Wanting to get a 95-01 not sure what year..help?

[BrianDye]

Well guys, i love the body of the 91-94 explorers, but i want the features of the next body style, so i think im gonna sell mine, and get a newer one.


Features I want:
-Digital ac controls
-Low miles, less than like 150k
-Leather interior
-Heated seats
-Power seats
-Keyless entry (doesnt need that, im going to buy a nice viper alarm for it)
-Keypad on the door
-4 doors
-Stock fog lights
-Automatic rear view mirror (do those body styles even have that yet?)

What would be the best year for me?

And whats the price range of one with that?

(Im 16, just got my first job, I turn 17 in May)

 

[IZwack]

Get a 98 or newer, preferably a Mountaineer. If you dont mind the AWD, then definitely get the 5.0L v8, it is a better drivetrain and isnt significantly worse on gas mileage than the 4.0L v6.

I dont know if the digital AC controls is standard on all Mountaineers but for the Explorer, I think its only standard for the Eddie Bauer and Limiteds.

 

[BrianDye]

i love the look of limiteds, and yeah the mountaineers totally slipped my mind, ill have to look on those too.

**but if i bought lets say a 98 or something with stock controls, wouldnt I just be able to go on eBay or wherever to buy the digital ones, and just like swap them?

 

[patrick112390]

my early 97 mounty doesnt have the digi hvac controls....

 

[techieman33]

Izwack is correct, The electronic climate control wasn't standard on the mountaineers, but I think a lot of them have it. My 2000 does not though. They also do have the auto rear view mirror, I'm not sure if it's standard but most of them I've see have it.

 

[techieman33]

i love the look of limiteds, and yeah the mountaineers totally slipped my mind, ill have to look on those too.

**but if i bought lets say a 98 or something with stock controls, wouldnt I just be able to go on eBay or wherever to buy the digital ones, and just like swap them?

You can swap controls, but it's not a job that most would be willing to attempt. It would be much easier to just wait and find one with what you want.

 

[BrianDye]

I wish I had money, im finding mint like 05's and 06's with nav and everything for like 16k

 

[ericautopart]

I wish I had money, im finding mint like 05's and 06's with nav and everything for like 16k

Pfffft.. they may look nice but I wouldn't trade my 98 for anything else other than a 99-01. See if you can't find a 98ish 5.0 w/ ~ 90,000 well taken care of miles and you've got a great truck.

 

[bluexpy]

I have what you're just looking for...the best of best!

See my F/S thread:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=237401

 

[X6StringerX]

Brian,

If memory serves me correctly, '99 was the first year for heated seats. I've owned two '98s and one '97 and none of them had heated seats... although only one of them had leather. The "fanciest" one I had was the first '98, it was an XLT and had everything on your list except for heated seats and digital climate. Your best bet would probably be a '99+ Limited or Eddie Bauer. Be patient and you'll find the perfect one. I bought my current '98 back in August of 2008 from a dealer with a warranty for $3200 and it only had 76k miles. I laughed as I drove off the lot looking at all of the suckers that were plopping down tens of thousands of dollars for vehicles I wouldn't dream of owning. Explorers are diamonds in the rough.

 

[BrianDye]

yeah man i am patient, I just also found out my grandma's giving me her 97 taurus, that only has 70k miles, its in pretty decent shape, needs a new paint job, well on the front bumper at least, so im gonna change all the fluids in it, and get an alignment done, and sell that, hopefully get around 1400 for it, and sell my explorer, but thats gonna be hard, cus then im not gonna have a vehicle, I just told Bluexpy it would be awesome to find someone who wanted to trade, i mean as long as I have the digital climate, the heated seats are no biggie, ill just get a set of heated ones on eBay, or ill buy one of those DIY kits lol