Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Options
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
Steve, Host
I see a lot of those too. Our old car (Geo Metro - yuck) had the big gray plastic bumpers, I just used armor all or the turle brand stuff. It looked good for a while, then I had to reapply. You probably want a more permanent fix.
Check out this website:
http://carcareonline.com/viewarticle.aspx?art=12
Also, in an article about interior detailing, it refers to the following product:
"Surflex Black Colorant works great on black bumpers, black spoilers or black rubber/vinyl trim that has been severely scratched or badly scuffed and is beyond the help of Black Again. Clean the entire part thoroughly with P21S Total Auto Wash or Wurth Citrus Degreaser, rinse and dry thoroughly. Mask off the paint and then stain the area with the Colorant and allow to dry. It will look like new. After about 3 weeks hardening off, coat with a protective coating of Black Again or One Grand Exterior Rubber."
Good luck with that. I am surprised Ford would produce something so prone to sun damage.
If all else fails, I wonder how much it would be to order painted parts from an EB or Limited from a body shop?
Ford can't do a thing for me unless the problem happens right there. Anyone have this problem yet? only thing that seemed to work was the door locks, the dash lights were on, only the clock on the radio and the headlight and tail lights..It been 3 days now and it only seems to happen after the truck sits for more then 6 hours...The think that is freaking me out is when everything comes back on, it's like a power serg. All the gages max out ,the bells go on and the lights go on and then everything resets it self....
we had an sho that was possessed. it was the battery.
door locks locking/unlocking on their own, sounds coming out of the speakers when the radio was off.
i have an '02 epxlorer. last time i brought it in for service the report noted that the battery was down on power. i have had some weird transient electrical issues.
a door won't unlock, etc...
I just got the truck last Tues. I wanted to get a feel for how many miles I'd get with a tank of gas, It was woking good for the 1st 3 days, I was up to 2oo miles, with more then a 1/4 tank to go until she started resetting her self evey time I start the truck.
Then again tonight, I thought if fixed its self everything worked the way it should when I left work, lights went on when I unlocked it,she started right trip o meter was still working gages were working , radio all good... I got home shut off the truck open the door NO LIGHTS I restarted her, starts fine gages fine trip o-meter rest again I wounder how much this will cost ?
I reached up and turned it back a small bit and everything would come back on and work normally. It happened two or three times before I changed the ignition. I could tell it was bad due to having trouble getting the key in and out.
Hope this helps, at least something else to check. Good Luck!!
Joe
Thanks,
Chintan Talati
Corporate Communications
Edmunds.com
MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
Need help navigating? kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name.
Share your vehicle reviews
Thanks,
Chintan Talati
Corporate Communications
Edmunds.com
We bought the Monroe shocks (black tube, Monroematic) at Pep Boys installed at a very reasonable price.
Their goal is for a smoother ride and allow a little more upward movement (rebound) of the car but less downward movement (jounce).
They are OK for the money but don't pay a fortune for them because they are over-rated if you get them installed at a private garage.
To preface my question, if I purchased the Ford, I’d permanently leave the 4wd selector in the 4X4auto set & forget mode, just like I do on my 4Runner. What I can’t figure out is why Ford touts their AdvanceTrac RSC, yet equips ControlTrac and LS differentials on the most loaded models, including every Limited in my area. Ever since I once got stuck a long time ago watching my 4X4 spin tires w/o LS, I’ve always had LS on my vehicles until the 2003 4Runner. The 4Runner traction control apparently does the job of the LS as I haven’t been able to get my 4Runner stuck yet in snow or shallow mud, and the stability control has been fantastic. Although I’d really like to find an Expedition Limited with the RSC, my first question is, which is the better system for the Expedition, the AdvanceTrac RSC with the stability & traction control, or the optional ControlTrac with Limited Slip?
Question #2: Where’s the $45,000+ ashtray hidden?
