2013 New Purchase

[Essex29]

After going through this forum, I was encouraged to find no serious reported issues with the 2013 especially in the HD Towing option trim. Of course, my google skills could be failing me but this seems to be a great towing vehicle with a 600# tongue that doesn’t require a WD hitch. About to close on a 29,000 mile 2013 that looks perfect. Are there really no issues with the engine other than terrible gas mileage?

 

[JExpedition07]

2013 is a pretty good year for the 5.4, solid truck overall if it’s a good number go for it. Mine gets good gas mileage.

 

[chuck s]

Depends on what you want to tow.

A 6000 pound motorboat and trailer will probably be fine as these usually require 7% to 10% of the trailer weight on the ball. Note 6000 pounds is also the tow limit without a WDH.

(Motorboats have so much weight at the stern their trailers are constructed with the axles toward the rear with more weight on the axles and less on the ball compared to conventional trailers.)

Conventional trailers like travel trailers, horse trailers, UHauls, etc. require 10% to 15% and many handle better at 15%. In this case you're gonna want a WDH if the trailer exceeds 4000 pounds. (Some popup tent trailers can exceed this.) The better WDHs, like the Equalizer (brand), have excellent sway control as well as weight distribution. My 5000 pound travel trailer can put 700 pounds on the ball easily.

The large UHaul trailer (6'x12') that I used to move "stuff" I didn't want my movers to handle weighs 4400 pounds fully loaded and tongue weight can be controlled by moving cargo to not exceed 600 pounds. I think I had 500-550 pounds (12.5%) and it towed fine, obviously without a WDH

-- Chuck

 

[coolzzy]

What are you towing, suspension is soft on the expy and if you're towing an RV I still reccomend a good WDH. I have a 17 with HD tow package and use a wdh to pull my 6200 pound trailer with dry tongue weight of 500 but wet and fully loaded that jumps to 900! Try to get an expy with the built in brake controller of possible, much better than a bolt on aftermarket unit.

 

[chuck s]

HD Tow (Option 536) in 2013 Expedition XLT includes the integrated brake controller.

-- Chuck

 

[Adieu]

After going through this forum, I was encouraged to find no serious reported issues with the 2013 especially in the HD Towing option trim. Of course, my google skills could be failing me but this seems to be a great towing vehicle with a 600# tongue that doesn’t require a WD hitch. About to close on a 29,000 mile 2013 that looks perfect. Are there really no issues with the engine other than terrible gas mileage?

Miles are suspiciously low for a 6yo.

You run the risk of paying double or more for a lemon that spent more time in the shop than on the road (rare --- but so are vehicles with <5k mi/year)

Get a 5.4l w/ 100+k miles that you'll be more confident in for a lot less, or a '15+ 3.5l ecoboost with a few more miles for the same money

 

[1955moose]

Maybe not. Could be it belonged to a retired gent that just didn't drive much. My 2000 only had 64 k 4 1/2 years back and except for a starter, an alternator, and a couple of easy front end parts, mines been great. Too bad you can't chat with the past owner? The starter was at 90k, the Alternator 100k. For 19 years of constant starting and charging, not too shabby.

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[chuck s]

Us retired gents don't drive as much as we used to so 5,000 miles a year seems reasonable. I put 5900 miles on my 2017 in the past year here in almost rural Southside Virginia.

-- Chuck

 

[1955moose]

I myself am semi retired, and drive about 7-8k a year. I always say, start with a low mileage vehicle. Log on your own mileage. Buying one with 200k, like so many of our first time early Expedition owners do, are going to get one heck of an education. It's true every now and again a low mileage one was one of those made on Monday/Friday vehicles you hear about. But in reality, it's the Dealerships not hiring top shelf people. The schools nowadays are graduating students that are really not ready. This is why we keep reading here about customer's having to return several times to fix a warranty item, or worse yet having to go to a totally different dealer. Except for exaust, and radiator having to possibly be changed a bit sooner, I still search high and low for low mileage examples. Hasn't failed me so far. The high mileage ones did.

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