Looking to buy 1999 Ford explore need your advice!!

[Mbrooks420]

I love how it says

 

[BKennedy]

In reading the report you posted, it was purchased at auction and taken to Mexico. Who knows what they did to it to make it look good for sale, but they are asking about $2,000 too much for a salvage title vehicle. They are also very difficult to insure, as no major company will cover them. That would be a hard pass for me. My 1994 Explorer has a salvage title because it had an electrical melt down. I have owned it since it was about six months old and owned it when the damage occurred. I bought it back from the insurance company for $153.00 and rebuilt it myself. My insurance company has a policy that they had to continue to insure it after it was repaired, or they would have excluded it from my insurance policy. That is the only way I would ever own a salvage title vehicle.

 

[Lifelong40fan]

I don’t know if you found what you were looking for, but I have a nice ‘99 Eddie Bauer edition that I might consider selling. It’s nice and we’ve done a bunch of work on it and driven it all over. Located in west TN. uuchemprof@gmail.com if interested. Mike

 

[Jim's Garage]

Hello guys
Thanks for creating this awesome forum and meeting wonderful people here. I am looking to get a 1999 Ford explore or anything similar but I'm really interested in this one, unfortunately this car has salvage title and I am looking to the community to check if there is anything else I should be looking out for while doing my inspection day, and I will purchase the car report to see damage and other details.

Some things that I will be looking out for during my inspection today:

noises in the engine
check transmission for slips jolts etc
verify all electrics / features / lights,
coolant or oil leaks
They are asking for the price of $3,500 and it has 130000 miles with a Salvage Title.

If you guys have any suggestions on what to look at.
thanks
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[Jim's Garage]

Hey Guys, I really appreciate everyone's concerned on the Salvage vehicle, that really make me twice, I decided to do my due diligence before spending so much money, I bought the car report for this vehicle from this site Detailed Vehicle History Report For any Vehicle - 100% Accurate, (which is CHEAP), there's an auction records for this vehicle saying

Primary Damage

Front End

but when you look at the pictures there seems to be no serious damage, the bumper is falling a little and other than that I see nothing to be worried about, what do you guys think? The car was sold for $750

Here is the car report: https://app.detailedvehiclehistory.com/report/vin/1FMDU32X5XZB50575

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If you go by NADA High Retail is $3650, Average Retail $2575. S-title =-30%. Granted low milage, but not a 5.0. Run away from this one.

 

[markar]

Hello guys
Thanks for creating this awesome forum and meeting wonderful people here. I am looking to get a 1999 Ford explore or anything similar but I'm really interested in this one, unfortunately this car has salvage title and I am looking to the community to check if there is anything else I should be looking out for while doing my inspection day, and I will purchase the car report to see damage and other details.

Some things that I will be looking out for during my inspection today:

noises in the engine
check transmission for slips jolts etc
verify all electrics / features / lights,
coolant or oil leaks
They are asking for the price of $3,500 and it has 130000 miles with a Salvage Title.

If you guys have any suggestions on what to look at.
thanks
View attachment 434089
View attachment 434090
View attachment 434091

look closely around lower door trim for SAND from Hurricane/Flooding!! if nothing obvious is found,,with maint.&luck 250,000 miles is normal here. ('93,w/165,thou,,drove 299,600 b4 dying,,,'01,,w/157thou.got in '15,,now 244,thou still drives good ,,18mpg. both XLT 4door 4.0 auto.)paid $2500 both times

 

[1sicbronconut]

Been a Ford technician since 1988 and I wouldn't touch a 1999 with the 4.0 SOHC, I'd buy a 5.0l with 250k on it before I'd buy a 4.0 SOHC with 100k on it!!

 

[Stic-o]

Way to much money, even without a Salvage title.

 

[DintDobbs]

Gonna be the Devil's advocate here and mention that insurance and SOHC aren't as big of a deal as people are making them out to be. I've got two SOHC's, one just under 200k and one just turned 217k with no issues whatsoever. I don't treat my Sport nice, and the timing chain woes that everybody sings about haven't even started to show signs. SOHC isn't something to worry about.

Insuring a salvage title? Progressive gave me no issue. My Sport's a salvage for negligible damage to bumpers as well, bought around 153k for $2k (talked them down from $3k, back in 2017, closing wholesale branch of massive international dealer) and neither insurance nor SOHC have given me any qualms.

In this day and age, $3500 comes and goes like the wind any way, but trust me, Explorers come and go like the wind too. I've met people who bought 2nd-gens for $300 and have seen 300k miles on them, still going strong. The state/insurance appraised value for a vehicle like this should run somewhere in the scope of $1200-1500, and unless it has had significant work done (such as front end suspension/steering or transmission rebuilt) recently, or is in exceptional shape (both were true for my '00 Limited), I'd suggest passing her up and finding a similar one for cheaper.

It ultimately depends on 1. how bad you want it, 2. how much you need it, and 3. how much you're willing to gamble on it. Every used car is a mixed bag. Some times, you win, some times you lose, but expect to spend half again as much as any car you buy, to fix it. People sell cars for reasons.

 

[CallMeSyd]

You can get a nice 2004 Explorer 4x4 with 150k miles or even less for $3500 with a clean title of you look hard enough. I got my wife's 03 XLT 4.0 4x4 with 146,000 miles on it for $3400 and that was 5 years ago.

 

[CallMeSyd]

Learn your way around Facebook marketplace.

 

[Mbrooks420]

IT’S NOT A SOHC.

It’s still not a good buy.

