I am thinking about buying a 97 Eddie Bauer Expedition. It has everything I need, EXCEPT rear AC/heater. The owners have told me that if you pop the rear windows open that the air will circulate and will cool off the people on the 3rd seat. Is this true? Is the rear ac essential or do I not buy this truck because of this. Thank you for your suggestions.

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 15-Apr-02 AT 11:21 AM (EST)]I believe that the '97 and '98 models did not offer both a sunroof and rear air so it is a choice in which one you would prefer. The newer models do offer both. If the EB you are looking at has a sunroof then there is nothing to do. Weigh the option you would desire most or buy a newer EB.

I'm not sure how much ventilation the quarter windows give. I seldom use mine.

 

My '97 has the rear air/heat, but not the opening rear windows. We like the rear A/C in the summer, and the rear heat helps warm up the vehicle quicker in the winter. I highly recommend the rear air/heat.

 

>My '97 has the rear air/heat, but not the opening rear
>windows. We like the rear A/C in the summer, and the rear
>heat helps warm up the vehicle quicker in the winter. I
>highly recommend the rear air/heat.



I would like to have the rear ac/heat but this particular truck doesn't have it. So I guess my question is to those who also don't have rear ac/heat and is this a real problem with these large vehicles or is it something that one can live with? Or are there alternative ways to address this problem.

Thanks everyone who has replied.

 

Its probably something you can live with. How often do you think you will use the third seat anyway.

By the way, I will have a 98 EB Exp for sale in a couple months. Just ordered a 2003 EB Exp.

 

>I am thinking about buying a 97 Eddie Bauer Expedition. It
>has everything I need, EXCEPT rear AC/heater. The owners
>have told me that if you pop the rear windows open that the
>air will circulate and will cool off the people on the 3rd
>seat. Is this true? Is the rear ac essential or do I not buy
>this truck because of this. Thank you for your suggestions.

It depends on what the weather is like in your? part of the country. It also depends on how much you like sitting on HOT leather (which tends to hold heat quite well while providing a nice burning sinsation when your bare skin hits it, think shorts) I HIGHLY recommend the Rear A/C. Especially when jumping into an Expy (very large interior) on a HOT summer day. The rear a/c will help to bring the interior temps down MUCH quicker. In addition the rear air will help the whole interior cooler while driving with having to crank open the rear quarter windows which WILL increase the noise level at highway speeds quite a bit. Also without the rear a/c you will NEED to run the fan at a higher level to get and keep the interior comfy, both in winter and summer.

Ford made and sold hundreds of thousands on Expeditions. If you agree that rear a/c is an important "option" finding a good expy with it will not be a hard thing to do.

Petrol
99 XLT 5.4L

 

>Its probably something you can live with. How often do you
>think you will use the third seat anyway.
>
>By the way, I will have a 98 EB Exp for sale in a couple
>months. Just ordered a 2003 EB Exp.


I am looking for an Expedition with rear air and a tow package.

 

On the contrary side of Petrol's statement, having the rear heat will help bring the temps inside of the expy, whether you have the 3rd seat installed or not, up a lot quicker. It also helps keep it warm inside without running the fan on high. Opening the windows won't help warm the vehicle at all during the winter. Unless you don't have cold temps, then it's something to think about.

 

gn_22

'98 Eddie Bauer (Laser Red) with rear air, third seat, towing package, flip-down TV with VCR under the seat, outside temp, 6 CD changer, 40,000 mile, clean and never wrecked. Basically its loaded with the exception of the load-leveling.