Looking at buying an Explorer...HELP!!

[Cambo]

I am currently looking at buying my first vehicle. Its a 1993 Explorer Eddie Bauer sport edition. The car looks to be in perfect condition body wise. Not a spec of rust on it which is good considering im from the cold north. Mechanic says I need a exhaust donut and that is the reason the exhaust is so loud. It has over 200,000KM on it. He is selling it for $500 which makes me happy. Please tell me what I need to know about these vehicles. Good and bad. Make my choice on weather I should buy this truck. I want to know what other problems I might run into with a vehicle this old?

Thanks again.

 

[marragtop]

Weak points are the automatic transmissions and radius arm bushings. Make sure you test drive it when the engine/trans is cold and look for signs of the trans slipping or hard shifting.

 

[briwayjones]

The automatic 4wd hubs are also a weak point and tend to break. Check them out.

 

[MrQ]

Also another weak point is the head gasket and coolant leakage.

Check all electrical systems too. Get under it and check for cracked rubber hoses and vacuum lines, as well.

 

[sledgehammer1990]

Also check out ball joints. I bought my explorer a year ago and it only has 123,000 miles on it and my front right ball joints just went.

If possible, put a jack under the front tires and see if there is any play in them.

 

[BrianDye]

I am currently looking at buying my first vehicle. Its a 1993 Explorer Eddie Bauer sport edition. The car looks to be in perfect condition body wise. Not a spec of rust on it which is good considering im from the cold north. Mechanic says I need a exhaust donut and that is the reason the exhaust is so loud. It has over 200,000KM on it. He is selling it for $500 which makes me happy. Please tell me what I need to know about these vehicles. Good and bad. Make my choice on weather I should buy this truck. I want to know what other problems I might run into with a vehicle this old?

Thanks again.

Well man, I dont really know much else to say, they basically summed it up, just the big thing, make sure you like the way it drives! I have a 92' Eddie Bauer, and I LOVE it, once you get it home, id suggest changing ALL the fluids, (oil, coolant, etc etc) taking all the tires off, checking the rotors and pads and whatnot, then doing that exhaust, ive never heard of an exhaust donut, lol but you can get catbacks DynoMax brand, for 120$ shipped, and they sound great, and I have a little better throttle response, also I would reccomend taking the airbox out, and cutting a nice sized (i did one about the size of my fist) hole, and once again, quite a bit more throttle response, and some more acceleration, and do a search for "throttle cable mod" I guarantee that'l be a must for you too (Nothing bad, it just tightens up the throttle cable so your getting full performance)


Pics Pics Pics!!!

 

[Four0Sport]

the exhaust donut is also referred to as the exhaust flange gasket, which on the explorers would be the gasket where the downpipe connects to the converter.

The vehicle is $500, so keep in mind youre buying a $500 vehicle. This means there is prbly routine maintenance that will need done. Before you buy the vehicle ask if you could take it on a long test drive, then you can bring it to a shop or someone who is knowledgable and let them look it over for you if youre not mechanically inclined and they can let you know what youre getting yourself into. If the truck runs, shifts, and isnt rusted out horribly then it is deffinetly worth $500 in my book.

 

[BrianDye]

the exhaust donut is also referred to as the exhaust flange gasket, which on the explorers would be the gasket where the downpipe connects to the converter.

The vehicle is $500, so keep in mind youre buying a $500 vehicle. This means there is prbly routine maintenance that will need done. Before you buy the vehicle ask if you could take it on a long test drive, then you can bring it to a shop or someone who is knowledgable and let them look it over for you if youre not mechanically inclined and they can let you know what youre getting yourself into. If the truck runs, shifts, and isnt rusted out horribly then it is deffinetly worth $500 in my book.

x2 on that....the rust is a huge factor on any vehicle I look at, although you cant tell from my 92, but it just over all makes the vehicle look amazing if its rust free, it even drives better (jk about that lol)