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No, but funny how such rumors would spread. This rumor might have come because the some of the transmissions (for the V6) are built in France, while the engine is built in Cologne Germany. As for the front end, it's designed specifically for Ford, and not designed by anyone else or used anywhere else for that matter.
As it is, and comparison (depending how much you might know about front ends), Renault doesn't even build anything remotely that could accomodate an Explorer type of front end.
Or the french remark could have come out because Ford in a joint venture with Peugeot share design and manufacturing of a diesel engine used in various Ford of Europe products.
You might have a french part here and there, but it's not the whole front end for that matter.
Maybe he had a personal agenda of his own against the french maybe ? I mean, I ticked off a jewish acquaintence once when she boasted she only bought american, etc.etc and I mentioned to her, that her Explorer's engine was built in Cologne Germany... That car only lasted 2 more months in her driveway after I told her that...
C'mon. You wanted a new vehicle and this relatively minor repair was a great excuse to splurge for one. I don't like out of warranty repairs either, but in the big scheme of car ownership, this was a molehole that you made a mountain out of.
"National Back Order". The grinding was getting worst by the day and since My wife used that car to get to work; I needed it fixed and in a reasonably quick time. Sure, I like a new car as well as the next guy; but given the situation as stated, what would you have done?
I would have worked at managing the problem instead of knee-jerk throwing big money at it. This is a manageable smallish problem that was really more of a nusance than a problem.
For instance, any decent repair shop/dealer understands that sometimes things like this happen and they often can be creative. Maybe they could get a used part, even if only temporary, from a junk yard. Or maybe they needed to hunt better for the part. Certainly SOME dealer SOMEWHERE (with the huge volume of Ford dealers over this great land) has that part in inventory for FEDEX to you. Or maybe a call from you direct to a Ford zone rep could have gotten some result.
I just can't buy that something like a wheel bearing was so rare and caused so much uncertainty that it was worth buying a new car. Decision-making processes like that destroy wealth and certainly prevent the accumulation of wealth. I hate uncertainty too, but I have learned that living with a reasonable amount of it pays big rewards versus always needing certainty.
Sorry to beat you up but you asked what I would do...so I answered and explained why.
There have been fantastic claims on mpg on this forum. HOWEVER, for the V6 expect REAL WORLD of 14-15 city/20Hwy (if you keep it at 70mph or below on the highway). The V8 mpg is about one mile-per-gallon difference.
My wife's uncle says their Explorer (same set up as our Mountaineer) gets 25 mpg...12 in town and 13 on the highway. :P Actually I believe they get about the same mileage or a little better than we do, but Aunt Ruth drives a little farther to get to work each day than we do.
Chuck is exactly right about speed. Get up to around 80 and it gets ugly in a hurry. I've never taken a long trip in the Mtneer that didn't include some interstate. I think on a good, somewhat level road I might could squeeze a little more mileage out of ours if I held it below 65.
A couple of other points I would make about our Mountaineer is that it gets better mileage if you set the cruise, and interestingly, we don't get any better mileage, city or highway, by petting it, easing off from a dead stop, accelerating downhill and coasting up, etc.
Hope that helps a little.
i live in the northeast which has a lot of hills.
there is a point on hills, where going too slow will cause a downshift, which will cut your mileage. i hate downshifts.
Must be the "Northeaster" blowing your car down the highway if mpg doesn't suffer after 70 mph!
I only wish the new Explorer and other new Fords, for all that they cost, had seats with real coil springs, at least as an option.
As for resale value, I remember posting here about the dismal resale value of my 2002 Mountaineer V8, with almost 100,000 miles. I still can not think of something better I could have bought in mid-2001, and the Mountaineer, although rougher and noiser than I liked (things fixed in the 2006 version) was highly reliable after a few initial build defects were quickly fixed.
There are way more out there than there is a demand for.
Also the Explorer expecially prior to the 06 model had the most incentive money of any new Ford. Every time Ford throws out a rebate or a sweetheart lease deal, your truck gets depreciated.
The good news is that Ford is trying to end doing business this way, and will idle 1 Explorer pant to bring supply more in line with demand.
Mark.
Also, once the Freestyle has the 3.5 V6, new six speed automatic, and revised front styling, who but people towing will need an Explorer?
Even the people towing could just as easily buy an Expedition, or a new Tahoe / Yukon with cylinder shut off which allows them to achieve the same mileage ratings as the smaller Explorer.
The door handle is going to be fixed for the 07 model year by adding a cup to the arm rest.
This obvious solution should have been in place from the get go.
I hope the person that screwd it up is one of the peeps getting the AXE!
Mark
Let's not forget that the (exterior) styling made no major inroads in the redesign for '06. Look at the new Yukon and Tahoes... much improved. And isn't the Freestyle going over to Mercury and will be discontinued as a Ford? It's too bad about the layoffs that are coming. But if they built more of cars and trucks that people would want to buy ...they would be OK. You can't carry the company the size of Ford with the Mustang and F150. The 500 is a joke and the Fusion isn't good enough to go up against the Accord and the new redesigned Camry!
exterior styling is not reason the explorer is not selling.
the door handles are not it either.
general bashing posts are obvious for their lack of thought.
