2K Ford Explorer Sport Trac's

ltlbgdg

jimz2,
Did I read you correctly? Your ST will be here in June with the tonneau cover? I ordered my ST late November and still no build date. You mean there may be a light at the end on the tunnel after all.

el88

(fordsportrac):I chose not to have the alarm when I bought my ST. I decided later to purchase the alarm thru the accessory catalog for about $200.00. The Ford parts dept told me that they are no longer selling the system 4 alarm but are upgrading with the system 6. When I had it installed by the dealer, I had nothing but problems with it arming and disarming. It seems it cannot be used with the orginal key fobs. They told me that they are going to order a new system.
any comments????

zack1000

My dealer took a credit card for my $500 deposit.

That makes sense about the power seats holding up everything. I ordered my ST without the Cloth Pkg and it arrived 5 1/2 weeks later, right on schedule. I think the cloth package is not a good deal anyway---an overhead console and a driver's power seat for $950?? Please. I like the Captain's chair's that I got better than the buckets anyway.

I never hear a mettallic noise from my ST at any speed either.

I got the standard passive alarm that comes with the Sport Trac--repeatedly sounds the horn. Keyless entry comes with the Conv. pkg. There's a panic but on the FOB to sound the alarm.

enduroridr

Has anyone seen the hard tonneau cover operate. I am wondering how difficult it is to remove when an open bed is desired? Are tools required? Does any of the tonneau securement hardware stay permanently mounted to the bed? Any insight is appreciated.

Pat Johnson

robb14

I am now the proud owner of a Sport Trac. I thought I would chime in and tell everyone about my experience. I ordered a fully loaded 4X4 on March 9th. I was able to sell my truck quicker than I anticipated and was bumming rides for a week (this got old quick). After 2 months with no build date, I started calling all the dealerships in my area looking for a Sport Trac similar to the one I ordered. At this point I was willing to be flexible on the color. I found a gold one (I wanted blue) and I called my dealer and told him that I was going to buy this one if he couldn't find one for me. This lit a fire under him and sure enough within the hour he found a deep wedgewood blue, fully loaded Sport Trac for me. I purchased with the A-plan for 2% under dealer invoice. I tell this story for some of the people that have been waiting forever for their order (since November?!?!). You've got to play hardball with these people to get what you want. Remember, these are car dealers and they are the ENEMY. I haven't met one who wouldn't sell out his grandmother for $10 bucks.

I have a couple of questions for the great people on this newsgroup, does anyone have any suggestions on the best place to get a bug deflector/ nose protector for the Sport Trac? Also, when you drive down the street, is everyone looking at you? I've had this vehicle for two weeks and am starting to get paranoid.

Robb.

ckpickup

I was wondering if any of the new ST owners had any negative comments about the ST ride quality?
I just read a review in the Toronto Star newspaper that describes the ride as follows:

"The Sport Trac's slightly longer frame is, however, sprung differently. Combined with with gigantic 255/70R16 Firestone Wilderness all-terrain tires, this machine bounced and bounded all over Toronto's under-maintained roads.

Stomping on the mushy brake pedal makes this beast pitch forward ferociously.

At least the four discs with ABS stop well.

The regular Explorer is much more poised.

Although the rack-and-pinion steering is weighted just right, this machine hated to change direction. Its tires would howl in protest and the body would heel over even in mild cornering."

I am seriously looking at ordering an ST in the near future, but until the finances are right, I keep my eye out on owner comments to make sure this is what I'm looking for.

The entire Toronto Star article can be read at:

http://www.thestar.com/thestar/editorial/wheels/20000513AUT13_WH-SPTRK.html

jsully

I was at the dealer last night and finally got a VIN number. Looks like mid June delivery, total time 3 months. I had canceled the tonneau cover after the first week. The dealer stated the tonneau cover is now on hold till November and actually may not be available till first quarter 2001. The problem is the center hinge leaks and they can't seem to fix it. At first they thought it would be acceptable to have water leak into the bed, after all it is a pickup truck bed. But most consumers would use the bed as a trunk and a water leak would not be acceptable. This tonneau may be scrapped and a one-piece cover hinged at the back of the cab may be the replacement.

fordnut

According to the article it was a 4x4 ST which may explain the ride quality. It also was driven on "under maintained roads" and as far as mushy brakes go, that could be because it has rear drums instead of discs as the Ford product literature states. This confused me too b/c I thought I had seen a ST with discs a few months ago. Does anyone know if there are splash/mud guards avail for the ST that are made by Ford?

jimz2

Enduroridr,

I hope they find a fix for the hinge leak & delivery for the tonneau cover, I'm sold on the design.

