Low Mile Explorer Advice

[410Fortune]

What a beauty! Welcome.

We absolutely love 97 5.0 explorers here

Your 97 is missing the cruise control switch recall, the red switch on your brake master cylinder can burn your truck to the ground. There was a simple recall where the dealer installed a fuse.
I have several of these fuse assemblies if you need one. Would hate to see that truck burn to the ground due to this

I’m looking at pictures trying to decide if your new 97 is a gt40 or gt40p engine I believe you have the p engine from what I can see in the pictures.

Get the leaks sorted out and start driving that thing!

 

[Provis]

@Provis

Did you talk to the owner? I'm curious as to why someone would buy a Explorer, one of the most common SUV's at the time, and park it. They couldn't have thought it would be a classic. You paid what I am considering a lot for it, and it was still probably less than the original purchase price.

What's this Explorer's story?

I wish I knew.

I follow bring a trailer pretty regularly (for about the past five years or so). I started seriously considering buying a new car (new to me) when I found out my cousin is going to buy my Tacoma (a little over a year ago). I have been trying to find a really nice 90's 4runner or Landcruiser (with no luck or the price would go sky-high). Well ever since I have followed bring a trailer, there has been this dealer in Moonachie new jersey that just finds these unreal finds. Here are two recent finds, as an example, that really intrigued me (1996 mx-6 was my very first car; turned 16 in 2004):

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1993-mazda-mx-6-3/

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2004-ford-ranger-5/

Anyways, sometimes they have a story and sometimes they don't. The Explorer I ended up winning had no story, other than it had been garage kept by only one owner in Colorado. As stated above, I was looking for a 4runner/Landcruiser. Well when this Explorer popped up, It dawned on me that the size was similar to the 4runner and it was a really nice looking car (never really noticed before). The auctions are usually 6 days (unless you have a premium listing). For the next week as I was driving around Tulsa, I started to notice how many of these 2nd Gen Explorers are still on the road (some are in horrible cosmetic condition) that appear to run just fine. Come day 5 of the auction I had a conviction (a conviction that I wouldn't go higher than $25k). I made an account and did the bid thing and won! I think I did okay - the car runs great - just needs some maintenance and a watchful eye/conscience foot. I think after it gets broken-in to regular use with new fluids in it's system, its going to be just fine (at least that is what I've concluded after listening to everyone's input).

Price is also subjective. We talking real or nominal dollars? If we're talking nominal dollars than yes -- the price I paid is comparable to the original sticker price. If we're talking real dollars than its not even close ($25,000 in 1997 is probably close to at least $40,000 in today's money). However, if we're talking real dollars we do need to factor in innovation that has occurred since 1997. That also means we need to factor in innovation that I consider a waste (or even worse - an annoyance). I do love rearview camera's and Bluetooth. Everything else the sorority girls that modern cars are marketed to can have.

 

[Provis]

What a beauty! Welcome.

We absolutely love 97 5.0 explorers here

Your 97 is missing the cruise control switch recall, the red switch on your brake master cylinder can burn your truck to the ground. There was a simple recall where the dealer installed a fuse.
I have several of these fuse assemblies if you need one. Would hate to see that truck burn to the ground due to this

I’m looking at pictures trying to decide if your new 97 is a gt40 or gt40p engine I believe you have the p engine from what I can see in the pictures.

Get the leaks sorted out and start driving that thing!

Thank you and what a beautiful collection of insight this community has provided in such little time. With a recall that I was unaware of probably being at the very top of the list! Thank you again for pointing that out.

With that being said, I will purchase a fuse assembly from you if that fixes my problem and you think I'm capable of doing the install myself. Only time I have messed with fuses is by the battery for an amp install or (one-time) when I installed heated seats in the Tacoma I spliced into the fuse box with something called Add-a-fuse?? (I dunno, just followed the directions).

Please tutor me. Thanks again.

 

[BKennedy]

I've bought stuff for more than they are worth because they were worth it to me. That's how I see this deal, you wanted it, you have the means, you bought it. Good on you for getting what you want and having attainable goals.

