Ford Escape

scape2 · February 2002

also comes in a 2wd version. Glad to finally see the hysteria dying away about how unreliable and terrible the Escape/Trib are supposed to be. Granted there will always be some with problems. I have almost 6K on mine and so far not one problem.

jefferson1964 · February 2002

21,000 trouble free miles, just luv the escape. Added new rims and tires at 11K miles. Purchased the escape over the Liberty due to the ride difference. Liberty is rough riding compared to escape also gas mileage was a factor as I drive much, and Liberty gas mileage was not acceptable to me but it looks good.

deanedandy · February 2002

to me who waited almost 2 yrs to Escape! heading out to order mine today - Xplan pin and all the research, notes and archived info from this board (thanks to all Escapers out there for valuable input). my dealer won't know what hit him when I show up! leaning towards the silver or gray XLT 4x4 Choice. last new rig I bought was in '83, a brand new little Ford called the Bronco II. just sold it last year, so am more than ready for the new generation. will post back when the deals' done. too bad I couldn't get in on the better finance deals, but it will work out.

mr_jor · February 2002

Attn: randyrhodes

The hole/holder is dimensinally correct for a regular full size remote. Like the ones that come with the the opener.

I will probably trim the rubber thingy down this evening. That was my first thought, but thought I would do an idiot check before going after my wife's vehicle with a knife.

bess · February 2002

Less than a week after having our Escape, I put an overhead video system in. The LCD unit goes in the spot where the dome light goes, and required that I cut a hole in the headliner..

The system has a good professional look to it as all of the wiring is hidden in the headliner and various trim panels.. During the installation it sure made my wife nervous, but I save a few hundred $'s by doing it myself..

audia8q · February 2002

glad you saved a few bucks by doing the system yourself. The entertainment systems have become very popular and we have installed a quite a few in all types of vehicles. But remember that
ANY problems with the vehicle that can be traced to system leaves you fully on the hook.

The reason I say this is due to a problem we had recently. A cusotmer installed his own "remote start" system and after a week or so it short circuited the electrical system. Mazda, of course, rejected the warranty claim and the it cost the guy $2000 in parts and labor.

ssnyder4 · February 2002

In response to posts 1646-1648 and others, I thought I'd give you something to consider. I am the owner of a '99 Honda Accord EX and really like the car. However, I had a problem recently. The car was in the garage for over one month due to the engine missing on cyls. 3 & 4. That's a month folks, a Honda. The problem was a faulty wire in the wiring harness and sure, I know that wiring issues are a bear. Regardless, my opinion of Honda customer service has gone downhill exponentially and I feel that someone from Honda of America should have at least contacted me about the issue rather than the other way around. Likewise, the dealership wasn't the best to work with in the end.

Anyhow, despite that the car is working well now (so far so good) and that my parents have a flawless '93 Accord sedan, I decided I wanted something a little more rugged. Therefore, I test drove a Jeep Liberty Limited and a Ford Escape Premium (both loaded). The jeep was a disappointment despite its great powerband. The Escape on the other hand is fantastic!

The handling of the Escape completely surprized me and the engine power is quite impressive as well. The comforts of the Premium package are great and I know that 2 or more sets of golf clubs will fit in the back end. So, as soon as I decide what I want exactly, I am planning on moving up to an Escape. I have also driven Subaru Foresters, Toyota Rav4s, and Chevy Blazers and I think that given price and performance for what you get, the Escape wins hands down. It's really a neat package.

I must say the the Escape HEV sounds very tempting, but I'm not sure I want to wait a year to find out.

Good luck to everyone considering among the mini to midsize SUVs.

