Great reliability, Ford quality!
Written: Oct 15 '04
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Pros: Great reliability, roominess, power. Good value for the money.
Cons: Fuel economy not the best. Environmentalists will likely crucify you...
The Bottom Line: Great value for the larger family. Fairly affordable, low maintenance, Ford reliability. If you can get 0% financing through Ford credit, the more power to you...
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| gpcramins's Full Review: 2004 Ford Explorer 2WD |
I have owned everything from a 1979 Ford Mustang to a 1991 Honda Accord (drove it across the Middle East..., great car) but my last three vehicles have been Fords, and now my wife has the fourth, a 2004 2wd 4.0 liter Ford Explorer. Why did we make the switch from a Taurus to the Explorer? Three teenagers, yes, I'm ready to kill them, but short of that I figured I'd give them more room until I can either sell them off on E-Bay or put them on a crab boat off the coast of Alaska. I considered the mini-van. Better gas mileage, similar amount of room, but I think I'd sooner jump off a bridge than purchase one, my wife did not seem to mind... (Plus the towing capacity of a mini-van is not quite up to par...)
What did we get? I purchased a 2 wheel drive (I'm moving to Guam in 4 months and given the amount of snow the area receives I did not think I would miss 4 wheel drive...) with the 4.0 liter 6 cylinder. The vehicle came with the keyless entry system (which I must say I have become quite a fan of), the towing package, cargo racks, adjustable height pedals, 3.73 limited slip axle, and the best of all, the 3rd seat row option. Everything else was pretty much standard. I can honestly say, this purchase was the most pleasant (that does not make me feel any better...) at Marysville, Ford, given that I would sooner be shot with a nail gun than buy a new car. Please note that I am a military police officer and we actually use these things at work, light bars and all...
First observations:
The ride is exceptionally smooth. Suspension seemed to take out most of the bumps and holes in the road (given that I live in Washington state, that is no small feat...).
Power was more than adequate, and unless you are pulling a rather large trailer, I cannot see why you would need the V-8 (we use the 4.0 liter 6 cylinder for our police vehicles on base without a problem).
To get 4 wheel drive or not, that is the question. Do you live in an area which receives a great deal of snow? Probably a good idea. For the average driver, you'll never use it, save the money, wear & tear, insurance costs and go for the 2 wheel drive model, after all, you are buying the thing for the height and room anyways...
The towing package is a plus, apparently, Ford Explorers are given high regards for this (although U-Haul would not rent me a trailer given the lawsuits following the Firestone fiasco, most of which seemed more the fault of poor drivers than faulty equipment). The 4.0 can haul 5,600 lbs, given my limited experience in this area I would probably not go over 3,000 or 4,000 for general purpose hauling, but experienced drivers could likely get away with much more.
Comfort is definitely one of the high points of the car, I'm not sure this is a plus, but I could almost fall asleep in this vehicle on the freeway.
The keyless entry system, while seemingly a frill, comes in quite handy. How many times have you needed to put something in the car or get something out while it was parked in the driveway and spent 15 minutes looking for the keys? After about 3 of these ordeals, I finally memorized the code and was never bothered with the problem again.
One personal grip is the transmission. When shifting from "Reverse" into "Drive" there is a slight delay and the normal "Clunk". Ford transmissions are the only powertrain component which gives me the willys. For the most part, expect no problems, but the Taurus AX4S automatic transmission problems in the 90's still give me pause...
One common complaint from non-owners is the environmental friendliness of the vehicle. I have not found any "I'm killing the environment" bumper stickers after shopping at Safeway on the car yet, I guess time will tell... The car does get decent gas mileage on the freeway (around 20+mpg) and also boasts the "e85" option (the car will run on an 85 percent alcohol fuel blend) so I guess it is fairly kind to the environment given it's weight and size. Ford seems to bear the brunt of quite a few protests, yet will be offering a hybrid Escape next year, and most likely an Explorer is in the works as well.
Overall I am happy with my purchase, and so are the wife and the kids, and so long as they are content, my life is a peaceful and pleasant one for the most part. I'm not an automotive expert, but the car seems to fill the bill. The cargo rack will likely be hauling around surf boards on a small island in the South Pacific in a few more months (plus the kids), so I would say it will fit our needs for the next 4 or 5 years (by that time, the kids will be gone, and I can get the hybrid...).
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 25,000
Condition: New
Model Year: 2004
Model and Options: 4.0 Liter XLT, 2WD
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Epinions.com ID:
gpcramins
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Reviews written: 3
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