4 months of ownership...'17 Expy

[NevadaGeo]

We are taking our first trip in June. We are driving out to PA to visit our parents and friends. That'll put 1200-1500 miles on it. I just turned 350 miles today. I've had it a little over a month now. I am really enjoying the acceleration off the entrance ramps onto the highway.

So you are babying your new puppy. Only 350 miles?? Still a virgin!!

I drive into Elko NV from Spring Creek which is about 20 miles each way. There is Lamoille summit which has to be passed up and over with each round trip. Going up over the summit, my Expy does not downshift going up the summit like my F-150 had to do with the 5.0 V8 which really surprised me. I love it. The power of the TT is just amazing.

You will enjoy your road trip EAndy!!

 

[powerboatr]

yep its just flat fun to drive a 6400lb suv that will shit and get when needed
the lack of downshifting over the 5.4 i had in the 2010 f150 is killer
nothing beats torque
that was the first thing i noticed in the 2013 f150 was the tq and staying in 6th gear

 

[ExpeditionAndy]

So you are babying your new puppy. Only 350 miles?? Still a virgin!!

I drive into Elko NV from Spring Creek which is about 20 miles each way. There is Lamoille summit which has to be passed up and over with each round trip. Going up over the summit, my Expy does not downshift going up the summit like my F-150 had to do with the 5.0 V8 which really surprised me. I love it. The power of the TT is just amazing.

You will enjoy your road trip EAndy!!

My wife and I are looking forward to the trip. Last year we did five trips. This year I think we'll keep down to two. It's and 8 hour drive each way. We have it down to two stops once to pee and the second to pee and get gas. It's straight flat and boring driving across Indiana (we are only 30 minutes for the border) and Ohio and once we get into PA it's like driving on a road course, up, down, and around mountains (hills by your standards ). It gives me a good workout.

I'm semi retired at this point (not really by choice). So, I teach for Harrison College, I've been teaching for 4 years, the first year was all in the classroom and now, I mostly teach online. I seem to do most of my driving on Thursday because I go to breakfast with the "Old Timer's Group" These are bunch of guys in their 60's 70's and 80's that fly the old time model airplanes that have been converted to RC. In the summer they have contests every Thursday and throughout the winter we have breakfast at a local restaurant. I flew with them one year but I prefer sport flying. After breakfast, I often go to the indoor range and shoot a couple hundred rounds of pistol ammo and that's only a couple of miles up the road, so I just don't put a lot of miles on it right now. The last full time job I had ended in May and then I was putting in about 36 miles a day.

I'm working on my shop and getting ready to start building models again.

 

[powerboatr]

My wife and I are looking forward to the trip. Last year we did five trips. This year I think we'll keep down to two. It's and 8 hour drive each way. We have it down to two stops once to pee and the second to pee and get gas. It's straight flat and boring driving across Indiana (we are only 30 minutes for the border) and Ohio and once we get into PA it's like driving on a road course, up, down, and around mountains (hills by your standards ). It gives me a good workout.

I'm semi retired at this point (not really by choice). So, I teach for Harrison College, I've been teaching for 4 years, the first year was all in the classroom and now, I mostly teach online. I seem to do most of my driving on Thursday because I go to breakfast with the "Old Timer's Group" These are bunch of guys in their 60's 70's and 80's that fly the old time model airplanes that have been converted to RC. In the summer they have contests every Thursday and throughout the winter we have breakfast at a local restaurant. I flew with them one year but I prefer sport flying. After breakfast, I often go to the indoor range and shoot a couple hundred rounds of pistol ammo and that's only a couple of miles up the road, so I just don't put a lot of miles on it right now. The last full time job I had ended in May and then I was putting in about 36 miles a day.

I'm working on my shop and getting ready to start building models again.

DUDE
you are my hero
i taught for a bit, then was going to do online, but...

had the opportunity to run the first year of a carol Shelby sponsored vocational school.
all signed and ready to go.....then the school put new demands on Mr. Shelby and he told them were to put it. so now the school is a basic auto and diesel school, and i didn't take the chair position.
love the range..best stress reliever ever invented

 

[ExpeditionAndy]

DUDE
you are my hero
i taught for a bit, then was going to do online, but...

had the opportunity to run the first year of a carol Shelby sponsored vocational school.
all signed and ready to go.....then the school put new demands on Mr. Shelby and he told them were to put it. so now the school is a basic auto and diesel school, and i didn't take the chair position.
love the range..best stress reliever ever invented

Teaching at the college level was something I wanted to do since I got my MBA in '08 so 4 years ago I got to do it and I enjoy it. I try to give the students a more practical perspective than the textbooks do.

