I am close to going to the dealer to order a 2002 Escape XLT. I was wondering whether I should wait a bit to see if Ford will be offering any rebates/incentives to help spur sales given the way the economy is slowing? Anybody hear anything about possible rebates??
I have a problem with one of my headlights. It rained recently and the water got into the headlight fogging it up. It appears to have leaked through the top of the light where there is the black sealer bead runs behind the lens, they missed a spot in my opinion. I consider this a defect, would this be covered in warranty? Love the escape and getting 22mpg avg as of late and 11K miles.
evets50. Don't know where you live, but around here you are lucky if you can find an Escape on any of the 6 close Ford Dealers lots to drive. They sell them here about as fast as they get them off the truck and prepped. Yesterday(Tuesday)I drove a 2002 they my dealer had just gotten in that was not an ordered SUV. Went back today to look at a few more possible add-ons for our XLT Premium hoping it gets here on the ETA of Sept.10 or with a little luck earlier. Anyway the Satin Silver XLT I drove Tuesday is already sold and gone. They don't even have a 2001 Escape sitting around.
My guess is if they give a Rebate on the Escape it will be later rather than sooner. You didn't say how you would buy or lease. I always order my new cars(SUV)and on 2 of them a rebate came out between the time I ordered it and the time it came in so I got the rebate. I only put $100 down for any new car order so it isn't a big bunch of money to lose if you hear of a rebate coming later down the road to just let the dealer sell your ordered SUV(lose your $100 deposit)and order another when you are sure there is a rebate or something comin down the pike.
Has anyone seen the 2002 True Blue color. I ordered and still havent seen what this color is. Does the explorer or any other ford car come in this color???
I saw about 4 of them on my dealers lot a couple of days ago. The Mustang has the same color too. The true blue comes with the lighter (more tan) colored cladding, rather than the darker (more greyish/black). I think it might look better with the darker colored cladding.
All in all, it was a pretty nice looking color when the sun is shining on it. Looks pretty dark in the shade though. I liked the wedgewood blue a lot better, but that's just MHO.
The satin silver looks super, and is the color I am going to get, since they don't have wedgewood anymore :-(
Can anyone tell me the procedure of tracking the 2002 XLT that was made the week of Aug. 20? I don't have the VIN number so I was wondering if there might be anohter way of finding out if it shipped from K.C. yet.
I used the phone VOPC and I just found its taking three weeks from build week to delivery here in northern Illinois. It is to be built the week of Sept 3 and delivered the week of Sept 24. So to Omaha it would make sense to be less.
I went to a large Ford dealer in north Houston (Planet Ford http://www.planetford.com this AM and there were rows & rows of 01 and 02 F150s, Explorers, Crown Vics, Focui, Mustangs you name it but only 4 Escapes & 1 had a sign *sold not for test drive* why so few Escapes, good sales (is production increasing) poor prophet margin wrong dealer bad day or what ? Someone here mentioned they sell quick so I'd think the dealer would keep a lot of them in stock. Rob Fruth Houston, Tx
The Escape is very popular and sells as soon as they arrive at the dealership. The dealers would love to get more but Ford allocates only a few to each dealer. This should correct itself in the future as production comes in line with demand.
Dealer allotments can vary greatly from dealer to dealer.. The dealership I purchased from had about 17 on the lot in varying trim forms and options. It is this same allotment that makes some orders from dealers appear to be filled slower than others..
I am considering an Escape for my next purchase in about 2-4 months. Have already done lots of research on various SUVS. Came here to see what actual owners have to say. I have read some posts here that indicate there is a problem with fuel smell, etc.... Have these problems been corrected on the Escape? Any advice/info provided will be appreciated. Thanks!
Today is Labor Day and we decided to check out our dealers lot. Lo and behold sat our Satin Silver 2002 Escape. Must have gotten it and 3 others in Sunday or today. Checked the VIN # and it is ours. It is the only 2X XLT Premium with added Side Bars they received. The others are all 4X4 XLT'S but no the Premium version. Biased a little here, but after looking at ours with the Step Bars on it and the ones on either side of it without the Bars they look kinda empty or missing something.
Plan on calling my salesman tomorrow and telling him to get with it. The others we not Ordered Out so I would assume they would prep ours first. If not they better have a good reason. lol!
