Nice (looking) Excursion in NWI
Super Moderator
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 25,479
Likes: 738
From: Isanti, MN
Just wanted to clarify, I'm not trying to cut the Excursion down or anything. I knew many of the ups and downs when I bought my '00 a year and a half ago, and it fulfilled it's purpose just fine. It was a hauler that could pull my trailer and fit my entire family. But I always felt good that my wife and kids normally rode around in my wife's Sienna instead of the Excursion.
The attached report is from 2011, and covers accidents and vehicles from 2007-2009. The Sienna has less than 1 fatality per million registered vehicle years, compared with 107 for the Excursion. Strictly speaking, that means my wife is 107 times more likely to perish while driving the Excursion than she is her Sienna.
That didn't factor much into us getting rid of it though, that was more about the fuel economy!
The attached report is from 2011, and covers accidents and vehicles from 2007-2009. The Sienna has less than 1 fatality per million registered vehicle years, compared with 107 for the Excursion. Strictly speaking, that means my wife is 107 times more likely to perish while driving the Excursion than she is her Sienna.
That didn't factor much into us getting rid of it though, that was more about the fuel economy!
Laughing Gas
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 1,123
Likes: 1
From: Ontario, Canada
Just wanted to clarify, I'm not trying to cut the Excursion down or anything. I knew many of the ups and downs when I bought my '00 a year and a half ago, and it fulfilled it's purpose just fine. It was a hauler that could pull my trailer and fit my entire family. But I always felt good that my wife and kids normally rode around in my wife's Sienna instead of the Excursion.
The attached report is from 2011, and covers accidents and vehicles from 2007-2009. The Sienna has less than 1 fatality per million registered vehicle years, compared with 107 for the Excursion. Strictly speaking, that means my wife is 107 times more likely to perish while driving the Excursion than she is her Sienna.
That didn't factor much into us getting rid of it though, that was more about the fuel economy!
The attached report is from 2011, and covers accidents and vehicles from 2007-2009. The Sienna has less than 1 fatality per million registered vehicle years, compared with 107 for the Excursion. Strictly speaking, that means my wife is 107 times more likely to perish while driving the Excursion than she is her Sienna.
That didn't factor much into us getting rid of it though, that was more about the fuel economy!
We're going to have to agree to disagree on this one, accident statistics are not an indication of vehicle safety, accident statistics have a human factor making the data corrupt. Crash test results are the only reasonable indicator of vehicle safety.
If I were to build a sleek sexy 2 seater with 600 HP that got 50 mpg that held the top spot in the crash test results and sold it for $2k it would have crash death rates that would make the 2wd blazer look safe. Simply because you would have 1000's of teenage drivers behind the wheel. Now if I took that same car and sold it for $100k it would have numbers that more realistically reflect it's real safety.
Super Moderator
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 25,479
Likes: 738
From: Isanti, MN
That's a great point John, and I think demographics are a heavy influencer of the data presented. The problem is that crash tests were never conducted on the Excursion in any official capacity, so the only data that we're left with is crash statistics.
And on that note, the report I cited was published in 2005, and it only includes data from 2000-2003. The Excursion was NOT a cheap vehicle, they cost the equivalent of $65,000 in today's dollars when they were new. You didn't have reckless teenagers driving these things around between 11-14 years ago.
And on that note, the report I cited was published in 2005, and it only includes data from 2000-2003. The Excursion was NOT a cheap vehicle, they cost the equivalent of $65,000 in today's dollars when they were new. You didn't have reckless teenagers driving these things around between 11-14 years ago.
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 1,478
Likes: 0
From: Rothesay, New Brunswick
People who drive bigger vehicles will often drive in a way that they wouldn't drive in a small car. They feel "safer". Ultimately an accident can be fatal no matter what vehicle you're in, and many people don't seem to get this, which I feel like could skew that data. If people drove their Excursions like my grandparents drive their Crown Victoria, I am sure the stats would be a lot kinder for the Ex. 
Laughing Gas
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 1,123
Likes: 1
From: Ontario, Canada
That's a great point John, and I think demographics are a heavy influencer of the data presented. The problem is that crash tests were never conducted on the Excursion in any official capacity, so the only data that we're left with is crash statistics.
And on that note, the report I cited was published in 2005, and it only includes data from 2000-2003. The Excursion was NOT a cheap vehicle, they cost the equivalent of $65,000 in today's dollars when they were new. You didn't have reckless teenagers driving these things around between 11-14 years ago.
And on that note, the report I cited was published in 2005, and it only includes data from 2000-2003. The Excursion was NOT a cheap vehicle, they cost the equivalent of $65,000 in today's dollars when they were new. You didn't have reckless teenagers driving these things around between 11-14 years ago.
Great point. I'm just a huge hater of statistics so the second someone quotes them I have to argue them
Bleed Ford Blue
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 13,578
Likes: 157
From: Anchorage Alaska
well i'm about to go take my lifted, unsafe, gas guzzling Excursion down to the bank...wish me luck i don't die in the roundabout i drive through at least 4 times daily at speed...
Bleed Ford Blue
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 13,578
Likes: 157
From: Anchorage Alaska
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make
Brett Foote
Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!
Michael S. Palmer
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home
Verdad Gallardo
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!
Joe Kucinski
2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?
Brett Foote
2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Most Surprising 2026 Ford Truck Features!
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Ford Trucks Coming to Mecum Indy 2026
Brett Foote
5 Best / 5 Worst Ford Truck Wheels of All Time
Joe Kucinski
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 224
Likes: 3
From: Central Valley
Bleed Ford Blue
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 13,578
Likes: 157
From: Anchorage Alaska
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,176
Likes: 4
From: Indiana
I don't put much stock in crash tests. Crash tests are designed and controlled. Actual wrecks aren't.
What I DO put stock in, is what I see. I used to attend 2 or 3 insurance auctions a week. They give you a pretty good idea of what the common ends-of-life of particular vehicles are. With Excursions (based on what I've seen), I'm far more worried about theft of the vehicle and front-end collisions than I am of rollovers...
What I DO put stock in, is what I see. I used to attend 2 or 3 insurance auctions a week. They give you a pretty good idea of what the common ends-of-life of particular vehicles are. With Excursions (based on what I've seen), I'm far more worried about theft of the vehicle and front-end collisions than I am of rollovers...
Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 9,263
Likes: 149
From: In the field...
People who drive bigger vehicles will often drive in a way that they wouldn't drive in a small car. They feel "safer". Ultimately an accident can be fatal no matter what vehicle you're in, and many people don't seem to get this, which I feel like could skew that data. If people drove their Excursions like my grandparents drive their Crown Victoria, I am sure the stats would be a lot kinder for the Ex.
Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 2,097
Likes: 5
From: chicago northwest suburbs
They said she had 11 kids? or a total of 11 people in the X? it must`ve had the aftermarket 4th row seat!
Super Moderator
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 25,479
Likes: 738
From: Isanti, MN
Can you honestly look at once accident and say "now THAT'S a safe vehicle" and ignore everything else? There are lots of really safe cars out there, and there are lots whose safety record is well below average. But you can't tell that about any vehicle from reading a tale of a single accident.
