Hello All. We are looking into buying a used 2018 Max Limited. We want the captains chairs but most that we see have the bench in the second row. 2 questions, is it easy to remove the middle seat from the bench to essentially turn the other 2 seats into captains chairs without the center arm rest in them? and 2. where could i pick up some captains chairs to replace the bench with? Thanks in advance.
Looking at buying, 2nd row question
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so where can i buy the captains chairs? and how much would i expect to pay?
Deadman
Full Access Members
Just buy it with the captains seats, so they are heated and work properly. The bench is nothing impressive. I sat in both side by side and my mind was made up immediately once I went from the captains to the bench!
The dreaded dilemma that ford cant decide what people want but they make 95% of them all one way and then 8-10 years later flip to the other choice!!
I have a 2nd gen Navigator and it seems almost all of these had the console and captains or buckets and I hate them. I want the 2nd row bench.
Our 1st gen Expedition XLT has cloth and 2nd bench.
Seems lots of people wanted the bench for various reasons and now most of the newer ones have been bench for years.
I guess they will flip back to console in 2025.
IDIOTS!!!
QUIT EQUIPPING cars how you want to FORD and other makers!!!!
You make both ways so don't worry about it. Make the buyer check the box to decide.
DO NOT have "default" one way.
OH BUT we have screwed up and even way before the instant -do it on our phone world- got here, we were wanting to go look at cars and "TAKE ONE HOME" so they started filling lots with cars and you have to take what they have.
I am THAT GUY who would have ONLY been special ordering and waiting 6 weeks or longer to get my vehicle!
But then there might be a scratch on it and I will have no paint work done on it and I got too cheap and cars got too overpriced so it is MUCH easier to buy used.
Now with everything on the internet even more so. I find the color I want with the interior material and color I want and find the one I like the best.
I had no idea how much I prefer the 2nd bench over the buckets until I had it.
Also, I will never have power running boards again. I wasn't aware the Navigators came both ways. I could have done more research but was busy ranting about new car manufacurers-probably- so I missed that.
Mine work fine but I know they will not forever. They are just not as sturdy and substantial as nice factory rubber coated fixed ones.
I'm probably going to sell mine anyway as I had several SUVs then had 2 sedans for over 8 years. I thought I wanted to be able to haul stuff in back easier but I find I will probably just go back to a town car.
A good deal easier to work on than a truck chassis and you don't hear the crap you have in the back like a toolbox, socket set, or smell gas when you transport cans or a mower.
Harder to put a mower in a TC trunk but if you leave the handle sticking out it's just as quick. If you fold the handle you can still fit at least one body in there with the mower and shut the trunk lid no problem. I've had three bodies in the trunk of 98+ TC before with still room for a bag or two of cement.
I have a 2nd gen Navigator and it seems almost all of these had the console and captains or buckets and I hate them. I want the 2nd row bench.
Our 1st gen Expedition XLT has cloth and 2nd bench.
Seems lots of people wanted the bench for various reasons and now most of the newer ones have been bench for years.
I guess they will flip back to console in 2025.
IDIOTS!!!
QUIT EQUIPPING cars how you want to FORD and other makers!!!!
You make both ways so don't worry about it. Make the buyer check the box to decide.
DO NOT have "default" one way.
OH BUT we have screwed up and even way before the instant -do it on our phone world- got here, we were wanting to go look at cars and "TAKE ONE HOME" so they started filling lots with cars and you have to take what they have.
I am THAT GUY who would have ONLY been special ordering and waiting 6 weeks or longer to get my vehicle!
But then there might be a scratch on it and I will have no paint work done on it and I got too cheap and cars got too overpriced so it is MUCH easier to buy used.
Now with everything on the internet even more so. I find the color I want with the interior material and color I want and find the one I like the best.
I had no idea how much I prefer the 2nd bench over the buckets until I had it.
Also, I will never have power running boards again. I wasn't aware the Navigators came both ways. I could have done more research but was busy ranting about new car manufacurers-probably- so I missed that.
Mine work fine but I know they will not forever. They are just not as sturdy and substantial as nice factory rubber coated fixed ones.
I'm probably going to sell mine anyway as I had several SUVs then had 2 sedans for over 8 years. I thought I wanted to be able to haul stuff in back easier but I find I will probably just go back to a town car.
A good deal easier to work on than a truck chassis and you don't hear the crap you have in the back like a toolbox, socket set, or smell gas when you transport cans or a mower.
Harder to put a mower in a TC trunk but if you leave the handle sticking out it's just as quick. If you fold the handle you can still fit at least one body in there with the mower and shut the trunk lid no problem. I've had three bodies in the trunk of 98+ TC before with still room for a bag or two of cement.
RhinoQuartz
Full Access Members
Higher trims have the captains as standard and the bench as an option from what I remember.
aggiegrad05
Full Access Members
Navi comes with a console in the second row. You can delete it as a no-cost option but I believe the default with captains is to include a console.
I think it kind of depends on the year because it does seem most of the first and second Generations came with the console but it seems most of the newer Navigators are coming with the bench seat it might be a newer Hi-Tech see that I've been talking about having to invent forever where the back of the seat folds down and it acts like a console or an armrest but you flip it up in the middle. That's the ultimate design. The problem is I don't like the fact there is a default. Because all the first and second Generations almost always had the console and all the newer ones I'm seeing for sale have the full seat. So my question is, did people's opinions on what they want change or are the manufacturers just really out of touch and really have no idea of what people really want? I certainly think it's the latter. That's why I think you should have to check it regardless and order what you want. Or ship everyone with both and let the dealer install one of the other. Or even better, install one and put the other in the back when you buy the vehicle. For the almost $100,000 price tag of the new Navigator I don't think it's really going to affect the cost that much.
