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which explorer to buy?

jnb0111

Active Member
Joined
June 9, 2011
Messages
61
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City, State
Ohio
Year, Model & Trim Level
2003 Explorer XLT sport
Hi,
First post, just wanted to get some advice from you all. I found what I believe to be a good deal on an '03 Explorer sport 4x2. I live in Ohio, but this car will be kept in NC, so 4x4 isn't really necessary. It's a pretty nice truck, and will be a secondary car, unless I sell my '98 Honda Accord, in which case, the explorer would become my daily driver.
I've never bought a used car, so that's why I'm asking what to look for.
The owner of the car is the 2nd owner, it's got 150k miles. Engine and transmission are perfect, he says with no issues, but the rear end is going bad on it. I've checked, and can get a rear end for a few hundred, but then what a Ford dealership will charge to put it on is another thousand, perhaps. The Explorer is being purchased for $1500.
Is this a decent deal, or am I just asking to get screwed over on it?
Oh, maintenance has been followed to the letter, and there are records of that with the car. I'm not very mechanically inclined, with my extent on my accord being battery changes, oil changes, and one day I felt pretty confident and ballsy, so I put a new starter on it. i'm guessing a rear end replacement is beyond the scope of my abilities, then... At the same time, I guess for $1500 , I might be willing to risk it all and try. just depends. Sorry for the rambling.

Also, another potential possibility is a '99 Explorer sport I found. It's a 4x2 also, 5 speed manual transmission, and 140k miles, but is in good condition. No records, and, um, multiple owners.

any ideas or advice?

*edit* I'm used to high mileage vehicles, my Accord was purchased new, but I've got 336k miles on it now, and it runs like it did with 33 miles on it. I know the typical "hondas are superior to everything out there" rule that most honda owners have, but I don't have that opinion. Is that kind of mileage reasonably expectable from an Explorer?
 



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40 views, and nobody has an opinion?
 






Good morning! The ex is a great car, and very friendly for those that like to tinker. If you are not so inclined then your option is to have a good mechanic or friend that is willing to help. I think the parts are cheaper and more readily available too, including salvage yards. I am personally not a fan of the sport because i miss the extra doors, but if you are comfortable with a manual you may save yourself some money down the line as servicing autos is a bit more. I'd call a few local transmission shops and ask about pricing for replacing a rear end if you just don't feel up to it. Our local ford dealership charges $110 an hour for labor, and that is just stealing to me. Look up the private value on kbb.com with all the options and see if the price is in sync. Never take as gospel that the engine and trans on the auto are 'perfect'. Ask to drive it cold, look under for leaks, drive it until warm feeling all the shifts and check the brakes for firmness. See how the 4x4 works if equipped. check the a/c and blend air door for cold/hot, inspect condition of the brake lines, if possible lift and wiggle tires to check bearings, control arms and tie rod ends, check cv joint boots for cracks.

I could go on and on, but you get the point. i love my ex's more than my bmw 540i and they are all nearing 200k. fords may need more tlc, but they are much more affordable to repair than imports imho.

good luck, and let us know what you decide. i am sure you will find plenty of help here!
 












I cant say much for the 3rd gen (The 2002), but im pretty sure that rear end groan is very common. As for the 2nd gen (The 1999), theyre very easy to work on, I had pretty much no mechanical skills besides easy stuff like batteries, oil changes, brake pads etc, but ive sucessfully conquered hubs, balljoints, tcase fluid change, etc.

Is the 99 an OHV or SOHC though? The SOHC's are notorious for timing chain issues, and from what I read, when the chain/tensioner goes bad, your better off to find a replacement engine to put in, as its a costly repair (thousands).

And about the mileage; Explorers are known to go pretty far. Some on the site are at +300k and still chuggin' along like day one. I had a first gen (1992) that was at 250,000 miles and aside from the exhaust leak, and a new transmission at like 200,000 miles, the thing was great! Ran like she was a year old:p:
 






I bought my first Explorer a couple of months ago, so I can't say much. Anyway, it has 165k miles on and still seems strong. Had a new transmission a few miles ago and minor problems fixed. Last one was a leak in AC last week.
Also, I have a leak in LPG too, but LPG is not part of the original car and I think it could happen to brand new cars too.

The funny thing is that when I went to the garage to fix AC I found there 3 other cars:
a mini cooper, 2-3 years old and a few miles on it, with an electric problem;
a fiat 500, brand new one, and the man working on it was seriously thinking of throwing it away :D ;
and a range rover with shopck absorbers blown ...

The 3 cars all together couldn't do the age of my explorer, don't even think about the mileage!

On the other hand I had a couple of mazda , last one a madza3 1600 gasoline, had more than 200k in a few less than 5 years, and never had a problem.
 






