Thinking of buying a 2003 Eddie Bauer, anything I should watch out for?

[1955moose]

Hamfisted is kinda right about seats, but they actually have strong mountings. I was close to 350lbs and mine held up, well about as any over the years. Besides replacements from pick and pull every 4 year's or so is only $200.00. Besides if the Suv fits you, like mine does, height, width, its a big mans truck, a lot cheaper than the f250/150 truck version. You might be able to retrofit the f250 seat onto the Suv. Get the price down or search the want ads for a low mileage/ low problem one. Like searching for a wife, don't fall for the first one!

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[Prince_Polaris]

Take a look a Kelly Blue Book for the value of the Expy. It's worth between 3-4k in good condition. The dealer is taking you for a ride. Honestly if you can't get that thing for under $4k I'd walk away from it. He's not giving you ANYTHING for your Explorer. He's building that little incentive into the cost of the Expedition you want. Expedition seats won't hold up very long for anyone over 250 lbs. and it's an extreme safety hazard when that seat back collapses and you're rolling down the highway. 70 mph and you're staring up at the ceiling wondering what happened. The seats are just not made very heavy duty. Really you should be looking at an F250. They have much stronger seats in them.

Yeah... the seat in my explorer is reinforced after the same exact thing happened

The 2003's 5.4L is 2 valve. I personally don't want to have anything to do with the 3 valve 5.4's. I don't know what year they started fixing some of the issues - if ever.

There's a sticky at the top of this forum on what to look for when buying a 2nd gen expedition. You might find that useful if you haven't already read it. Also, just peruse Craigslist in your area and look for other expy's local to you. Dealer is always going to want more. I test drove a 2003 eddy bauer, 4X4 for $3200 and ended up getting one a little more expensive for $4000, EB, 4WD, moon roof, leather, heated/cooled seats etc..both had around 150K miles.

BTW, taking off the tires / wheels to do work will not require an alignment or balancing LOL! Well, unless you're changing out the tie-rods or something else.

Well, I'll talk to my grandparents and tell them, it's not worth 6k! 4 sounds way better... near here is a trade school, I went there for IT and networking, and my brother is going there for Automotive, so I'll get him to show me some stuff

 

[Prince_Polaris]

Hamfisted is kinda right about seats, but they actually have strong mountings. I was close to 350lbs and mine held up, well about as any over the years. Besides replacements from pick and pull every 4 year's or so is only $200.00. Besides if the Suv fits you, like mine does, height, width, its a big mans truck, a lot cheaper than the f250/150 truck version. You might be able to retrofit the f250 seat onto the Suv. Get the price down or search the want ads for a low mileage/ low problem one. Like searching for a wife, don't fall for the first one!

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Yeah, the important part is how it simply has more room, and unlike in my explorer, I won't lean back hard in the chair just to adjust my shirt. I don't know why I ever thought that was a good idea... I think I did it growing up and never realized I shouldn't do it once I got big.

 

[Prince_Polaris]

So I uh.... I looked it up on KBB....

 

[autoarcheologist]

I don't know where you are in Maryland, but I just checked the Baltimore Craigslist and saw a ton of Expeditions for about $3k.

Here's one:

https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/cto/d/2003-ford-expedition-4x4-3/6579140682.html

As someone else said don't buy the first one you see, and definitely compare it to KBB or NADA Guides or others on Craigslist. If you know you want an 03-04 Expedition just wait until you find a good one at the right price.

Also don't confuse miles and condition. I would much rather have a high mileage car with good records in excellent condition for myself than a beat up car with low miles. Most buyers can't see past miles and many dealers (myself included) charge accordingly for a low mile car.

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[BRIANGEE]

Like I said dealer is always gonna be more. Unless they offer you a fantastic used car warranty I'd stick to private seller. There's not a whole lot of extra security by buying from a dealer.

The local Craigslist ads will give you a better idea of valuation.

 

[Prince_Polaris]

I don't know where you are in Maryland, but I just checked the Baltimore Craigslist and saw a ton of Expeditions for about $3k.

Here's one:

https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/cto/d/2003-ford-expedition-4x4-3/6579140682.html

As someone else said don't buy the first one you see, and definitely compare it to KBB or NADA Guides or others on Craigslist. If you know you want an 03-04 Expedition just wait until you find a good one at the right price.

Also don't confuse miles and condition. I would much rather have a high mileage car with good records in excellent condition for myself than a beat up car with low miles. Most buyers can't see past miles and many dealers (myself included) charge accordingly for a low mile car.

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I dunno, doesn't a sub 100k car for that cheap send off some alarm bells? Too good to be true and all that?

Like I said dealer is always gonna be more. Unless they offer you a fantastic used car warranty I'd stick to private seller. There's not a whole lot of extra security by buying from a dealer.

