05EXPLODER]

xls usually have the plain gray bumpers and cheaper cloth interior.

 

[DAT05EXPLODER]

take a decent drive, let it warm up and drive it. watch for slipping tranny and o/d off light. turn the heat to ac and vice versa and make sure the blend door actuator works properly. it will click if it is broken. make sure the windows roll down, some are known to have split wires in the door that mess with the ability to roll down all or certain windows.

 

[jamesyarbrough]

The transmissions are junk and the rearends are prown to leaking. Oh and the actuator flap in the dash goes out and you have to pull the whole dash to get to it and the thermostat housings crack as well.

All in all mine is a pretty good car, just gotta take car of it.

 

[BigRondo]

Oh and the actuator flap in the dash goes out and you have to pull the whole dash to get to it

Not true. The blend door actuator can be replaced in under 2 hours, without removing the dash, with the $70 actuator purchased from the dealer: How To: Replace Blend Door Actuator in 3rd Gen Ex

 

[DAT05EXPLODER]

Not true. The blend door actuator can be replaced in under 2 hours, without removing the dash, with the $70 actuator purchased from the dealer: How To: Replace Blend Door Actuator in 3rd Gen Ex

i used the advance auto dorman replacement for about $40. you just have to make sure you get the correct one.

took me under an hour, most of the time is spent swearing like a sailor lol.