I originally bought my 2000 V10 4x4 Ex back in 2005. My wife drove it for years carting around our young kids. I sold it to my brother-in-law with understanding I get first refusal to buy back if he ever sells it. Bought my wife a Mercedes station wagon to get better gas mileage. Great car but kids are now getting big and car is small.


I regretted selling the Ex the minute BIL backed out of the driveway. On Mothers Day we had a cookout at our place,he says he is trading it in, if I want it back its mine for trade in. He didn't put the period at the end of the sentence before I jumped on it. Not only yes but HELL YES!!


Long story kinda short. I had been driving a Suburban in the meantime. I gave that to my wife, I wanted the Ex this time! He took decent care of it. He maintained it well, but didn't keep it as clean as I did. Anyway. He had just put some high dollar Toyo HT tires. They were probably great for pulling a load(which neither of us do much of), but they rode harsh. I put new BFGs on, cleaned and waxed her. Its as far as I have gotten. I need new driver bottom of seat leather, lock actuators, a couple door panel light covers. Here are pics after shine and new BFGs a couple days ago.

 

Anybody have pics with running boards removed? That is one thing I always wanted to do, but wife and kids would have had a hard time getting in and out. Now its mine and kids are bigger so not as big of a deal.

 

Here is mine with boards removed.

 

Thanks Bowie, I like it!

 

Hey, it looks just like mine...


...before the previous owner's goofy pinstripes
...before the fire
...before losing the cladding
...before losing the running boards

I love the look of mine without running boards, and I'm either way with the cladding (I removed mine due to one of them being fire damaged). I don't recommend the pinstripe mod or the torched front end mod.

 

Here's mine without the boards. I LOVE the way it looks without them.

 

I think the ex's look great without them. It's awesome that you were able to get yours back.

 

Here is yours without them...

 

Thanks for the pictures and USCG PA for the photoshop!


There is a "tropical disturbance" moving up the coast. That means rain Sunday and Monday. GRRRRRRRRR. It will give me some garage time though. That will be one of the projects.

 

Nice getting that back

 

Nice you were able to get you're truck back. That's rare in and of Itself....

To me the lack of running boards looks nice, but that's all it is, looks. They were out there to make getting in and out of the truck easier. I actually use mine and even at 6ft 6 inches tall at 380 pounds I can't imagine them not being there when I or someone else needed to get into the truck....safely.

Good call on those BFG KO2, I got a set on both Excursions and have zero regrets. They don't hydroplane and they some mean monsters if you ever decide to venture off pavement.

 

Great looking Ex, I am glad you got it back. Personally I like the running board, I use them to try to keep from sliding on the front seats when getting in and out.

 

Took them off this morning. LOVE IT!! I was always banging my shin on them when I hop in. I think it is easier.

 

Nice looking wagon and very cool story on the ownership repeat!

 

If you need running boards, like the looks without them and have the funds.

POWERSTEP Automatic Retracting Running Board


My mechanic has these on his lifted 250. Pricey, but they look really nice, only visible when you need them. He hates the looks of running boards on trucks, but needs the step to get in.

I cannot justify that kind of expense for running boards, but maybe one day.