As the saying goes, there's a butt for every seat.

 

[Mbrooks420]

Inflation calculator says 57k in todays dollars.

 

[C420sailor]

Everything rubber needs to go. Replace it.

Every fluid needs to be changed.

 

[410Fortune]

You made a good choice
The 5.0 in that explorer is a 3/4 ton truck drivetrain the 302 and 4r70w were used in f250s
It is overkill for an explorer! The 5.0 explorers have a large following here I would do a lot to get my hands on a 97 5.0 with only 3500 miles as that drivetrain would last me a lifetime

Send me a pm with your address and I will mail you a fuse dealio, you simply plug it into your cruise control switch on the mast cylinder it cannot be an easier
I have several of these and it will fit in an envelope so it’s easy to send you one!

 

[manimal]

I shouldn't knock the Frontier like I do and I will spare you the details of how I came to buy it. I just don't like new cars and I knew that before I bought it, but the Frontier has certainly enforced my belief. The whole "smart car" concept is annoying to me. I really dislike all the bells and whistles that are just cheap, non-value added information, or even just repetitive information. For example, I have a screen on my dashboard I can go to that shows me the MPH (and only the MPH) as an electronic number (I also have a MPH/RPM gauge) - what?? The frontier doesn't have this, but nothing gets my blood boiling faster than the A/C being integrated into the "big screen" electronically. I truly don't even know how to run the A/C when I hop into most cars these days - just give me the three knobs that tell me where/how fast/how cold - so easy. Do we really need to integrate that into a screen that also juggles several other functions? What if I don't even want to touch the screen because it leaves fingerprints - just give me the knobs back. I could go on and on, but you get the point. I also dislike how big all the SUVs and trucks have become. I have always bought mid-sized trucks and so I'm like "eh, they're midsized". Wasn't until I bought the Explorer and parked it in my garage that I realized (haven't actually measured) that cars have become much wider than they use to be. The Explorer fits through my narrow garage opening so easy. The Tacoma cuts it kind of close (and the Frontier is even closer to the garage opening than the Tacoma). With my Tacoma and Frontier in the Garage, the width of my garage is spent and when you get out of whichever vehicle is parked to the right its a slow opening of the car door (where the passenger has to get out before pulling in). With the Explorer, you can open the door easily without hitting the car to the left and there is a cabinet on the right that I can only access when the Explorer is parked in the garage (a passenger could, not easily, slip out their side without exiting before pulling into garage).

I love hopping in the Explorer and having none of the bells and whistles and it's also just a great size. Not too big and doesn't feel small at all.

My daily driver is a 2011 Frontier that I have put 210k miles on with zero mechanical work other than fluid changes, spark plugs, a new serp belt, brakes, shocks and tires - all stuff that wears out on any vehicle after that long. It rides & drives like it did when it was new.

It's stupid easy to work on - such as, every drivetrain component has a fill & drain bolt - and everything on the interior is durable, tough and easy to clean. No idiot gauges or graphics on the dash, a regular full cluster. Heck up until 2022, you could still get a 4x4 crew cab with manual transmission, manual door locks and crank windows. I know because I almost bought one, but the wife scoffed at it.

They made the same model from 05-21 and to me it was one of the last great simple, honest, durable small trucks. The Frontier even has a fully boxed frame that is shared with its fullsize brother - the Frontier is comically overbuilt for what it is.

I have driven a 2023 and while the mechanical similarities are there, there sure is a lot going on inside the cab now. Not sure how I feel about it.

 

[DintDobbs]

@Provis Now this was an awesome find. Keep an eyeball on that rear main seal, my '99 (SOHC) just finally started leaking this year. This is more of an age thing than a wear thing.

I'm gonna say the same as the others, replace every fluid with good quality options, and inspect all the small moving parts (brake calipers, parking brake mechanism, ball joints, drive shafts, etc.) for seizing or leaks. Would be a good idea to check over all the hoses and lines for leaks or corrosion (although Colorado shouldn't cause the issues that the coastal states cause, there!)