Hey all,

We currently have a 05' Merc. Montery (mini-Van). Its a lease and is about 8 months from getting turned in. We got the van when I had a good job (SGT in the USMC) and now am a full time college student. The payments are KILLING ME!

After doing some research, I think a good used expedition (00'ish) would be a good replacement vehicle. Now I'm not too worried about fuel mileage, as the van gets (are you ready....) 14mpg! I doubt the expedition could get much worse. We have three boys (6,3 &1) and need some serious room (Have you tried to get three kids in car/booster seats in the car!).

What do I need to look for when looking at used expeditions? I'm a mechanic (8yrs turning wrenches on diesels & 1yr working out in town before going back to school) so I have a decent assortment of tools and have no problems reading a tech manual. Are there any sure fire warning flags about these trucks? Is there any options to avoid? Do the sun roof's leak? Anthing you can think of?

Apreciate you taking your time to read...

Billy

 

Haha!!! Oh, yes it will. Just wait and see.

My 00 Eddie bauer was pretty trouble-free during the three years I had it. I got it @ 80K miles and sold it @ 130K and no big repairs were needed. Just regular maintenance.

The only thing I would personally advise steering clear of is the LLS (load levelling suspension). Many other will agree with me and many other will disagree.

Just read some of the threads here and you'll get a pretty good picture of what that is all about.

 

i'd be greatful for 14! i get 11-12 (all city). if i drove more highway i'm sure it'd be a lot better though.

can't think of any tail-tell signs to look out for (but if you do a search you'll see this same question comes up about 6-10 times a year and you might find something there...).

when i've bought my expys, i've simply drove a whole bunch to get an idea about how a good one 'feels' and 'sounds'. though i'm sure i've also just got a bit lucky.

the one thing i learned the hard way is that if the AWD light flashed all the time that you're in AWD, it means AWD ain't working right.

gl,
al

 

The good news is you can pick up a 97 expedition for little money and if taken care of will last you awhile, the bad news is these are gas Hawgs!!!!!!!!!! They are very good at hauling many folk around. Good luck and again don't be afraid of first year ones, mine has been a trouble free, 222,500 mileage grocery getter that loves gas.

 

See the way I look at it, since we are paying $650 a month for the van (had $7k upside down in a trade in with a blown motor - $7K for the new motor, or $7k in upside down.....) and the payment on a 00' expedition would be around $200 a month we would still be way ahead even if we spend an extra $100 a month in fuel.... I have a hoopty satrun that gets 35mpg for getting back and forth to work. Our van is used mostly for getting to and from family events, and going to the stores about once a week... heck, we have a 45K mi lease and will be atleast 10K miles UNDER and mabey even a full 15K miles under (my inlaws keep borrowing the van and taking it on vacation.... what ever). So we average about 10K miles a year... Thats hardly anything....

You know whats sad... When I drive the van, I get about 16mpg in town (we have the cool computer in the dash), but my wife gets about 12mpg.... she guns it from light to light and slams on the breaks... Oh well... Its only money right :P

 

Well the problem seems to be a car payment. Period. Quit leasing also known as fleecing and get away from the land of car payments. Save your money and the next one will be paid for in cash, again the 97s can be had cheap. There now you have been nagged and yes I am a Dave Ramsey fan.

 

I had to include this article, I found it right after I responded to you devildog.http://www.latimes.com/business/la-f...la-home-center

 

Trust me dude, your preaching to the choir... MY CAR (unlike the wifes van) was bought for cash... It may look like a piece, but it runs just fine and gets 35mpg...

See, the reason for leasing... My wife would change her car as often as she changes her mind.. I'm half tempted to get her a two year lease on her next "new car" (in 3-5 years, when I get back to work full time)

We were about $7K upside down on our minivan at the time, when the engine blew up. It was $6K for a new motor that I would have had to put in (not having the tools or a shop to put it in made that REALY difficult) or eat the $7K on the lease of the next vehicle. The lease guranteed the car would be under waranty, and while being a college student with three kids, if I was going to be making that kind of monthly payment (had to pay the pipper one way or the other) at least the mechanicals would be covered...

I figure that since I now have a garage to fix things, and I have a good assortment of tools, an expedition is a good choice. We hardly drive anywhere (Heck, during the summer, I ride my bicycle if I have the chance), so fuel isnt going to be too much of a problem. I need a large vehicle to haul the three kids and the wife and I around, and having been making a $650 pmnt, I can put the extra $ towards finaly paying off this stupid debt and getting free and clear....

Billy

 

My nickel is to get a 00 or newer. The 99 got new heads good for 40 or 50 HP, but had crappy gaskets...read recall. What's worse, there was not enough extra material in the casting to resurface, so most of time, Ford would replace the gaskets, true the heads, only to have the valves kiss the pistons on the first start up. Then they'd scrap the engine and replace. Not sure if the recall would be honored after all this time.

Anyway, I really liked my '99. The only thing I didn't like was the lack of 2wd option. Dunno if '00 fixed that.

Other than the head gasket issue on the '99, the only problems I had were really crappy chrome (literally so thin the rain wore it off), the hvac linkage started to fail just when I traded it in ('03), and it had a driveline vibration that no one could track down (though to be honest, nobody who rode in the truck thought anything of it...I worked in exhaust tuning for a while so I'm very sensitive to nvh).

 

devildog, first I'm not a dude-my name is Tina but anyway sounds like you and your wife have it figured out. You are going in it knowing gas mileage sucks but again don't put off the older ones. Good luck, Happy New Year!

 

Quote:

00' expedition would be around $200 a month we would still be way ahead even if we spend an extra $100 a month in fuel....

<O

Well, I have a 98 expedition 4.6L.<O

Payments are over $200.00, Gas is around $100.00 @ week or so.<O

I love my truck. I'm still debating in getting a 08 Expedition. I’m almost done with my note. I just don’t see myself getting into another note so soon.
Good luck with your truck hunting...<O

PS... Stay away from sunroof they leak, come off the track, exc.<O</O

 

Sorry dudet... Didnt realize...

Thanks ya'll

Billy

 

Personally have a 99 with the 4.6. Just turned 155000 this weekend. Other than normal maintance, we have had little problems. My only complaint it that the 4.6 is lacking in power. Not a big deal if you do not tow. Yes, the gas milage sucks, but that doesn't bother you much, and the 2nd row room makes up for it.

Steve S.
To many to list.

 

Ohhh. Don't do it. I know it's got some nice upgrades, but it's hideous. That's a face not even a mother could love. It's a lot of the reason I got my '06.

BTW, payments on a '00 sure weren't $200 when you bought, but they are now. Depreciation's a bear.

 

My 99 with 130,000 miles has NEVER had a problem with the OEM moonroof. I use it all summer.