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Enjoy and be safe. Life is Better at the Beach!
I just picked up my AWD ultimate yesterday. Build date is 5-04. I do like this vehicle (been thinking about one for a year or so). Only issue, so far, is the ignition switch seems to have a intermittent problem. Sometimes, when I take the key out, the seat doesn't retract and the bell continues to ding (like the key is still in). Dealer knows about it and advises to bring it back on Monday. Odd thing. This vehicle is fully loaded except they left off advanc trac and advanc trac SRS. Oh well, I'll have to drive more careful now : ).
AWD adapts well, weight distribution is excellent - snow tires will make a huge difference if you are having traction issues.
Will
Thanks!
Jeannine Fallon
PR Director
Edmunds.com
You will find a gold-mind of that, at the Mercedes and BMW forums...
Actualyl I don't think the Aviator's gadgets are that hard to program, or require much to do so. Unlike a BMW 745iL, which the manual had a smaller supplement (Cliff Notes version) to try and make it easier. Arrggg.
PS - most people are moving OUT of PA...
Any ideas what that sound is? I've realized its not the rear axle whine that many have.
2003 aviator with almost 15k miles.
thanks.
thanks,...this helps in trying to isolate the sound.
I'm watching these boards for the past month, and have some comments and questions.
I think the current Aviator is one of the best and hottest vehicles produced by Lincoln, and most owners would agree. The Aviator must stay the way it is. The new Aviator (RX-330 replacement) is a different thing at all, and should not replace the current Aviator.
The new Aviator with a V6, and ugly styling, should get a different name. I think Alligator is a good name (?)
Someone mentioned above that Lincoln should stay with V8 engines only. I would like to ask, since I'm not familiar with engines: Is the engine type more important than horsepower/torque output? i.e., Town Car have a V8 with 239 hp, but Ford will soon release the new Duratech engine V6 with about up to 260-270 hp. Isn't the latter one better and more powerful?
In other words, if I have 2 engines, a V8 and a V6, both producing an equal amount of hp/Lb.-ft. of torque, would there be any performance difference? If yes, why? If not, why are people crazy about V8?
I personally can't afford an Aviator, and it wouldn't fit my needs perfectly anyway. However, I have a neighbor who owns an Aviator, and I can't look enough on it. I think it's one of the best looking vehicles out today, both inside and outside.
Ford/Lincoln, if you listen, keep the Aviator for the next few years. Leave the new Aviator/Alligator in the side, or give it a different name. GOOD LUCK !!
This is a loaded question I've answered on other forums, I hope I can answer it completely.
Let's take an Explorer V6, and a V8. Difference in weight.. just 20lbs. (V8 is made of aluminum-lighter-more efficient). The V6 consumes just as much fuel as the V8. Why? The V6 works harder to attain it's power, the V8 is much more relaxed. The EPA number's are off by just 1MPG....Real world experience, I've acheived similar numbers with both.
Other factor's to consider... Transmission gearing, transmission shift hydraulics, axle gearing and computer's efficiency, throttle by wire.
Transmission gearing: The higher, the quicker the engine rev's up to the next gear, and so on.
Transmission shift hydraulics: A slow one, will cost you acceleration timing, and shifting-hence frustration when passing.
Axle gearing: The higher the number (3.73:1 - Common, 4.10:1 much quicker) the quicker your axle will turn (spread the torque) but TOO high, and it'll cut your EPA highway mileage. You could have a 3.73 axle give you 21MPG HWY, and a 4.10 could give you 18MPG HWY.
Computer efficiency-Throttle by wire: Ford has been implementing Throttle by Wire on numerous vehicles already. This allows the computer to read your foot much better, and understand if your an aggresive driver, or enjoying the senery. Impart, giving you the best shift for the moment.
I have a friend with an '01 Explorer V6, and sometimes I get frustrated because THAT computer takes a bit longer to understand me. So when I slam it, I want a double down shift, and it might just give me. Then smash it again...it thinks... then gives me another shift... Issue? TOO LATE, don't pass, killed it. How to go around it? Play with the gas a bit more. Although it's been rectified with the new generation Explorer... somewhat....
A Duratec 3.5L DOHC V6 could almost have the same, if not more torque and horsepower...BUT at a higher RPM than the 4.6L V8 2V. Meaning, the transmission will need to shift, the engine will have to sing higher, to attain it's horsepower (probably around 6000RPM). Personally I believe that's decent for cars under weighing 3800LBS. If the vehicles weights more, the transmission will have to shift much more to attain that power/torque, because of added heft.
Worse case senario... You will never see a Honda V-tec engine on an SUV singing upwards of 8000RPM, to attain a measly 157TQ. HENCE, you see it on much smaller cars, where torque is not needed as much.