I’ll admit my personal preference is the AdvanceTrac RSC version, but I’d like to hear from owners, or leasers, or renters. Also, if anyone leaves their Expedition in 4x4auto, I’d like to hear from you on how your vehicle rides. Thanks in advance.
Thanks
What do you guys think of the current 06 model? Will I have a lot of issues moving from an Oddessy other than the expected size difference?
Unless of course you want to put all three kids side by side in the middle row and leave the third row folded down, or maybe one kid in the back and half of the third row folded. We have the captain's chairs in the second row of our Yukon XL, and have three kids. We put two kids in the third row, one in the middle and we have the extra seat open for when Grandma tags along, or long trips mom or dad can sit back there and hand out snacks and stuff. Just a thought.
If you do think the Expedition will work for you and has plenty of room, I think you'll be pleased with it. I think it has a much nicer interior than the GMs, and if you buy a current version rather than the updated 2007 version coming soon, you'll probably get huge rebates and stuff.
Just my two cents.
The Suburban definetly crossed my mind but like you stated, its hard to ignore the 06 model deals going on at Ford right now. Chevy has already made the switch over to 07 and 06 models are hard to come by. None in my immediate area.
Or go to gmbuypower.com and see what's out there. It'll have you select the dealer nearest you, and if that one has none available, it'll let you see inventory of other dealers near by. I'm in the Dallas area and it was showing inventory as far away as Shreveport, Louisiana. Everything within 250 miles.
Just an idea. We and our friends are pretty happy with ours. Expedition is a fine vehicle, but we got hooked on the school bus length!
- Shifter on column had to be adjusted to line up with the indents for park, reverse, drive. It went out of kilter somehow and was easily adjusted back. was done under warrranty.
- 2nd row leather seats were cracking a bit. Dealer sent truck to local upholsterer and had the leather sections of the outside 2 seats re-covered. under warranty. Have since been using a leather conditioner on all leather surfaces and it seems to be protecting the skins sections.
Other than that, we have been problem/trouble free. Every 5k miles I have the oil changed, wheels rotated. @ 15 k, also change air filter. Every 30k, all of the above and also all other fluids changed along with gas filter. Have been using oem Ford parts etc.
We average about 14 - 15 mpg around our local community, have gotten up to 18 - 20 mpg on trips. Last Christmas we went to Pittsburgh from Houston area for 2 weeks and overall mpg for the trip, including a lot of local, hilly Pgh driving was 18.1 mpg. This is not based on the trip computer -- we measured it for the entire trip based on miles driven divided by gallons used. (The trip computer had it around 18.7.) We also used a 20 cubic foot Yakima car top carrier that is the aerodynamic-shaped type. For those of you like me who have kids, a big dog and can never have enough room for all the items we take, particularly for long family trips, I highly recommend a cartop carrier that has a longitude shape. Where we get dinged mileage-wise the most is around town even though it is as flat as a pancake around here.
Also for trips with kids, we've been using a portable dvd player for a while with an 8-9" screen with headphones and slung between the front seats with a "Suspension Theatre" set-up. We can listen to music with the front speakers while the kids watch movies in 2nd row. It's portable, works in any car and is a lot less than a factory unit & has a bigger screen.
Still rides nicely, still handles well for a big SUV and is still pretty quiet. More than enough power for us. Have noticed some very minor squeaking in the passenger seat when it is unoccupied.
The original Contis are still on it and look to be able to go at least 10k more. Steering is still dead on; have not had it aligned. Other than rotation, no re-balancing. the brakes, other than inspection, have not been touched yet. That includes brake pads.
Even though we're in TX and have not used the 4x4 much here, it's great having it when we travel to the Rockies or North in the winter. Off road, while certainly not as nimble as our '96 explorer EB, it is no slouch. It's been on some very snowy logging roads in PA and on some sandy back roads here in TX. The only thing I haul is a bike rack that holds up to 4 mtn bikes for trail riding NE of Houston in the Nat'l Forests and State Parks.