I cant say much for the 3rd gen (The 2002), but im pretty sure that rear end groan is very common. As for the 2nd gen (The 1999), theyre very easy to work on, I had pretty much no mechanical skills besides easy stuff like batteries, oil changes, brake pads etc, but ive sucessfully conquered hubs, balljoints, tcase fluid change, etc.

Is the 99 an OHV or SOHC though? The SOHC's are notorious for timing chain issues, and from what I read, when the chain/tensioner goes bad, your better off to find a replacement engine to put in, as its a costly repair (thousands).

And about the mileage; Explorers are known to go pretty far. Some on the site are at +300k and still chuggin' along like day one. I had a first gen (1992) that was at 250,000 miles and aside from the exhaust leak, and a new transmission at like 200,000 miles, the thing was great! Ran like she was a year old:p:

I'm not sure if its OHV or SOHC. I haven't been to look at it, and won't until later today. I'm tempted to go with the '99 just because it has a clear title, and it seems to have been better maintained. plus, for the price, it'd be good to learn on.


EDIT** I did a search on here, and found that the 8th letter is X in the VIN, so OHV. That's the more reliable one, right?
 






can't you find 4x4 version?

you will miss all the action and potentials with 4x2

I can't find a 4x4 that fits the parameters that I'm looking for. I want to keep the price low, so that I can justify it as a toy, but it also needs to clean up nicely enough that we could use it as a family ride in a pinch. I don't like the 1sat gen Explorers, and with 4x4, those are the only ones I can find in my price range... So, that's why i'm looking at 4x2.
 






the rear end is all bolt on and shouldnt be too hard for you to do, starters are a pain to do so im sure with the help of a friend you can get the job done. and ive seen an explorer go for 650,000, and commonly over 300,000 i consider my 185k low miles still every one owned by my family has had at least 230k before being sold in great mechanical condition.

you will love the explorer and that honda will become a fad from the past

and i biased to first gens, you can get one of them all day for 800 bucks with 4x4, they are tanks and will never let you down!
 






time is your ally

If you reschedule to buy after 6 months from now you will be able to find a suitable 4x4. Also you can increase you budget, which means more options.
 






time is your ally

If you reschedule to buy after 6 months from now you will be able to find a suitable 4x4. Also you can increase you budget, which means more options.


My budget won't change in 6 months. It's a toy, so the financial approval board has final say, and she's a great woman, so I don't argue about things like this. i've found a couple of gen 2 4x4s with expanding my search a little bit, though. '95 with low for the age miles, and a 97 with super low miles, but a salvage title.
 






So I looked at the '99 sport with a manual yesterday. Sellers opinion varied greatly from my opinion. Body damage on rear liftgate, left rear quarter panel, front driver fender/driver door, HUGE spider crack in windshield, 4 mismatched tires in various states of baldness, passenger door won't open from inside or outside, non functioning power locks, non functioning radio, sticker saying it was due for an oil change in June, 2009, and several cigarette burns in the seat. Also, the brake light was on on the dash, even though the parking brake was disengaged. Since it will be kept in NC, and NC being an annual inspection state, I would HAVE to get new windshield, get the brake issue repaired, and I wouldn't drive on four bald, mismatched tires.
We passed on that one.

Going to look at the gen 3 sport today, and a couple of others, possibly. I also found a mountaineer with 5.0 and awd. how easy is it to switch the awd to a real 4x4?
 






how easy is it to switch the awd to a real 4x4?

I LOVE the 5.0L AWD... I think the only hit is like 1 or 2 MPG. Don't think you can convert it as I believe the front wheel provide the "Park" gear. Will creep otherwise with the driveshaft not connected. 5.0L is also very easy to work on and the transmissions are much more reliable than the V6's.

If you opt for the AWD, just BE SURE to rotate the tires and keep them at the same size and pressures. You'll kill the front end if you don't. Other than that, I think it is the best option!

Good luck!
 






You can switch to the 4406(?) transfer case to provide selectable 4x4. Search it, there are tons of threads with anything you will need. Plus the 5.0 and trans are super strong and reliable too.
 






I LOVE the 5.0L AWD... I think the only hit is like 1 or 2 MPG. Don't think you can convert it as I believe the front wheel provide the "Park" gear. Will creep otherwise with the driveshaft not connected. 5.0L is also very easy to work on and the transmissions are much more reliable than the V6's.

If you opt for the AWD, just BE SURE to rotate the tires and keep them at the same size and pressures. You'll kill the front end if you don't. Other than that, I think it is the best option!

Good luck!

You CAN convert it to 4x4 doing the 4406 transfercase swap. Seems like a straight forward swap, if I had a garage and dedicated the time to it, I think id be able todo it myself.


The AWD robs a bit of power I hear. I've had three 4.0s and one 5.0 and won't ever go back to a 4.0.
 






I found one and I bought one. I'll post details and pics in a little bit. Thanks for all the advice and help.

IMG_20110611_181445.jpg


It's not perfect body, but I like it. '03 sport.
 






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