Purchase advice 2001 Excursion
Thread Starter
|
Mountain Pass
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 121
Likes: 4
Purchase advice 2001 Excursion
What are your thoughts
I week ago I was shopping for an Expedition. They were expensive and a little lighter duty than I think I need.
I have changed my research to the Excursion.
I would prefer a nice truck but I have to sell my wife's current SUV because we would not have room for 3 vehicles
The choice is to replace the SUV with a larger one or sell my jeep for a truck so SUV will be sold
I have found a nice condition 2001 4X4 but high miles $3500
190,000 on the truck 140,000 on the V10
We will only use it as a grocery getter, and to pull a 5200lb RV trailer and a larger flat bed trailer but maybe once every few months and not very far
We are only expecting to get 2 or 3 years from it when we will no longer need the RV and trailer
More Turbo
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 633
Likes: 142
From: Staten Island, NY
We will need a little more info to help you, what engine ext , The mileage you stated is not high on these trucks if well maintained what model. We all will assist your quest with a little more . Good luck
Sorry just read post again missed you mentioned engine size, my bad
Sorry just read post again missed you mentioned engine size, my bad
Thread Starter
|
Mountain Pass
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 121
Likes: 4
I will get more information when I call him back
What other questions should I ask
I was told it was well maintained.
I assumed that being 4x4 it was the V10 the ad said it was gas but did not say what engine.
it is XLT
More Turbo
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 633
Likes: 142
From: Staten Island, NY
It’s probably a V10 which is an excellent motor, you should ask about the spark plugs to see any have blown out common problem on the engine before 03 easy to correct. You stated that there was less mileage on engine, was it rebuilt? What did they do to it and why. Ask if any work on front end? This forum can assist on any and all repairs, also ask about the manifold studs, were they changed ?
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 1,314
Likes: 103
From: TN
3.73 geared it'll pull that 5200 lbs just fine but it's always going to be thirsty. Untouched in the TN mountains I see about 6-7mpg or sometimes less (seriously). Our TT is 5289 dry and often travels much heavier when loaded, no issues, just the mileage. I sold a Jeep Grand Cherokee which of course had such a short wheelbase it felt like it was getting pushed through the curves despite the WD/AS hitch I had. I pull in the mountains of TN occasionally, which are nothing like the mountains of the West coast so I'd guess if you're pulling out west you'll want to follow some of Tom's threads (WE3ZS...awesome guy) on gearing etc. He's been a sage for the v10 Ex if that's what you decide upon. For long term look up some of Tom's threads, I'm sure he'll chime in here shortly. As for me I went v10 4x4, with full knowledge that I was going to want to pull more weight so already did the suspension upgrades, trans cooler upgrade, 5 star tunes, y-pipe, and went through the full front end and steering including adding more caster to calm the wanderlust these rigs seem to normally be plagued with. Took a bit to go through all the power lock actuators and the barn door cables end upgrades also, but I wanted everything to be fully functional. Having driven a 7.3 courtesy of Mike (NicMike...awesome guy also), in hindsight I likely would have picked up a 7.3 and mod it out like he has did. I started with the end goal of stuffing a Cummins into mine as I had a low miles 12 valve from a friend for very little money...however the conversion is fairly expensive to do yourself and to do right. In any case, at that price it sounds decent but I'd still want rust free regardless of whether I was keeping it or not. ...and yes I'm sure I should have started a build thread, but I can't do it justice like OldGuyFL has done.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 879
Likes: 40
From: Greensburg, IN
The 5.4 is a good engine, just grossly underpowered in my opinion. You're asking an engine designed to move a 4000 lb F150 to move a 7700 lb Excursion...
Trending Topics
Thread Starter
|
Mountain Pass
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 121
Likes: 4
I am currently in an RV park waiting to start building on our property and the property is to far from the RV park to be able to leave things parked there.
The ad has been running for a while and I should have ask the seller more questions when I talked to him.
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
3 Best / 3 Worst Parts of Modern Ford Ownership
Brett Foote
10 Amazing Upgrades That Solve Common Ford Truck Owner Headaches
Pouria Savadkouei
Every 2026 Ford Engine Explained
Brett Foote
10 Ugly Ford Trucks That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Every Truck Owner NEEDS (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer
Joe Kucinski
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)
Brett Foote
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies
Joe Kucinski
Tuned
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 273
Likes: 2
I bought a 2000 V10 4wd almost a year ago and have been happy with, for the most part. I use it as a family hauler when heading out of town, towing our boat or little toy hauler, or anytime the Ranger just won't do. 3.73 gearing is not all that great for towing, so like others have said, be sure to size your tires appropriately and get the 5Star tuner. Will help greatly with shift points on the trans. Go through and replace all the fluids for safe keeping. It will give you an overall idea of how well the PO took care of it. I didn't have time to do it myself before leaving on a weeklong family reunion camping trip out of state, so I paid a local shop to do it for me. Mine has a 10in lift and big tires, for now, but these are extremely comfortable family rigs......especially with dogs!
Thread Starter
|
Mountain Pass
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 121
Likes: 4
It is the V10 and the plugs were replaced at 160,000 miles
It has never had an issue with the plugs blowing out.
If the truck is still there this week end I will make the drive to go see it.
Motor was replaced not rebuilt
Last edited by hharvey; Jun 6, 2018 at 11:58 AM. Reason: update
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 1,314
Likes: 103
From: TN
Don't just see it, drive it!