I've only seen pictures of the tonneau cover, the most detailed ones in the March issue of Car & Driver. This article shows the familiar closed position but also shows the back of the lid open, folded back onto the front, with the optional SMC divider across the wheel wells to create (2) 4'wide x 2'long locker compartments. I expect to leave the cargo cage in the forward position to act as a divider & storage for the unit but we'll see.

The C&D picture shows/suggests the following about the tonneau cover:
* The bed has (4) fixed door jamb type pins that protrude in by an inch or two.
* The cover has (4) door type latches facing down, the rear two appear to be connected by a cable & actuated by twisting the center rear handle.
* The front two latches I suspect are independently controlled by the front left & right handles.
* I'm not sure where the locking mechanism interfaces but I suspect it's part of the tailgate lock.

The folding design would allow it to be on full time & stashed in the bed when required. At 70lbs, folded in half would be much easier to move & store. I'll be looking at the feasibility of adding bike mounting cleats & strap points to the top of the cover. It would not only be convenient & out of harms way from overpasses etc, but look bitchin too.

geepsy

I think all "proud owners" should wear a funny hat or something...and Robb Thanks for the morning giggles..spilled my coffee AND had to run to the BR! Okay..now that I have regained my composure..I am wondering how the deposit bit goes..I was asked to "c'mon down" and bring 300$" so's we can get this thing ordered for ya"..My concerns are...time I may have to wait.On a previous trip to the dealer One young man gave me copies of "orders" and they were dated november...dealership is small...every visit I make..some fool tries to sell me a 2 door explorer and tells me that an ST is too much truck for "lil ol me" ANYWAY..besides the fact they are trying to stick me with a possible lemon..I am wondering if I should do my financing first ..and what about the 96 Taurus I may use as trade in...can I change my mind..I hate to ask "them" (since they are the enemy"...Help? This dealership is very small..but he has 2 in this county..which is actually just a rest stop off the Interstate 5 in the wild west here...
ALSO..I have seen salesmen driving the 2 st's here, to and from work..and one guy lives in the boonies...call me silly BUT I don't want anyone bit ME driving my car...
ALSO ..ROBB...next time someone stares..take a peek in the mirror and check areas in and around the nostrils...hope I was of help to you...Peace

craig002

I have had my 4x4 with a 4.1 ltd. slip for two weeks. I have experienced some of the mirror (wind) noise. Also noted that when close to a curb, you can hear the "metallic noise" discussed earlier, caused by the slotted wheels. I like the way the ST handles. It is stiff and rides like a 4x4 should. Toronto newspaper people must prefer the Lincoln Town Car (Barcalounger)road manners. I was hoping my gas mileage would be better. So far, I have been averaging 15.5 miles per gallon in city driving. All in all, it was worth the wait. And yes, people are looking.

robb14

Hey dude, my advice to you would be to go down to the dealer with no more than $100 dollars. I gave them a check for this amount to order my Sport Trac and they just stuck it in a folder and never cashed it. There is no reason you should have to give them $300 dollars to order a car you may not see until November. Negotiate the price of the Sport Trac as close to dealer invoice as you can and get it in writing. Do like I did and use the time you are waiting for the truck to come in to sell your old vehicle. When it gets close to delivery time, shop around for interest rates to compare with what the dealer offers. If you haven't sold your car by then, you can negotiate your trade-in price. Say NO to all aftermarket add-ons like "appearance packages." Instead of getting the "extended service plan," take the $1000 dollars it would have cost and put it in an interest bearing account. After your initial warranty runs out, use this for unexpected repairs. If the dealers have been driving the vehicle you want to buy, tell them you want a high mileage discount. Also, don't let them put their dealer sticker on the back of your car unless they want to pay you for advertising. You're not driving a billboard. Stick to your guns and remember that car salesmen are inherently evil and everything that comes out of their mouths are lies and half-truths.

