Gentlemen (and ladies),
I got this idea from BON. Thought I'd do it here...

Here's the question:

If you were in charge of designing and building the next generation Excursion, what would change from the current generation?

Duplicate ideas are encouraged. Wouldn't it be nice if someone from Ford was to read what follows and actually incorporate the changes?!

I'll keep it anchored until posts slow down...


(yes, it's a copy & paste from the SD/HD forum...)

 

Me first.

Do or Add;
[ol]
[li]Improve front suspension. Needs more travel.
[li]New shocks.
[li]Rear sway bar.
[li]Build better ball joints.
[li]Head rest for all passengers.
[li]3 point belts for all passengers.
[li]Vinyl floor & seat option.
[li]Put the spare tire somewhere else but don't shrink tank.
[li]standard LS unit. (a good one)
[li]A 375/500 V10 engine.
[li]Head phone jacks for 3rd row.
[li]Real working gauges.
[li]Standard tranny temp gauge.
[li]Screw-on filter for tranny.
[li]Give me the ZF 6-speed option.
[li]Larger oil filter.
[li]Stop designing it for women with all the girly mods.
[li]Put rotors on that don't have to be turned every 10K.
[/ol]

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 17-Feb-02 AT 06:30 PM (EST)]I would sure like a third row seat that would fold down flat and not need to be removed or propped up with some aftermarket device!

Oh Yeah!! A factory flip chip. One program for 'Hang on to the steering wheel with both hands'
And one for 'Please get me there without having too take out a loan for gas money'.

 

Features I would like to see in the next MY Excursion.

- More power would be nice but not at the sacrifice of fuel economy.

- I would like to see more options in vehicle entertainment systems like dual flip down monitors, DVD and controls for the 3rd row.

- I'm really impressed with the current 3rd row seat design. It's bar far the easiest 3rd row seat to remove from a large vehicle as compared to Econoline and Windstar. The second best feature of the 3rd row is when it's removed the rear cargo floor is perfectly flat. Most folding seat designs never fold 100% flat.

- I would like to see the 2nd row seats fold 100% flat so they are flush with the rear cargo floor. With the 3rd row removed and the 2nd row folded I can get a 4'x8' sheet of plywood in the cargo area and close the rear doors. This is a key selling feature for me.

- There should be an option for hard rubber floor matting to replace the carpet through out and tough cloth seat fabrics. Much like the interior options in the Sport Trac.

- Cargo and storage areas every place there is a void or unused space. We talked about this already and the think the rear doors should have interior storage bins since they don't lift up to open them.

- Tool storage compartments under the hood if possible. Under hood light that's on a retractable cord. This was available many years ago.

- Suspension, get rid of the solid 4x4 front axle and leaf spring design. GM's heavy duty trucks use a torsion bar front suspension for the 4x4 option and the ride is very nice.

- I would like to see a HD rack & pinion steering system and grease fittings on all moving or rotating joints.

- I also like the external screw on trans oil filter that GM has.

- Real gages on the dash would be nice.

- I would like to see more after market products available as dealer installed options like Jeep has. Options like grill bars, fog lamps, bug deflectors, BF Goodrich tires and winches.

Do you think I can get all this for under $35K? I bought my used 2000 Excursion Limited for ½ the cost of the original sticker price. I could never own this vehicle brand new.

 

I'm working on my 'Perfect Excursion' with a few mods. With the Banks improvement, the V10 is pretty close to your #'s, Monsta. How come the need for improvements is recognized, but yours is still bone stock?

 

Two words.

Wife. money.

but mostly wife.

 

However!

Most of that should change this spring/summer when I can actually wrench on it.
The sway bar and shocks will be first.
Intake and exhaust mods will follow. But I would much rather save up for the Banks myself. These 4 kids of mine are eating me out of house and....truck mods!!
I do dream of a Whipple supercharger and a nice 5" lift. But my wife...AAACK!! stop that woman!!...AAAAAAAAAKKKK.....STTTTTTTTTTTOOOOOPPPPP PPPP........I gotta go......let go of my ear!!............................................. .................................................. ....

