2005 Ford Explorer Review and Model Lineup
If you’ve seen a review or two about a 2005 Ford Explorer, you might have decided that it’s the vehicle for you. Of the Ford Explorers in the 2000’s it’s arguably one of the most reliable. Ford Explorers have always been popular vehicles and there has to be a reason for that. Perhaps the 2005 Ford Explorer is just the one to get you into the driver’s seat.
New For the 2005 Model Year
AvanceTrac with Roll Stability Control ““ an option on the 2004 models, became standard on all 2005 Ford Explorers. That makes the car safer to drive ““ and might help with your insurance. A new Sparkle Silver appearance package was made available for the XLT models. MP3 audio and Sirius Satellite radio was included with all stock audio systems for the 2005 model year.
Reliability
The 2004 model was more reliable than the previous years. Well, 2005 outdid 2004. Reports from mechanics and owners show that for the most part problems were infrequent and fairly inexpensive to repair. Since those are the people who deal with the cars the most, their reports tend to be the ones that really count. The one exception to that squeaky clean report for this model is a leaking front pinion seal. This was also a problem with the 2004 model. In general it’s not a rampant issue, but does happen frequently enough to be worth considering. Still, you should be able to get it fixed for less than two hundred dollars.
Various Editions
The 2005 Ford Explorer had less variants than 2004 did. They dropped one trim level, bringing it down to just the XLS, XLT, Eddie Bauer and Limited. Of course, these four had been around for a while with the NBX being a more recent entry that was gone by 2005. Both the XLS and XLT were available in sport versions.
Power Train Options
There hadn’t been a significant change in the power trains since the big redesign for the 2002 model year. That means that the 2005 Ford Explorers came either with the standard 4.0-liter V-6 (210 horse power) or the optional 4.6 liter V-8 that could deliver 239 horse power. Front and four wheel drive options were available, but all models came with a five speed automatic transmission.
The tradition that the Ford Explorer represented had started in the 1990’s, but by the time the 2005 model was released it was still going strong. Ford Explorer had always been a popular SUV and it seemed like Ford had been rewarding the faithful by improving the quality in recent years. Sure, the 2-door version had been scrapped the year before and the off-road styled NBX was going with the 2005 model. Ford was doing what it had done well for years by continuing the four models that had been around the longest. They seemed to be doing something right because the reliability had definitely improved.
No matter what used vehicle you are considering buying, you really should get it inspected. While the 2005 Ford Escort is more dependable than the 2002 and 2003 models, it’s still not foolproof ““ no vehicle is. Besides that a automobile that’s been abused can still be problematic, even if it comes from the most reliable model out there. So, do yourself a favor and get any used vehicle you plan to buy inspected. That way any major problems should show up and you can walk away from the deal. If you wait until it’s yours, it’s much too late.