Hope this helps. Robb.

PS. My nose is clean, it must be my rugged good looks!

rschfamily

Hey ST fan out there ... just wanted to share my good news. I ordered my 4x2 ST on April 4th, was given a build date of 5/15-22 w/ expected delivery first week of June. Well guess what? Got a call this morning that my ST came in last night. Only bummer is I have to wait a couple of days to get a check cut as it came in sooner than expected. So miracles do happen!
Regards to all out there for the great advice.

fordnut

I called a dealer and Ford after they gave me a number to give the dealer which designates me as a X-plan participant and guess what? I can't use it on the ST or F-150 Supercrew. That bites!!! I don't qualify for the A-plan, so what should I do?
I belong to a large Credit Union (Motorola) and to Sam's club and they both offer buying services, but many dealers say those plans are also not being honored on the HOT selling SUV.

proudpop

What's the A-Plan and x-plan?

geepsy

Hey Robb, thanks for the pep talk..sounds good..now all I need is a shot of testosterone to go with it! May I ask where you purchased you ST? There may be some testosterone still floating around that dealership...: ) Peace

gpd22

Well...I haven't sent a message in several weeks, but I finally received my ship-to date from Ford today. Just to recap...I ordered on 30 March...received build date of 22 May on 20 Apr...and received delivery date of 6-12 June, today. I ordered from a small dealer, but I called Ford and the dealer at least once a week for updates. I've read several post about VIN numbers and dealers ordering the wrong items. After you have placed the order, you can call Ford customer service for all the required information--options ordered, VIN #, build date, and ship date. If I could order on-line and have the car shipped to my doorstep, all I would need from the dealer is to fix the warrantied items.

zack1000

enduroridr--

Here is the tonneau cover removal procedure described in the owner's manual.

1. Unlock the front and rear panels
2. Fold the rear panel on top of the front panel.
3. Pull the release levers on the underside of the tonneau cover from the pickup box and remove the cover.

Simple as that.

Accessories---for those who were asking about accessories specifically, bug deflector/ nose
protector and splash/mud guards, Ford has all of these items in the catalog that I received with my director's chairs. I'm listing the part numbers below in case you or your dealer do not have a catalog:

Sport Hood Cover: 19A414
Full Front End Cover: 19A414
Wraparound Bug Shield: 16C900
Molded Splash Guards: 16A550 (Late availability for Sport Trac)

tchapman1

Hello ST people....I have been reading every post here over the last month or so. I would like to say thanks for everything that I have learned about the ST and the trials of trying to get one. Everything I read here I have been taking to the dealership and asking them "whats up?". So far the info has been right on track. I ordered a ST on 04/24/00 and now have a build date of 05/29/00 with an expected delivery of mid June...Can't wait!

I will be towing a boat and would like to hear how the ST is doing in this arena. If you have any real time data please respond.

Thanx

fordnut

gpd22,
Don't worry, that day will be here sooner than you think! Dealers are mostly repair shops today anyway, but they still want to gouge the uninformed public on hot vehicles like the ST, F-150 Supercrew, and the Dodge PT.

rb125

For those who were asking about accessories, go to site #75....$39.00 each. Ford is $60.00 and up.

jcraigc

Found out this week that my ST has been scheduled for build on 5/29 - 6/5. Its a 4x2, red, tan leather, sport group, limited slip, moonroof, & cargo cage. Ordered on 4/24. Don't have a ship date yet, but dealer estimates mid June! I can't wait!! I intend to replace the stereo with an aftermarket brand... anybody know if the stereo opening is a full double-din?