I've been working the hell out of 7 yard full size targets and my groups have gotten pretty good - making big holes in the target now. So, I recently moved them back to 15 yards. I'm getting better still pretty wide but the last time out I noticed that I was starting put some bigger holes (tighter groups) in the target. It is a lot of fun and I enjoy as well it.

 

[jeff kushner]

Andy,

Just remember about the PA turnpike....that "myth" about getting a ticket if you punch in, then exit in too short a time, that you'll get a ticket....well trust my, it's not a myth!
I used to ride out to a big Vintage bike meet in Ohio every year and since my bike has a radar detector, the first year going out, I FLEW. When I stopped to pay the toll to get off at the Ohio turnpike, I was told to pull off to the right side of the plaza. I had to do a LOT of talking to keep from getting a ticket! If the trooper hadn't been "into" bikes and had come out to talk, I would have been nailed!


Also, it you guys like to shoot, you have got to get one of these:

http://www.expeditionforum.com/threads/my-latest-toy-night-vision-scope.31679/

It is very badass and this week I bought a Gen 1 Monocular to scan the field with since the rifle with scope is too heavy. The one I got was cheap at 90 bucks...it's a Firefield Nightfall 2 and it is a 5x50 mono that works great! I did a write-up over here:

http://atnowners.com/thread/1345/received-nv-monocular

jeff

 

[ExpeditionAndy]

Andy,

Just remember about the PA turnpike....that "myth" about getting a ticket if you punch in, then exit in too short a time, that you'll get a ticket....well trust my, it's not a myth!
I used to ride out to a big Vintage bike meet in Ohio every year and since my bike has a radar detector, the first year going out, I FLEW. When I stopped to pay the toll to get off at the Ohio turnpike, I was told to pull off to the right side of the plaza. I had to do a LOT of talking to keep from getting a ticket! If the trooper hadn't been "into" bikes and had come out to talk, I would have been nailed!


Also, it you guys like to shoot, you have got to get one of these:

http://www.expeditionforum.com/threads/my-latest-toy-night-vision-scope.31679/

It is very badass and this week I bought a Gen 1 Monocular to scan the field with since the rifle with scope is too heavy. The one I got was cheap at 90 bucks...it's a Firefield Nightfall 2 and it is a 5x50 mono that works great! I did a write-up over here:

http://atnowners.com/thread/1345/received-nv-monocular

jeff

I usually do about 75 now that they changed the speed limit to 70 on the entire turnpike, although last year I was flying doing 80 - 85 for long distances, but I was just keeping up with traffic. I never had any issues. I love EZ Pass!

That's a great scope! I've never had a night vision scope $90 is a great price!

 

[jeff kushner]

I should clarify...the scope was close to $600...the hand held Gen 1 monocular that I use to look around the woods or field easily was 90 bucks. Yes, it's a hoot....I've already seen a fox, raccoon and opossum in the woods behind my house. I wouldn't shoot the fox or raccoon though.....I think their just cool animals..

A lot of guys use these NV scopes for hunting rats at night on the farms.


Be careful.....I got a notice from EZ pass (on my truck) around a month ago saying they were warning me for excessive speed at the Scott Key bridge in MD. I thought the left lane was a through lane for EZ so I didn't slow down. They told me that if it happened again a certain timeframe (Don't remember how long), they were going to suspend my EZpass privileges for 6 or 12 months...I don't remember that either....which kind of struck me as funny since I PAY for EZ pass!

I'm getting ready to leave...Friday is my "leave early" day! My sweetheart is coming over to help me put up my 10x20 canopy for my new truck this weekend cause there's no room in my garage with the 2 seater and a motorcycle collection in it. This way, I won't get my new truck covered in sap etc from all my oak trees.

You guys have a great weekend!

jeff

 

[NevadaGeo]

I should clarify...the scope was close to $600...the hand held Gen 1 monocular that I use to look around the woods or field easily was 90 bucks. Yes, it's a hoot....I've already seen a fox, raccoon and opossum in the woods behind my house. I wouldn't shoot the fox or raccoon though.....I think their just cool animals..

A lot of guys use these NV scopes for hunting rats at night on the farms.


