By accessing this website, you acknowledge that Edmunds and its third party business partners may use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to collect information about you and your interactions with the website as described in our
Privacy Statement, and you agree that your use of the website is subject to our
Visitor Agreement.
Comments
My old 4Runner never required this so I wasn't expecting Neutral. I did try park but.... :-)Oh well, I need more RTFM.
The article says that according to inside sources, that Ford is having significant problems with this tranny, which might delay or even kill the program.
By the way, Blue Oval News generally seems to be a good source of inside Ford info.
*****Wondering about Jimz2 post******
Who told you the top would come with the vehical when delivered? What facts did he have that I can't seem to get out here in Vegas?
****Interested in post of jpfeiffer******
Your Dad works at ford building the Sporty! Hey how about asking him if and when the sporty will be delivered with the tonneau top.
btw, i've got a red sport trac on order. is the red as good looking as it show in print?
My dealer insists that my ST's build date with the hard tonneau cover is June 5th. Skepticism of my dealer's date is on the rise based on posts from yourself, ltlbgdg & jsully about your dealer's comments. I'll have him to recheck the numbers tomorrow.
jss7,
Ford's Web specs have the following comment:
"4.0L SOHC engine w/5-speed manual O/D transmission (late availability)(becomes standard powertrain when available and automatic transmission is optional)"
Ford's towing rating chart typically lists significantly lower weights for current vehicles with manual trans. Some manual transmissions (2000 Explorer) are only available with the base engine. At the same time, larger engines & 4 wheel drive can lower ratings due to increased vehicle weight.
Acceleration: Car & Driver, March 2000 speculates that the manual trans should cut "at least a half-second" off the 8.5 to 9.3 sec 0-60 times they measured.
interior, 4x4, convenience group, leather comfort,
sport package, 6 disc changer and moon roof. So far no problems including no leaks with the moonroof. Open the roof and put the back window down eliminates the need for A/C except on extremely hot days. Only down side is the gas mileage, which has been between 15 - 16. Don't know if it is because of the 4:10 rear end or not.
I have noticed that various people talk about getting free gifts from Ford, such as chairs, etc. How do you get these? I am also interested in getting a receiver type hitch, what type is best for this truck? I ordered a AVS Bud Shield II deflector for the front. It had to be special ordered due to the new front end design.
I'm keeping my finger's crossed....
http://www.ownerconnection.com
The soft tonneau cover base part number is 99501A42.
So basically, the Explorer name is the umbrella that the regular, Sport, and Sport Trac fall under. They are all built on the same platform and at the same factory.
tl565--I understand what your saying about the same platform, but at the same time doesnt the Explorer say: Explorer XL or XLT, and the Explorer Sport says Sport? So even thought they are under the same umbrella they say what they are. Not to argue...was just wondering. Thanks.
Picked up my red 4x2 last night and it really is a nice combination ... had not seen the gray leather until then and it's a nice darker shade. I need your advice on some things...
1)Does anyone remember the information on how to order a bike rack? Or the receiver type hitch?
2) I had purchase a "Club" for the ST .. but my salesman says it's a waste of $$ with the anti-theft device that's installed on the key. What do you think?
3) Bummer ... on the upgraded package you don't get the nylon/removable fanny pack insert.
4) Noticed only two minor defects .. one paint "spit" in a door well and the other is a loose piece of molding which the dealer can fix later.
As always, thanks for your collective wisdom and wit. Good day!
We got our VIN# and build date on 4/13. The build date was between May 8-15. Delivery was estimated May 22-May 31. I called yesterday and it is due to arrive today and we will pick it up tomorrow afternoon.
thx, jcr
There are a handful of bike racks available for receiver hitches. I've had 3 years of reliable service from my "Xport" rack available from www.performancebike.com
They come in two, three & four bike units & break down to a $50 per bike cost.
Hidden Hitch, one distribution source link is: http://www.truckaddons.com/Catalog/ford/FordSUVMain.htm
jcroach,
In a turn, the limited slip differential allows the outside wheels to compensate for the additional distance they travel compared to the inside wheels. Therefore translates to better handling in corners.
Axle Ratios:
Curiosity got the better of me about the axle ratios & tire size factor in the equation.
Std P235/75R15 Tires net a 90.72" circumference.
Sport Group Tires P255/70R16 net 94.42" cir.
This increased tire distance per revolution with the 4.10 axle translates to an effective 3.93 axle final ratio with relation to the 3.73 axle/15" tire combination.