ETA was supposed to be Sept.10 so it is actually 1 week early. It appears from what I can translate on the window that it shipped Aug. 27. Can't wait to get my hands on this thing. Will let you know how things go.
Congrats on having it arrive. Having been to Omaha a lot, just there last week actually, you'll be spending a lot of time waiting for all that construction. LOL!
I've read that the Sport will go into production in November. Ford is having supplier problems with the roof rack. I guess the supplier couldn't handle the volume Ford needed.
My local dealership knows to call me when a Dark Shadow Grey XLT Sport arrives on the lot; they'll have the papers ready and waiting when I arrive with my checkbook. I wish it wasn't going to take so long.
Going to pick up the 2002 this afternoon in about 2 hours. You mentioned you spend a lot of time here in Omaha. Is that for business or do you have relations or friends that live here? Didn't quite follow your construction comment unless you mean the street work that seems to be going on around most of the city(or it seems).
There is construction going on with the main north/south street here in town(72nd street)and being that I live way, way north(out of the city actually)I have to go thru a major reconstruction at 72nd and Military Ave which is between me and my Ford Deal(Atchley Ford).
Can't wait to give this baby a spin. We still have to work out the "buying or leasing" when we get there. I don't like the 3 year residual value(47%) so I am not sure which way I'll go with this. The 24 month lease had the residual at 57% and that is what I figured my monthly lease payments on. I know that a lot of the Major Banks now won't even except leases as they claim they have lost around $1400 per vehicle with their residual rates.
Anyways I'll inform you of our ventures with this Satin Siver beauty as time goes by.
Just turned 9500 miles and continue to be extemely pleased with our 2001 Escape. Tight,rattle free, and trouble-free. This is a good vehicle and we would buy again. The Escape is exactly what fit our needs. We wanted a small size suv, four wheel-drive,plenty of power/acceleration, good gas mileage, good handling, smooth ride, and comfortable. We are not interested in , nor will we be off-roading. The Ford Escape was the best choice and we are very pleased with this vehicle. I feel the build quality is also quite good.
Hckynut- Congrats on your 2002 Escape. I think you will like this vehicle even more after a few thousand miles. Did you get an XLT? If so, does it have a keypad on driver's side door for keyless entry?
Picked up the 2002 and everything is as advertised so far. Bought the Escape Rubber Floor Mats for front and rear. Man you talk about heavy!! Also got the smoke colored spoiler(wind deflector)that goes in front of the power moonroof. Haven't put it on yet as wanted to check for wind noise etc. before adding anything to the roof.
No rattles, just a very slight wind noise at Interstate Speeds and virtually no road noise. This SUV drives like a dream. Seems to have just the right amount of assist for the power steering and also power brakes. The steering wheel is by far the most comfortable of any of the SUV'S I have driven and that includes the BIG Boys. It came with Continental Raised White Letter Tires. Don't know that I ever heard of them and would welcome any info. that someone could provide me about this company or the company that makes them.
The Satin Silver is a beautiful color and has lots of metallic in it and really stands out in the sunlight. Are very happy with this choice of colors. We live on a white rock gravel road so any dark color would not be a wise choice for us. The white doesn't even show up on the Silver and only a little bit on the cladding and Step Bars.
I will add more as I get a chance to do more driving. All I can say now is that it is as nice as I expected if not moreso.
indy we got the 2X XLT Premium which comes with just about everything but the side air bags and towing packages. We did however add the Step Bars to our Escape. I am biased here, but after looking at the ones without the Step Bars they look as though something is missing on the sides of them. No, there is not a keypad on the drivers door. I don't even see where that is an option on any of the Escape's. I wouldn't want it anyway, but don't see where it is available.
The one thing I do notice compared to the 2001 is that the low back seats with the head rest are much more comfortable(to me anyway)as they seem more contoured to my body and also seem much softer than the 2001.
The lady has been doing most of the driving as she still works for a living and me being retired I don't get my hands on it until she gets home from work. Going to see if she will leave it home one of these days and take the old '85 to work so I can show this beauty to a few of my friends.
Did Ford improve the insulation ? Every report on 2001s so far complained about wind and road noise. I sat in a 2002 Tribute and thought the seats are more comfortable as well.
I was on my way home from work yesterday, and I'd gotten off the expressway and was waiting in a long line of cars for the light to change (we don't have cloverleafs here; our exits are the type where you exit down a little hill and encounter a stoplight).
