What's with Motor Trend?

[scarpi]

As a recent proud owner of a new 2015 Explorer 4wd, and a subscriber to Motor Trend, I was just wondering why every time I read an article or review of the 2011 - 2016 Explorer in Motor Trend, they rarely have anything good to say about the vehicle. Recently they had a brief article about the 2016 mentioning good looks but then blasted other things about it. Then in the same magazine they totally praised the new 2016 Honda Pilot which I think looks like a minivan. Oh well, I guess I'm just biased as I think Motor Trend is in an opposite way. Any thoughts?

Oh and yes the new Pilot has the same nine speed transmission that I had in my 2014 Jeep Cherokee which is one of the main reasons I traded in that vehicle for my new Explorer. The nine speed was always hunting for gears and drove "nervously".

 

[ECinEI]

As a recent proud owner of a new 2015 Explorer 4wd, and a subscriber to Motor Trend, I was just wondering why every time I read an article or review of the 2011 - 2016 Explorer in Motor Trend, they rarely have anything good to say about the vehicle. Recently they had a brief article about the 2016 mentioning good looks but then blasted other things about it. Then in the same magazine they totally praised the new 2016 Honda Pilot which I think looks like a minivan. Oh well, I guess I'm just biased as I think Motor Trend is in an opposite way. Any thoughts?

Oh and yes the new Pilot has the same nine speed transmission that I had in my 2014 Jeep Cherokee which is one of the main reasons I traded in that vehicle for my new Explorer. The nine speed was always hunting for gears and drove "nervously".

You have read the many threads on this forum regarding quality issues on this vehicle haven't you? While a good part of that may be internet amplification there may in fact be some truth to the issues. Ford sells a lot of Explorers and they can't all be bad. But, as it'd turns out my wife's 2015 Sport does seem to get a hint of exhaust smell under hard acceleration. This evidently can be an issue that if you have it is hard to get repaired effectively. As I've posted before, what surprises me most are the issues from 2011-2012 still seem to occur in 2014-2015 models. As I've also posted before, the Sport is great fun to drive and my wife, its primary driver, loves it. It will, however, be gone before the bumper to bumper expires.

 

[ntex]

I no longer trust magazine reveiws,after the 1983 ranger was made small truck of the year i bought one ,it was a lemon the dealer could not duplicate any of the problems i had until the warranty expired. After all it is the reveiwers opinion.

 

[swshawaii]

ntex, but then again you posted this. Credibility? :scratch:

The only reason to change the oil is to get the dirt out. you can run synthetic oil for more than 100,000 miles with minimum wear but longer if you get the dirt out. It's a personal choice.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3443606

 

[ntex]

hat got oil changesCredibility? Unknown to you about 23 years ago before putting my mustang G.T. on synthetic oil. i did a lot of research ,including an independant laboratory report on synthetic oil. This laboratory took 2 oldsmobiles (they don't build them no more) put mobile 1 in them and drove both for 100,000 miles. One was changed oil every 3000 miles the other did NOT get any oil changes. The engines were then torn down and all internal parts measured. The engine that got the oil changes ,all parts measured same as brand new. The engine that did not get oil changes measured nearly the same with only a thoudandths wear on the main bearings. Now why did i even have an interest in synthetic oil? because in 1975 while doing my duty in the U.S.A.F. we were driving WW2 trucks, while at the motor pool getting the oil changed i asked the mechanic how many engines this truck had gone through? Still running the original engine , that ran like new! I only use royal purple in my engines it is slicker and i get better milage and performance than i did with mobile 1. You don't know me ,but i only comment when i have personal experience.So SWSHAWAII why don't you question everyone here ???

































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[ntex]

If synthetic oil is good enough for the military must be something to it .

 

[swshawaii]

Synthetic oil is NOT the issue, it's your claimed 100k interval. Additives are the first things to break down with normal use. I'm done.

 

[scarpi]

You have read the many threads on this forum regarding quality issues on this vehicle haven't you? While a good part of that may be internet amplification there may in fact be some truth to the issues. Ford sells a lot of Explorers and they can't all be bad. But, as it'd turns out my wife's 2015 Sport does seem to get a hint of exhaust smell under hard acceleration. This evidently can be an issue that if you have it is hard to get repaired effectively. As I've posted before, what surprises me most are the issues from 2011-2012 still seem to occur in 2014-2015 models. As I've also posted before, the Sport is great fun to drive and my wife, its primary driver, loves it. It will, however, be gone before the bumper to bumper expires.

Yes I read about some of the issues with the Explorer. But if you want to talk about quality, take a look at any Jeep Cherokee forum. I had a 2014 Cherokee (not a Grand Cherokee). If you check out the forums dealing with the 2014+ models, you will see many posts about nine speed transmission issues and actually replacing transmissions on new vehicles. Sometimes three times. It is a real problem if your transmission goes out on you while you are off roading in the middle of nowhere or driving in traffic on an interstate at 70mph in a new vehicle that you trusted. I didn't see anywhere in the Explorer forums where transmission problems were a large issue in new vehicles. Lets be honest. Some problems that owners complain about are minor, and then there are major issues like transmission problems in new vehicles. That's why I'm an Explorer owner now. My 2014 Jeep Cherokee was at the dealer a number of times for various issues during the short time I had it and it still shifted badly. So it's gone now. And basically I'm glad to have an Explorer sitting next to my Mustang GT.

 

[Rubberhead]

In the 1980's I bought two brand new Hondas because of the foreign-car-bias in Consumer Reports/Motor Trend/et. al.

They were good cars but had their problems. Then, in 1995, I bought a Ford Explorer because I needed to tow a boat too big for anything Honda made. It was eye opening. A 160,000 miles later, I was a Ford believer. Five brand new Fords and it wasn't until my 2014 XLT that I begin to doubt Ford.