Who will primarily be sitting in the 2nd row? If you have kids, the bench usually makes more sense even if you plan to remove the center seat.
If you don’t have kids and will primarily have adults in the 2nd and 3rd row, the captain’s chairs are a nice option but I wouldn’t say necessary.
I’ve done a 5 hour road trip in the 2nd row bench seat and didn’t find it uncomfortable.
If you don’t have kids and will primarily have adults in the 2nd and 3rd row, the captain’s chairs are a nice option but I wouldn’t say necessary.
I’ve done a 5 hour road trip in the 2nd row bench seat and didn’t find it uncomfortable.
Its not uncomfortable but ford didnt put an armrest in the sec row bench which makes it harder to be comfy. Also, from what im hearing and from what i remember feeling atleast in the 4th gen, the sec row capt chairs are more plush and supportive.
Deadman
Full Access Members
When you go from sitting on the captains chairs to sitting on the rear bench, its like sitting on a sheet of plywood in comparison. I sat in 2 side by side at the dealer and immediately told him to lock up the one with the bench because I wasn't interested in that.
I thought that but we are looking at the Limited and it seems 90% of the ones i find have the bench.
3 kids, 7 year old, 2 year old, infant. easiest to put the oldest in the 3rd row with a booster, the infant and toddler in the captains chairs.
This is exactly why you should have the option or both when you buy it.
I have heard people with kids that want the console but remove it so the kids can walk through to the 3rd row easier. Other people kneel in there to put younger ones in 3rd row boosters or car seats. One poster said his kids just hop over the top of the bench.
I don't car which one is more comfortable as I won't be sitting in either. In all the SUVs we've owned I might have been in one of the 2nd or 3rd row ones once or twice tying to lay down and sleep on a trip. I am either in driver or passenger seat.
The buckets are nice as the console acts as an armrest and without it they feel terrible without armrests like van captain chairs.
I wan't the extra person capacity BIG TIME! I am ok if the center seat back folds down to an armrest or writing table but I want 3 people in the 2nd row capacity.
The 2nd gen Navigators did it all wrogn and the new Explorers got it right ....IF you are only going to seat 7, then the 3 should be in 2nd then the 2 in 3rd IF YOU can't make the 3rd big enough for 3 like the Explorer.
If you are picking up kids etc as most people who move people around are moving their kids and their friends...When you roll up to pick them up and there is 3, they have to flip a seat to get to back row. If the 2nd row is 3, they don't. So all SUVS should have 3 person 2nd rows regardless of 3rd row design.
Seating 1 additional person is a big win and a Navigator with console loses. The extra elegance doesn't make p for the one extra person. An Expediton with leather and 8 pass beats a Navi with 7 every time. Unless you don't move people..Then I see no big need for SUV!
I have owned a lot...wait I should type that A LOT!!!! of vehicles I did not need. Hovercraft, limos, firetruck, monster trucks, drag bikes, baja beetle bug, sandrail, conversion vans, etc so I fully understand just wanting an SUV because you like the look and never having over 1-2 passengers with you the whole time you have it.
But if you don;t haul people around there are trucks and 4 door trucks that give you more functionality than an SUV.
They tried to combine the two but never worked for me.
Until they make a 3 row SUV and add a bed to it, it won't work for me.
I have 3 (10yo in a backless booster, 7yo in a high back booster for long drives or backless booster for around town, and a harnessed 4yo). We keep all 3 in the 2nd row 90% of the time. It is really nice to have the option of folding the full 3rd row when we have a bunch of gear with us. On long drives we usually put my oldest in the 3rd row to give everyone a little extra personal space, but I couldn’t image not having the option of all 3 in the 2nd row.
The Navigator has 3 seat configurations:
So far, I have only carried 7 people. Each time I carry 7, we end up putting 3 people in the middle row and 2 in the 3rd row.
I ordered my Navigator exactly the way I wanted it. It was less expensive than a stock unit and only took 6 weeks. If you are buying new and are not in a hurry, ordering what you want on an Expedition or Navigator is the way to go. Much easier to negotiate too (shop the identical vehicle at multiple dealerships).
- Buckets
- Buckets with console (Reserve and above)
- Bench
So far, I have only carried 7 people. Each time I carry 7, we end up putting 3 people in the middle row and 2 in the 3rd row.
I ordered my Navigator exactly the way I wanted it. It was less expensive than a stock unit and only took 6 weeks. If you are buying new and are not in a hurry, ordering what you want on an Expedition or Navigator is the way to go. Much easier to negotiate too (shop the identical vehicle at multiple dealerships).
Agreed! The best way is to get the L and the bench.
You can get by with regular wheelbase but if you ever use a long one you will really feel like you have ZERO room in the rear with the 3rd row seats up.
RhinoQuartz
Full Access Members
Don't you mean the other way round?
I knew what I meant...just can't type it right! Lol
I mean if you have a regular one and use and L or borrow one....or have an L and go back to an short one...it will feel terribly small in the back storage area.
