My '00 Sport with a 4.6 is due back this month (RCO), and I'm looking hard at the '03 Eddie Bauer Expedition 2WD (I live in Texas so I don't want 4WD). The 4.6 in my ’00 Sport has been a good little engine, I just wonder if the 5.3 would be better?

I do a lot of highway driving. The dealer is telling me there is hardly any difference in gas mileage between the 4.6 and 5.3.

Is this what you guys are seeing, or are they blowing smoke up my caboose?

Thanks,

 

I've had both.

If you aren't going to tow anything, get the 4.6

Save your gas money.

Tony

 

I think someone here mentioned before that the gas mileage difference was like, $150 a year average. I'd say you might as well go with the bigger one - it is a pretty heavy truck. On the flipside you probably could just go with the 4.6 - I doubt Ford would put a sub-par engine in their new(er) flagship vehicle.

Just my $.02

XXL

 

2003 Expeditions are about 300-400 lbs. heavier than their 2002 counterparts. Bear that in mind when making an engine selection.

 

I'd go for the 5.4.
Worth the small difference in mileage to me.
You probably will get better mileage with the 5.4 with the A/C on and a few people in the truck.

 

Does the '03 5.4 really get better mileage than it did in the last generation of Expedition?

 

1st, it's a 5.4L Triton V-8, the 5.3 is a gm/cheby product.

2nd, as menitioned above, the '03 Expy is some 400 lbs heavier then a simalairly equipt '02 model. And as yet, there have been no corresponding increases in power (300 hp 3v 5.4L is on the way)
performance and ecomony will suffer slightly.

3rd, the 4.6L was bearly adequite for the job before the Expy gained the additional weight, I would say it is likily overmatched now.

And just incase you need another reason to disqaulify the smaller motor, consider this. The rated MPG for the 4.6L is only 1 mpg better then the larger, more powerful (approx. 30 hp & 50 lb. ft.) 5.4L You will not regret getting the big motor but you may well regret getting the small one.

 

We've got a 2003 Expy in the house (my dad's) and I have to say the 5.4 is worth getting! I tried driving a 4.6 and it felt underpowered compared to my dad's 5.4. I checked the specs on the MPG on Kelly blue book; you're looking at 14 MPG City with either engine; 18 MPG with the 4.6 and 17 MPG with the 5.4 -- at a difference of 1 MPG, isn't it worth going with the 5.4?

Also, if you don't mind spending a couple extra bucks on the initial purchase, get the 4x4 -- it's ESOF (Electronic Shift on the Fly) so you're not running 4x4 & draining more fuel until you flip the switch. You get a couple bucks more on the resale, and it feels good knowing you have it there if/when you need it. Sure, you guys in Texas don't get the snow we have here in Jersey, but you might run into some mud one of these days... Also, don't forget the AdvanceTrack Traction Control -- I can't believe how well it works! I had the Expy turning hard and fast on gravel, wet pavement, you name it, and it was still hugging the road. My buddy couldn't believe it when he saw the yellow traction light going on while the truck nimbly kept us on our path. It was actually starting to **** me off; I couldn't get the truck to fishtail no matter what I did!

One more thing; you're going to LOVE the truck!!!! They're as smooth as a Caddy, nimble as a tiny Geo, as heavy duty as my F-250 (well... almost), and as comfy as a limo!

 

I had a hard time deciding which way to go, after driving both I didn't notice much difference in performance. I don't intend to tow anything or carry heavy loads, I decided to go with the 4.6 in my EB, partly to save on the initial cost, partly to save a few gallons. I have so far been very satisfied, it is smooth and has very adequate accelation, in my opinion.

 

Well I picked up my 5.4 EB last night!

I appreciate everyones help!

Now I need to figure how to change my name from 00REDEXPEDITION to 03REDEXPEDITION

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 20-Nov-02 AT 10:03 AM (EST)]Congrats! You're going to love it! They did a lot of re-engineering on the '03 (not just the aesthetics, either) that really set it apart from the '02 and prior ones. I'm friends with our Ford salesman, and he lent me the video Ford sends to the salespeople to educate them on the new advances. This truck was rebuilt from the frame & drivetrain up.

Just out of curiosity, can I ask how much above dealer invoice cost you paid? We got ours on the X-plan and I'm really curious what the "street" mark-ups are.

 

Actually I "feel" I got pretty good deal! I got it for $30,735.00 sticker was $40,235.00!

I got $3K worth of rebates from Ford, and the dealer discounted it another $6.5K, for $9.5 off sticker!

I got it here: http://www.5starford.com/index1.html

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 20-Nov-02 AT 10:54 AM (EST)]>Actually I "feel" I got pretty good deal! I got it for
>$30,735.00 sticker was $40,235.00!
>
>I got $3K worth of rebates from Ford, and the dealer
>discounted it another $6.5K, for $9.5 off sticker!
>
>I got it here: http://www.5starford.com/index1.html


$9500 off on a '03?

Did you use a gun?
That's way under dealer cost with the dealer holdback incentive included.
Great deal!

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 20-Nov-02 AT 11:12 AM (EST)]>Actually I "feel" I got pretty good deal! I got it for
>$30,735.00 sticker was $40,235.00!
>
>I got $3K worth of rebates from Ford, and the dealer
>discounted it another $6.5K, for $9.5 off sticker!
>
>I got it here: http://www.5starford.com/index1.html


The '03 Expedition 4WD 5.4 V-8 Eddie Bauer has a $5,150 markup from dealer cost to sticker without adding any options. Tack on a couple options like DVD, AdvanceTrac, Safety Canopy, power folding rear seats, moon roof, etc. and the markup jumps about another $2K.

I don't know how you got $3K in factory rebates, though. Ford is only giving a $1,500 customer incentive rebate, and a $400 College Grad rebate (5-1-2000 to 1-3-03 graduation date) for a total of $1,900.

In any case, it sounds like you did VERY well with the discount. I would normally caution people not to look at the sticker price, but rather got to a site like http://www.kbb.com or http://www.edmunds.com and find out what the dealer is ACTUALLY paying for the truck. Instead of bargaining "down" from the sticker, you can bargain "up" from their cost. We didn't have to do that for our '03 Expedition because we bought it on the X-Plan, but I did use that strategy for my '02 F-250 to buy it at only $100 over dealer cost (and took a rebate incentive after that, too).

EDIT: Are you sure you didn't buy an EXCURSION and not the Expedition? I know that they offer 2 rebates on the Excursion totaling to $3,000. The markup on the Excursions is also slightly more than that on the Expedition, so it would be easier to take $6,500 off the sticker.

 

Take a peek at the link I provided . (http://www.5starford.com/index1.html)

I got an additional $1,500 for Owner loyalty (forget the real name) and there is also a $1,500 rebate for doing an RCO.

Dealer gets the RCO rebate $1,500, I got the Owner loyalty $1,500 then Five Star was discounting $8,000 off on all Eddie Bauers. Which got me $9,500 off, with TT&L down, it's under $500 a month for the next 36 months, life is good!

My sales guy was Mike Huntzinger, his e-mail is huntzingerm@sbcglobal.net feel free to contact him for more details!

Tell him Mr. Harrison highly recommended him! Which I do! ;-)