Be careful.....I got a notice from EZ pass (on my truck) around a month ago saying they were warning me for excessive speed at the Scott Key bridge in MD. I thought the left lane was a through lane for EZ so I didn't slow down. They told me that if it happened again a certain timeframe (Don't remember how long), they were going to suspend my EZpass privileges for 6 or 12 months...I don't remember that either....which kind of struck me as funny since I PAY for EZ pass!

I'm getting ready to leave...Friday is my "leave early" day! My sweetheart is coming over to help me put up my 10x20 canopy for my new truck this weekend cause there's no room in my garage with the 2 seater and a motorcycle collection in it. This way, I won't get my new truck covered in sap etc from all my oak trees.

You guys have a great weekend!

jeff

Nice scopes Jeff. I am a shooter, collector, handloader and occasional hunter. During my first mid-life crisis, I began collecting military rifles that date back to 1880 with emphasis on WW1 and WW2 rifles and handguns. In Nevada, we can do this. What is nice about around here is when I go out into the field, we can easily set up a long range for shooting off the trucks. I also have a Benjamin Sheridan Nitro pellet gun that takes care of yard critters.

 

[Flippingroc]

Your all making me incredibly jealous... Love my 09 but after having a 16 for a loaner... Im almost ready to make the move. I had a base model 16 EL loaner and was getting 20MPG as an average... 22 on the highway- using regular 87 Oct... Gotta buy used to save from the depreciation hit- however there is one issue I have... mytouch. I hate it, has anyone heard of possibly changing out the mytouch to the new sync 3- ie, buying a used 2015 Limited and swapping out for a Sync3 from a 17??? Its drastically better... DRASTICALLY. I just don't want to have to wait even longer to find a used one... Toying with a red 2015 salvage-rebuild King Ranch EL that has rear damage for only $16K with minimal damage... repair is basic and its a deal, but if im going through that much I could wait and get what I really want- a white Limited/Platinum with factory 22's...

 

[jeff kushner]

You won't be disappointed Flippin..., they are a world apart from the older trucks...heck, the engine alone was worth the change for me but having a slipping tranny just made it more of a priority.

Andy, thought about you over the weekend when I found myself & my sweetheart in PA. Saturday afternoon.

It was a gorgeous day for us so we assembled the canopy I had bought to keep the tree crap off my new truck. No space in the garage for the truck. I looked at the vertically run corrugated metal canopies but the earliest they could get it installed was May and by then, it would have been too late so I bought this one with the 2" 14 ga. poles. I can still run 1x4 stringers if I want to install a metal roof on it later but this will work for now. The poles are anchored in concrete in the dirt sides and I used Hilti insets on the pad portion.

jeff

 

[NevadaGeo]

You won't be disappointed Flippin..., they are a world apart from the older trucks...heck, the engine alone was worth the change for me but having a slipping tranny just made it more of a priority.

Andy, thought about you over the weekend when I found myself & my sweetheart in PA. Saturday afternoon.

It was a gorgeous day for us so we assembled the canopy I had bought to keep the tree crap off my new truck. No space in the garage for the truck. I looked at the vertically run corrugated metal canopies but the earliest they could get it installed was May and by then, it would have been too late so I bought this one with the 2" 14 ga. poles. I can still run 1x4 stringers if I want to install a metal roof on it later but this will work for now. The poles are anchored in concrete in the dirt sides and I used Hilti insets on the pad portion.

jeff

View attachment 19817

View attachment 19818

Wow Jeff, I'm glad that canopy works where you live. Out here, we are exposed to storms that would soon put that canopy into Utah!! (We use the phrase "California blows and Utah sucks" quite often). That being said, we don't have a sappy tree problem here due to the arid climate and dry air. When we do get winds, it blows along dry alkaline lake beds hundreds of miles away, and comes down in the mountainous areas as alkali rain.

Nonetheless, being born and raised in the East (Connecticut), I will never return East to live. The beauty of NE Nevada outweighs anything I have seen before!

 

[jeff kushner]

Wow Jeff, I'm glad that canopy works where you live. Out here, we are exposed to storms that would soon put that canopy into Utah!! (We use the phrase "California blows and Utah sucks" quite often). That being said, we don't have a sappy tree problem here due to the arid climate and dry air. When we do get winds, it blows along dry alkaline lake beds hundreds of miles away, and comes down in the mountainous areas as alkali rain.

Nonetheless, being born and raised in the East (Connecticut), I will never return East to live. The beauty of NE Nevada outweighs anything I have seen before!