deanedandy · February 2002

What I had hoped to be a straightforward buy on XLT 4x4 Choice was anything but! called local dealer and told they had 2 like I wanted in stock and no prob for the Xplan. drove 1 1/2 hr to see them, and found one was the Premium, and the other exactly what I wanted but from Canada, so I couldn't use the Xplan. They asked me to make them an offer - so I said to figure the exchange rate out and let me have it on the X plan. No go. They couldn't order one due to no allotment left for Escapes. they said they only do maybe 1 or 2 xplans a year, and of course the Fleet Mngr was out when I get there. Finally found out the dealer paid 23,100 for the Canada rig, and had it stickered for 27,000!! for a Choice? I told him he got ripped, that if he couldn't get me something I would go somewhere else. He said there were no Escapes at any other dealers in state, whereupon I showed him a print out of the dealers in this region(from Forddirect.com) that did have them in stock, or would be willing to order. So they then tried to get me one on a dealer trade, and I told them Xplan doesn't work on that either. Left 2 hrs later with nothing, so went and bought an ATV to play with for the time being.
Found several Escapes like I wanted last night online, within a couple hours drive. Called today and put a 2 week hold on one (American made!)exactly like I wanted, for 22,400 Xplan price, out the door. am sure I will get to try the 4x4 on the trip from ID to MT. I am amazed at how much the Xplan differed in the same state, and all the dealers said the online info is inaccurate, and that sites like this can't know what Invoice is, etc. but I found the dealer who said no problem, come on over and its yours.

scape2 · February 2002

reputation slowley fading. If you get out on the net and visit other chat rooms you will see there are plenty of unhappy Honda/Toyota owners. I feel the internet has opened a pandoras box for these to companies that have grown on their rep as being perfect car makers. My wifes 2001 Accord LX was in the shop for its electrical windows not wanting to open every time along with a rough transmission shift. All seem to be ok now but I'm with you. I was under the impression that all Honda's/Toyota/Nissans were perfect and should never, ever have problems. Take a look around the net it will surprise you....

scape2 · February 2002

to ask... Has anyone tried to bumper guards on their Escapes/Tribs? These are the ones that you attach to the front/rear bumpers, kind of an adhesive tape setup. Do they work? are they worth the $40 a set?

tiredofmanual · February 2002

I know what you mean about poor dealer service. Just about every car is going to have at least something minor go wrong with it at some point and will be at the dealership for repair. Maybe it's because domestic branded cars have historically had to visit the dealerships more often, but it seems as though the service departments are a bit more lenient and responsive. My mother drives a Camry and found out the hard way how expensive and a PITA it is to have something fixed on it. This past summer, an intern at work had a problem with the power locks on her brand-new Civic. I checked the fuses and tried to do a little investigating and it seemed to me that there may have been something loose inside the drivers door handle that was blocking the lock motor from completing it's cycle, so it just reverted back to lock every time. Here in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago there are 5 or so Honda dealers within a half hour drive. None would even look at it because it had an aftermarket alarm on it (which was dealer-installed at her dealer in Arizona). I had to follow her to a dealer almost an hour away, who only agreed to work on it after she was able to convince her dealer in Arizona to call and confirm that they had in fact installed the alarm. It took a call to Honda Custmer Service to set this up! When I drove her back to get her car we found out that they "found nothing wrong." She had to wait the two or three weeks until her internship was over and she returned to Arizona to get things fixed. I can't believe Honda dealerships get away with this type of service! My local Ford dealership doesn't care about the many aftermarket parts on my Focus. I brought it in one time and said "when I was installing my sport suspension I noticed that the CV boot on the passenger side is broken." I got no hassles and the Ford tech even told me how cool the suspension setup was.

When you get your Escape, dont settle for Honda service at your Ford dealer. You don't have to put up with that.

goldencouple1 · February 2002

I have had exactly the opposite experience. The most pathetic idiots I have run across are at the local Ford/Honda/Mazda dealership (Ford being the main product sold). I never have had them fix a car the first time, and several times, when I got a vehicle back, the job was incomplete -- wires hanging out, fasteners not tightened. They are very adept at excuses, very poor at service. My experiences with Toyota and Honda service departments else where were always very good -- efficient, courteous, did what they said they would do, called when they said they would, and they actually fixed the car the first time.

goldencouple1 · February 2002

This same dealership cut wires to my aftermarket alarm without my permission before hand. This to diagnose an electrical problem. I had disconnected the alarm before hand at their request but they cut the wires anyway. This after my cd player was stolen out of my truck while it was on their premises -- the result being the prior electrical problem they had great difficulty diagnosing: the fact that the thief also cut the wires to my 4x4 controls. They knew about the theft of the cd player. I took the trouble of reminding them of the theft and suggested that that might be the source of the problem. Yet, that was the very last thing they checked, and then, only when I reminded them a second time of the theft, after they called me and told me they could not figure out what the problem was. And every time I had an electrical problem with the truck, they tried to blame it on the aftermarket alarm. However, and this is a BIG however, the people that put the alarm in are the same people that dealership used to put in aftermarket items they put into cars they sold!

