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Looking at joining the family

CJpilot

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February 4, 2014
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City, State
Central Maine
Year, Model & Trim Level
2005 Ford Taurus
Hey all, I'm Cody.

I've been a Ford fan for a while, and I actually have always had a weird liking for Sport Tracs ever since my parents bought me an orange Sport Trac model truck for my 7th birthday. I've ended up getting stuck with a Taurus as a first car, and killed the first one, and got a hell of a deal on the second one I have now...but it's time for a change. An F150 is too big for what I do, but a Trac seems perfect.

What should I look for in a Sport Trac? I've been thinking I prefer the feel and comfort of the first generation, so I'm looking at the newest of that gen, the 2004-2005s. The top end of my price range is around 10k, and if something needs minor work, that's fine. I see many Tracs they have 150+ miles, and some sellers claiming "low miles" at 120k. In my book, that's extremely high, but what is considered high for these trucks? I need something reliable for driving over 400 miles a week.

What are some things to look out for on a Trac? Rust is obviously a problem here in the Northeast, so I'm looking for a Southern truck. Are the 4WD systems pretty tough? The girlfriends family owns a logging company, and I occasionally help out in the woods. Can a Trac handle 100 mile hikes on dirt/rough roads at 50mph?

And I know this is always a question, but other than the way I drive, what is the absolute best thing I can do for increased gas mileage? (Other than buying a Prius!) These trucks seem horrendous on gas.

And lastly, guys, sell me on the Sport Trac...why do you love yours, and why should I buy my own?
 



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Hmm...I was in the same position as you not too long ago. I at one point owned a 97 explorer xlt (hence the screen name) and wanted something similar to that but with more off road and truck capabilities. So the Sport Trac came to be.

I have a bitter sweet relationship with my truck, that is to say that I have really enjoyed driving it and working on it, but when I went out and purchased the truck I went beyond my budget by about 1k because I had found one with ~100k miles. I was paying for the "low" mileage.

The bitter:

What ended up happening is I became the guy to catch up on all the maintenance that hadn't been performed in the past, trans fluid, ball joints, brakes etc. I had an unlucky break when it was determined that I had a timing chain tensioner that had broken on the rear of the engine. This meant the whole engine had to be pulled and internal components replaced. This was more than I was willing to do and ended up costing around 1700$.

I would say if you are set on a sport trac, find an 03+ model that supposedly has the improved timing chain guides. I think that is the single largest problem with these trucks and maintenance. I read threads about that problem before I purchased, and even listened to my truck for any signs of the problem, all the issues were manifested less than 1k miles later.

The sweet part:

Now that I have been "through" the truck and fixed 90% of its issues, I do enjoy what it gives me:

1st: The ability to tow my seadoo around, load the back full of shooting, camping, fishing gear and go into the woods for the weekend, If I want to take my mountain bike or the dogs, that is no problem either.

2nd: I can now take my own trash and recycling to the dump, including my used motor oils and greasy parts.

3rd: I have begun doing some recreational (light) wheeling from time to time and I am having fun while I am at it.

All of this sweet stuff comes at a cost, and that is fuel economy. I average about 17 mpg with my 4x4 , 4.10 gears. I have gotten as high as 22 on an all highway cruise. It is only a shocker to me as I sold my 99 Honda accord, that averaged 31 mpg over the 180k miles I owned it.

The biggest thing you can do to improve gas mileage is change your driving habits. I am working with a solution through OBD to monitor my driving habits and try and improve the fuel economy.

Best of luck in your choice/hunt. If I had it to do over again I may have picked a crew cab F-150 in (gasp) 2WD as I could use a larger bed from time to time.
 






I'm probably in the minority in my opinion, especially since this is a explorer enthusiast website, but I would stay away from the Sport Trac. I bought it because I wanted something that could carry 4 people comfortably, could haul around a basic load in the back, and get relatively decent gas mileage. The ST does not do any of these things well. You get the same MPG as a F150, but you can't haul people and the bed is honestly too small. Between that and the funky timing chain tensioner, which IS going to break, I would stay away.
 






I used to think the bed was big enough in the ST. Don't get me wrong it does a lot for it's size and I used to pack the bed with anything from cinder block to concrete to lumber and metal. If I had a very large load I just hitched up a utility trailer which some people seem to be afraid to do for no reason because this truck will haul anything. I know it was over weight but I've had a 6500lbs boat behind it before. I say that the bed is too small but then again I also own an F350 with an 8' bed so any bed is small to me.