With equal tires, RPMs at a given speed & gear for the 4.10 axle would be about 10% higher than the 3.73. The tire size factor for these two cases cuts the difference to about 5%.
www.saveaload.com
The silver bar can be a stand alone cargo bar to secure items in the bed. You can also attach bike carrier adapters and wheel adapters to it, and it effectively becomes a bike bar/rack. I went to a local dealer and ended up saving $25 from the prices listed on the website. At the end, you pay less than the bike bar offered through the Ford Outfitter accessories catalog, and you get more.
I had the opportunity to use it a couple of times, and I must say that it's an innovative tool. It'll also come in handy when I move in a few weeks. Check it out.
The vehicle will be more stable too when driving on wet roads, will be less likely to fish tail when accelerating from a stop of around a corner.
Limites Slip is a MUST HAVE option, even for people in sunny climates who never drive off road.
Everyone have a great weekend and thanks again.
I also commented about this in earlier posting re: my 2001 Sport (not an ST).
'Pathetic' is a good description of this wacko idea.
Another web site for the Ford Outfitters info is:
http://www.fordvehicles.com/outfitters/
http://www.icollection.com/stores/default.asp?Dept=999&PDept=0&ST=0&ProdId=&Form=D&dlr%5Fid=
The most interesting thing is how many people stare at it. I drove thru a supermarket parking lot and a guy stopped dead in his tracks, stared at the vehicle while I passed him, then turned around and watched me drive away. He was stopped for about a minute staring at the ST before he started walking again..
Then, on the freeway I guy in the passenger seat of a BMW 3 series, did a double take as he cam along side me, then cranked his head all the way around and stared out the back window at the ST.
To fix the roof the dealer struggled with the 4 drain hoses that leave the moon roof. They ended up putting hose clamps on the tubes, so they would not leak. So far so good!
I'll let everyone know what they tell me, if it's interesting.
Thanks to the web, I found the same truck at a larger dealer across town (black exterior instead of blue--okay with me). So I went to my dealer and asked him to do a dealer trade for it. After some back-and-forth about pricing (we did the original deal at invoice and he said he didn't get the holdback on a dealer trade--don't know if that's b.s. or not), he agreed. I'm paying an extra $500 (well, my company is) to do the deal this way--invoice + $500 still seems pretty good and since the money isn't out of my pocket... I pick it up later today--can't wait!
Advice: I called my dealer and Ford weekly beginning in May. It's easy for them to throw their hands up and tell you to be patient over the phone. When I stopped by the dealership yesterday and engaged my salesman and his manager in person (keeping them from new customers), the conversation was totally different. I'm not sure you have to view the dealer as the "enemy" as noted in earlier posts, but it doesn't hurt to show you face once in a while (or just once).
Thanks for everyone's input for the past couple of months--I feel like I've been in a support group. (Step one is admitting you want a SportTrac!)
In any case, there were a couple of disappointments, although quite understandable since the ST is truly an athletic vehicle. We had read in several places that when the the leather group is ordered you also get 6-way power passenger seats. Don't ask me where we saw that but we both saw it. We are used to having all the bells and whistles since our current '95 Explorer has everything. The autolamps would be a nice feature as well as double cup holders in the front. I realize that the ash tray (that we don't use) can be used for that. A lighted mirror would also be nice although this isn't a luxury SUV. A few other nitpicky things could have been better BUT, the vehicle is STILL FANTASTIC! It will be interesting to see what Ford engineers do for the ST in the future. I'm just the kind of person who will even attempt to criticize perfection so I'm rather particular. A pain in $#@!(?! might be a more accurate description! All in all, the vehicle will serve it's purpose well for hauling our beach gear, fishing gear, plants from the nursery, 4 adults comfortably, maybe a kid or two(hmmm??), and perhaps a boat not too far in future. Once again, Ford did a fantastic job engineering this vehicle. I have to give kudos to our sales guy who was very patient and most PLEASANT during this entire process. We could have purchased the vehicle from another dealer at $98 over invoice; however, we had dealt with their service dept. on many ocassions and were too often disappointed. So, we stuck with our original contact and paid only 2% over invoice which we felt was a VERY fair deal for all parties involved. FYI, anyone living in Charleston, SC and are interested in any Ford vehicle, call MIKE ROOT at JONES FORD in North Charleston. He is truly a genuine person who lacks those attributes that most people can't stand in a car sales person. I've gone on long enough about this silly vehicle ;-) Good luck to the rest of you with your purchases! It will be worth the wait and who really cares how long you have to wait if you really like what you've ordered?