Our Explorer Was Totaled in Severe Accident, Need Advice About Buying Another One...

[donalds]

I know several people with V8's & they were POS's. Always breaking down, & trans problems.
We are victims of our experiences...

I think driving style is key here
Can't get the torque out of a v6 than a v8 so people beating the hell out a v6 to get the v8 feel

 

[MAS Tequila]

Load up your X, hook up the trailer with 1600 lbs of motorcycles, and let’s hit the highway.

When we get to the mountains remind about how much you like that sohc anchor.

And yes a 60 degree v6 has been in production since the 60’s.

But not the SOHC, it was debuted in 1997 and discontinued in 2011 for a 14 year run.

Not very long for an engine design.

The 4.6 and 5.4 aren’t any better.

 

[donalds]

I live in nc tow a boat to the mountains my shoc pulls just fine
other than maintenance
And yes timing components are maintenance
Like I said I got 285k on timing components
Good enough maintenance interval for me


No matter what anyone says the v8 and v6 ohv and the ohc
Are all examples of good engines believe me there are worse designs

Different users have different needs

 

[MAS Tequila]

Amen

 

[MrQ]

Load up your X, hook up the trailer with 1600 lbs of motorcycles, and let’s hit the highway.

When we get to the mountains remind about how much you like that sohc anchor.

And yes a 60 degree v6 has been in production since the 60’s.

But not the SOHC, it was debuted in 1997 and discontinued in 2011 for a 14 year run.

Not very long for an engine design.

The 4.6 and 5.4 aren’t any better.

You went all the way back to the 260 in 1962. The SOHC is just the latest iteration of the Cologne block. You can use the same pistons, rods, oil pans, and crank as the OHV. You can even run a OHV pcm on a SOHC.

However, during its short 14 year run it wound up in Explorers, Mountaineers, Aviators, Rangers, Mustangs, and even Land Rovers, with millions sold and hundreds of thousands still on the road today; thats a hell of a testament to its reliability.

For the amount of investment in upgrading an older block to an OHC, Ford hit a home run.

They didnt even want to try with the V8, Ford just wanted it to go away because it was outdated, slow, and inefficient. It had served its purpose, but it was put on life support in the Explorer's simply to make them comparable to the V8 Grand Cherokee and because the 4.6 wouldn't fit in the 2nd gen.
It IS NOT a bad engine, but its strengths were easily outpaced by newer, more efficient engines.

Granted the SOHC has issues, but it was a stroke of genius to capitalize on a proven design and make it comparable to the V8 in hp and torque.

I LOVE my V8 and it is awesome for pushing my big tires along the trails, but I am not afraid of the SOHC for a daily or light off road use.

Different strokes for different folks.

 

[Mbrooks420]

99-01 V8. Reliable engine, and the transmission isn’t flimsy.

 

[crunchie_frog]

I have a 99 V8 AWD that I have used to haul boats, cars, trailers all over the mountains of the southeast U.S (tens of thousands of miles of towing) with engine and trans near and above 200K miles... no issues. I think these things are like tanks, basic maintenance required.

 

[donalds]

Yeeyee

 

[GLOCKer]

I've got a RWD V8 with 3.73. It's got horrible fuel economy but I have to say I'm pretty damn happy with the power. I've driven Crown Vic's for years at work and, while they're not blistering fast, they can get up and go. I'd rate my 1998 Explorer up there with the power of my last ol' Vic cop car. Heck, my Explorer feels much quicker to accelerate than my 2009 Ford F150 4.6 V8 work vehicle I'm in now. I was surprised this old thing would get up and move that well.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

I've had multiple trucks, 2 V8s and 2 SOHCs, I had a SOHC truck I gave $400, it was an 01 XLT, 2WD, 3.55 gears, wonderful truck, bottom end was horrible though power wise. Truck was used and abused and treated like the ground you walk on, said 237K or so but the motor was replaced and the trans rebuilt. Why? No clue, I wouldn't have on that grade 2nd gen.

I've had 2 V8s, one AWD and one 2WD, and I've been impressed with both, one crossed the 271K mile mark today and it's a tank, really nice to drive power wise imo.

Only SOHC I've ever driven I was happy with power wise was a 4:10 geared truck, that thing had some fire on the bottom end, I absolutely LOVED driving it. Granted, the drivetrain went to pieces at around the 200K mile mark but it happens, it's getting V8 swapped as we speak.

