Test Drive...?

[Garrett]

^^^ I guess it varies by market, but here in KC i can get a fully loaded platinum (w/rear entertainment) for 73K. I think the MAX is 74.5K.

 

[aggiegrad05]

So question for this group, I am an Expo newbie. First drove one ona trip last spring in Banff CA. It was awesome and converted me from my previous Chevy leanings, have owned 2007 Tahoe ordered from factory and 2012 Burban bought for wife. She hated it. I currently drive 2015 X5 another factory order. Love the car but too smal for our family of 5 and big dog, lots of travels to Memas house and eventually gonna get. Trailer for our 24’ Robalo. Long story I drove XLT nice but not for me, trying to decide between LTD and Platinum. Will most likely be Max. Options will be 4x4, max tow need for peace of mind for boat, headrest dvd.

Just can’t decide if seats, wood, noise cancel and extra HP worth $4,500 before negotiating? Drove platinum max today with All but dvd and it was slick. Really liked how is absorbed road and seats were cool. Not sure I like massaging here wife has in Her MB GL. Love it there. Need more seat time as both test drives really too short for my taste.

What are the thought of those that went Ltd over platinum and vice versatility?

Thanks for indulging in this long rambling question but $75-80k is a lot of cabbage.

I went with the platinum in the end, although strongly considered the limited for the reasons you laid out (basically: are those few things worth the extra?).
Ultimately I decided I was already spending $76k (before the haggling) and upgrading to what I really wanted was only an additional 5%. I would hate to spend that much money and always wish I had spent that “little bit” more to get what I really wanted. I also preferred the light colored pillars and headliner in the platinum vs the black on the limited and the aluminum bits on the exterior of the platinum over the chrome of the limited.

And, most importantly, replacing a 2012 F150 with only 60,000 miles was a tough sell with the wife...the massaging seats got her over the hump.

 

[twernst]

Aggiegrad, thanks drove Ltd today as “my salesman called” to say they finally got one it at dealer near me. Gotta say never really looked at items you mentioned until replaying TD in my head just now. Amazingly I neve though the wood issue would be something for me but the LTD fake wood just didn’t seem right. Also this one was the only one where the seats didn’t feel comfortable, even on XLT they were better.

Heavily leaning towards Platinum, however today’s drive confused me on merits of Max vs regular. Anyone have thoughts there?

 

[aggiegrad05]

Aggiegrad, thanks drove Ltd today as “my salesman called” to say they finally got one it at dealer near me. Gotta say never really looked at items you mentioned until replaying TD in my head just now. Amazingly I neve though the wood issue would be something for me but the LTD fake wood just didn’t seem right. Also this one was the only one where the seats didn’t feel comfortable, even on XLT they were better.

Heavily leaning towards Platinum, however today’s drive confused me on merits of Max vs regular. Anyone have thoughts there?

The cargo space behind the third row in the regular length is really not that impressive. We only have two kids so we certainly don’t NEED the space, but if we ever want to take a mother-in-law or cousin or something with us on a trip, I think we would really struggle to get any sort of cargo in the vehicle with the third row in use. My wife has a Pathfinder and the third row is always down because of the same reason.

 

[rcompart]

When we bought our 2014 standard length Limited, we hemmed and hawed about the extra foot or so and the extra $$$$ it cost. Fast forward to when we started remodeling our house... you can’t close the tailgate with 4x8 sheets of plywood hanging out. We were ready to get into something new and that sealed the deal for us on getting the EL when we bought our 2017.

 

[ExpeditionAndy]

When we bought our 2014 standard length Limited, we hemmed and hawed about the extra foot or so and the extra $$$$ it cost. Fast forward to when we started remodeling our house... you can’t close the tailgate with 4x8 sheets of plywood hanging out. We were ready to get into something new and that sealed the deal for us on getting the EL when we bought our 2017.

That's the reason that I went with the EL as well. I'm always buying plywood for one project or another. I'll never go back to a short wheelbase version.

 

[Artie]

That's the reason that I went with the EL as well. I'm always buying plywood for one project or another. I'll never go back to a short wheelbase version.

Ugh every time this particular subject is brought up I second guess our decision to order the short wheelbase. Build day is today so no point in thinking about it now lol

 

[ExpeditionAndy]

Ugh every time this particular subject is brought up I second guess our decision to order the short wheelbase. Build day is today so no point in thinking about it now lol

You can always tell them you changed your mind and want the Max it won't be a problem.

 

[JExpedition07]

Ugh every time this particular subject is brought up I second guess our decision to order the short wheelbase. Build day is today so no point in thinking about it now lol

You don’t need a max. I put drywall and ply in my truck all the time you just have to know how to load it and close your rear hatch with string from the store they hand out for free, you put both rows down. An SUV long or not is not ideal for loading the pickup suits it much better but these get the job done just fine as long as you know why you are doing.

 

[ExpeditionAndy]

You don’t need a max. I put drywall and ply in my truck all the time you just have to know how to load it and close your rear hatch with string from the store they hand out for free, you put both rows down. An SUV long or not is not ideal for loading the pickup suits it much better but these get the job done just fine as long as you know why you are doing.

With the EL it doesn't matter if it's raining or dry and you don't have to tie your load down because it will not slide out the liftgate once it's closed. I've seen too many sheets of plywood or drywall slide out the open lift gate.