indylowflyer · February 2002

No excuse for continued poor service from any car dealer. Competition is fierce in my area and any dealer that inept wouldn't survive very long. You shouldn't continue to accept poor service results. Contact the manufacter directly, this usually gets the dealers attention. We have several Ford dealers in the area, but it so happens we have received excellent treatment over the years at the one closest to our house. I've never had any serious quality issues with any Ford vehicles, though I've only owned two.

mckee4 · February 2002

I put on the bumper strips myself. It was a very easy application if instructions are followed.
They have double-sided tape. Just make sure when they're applied that you put them excactly where you want them. Once the adhesive cures for a few days it makes it harder to try and
take them off. I can attest to the effectiveness of the bumper strips, because I accidently
backed into a tree stump in my 2001 Escape XLT. The plastic bumper was dinged near
the righthand-side corner, but not where the bumper strips were.
Just by way of information, a replacement bumper will cost $ 237.00 + $ 63.00 labor
for a total of ~$300.00. The beuaty of it is I save, almost $200 on paiont and prep. alone,
thanks to the unpainted bumpers on the Escape.

scape2 · February 2002

for the feed back on the bumper strips!

tomsr · February 2002

I rented one for a day and put over 100 miles on
it.I did not like the seats or the rough ride
and although my son works for FORD as a new car
prep technican I did not buy one.I chose the Honda
CRV instead because of the quality and exclusivity.It is very hard to find a red 2002 CRV
but I did whereas you can have any Escape from dozens of Ford dealers around here.I felt confined in the Escape but not the CRV.AIRY is the word.

eludwig · February 2002

Interesting Xplan experience. I'm considering using Xplan too. Did the dealers show you their invoice sheets? I know Xplan's available on a voluntary basis dealer to dealer, but it sounds like they put you through the wringer! Probably due to the demand for Escapes. Where did you see that you can't use the Xplan prices on Canadian-made vehicles? I couldn't find that detail anywhere. Thanks.

jefferson1964 · February 2002

yea yea, i had the 2nd xterra purchased off a lot in dallas and did not see another x for a month on the road. Now they are everywhere, this will happen to any new vehicle. I see many new CRV as well as Escapes, rarely a new VUE but soon they will be a dime a donzen. It just takes time.

deanedandy · February 2002

dealer did not show me their invoice for the Canadian rig, but after some time and me repeating approx. what that rig should cost on the Xplan, they came back and told me what they paid for it up there- 23,100- and they wouldn't take any less than 23,500. There is a Canadian version of the Xplan, but we can't use the US plan on a Canadian-built rig, or so the dealer told me. Am driving over to Missoula first thing tomorrow to pick up my '02 silver XLT 4x4, at an undisputed Xplan price of 22,100, about $800 under invoice; I told this to the Fleet Mngr of the first place who called the day after my 'wringer' experience, and he was pretty speechless. The Missoula place has held this rig with a 200 deposit for 2 weeks. They emailed me the invoice with A plan and 4%over for X plan, plus a $25 doc fee. I'm pretty happy with sticking to my guns and getting what I wanted. Good luck with your purchase in WA - I found lots of 'Scapes around Spokane area too.

eludwig · February 2002

Okay, I get it now. Sounds like the first dealer wanted to make more money on somebody willing to pay more. I'm like you- I won't accept anything but the A + 4% deal.

Good luck with your new rig, and be sure to post your experiences with it here.

baggs32 · February 2002

tomsr,
I hope you bought the CR-V for other reasons than what you stated. CR-V's are about as exclusive as pennies where I live. I'm of the opinion that one should never buy a vehicle because of what they think people will say about them, or how they are looked at by others. You're just wasting your money by doing that. If the CR-V does indeed fit your needs better than any of the others, good luck and happy driving.

scape2 · February 2002

They are all over the place where I live also!
Just don't try to load it up with 4 adults and gear and try to pass on the freeway... or up hill at that..