Yes, you are right about the high winds but you'll also notice that it's pretty close to my home which helps break the wind. It's actually a lot stronger than it looks and a friend in Kansas has had one up for two years now and she's on a 280 ac farm and she guided me to getting the right model #.

She warned me of exactly what you are saying and told me that if I bought any of them listed on ebay, I would expect it to MAYBE last one season. She said that ALL of the cheap ones have 1-3/8" or even 1-1/2" poles made from 17 ga metal that would be mangled with a sneeze. The design uses the canopy to bind the frame together for the most part and only uses pins at the 4 center legs(2 per side) and the foot pads. Not good enough for me. While erecting this, I used self-tapping sheet metal screws at every joint on the "roof" and then every joint that connects the legs as well. The cover itself is multiply rip-stopped and backed with stitched and heat-welded seams to supposedly last...but we'll see. We do get a lot of sap and pollen from the big oaks and they will make a real mess of your paint because once your car is covered, it will rain and then the tannic acid will soak into your paint. I delt with it on a new '86 Caddy, also white and I well remember how difficult it was to remove the brown spots.

jeff

 

[NevadaGeo]

My wife and I are looking forward to the trip. Last year we did five trips. This year I think we'll keep down to two. It's and 8 hour drive each way. We have it down to two stops once to pee and the second to pee and get gas. It's straight flat and boring driving across Indiana (we are only 30 minutes for the border) and Ohio and once we get into PA it's like driving on a road course, up, down, and around mountains (hills by your standards ). It gives me a good workout.

I'm semi retired at this point (not really by choice). So, I teach for Harrison College, I've been teaching for 4 years, the first year was all in the classroom and now, I mostly teach online. I seem to do most of my driving on Thursday because I go to breakfast with the "Old Timer's Group" These are bunch of guys in their 60's 70's and 80's that fly the old time model airplanes that have been converted to RC. In the summer they have contests every Thursday and throughout the winter we have breakfast at a local restaurant. I flew with them one year but I prefer sport flying. After breakfast, I often go to the indoor range and shoot a couple hundred rounds of pistol ammo and that's only a couple of miles up the road, so I just don't put a lot of miles on it right now. The last full time job I had ended in May and then I was putting in about 36 miles a day.

I'm working on my shop and getting ready to start building models again.

Getting excited about our road trip! I have gotten all the hotels reservations done and each day trip compiled into a spreadsheet. Looks like about 3000 total miles in two weeks. We will plan to visit some of the major National Parks and Monuments in UT, NM and AZ, with some time spent in Colorado with some of my Grad school friends. I got into a panic when I realized it will be Spring Break and quickly got a plan together for the Sarge (my wife). She is not as keen on this road trip as I am, but that is understandable. I wanted to get a nice lodge inside Grand Canyon, but found it has been booked for months. Oh well, got a nice motel on the Hopi Reservation in the town of Tuba City. This should be fun. As mentioned before, 30 years of owning F-150s, the Expedition is a huge driving upgrade!!

I do hold a CCW and plan on taking my weapon with me. Utah, NM and Arizona have reciprocity for a Nevada CCW so no problem, but Colorado being a hippie haven does not. I will have to hide it (or "conceal" it......). I have worked in this area before and there is a huge problem with meth addiction and alcoholism. There are some rough types and a brand new Expedition Limited might be a nice target. So I will protect my wife and property. Otherwise, I am not a paranoid person, just prepared!

 

[NevadaGeo]

Yes, you are right about the high winds but you'll also notice that it's pretty close to my home which helps break the wind. It's actually a lot stronger than it looks and a friend in Kansas has had one up for two years now and she's on a 280 ac farm and she guided me to getting the right model #.

She warned me of exactly what you are saying and told me that if I bought any of them listed on ebay, I would expect it to MAYBE last one season. She said that ALL of the cheap ones have 1-3/8" or even 1-1/2" poles made from 17 ga metal that would be mangled with a sneeze. The design uses the canopy to bind the frame together for the most part and only uses pins at the 4 center legs(2 per side) and the foot pads. Not good enough for me. While erecting this, I used self-tapping sheet metal screws at every joint on the "roof" and then every joint that connects the legs as well. The cover itself is multiply rip-stopped and backed with stitched and heat-welded seams to supposedly last...but we'll see. We do get a lot of sap and pollen from the big oaks and they will make a real mess of your paint because once your car is covered, it will rain and then the tannic acid will soak into your paint. I delt with it on a new '86 Caddy, also white and I well remember how difficult it was to remove the brown spots.

jeff

Sounds like you are building this with the right idea. I would love to keep my Expy in the garage, but my wife's '15 Venza lives there with all my man stuff. I do remember the sap droplets and you are correct with the tannic acid discoloring the paint. So life is a trade off and ya gotta do what ya gotta do. Good luck and the cover looks great. I am somewhat envious since I would like to cover the Expy, but it does fine with the summer dry heat and conditions.

