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New/Used Ford Explorer Purchase, which option?

So, here's the story. We used to have a 2016 Ford Explorer sport. My wife drove it and loved it. She is a Ford fan. Now with the used car market the way it is, I decided to sell it and get almost what I paid for it, but I ended up buying a 2021.5 VW Atlas 2.0T SEL Premium. It has everything the Ford had plus new options. Well, my wife doesn't like it, so 5 months later (Today), I am in the process of finding her a new Ford Explorer. Here are my options that I was able to find.

1. New 2021 Ford Explorer Limited Hybrid - Courtesy Vehicle - 2500mi - MSRP $55705 - Selling Price - $50735 - They sell it as new, so I get the rebate plus they have $$ off for being a courtesy vehicle

2. Used 2020 Ford Explorer ST - 32500mi - MSRP $59520 - Selling price - $50939

They are basically the same selling price but you can see one is new and the other has over 30k miles. I would probably buy the extended warranty from Joel for either purchase. We only drive 8k miles a year.

Just reaching out to everyone to see what their thoughts are, since you all are the best about things like this. TIA.
Write a form letter and send it to about a dozen or so dealerships asking to quote you on ordering one new, and what they will do on it. I got below invoice pricing for the one that we purchased (and are now waiting for), and with the rebates it was a pretty good deal. If you don’t have a preferred dealership and don’t feel bad doing it, pot them against one another. They NEED used vehicles right now so if you can trade yours in now and wait for the new one to come in, you’re going to be high on the hog right now.
 



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So, here's the story. We used to have a 2016 Ford Explorer sport. My wife drove it and loved it. She is a Ford fan. Now with the used car market the way it is, I decided to sell it and get almost what I paid for it, but I ended up buying a 2021.5 VW Atlas 2.0T SEL Premium. It has everything the Ford had plus new options. Well, my wife doesn't like it, so 5 months later (Today), I am in the process of finding her a new Ford Explorer. Here are my options that I was able to find.

1. New 2021 Ford Explorer Limited Hybrid - Courtesy Vehicle - 2500mi - MSRP $55705 - Selling Price - $50735 - They sell it as new, so I get the rebate plus they have $$ off for being a courtesy vehicle

2. Used 2020 Ford Explorer ST - 32500mi - MSRP $59520 - Selling price - $50939

They are basically the same selling price but you can see one is new and the other has over 30k miles. I would probably buy the extended warranty from Joel for either purchase. We only drive 8k miles a year.

Just reaching out to everyone to see what their thoughts are, since you all are the best about things like this. TIA.
St love ❤️ your wife gonna love you more :)
 






Write a form letter and send it to about a dozen or so dealerships asking to quote you on ordering one new, and what they will do on it. I got below invoice pricing for the one that we purchased (and are now waiting for), and with the rebates it was a pretty good deal. If you don’t have a preferred dealership and don’t feel bad doing it, pot them against one another. They NEED used vehicles right now so if you can trade yours in now and wait for the new one to come in, you’re going to be high on the hog right now.
Thanks for your input. Only problem is I need another car if I trade it in. We have 2 now and with me going back to the office, I drive everyday and my wife drops off and picks the kids up at school. I’ve looked into a cheap car for the meantime but there really is nothing “cheap.”

I have X plan pricing as a Ford stockholder, but even at that cost with the options we want (401a), I am going to be way above what I want to spend.
 






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I have X plan pricing as a Ford stockholder, but even at that cost with the options we want (401a), I am going to be way above what I want to spend.
Have you considered a lease? That is basically how I got involved in leasing almost 20 years ago. I didn't really have the money at the time to get the vehicle I wanted so I leased it and every vehicle since.

Peter
 






Okay, for what it's worth; I came out of my second VW Touareg following the VW Diesel crisis. The approved updates turned a really nice 2014 $64,000 car into a piece of crap.

I was really intrigued by the 2018 Explorer Platinum with the ECO Boost 3.5L V-6.Never owned a Ford in my life, but I pretty much liked that rig, the handling was really quite atrocious with the lateral mount V-6 and primary front wheel drive vs. the VW, but I wasn't going to keep the VW.

There were two things I REALLY hated about it; no one told me in only had an 18.6 gallon gas tank. I wasn't too upset as while the VW would go down to my second home about 300 miles away and back on one tank of fuel, the Ford barely made it one way. The shock came when I hooked my little 6x13 enclosed utility trailer that I use to haul my RC models behind it. The power was really poor compared to the VW and the fuel mileage was horrible running 6-8 mpg. Meaning two fuel stops each way. Didn't do that a whole lot, but I was NOT happy.

Stumbled across a news release about the new stuff coming in 2020 from Ford and Lincoln. I was not going for another Explorer for any reason, but the redesign and features of the new Lincoln Aviator Hybrid really intrigued me. So I ordered one in August of 2019. Took it seven months to get here, but WOW. Had to buy it from an out of state dealer as none here could sell the Hybrids. Went to pick it up, long day at 700 miles away, bad weather and such. Pulled into the dealership about 7PM that night and there it was sitting under the drive through area all by itself. It's a metallic pearl white and they had a huge red bow sitting on top of it with a big red ribbon.

It was/is gorgeous when clean.

Alright, I'll shorten up the rest of this story which is probably just boring you folks It's turned out to be the best car I've ever owned and I've owned my share but this is only my second Ford product. One or two issues but everything was new and assembled at a plant that the employees really hadn't been trained on the totally new assembly line.