The line moved forward about 10 feet, and so did I. And so did the person behind me, right into the back of me. I got out of my Escape and was ready to yell at this person, and lo and behold, it was someone from work (I work for a HUGE company and she's in another building, so I don't see her often). She'd been talking to her daughter, who was in the back seat and looked positively mortified.
Turns out her license plate was banged up pretty bad. I had no damage because she ran into my tow hitch, which probably took the blow better than my bumper would have. Admittedly, it was a very low-speed impact, but I never imagined I'd have additional uses for the tow hitch!
She is probably the nicest person in our company, so we were laughing when we parted ways, probably much to the surprise of those behind us. Thank goodness for the tow hitch!
Hckynut- Thanks for the info on the keypad or I mean lack of a keypad. I thought I read or heard that this feature was available on 2002, but I was in error. I really think the handling is superb for a suv. This is a fun vehicle to drive. I drove our XLT four-wheel drive in 8 inches of snow last winter and had a blast tossing it around. It really handled the snow well without ever having to change the four-wheel drive setting from "auto".
Scname- I don't find wind/road noise to be an issue. I find the seats to be very comfortable and I'm 6'4". This was an important factor in our purchase decision. The Escape does have alot of room, in fact it is best in class.
Final thought- The 6-disc in-dash cd Mach stereo system is awesome. Well worth the additional cost. IMO, I feel the Escape is a very good value for a vehicle that stickers in the mid-20s.
Continental Tire is a big company, over 100 years old, based in Germany, and the #4 tire manufacturer in the World (#1 in Germany). Their specialty is bicycle tires, though they do make 80 million car tires a year.
Just had my 3000 mile service done this morning (9/6/01) and asked about the 5w20 oil. the guy behind the counter said the Motorcraft 5w20 oil they use is in fact a Synthetic oil. Just thought I would pass this on to every1. Also, I still have yet to have any problems with my '01 Escape and I'm planning on a Loooong trip from Harrisburg,PA to Knoxville,TN in Oct. Gonna be a nice long Highway ride down I-81 and I-40. I'll let every1 know my mileage from 1-way and round trip when I get back home.
I'm about to buy a silver 2002 XLT with moonroof and side-step bars and am slightly concerned about the quality of Ford's silver paint. In the past silver paint on American cars was not that good compared to foreign and still today you see paint peeling off in big sheets on older cars/trucks... especially silver. Maybe Ford has since improved their paint. I'm just wondering if anyone knows if the standard warranty covers the paint?
I'm very partial to silver (always wanted a silver car) but will go with black or the new true blue (which I have yet to see in person) if there's a chance of a problem.
Thanks for the info. on the tires. When the lady got home I got my hands on the tire warranty pamphlet that came with the car. It mentioned General Tires with which I am familiar. Was hoping for Michelin as I heard they were going to equip some of the Escapes with them, but this company sounds reputable if they have been around 100 years. Thanks again.
kellyg8. I'll check the owners manual and the warranty and see if it mentions anything about the paint. She is off in the SUV again with her mom so I don't have a clue when I can get my hands on the manual. I really didn't pay that much attention to it when I went thru the manual. We are leasing the car and have the extra "lease protection package" which is a deal "i couldn't refuse".
Go with the silver. I had a 1993 silver Ford Tauras SHO that I owned for 6 years and had no problems with the paint. Silver is a great color as it hides dirt and doesn't fade like a darker color. We have 9500 trouble-free miles on our 2001 Escape XLT and are very happy with this vehicle. Good luck and enjoy your new Escape.
Continental, a German tire company, bought General Tire several years back. General moved their HQ to Charlotte, NC, and out of Akron, OH. So, when you see Continental's, think General's........
Ordered Gold XLT 4x4 loaded back in June, built on July 17th, delivered last Saturday. Ford repurchased 2000 Explorer due to major engine problems (3 engines). Can not get over the way the Escape handles on the road. Driving new Explorer for past 18 months not even in same league as the Escape. This past week has been great. Ford has something really good here.