baggs32 · February 2002

I totally agree with you on that one scape2. My brother-in-law has a 2001 CR-V (auto trans so I can't speak for the stick), and it is a dog on any road with a full load of passengers/cargo. It's not too bad when only two people are on board, but it still doesn't inspire a lot of confidence when passing. On the other hand, I punched the gas to the floor for the first time in our Escape yesterday and I thought we were going to be thrown into the cargo area it took off so fast! I knew there was another reason for choosing the Escape over all the rest other than the above average steering/handling.

deanedandy · February 2002

finally got my silver 02 XLT 4X Choice today, 3hr drive in rain, snow over a mountain pass coming home. IT WAS GREAT! I have driven an old Bronco stick for nearly 20 years, and getting used to NOT pulling over and locking hubs was such a treat! 150 miles from dealer to home in just about all conditions excpet heat, for now anyway. I am impressed. And the Xplan was the easiest, smoothest, most hassle free experience ever - it beat shopping at WalMart hands down!

puppyduo · February 2002

Everyone keeps talking about the "x-plan". What is it and how do I find out the details?? I am looking to buy a new Escape and have ordered the buyers guide from Consumer Reports that has the invoice price MSRP and the consumer report price which is even lower that the invoice. Last year I got pretty close to the consumer price but backed out due to all the recalls. Would the x-plan be even better than this information?

scape2 · February 2002

just an FYI the 2002 Escape has no recalls..

austin_driver · February 2002

I'm currently considering purchasing a 2002 Ford Escape, but I'd like to have a vehicle that can do some light off-roading on the weekends. The 4x4 Escapes seem to fit this need well, but the four different dealerships near me have very few 4x4 trims. In fact, I would probably have to order one specifically for me.

Is there any explanation to this discrepancy between the drivetrains? I would think that the 4x2 would be less preferable (and fewer in stock) especially for resale value...?

chevycam · February 2002

I ordered my 2002 4x4 midnight edition Escape with MACH and Side step bars under the Xplan. Here is how it went:

First I started talking to the salesman about ordering the above mentioned escape. He told me the best price he could do was MSRP ($27,200).

I told him I was going to use the Xplan. He said,owe, that changes everything. The next price he quoted was $25,131. The invoice price was $25,240. The Aplan price was $24,200. This adds up to $1960 below MSRP or $109 below invoice.

I was real happy with how easy it was to purchase under the Xplan. All I needed was the pin # given to me by Ford Motor Co. and my Soc. Sec. #.

eludwig · February 2002

Xplan is a beneift that many large employers offer to their employees. Your employer strikes a deal with Ford that allows employees to buy at a Ford employee's cost plus 4%. There are similar deals for Ford's other brands- Volvo, Jaguar, Mazda, etc. My employer also has a deal with Daimler-Chrysler that lets me buy at invoice minus 1%.

eludwig · February 2002

Congrats on your rigs! Glad the deals worked out.

Please continue to post your Escape experiences. This is crazy, but I'm already doing research on a new car even though my lease doesn't end for 16 months!

scape2 · February 2002

I can speak from Experience. I live in the Pacific NW and ski, hike and fish. I use logging roads and access roads all the time with my Escape and its gotten me in and out of where I wanted to go just fine. Now, I know the Escape is a car frame and I cannot take it into the extremely rough areas where the frame is going to twist and the suspension is going to be maxed out. The Escape can 4x4 contrary to popular belief. Its just that you need to watch what your doing and not try to rock climb or rut jump with the Escape. If your like me and just need a 4x4 once in a while, travers logging roads and access roads, need 4wd to get to the skiiing areas an Escape will work just fine..
These are hot sellers right now. The lots in my area don't have very many either..

jefferson1964 · February 2002

Any Plans for Self Employed Person, anyone, i want to buy an Escape for my wife. Thanks, Jeff

srich_gr · February 2002

Hi All,

I purchased a 2001 Escape XLT for my wife in August, and she love it! Have 4000 miles on her. I have 2 questions.

1)- Why doesnt the doors lock automatically when you shift to drive like my Taurus Wagon, I thought all Fords door locks automatically in drive.

2)- Can someone let me know how the overdrive on/off works. I live in the suburbs where there really isnt that much stop/go traffic.

Thanks for any info given.
Sean

bess · February 2002

My Ford F250 SuperDuty locks work the same way as those on my Escape, no auto lock at 5mph.. The Windstar we had previously worked like your Taurus. So all Ford models aren't the same.

