Sorry man, I had to post this after reading the hate mail. My wife drives a 99 5.0 AWD and after owning a Lightning, an 02 Cobra, and a Mazda 4x4 in the past 2 years, I liked her truck so much that I found a 97 with 14000 miles on it and bought it. I couldn't be happier with a vehicle. I really like the 5.0 and wouldn't trade it for any other suv. All those other cars and trucks are now a memory, but I think I'll have this one for a long time!!

 

I'm right there with you JPC!!!


By the way, welcome to FTE!!!

 

Preach on, brothers! :-)

 

I LOVE EXPLORERS!!!!!!
I purchased my first Explorer two years ago, a 1997. I was looking for something for camping and visiting clients. I put over 30k on it in 20 months when a lady rearended my stopped Explorer at about 45mph. It totaled the Explorer but kept me safe. The only problem I ever had was when it over heated and the thermostat was very easy to replace.

While shopping for a 98 or 99, I found a 95 limited that I fell in love with. It looked and smelled like show room and had every factory option and everything still worked perfect. I have been driving the 95 for two months and I can tell you now that my next "car" will be another Explorer Limited.

While waiting for the insurance company to pay off, I drove a 2003 Dodge Durango rental and hated it. It felt so good to get back into an Explorer.

 

The wife and I searched for a couple years for a replacement for her commuter Mustang. She liked the Mustang's handling, but wanted something with a bit more room. The 2-dr Sport is the perfect vehicle for her. Since buying it last fall, I've installed Mazda truck rims and an EE anti-sway bar. The change in handling was tremendous; it's now a "'Mustang' with headroom".
I can see why they're the best selling SUV in America. They have plenty of room inside, yet are not so big as to make them hard to manuver and park. Good road manners. Good brakes. They are not exceptional in any one area, but do well in all areas. Sure, they have a mechanical problem now and then, but show me a vehicle make that dosen't.......

 

We bought a used '97 XLT and loved so much that when my wife wanted a new car we got a '01 Sport. We have never had a problem with either one. We traded the '01 for a '03 Expedition, but I still drive the '97 40 miles every day. It has 113K on it and is still going strong. I plan on driving it for at least two more years. We have had more trouble with the Expedtion than we ever had with either of the Explorers. Needless to say, I highly recommend Explorers.

Mike

 

My 95 Explorer just turned 136K. I have loved this thing from day 1! Very few problems over the years. She's starting to show her age now due to other uncaring car owners who don't know how to park. Bulbs are starting to go, and some other little things now need more attention. But, she gets a lot of TLC, washing and waxing, and regular maintenance. And, now that I've found this website, I can start fixing more on my own. You take of it...it'll take care of you!

 

ALL HAIL 5.0

Just bought 3 weeks ago a 99 mountaineer
my options were the mount or a 96 lightning and i chose the mount because of all the below reasons
5.0
awd
cd/tape player
8"sub
leather inerior
computer with fuel stuff on it and other things
power windows/seats/locks
keyless entry
running boards
tinted windows

im sure theres others i cant think of right now

 

It all started when I was a child...lol

My dad bought a used 92 Explorer Eddie Bauer in Feb. of 95. I was over joyed since this was not only the first Ford we had in years, but also the fanciest car my parents had ever owned! It was loaded with leather, moonroof, JBL audio system, power everything, Push Buttom 4x4, etc and had only 14,000 miles on it. When I turned 16 and was ready for my first cars, we went looking but couldn't find anything good. When my dad suggested selling me his Explorer, I was speechless. So he did and he leased a Subaru Outback. Needless to say, I was the talk of my high school, owning an Explorer (it was 6 years old at the time w/ 85,000 miles on it). "Eddie", as I called him, served us very well over the years.

Meanwhile, the end of my dad's lease is approaching and although he liked the Outback, it simply wasn't big enough for him. So we go car shopping (father/son bonding ) and he buys a used 2000 Explorer XLT in the May of 2001. It had 23,000 miles when he bought it and now about 60,000 miles. It's been good to him and loves it. He plans to keep it for a long time.

Back to me... Eddie was getting a little long in the tooth. Being we live in the rust belt, things were rotting away and costing $$$ (lost the spare tire over a bump, lost the muffler over railroad tracks, fluid lines needed to be redone as they were leaking and the final straw, the emergency brake cable rusted through, snapped and blew out the rear drum). I was ready to start my second year of college and it didn't seem worth it for me to keep paying for repairs, though I know Eddie still had a lot of life left in him. I decided to trade up which I did in Sept. of 2001 (just a couple days before the attacks on our country). I purchased a 98 Explorer Sport with 17,000 miles on it. Today, it has over 43,000 miles and still running great. I plan to keep this one for a long time.

Sorry about the long post, but certain topics get me going...

love them Explorers!