The gripes? My windshield wipers still chatter sometimes and the transmission programming left something to be desired. Tried ot address the wipers but the local dealer is pissed off I bought it out of state despite the fact that they could not get one. They wouldn't touch the wipers as there is UV film on the windows installed by the selling dealer. Took it in a few weeks later to get my trailer brake controller installed and they refused saying "if it's not made by Lincoln, we won't put it in". Got my RV place to install the controller. I had followed the complaints about the transmission on this forum but figure there was no reason to approach the dealer especially since I'd not seen anything on this forum about an update on the transmission.

So I lived with it until a month or so ago. Most of my driving is local and I rarely buy gas anymore so the trans wasn't that big a deal.

Got the recall notice for the backup camera so I called my concierge person and scheduled a service. They came an got it, when they brought it back, there was a new service guy I'd not met. Very nice young man. It was washed and vacuumed, looked very nice. He told me the Recall was completed, answered a few questions and left. I asked him if there had been a "change of attitude" in the service department, he just nodded and left. Looking at the receipt, and there were three things they'd done, the SB, a "powertrain update" and something else I don't remember.

As soon as I got in the thing to put it in the garage, I noticed something very different. The throttle had always been really touchy, now it was just like it should be, not touchy and easy to control, lots easier to get it into the garage. Next time I drove it, it was obvious they'd changed the programming on the engine and transmission. On acceleration, the gas engine kicked in sooner and had it not been for the noise, I would not have noticed it was so smooth. Transmission shift points were different and silky smooth. It still occasionally gets confused about whether or not to downshift and start the gas engine when you hit the throttle, usually a Freeway entrance but other than that, it's great.

As I mentioned, I don't do a lot of traveling, mostly around town meaning it's mostly electric. The mileage readout typically shows over 50 mpg. Out of town on the freeway, it's getting 26-27 mpg running 85 MPH. A chunk over 30 mpg running in the 70 MPH area. Tows my little trailer easily and I can make the 300 trip with room to spare. Where the Explorer had a max range of not quite 300 miles, this will do almost 500 miles on a smaller 18.0 gallon tank.

I love this car better than anything I've ever owned, the power, ride, handling and quiet are unreal. I'd go for the newer Hybrid without question for what my opinion might be worth.
 






Personal preference obviously, but I would not purchase a moon roof on a vehicle if I could get it without one. I just assume it will leak or break. That has happened to me on two previous vehicles. I have an Audi where it came standard and couldn't be deleted. I just don't bother to open it.

My ST has been flawless other than someone deciding they had to use the freeway lane my wife was already in. That said, I agree with Mbrooks and I would not buy a low mileage used Explorer. They have just had too many problems and I would figure that any low mileage unit was just dumped by the previous owner due to issues they have had with it.

Sorry but awful advice and pure speculation. An OASIS report can be run on any Ford vehicle. If it was as you speculate, it would show you every service complaint and what was or wasn't done. No reason to pass up a low mileage vehicle if you can check the history.
 






My 2012 V6 Explorer Limited gets over 18mpg towing a loaded, unenclosed 7x4 trailer at 80 mph. Something was seriously wrong with yours.
 






My 2012 V6 Explorer Limited gets over 18mpg towing a loaded, unenclosed 7x4 trailer at 80 mph. Something was seriously wrong with yours.
You seriously aren’t comparing an open 4x7 trailer to an enclosed 6x13 likely with full sized tires and dual axles, are you?
 






Sorry but awful advice and pure speculation. An OASIS report can be run on any Ford vehicle. If it was as you speculate, it would show you every service complaint and what was or wasn't done. No reason to pass up a low mileage vehicle if you can check the history.
It will show no history if the dealer gives you the common BS excuse “it’s supposed to sound/feel/be like that” as is reported by many members.
 






32k miles on an ST is still going for 50k?? Thats outrageous! Thats practically what I paid for my Platinum new 6 months ago. Didnt think the used car market was still this crazy high. I would just wait it out instead.
My wife has a 2019 sport with 12k miles on it. At the last oil change (10k miles) the dealer offered her $2k more then we paid for it (we got a hell of a deal on it,end of the year and the 2020's were rolling in), so I asked what she brought home? "AH! MY CAR!!" , I just shook my head "I would be driving a $2k-$5k beater from the used lot right now until the chip shortage ends"
 






I was talking with a police officer this past weekend - her patrol unit is a hybrid. She hates it. Apparently it gets VERY confused about what to pick at lower speeds - battery or gas, and is most annoying. Having said that, I would like a V6 turbo, but dang! They're damned expensive!! I am finding that a firm hand, er foot, bypasses some of the transmission aggravation in my Limited.
There is a "power module" software update on an SB. I took my Aviator in for the rear camera recall and they did this update as well. Made it a whole different vehicle. The throttle is no longer touchy off idle, the gas engine kicks in sooner on acceleration and the shifting is so much smoother it's unreal. The first time I got on the Freeway, I would not have known it upshifted and started the gas engine were it not for the noise.

It still occasionally gets a bit confused like a Freeway onramp that has you accelerating, decelerating and accelerating in somewhat rapid fashion but it's much better than before as the gas engine is running.
 






There is a "power module" software update on an SB. I took my Aviator in for the rear camera recall and they did this update as well. Made it a whole different vehicle. The throttle is no longer touchy off idle, the gas engine kicks in sooner on acceleration and the shifting is so much smoother it's unreal. The first time I got on the Freeway, I would not have known it upshifted and started the gas engine were it not for the noise.

It still occasionally gets a bit confused like a Freeway onramp that has you accelerating, decelerating and accelerating in somewhat rapid fashion but it's much better than before as the gas engine is running.
Do you know what the service bulletin number is?
 






Got one. Wife loves it. Travelled to just outside St. Louis and drove it back to San Diego the latest 2 days. It’s really nice.

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