At what mileage would you stay away from an used Expedition

[ctniners]

Hello everybody,
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I am looking at 2 different Expeditions, a 1999 Eddie Bauer 5.4L with no issues at all, no codes, no leaks, no electrical issues, new tires…however the mileage is 210,000…..I am also looking at a 2001 XLT 5.4L with 160,000 miles, all leather and power, again, no codes, no leaks no electrical issues, both *trucks have brand new breaks…the only difference is that the 2001 needs the front 2 tires replaced and he is asking for $400.00 more than the 1999 (will not go any lower, he already dropped the price) Both cars were tested by a mechanic and according to him the transmissions are working fine.
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I have been reading in the web that the Expeditions are known for transmissions issues, misfire cylinders, head gaskets…all which are very expensive to fix, in the first generation way too expensive to fix…so my question is for all the experienced owners of the first generation Expeditions, in your experience is there an age or mileage in a car that you would stay away from….common sense would say to me that the 2001 is a better buy but I don’t know since I am looking at $400.00 + another $400 for the front tires, that makes it at least $900.00 more than the 1999.
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Thanks for any inputs.
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[Snapshot]

Have you asked when the last tune-up was (coil packs and plugs) on each vehicle? I'd steer clear on one that hasn't had the coil packs changed, because that'll run you a pretty penny and a headache. I say that the 99 EB wouldn't still have them, since there's a 99% chance that the originals had gone out. The 01 XLT may still have them; mine still had the original coil packs until 150k (I have a 00 XLT). Another issue would be if they had air ride equipped, it's a pain in the rear if it malfunctions. Most people tend to do coil conversions anyways, so this may not be an issue. Do you know what type of fluids they have used? I get everything synthetic that I possibly can, since it is much better than lower quality. My father done the same thing when he drove it, so I say it only seen conventional oil for the first 30 miles in its life. A last issue that I would question would be about the transfer case. Sometimes, they are neglected by owners when they don't use 4WD all the time. This tends to allow sludge and old transmission fluid to just sit there and get worse overtime.

In my opinion, the miles don't mean much if the vehicle has been taken care of properly. Most people would prefer a newer vehicle with less miles. It all depends on the quality of care and driving.

 

[BAD RONALD]

You may have to spend more on the '01 than you have figured. If the '01 has 4wd it is important that the four tires match.

You said that the '01 has new rear tires. How new is new? Are they discontinued or available to match up? My point is that you might need to buy four tires for the '01 instead of two.

Check the trailing arms. I replaced them on my '01 last September. The original factory ones are prone to rot. Look at both trucks for this dangerous condition. Decent replacements will cost a couple of hundred bucks uninstalled.

Ask about front end work. Both of these trucks should have had U&L ball joints replaced at their age. Maybe more than once. Another couple of hundred $ depending on how extensive you decide to go.

Look at the condition of the radiator mount on both trucks. This is another area prone to rot. The expense of R&R a shot mount makes the one in better condition more attractive.

I have been telling my sons for years that mileage is not the enemy of these vehicles. Time, unfortunately takes a greater toll. You didn't say if both are local trucks. If one is from an area away from the corrosive saline mix that CT has been using on our roads the past couple of years, that is an advantage. I hate to think of what I'm gonna find the next time I check the brake lines on my truck for corrosion.

All said, when you compare two trucks one is likely to have a more complete service record than the other. This says a lot about the previous owners. I think I would have greater confidence in a truck with higher mileage and impressive maintenance than one with lesser mileage and moderate neglect.

 

[ctniners]

Thanks.great information as always.

I just got off the phone with the owner of the 99 EXP and went over some other stuff that i didnt know. (When i went to see the truck he knew i was not going to buy it that day so his son showed me the truck)...He said that all front end was done including ball joints and control arms..said that all break lines were replaced...and the tranmission was rebuilt 40,000 miles ago....the important part is that he said he has all the paperwork to prove it.

Tune up and spark plugs and wires were also replaced in the last couple of months.

None of the above work has been done in the 2001.

 

[IMINYOURCHAIR]

the more of the preventative maintenance that has been done and backed by receipts the better. at this point I would go for the 99 since it has a lower cost and has documented repairs done to it. the mileage isn't to be worried about really. my 97xlt has 279k and she is doing me well.

 

[ctniners]

Thank you again for all the help.
well i was going to go with the 99 especially after the seller mentioned he had done some seriuos work on it and that he had proof to back it up...well i decided to go back to him and after a 45 min drive he said he couldnt find ONE receipt of a part or work done...when i asked him to at last let me know who did the work he said that he really wasnt sure ..?????...brought a friend of the family who works in cars and he couldnt see with the naked eye that any break lines etc were done recently...sometimes sellers say whatever it takes i guess...so i walked away from it....in the meantime yesterday we went to see a 98 EB with only 120,000 Miles....ran all test and passed all test....i spoke with the seller and unless something comes up thats the one we are taking.

Thank you everybody....this site and its members have been of great help to me since I have not had any experiences with Expeditions at all...i made some mistakes along the way but the help i received is greatly appreciated. I am sure i will be asking more questions in the future i just hope they are not due to problems instead for improvements.

Thanks again

 

[71Rcode]

I'd keep looking. There are a lot of nicely maintained trucks out there with all kinds of mileage. I'm still happy as a clam I got mine 18 or so months ago with 108k for $4500. I'd buy that truck all day long today. She's been bulletproof and a joy to own.