What new car to buy

[1997green]

Which suv below do you think would be better for me. I dont go off roading at all. The only concern is saftey and gas mileage and reliablity. A 2003 fwd excape xlt or a 1999 explorer eddie bauer V6 4x4. 2002 explorer 4x4 V6.

1999 explorer 113,760 miles= $4,500
2003 escape 90,500 miles=$7,990
2002 explorer 54,500 miles=$9,900
(pics are not the real car, just the same color and model trim)

 

[steventadams]

Options? I would stay away from the 2002 Explorer. Notorious for problems, especially in the rear end. The Escape is going to get better mileage but the explorer is probably safer in most collisions. Explorer has more space and has better towing as well.

 

[1997green]

I did not know the 2002's has alot of problems. Did they fix these issues before the 2003's? Options are , cloth in the escape and 02 explorer just basic XLT stuff. The 1999 has all eddie bauer options but, sunroof, heated seats, and V8. It has leather just not heated.

 

[Hokie]

That V8 Explorer is going to suck fuel

 

[Kyle0614]

get the 99 explorer...why the hell would you want an escape they are front wheel drive i think and they suck IMO...bad move by ford no room either...just my .02 cents hope this helps...oh and BTW if you can get that price on the 99 X lowered to 4k you will be standing good...

 

[1997green]

I will have the 99 explorer tommrow for the day, well from noon and it has to be back before 7pm on a test drive. Is there anything I should look for to make sure it does not have any problems? The 1999 explorer is a V6 the pic is of a exact explorer just with the V8. The reason I looked at the escape was because I think it would be more car like, less gas and more reliable. But I could be wrong. And yes the escape I was looking at is FWD. BTW I have not drove either of these trucks yet.

 

[1997green]

I would like to get the price on the 1999 explorer to $4,000 and try to get them to give me $1,000 trade on my 97 explorer. But I think that wont happen.

 

[Kyle0614]

if your serious about getting the 99 then I think it is very possible for the 4k price drop and your trade because older suv's are getting harder to sell right now cause of gas..

 

[hunterdan]

If you really want the best mileage, the escape is your best bet, then the 99 and then the 02 just because I think it is a bit heavier. The escapes aren't too bad, very car-like in my opinion, but get better decent mileage.

 

[thndrbear]

I dont know if they will release it there, but the Focus tdci is a good choice.

If im just doing city driving, i leave my explorer and bring the car.

Mine is the 2.0 gasoline version - the tdci, i heard, is a bit more powerful and consumes less diesel. Problem is, it only comes in a manual tranny here.

 

[Sams01XplrSprt]

have u decided which one u wanna buy yet

 

[1997green]

Iam like 50/50 on the escape and 1999 explorer. I dont think I will get the 02 due to higher price, higher insurance cost, and gas.

 

[jrseykid686]

I've got an 02 EB V8... 92K miles on it, no major problems, ever. Gas mileage blows though, at best in the city around 12ish during the winter... i'd say go with the escape at this point for gas... i had a 99 with the 4.0 engine and the mileage was actually worse than the 02. I must say, i had a 99, my ex girlfriend had the escape and i own the 02 now... the best is the 02, if you are OK with horrible gas mileage

 

[badge49]

My mother had an '02 Escape for a couple years...it was great, but I wouldn't call it an SUV. It drove like a car and was smaller inside than a minivan. I liked driving it, and it did great in the city, but don't expect to be the last car you ever buy. That's a reasonable price on the '99 Explorer, not that I'm biased or anything

 

[Thelt]

My 02 has given very little trouble and it has 119k on it now. I had an Escape a while back and it gave lots of problems. The door handle broke and it cost me almost $500 to get it fixed. The door would not open and it happened at the beach so I had to crawl across the passenger seat to get in and out......

The 99 is a good price but the 02 is much more refined vehicle.

 

[Stic-o]

Look at your needs

the '99 is most likly the a SOHC and will get high teens very low 20's milage wise. 210hp

the Escape with the v6 210hp, will get better milage, my sister in law, traded her '91 Ex in for her '04 Escape, and loves it! It is small on the inside though, but it's a peppy little thing!

 

[Glen4X4]

If you do towing here and there get the 99, its deff. a good price for it, has a powerful motor and should get like stico said bout 20mpg or lower. But if you don't tow and you don't go off-roading and don't plan on off-roading anytime in the future go with the escape, its better gas mileage and should handle more like a car but not sure how good the 4X4 is with them since I think they have an electromagnetic clutch in the rear that controls the 4X4, but would think it'd be good enough to get around in the snow. And I would too stay away from the 02 because I have heard of many issues pertaining to that vehicle but you've gotta see it this way the 02 was first new setup so you're more than likely going to run into problems with that year of explorer. Just my 2cents though. Good luck.

 

[E.B. Cornburner]

I'd go for the '99 Explorer. The '02 is a bit pricey, and that year had its share of issues. The '99 looks like a good deal.

I'm not an Escape fan. The drivetrain is a bit too flimsy. Actually, the whole vehicle is a bit too flimsy. They had terrible transmissions in them. The suspension is more car-like too. Lightweight components geared more toward cheap than durable from what I've seen.

Gas mileage? None of them are really going to set the world on fire with fuel economy. If MPG is a major concern, I wouldn't look at any one of the 3. Look at a small car instead.
IMHO, there's more to life than gas mileage...It's actually one of the smallest expenses your vehicle has. Think about how much unleaded you could buy with the money you'd spend on repairs on a less reliable vehicle. The Gen II Explorers were rock-solid vehicles...They didn't really have any major reliability issues. Sure, they were a bit thirsty, but if gas is all you have to put into it, it's still cheaper to run than a more fuel efficient vehicle that has lots of mechanical failures.

 

[Joe Dirt]

I agree with Mike- Even though the Explorer is classified as a "compact SUV" by Ford, it still feels a lot bigger than the Escape. I never liked the setup of the rear suspension of the Escape- looks so flimsy, even though for 98% of the people on the road, I'm sure it's fine. Heck- Ford has sold over 1,000,000 Escapes- but I think the '99 Ex is the sound choice- it is a proven design vs. the 2002. It was a first model year. The Gen II is relatively easy to fix, AND find cheap parts for if you need them, IE junkyard. I'd keep the extra money in your pocket and deal on the '99.

My vote:

1. 1999 Ex
2. 2004 Escape
3. 2003 Ex

Good luck!

 

[1997green]

Iam going with the escape, I drove the 99 explorer for about 1/4 mile sbefore I turned around. It would bang hard when you stop and vibrate bad when you stop. I told the guy he said its the brakes he will have them looked at if I wanted. I walked out of there. The escape is more of like a jeep cherokee on the interior I think. Althought the tires made alot of noise. The said they will replace the serpintine belt and give it to me for $6,450 out the door. It comes with a 3 month or 30 day warrenty (ill have to look). The dealer sold all its other cheap escapes since I posted this thread so I put a deposite on it and hopefully get it tommrow.