Considering '03 Eddie Bauer Expedition
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Junior User
Joined: Jun 2003
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Considering '03 Eddie Bauer Expedition
Any advice or warnings? My life loves the vehicle. EB 4X4 5.4L with Moonroof, AdvanceTrac, SafetyCanopy, Climate Controlled Seats, and Power Third Seat. I drove the vehicle and the steering seemed very twitchy but I am used to my '02 F350 Lariat CC PSD LWB DRW. What about the Continental Tires? Is the advance trac worth the money? TIA
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Joined: Apr 2003
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From: Sweet Home Alabama
Considering '03 Eddie Bauer Expedition
Have an '03 EB 4x2 with everything but the Advance Trac and the in-dash navigation system. Absolutely love it. The power fold flat third seat is the envy of friends with SUV’s. Gas mileage is not great but if you're going to the dance you gotta pay the band. Ford did get to replace the transmission at 13600 miles but I understand from this board and others that this was something very unusual. No other warranty work needed to date. I'm a big guy and the A/C seats are wonderful; now my back can stay cool without freezing everyone else inside. I personally have not had any problem with the Continental tires so I can't really add anything there. However, now that you noted the "twitching" you experienced I have noticed it at times too. But thinking about it I believe it's a function of running "P" rated rather than "LT" tires. The softer sidewall does tend to allow that flex/twitch, especially on a heavier vehicle like the Expy. I’m changing to LT’s soon as we’re buying a travel trailer and I’ve read many places that this greatly improves stability when pulling a trailer. All in all I've found the Expy to be excellent for me - and I believe you'll feel the same way.
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Joined: Nov 2002
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From: Somewhere West of Laramie
Considering '03 Eddie Bauer Expedition
The steering shouldn't be twitchy,maybe the tires were overinflated. My 98 was a handful in crosswinds,but my new 2003 is great. I had it up to 105mph on the stock Conti tires and it felt like I was in my Cougar,no vibration,no wandering,just nice. Fastest I had the 98 was 85 or 90 and only twice,felt like it was on the ragged edge.Look for one with a build date before Dec 2002 or Feb 2003,they did a bunch of decontenting from those 2 dates. I love my 03!
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Joined: May 2003
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Considering '03 Eddie Bauer Expedition
If the EXPY is for your wife, get the 4.6L...Chances are she wont be doing much towing or offroading...Besides she'll never know the difference...but you will in your wallet ( $ )....
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Joined: Nov 2002
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From: Somewhere West of Laramie
Considering '03 Eddie Bauer Expedition
Forget the 4.6,get the 5.4 has lots more power.The gas mileage isn't all that much worse and you'll have better resale value! How about it guys,5.4 over the 4.6,right?
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Joined: May 2003
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Considering '03 Eddie Bauer Expedition
Like i said, if the car's for your wife, get the 4.6L...she'll never know the difference....& chances are, neither will you.
If you decide to get the 5.4L as suggested by everyone else...be sure to check out all the "How can I increase my mileage" threads. Its a fav among the 5.4L crowd.
Good Luck
If you decide to get the 5.4L as suggested by everyone else...be sure to check out all the "How can I increase my mileage" threads. Its a fav among the 5.4L crowd.
Good Luck
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Joined: May 2003
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Considering '03 Eddie Bauer Expedition
I have the 2003 expedition ( 5.4 4x4 XLT ) When you spend upwards of $30k I hope you are not worried about 1-2mpg on your new expy.
I am currently averaging almost 18mpg hwy and 13 city. Which i am very happy with. You are going to lose the needed power especially if you travel and have a large family. Even your midsize suv only get 20mpg on the hwy.
I wouldn't sacrifice the performance of the 5.4 vs an underpowered 4.6 for a 1-2 mpg possible improvement. Good Luck!!!!
I am currently averaging almost 18mpg hwy and 13 city. Which i am very happy with. You are going to lose the needed power especially if you travel and have a large family. Even your midsize suv only get 20mpg on the hwy.
I wouldn't sacrifice the performance of the 5.4 vs an underpowered 4.6 for a 1-2 mpg possible improvement. Good Luck!!!!
