This Forum Makes Me SAD... :(

[DefinitiveCars]

Hello Everyone. So a little background on me. I have owned 7 cars so far in my life. One of which was a 2003 Explorer Sport Track 4x4, which I loved. For the past 10 years I have driven BMW's My explorer sport is replacing my wifes X5. I drive a highly modified 2011 BMW M3. One of my past cars was also an Infiniti FX35.

So all that being said, I am very active on forums and have loved being on BMW forums that past 10 years. Even back with my Infiniti I was on forums and started a car club for Infiniti FX's.

On all these forums I have been a part of, I would say the % breakdown of threads is something like this.
75% Positive stories, experiences, build threads, group meets, mods and DIY's
25% Bad experiences, problems with the cars and trolls trashing the brand

This forum I would say is 90% Bad experiences, problems with the cars and 10% people who are enjoying their cars, and very few but some people modding their cars.

Guys I need your help. I love cars, I love modding them, and I love sharing with people about it. Am I on the wrong forum? Is there a better place to be. Is there a section here thats about having fun with your Ex? Did I end up in the section where you post problems?

I dont mean this thread to be harsh or rude in any way. I just have never seen a forum like this before.

Thanks,
D

 

[RangerX]

I think it's just the 2011-2013 forum that's like that. Check around on any and all of our other categories and you'll see.

 

[RN_WC]

D, it's pretty quiet here for sure. Fellow M3 owner and member/contributor on M3Forum.net myself. I think Explorer owners are just not the enthusiasts that you find on BMW and other performance brand forums. Not a lot of interest in shaving a couple 1/10ths of a second of the 1/4mi on the Ex Limited. I'm hoping that changes as more performance-oriented owners join up to talk about their new Explorer Sport Also I would not be surprised to see the emergence of a forum dedicated to the EcoBoost Explorer. There's a more performance oriented EcoBoost forum at http://www.ecoboostownerforums.com but they do not have an Explorer-specific forum there yet. I'm going to start lurking there to see what is going on. You will see a lot more discussion of tuning, bigger turbos, BS racing stories, aftermarket exhaust sound clips and discussion of accessories more in line with M3Forum and such. Even some 12sec ET 1/4mi Ford Flexs using after market tuning software, CAI, and exhaust. The Ex Sport is a great vehicle with lots of potential so I'm sure there will be some good forums and discussions soon.

 

[edub]

you do understand you are talking about a brand new FORD EXPLORER!!! what could you possibly want to mod on it? I would bet 90% of these are grocery getters! Mine is actually for my wife. an m3 is a little different! of course the threads are going to be different. as far as a club or get together of guys with explorers, ill pass!!!! LOL. now a club for my new camaro....maybe.

 

[OffTrac]

I think it's just the 2011-2013 forum that's like that. Check around on any and all of our other categories and you'll see.

Agreed. There's lots of technical information and informative, friendly members in the majority of the subforums. Where were you on the Sport Trac subforum with your '03?

 

[FIND]

I think that if you start reading outside the Stock 2011-2013 Explorer forum, you will find that your assessment will be different. Besides, this gen is BRAND new and a complete departure from what the Ford Explorer was before. It will take some time before the aftermarket is there, and there is enough enthusiast following with enough experience with this car. Especially since this will take a completely different type of enthusiast than the earlier SUvs. Besides, most people buying this gen of explorer aren't buying them as enthusiasts. They are buying it as most crossovers buyers buy cars. They are the new thing that isn't a minivan or SUV. And yeah, a lot of people are complaining about the technology issues with their cars instead of talking up their cars, and that is because a lot of the drivers of this gen of explorer are the same drivers you saw in minivans only a few years ago, and to many of them, a car is practically an appliance like a dishwasher.

That said, comparing a 2 year old car's following to an M3's following is kind of unfair.

 

[DefinitiveCars]

I think it's just the 2011-2013 forum that's like that. Check around on any and all of our other categories and you'll see.

Yea, I just spent about 2 hours in the Modified section and its better than I thought. I actually thought this section was the 2013 section.