The seats, cooled for TX and heated for winter climes still work fine and are appreciated. Did not get the power-fold 3rd row -- our is manual and has been very easy to configure between passenger room and cargo carrying. I did have black Lincloln Navigator mirrors installed since they have the ability power fold and it makes it much easier to get into the narrow garage openings. The local dealer installed them for us along with a swtich on the lower left side of the dash.
Paint is still in good shape as is the lower cladding. We use Meguier's Classic Gold wax on both the metal and cladding every 5-6 months. Have not seen a need to polish the metal yet. The grey running boards are not pristine, they have a bit of wear, but the worst marks can be cleaned up. Also, brake dust has not been a problem for us -- yes, there is a little build-up but wonder if the '04 discs are different than the '03.
We now have 3 drivers on the truck, my son has been using it for 8 months and hasn't hurt it too badly. Also, we added an '02 Acura RSX/S w/6 sp as a 3rd car in the last month so my son hasn't driven the truck much since. Since I have a company car that only my wife and I are permitted to drive under company insurance, we really needed a 3rd ride to keep things sane in the household. Figure I just took about 8-10k per year off the truck and off-loaded onto a more economical, fun little ride.
Straightline
Talk about it in the 2007 Ford Everest/Expedition discussion.
Have you read the fine print?
tidester, host
I am currently looking at purchasing a used 2003 or 2004 Expedition. I really want to get one that's loaded up nicely and keep it for a number of years.
I would like to be certain that we get one that has the "Safety Canopy" -- i.e., the side curtain airbags along both sides of the inside of the vehicle for front and back rows. How can I tell if this option is included in a used vehicle, especially if I don't have the original owner to talk to?
I noticed that any Eddie Bauer Expedition with a sunroof has badges on the inside front pillars that say "airbag." In our passat, that means side curtain airbags are there for the front AND back seat. Does that mean the same for the Expedition? Or are the side curtain airbags JUST for the front occupants? I've not seen that before (side curtain airbags JUST for front - they always seem to cover front and rear), but I would rather be safe than sorry.
So my question is this: If you own a 2003 or 2004 Eddie Bauer Expedition, does the safety canopy come automatically when other options, like the sunroof, are added? Just trying to figure out an easy way for me to whittle down the cars I am looking at without having to make a ton of phone calls. Any help you can provide will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
I think the "airbag" badge is for the side curtain airbags, and I am 99% sure all 03's that had the side curtains covered the first two rows of occupants, but not the third row. I will try to check my owners manual tonight.
There should be a sticker somewhere on the vehicle (glove compartment) that lists the option codes that were installed on the vehicle. We need to figure out where that is and what the option code is for the side airbags. That way you would be certain once you laid your eyes on the vehicle.
Karl
Thanks for the information! I do appreciate it, and I really appreciate the quick response.
Ironically, I just saw an article in the local Marietta paper about a Marietta family of four killed in a rollover crash in the Explorer. I don't know if the safety canopy was even an option on the Explorer, but reading that made me want to make sure I had every ounce of protection I could get for my family.
I read that these folks were all wearing their seat belts, but they were t-boned by an RV. The Explorer rolled once and landed on it's feet. I have no idea if a safety canopy would have helped, but I think it might have.
I'll take a look in the glove compartment for the next Expedition I test drive and see what's there and if there is any deciphering it.
Thanks again!
Here is what I verified.
1) The "Safety Canopy with Rollover Sensing" was it's own $580 option.
2) The Safety Canopy covers the first and second row.
I did not find a sticker in my glove compartment with the options listed. The only sticker I found was on the drivers side B pillar and I was not able to decipher any option codes, if they were even listed. I am going to assume that vehicles without the Safety Canopy would not have the airbag sticker on the headliner like mine does. I would hope Ford would only label vehicles with that option present.