Has anyone else had this problem---I have a 2001 Escape, XLT, V-6 and have had no problems with close to 9000 miles til today. While slowing for a light I thought the steering had become tight. As I went through the light I noticed that the oil and battery light were on and I was just coasting--the engine had just died for no apparent reason. I pulled over, waited, checked the oil, which was fine. The vehicle started right back up again and this problem did not repeat-yet. I have noticed that it is sometimes difficult to be sure the gearshift locks in place but even if it had slipped from D to N or a lower gear, that should not make the engine cut out. Anyone else have this happen?
Well, we 'bit the bullet' this afternoon, and ordered a 2002 XLT, 6cyl, auto, side airbags, cruise, tilt, C2tow, 6-CD, etc., in True Blue. The dealer had two Mustangs in the same color, & it looks very good. First time we've ever ORDERED a vehicle.....so, we'll see how long it takes to get here. Got the X-plan price, since our company is a Ford supplier.
Here's yet another website that has Escape Accessories....Looks like most of this site's offerings are truly custom-made....haven't seen them anywhere else :
mizlinnie, if you read earlier posts here or go to the Mazda Tribute/Ford Escape Problems town hall discussion, you will see you are not alone with your Ford Escape stalling problem. I wish you the best in getting this problem fixed and hope Ford realizes this is a serious problem.
Just gave the Ford voice-activated order-processing system a try...it works pretty well. Here's what I had to have for information, and a couple of tips to use the system :
1.) Get a printout from the dealer, called a 'Vehicle Order Confirmation". It's a half-page of information from their mainframe (closed) system. On it, you should find the ORDER No in the upper left, the DEALER No in the upper right, and the BODY TYPE as a 3-digit code two lines below the Order No. on the left. The Dealer No. usually has an alphabetic character in front of it..ignore that, and just use the 5-digit Numeric remainder. The Body Type also has an alphabetic character as it's first digit...you NEED that, so don't discard it. You'll also need to know (as if you didn't know already) the 4-digit model year.
2.) You're almost ready to call. Before you do, you should know that the "#" key on your telephone keypad can be used to END ENTRIES whenever you're asked to press a number in response to a question. However, most of the entries you'll have to give are VERBAL...so, speak in a clear, deliberate tone of voice.
3.) NOW...Call 1-800-962-3746.....And just follow the directions given, using the above information.
This system is similar to Ford's earlier keypad-only system, but a little easier to use. It's obviously geared toward a Salesperson who's trying to find their anxious customer some information on their recently-ordered vehicle...but it's useful to anyone who falls into the 'anxious' category about their soon-to-be new car/truck.
Got our 2002 XLT Premium last Tuesday. The only option we added to the Premium were the Side Step Bars. It took 1 day over 6 weeks from order to delivery.
I finally got a chance for a little wheel time this weekend. The ms. drove it to work all last week and I didn't get a chance to spend much time in it.
All I can say it is just plain fun to drive this SUV. Handles and rides so nice both in town and at Interstate speeds. Sure does not resemble a truck in the ride you get with it. The independent suspension sure makes a big, big difference. May not be the best suspension for Off-Road driving, but we have no intention of doing so, unless of course force off the road by some "not so good driver". Not a problem with anything yet. No rattles and these SUV's are just a well built and solid vehicle. Slight wind noise at 70mph on Interstate, but a whole lot less than we had with our then brand new '95 Pontiac Grand Prix GT. Road noise is also minimal depending on the surface on which you are driving.
Saw a couple of the True Blue 2002's on a different dealers lot today while just cruising around putting on some miles. It is a very pretty color and I am sure you will like the way it looks on your XLT. I too am partial to Blue, but we live on a White Rock gravel road and a dark color just wouldn't be practical for us. We chose the Satin Silver and it was a good choice for our situation. The White Dust does not show up on anything but the tires and a little of the Side Step Bars.
According to the order status system, our XLT should be built the week of Sept 24. Giving 10 days or so for transport, that would put it somewhere around 6 weeks after ordering...so pretty much the same as yours. The Dealer was trying to 'swap' our vehicle with one the dealership had already ordered in the build queue, but I won't hold my breath.....
I understand the white dust issue...grew up in the countryside, and that was always a problem with gravel roads. We debated between blue, black and silver, but settled on the blue.
You need to pry the wife out from behind the wheel and get some seat time! It is a fun little suv to wheel around town. I'm amazed at the interior space, especially between the front seats. The console is huge for a vehicle this size.