I would def like to see a SPORT Section, as I dont think people getting the sport are grocery getters, although mine is for my wife. When Im in the car, I drive. So its for me too.

As for the comparison with the M#. The Ford Explorer has been around a long time, almost the same amount of time as the M3. I remember my parents Eddie Bauer back in 1997... To say that there shouldet be as many enthusiasts because its a new car is BS. Its just a new model.

Just got me thinking, did I make the wrong decision. Am I in for years of stress and problems...

This car is fast and fun and has more tech in it than my 2011 M3!

I've already put on Custom gloss black Ford ovals, window tint, ordered LED's, planning HID's, installing Piaa fogs, painting the chrome door handles black tomorrow, debadged her, going to do some custom stuff with the head and tail lights and tinting the mirror LED's.

THERE IS A LOT TO MOD ON ANY CAR!!!

D

 

[SWEET ST]

Now we got some positive talk on this forum, thanks D/C.......!!

 

[CulturalInfidel]

... To say that there shouldet be as many enthusiasts because its a new car is BS. Its just a new model.

...
THERE IS A LOT TO MOD ON ANY CAR!!!

No ... starting in 2011 the Explorer is an entirely new car. It kept the same name, but NOTHING else about the vehicle is even vaguely related to the pre-2011 Explorers.
So... it has had it's teething pains and such, but I think it's turning out to be a great car (but will never be modded for off-road like the older Explorers were!)

Sure, there's a lot to be modded if you want... but the aftermarket doesn't really take off for that stuff until warranties start to expire... that is just now starting to happen... I'd expect to see a big boom in aftermarket "stuff" for modding new Explorers in the next year or two.

 

[DefinitiveCars]

NO. Just because it's an all new model, just like the e36 to the e46 M3 change, M3 owners and enthusiast didn't just go away and a whole new crowed arrived for the new version. Yet not one part was shared from car to car.
Mustangs have been the same, several years have had all new chassis and or bodies but mustang guys are still mustang guys.
The new Camaro does not come close to having one single part shared with the past versions, yet tons of Camaro guys buy them and are still Camaro guys.

Using the fact that its a new car for the lack of enthusiasts is just BS. It's an explorer.

All that being said, the car being under warranty is also BS for their not being an aftermarket fthe vehicle. Every car I've bought that was first year production, I have had exhaust wheels, custom lighting, stereo/nav mods and engine upgrades.

People don't care about their warranties if they like to mod their vehicles.

 

[IZwack]

I agree that the Explorer isn't an entirely new vehicle - after all, if you strip the body panels off from most vehicles, you'll see that little has changed in the equation in the past 10 years (some say longer). So from the mechanical point of view, the new Explorer is nothing new. What has changed is the integration of new electronics - which is where most of the problems are (MFT).

As for modding (as in for off road, which is where most of us hail from), in general, Explorer "modding" has and will decline with time because of the vehicle's mechanical evolution - independent suspension, frame (or lack there of), etc.. As DefinitiveCars pointed out, the "mods" will mostly be your run of the mill stuff like wheels, lighting, stereo, etc.. Of course there will be an odd one in the bunch who will actually take a plasma cutter to the body/chassis but that will be once in a blue moon. So to sum up, the "modding" world will probably consist of whatever is available from PepBoys and so on..

 

[YoungMounty]

I completely understand your argument and agree with a lot of your points.

However, comparing the iconic grocery getter Explorer to a Mustang, Camaro, M3, whatever just isn't the same.

If you own a Mustang you're a Mustang guy, this is just not the same for Explorers. The "Explorer Guys" are few and far between and a lot of them are found here. The Explorer just isn't the same as a highly modifiable sports car in the aftermarket, ability, or enthusiast areas. It's always been a grocery getter and always will be except for the small subgroups you see in places like this which count for a very, VERY small amount of the car owners.

You are correct in saying modders don't care about warranties, but honestly, how many Explorer modders are there out there especially when you start comparing them to Mustang and Camaro modders.

We are few, but we love what we do. We are creative, innovative, and some call us crazy. But we have fun and you will definitely find the enthusiast spirit here whether you find it in the general Explorer culture or not.