As far as 4x4 working, my ST has become my trail rig with a solid axle swap in the front and I have to say the electronic transfer case does its job. I've heard of problems with the 4x4 system but many of these can be avoided by using it every now and again instead of once in a blue moon. That's when the shift motor seizes up.

I love my ST. You won't get me to sell it as it was my first car and now I've got so much invested in it I would never be able to bring myself to sell it.

However, if you like the look of the ST but want a little more room and power without losing much fuel economy I'd say check out the F150 Supercrew's. They have similar proportions just bigger.
 






I just joined the family a month ago and I'm loving my ST. I got pretty lucky though and found an 04 with only 38K miles on it. True low mileage. It had some small issues I had to take care of but nothing major and all is well for now, knocks on wood. I got to play in the mud with it for the first time over the weekend and now the real fun begins.

The gas mileage is a con though. I'm getting around 15mpg in town.
 






I have an '05 XLT and absolutely love it! Is it a bit quirky, yes, but the Trac does exactly what I need it to do. I have had 5 people in it in relative comfort and a bed full of material at the same time. I like the size because it fits in my garage at home (F-150 is a tad too long unless a regular cab model). I have just over 90k on mine. Over the life of mine the only "major" repair was the fuel pump being replaced. I recently had to put front lower ball joints on it. Only odd problem was the fuel vapor purge valve went bad but it was not an expensive part. Also the IAC has been replaced, a common part to fail on many vehicles. Replacing the shocks also makes a HUGE difference in ride and drive of the vehicle. My son, now 13, wants my Trac when he is old enough to drive. So bottom line is I am very pleased with my 'Trac and hope to find a low mileage used Gen. 2 Adrenalin when I get ready to give this one to my son. I have no interest in an F150.
 






The timing chain issue is the reason I'm looking at an 04-05. It seems that's the best bet. Whatever I get, it will be thoroughly inspected before I commit to anything. And I'm aiming for something with under 75k miles. I've got some friends at the local Ford shop to help me out, plus access to all the manuals. I worked there for a few years...
 






I got my 05 in january of 2009 with like 18,000 miles on it for my first car. It was a steal getting it for 13K because it was for all practical purposes brand new (garaged, never even driven in rain). I have a definite love/hate with it for sure. It's not really a good fit for me because I am always putting things in the bed, and that bed fills up FAST. So as soon as I can I'm getting an f150 or 250. I also get 12 MPG in the city and at the very best 16 MPG on the highway with a 2wd truck, so compared to new trucks that's just not cutting it.

However, if you know you don't need a big truck then it's great, it does exactly what it was meant to do. Being a ford at least you won't spend an arm and a leg for parts, and you won't have that many issues to begin with. Electronics have been kind of quirky in mine, and at 55K miles now I think it's crazy that the body bushings are basically gone, and there's a rattle in the dash that no one has been able to figure out. Those are my main points, other than that it's awesome and I still love it, and with what I've done to it I know I wouldn't get much for it but I also wouldn't easily trade it or sell it for just any given truck
 






Yeah, it's a close call for me between Rangers and Sport Tracs. I have always loved Tracs, but from what you're all saying, they aren't as well refined.
 






Not that it's not "refined" just plagued with a small bed and timing chain issues. But you'll always wish you had a bigger bed when you use it and a smaller one when it's empty. My ranger is getting a flatbed... and I'm considering extending the frame. I know it'll still be to small. At 6~7' by 5'

As for taking logging roads, it'll be great. The ST is a nice truck, but it does get truck gas mileage and has a bleh transmission, early years have bad timing chain tensioners and drum brakes.

Remember, gas mileage is mostly effected by driving habits. I can get over 20mpg if I REALLY try in my explorer. And I have the 4.0 OHV. 18mpg is pretty average for me though
 






i love my trac! i didnt need a work truck, but i definitely needed a "rec" truck. i do a ton of camping through tight trails in california from the sierra mountains to the redwood empire forest. the trac is certainly not a work truck, but it is certainly a recreation truck. if you plan on exploring the wilderness with a few friends, or you need space to haul bikes, skateboards, softball gear, or the occasional motorcycle or quad, but you dont want a huge truck that wont fit through tight forest trails, go with a sport trac. this comes with one caveat: modding! as a stock vehicle, its not going to get you through the rubicon, but the potential is there.