jcaustin

I too have followed this discussion group for about a month, thanks to all who shared their experiences. Here's what I ordered today:
Wedgewood Blue w/ Graphite interior
Leather
Moonroof
Sports Pkg
Radio Pkg
Cargo Cage
Limited Slip
Convenience Grp
$28 for gas
$65 for doc
$575 for Dest & Delivery
My total (w/o tt&l) $24,962
I worked with Colin Moultis at Lief Johnson Ford in Austin, TX via e-mails (ljford@mail.io.com www.liefjohnsonford.com)

jimz2

Jcraigc,

The ST radio is a full double din.
Cruthfield offers the 6 disc upgrade under the Visteon brand name.
http://www.crutchfield.COM/cgi-bin/S-7lJUbPhar8c/ProdView.asp?s=0&c=3&g=300&I=576CD6&o=M&a=0

mikeysmom

It's been a week since we drove our ST off the dealer's lot and we LOVE it. I'm a little jealous that my husband gets to drive it more than I do, but it is HIS truck. People are staring at us all of the time. Sometimes it's a little weird. Anyway, I don't understand why some dealers are charging for gas. We got a full tank free of charge. All of the new vehicles I have ever purchased always came with a full tank of gas - free. It was a courtesy that the dealership gave to me. With regard to the wind noise, I have heard it a little when driving on the highway, but I expected to hear some noise, it's not a Lexus. Also, we got the cloth comfort group and I am glad we did, the seats are very comfortable and our children can see alot better than if we had just gotten the captain's seats. I'm looking forward to getting our little package from Ford. I will be ordering the bug shield for the front and the soft cover. There's a ST in our neighborhood (Island Blue) with the bug shield. It looks really good.

fordnut

mikeysmom,
Can you or anyone else explain the dimensional differences between the two seats?
Thanks

ford1960fe

Purchased a 4 X 4 Trac two days ago from a local dealer. Harvest Gold w/ medium prairie tan interior. Moonroof, premium sport group, convenience group, cloth comfort group.
Cargo cage and molded mudflaps on order. Traded in an F-150 4 x4 XLT supercab. After the first visual contact with the S T I knew I was hooked and not getting another F-150. Been watching this site for the past month and really enjoy all the comments, they do help with what to watch out for. My observations so far: wind noise is a bit
louder than I'm accustomed to at 55 + mph but really not that bad; so far didn't spot any leaks from the moonroof and it's been pouring here in NE Pa off and on since the S T was taken home; ride on some roads is a bit, "quirky" but not bad.
I think the F-150 may have rode better but I consider the longer wheelbase and width. I found the ride similiar or better than a 2000 four door Explorer; handles great, I think it's responsive; single play CD sounds much better than the sound system I had in my F-150 and in our Volvo; seats, comfortable and I really like the cloth, glad I didn't pursue the leather; like the floor mats a ton; DON'T LIKE the fact than when you engage drive and move out, all doors lock automatically. When you get out only the drivers door unlocks so I have to get in the habit of hitting the unlock button; engine is noisier than my 4.6 ltr V8, will live with that; unless I missed it somewhere, we wish we had a switch-off for the passenger air bag; I think it got titled as a truck (hmmm, I have to look into this). Will probably order lockable tonneau cover
and cross bars for roof rack. Wanted to order skid plates as code 87K read for the 4 x 4 but the dealer parts guy said he has no listing. The stainless plates from the Ranger may fit, looking into it. Anyway, we like it and glad we got it.
Some friends at work think it's as "ugly" as my '60 Ford (full-size). Gee, I didn't think it was ugly either. Keep you all posted on it....m

jimz2

Ford1960fe,

I'm not a big fan of automatic door locks either. I asked the dealer in February about that function & he claimed that it could be dissabled by reprogramming with the remote key fob. Could there be any truth there?