 

[ExpeditionAndy]

You won't be disappointed Flippin..., they are a world apart from the older trucks...heck, the engine alone was worth the change for me but having a slipping tranny just made it more of a priority.

Andy, thought about you over the weekend when I found myself & my sweetheart in PA. Saturday afternoon.

jeff

Jeff, it looks like you weren't far from my old stomping grounds. From the sign I'd have to say you were in Lancaster county. When I was in sales, I had Lancaster county as a sales territory.

I love that canopy. We have been renting for two years and are thinking about buying another house in a year or two and I'm insisting on a three car garage and a basement so I can put all of my tools in the basement and have a place to park the vehicles and the lawn equipment.

 

[ExpeditionAndy]

Getting excited about our road trip! I have gotten all the hotels reservations done and each day trip compiled into a spreadsheet. Looks like about 3000 total miles in two weeks. We will plan to visit some of the major National Parks and Monuments in UT, NM and AZ, with some time spent in Colorado with some of my Grad school friends.

I do hold a CCW and plan on taking my weapon with me. Utah, NM and Arizona have reciprocity for a Nevada CCW so no problem, but Colorado being a hippie haven does not. I will have to hide it (or "conceal" it......). I have worked in this area before and there is a huge problem with meth addiction and alcoholism. There are some rough types and a brand new Expedition Limited might be a nice target. So I will protect my wife and property. Otherwise, I am not a paranoid person, just prepared!

I have my concealed handgun license and I also have my Utah non-residence permit, which at the time gave me Ohio before they recognized Indiana's permit. My Indiana permit gets me Colorado. My Utah permit gets me Nevada. The only states that I can't carry in out west are, California, Oregon, and New Mexico.

Someone said that if you remove the cup holder for the third row seats there is a lot of storage space under the cup holder. it might be a good out of sight place put something you don't want the average guy to find. Apparently you squeeze the center to pop out the cup holder.

 

[NevadaGeo]

I have my concealed handgun license and I also have my Utah non-residence permit, which at the time gave me Ohio before they recognized Indiana's permit. My Indiana permit gets me Colorado. My Utah permit gets me Nevada. The only states that I can't carry in out west are, California, Oregon, and New Mexico.

Someone said that if you remove the cup holder for the third row seats there is a lot of storage space under the cup holder. it might be a good out of sight place put something you don't want the average guy to find. Apparently you squeeze the center to pop out the cup holder.

Thanks Andy, I will check out the 3rd row cup holder. I will have to check again on CO, but last I checked, CO is a no go for a Nevada CCW.

As far as carrying in CA, OR, you probably don't want to go there anyway. Granola... take away the fruits and flakes, all that is left are the nuts!

 

[ExpeditionAndy]

Thanks Andy, I will check out the 3rd row cup holder. I will have to check again on CO, but last I checked, CO is a no go for a Nevada CCW.

As far as carrying in CA, OR, you probably don't want to go there anyway. Granola... take away the fruits and flakes, all that is left are the nuts!

I agree, I don't share the same political views or same understanding of the constitution as the people that run those states.

 

[jeff kushner]

That's just the difference between Americans and...oh, nvmd, you guys know....LOL

Yes, we went up to Lancaster...Horsesh*t capital of PA(Not being mean but the smell of Lancaster always smells of manure) to surprise her sister who was there with a bunch of old biddies on a "quilting vacation". They were all very sweet old ladies though and they had some very serious skills which I can appreciate. My baby wanted to go so badly that she offered to drive both ways so I could take a nap AND to drive her Rogue....how could I say no? We left around 3PM & I slept all the way up, then we all went out to dinner at some smorgasbord place & went back to their hotel meeting room so they could show us all the stuff they were working on. Then I took another nap while she drove us home. It sure made me appreciate my truck! I would never tell her but her Rogue is noisy as heck on the road...wind noise, road noise, mechanical noise....just very noisy in comparison. I took that pic on the way home right before going to sleep!

I've never felt the need to carry so I don't even own a hand piece but I love shooting/hunting and would certainly fight for your right to carry!

jeff