Thread Starter
|
Mountain Pass
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 121
Likes: 4
I will drive it and crawl under it than the wife will pick through it.
Is there a way to read codes without a scanner my jeep will let me do that with some key sequences
Is there a way to read codes without a scanner my jeep will let me do that with some key sequences
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 1,314
Likes: 103
From: TN
I use this one with TorquePlus for road trips and diags, and it's super cheap (but works well). Nothing fancy required.
Moderator
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 12,055
Likes: 1,559
From: Media PA
Thank you for the kind words Thor! 
I am a very big fan of the V-10 engine in these giant wagons, they are capable of getting some pretty heavy work done, of course like any other platform they do even better with a few good mods. That picture looks good and so does the price. But as has been said, get under and look for rust, serious rust is a death sentence for older vehicles as good sound repairs can easily exceed the value of the vehicle. You mentioned that it's three hours from you in TN, hopefully it's even farther South so as to have had a salt free life.
If the under body and frame are rust free that will be a great start, but remember that it is an 18 year old rig, expect to spend some money and time taking care of a list of little things to get it "just right". As was mentioned above the two most common issues with the early V-10s was the plug blowing due to only having 4 or so threads holding them in and the exhaust manifold studs breaking. It sounds like the seller hasn't had any issues with the plugs (some rigs do, some don't, having the plugs installed and (over)torqued correctly is important here), so that's good news, but even if it does blow one it's not the end of the world, very good fixes are available. The exhaust manifold studs tend to break on some rigs over time, this will eventually lead to an exhaust leak and in my case, nice new Banks headers!
. Take a good look at the studs, there are 20 of them, count them and use any that are missing as a negotiating point on the price. Typical shop rate to replace them runs $800-ish, but we can walk you through the job here, I did my broken studs in my driveway.
Be sure your test drive includes plenty of starts and stops, both easy and hard braking to feel for any side pull or odd noises. Also try to get it onto soft or loose ground and engage the 4X4 to test the transfer case and front hubs auto locking function. Take it up to highway speeds to check for any unusual handling issues and pay very close attention to the steering tightness and feel, there are lots of components on this agerig that can be worn in the steering and suspension systems. Play with every switch and button to verify proper function of everything.
I do like seeing those larger towing mirrors, if factory the EX may have the optional 4.30 gears which are absolute BEST option available for these big gas wagons, especially one that will be doing some towing work. But even if it has the more common 3.73 gears it should handle your middle weight TT just fine. My V-10 EX has an effective 4.39 ratio which performs pretty darned good as our dedicated tow rig for our 11,300lb TT which we pull all over the East. We were in TN just last week and the week before in both Nashville and Pigeon Forge, it handles those TN mountains just fine and saw towing mileage in the 8.5 to 9 MPG range.
Where abouts are you in TN? At this time our plans are to retire to TN in 5 to 7 years, my wife wants a place on the water, I'm trying to convince her that a nice pond qualifies but so far she isn't in agreement with that idea.
I am a very big fan of the V-10 engine in these giant wagons, they are capable of getting some pretty heavy work done, of course like any other platform they do even better with a few good mods. That picture looks good and so does the price. But as has been said, get under and look for rust, serious rust is a death sentence for older vehicles as good sound repairs can easily exceed the value of the vehicle. You mentioned that it's three hours from you in TN, hopefully it's even farther South so as to have had a salt free life.
If the under body and frame are rust free that will be a great start, but remember that it is an 18 year old rig, expect to spend some money and time taking care of a list of little things to get it "just right". As was mentioned above the two most common issues with the early V-10s was the plug blowing due to only having 4 or so threads holding them in and the exhaust manifold studs breaking. It sounds like the seller hasn't had any issues with the plugs (some rigs do, some don't, having the plugs installed and (over)torqued correctly is important here), so that's good news, but even if it does blow one it's not the end of the world, very good fixes are available. The exhaust manifold studs tend to break on some rigs over time, this will eventually lead to an exhaust leak and in my case, nice new Banks headers!
. Take a good look at the studs, there are 20 of them, count them and use any that are missing as a negotiating point on the price. Typical shop rate to replace them runs $800-ish, but we can walk you through the job here, I did my broken studs in my driveway.Be sure your test drive includes plenty of starts and stops, both easy and hard braking to feel for any side pull or odd noises. Also try to get it onto soft or loose ground and engage the 4X4 to test the transfer case and front hubs auto locking function. Take it up to highway speeds to check for any unusual handling issues and pay very close attention to the steering tightness and feel, there are lots of components on this agerig that can be worn in the steering and suspension systems. Play with every switch and button to verify proper function of everything.
I do like seeing those larger towing mirrors, if factory the EX may have the optional 4.30 gears which are absolute BEST option available for these big gas wagons, especially one that will be doing some towing work. But even if it has the more common 3.73 gears it should handle your middle weight TT just fine. My V-10 EX has an effective 4.39 ratio which performs pretty darned good as our dedicated tow rig for our 11,300lb TT which we pull all over the East. We were in TN just last week and the week before in both Nashville and Pigeon Forge, it handles those TN mountains just fine and saw towing mileage in the 8.5 to 9 MPG range.
Where abouts are you in TN? At this time our plans are to retire to TN in 5 to 7 years, my wife wants a place on the water, I'm trying to convince her that a nice pond qualifies but so far she isn't in agreement with that idea.