We're glad to have you!

 

[OffTrac]

I really want to track the progress of your (wife's) Explorer. Sounds like a true enthusiast finally bought a new Explorer and knows how to make it unique. It requires some advertising to let people know there's more they can do besides new wheels and window tint.

My wife wants to replace her Edge with an Explorer in a couple years for the third row when we have children. I look forward to getting to work with those body lines.

 

[DefinitiveCars]

Thanks for the comments guys, and I do agree about the off road part. A lot of the guys I know who have had several Explorers "hate" the new one because of the Taurus bloodline.

Eitherway, I have one now and its fun. Just hope I dont get all the problems in this part of the forum...

 

[Turdle]

Wow,
We were having good times here way way before the 2011 explorer was released. Take a look through the 2.6 million posts.

Just because the "new" explorer isn't as fun as the older ones doesn't mean the whole site is dead.

 

[OffTrac]

The new Explorer can be fun. It's going to take some enthusiasts though instead of the "appliance buyers" as someone else correctly labeled the majority of the newest Explorer owners. As a supervisor over an appliance department, the complaints are very similar and often trivial. The fact is, many people would now prefer an iPhone on four wheels rather than an exciting ride with interesting (pointless) gadgets. Priorities have changed for many car buyers.

 

[obie]

I don't think I'd mind having a new Explorer to go wheeling in the snow or some fishing trails with. Without some serious custom R&D though, I don't think it could ever be a contender on the tougher trails. But fun enough for the light stuff.

I just think it's funny that for generations one through four, most people refer to their vehicle as a truck, whereas most people call the fifth gen a car. Though, with fully independent suspension, unibody construction, and all the gadgets, it really isn't a truck anymore. Kinda sad, but things always change.

 

[Sgt1411]

Yea, I just spent about 2 hours in the Modified section and its better than I thought. I actually thought this section was the 2013 section.

I would def like to see a SPORT Section, as I dont think people getting the sport are grocery getters, although mine is for my wife. When Im in the car, I drive. So its for me too.

As for the comparison with the M#. The Ford Explorer has been around a long time, almost the same amount of time as the M3. I remember my parents Eddie Bauer back in 1997... To say that there shouldet be as many enthusiasts because its a new car is BS. Its just a new model.

Just got me thinking, did I make the wrong decision. Am I in for years of stress and problems...

This car is fast and fun and has more tech in it than my 2011 M3!

I've already put on Custom gloss black Ford ovals, window tint, ordered LED's, planning HID's, installing Piaa fogs, painting the chrome door handles black tomorrow, debadged her, going to do some custom stuff with the head and tail lights and tinting the mirror LED's.

THERE IS A LOT TO MOD ON ANY CAR!!!

D

Hey can you show us some pics of the painted chrome door handles? Im dying to see what they look like painted black

 

[CulturalInfidel]

I'm gonna stick to my guns saying the new Explorer is AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT VEHICLE.

It's now a car instead of a truck.
It went from a body-on-frame, solid-rear-axle, real 4WD truck...
To a unibody, car chassis, AWD (instead of 4WD), that will never have the off-road capabilities of the older models.
It's not an evolution, it's completely different.

Let's take that BMW M3 and put a heavy rail-frame underneath it, as well as a solid rear axle and see if the "enthusiasts" stick around.

 

[obie]

I'm gonna stick to my guns saying the new Explorer is AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT VEHICLE.

It's now a car instead of a truck.
It went from a body-on-frame, solid-rear-axle, real 4WD truck...
To a unibody, car chassis, AWD (instead of 4WD), that will never have the off-road capabilities of the older models.
It's not an evolution, it's completely different.

Let's take that BMW M3 and put a heavy rail-frame underneath it, as well as a solid rear axle and see if the "enthusiasts" stick around.

True, but don't knock AWD. Remember, the Explorers had AWD options with the V8s. And I've wheeled my AWD, and will continue wheeling the hell out of it...as soon as it's back together again. I'm a big fan of the BW4404