 

[German Engineer]

I can only recommend what I say to anyone looking for a good used car:
Be flexible and don't set your mind on one specific model or make.
Basically make yourself a list of priorities on features you need and want the car to have and then go from there and select a few alternative makes and models that you like.
And DON'T EVER fall in love with a car BEFORE you buy it!!!
Buying used cares is a completely different story than buying a new car! And in the end it what makes a good used car is much rather previous owners maintenance and use and how much car you can really get for the money.
I'd personally for example always include certain comparable SUV's by Toyota, Subaru, GMC, Dodge and others, in my search. but only those that I like and only those that appear to be a good deal.
And when I look at it I'd take my OBD2 scanner get a Carfax report and if I have the time and find it online I'd try to look up the most common problems of that specific type of vehicle to know what to put some extra attention on, when checking the vehicle out and test driving it.
If you're set on one specific model from a limited and specific range of years, if you even go as far as to only look for a specific trim or engine, you'll most likely not be able to get nearly as good a deal and car as you would if you stay flexible and open to snag one of the few super maintained sweet deals on a comparable vehicle from a different make or model. Or you'll just end up having to look "forever" or end up having to pay considerably more.
If you're looking to use (spare) parts of a car you that already have and want to buy something compatible, then that's a completely different story of course.
But other than that I can only recommend trying to be as open minded and flexible and rational as possible when buying a used car.
That way you have a much higher chance to end up "falling in love" with the car you buy later on when you drive it and not get disappointed so easily like people tend to get, when they are set on getting that one favorite car and buy it no matter what the history and the technical condition it is in, just because they absolutely must have that one make and model in that one trim, with that one color.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

I think the OP mostly wants a 2nd gen Explorer because he grew up in it essentially, which is valid. I agree though, I bought my white 2000 to be essentially the replacement to my SOHC Eddie Bauer, ended up wanting the Eddie Bauer and couldn't part with it when things went down the drain.

I would throw in some brand remarks but this is a Ford forum and we're almost all here for some type of insanity or another.

 

[donalds]

You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes you might find
You get what you need

The stones

 

[Mazior R.]

I'd stay away from the 2 door Sports as they often came with the SOHC V6 (which is a ticking time bomb of an engine design) or the OHV V6 which is low on power and suffers with its own issues (eg overheating and cracked cylinder heads).

The 5.0L V8 was only available in the 4 door Explorers, but only in automatic AWD or RWD (no true 4WD unless you swap in the BW4406 t-case. The 5.0L is a very robust power plant and the V8's 4 speed automatic transmission is more reliable than the 5R55 that came with the V6's.

If you a manual transmission 4WD then the Sport or 4 door V6 is you only choice, just look for one with the OHV V6 rather than the SOHC engine. I'd also look for a 1999-2001 model as by that time Ford had the these vehicles figured out pretty well.

We've owned 4 V8's and 3 SOHC V6's and every SOHC has been troublesome (timing chain problems) which IMO on not worth repairing as the cost of replacement is very high (quickly exceeding the value of the vehicle).

Good luck.

Very helpful, thank you.

 

[Mazior R.]

I really appreciate everyones time with their opinions and I've read all the comments that everyone posted. It sounds to me that the majority chose the V8 as the reliability and strong transmissions. Maybe gas is not the best but it seems like a good choice. So it seems that I should look for a V8, AWD and if I wanted to, put in a 4WD transfer case in, 3.73 gears I'm guessing and the best years to look for are 99'-01'. That's what I'm going with for now when I buy one in the future. This is still an open debate and I find it interesting to read everyone's opinion. If someone else here was looking for an Explorer, I think they got the help they needed from everyone, thank you!

 

[donalds]

Yeeyee

 

[allmyEXes]

I think I'm seeing a thread within a thread. At least the 5.0 survived a few more years in the Ex/Mo's. 5.0, 5.0, we hate to see you go...(I can hear the 7 Dwarfs now...)

 

[Mazior R.]

I think I'm seeing a thread within a thread. At least the 5.0 survived a few more years in the Ex/Mo's. 5.0, 5.0, we hate to see you go...(I can hear the 7 Dwarfs now...)

You might be on page 2 of the thread. Theres a box and click on 1.