If you want more assistance there is a good Expedition e-mail list on yahoo and this web site may be of assistance:
www.flatratetech.com
Karl
I am still looking at used Eddie Bauer edition Ford Expeditions. I've looked at several with just 4x2 and several equipped with 4x4. The price difference seems to be anywhere from $1000 - $1500 for the 4x4. My question is this: Is it worth getting the 4x4? I never plan to take this vehicle off-road and really just want it for hauling all of the kids all over the place and being able to haul stuff like plywood and drywall.
Anyway, knowing I really never plan to take it off road, am I missing much by sticking to a 4x2? Or are there other advantages to the 4x4 that I am missing? I noticed that with the 4x4 you also get the option of AWD, which is nice. But you do get lower MPG with the 4x4?
I'd be happy to hear from the members here about their preferences and whether or not they regret the decision to go 4x4 or 4x2. I do appreciate all of the information I've been given as well as all of the info I've found searching through the forum.
Thanks all!
Style is a toss up. The new GM interiors are nice, I actually like the fake wood trim. The Ford has some nice touches too. I especially like the Ford's A/C vents, and the center-mounted, as opposed to column-mounted, shifter. And there is one detail photo of the Ford's gauge cluster that looks exquisite. I sat in a new Tahoe a few months ago just for fun, and found the driver's seat to be narrow and my right leg bumped up against the center console. Haven't been inside a new Expedition yet. If that seat is just a bit wider, or the console is mounted lower, that could be a deal-maker for me. I'm not fat, mind you, just long-legged. I've been inside the Sequoia and Tundra, and they don't have especially wide seats, but the console is very low to the ground, and the dash is not intrusive, so there is a feeling of spaciousness and your right knee doesn't hit anything. Back to the topic at hand, I also really like the two-tone paint on the Eddie Bauer Fords.
Only GM has the remote start, which I'd like with the auto climate control. But only ford has the ventilated seats. I wonder how effective those really are, but what a cool idea. And GM has OnStar, of course, which I fortunately have not had to use yet, but really really like the idea.
I currently have a 2005 Yukon XL. At the time I bought it, there was no other option as far as I was concerned, Expedition just didn't have enough room behind the third row. (There was the Excursion, but that was much more expensive). Now I can't wait until it's time to trade in our 2005 and try out both of the new ones!
Any other key points I've missed? What swayed the rest of you one way or another?
I test drove several Expeditions with the heated and cooled seats. The cooled seats were pretty nice. It isn't like sitting on an ice cube, but after the car has been running for 5 - 10 minutes (depending on external temp), you do feel a nice "coolness" on your back and bottom. It's welcome relief if you live in a hot climate. Note that it won't immediately cool your bottom on a 90 degree+ day when the car has been sitting in the sun. But give it a few minutes, and it will make you comfy.
Also note that the cooled seats have their own air filters that require periodic changing. No idea what those cost, but I believe you can get them through most auto parts stores and, of course, at Ford.
Here's some more info about those cooled seats in the Expy:
Keep Your Cool....And Perhaps Save Some Gas
And here's Part 2, an aftermarket solution.
On new stands, motor trend released a magazine comparin the el and the suburban and that might help. i dont wanna give the winner away but the winner won because of stringer acceleration, usuable cargo and people space and overalll capability
To those ends, we will be shutting down the general make/model discussions and work exclusively with specific issues. This requires us to populate the make/model subsections with relevant, interesting and timely topics. Rather than having the hosts simply create boilerplate topics for each make/model, we feel that you, the owner, the make/model enthusiast and the prospective buyer can best judge what those topics should be.
You can help by adding a discussion (it's easy!) or suggesting one here.
To add a discussion, click on the last link in the "You are here" line at the top of this page. That will take you to the topic page for this make/model. Review the list of topics and click on the "Add discussion" link when you've decided what topic you'd like to add. Follow the directions and you're done! Feel free to add more than one. Just avoid duplicating existing topics and try not to make it TOO specific!
Your help and continued participation in the Forums is greatly appreciated! Thanks.
He's at the dealership not and i'll report back soon!
-Cj