And from personal experience, whenever selecting a vehicle, try going for the largest engine... works less, transmission shifts less, quieter-more relaxed...will endure more.
I don't think so! Someone will inevitably associate it with the reptile's cousin, the crocodile, and shorten the appellation to something less flattering. :-)
tidester, host
Our Aviator now has 12K miles since we got it in February. My family and I just got back last weekend from driving it to Boise, ID and back (to Tempe, AZ), taking in a few of Utah's National Parks and Arizona's Grand Canyon, North Rim along the way. In all, we logged more than 2400 miles in 9 days. I know, we were a little rushed, but we've been to these parks before. Of the 2400 miles driven, ~200 miles were true off-road miles on surfaces marked as either "Primitive Road" (62 miles out and back to the North Rim's Toroweap lookout with numerous posted warnings about severe tire hazards), or "Forest Service Trails" (~20 miles out and back to Point Sublime inside the North Rim Grand Canyon National Park).
Ever since replacing the crappy OEM Michelin Pilot LTX tires (don't even think about taking those puppies off a paved road -- I shredded the left rear in April after only 2 miles into a very tame scenic drive into Organ Pipe National Monument) with Yokohama Geolander All-Terrain tires in the OEM size, the Aviator acquits itself admirably when the going gets tough. The Yokohama's even have a higher speed rating than the Michelin's, though they're not as quiet (oh well, you can't have everything, but I'll make that tradeoff just for the peace of mind when ever getting off pavement). I'm not into rock crawling (or rut/mud bogging), nor would I suggest doing so in an Aviator, but I found myself doing just that, much to my chagrin. The Aviator got home VERY dirty, but unscratched (except the running boards). A 4X4 Nissan Titan pick-up didn't fare as well on the trail to Point Sublime. It took me a LONG time to get the vehicle clean again.
Did I mention that the cooled seats are GREAT!
The speedometer has a max of 140 mph, but is the computer programed to "cutoff" the engine at around 95 mph or so?
Inquiring minds would like to know.
When I turn them on A/C, setting 5 I can barely feel anything - and that's with cotton shorts and a thin tshirt on. I don't feel any difference between setting 2 and setting 5 and the fan doesn't seem to change speeds at all. (setting 1 is just cabin air - no A/C). You can barely hear it even on setting 5 with everything else turned off. It's like it's stuck on low.
So please verify:
Does the fan seem to vary speeds between 2 and 5?
Can you tell the difference between 2 and 5?
Can you really feel the cooling on 5?
Thanks!
Allen
Can you tell the difference between 2 and 5?
Can you really feel the cooling on 5?"
Well, Allen, my experience is:
1) No, the fan speed never varies.
2) On heat, I can tell a difference, but not cool
3) Yes, but only after considerable time. Like an hour on the road, then you'll notice your butt is COLD. It takes a long time at least in this climate to feel the cool, but if I don't turn it on, I sweat a lot more.
Steering pump or pulley.....
You can tell if you did it right because above the blue and red seat buttons, the middle green led above each will be lit. It keeps this setting always even when powering off and on, until you disable it by pressing one of the buttons.
Thanks in advance.
At 1700 miles I was on my third transmission. Now at 11000 miles and no further problems. Thank God for my dealer, Ford was absolutely no help with my tranny problems, leaving me wondering if I will ever buy another Ford, after having driven Fords almost exclusively for over 25 years.
A couple weeks later the check transmission light went on, so I took it to the dealer. They picked up a code from the computer and ordered parts, which took 10 days. I got the car back, had it overnight and the transmission went out again, the car wouldn't move, so back to the dealer it went. This time they replaced everything involving the tranny including the radiator. So far I haven't had any problems. I met with the Ford rep about my problems. What a total jerk. Totally condescending and rude. I was quite disappointed in his attitude. At this point I had put 1700 miles on my car and over 2000 on rentals. I really wanted a different vehicle, since I had no faith in this one. I know that's a lot to ask, but so is 50000 for a car that you don't know if you can depend on. He basically told me that the lemon law hadn't kicked in yet and good luck. There is a little more to the story, but this post is long enough.
Thank God for my dealer!!!!
Getting Some Lemon-Aid From Your Lemon Maker (esp. the Magnuson-Moss paragraph).
Steve, Host
As for the tow, I have to side with Ford. If you want them to pay for it then you have to let them set it up. If you chose to do it yourself then they shouldn't have to pay extra.
The $35 for a rental is standard - that's all the dealer ever gets and it's up to the dealer as to what they give you.
The tranny failure sounds like a normal repair process where they made a repair based on the code and troubleshooting and it didn't work so the tranny had to be replaced. Sounds like it worked.