 

Tell me about it!!! I think the 'Last Straw' was when she found out how much money I had spent to have the garage on our home re-framed and a new 7ft 6in door installed so my newly lifted excursion would fit into it. :OUCH!!!!

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 19-Feb-02 AT 01:54 AM (EST)]Holly cow I'm HOME!!! What a great place you have here!!!

I'm picking up our new (to us) '00 X V10 this thursday and I'm as gitty as a school girl - at 6' 3" and 250+ pounds that's not a pretty sight.

Due to many of those thangs (mentioned above) that might need changin' I almost bought another - can I use the word here? - Suburban. The biggest reason was the huge hole I need to make in the side of the house to let this X beast in. I can't believe there's someone else out there who actually opened a bigger hole for the monster! You're my hero!

The new addition to the family is black and loaded to the gills with everything they'd put on them back then. It's got only 19,000 miles - not even broken in yet - 3.73 gears, heated seats, CD changer, skid plates, 4x4 and a V10 - I can't wait! The kids can't wait! The wife can't wait! .

The only bad part is that it's to become a grocery-gettin', kid-haulin', soccer-momin', urban assult vehicle -- I just hope I get to drive it from time-to-time.

Lookin forward to sharing ideas (will need a chip, K&N, lift, cold air, blower?) with all of you - you got a real good thing going here!

Her truck is bigger than mine now

 

>>How come the need for improvements is recognized, but yours is still bone stock?


3992824, I thought about this some more...jokes asides many of the things that I listed on my "wish" list I can't do or can't be done with fiscal responsibility. But the things I can do (trany temp guage, sway bar, shocks etc.) will be done.

I do find myself a bit leary of doing major engine work simply because this is the main family vehicle and downtime is not welcome. Other considerations come into play when talking mods, too. Increased noise inside the truck with exhaust mods, reliablity concerns with major engine changes (supercharger), kids being able to get in (ifts).

We all make modifications to suit our needs. With that said, I could drive this truck for the next 15 years and not do anything to it and I'll be happy.

What I am looking for is for Ford to make the mods to suit my needs in the next generation Excursion. They have deeper pockets.

 

Fair enough! I gotta admit, the Banks kit about sent her over the edge, but not like the leather seat option I sprang for in the '97 Dodge I ordered new.

Of all the things I've done, the shocks are the single most important and noticible improvement made. I went with Edelbrocks, but there are a lot of options, and most seem to be happy with thier choice. What was Ford thinking?

Enjoy!

 

I totally agree with all the things above , but what ever happened to the high beam switch on the floor??? I had one on my 80' bronco, and it was so handy!!!!! any way thats my .02.

 

How about just a higher door (while open) on the rear, I'm 6'2" and with a 4x4 Excursion I figured I'd be o.k., I can't tell you how many times I've nailed my head into that door while getting things in and out of the back. After all, my Explorer rear door is higher!!!

 

Monsta

I knew I liked you. What brand of pants does your wife wear, 'cause she sure is the one wearing them in your house. I want to see if their the same as my wife's. Jeeeez, my wife has got me so whipped, I do the laundry and some "housework". I sought after the all black 2002 excursion with the monochrome kit straight from the factory. They found one in Tacoma, and now I'm the proud owner. I upgraded the wheels to MHT's chrome 16" with some larger B F goodrich tires. I want to put on a Flowmaster muffler, but I may have to sneak it on there!! I changed out the bulbs for xenon white. It looks sweet!

 

Great choice with the All Black version. I waited until my dealer could find a '01 Black Limited No Boundries package. Sorry for all those out there with the two tone. The truck just does not look right to me in two tone. My dealer told me that the Black Limited No Boundries package is a bit hard to come by. In the last 8 months since I have owned the truck, I have only seen 2 like mine. Can anyone tell me how one might be able to find out how many Ford produced like that in '01? Is the a way?

Would love to hear for anyone on that. Monsta...you gotta know!