a simple 2 to 4" lift, a set of 33's, a good set of shocks and maybe a locker and you will have a vehicle that will run right past any land rovers or 4runners out there. trust me, ive done it, not to mention youll be able to carry a lot more stuff. the best part, is that while the aftermarket support isnt there the way it is for tacomas and jeeps, the mods are relatively easy to do yourself.

we also own a jeep JK sahara, while thats the vehicle we take into the snow and when we go on trips without our dogs or bikes, we almost always take our trac during the summer months when we go on 4 or 5 day expeditions into the sierra mountains or redwood forest. why? because we can haul 4 adults, two large dogs, and enough gear to make it out in the wilderness for almost a week. add a roof basket and youre set.

the timing chain tensioner is real pain, but its not the first vehicle thats had this issue, and looking for lower mileage and job 2 sport tracs should help increase your odds of finding a trac that will serve you well. because 01-05 sport tracs are ranger based, you will have a huge selection of parts in salvage yards for super cheap prices. the massive amount of rangers and explorers at pick n pulls will help you save tons of money. ive pulled everything from wire harnesses, trim pieces, axle shafts, and other odds and end parts from salvage yards for pennies on the dollar.

the trac can also pick up some pretty large loads for its size. i once squeezed 700 square feet of sod in that little bed, a quad, an R6 motorcycle, 6 road bikes, an entire master bedroom furniture set, and countless loads of firewood.

if you are looking for a truck that you can pull a skyscraper down with, or tow a 5th wheel, it isnt the truck for you. but if you need a truck that can haul a few friends and a bunch of gear either to the softball fields, fishing hole, or into the woods through some tight trails for some camping, while still being able to carry some decent loads, go for a sport trac.

i know you were wondering about how it does in through some fire roads, well heres my trac exploring the eastern sierra mountains.

tahoe national forest
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eagle falls, south lake tahoe
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golden gate bridge
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on my way to east bay bike party
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genoa peak, nevada
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Well said, LONO, very well said. Great pics, too!

I've had my '02 Trac for a year, and it does everything I need it to. It hauls more than my Explorer. I have a 5x8 open trailer and a 6x12 enclosed trailer for the big stuff. Gets around great in the snow. It gets better mileage than my '94 Explorer, even around town in the winter. I got 20 mpg on a 250 mile round trip on the highway, although it hasn't done quite that well on the same route on other trips. Mine has 72,500 miles on it, so I haven't run into the maintenance issues yet. Keep in mind the 4.0 Rangers will have the same issues.
 






I got my 03 trac in June 2011. I got it as my first vehicle. Like others have said it can be a love hate relationship at times. First the things i do not like about it. I tow a 4500lb boat and often wish i had something with more power when i am on the interstate. I often wish there a bigger bed as i load it up with wood for bonfires most weekends. I average about 13 city and 16 on the interestate but i sometimes have a heavy foot so cant blame that on the truck.
Now for the things i like about it. It can be really nice not having to deal with a full size truck when in parking lots and other crowded areas. For having open differentials it has done extremely well in snow and mud. We got a pretty big storm last year that left us with about a foot of snow and the trac got through it just fine (it was stock at that time). Although maybe not a big deal to you i love not having the same truck as everyone else. Id say one of the best things about owning a sport trac is belonging to this site and getting help from everyone with everything. Whether something is broken and not working or your looking for idea and opinions on customizing your trac there is always someone to help you.
Overall you have to decide what youll be using the vehicle for to determine if its right for you. If i didnt use the bed and tow as often as i do id probably keep the trac until is just fell apart.
 






I like the Sport Tracs. I had one several years ago and sold it. I tried a supercrew F150 but had engine problems with the 5.4, to big to fit in the garage and be able to work on it and about 11-12 mpgs. I have also had 6 Explorer/Mountys and liked them but wanted a truck so I am back in a Sport Trac. My wife, two kids and I like the size of the ST and it does pull my 19 foot boat and my utility trailer if I have bigger loads. I do wish the engine did not have the timing chain issues. I am having a 5.0 V8 put in my so I don't have to fool with the chains. One other thing I like about them is the guys on this forum, they are nice and helpful. I have been on other forums and this one is the best!
 






I bought my truck because it was a steal(despite having almost 200k miles). Its an awesome truck and I really enjoy it(except for the horrible gas mileage and underpowered v6), but my heart is out for a Crown Victoria so the Trac will probably be sold by the end of summer :(
 






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