I'm trying but not having much luck. lol. I'm retired and she still has to work a few more years so she gets to drive the new vehicles.(:( I did get some time in it last weekend and it is a very fun thing to drive. As you say loads of room every where including cargo space. I drove us up to a local Jeep Dealer on Sunday(no sales people to hassle ya). Pulled 'er up next to a Liberty. When you get the 2 side by side and look at the difference in cargo space there is a very noticeable difference. We pulled our Silver next to a Liberty Silver and the Liberty had no where near the metallic in the paint as the Escape. We came away happy and re-assured that for us the Escape was the right one for us to purchase.
She has filled the gas tank twice now and each time it has came up close to 21mpg. This is in town and a little highway driving to get to town. Very satisfied with everything on and about this vehicle. No glaring problems with this one. As I mentioned in a previous post just a slight wind noise at 70mph Interstate speeds and virtually no road noise. We are happy 2002 Escape campers.
My 2002 Yellow XLT came in and its here a lot earlier than the VPOC system said it would. Order went in August 15. It was to be built the week of September 3. The VPOC even still had that build info as of late Monday. Yesterday said it arrived at the rail yard. Today we get the call saying she was in. The VPOC was saying delivery week of September 24. So needless to say I hadn't arranged for the loan yet thinking I had at least 10 days. Scrambling but got the loan and we said we'll pick it up tommorow.
Wow!! Talk about an early delivery. I am still learning about our 2002 Premium and how much different the systems operate than my former and current GM cars. Taken me some gettng use to having 2 gear shift like levers about the ignition. Can't tell you how many times I've turned the washer/wipers on instead of shifting into Park.
Drove quite a bit last night as we had many errands to run. Can't put into words how much I enjoy driving this SUV. I've 62 years old and have owned many new cars starting when I was 20 with a 1960 T-Bird 4 seater. Owned and Raced(Drag Racing around the Midwest)High Performance Fords starting with 1961 390hp Ford Starliner. Have driven many race cars and just cars used for transportation only and this Escape ranks near the top of my list of which cars(SUV/Truck)I most enjoyed driving.
Keep me posted on the happenings with getting your XLT and also your comments on how you feel about this vehicle as you drive it more and more.
2001 Escape XLT V6 Parchment Gold with 2800 miles and liking it a lot. I've purchased as accessories; bug shield, bumper guards, molded mud flaps, sunroof wind deflector, front ribbed floor mats ( read thick and beefy ), all manufactured for Ford as aftermarket. The dealership gave me essentially 15% off list price on all accessories and parts d/t buying the vehicle from that dealership. The prices on the accessories came to about the same including tax, as what I would've paid on line and I don't have to pay for shipping the parts. Mileage flucuates from ~ 17 - 19 mpg in town and ~ 21+ so far on the highway. Very minor fit 'n' finish gripes, but overall I feel as if I purchased a great vehicle. The V6 is fantastic for get up and go and I haven't sacrificed much in gas mileage.
Picked up my XLT this afternoon. Have taken for a spin and she's working great. The leather seats are a bit firm and not to thrilled about the back support but will have to play around with it. Looking to traffic in the right lane gets a little getting use to, but that's what right mirrors are for.
I thought the carpet floor mats in the convenience group were a bit cheap, did any one else feel the same? I like the accessory catalog carpeted mats with the logo much better. Plus I'll have to get the rubber ones for winter.
Saw two other Escapes in the first drive, one guy across acknowledged my wave. We'll see how more people react. We're like a small fraternity I'd say.
Have you tried adjusting the lumbar support on the drivers seat. I fooled with it a little bit and it made a world of difference for me.
I had the Escape thick rubber floormats in the parts department before the car came in. I too thought the carpets were pretty darn thin.The rubber mats are super thick and will do well in the winter weather. I would highly recommend you buy them. I always take the original mats out of my new cars(SUV)and when I sell them I can tell potential buyers about this and it always helps knowing the seller takes good care of the vehicle. toodamnhip I also ordered a "panoramic rear-view inside mirror". I have one on my 1985 Olds and it makes a world of difference as it removes almost all of the "blind spots." Haven't gotten this one yet so I can tell you how it works but will let you know after I get it and try it for awhile.
toodamnhip and mckee4 are your 2002 XLT's 4X drives? We got the 2X Premium as we preferred putting that money into the inside instead of the drive train. I know they list the 4X mileage as less than the 2X. Filled er up again and got close to 22mph in combination In-Town and Interstate driving. Real happy with this.