Some people prefer riding higher, or having a higher ground clearance. I was able to talk my mother down from a Navi, to a '06 Mountaineer...and not because I used the fuel issue, but more like "HEY, dad has a Navi, do you REALLY want to have twin vehicles? Isn't that unimaginative and tacky"... And I won that war.
And in her case, she didn't like the lower feeling of the FS. And when she's PMS-ing, she'll throw the car over curbs/sidewalks...and not wait for curb cuts. So considering how she abused the vehicles, the FS wouldn't have been best suited for her.
personally, i'd rather have an explorer.
But, then again, when Cadillac sold millions of vehicles, some fool came out with the V8-6-4, and it failed from the release date...I can understand if it failed in 24 or 30K miles, but it was a botch job from the get-go...didn't anyone try driving the vehicles prior to release???
Which is why the US makers have a "well earned" reputation for designing vehicles and letting the buyers work out the kinks...which creates millions of disgruntled buyers who become loyal toyota and Honda buyers, never to step in a US maker showroom for the next 50 years...plus their children, who are warned not to buy American...
You have said this very well, and I may add that the Unions have not helped matters at all.
Buying American Cars: What Does It Mean?
Steve, Host
However, Ford can no longer afford mistakes such as the door handles. I wonder why they don't find a way to obtain feedback from people on forumns such as this before they finalize new vehicle designs? Besides being able to easily identify problems such as the bad door handles, who here would not want to see and comment on pre-production designs (after signing a confidentiality agreement with teeth)?
Maybe Ford could stretch their investment by also using the Explorer's independent rear suspension on the Crown Victoria / Grand Marquis / Town Car?
The suspension of the Explorer cannot integrate with the Crown Vic, the mounting towers, structs, overall structure/assemble doesn't make it a viable option, although it has crossed peoples mind. The same with the "Why not just make the CV/GM/TV built on the Explorer platform (a' la 500/FS)", but overall that's not possible.
The door handles with the solution which takes side impact in emphansize. There's a large styrofoam piece behind the handle assembly, which helps absorb impact to the hip area. The governments crashed testing just gained the Explorer perfect 5 stars all around including side impact.
For the redesigned handle, most probably the door panel will protude a bit more towards the seat, or the styrofoam block be replaced with something else.
Ironically, for years Ford had a closing "Strap" in the 80's Cougars, Mark8, etc where the "strap" was located 10 inches north of the actual door release mechanism. Guess it wasn't an issue then, but it is now. Although I agree, it's not intuitive for many people.
It's just like my issue with Honda switchgear which many lacks nighttime illumination, and sunroof button is NOT where it should be yet hidden behind the steering wheel.
This obvious solution should have been in place from the get go.
I hope the person that screwd it up is one of the peeps getting the AXE!<
It was a female designer who came up with the "really cute" door handles you can't find. I want the guy who approved the design to get the AXE!
I certainly agree that both the designer and the ones who approved the door handles need to be let go, and everyone else told why they were fired so they get the message to avoid such nonsense.
You know, the same thing happened on the Taurus of old. The original 86 Taurus had probably the most functionally designed interior in history, which is what sold me on the car. Everything was in sight, in reach, and easy to operate on the dash, and was pleasing to look at as well. When I got my first 89 Taurus though, they had redesigned the interior, and made it all just a little worse. Just for the sake of "freshening", they tweaked it all, but the window buttons were not positioned as well, and the dash, while still good looking, was not as ergonomic, etc..... In my opinion, they should have changed the color or something, and left the best design ever, pretty much intact for the life of the car. And of course, today's Taurus, while a good running car, is just a mere shadow of the original design. The seats feel cheap, they used to be world class in the original, the whole car feels cheap. It's tragic. Besides, the Fusion should carry the Taurus name on. It would have revived a world champion.
Also agreed on the old Taurus. It was a most impressive design which should have been appropriated updated and enhanced, instead of being destroyed by an attack of some sort of oval virus. If they had to try ovals, they could have done it to the Sable and left the Taurus alone. Had they not grown complacent due to the profits from sales of the Explorer and Expedition, the Taurus might today have the same market position and same sales volume as the Camry.
Yes, Ford and the other car makers are all giving their so-called designers way too much power. That is where I think they need more input from people such as you and me. It does seem that they often change things just to be different, or to be cheaper and hope that nobody notices. Of course, people always notice.
Even though it is obvious, I was reminded today why fuel costs are having such a significant impact on sales of the Explorer. Having not been dependent on consumer debt for so long, I had forgotten that what seems like trivial differences in fuel costs may make the difference between breaking even or going negative every month for the people who live on the edge and in debt. They will switch to a vehicle with lower fuel costs, but keep the same payment.
Hope that helps.
My daughter gets car sick and rear air has been a lifesaver. I won't buy a big SUV without it. Again, so what is the current situation with that on the Mountaineer?
new driver in family, local driving mileage drops below a bit below 14. the 3rd row and turning radius cannot be beat.