As far as the OD on/off. Just let the OD be on. The only time you want to turn it off is if your tranny keeps shifting in and out of OD (searching).
This can occur when towing or climbing very long hills on the highway.

srich_gr · February 2002

Bess,
Thanks for your comments. The only thing witth the auto locks are even if i go over 5 mph they dont lock. They don't automatically lock at all.
Are they supposed to? Can it be a dedect in the locks?

Thanks,
Sean

bess · February 2002

sorry, I wasnt clear. The SuperDuty and Escape's do not automatically lock by design.. The are not supposed to..

For what reason I dont know.. I could speculate that the automatic type locks cost more and one main point of the Escape was to keep the price as low as possible..

jkyes · February 2002

Removing the toprack crossbars eliminated most of the windnoise on my escape(2002XLT 4X4)

scape2 · February 2002

I don't know if you knew this but many of the luggage racks were installed backwards at the dealships. When driving mine it made a low howling noise on the freeway. I read in another chat that many had been put on backwards. I just turned it around per the picture in the manual and the noise went completly away.

ormand · February 2002

Have noticed a large number of escapes at local dealerships,is FORD going to offer sales incentives?

sfalcetti · February 2002

Hello,

I just traded in my 2001 Escape for a 2002 Escape that I ordered. Unlike the Tribute with painted trim it is hard to keep it good-looking. Anyone have any advice on keeping the trim nice looking or it darker?

Thank you!
Scott

drumbold · February 2002

A local dealer has 10 escapes on his lot but only 1 is a 4x4. Is there that big of a demand for 2wd Escapes?

blf2 · February 2002

in the Very Good section of their bar graph, but don't give it their "recommended" checkmark. They claim reliability as poor, and also claim gas mileage as poor. I believe Ford has addressed most of the reliabilty issues, and most of the forums I've read don't show a serious reliability concern unless the vehicle was one of the very early 2001 models. As far as mileage goes, our 2wd V6 XLS gets no worse than 24mpg on the highway, and has gotten as high as 27, and rarely, if ever have we gotten worse than 22 in town. Of the vehicles it was compared against, only the Subaru,Toyota, Honda & Hundai (don't think so!), were above it, and about 8 other makes below, including the Tribute (which rated significantly lower than the Escape). Anyway, I don't put alot into these reports, but they do carry some merit. IMO, after 6000 miles, I'm very happy w/ our choice of the Escape!

jafo2001 · February 2002

Has anyone noticed they changed the mirror design on the new Escapes. Are these better for wind noise?

bri66 · February 2002

I purchased the Ford mud flaps and have noticed a huge difference with very little road grime. Well worth the money for the flaps. As for cleaning the plastic cladding be very careful not to use an abrasive or else you will dull (haze) the plastic like I did in a few spots to mine. 15,000+ miles on mine and have had no problems. I
opened my sun roof yesterday for the first time this year. Good weather is on it's way.

tiredofmanual · February 2002

If you're willing to wait a year, you can get x-plan. Experimental Aircraft Association members get x-plan pricing, but only after they have been members for a full year.

...And no, you don't have to do anything even related to aircraft to be a member...

scape2 · February 2002

What do people use to clean this up? So far I have used a nylon (soft brush) and it works pretty good. Does anyone know of any type of plastic cleaner?

steve234 · March 2002

While it may save a few pennies to have automatic locks, I think the reason is the function. Many people, myself included, do not like the automatic locks. The vehicles mentioned with the locks are more car than utility function. I would suspect that the researchers found people that buy trucks and SUVs are most inclined to not want the automatic feature. The Taurus (big fleet use) and Windstar(major kid hauler) are both likely to be owned by people who desire them.

adoetsch · March 2002

Automatic Door Locks:
There is some federal law about roll-over and
crashworthiness. The automatic door locks on many vehicles increase the structure of the vehicle and allow it to pass federal guidelines. This is not the only reason for autolocks at 15 mph, but is the reason for many vehicles.

prd66 · March 2002

Has anybody noticed that the rear wiper barely makes any contact with the window. Mine wipes about a 6 square inch area and is useless for wiping snow or salt off. A guy that I work with has the same problem with his Escape. Also, is the rear defrost supposed to turn off after 10 or 15 minutes? I noticed mine stays on longer than 30 and unless I turn it off will be on the next time I start the Escape.

Ford Escape

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles

Your Privacy