I've been needing to replace my 2005 Eddie Bauer daily driver for some time. Was really tring to hold out to the next Gen, but with the uncertainly of 2014 availability or 2015 (can't wait that long) I ordered a 2013 today. There were exactly zero in the entire country with the equipment I wanted, so I ordered.

• XLT 4x4
• Regular version, not EL
• Black with Abobe trim
• Camel leather interior
• 201A package (nav,moon roof, heated-cooled seats, 3rd row power fold, remote rear hatch.HD trailer tow, sat radio, etc)
• 3.73 gears
• remote start
• 2nd row captains chairs.
• Fixed running boards rather than power. (call me crazy, I like the protection they provide and no issues in ice/snow)

The deal worked out to $302 below invoice plus $3k incentives

If the incentives go up in the 6-8 week delivery time, I can take advantage of them.

The hard to find option was the 3.73 gears, they make a noticible difference in performance on my 2005 but never seemed to effect fuel economy. I routinely get 18+ mpg fairly heavily loaded on frequent 1000 mile fishing trips doing 8 miles over the limit (63-73MPH), and sometimes a little faster.


There'll be a new Gen Expedition in my future, but now I have some breathing room to let them iron out the bugs and offer some incentivrs after the initial release.

More to come....

 

I thought the 3.73 cogs were standard for 4x4

 

Congrats - I regret assuming that since I have the tow package (2wd though) I would get 3.73. Wouldn't you know that I have 3.31 gears. There is a big difference. My old one with the 2v motor and 4dp tranny (4wd though) had a better "hole shot" than this one. But we still love it and my wife is excited about taking it from me. Congrats again on the new ride. Did you use a program to purchase - or just the art of negotiation?

 

No programs, just a 15 minute process. I probably left some money on the table, but that's OK. I could have purchased a Limited, found a couple with 3.73s, but I like the camel interior with the black/adobe exterior, not available on the Limited

 

No, they're standard on ELs

 

I drove a 3.31 unit before driving a 3.73 and I noticed no big difference on the std length units. On my old EL with 3.73s I did notice 1st gear was pretty much useless in DD. I would be out of first gear from a stop and into 2nd before my back tires even crossed the white stop line.

The best money you can spend since your are ordering is the rear air suspension. I've had it on my work one and my current King Ranch and it makes a noticeable difference when loaded.

The 3.73s feel about the same on my 2013. The best $$$$ spent isn't the 3.73s which will feel much deeper than your current 3.73s due to the extra cogs.

Your old 05 was a 4 speed the new 6 speed adds two cogs.

3.31 or 3.73

1 2 3 4 5 6 R
4.17 2.34 1.52 1.14 0.86 0.69 3.40

Old Trans:

1 2 3 4
2.71 1.54 1.00 0.71

So if you look your list gear with 3.31s is deeper 13.80 vs 10.11 so your engine is turning over 30% faster at the same given RPM with a lower final ratio. People today get too hung up on finals without looking at gear spread and what we in the industry call gradability. A 3.31 equipped 6 speed expedition will out perform a 4 speed 3.73 all day every day.

Hopefully the above ratio and gradability speak makes sense.

 

How is the air suspension in terms of longevity (100k miles). Seems I've heard of a number of problems, but I have no real experience. Thanks

 

That is odd montecarlo and obviously numbers don't lie. I had both of the Expys (had to remove stereo stuff from the 06) and was mad because the 06 beat the 11 off the line. I know a lot of factors go into that (reaction time, traction, weight and age of motor). Now there is a chance that my wife has a better reaction time than me (she is younger) or maybe my 06 was just a "race car" at heart. Obviously neither one of them broke the tires loose - because we all know stock Expys don't do that. I can only speak from the feel of the vehicle. Like I said I am sure your math and ratios are all correct, but I am sure the OP will be happy with the new ride. I know we love ours and do not envision us not having an Expy in the family for many years to come. Thanks, Mike.

 

old ones yes, IE 97 to 03???? Newer 08+ I had zero issues on my 08 and it was on jobsites towing boats etc. Keep in mind the expedition is tested to the same standards the F-150 is now (07+) so they have really cranked up the quality.

That being said I did but the extended warranty, PremierCare or PremiumCare or whatever it's called for 7 years 125K miles (paid 2,100 for it with zero deductable and a rental car upgrade). I figure that if I'm going to have issues with it they will pop up around 60 to 80K (my 1st never had issues).

 

Mike,

I think what you found was the downfall portion of newer motors. I'm not a ford man so take what I say with a grain of salt. I do spend my days getting paid to spec equipment and haul trucks and have had the ability to run and help spec some of the baddest haul trucks on the road so I've got a good knowledge of how things actually work.

I'm guessing there is a lot more torque limiting going on with the new trucks than they could do in 06, look at the amount of computing power the ECM has now vs then. While the engine may "make" 80% of it's torque at 1,500 to 4,000 or whatever it is they say the ECM may very well limit that torque in first gear to save the transmission, torque converter, or even the rear differential.

So say your engine is putting out 320 ft lbs of torque at 1,500 RPMs, about when the converter really starts to catch and pull. The ECM will look at a number of other inputs and say, yes keep that torque there or pull timing and fuel and lower it some to prevent drivetrain damage or excessive loading.

What makes me even more sure of this is that as you make these deeper transmissions you are now running a great deal more multiplied torque through your running gear, so your input torque maybe 320 on both the 06 and 08 but with the reduced (higher) ratio your now putting out 30% (not a real number just a place holder number) more torque to the same drivetrain so they will tone it down some to keep other hard parts alive.

GM is well known for this tactic in their abuse mode and delayed power application. GM will not let you get 100% power with your foot on the brake, they also make you wait 4 seconds at WOT before the fuel table is changed and you get real full power.

I'm sure ford is doing the same thing to save their drivetrain. Remember, with those same lower numbers your running more "torque" through the back of the transmission than ever before. I hope this makes sense as I've tried to make it as common sense as possible.

 

Yes-that makes that does make sense and obviously out of my control but would explain the "noticed difference".

John-apologies on the sidebar here-but again, congrats on the new ride.

 

Thanks Montecarlo, great stuff. I've always wondered what the fixation on final gear ratio was about. Any gear train is a product of its components, and now it seems with the electronic control upfront there is an additional element. Cool stuff.

 

Thanks guys, I may add the rear air suspension.

With all the talk about gear ratio, I think I'll take my early 68.5 428 CJ car ( zero option, radio delete, 4 speed, 4.30 rear) out for A drive tomorrow.

 

ha....well there are good things to be said about technology too. It wasn't long ago lowboys were in the 800 to 1,000 ft lb range and now every diesel pickup out there is.

In what, 93 the dodge cummins had like 450 ft lbs of torque, now the 6.2 ford 1/2 ton has 430 something and GMs is at like 413 or similar.

I'm not trying to say it's my way or the highway on here just throwing out idea.

Again my biggest gripe on the 3.73s is 99.9% of the people on here wouldn't notice a difference driving. To me I could use 2nd - 6th all day everyday without even noticing 1st was out unless I had a jeep or boat hooked up.

 

I've always been proud to call myself a ( .1% 'er) (one tenth of a percent, er)

HaHa, the actual calculaton may be an order of magntude above that..



THANKS everyone for your contribution... Greatly appreciated....