Hey guys,

Sadly, I think the time has come. I've been driving excursions for the last 15 years (been through 2 of them), but my kids are all grown and its getting harder to justify driving my ex everywhere I go. I think its time for me to downsize a little, and get into something a little newer.

So where do I go next? What have you guys felt is something to go to when the day comes to move to something smaller?

So, Ideas I have about what I want to go to:

* Still want a truck. Im accustomed to climbing up into something and sitting higher on the road. I test drove some cars, and was generally unhappy in them.

* I still want a third row seat. I dont intend on using it much, and it will be folded down most of the time, but I want one just in case all my kids are home and we decide to go somewhere together. And it must be a FUNCTIONAL seat. I test drove a Yukon today, and my ONLY problem with it was that the third row seat sits LITERALLY about 7 inches from the floor. My youngest daughter was with me, and she's 5'2, and even her sitting in that seat she practically had her knees in her chest. An adult could never sit in that row.

* I dont want a crossover. If it looks like a minivan or a "soccer mom" car, I dont want it. Call me silly, but I want a truck that looks like a man's truck. The nissan Pathfinder used to have a rugged profile, now it looks like a minivan.

* Must be an SUV. I dont want a pick-up. I have no possible use for the bed. I did have a loaner when my Ex was in the shop, and I loved driving it. Everything about it was awesome, except that it has a bed and no third row.

Here's what I test drove so far and my comments on each:

2017 Expedition - This thing looked nice, but everything inside felt like it was put together real chinsy-like. Everything creaked when i touched it. Plus, it felt really narrow, i could lean over just a little bit and touch the window on the passenger side.

2018 Yukon - Loved this except for the back seat. Practically useless. A Yukon XL would probably not have the same issue, but I'm trying to downsize and a Yukon XL is basically a suburban. This is basically the same truck as the escalade and tahoe, which were sitting right next to it, so i didnt even bother driving those. Same back seat issue.

2018 Nissan Armada - I liked this truck. This, right now, is the lead contender in my head.

So guys, what do you think? Where does one go after loving his Ex for all this time? I'm finding this search MUCH harder than I thought I would.

On a side note, know anyone who wants to buy an Ex?

 

You, like everyone, have to choose the vehicle best suited to you.

That includes tons of things, power, space, driveability, etc. (Seriously WAY to many personal options to list)

I doubt anyone can toss you a "Hail Mary pass" that gives an answer that fits you correctly, besides yourself and what you know that you personally like and don't like. But everyone on here is not You, and we all have our own creature feature likes and dislikes.

My best advice is get a list of features that are a MUST HAVE, then see what models/brands offer them, then see what other models/brands come close that can be fitted with aftermarket stuff that puts them on par with what you want.

Compare price, and make a decision based on price/features/cosmetics/ergonomics/personal appeal.

It is what we all do in the end anyway.

P.S. I told the wife to bury me in my 2001 Ex, unless one of the kids wanted it.

 

We don’t allow this type of negativity in this section...may as well get a Prius

 

To funny!

I thought I summed it up nicely with "death" after owning an Ex.

 

And I get this. I'm not looking for a "get this" answer. I'm talking to the group of people who know what its like to drive an Ex, and get their opinions on what theyve driven that just doesnt drive them bat**** crazy. I'm looking for options, not the silver bullet. And I dont know cars. I walked around lots at like 5 dealerships and a carmax today looking at everything I could lay my eyes on and the ones i mentioned in my list were pretty much the only ones worth mentioning that I saw. Just figured there MUST be something I missed.

 

Outside on how our experience with an Ex has been, and touching on some of the things you want/must have you mentioned.

I offered to buy the wife a new Suburban, she opted for the 2003 Ex I found for her, she is biased and really only wants to own / drive a Ford.

Personally out of the comparable Expy MAXX VS. LtZ Suburban of the modern vehicles, I would pick the V6 diesel 16 speed Suburban for her, she shut me down when I wuggested it..

If you want to tinker, there are tons of options, if you want a one and done retirement vehicle the narrow quickly.

Biased views aside, I did give solid advice on picking out a vehicle.

 

Me I am more of a truck (f250-f650) guy. I have had an f250 with an f350 HD suspension and braking system on it for over 20 years. I typically drive ford/Chevy 1 tons and higher for work trucks.