Hey, has anyone heard about the national tragedy affecting the Ford assembly plants ? Our company is a Ford supplier, and we've been advised that many are shutting down for several days until the flow of parts from Canada, Mexico and other international locations can return closer to 'normal.' So far, I haven't heard anything about the Escape assy. plant....thought I'd ask if anyone else has ?
Usual disclaimers - the media hasn't been sterling in their reporting this past week. Steve Host Vans, SUVs and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
Comments
They sell them here about as fast as they get them off the truck and prepped. Yesterday(Tuesday)I drove a 2002 they my dealer had just gotten in that was not an ordered SUV. Went back today to look at a few more possible add-ons for our XLT Premium hoping it gets here on the ETA of Sept.10 or with a little luck earlier.
Anyway the Satin Silver XLT I drove Tuesday is already sold and gone. They don't even have a 2001 Escape sitting around.
My guess is if they give a Rebate on the Escape it will be later rather than sooner. You didn't say how you would buy or lease. I always order my new cars(SUV)and on 2 of them a rebate came out between the time I ordered it and the time it came in so I got the rebate. I only put $100 down for any new car order so it isn't a big bunch of money to lose if you hear of a rebate coming later down the road to just let the dealer sell your ordered SUV(lose your $100 deposit)and order another when you are sure there is a rebate or something comin down the pike.
Looking forward to getting this XLT soon.
hckynut
All in all, it was a pretty nice looking color when the sun is shining on it. Looks pretty dark in the shade though. I liked the wedgewood blue a lot better, but that's just MHO.
The satin silver looks super, and is the color I am going to get, since they don't have wedgewood anymore :-(
Any help would be appreciated.
hckynut
It is this same allotment that makes some orders from dealers appear to be filled slower than others..
Plan on calling my salesman tomorrow and telling him to get with it. The others we not Ordered Out so I would assume they would prep ours first. If not they better have a good reason. lol!
ETA was supposed to be Sept.10 so it is actually 1 week early. It appears from what I can translate on the window that it shipped Aug. 27.
Can't wait to get my hands on this thing.
Will let you know how things go.
hckynut
My local dealership knows to call me when a Dark Shadow Grey XLT Sport arrives on the lot; they'll have the papers ready and waiting when I arrive with my checkbook. I wish it wasn't going to take so long.
Didn't quite follow your construction comment unless you mean the street work that seems to be going on around most of the city(or it seems).
There is construction going on with the main north/south street here in town(72nd street)and being that I live way, way north(out of the city actually)I have to go thru a major reconstruction at 72nd and Military Ave which is between me and my Ford Deal(Atchley Ford).
Can't wait to give this baby a spin. We still have to work out the "buying or leasing" when we get there. I don't like the 3 year residual value(47%) so I am not sure which way I'll go with this. The 24 month lease had the residual at 57% and that is what I figured my monthly lease payments on. I know that a lot of the Major Banks now won't even except leases as they claim they have lost around $1400 per vehicle with their residual rates.
Anyways I'll inform you of our ventures with this Satin Siver beauty as time goes by.
hckynut
Hckynut- Congrats on your 2002 Escape. I think you will like this vehicle even more after a few thousand miles. Did you get an XLT? If so, does it have a keypad on driver's side door for keyless entry?
No rattles, just a very slight wind noise at Interstate Speeds and virtually no road noise. This SUV drives like a dream. Seems to have just the right amount of assist for the power steering and also power brakes. The steering wheel is by far the most comfortable of any of the SUV'S I have driven and that includes the BIG Boys.
It came with Continental Raised White Letter Tires. Don't know that I ever heard of them and would welcome any info. that someone could provide me about this company or the company that makes them.
The Satin Silver is a beautiful color and has lots of metallic in it and really stands out in the sunlight. Are very happy with this choice of colors. We live on a white rock gravel road so any dark color would not be a wise choice for us. The white doesn't even show up on the Silver and only a little bit on the cladding and Step Bars.
I will add more as I get a chance to do more driving. All I can say now is that it is as nice as I expected if not moreso.
indy we got the 2X XLT Premium which comes with just about everything but the side air bags and towing packages. We did however add the Step Bars to our Escape. I am biased here, but after looking at the ones without the Step Bars they look as though something is missing on the sides of them. No, there is not a keypad on the drivers door. I don't even see where that is an option on any of the Escape's. I wouldn't want it anyway, but don't see where it is available.