The local Craigslist ads will give you a better idea of valuation.

Private seller is how I got into this mess with the explorer, sadly, I don't think my family is gonna let me even try a private seller this time around :/



Also..... something weird I noticed. It's an eddie bauer, however, the rear seats aern't motorized (I don't think) and the front seats aern't heated/cooled. Were those just options or something? There's no moon roof either, or DVD player, or whatever, as I've seen in a few online reviews...

 

[autoarcheologist]

Try to find an original brochure online, I'm not sure that the EB came with originally. But Even on the Navigator a sunroof and heated seats were optional. If you want that stuff they are out there.

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[Prince_Polaris]

Try to find an original brochure online, I'm not sure that the EB came with originally. But Even on the Navigator a sunroof and heated seats were optional. If you want that stuff they are out there.

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Talked with dad about it, seems those parts are just options. I'm not gonna throw a fit about a motorized 3rd row or cooled seats, I was just wondering if something fishy was up! Also, is it possible that perhaps the battery being almost dead (First time we visited it was okay, second time, it was dead) was causing the seat/mirror/back wiper problems?

Edit: And hey, I'm okay with it, means I get a new battery along with the new tires that are on it <:

 

[John Christopher]

AAAHHH I'm sorry! I'm so used to typing Explorer! It's an Expedition! I won't touch explorers from the late 90s or early 2000s!

Wow, That could be a picture of my truck. Same colors and I have the hood deflector and window inserts just like yours.

 

[John Christopher]

I dunno, doesn't a sub 100k car for that cheap send off some alarm bells? Too good to be true and all that?



Private seller is how I got into this mess with the explorer, sadly, I don't think my family is gonna let me even try a private seller this time around :/



Also..... something weird I noticed. It's an eddie bauer, however, the rear seats aern't motorized (I don't think) and the front seats aern't heated/cooled. Were those just options or something? There's no moon roof either, or DVD player, or whatever, as I've seen in a few online reviews...

The third row is motorized up and down, it has a moon roof, heated and cooled seats and a 6 cd changer I thought most of those options were standard on the EB. I have them all.

 

[Habbibie]

The third row is motorized up and down, it has a moon roof, heated and cooled seats and a 6 cd changer I believe those thing are standard on the EB. I have them all. Something doesn't sound right with that truck.

Sounds like an xlt w/ leather and someone painted the lower panels gold/beige, I mean shit my XLT has the DVD player and power folding seats optional I don't see how an EB doesn't have them standard.

 

[Prince_Polaris]

Wow, That could be a picture of my truck. Same colors and I have the hood deflector and window inserts just like yours.

Nice! Are those stock, then? I was wondering earlier if those had been on it since it was made, or if they had been added later on. How effective exactly are hood deflectors, anyway? Bugs aern't really a thing up here so I doubt it would be all that useful, but I'll keep it anyway, and I love those window overhangs because I can have the windows open in the rain

 

[Prince_Polaris]

The third row is motorized up and down, it has a moon roof, heated and cooled seats and a 6 cd changer I thought most of those options were standard on the EB. I have them all.

I have the 6 CD changer, but it doesn't come with the motorized third row, moon roof, or the seats.

Sounds like an xlt w/ leather and someone painted the lower panels gold/beige, I mean shit my XLT has the DVD player and power folding seats optional I don't see how an EB doesn't have them standard.

I dunno

 

[Prince_Polaris]

So, wikipedia has this little note, which seems to confirm its Eddie-Bauer-ness

Before the 2003 model year ended, Ford updated the running boards on Expeditions equipped with the Eddie Bauer trim. Earlier in the model year, Eddie Bauer models had received standard black running boards. Toward the end of the model year, Arizona beige running boards were re-introduced to complement the Arizona beige body work which came standard on Eddie Bauer. Body colored running boards had previously been offered on the first-generation Expedition from 2000 to 2002.

Edit: I'm an idiot, it has black boards

Edit 2: I'm off to bed, and boy, the amount of times I switch back and forth between being excited about this and worried about it are immeasurable, it's not like I'll ever find a car that's never ever going to have problems ever so it's silly to keep thinking of it! Though.... the 98 explorer SOHC timing chains kind of tower over the problems I've seen happen to my family's other cars, haha...

Yeah and I'm sorry in advance for the silly threads I'm bound to make every single time it makes an abnormal noise or something small stops working... better safe than sorry?

