Buying a 2005 Ford Expedition - For Cross Country Roadtrip

Hello all!

Glad to be a part of the forum and looking for some first-time buyers advice for a Ford Expedition. I am from England and sadly we do not have many awesome trucks like the Expedition around (as our roads are small), and as such i am not 100% sure what to look out for when buying a truck. My dad owned a Suburban about 12 years ago which we absolutely loved and that is what has made me quite fond of big American trucks in general. I was originally looking towards the GMC/Chevy route but having done some research online i think the expedition may fit my criteria (below) and budget better.

Currently I am planning to travel the US coast to coast later this year and into next year (have been dreaming and saving for this trip for about 5 years now), and am looking for a suitable truck to use on my travels. I have been looking for a few weeks and have seen a few trucks with about 150,000 or so miles on them (around $6-7000), and i think i have found a decent car with a well reviewed dealer: http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-...=FORD&minPrice=6000&listingId=425678012&Log=0

Anyone know these guys/this car?? (long shot but always worth checking)

What are the major things to look out before buying one? For example certain engine knocks after certain milage which can be an indicator of major issues, things/areas of the car which unscrupulous dealers might try and jazz up to make it look better than it is etc. A link to a buyers guide would also be a huge help if one is around!

I will have a small amount of kit with me to begin with, and want something which will fill the following criteria:

• Reliable enough to do 5000 or so miles over a 4-5 month period without giving me any major problems - (assuming the engines will be solid but possibly electrical problems over 100,000 miles?)
• Decent engine (i really want a V8 as fuel is very well priced in the US versus the UK so i am not particularly bothered by fuel consumption, just want that awesome V8 rumble)
• Possibility to sleep in the back of it. I am 6ft (72in) and would like to be able to stretch out, can sleep sideways possibly to make the most use of the cargo space? It looks like the seats fold down into the floor which makes me favour this truck over others (Yukon etc) Will it be big enough with seats folded up?
• Comfy to cruise long distances, (potentially with any new friends i meet on the way who need a lift and can contribute some fuel money)
• Decent and fairly hassle free resale value (plan is to sell to a dealer when i am finished, i will take a loss of maybe $1500-$2000 for a quick sale as that is within budget).

(Will add more as i think of it)

Many thanks all for your help in advance!

Hi again,

I am also wondering what are the main differences between the Expolrer and the Expedition?

And is the Expedition 4WD? I assume it is, but some dealers say 2 and some say 4WD. I assume it is mainly RWD but becomes 4WD when traction is poor?

Thanks again all those who read all this!

The Explorer is smaller. It is a mid size, whereas the Expedition is a full size truck. All pre-2015 Expeditions have a V8, and come in 2WD or 4WD options.
Generally, these are reliable trucks. But as with anything, it really depends how they were maintained. In addition to my new 2016, I have a 2003 with almost 200,000 miles, and I would not hesitate to drive it across country.

brick

Welcome to the Forum

Welcome!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Well Morty, after all the welcomes. Here's what I've seen from other forum members, as to some of the issues you may or may not encounter with the 2005 your contemplating. 1.) they have 2 cam phasers inside timing chain cover, that advance and retard camshaft timing, for performance, and increased fuel mileage. Problem is they fail some of the time. When they do it is a 10 hour job plus parts to repair. This year is the first year for the 3 valve cylinder head. Ford in their infinite wisdom put a 2 piece spark plug that can break on removal, doing spark plug changes. This also can be pricey. Hopefully the past owner or shop has replaced them. With 150 k on odo, probably not an issue. Other than that, as long as service was done close to schedule, the engine / transmission are strong on all expeditions. It's not uncommon to get 350k out of an engine. If your going to tow, be sure to add an additional trans cooler. Ask to see maintence records, and maybe spend the money to have a tech check it over. I hope that helps, these are overall good vehicles. I've had my 2000 expedition for 2 years now with 0 problems!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Welcome to the site...go to 2nd Gen section and you will find a sticky titled "what to look for when buying a 2nd Gen" or similar

Mr. 10K

The GMC/Chevy Suburban is considerably larger than the Expedition until about 2007. If you want a vehicle from Ford in that date range comparable in size to the Suburban, you should check out the Excursion.

2007+ Expedition EL models are similar in size to the Suburban.

Just stick to the expedition but choose a low mileage one and ask for the service records. Part of every road trip is being prepared. Get a repair manual for your chosen truck and a nice set of tools.

I would like to point out the link you provided states that particular expedition has a locking rear differential, however this was never available from Ford. If you can obtain a VIN number for a potential purchase it can be run at etis.ford.com to see the actual options/features. The 2004 and older are 2 valve engines which do not have VCT (expensive failure point) however the 2007-2014 models do have VCT. However you will get more HP and MPGs with a 3 valve engine.