The one thing I do notice compared to the 2001 is that the low back seats with the head rest are much more comfortable(to me anyway)as they seem more contoured to my body and also seem much softer than the 2001.
The lady has been doing most of the driving as she still works for a living and me being retired I don't get my hands on it until she gets home from work. Going to see if she will leave it home one of these days and take the old '85 to work so I can show this beauty to a few of my friends.
hckynut
The line moved forward about 10 feet, and so did I. And so did the person behind me, right into the back of me. I got out of my Escape and was ready to yell at this person, and lo and behold, it was someone from work (I work for a HUGE company and she's in another building, so I don't see her often). She'd been talking to her daughter, who was in the back seat and looked positively mortified.
Turns out her license plate was banged up pretty bad. I had no damage because she ran into my tow hitch, which probably took the blow better than my bumper would have. Admittedly, it was a very low-speed impact, but I never imagined I'd have additional uses for the tow hitch!
She is probably the nicest person in our company, so we were laughing when we parted ways, probably much to the surprise of those behind us. Thank goodness for the tow hitch!
Scname- I don't find wind/road noise to be an issue. I find the seats to be very comfortable and I'm 6'4". This was an important factor in our purchase decision. The Escape does have alot of room, in fact it is best in class.
Final thought- The 6-disc in-dash cd Mach stereo system is awesome. Well worth the additional cost. IMO, I feel the Escape is a very good value for a vehicle that stickers in the mid-20s.
Just thought I would pass this on to every1.
Also, I still have yet to have any problems with my '01 Escape and I'm planning on a Loooong trip from Harrisburg,PA to Knoxville,TN in Oct. Gonna be a nice long Highway ride down I-81 and I-40. I'll let every1 know my mileage from 1-way and round trip when I get back home.
Odie
I'm very partial to silver (always wanted a silver car) but will go with black or the new true blue (which I have yet to see in person) if there's a chance of a problem.
Thanks for any info!
Was hoping for Michelin as I heard they were going to equip some of the Escapes with them, but this company sounds reputable if they have been around 100 years. Thanks again.
kellyg8. I'll check the owners manual and the warranty and see if it mentions anything about the paint. She is off in the SUV again with her mom so I don't have a clue when I can get my hands on the manual. I really didn't pay that much attention to it when I went thru the manual. We are leasing the car and have the extra "lease protection package" which is a deal "i couldn't refuse".
hckynut
http://www.suvfx.com/
Cheers......
1.) Get a printout from the dealer, called a 'Vehicle Order Confirmation". It's a half-page of information from their mainframe (closed) system. On it, you should find the ORDER No in the upper left, the DEALER No in the upper right, and the BODY TYPE as a 3-digit code two lines below the Order No. on the left. The Dealer No. usually has an alphabetic character in front of it..ignore that, and just use the 5-digit Numeric remainder. The Body Type also has an alphabetic character as it's first digit...you NEED that, so don't discard it. You'll also need to know (as if you didn't know already) the 4-digit model year.
2.) You're almost ready to call. Before you do, you should know that the "#" key on your telephone keypad can be used to END ENTRIES whenever you're asked to press a number in response to a question. However, most of the entries you'll have to give are VERBAL...so, speak in a clear, deliberate tone of voice.
3.) NOW...Call 1-800-962-3746.....And just follow the directions given, using the above information.
This system is similar to Ford's earlier keypad-only system, but a little easier to use. It's obviously geared toward a Salesperson who's trying to find their anxious customer some information on their recently-ordered vehicle...but it's useful to anyone who falls into the 'anxious' category about their soon-to-be new car/truck.
Hope this helps......Cheers.
I finally got a chance for a little wheel time this weekend. The ms. drove it to work all last week and I didn't get a chance to spend much time in it.
All I can say it is just plain fun to drive this SUV. Handles and rides so nice both in town and at Interstate speeds. Sure does not resemble a truck in the ride you get with it. The independent suspension sure makes a big, big difference. May not be the best suspension for Off-Road driving, but we have no intention of doing so, unless of course force off the road by some "not so good driver".