 

[Prince_Polaris]

Ugh so this is a bit of a problem- I want to look up the VIN next time we head to the dealership to make sure all of the options match up, however, I don't know where I looked it up last time! I put in the VIN of my explorer to some page on ford's site, and I was able to get all of the options it came with in a list, here in this spoiler, but I can't seem to find the website again and I want to look up the expedition on it

Spoiler

Primary Features
Build Date: 17.11.1997
Vehicle Line: Explorer/Mountaineer
Body Style: 2 Door Estate
Version: Ford Series
Engine: Cologne V6 4.0 EFI (SOHC)
Transmission: 5R44E/5R55E - 5 Speed Auto Trans
Drive: LHD 4WD (FTD)
Axle Ratio: 4.10
Emission: With 49 State Emission Requirements
Air Conditioning: Manual Air Conditioning
Paint: Bright Amber

Minor Features
Medium Prairie Tan
Senter
102"/2591MM Wheelbase
Sport
Louisville Plant Built
Sport Plus Package
With Electronic Group
With Privacy Glass
Standard Ovrhed Console & With Rail
With Unique Full Floor Console
Front Floor Carpet Mats
Rear Floor Carpet Mats
With Load Area Cover
With Integrated Roof Rack
With Lower Body Moulding
With Side Auxiliary Step W/O Lights
With Electrochromic R/View Mirror
With Driver 6 Way Pwr.Seat Adjuster
With Pass 2 Way Manual Seat Adjust
2 Door Estate
With Int. Rear Window Wiper/Washer
With Front Licence Plate Bracket
Less Driver Air Bag
Less Passenger Air Bag
7 X 16" 3 Spoke Chrome Steel Wheel
4.10
Less Rear Axle Limited Slip Diff
Cologne V6 4.0 EFI (SOHC)
With Speed Control
Elect Prem Stro/Cass/Disc/Clock
With NAAO Radio Frequency
With Front Fog Lamps
Bright Amber
Ford Series
5R44E/5R55E - 5 Speed Auto Trans
Explorer/Mountaineer

 

[Jimdar]

I believe only Eddie bauer have 2 tone leather seating. I've seen the 2 tone seats that weren't cooled.

 

[johnboneske]

I recently went through the timing chain issue in my Expedition, and after that I installed a new(used engine with 79k miles on it). Explorers have a timing chain in front in the passenger side and one in back on the drivers side on the 4.0L engines. I had a 99 with that problem. For the most part,as many 5.4's that are out there someone is bound and determined to have an issue with one...

If you like the Expedition and it does what you want it to do, then buy it. Who are we to say? We will help you any way we can though with diagnosing it and getting it fixed right so you don't get ripped off.

I would make sure the plugs are done though before you take it home though.

 

[johnboneske]

My Eddie Bauer expedition has everything but the DVD player/TV and the air ride suspension.

One thing to check... Make sure the heated/cooled seats work. If they don't, take some money off! I have heard it's between 100 and 300 to fix them? So say $500 off sticker? I would agree with others, whatever they are giving you for your Explorer, they are getting on the other end with the price. If it was a "deal" it would be sold already...

I bought my EB Expy for $1400 October of 2014 with 131k on the odometer. It currently has 204k on it. I had to have the trans rebuilt (1200 locally) and do some other minor stuff when I bought it.

 

[Prince_Polaris]

My Eddie Bauer expedition has everything but the DVD player/TV and the air ride suspension.

One thing to check... Make sure the heated/cooled seats work. If they don't, take some money off! I have heard it's between 100 and 300 to fix them? So say $500 off sticker? I would agree with others, whatever they are giving you for your Explorer, they are getting on the other end with the price. If it was a "deal" it would be sold already...

I bought my EB Expy for $1400 October of 2014 with 131k on the odometer. It currently has 204k on it. I had to have the trans rebuilt (1200 locally) and do some other minor stuff when I bought it.

Nah it doesn't have the cooled/heated seats*, but the AC system is such a massive upgrade from the one in my exploder that I don't mind. I've never been in a car where the climate control is determined by what temperature you want! And yes, it has the two-tone seats, and I'll do my best to really push the others to make sure the sparks were replaced, and check on that radiator bracket.

And yeah, if something goes wrong, I'll come here for help, I'd prefer to fix stuff on my own as long as it's not way overcomplicated.

Because I'm such a big sap who gets attached to inanimate objects, I took some videos today to remember my old 'ploder, I should upload one so I can show people just how darn loud that exhaust is...

I believe only Eddie bauer have 2 tone leather seating. I've seen the 2 tone seats that weren't cooled.

Good! Cause I'm... 90% sure it's two-tone. I don't trust my memory anymore since I got the runningboard colors wrong >_<




Edit: *Though, it might have the cooled/heated seats and I might have just not been able to find the controls for them? Where uh, where are they at? I think, from an ad for one sold in Alabama in 2012, they're on the center console but mine is just a huge storage space instead (which is pretty nice too)