New to 5th gen The XP, not new to Ford
I had a 99' expedition EB and loved it. I could fix anything myself. Did the plugs, heatercore, self leveling shocks and pump, brakes, battery cables, front wheel bearings, alternator, odometer light repair, lower ball joints, rear hatch struts, cruise control update, belts, hoses, coolant, windshield, and all oil changes my self. (now that I listed it all it seems like alot). It never left me stranded and she was a tank. Not to mention the a/c would freeze me out. Its why I bought another Ford(I also own a Dodge and Nissan)I was a tech for Cadillac and VW back in the mid 80' early 90' so wrenching was something I was used to. Now lets move on to my new to me CPO 2011 Explorer limited 4wd. I'm scared to touch it. I used to carry 4x8 sheets of plywood/ drywall in the back of my Expe but not this one. I'm afraid of what it would cost to fix anything. I do love not having to break my back lifting the third row out, let alone storing that truck couch somewhere. This new CUV is not a truck. I used to just point and push the gas in the axle deep snow! I feel it lacks power and it reminds me everyday of how much I miss that gas guzzler V8 (13 mpg on a good day). My new Exp not that great either( around 17mpg around town). I miss stepping out onto the floor boards. I'm short so I will probably wear the side bolster out sliding in and out. Someone in another post stated Ford does not build these well. If you could see the list of stuff Ford has fixed in the first year of ownership I would have to agree. To be fair, some of the problems have been with their OEM suppliers. But design has alot to do with it. As an engineer my mind thinks about how all these gadets work. My wife just thinks of the Exp as something that gets her from point A to piont B. She accepts the rattles, clunks, and mechanical defects of my Exp. My point is what kind of person are you? If your more like what I call a sheeple, the quirks will just go over your head. If you think quality is in the details then look at the latest model of this 5gen. I go to the dealer alot waiting on my vehicle and I've checked out the 2016 on the showroom floor. I have noticed Ford has really made an honest attempt to redisign the known problem areas and complaints 2011-2014 owners have stated. BTW 4wd is a must. I can't stand driving my friends xlt front wheel drive exp in the snow. Its hard for me to deal with all the electronic stuff on these new vehicles. I feel like I can't work on this CUV. Everything out there now is this way. There's allot to chose from out there. Look around. I'm glad your reading this forum. I wish I had found this forum before I bought so I would have a better idea on what to look out for. Research, research, research. Good luck!