Not a problem with anything yet. No rattles and these SUV's are just a well built and solid vehicle. Slight wind noise at 70mph on Interstate, but a whole lot less than we had with our then brand new '95 Pontiac Grand Prix GT. Road noise is also minimal depending on the surface on which you are driving.
Saw a couple of the True Blue 2002's on a different dealers lot today while just cruising around putting on some miles. It is a very pretty color and I am sure you will like the way it looks on your XLT. I too am partial to Blue, but we live on a White Rock gravel road and a dark color just wouldn't be practical for us.
We chose the Satin Silver and it was a good choice for our situation. The White Dust does not show up on anything but the tires and a little of the Side Step Bars.
Keep me posted on the progress of your order.
hckynut
I understand the white dust issue...grew up in the countryside, and that was always a problem with gravel roads. We debated between blue, black and silver, but settled on the blue.
I'll let you know when I hear more......Cheers.
I did get some time in it last weekend and it is a very fun thing to drive. As you say loads of room every where including cargo space.
I drove us up to a local Jeep Dealer on Sunday(no sales people to hassle ya). Pulled 'er up next to a Liberty. When you get the 2 side by side and look at the difference in cargo space there is a very noticeable difference. We pulled our Silver next to a Liberty Silver and the Liberty had no where near the metallic in the paint as the Escape. We came away happy and re-assured that for us the Escape was the right one for us to purchase.
She has filled the gas tank twice now and each time it has came up close to 21mpg. This is in town and a little highway driving to get to town.
Very satisfied with everything on and about this vehicle. No glaring problems with this one. As I mentioned in a previous post just a slight wind noise at 70mph Interstate speeds and virtually no road noise. We are happy 2002 Escape campers.
hckynut
Drove quite a bit last night as we had many errands to run. Can't put into words how much I enjoy driving this SUV. I've 62 years old and have owned many new cars starting when I was 20 with a 1960 T-Bird 4 seater. Owned and Raced(Drag Racing around the Midwest)High Performance Fords starting with 1961 390hp Ford Starliner.
Have driven many race cars and just cars used for transportation only and this Escape ranks near the top of my list of which cars(SUV/Truck)I most enjoyed driving.
Keep me posted on the happenings with getting your XLT and also your comments on how you feel about this vehicle as you drive it more and more.
hckynut
as accessories; bug shield, bumper guards, molded mud flaps, sunroof wind deflector,
front ribbed floor mats ( read thick and beefy ), all manufactured for Ford as
aftermarket. The dealership gave me essentially 15% off list price on all accessories
and parts d/t buying the vehicle from that dealership. The prices on the accessories
came to about the same including tax, as what I would've paid on line and I don't have to pay
for shipping the parts.
Mileage flucuates from ~ 17 - 19 mpg in town and ~ 21+ so far on the highway. Very minor
fit 'n' finish gripes, but overall I feel as if I purchased a great vehicle. The V6 is fantastic for
get up and go and I haven't sacrificed much in gas mileage.
I thought the carpet floor mats in the convenience group were a bit cheap, did any one else feel the same? I like the accessory catalog carpeted mats with the logo much better. Plus I'll have to get the rubber ones for winter.
Saw two other Escapes in the first drive, one guy across acknowledged my wave. We'll see how more people react. We're like a small fraternity I'd say.
2400 miles and still going strong. My last GM vehicle was already at the dealer three times for service.
Mach radio is awesome, acceleration is very good, and the ride is not too bad. Only negative is that on a long drive the seats are a little firm.
I had the Escape thick rubber floormats in the parts department before the car came in. I too thought the carpets were pretty darn thin.The rubber mats are super thick and will do well in the winter weather. I would highly recommend you buy them. I always take the original mats out of my new cars(SUV)and when I sell them I can tell potential buyers about this and it always helps knowing the seller takes good care of the vehicle.
toodamnhip I also ordered a "panoramic rear-view inside mirror". I have one on my 1985 Olds and it makes a world of difference as it removes almost all of the "blind spots." Haven't gotten this one yet so I can tell you how it works but will let you know after I get it and try it for awhile.
toodamnhip and mckee4 are your 2002 XLT's 4X drives? We got the 2X Premium as we preferred putting that money into the inside instead of the drive train. I know they list the 4X mileage as less than the 2X. Filled er up again and got close to 22mph in combination In-Town and Interstate driving. Real happy with this.
hckynut
Cheers....
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