Anybody know how my last response got hidden?
It read fine at first.

rjkunkle

put in your 5 digit code on the door pad. Then press and hold 7/8 button and push and release 3/4 button. Horn will blow once for disable or 2 times for enable. It is in the manual.

fordsporttrac

I asked the same question about the Air bag switch in a previous post. The answer given was

If the vehicle has a full size rear seat, (not Jumper seats, ect) it is against the law to have a disable switch.

litower

Does anyone know the specifics on the A-Plan? I know you have to have a direct relative working for Ford but do you know how much is taken off? And is it a flat percent or does it depend on the Ford/Mercury/Lincoln being purchased. I'd go for the Sport Trac, of course. And thank you very much to everybody who puts their experiences in here, it really is a tremendous help.

quark99

When I worked for Ford Aerospace (10 yrs ago)
the A-plan meant you paid $50 over dealer's cost, no if, ands, or butts....and it was limited to grandson, son, (person) father, grandfather
(same in female gender)
No other relatives qualified...
I like the ST...in my rearview mirror where it inevitably belongs...The ST is slower, worse handling, hauls less, worse gas mileage, costlier and uglier than the Dakota QC...pay a few k more and get a Supercrew....

mikeysmom

fordnut
I don't know the exact dimensions of the two different seats, but do know that the cloth seats are lower than the captains chairs and offer a moving head rest. I sat in both and felt that the cloth seats were more comfortable and wider than the captain's chairs. But that is only my opinion.

traction

Ordered on 3/22 and had a build date for scheduled for the week of 5/29. However, a unit came in that had the same color and options as my order (except leather) so I took that one instead.

It is a Black/Graphite 4x2 with Comfort/Sport/Limited Slip/Cargo cage/6 disc.

The ride is great compared to the 4 door Explorer and much better than the Ranger in my opinion.

Gonna try out the CD-ROM that came with it now......

traction

New ST owners, don't forget to register your VIN at

http://www.ownerconnection.com/

you might get something free in the mail

traction

Has anyone installed a garage door opener into the overhead console? I was wondering what you're supposed to do with the storage clip. The owners manual (page 54) shows you pulling that storage clip out of the flip down door, but then what do you do with it?

ziggy18

Quark99,

Thanks for the A-Plan response.
I won't waste much time convincing such a proud Dakota Quad Cab owner like yourself that other options exist.

PS. Your oil filter is calling for you.

Other Readers:
To get in on the joke check Quark's 169 & 290 posts on the Dodge Dakota Crew Cab - III forum.

tl565

The Auto Door Lock feature can be disabled if you like. The procedure is spelled out in the owners manual on page 78.

scoot99

I had my first test drive today. It was a black, with cloth comfort/prem. sport/convenience group/and it had a cargo cage. Thought that the ride was great! much better than a 4-door explorer, and much better than my 96 ranger. Just went lookin though, no buy. The dealer also had on the lot two harvest gold---->had leather; and an oxford white---> cloth comfort. All are 4x4's This dealer has had overall about 8 ST's all have been 4x4's and all have had the cargo cage. So IMHO as far as not getting these types or a long wait, I don't think so. I live in NE PA, so I can't say much for the rest of the country. Well I don't plan on buying it till september, so I hope Interest rates come down between now and then!!!

mikeysmom

While watching the Winston last night on TNN I saw the first TV ad for the ST it was okay. They could have shown more close ups but it was cool to see that Ford is finally advertising.

jpfeiffer

As a ford employee I receive A-plan priceing.
A-plan is supposed to be 3% under invoive. No
dealer fees or ad ons. I just got my st last
week. The MSRP was $27,980. I paid $24,108+tax
($1446)and license($30).

PS. I work at the Kentucky Truck plant were we make the super duty and excursion. My dad works at Louisville Assembly were they make the ST.
GO FORD!

See ya,

Jim

jpfeiffer

As a ford employee I receive A-plan priceing.
A-plan is supposed to be 3% under invoive. No
dealer fees or ad ons. I just got my st last
week. The MSRP was $27,980. I paid $24,108+tax
($1446)and license($30).

PS. I work at the Kentucky Truck plant were we make the super duty and excursion. My dad works at Louisville Assembly were they make the ST.
GO FORD!

See ya,

Jim

ziggy18

Quark,
That's quite a wide range of vehicle choices you've owned/own.
The Dakota QC & ST match up tight for bragging rights of best in class, truth is, depending on your application & option package they're both top dawgs. GM's entry with the 2001 S-10/Sonoma CC may prove to be a contender, but for me love starts with beauty & the previews of these don't get my heart pumping.