I WAS going somewhere with this... but it is past my bed time... so I may elaborate more tomorrow as I am drawing a sudden blank lol.

 

I would say an F150 with the big trunk. (5' bed) You say you don't need a bed? Good thing since the dinky bed is smaller than the back of an EX. It will ride nice, use less fuel, and be as modern and fancy as you may want. You can even get an oil burner. Only downside is the lack of a 3rd row. I have 5 grown kids, the thought of needing a vehicle to carry everyone never crossed my mind. Throw in significant others and we aren't all riding in the same vehicle anyway short of a 12 passenger Yoder Toter passenger van. ( I will admit my 3rd row seats have sat in the garage for the last 5+ years) And my final comment, just say no to the Datsun.

Good luck, truck shopping is fun!

 

We have 2 kiddos in college and will have the last one at home for another 7 years before she goes to college. We have thought about down sizing...the wife drives the Excursion...and like the Expedition. However, just can't seem to head in that direction because it's still just a great vehicle! We have also thought about keeping the Excursion and getting a smaller car to zoot around town in like the grocery store, the gym, etc.; and may consider the oldest daughters 2008 Ford Taurus when the time comes.

 

How about a Jeep Wrangler? They're very versatile, compact and still trucklike. I don't how reliable they are being that they're made by Chrysler.

 

Ill throw this out there. My dad always wanted high end sports car when I was younger. He always put it off and justified it with needing a family vehicle because of my brother and I. When we moved out he still put off his sports car saying he needed something practical for when everybody visits. Finally my mother and I explained to him that both my brother and myself have vehicles with back seats. When we all go someplace together we either meet up at the destination or end up with my parents as passengers. After a few years of prodding he finally broke down and bought the sports car, and now all he love it. All he does is tinker with it, him and I can talk about it because he is interested in his toy and I have some automotive background. It has brought us allot closer then him buying another efficient family vehicle that he has no interest in.

My opinion, buy what you really want. Dont worry about practicality of a third row or things that you may need once in a blue moon. Your children will likely have their own vehicles once they move out, and you have earned the right to be selfish having raised them all for the last however many years. If you want a big suv then get one, but if you want something smaller like a Tahoe, then get that. You have earned the right to be a little selfish and get something you want, not what you need, or is most efficient/practical.

 

Very well said.

 

Agree, drive a vehicle that makes you smile.

 

Did you specify that the burial was to occur after dying of natural causes? You might want to go back and clarify....


Regarding the OP, we're kinda doing the same thing. My wife and I are a 3 Ford family. The 2000 Excursion, a 2004 Expedition, and an F150. We have no kids, but we have 2 8-passenger SUVs. After several years of riding around in my 4-wheel drive truck and Ex, the wife decided that she liked sitting up high and being able to see the road and we acquired the Expedition. My wife is actively looking to upgrade the Expedition. With 175,000 miles on it it is time. I'm already looking to trade trucks, but what I want looks like a fleet truck (standard cab, 8' bed) and I'm picky. I've been driving the Ex a lot lately and still love it. But it's got more than 150,000 miles on her and is nearly 20 years old. I keep my eyes peeled for deals on lower mileage Excursions, but there are fewer and fewer of them.

It's tough giving up something that feels like part of you, even for something "newer and better".

 

Just another opinion, but may be time to look at why you are selling and address those items instead.

I say that because I did what you are doing and sold my last one, picked up an 2013 5.4 4x4 Expedition, then a F350 6.7 4x4 Long Bed, added a camper trying to get the Excursion storage feeling back and just couldn't get there, moved to an FJ60 land cruiser with a Chevy V8 ended up being more 'project' than my excursion before was becoming, moved to an F150 4x4 6.5' bed and when I started looking for camper shells again I realized what I really knew the day after I sold my old Excursion, there wasn't really anything that could replace it. So, I waited and looked and waited and looked and finally found another Excursion. I do not plan on driving anything else, even with occasional major repairs if needed it is less $ than a newer vehicle and my smiles per mile are way higher.

Again, just my opinion, but if I were you, I would deal with any items on my Ex and keep driving it because they are extremely hard to replace. I can't justify my truck with my family size either, but I love these things.