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Junior User
Joined: Jun 2003
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Considering '03 Eddie Bauer Expedition
I just took delivery of the wife's new EB Expy. We got the 5.4 L as it may be used occasionally for pulling the smaller horse trailers. I am not too worried about the mileage (My daily driver is a F350 PSD CC LWB DRW towing machine!) I think the differences I noted in the steering are just the differences between the rack and pinion steering in the Expy and my truck. Tire inflation may have contributed. These tires are not as stiff as my trucks and may have squirmed alittle. I was very pleased that she drove a Tahoe for about a 100 yds and said "Yuck". Felt like driving a marshmallow.
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Considering '03 Eddie Bauer Expedition
FWIW: IMO, the wife comment is surprising sexist in this day and age. Performance preference is something that is person-specific -- a case-by-case issue, not something to broad-brush based on gender. In my wife's case, it wouldn't have been pretty if you had made that suggestion when she was looking at her Expy. Her main complaint is that it didn't have a larger engine option! And if the issue is need, I know several females that haul more stuff than their male counterparts -- does that mean that all husbands should only get the 4.6, because "they'll never know the diffeernce and save a lot of $$$"? Let's focus this discussion back on needs and/or desires, not out-dated stereotypes.
$0.02 from the peanut gallery.
$0.02 from the peanut gallery.
Senior User
Joined: May 2003
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Considering '03 Eddie Bauer Expedition
If the EXPY is for your wife, get the 4.6L...Chances are she wont be doing much towing or offroading...Besides she'll never know the difference...but you will in your wallet ( $ )....
OPPS sorry...I must have missed the thread about all the female expy. drivers towing & hauling 10 tons of material everywhere they go and longing for a 5.4L as opposed to the 4.6L the bought.
Sexist comment??? Hmm...And I suppose a security guard at an airport looking through the bags of a person from the Middle East is racism? Facts are facts...no matter how "PC" the world has become. I'd say 90% of female expy drivers DO NOT tow or haul anything that would REQUIRE a larger engine. And probably even a large percentage will never take it offroad... Which is why a made that post. Its not sexist, its just a fact.
OPPS sorry...I must have missed the thread about all the female expy. drivers towing & hauling 10 tons of material everywhere they go and longing for a 5.4L as opposed to the 4.6L the bought.
Sexist comment??? Hmm...And I suppose a security guard at an airport looking through the bags of a person from the Middle East is racism? Facts are facts...no matter how "PC" the world has become. I'd say 90% of female expy drivers DO NOT tow or haul anything that would REQUIRE a larger engine. And probably even a large percentage will never take it offroad... Which is why a made that post. Its not sexist, its just a fact.
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2002
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Considering '03 Eddie Bauer Expedition
Now now people...let's not turn this happy forum into a flame war 
Like Madpressman said, if you can afford the '03 EB then who cares about the extra bit of gas you'll consume in the coarse of your ownership. Don't we all live with excesses in one way or another?
You may recover a bit extra $ when it comes to resale with the 5.4 compared to the 4.6.
Either way, you'll be happy with the Expy.
Like Madpressman said, if you can afford the '03 EB then who cares about the extra bit of gas you'll consume in the coarse of your ownership. Don't we all live with excesses in one way or another?
You may recover a bit extra $ when it comes to resale with the 5.4 compared to the 4.6.
Either way, you'll be happy with the Expy.
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Joined: Mar 2003
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From: North-East
Considering '03 Eddie Bauer Expedition
Bigger is better! That's also a fact, and women DO think like that... Us guys too! (whopper or double-whopper??? and Super-Size it Damn-it!)
I traded my Montero Sport (3.0lt) for an Expedition 5.4lt. I don't haul "jack" but wanted a safer vehicle for wife and daughter...
Greenpeace hates us anyway... The day they put an electric vehicle on my driveway I think about pollution!
Peace out!
I traded my Montero Sport (3.0lt) for an Expedition 5.4lt. I don't haul "jack" but wanted a safer vehicle for wife and daughter...
Greenpeace hates us anyway... The day they put an electric vehicle on my driveway I think about pollution!
Peace out!