Chevy's 2001 Avalanche looks like a hot little, I mean big number with more than enough styling flair (they're bound to settle down the look a bit for production). Gas prices being what they are, the Avalanche lost some appeal with me when its lineage was revealed, the Suburban, a great vehicle in its class, but way too big for what I want to drive & feed.

The standard equipment list of the ST was a huge factor in my choice over other vehicles, including the 4 door Explorer I almost bought last year. Following up with your Ranger 4.0 engine note, the SOHC engine & automatic (required for that engine) were must a have (50 HP gain for no loss of gas mileage over the pushrod V6) but added about $1500 to the price of last year's Explorer. Similarly though most Dakota owners will likely opt for the 4.7 V8 over the standard 175 HP pushrod V6.
The base price of the QC is lower than the ST but if you add all the ST's standard equipment to the QC it's neck & neck. I'm sure they'll both be great vehicles.
Happy Motoring

jimz2

OK, I watched "Planes, Trains & Automobiles" one time too many.
Radio Options besides Ford's (or Crutchfield's) optional 6 disc changer: Pioneer & others have some very interesting options for a double din system without or with less outboard devices. Pioneer offers two cassette/Radio/single CD/Amp integrated options with pre-outs for a sub woofer (FH-P404 & FH-P8800).
Pioneer's HOT setup includes:
(1) CDX-PD6 Single Din in dash 6 disc CD changer
(1) Standard Pioneer Cassette or CD Receiver (with CD control)
(1) CD-VC60 Voice Commander (no cassette models are listed as voice controllable)
http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/car/cd-vc60.htm

I'll most likely transplant my current system into the ST when I get it.
Kenwood cassette head unit
Kenwood 10 disc changer
Sound Control plate EQ
Soundstream 5 channel amp
Boston Pro series component speakers

Which leads me to loving Ford for the design of the folding rear seats. The ST's back seat backrests folding down rather than the Dakota QC's cushion folding up should work better for me.
The ST's seat cushion drops a bit when folded but still leaves some room for stereo stuff without getting in the way of cargo.
Other advantages to me include the nifty storage lockers behind the seat & a wider cargo platform than if the cushions were to fold up.

General Cargo Comments:
Ford's marketing of the ST as an Explorer rather than a Ranger QC was smart, upscale standard option pack & more like an Explorer with something more rather than a Ranger with a cheated bed.
Maximizing the bed on any pick-up, SUV or anything in between can be done with a Class III receiver hitch & the right type of accessories.
Several companies including JC Whitney & http://www.hitchhand.com/features.html
offer an extension arms that not only stretch the usable length of the bed but provide a securing point as well. Anyone who read my kayak post can see how dear that is to me. I'm lucky no one got hurt in that mishap. At $75 to $200 these devices would be good peace of mind that you're ready for anything.

fordsporttrac

I think I have my first real problem. The gear box will NOT shift into 4WL. It works in 2WH and 4WH but not 4WL. I'm not sure if I need to do any other functions than flip the switch on the dash but I don't think so. I need to check my owners manual.

I never tried 4WL until now it and the Tec at Ford had the dash open when they installed the alarm so he may have caused a loose wire.

Anyone else have 4WL problems?

scoot99

In previous expolorers, in order to switch into 4wl, you need to be in neutral, and hit the brake and release, then switch to 4wl. put back into drive, and hit the brake and release. Also don't forget to check the owners manual!!

tl565

You do not need to be in neutral to switch to 4L but you DO need to be stopped. If the vehicle is moving it will not go into 4L. It takes a few secs to switch into 4L.

michial

Just bought ST on sunday, love it so far. Have gone 50 miles and already used 1/4 tank..i do miss the honda. I paid 28101, feel pretty good about it, did i get taken?

rgt3000

How did you obtain the VIN number and the build date for your sport trac? I have ordered my ST, but would like to find out when I can expect to see the car since I want to sell my Jeep outright.

ckpickup

Another review of the ST can be found at:

http://www.pickuptruck.com/html/reviews/2001/ford/est.html

This guy took the 4X4 version off-road and has some comments about that experience as well. I think that's the only first-hand review of the ST's off-road characteristics that I've read.