 

[Mbrooks420]

You can get a nice 2004 Explorer 4x4 with 150k miles or even less for $3500 with a clean title of you look hard enough. I got my wife's 03 XLT 4.0 4x4 with 146,000 miles on it for $3400 and that was 5 years ago.

A 3rd Gen with 150k is no comparison to a 2nd Gen OHV 5 speed with half the mileage. The 2nd Gen will have the likelihood of being way more reliable.

 

[Mbrooks420]

I’d also skip that car report in the future. It’s got at least 2 inaccuracies. It’s not a one owner vehicle, and it was surely in an auction.

 

[CallMeSyd]

A 3rd Gen with 150k is no comparison to a 2nd Gen OHV 5 speed with half the mileage. The 2nd Gen will have the likelihood of being way more reliable.

I was simply telling him what he could get for his money verses the particular vehicle in question. I'll try to do better.

 

[Mbrooks420]

I was simply telling him what he could get for his money verses the particular vehicle in question. I'll try to do better.

We both had opinions. No one’s asking you to do anything.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Gonna be the Devil's advocate here and mention that insurance and SOHC aren't as big of a deal as people are making them out to be. I've got two SOHC's, one just under 200k and one just turned 217k with no issues whatsoever. I don't treat my Sport nice, and the timing chain woes that everybody sings about haven't even started to show signs. SOHC isn't something to worry about.

Insuring a salvage title? Progressive gave me no issue. My Sport's a salvage for negligible damage to bumpers as well, bought around 153k for $2k (talked them down from $3k, back in 2017, closing wholesale branch of massive international dealer) and neither insurance nor SOHC have given me any qualms.

In this day and age, $3500 comes and goes like the wind any way, but trust me, Explorers come and go like the wind too. I've met people who bought 2nd-gens for $300 and have seen 300k miles on them, still going strong. The state/insurance appraised value for a vehicle like this should run somewhere in the scope of $1200-1500, and unless it has had significant work done (such as front end suspension/steering or transmission rebuilt) recently, or is in exceptional shape (both were true for my '00 Limited), I'd suggest passing her up and finding a similar one for cheaper.

It ultimately depends on 1. how bad you want it, 2. how much you need it, and 3. how much you're willing to gamble on it. Every used car is a mixed bag. Some times, you win, some times you lose, but expect to spend half again as much as any car you buy, to fix it. People sell cars for reasons.

true the sohc is not a major issue cause mine took till 300k to rattle. i will say, however, that they are much more prone to it and it depends greatly on the care of the prev. owner. it is however not a sohc, since i just checked the auction pics whoops

 

[CheryliVA]

I personally wouldn’t pay that for an explorer with a salvage title. I assume it’s the SOHC w/ 5R55E.

Listen for the cam chain death rattle. Tell him you want to start it stone cold. Rattle is usually worse on cold start and at low idle.

130k is where a lot of the 5R55Es start to give up the ghost. Not all, but some. Mine started to give me troubles at 125-130, and for a long time you’d find Ex’s in the junk yard with 120-150k…bc of a blown trans. A good test drive, Highway speed if possible. Check trans fluid level, color, smell.

Looks clean, but also looks like the front was repaired…front end collision resulted in the salvage title?

Check the area around the plastic thermostat housing for leaking coolant

It’s also the age and mileage where the original suspension is totally shot and rotting out. Check it out and listen. If it looks original or is noisy, negotiate appropriately.

Find some dirt and throw it into 4H/4L and make sure the transfer case is solid.

Edit: then again, it’s California. That place is expensive as all hell

I'd say stay away from this vehicle. 1999 thru 2001 Ford 4.0 engines had issues with timing chain tensioners. The tensioners (2) would fail causing 1 or more timing chains (4) to colaspe. This may cause an accident while driving. It.may explain the front end damage. We had a 2000 Ford Explorer and 2001 Ford Explorer. Both had 4.0 engines. Both hands timing chain issues. The 2000 Explorer had a consistent rattle. We thought it was a heat shield rattling. Hope this information helps you.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

I'd say stay away from this vehicle. 1999 thru 2001 Ford 4.0 engines had issues with timing chain tensioners. The tensioners (2) would fail causing 1 or more timing chains (4) to colaspe. This may cause an accident while driving. It.may explain the front end damage. We had a 2000 Ford Explorer and 2001 Ford Explorer. Both had 4.0 engines. Both hands timing chain issues. The 2000 Explorer had a consistent rattle. We thought it was a heat shield rattling. Hope this information helps you.

i somewhat see what you are saying. however, i am doubtful that a timing chain issue would be the cause of most accidents. yes when the chain lets go engine locks up and as such could increases stopping distance largely. that said, i would guess there are way more accidents due to driver error than failing timing chains. that said, as an isolated case, i wouldnt be surprised if that has happened before. imo biggest part is how you maintain them, the OE guides can last 100k or 300k, depending on the tensioners, oil, etc.

 

[Mbrooks420]

I'd say stay away from this vehicle. 1999 thru 2001 Ford 4.0 engines had issues with timing chain tensioners. The tensioners (2) would fail causing 1 or more timing chains (4) to colaspe. This may cause an accident while driving. It.may explain the front end damage. We had a 2000 Ford Explorer and 2001 Ford Explorer. Both had 4.0 engines. Both hands timing chain issues. The 2000 Explorer had a consistent rattle. We thought it was a heat shield rattling. Hope this information helps you.

This truck doesn’t have the motor with the temperamental timing chains. This motor has PUSHRODS. The SOHC issue also extends way past 2001….

By your logic just about any item on a vehicle can cause an accident. A fouled plug can stall a motor.