What do y'all think?

[mrphiltx]

(I'm from Texas, so I can say y'all)

I'm looking at replacing my beloved '93 Ex - Wife doesn't trust it anymore.

I'm looking at an '02 or '03 with a third row (would go newer, but those are out of budget of $10k)

I found a dealer with an 03 listed at $9995 with 104k miles that I'm going to look at tonight. He says he'll get me out the door at $10k. It's a March 03 build date according to CarFax, which gives a 27000 mi/yr (!)

I found an '02 today for $7k with 100k mi - I could save over $2k with this one. This one is an early build of an '02 (April 01).

Is the $2k worth it? (I'm not sure either one has everything I want - specifically rear AC)
Or should I hold off for a lower mileage one?

thanks
phil

 

[Tbars4]

...have you checked the for sale section on here??? i think there are a couple for sale you might want to look at...just a thought...

 

[jimbo74]

$2k with less miles and only a year model difference... hell i would do it.... the bodys look the same anyways

 

[Tbars4]

...btw, which motors do they have, sohc or ohv???

 

[jsbaker]

I paid $10,500 for my 2002 XLS with 93,000 miles last year in Houston, unfortunately I only got to put about 5000 miles on it before it got totalled. 7K for one with 100,00 is not bad at all especially if it is an XLT or better. I just got a 2005 XLT almost fully loaded for $12,900. If you are near Houston there are a few 2002 and 2003 xlts listed for under $10,000 with less than 100,000 miles.

 

[mrphiltx]

tbars - haven't had a chance to look, are you selling one?
the 02 is 4.0L V6 FI SOHC; the 03: is the same (according to carfax)

jsbaker - there are some here in the metroplex too

 

[Tbars4]

..naw, i'm not selling one but there are some really good trucks on here for the prices..
...it is still kind of important on what motor, sohc-ohv, that is in the trucks as more people could give you some better feedback...

 

[mrphiltx]

I just talked to the guy with the 02, its a 4x4, he said they had taken care of a recall on the rear differential (when his dad owned it), and that the computer controlling shifting it to manual 4x4 mode was bad and needed to be replaced (~$200 something from Ford) Is that recall the dreaded rear suspension whine?

 

[Tbars4]

...i believe that recall is for the rear gear setup....don't quote me on this but if it is an sohc there may be a recall on the timing chain setup...
...as for the 4x4 computer i beleive it is much more than that from ford but if you look up transfer case shift motor, this is usally the problem and it may be a simple fix...again, i am not all that familiar with that truck but i am sure someone else will chime in...

 

[jsbaker]

Never heard of a recall for the rearend on the 2002s heard of lots of problems with them but never a recall. The module for the 4 wheel I believe is the Gem module and most people claim they run around $225.00 at the dealer. You also want to find out if the expanded cruise control recall affects it and if the lift gate hinge recall has been done.

Oh and just so you know Ford still has not perfected the rear end noise fixes as my 2005 has the noise and it was supposedly not a problem after 2004.

 

[mrphiltx]

He said it would automatically apply power to the front wheels if the back were slipping, but you couldn't manual shift it to 4x4 mode. But that sounds like an AWD thing, not a standard 4 wheel drive thing. Its a U7 VIN, which is regular 4x4, not the AWD. Am I just underinformed on this?

 

[mrphiltx]

oh, and he mentioned the liftgate recall. He said his dad took care of those, so he might be confusing which was a recall and which was a repair.

 

[jsbaker]

I don't know much about the 4 wheel drive system and mine has it so I should check into it but the 4 wheel drive models have 4x4 auto, 4x4 high and 4x4 low. The truck is by default in 4x4 auto and yes if it senses slipping it automatically engages the 4 wheel drive, this is like AWD but not full time because all 4 wheels are not getting power 100% of the time. If it is not shifting into 4 high ot 4 low then it's probably the GEM or as tbars said the shift motor do a search on here and you should find plenty of info about both.

I just check on recalls for the 2002 and there never was a recall for the rear end and it does not look like the cruise control affects the 2002 either. the only real recalls were for the liftgate hinges and the tires.

 

[mrphiltx]

That makes sense, js. He said they pulled codes or something, and it indicated the computer. Definitely something to nail down before buying, I think.

 

[Tbars4]

...lol, thats why i don't know that much on the newer trucks, ever since they let the truck become the brains of the driving situation, i would get into trouble...
...i thought i recently read that the 02 was the last of the sohc motors with the timing chain problem...:scratch:

 

[Tbars4]

...i just spotted this, thought you might be interested...
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=194460

 

[mrphiltx]

Thanks tbars: I saw that - that $800 was crazy.

 

[mrphiltx]

So I went to check out the two cars tonight. The '03 was nice - had several scrapes and dings - including a cracked rear bumper on the side, and dents where it seemed like they backed into a pole or something - pretty hard too.
The power adjust pedals only moved .25" or so, barely enough to tell anything was happening. The lever to fold down the middle second row seat was about falling off. Seemed to run well, blew cold air front and back.

Called to see about seeing the other, he had just sold it. Oh well.

I'm not sure about the one I saw - it was a bit more beat up than I want for $10k. Mine still runs, so I'm in no hurry.

 

[nascar_intimid]

smart man!!!...shop around, you have time

 

[mrphiltx]

Oh, I forgot about the whine question: when I was driving up a hill (doing 40-50 mph) I heard something from the back, if it was a whine, it was a low pitched whine. I didn't hear it when on the freeway. I just heard road noise, but we weren't going uphill at all. Is that what people have been talking about.