Glad to see someone post about the awd,I recently purched a mercury mountaineer awd,4.6,and man will that thing run. We got 15.58 mpg through the first tank,which I thought was pretty good considering the mazda tribute only got 18 around town,and I was told by the dealer that the 4.0 started to sound like a diesel after a few miles.

 

Not trying to be a wise a&&, but why is anyone concerned of gas mileage when they buy a Explorer? It is a 2 ton SUV.

I have a 97 Sport 4L and a 99 Mountaineer 5L...I picked up the mounty to tow our camper and my Sport is just downright fun to drive.
If I was concerned about gas mileage I would have bought an Echo Certainly if I had a long commute to and from work I wouldn't buy an Explorer, the way gas is these days, you'd go broke getting to work LOL

 

Don't care what nobody says about my 98 Mountaineer. Black with a nice gold pinstripe down the side. Tinted windows...I added a second layer to the existing ones and got the front passenger and driver side windows done also. Got rid od those Firestone recalls a couple of years back and got oversized tires. Installed air shocks on the back...so she's got a slightly raised booty!!. AWD!! Replace radio with same equiped better quality.
She's got 53K miles on her. Just replaced spark plugs w/ wires...new belt.....all new injectors ...new fuel rods. Now she is like WOW!! The acceleration is outta this world. Even kept up with a Mustang 5.0 2000 I believe. Even they wondered what I had unda the hood. She's the best investment I ever had!! Gonna keep her until she just gives up the ghost!!!!!!

M

I memeber a few winters ago...Chicago had a winter storm. Guess who was able to just drive outta the parking place??? Gotta love that AWD or 4X4..an invaluable asset!!

 

Sounds like a very nice truck!
BTW, what are fuel rods?

 

Small tubular rods that bring fuel to the respective injectors from the fuel line. They look like electricity lines held up on the pole(hehehe)They are normally polished shiny and metal....alleast my original and replacement rods were. The repair guy showed my old one to me. He educated me on why to look for and use quality gasoline. I learned alot about my engine that day.

M

PS..An added happy note......just made the last payment this past friday!!!!!!

 

Thanks for the info and congrats on the payoff!

 

Ive got to drive my moms explorer AWD a few times. Well because of me shes on her second one now. The first one was a 98 5.0 XLT AWD and the new one is a 99 5.0 Limited AWD (Leather, Power everything, pearl paint, beautiful truck). The first one I was dirving to school about a year ago (only 5 minutes away but it was a white out blizard) and cought black ice and between my heavy foot buried in the 5.0 trying to keep it on the road and the AWD going crazy trying to corect its self I ended sliding sideways across the road and a side street and ended up in a ditch deeper than the truck on the roof. (The truck suffered little damage other than a dent in the roof, and the hood being dented it looked good (airbags never deploied and none of the lights broke) and I walked away laughing but the insurance comany still totaled it). The AWD is good for girls but I would rather control what the 4WD is doing. Also the limited has digital screen tht tells you when to change the oil, miles left on current gas, current adverage mileade wich is 16.3 MPG and howmany gallons the truck has ever used. Oh and also for some odd reason they (my parents) dont want me to drive the limited for some odd reason.

 

If I opt to take the AdvanceTrac™ Stability Enhancement System over the AWD
what are the differences between the two?

 

Don't know about the AdvanceTrac over AWD I can just comment on the 97 Explorer AWD that I have It Rocks. The AWD is great for those that never go off the road or have light off road duty with the explorer. It is not like 4x4 trucks that scuff tires and lurch in hard turns on dry payment in 4x4 like my 87 ranger.

gotta love winter winds where some roads are clear and other's are ice packed around every turn. don't know weather to stay in 4x4 or go 2x4 with the AWD you just go


just my $.02 on the matter.

 

I have had a 4.0 V6 Explorer (5spd), and I currently have a 96 with awd, and 5.0. From what I can tell, my v8 gets better gas mileage than my v6 did. While it may be a bigger engine, it doesnt have to work as hard to push the car. I spend less on gas than I did before, and my V6 was always tuned. I havent had any experience in snow yet (I sure as hell will, living in Maine), but I have been in some light mud, with no problems at all. I have heard people say they are great in the snow. If you use a lead foot in snow, it doesnt matter what you drive, you will more than likely go off the road. I live in a state where we get heavy snow, and I see more 4x4 pick ups and SUVS off the road in the winter, more than anything else...and its all over confidence in driving a 4WD.

 

Got the same thing you do. It's great in the snow, plus 17 to 22 mpg.

 

I drive in Mass/NH/Maine. I bought my 1998 AWD XLT with the V8 last fall right before the snow flew. I have had two trucks before it and I must say the AWD handels like a dream in the snow. We had some pritty nasty stuff this year and I never found my truck slipping. I even took it off roads a couple of times and was able to climb hills with as much a 2 feet of snow on them with no effort at all. If you need to safe dependable truck for the familly and you have any slippery road conditions at all AWD is a life saver. Also It loves the flooded roads.