First Time Buyer.. Any tips?

[Guest]

My first car was a 1989 Ford Ranger.. and since then i've had honda's and nissan's mostly cars .. but bein in a pickup truck was always a kick for me..

I am dead set on buying a Ford Expedtion 2000+ Since i can't afford to buy it new...

So far i'm lookin for a 2000+ XLT 4x4.

what should i look for when i do look around? from what friends tell me;

1. 12,000 to 15,000 miles per yr
2. how clean the title is.. salvaged? how many owners..
3. City Driving, or long distance.

But asking u actual expedion owners what else should i be lookin for..

and just so u know.. i have NOT even test drove one or sat inside of one.

and when it comes to cars.. i'm a totally clueless.. i spent most of my teenage yrs learning the pc.. not like my other buds learning how to tear down an engine.

If it comes to a reason on why i want one..
I like fords cos of power, more bang to the buck, really spacious, very sturdy, 4x4 capabilitys and the XLT option is a bonus for road trips..

Any Advice is highly appreciated.

ps. whats so special about the eddie bauer series?

 

[Guest]

I have the eddie bauer, and all the ford's I have owned have eddie bauer and as long as i can afford them that is all i will drive. It has tons of standard options the Base XLT doesnt. Plus all the buttons.

I dont care for the XLT's they just look plain to me.

 

[Guest]

Ok. do the eddie bauer editions have 4x4's?
There is no 3rd row seating as well?

 

[Guest]

4wd and the third row seats are both options for the xlt and eb. As far as which one, it is personal preference. Some think the eb looks to "busy" with the fender flares, and other body moldings. I own a 2000 xlt with all the buttons. Options that it doesn't have verses the EB are heated/memory seats, trip computer, elecronic climate controls and of course the body mouldings. That is it.

Now on the other hand, the more options, the more stuff there is to tear up at some point in time. So, just figure on the options you want and look for those any the vehicles you drive.

EB came with the 5.4 and on the xlt it was an option. If you tow great amounts, it is worth it to find one with the 5.4. Other than that, the EB just has more options and exterior style changes. Most of the options that the EB has were available on the xlt as an otpion, with the exception of above mentioned.

my xlt has served me well. 87k miles and no problems what so ever. Only normal maintenance items. It has keyless entry, leather, third row seat, 4wd, and rear air controls. Those were the exact options that I wanted. Price was a little better since it was used and a xlt.

 

[Guest]

wow thanx prcrboy.. that info helped me alot... defining my options is a must =)

 

[Guest]

Also XLT doesnt have Power Rear Vents, not a must but it is nice.

 

[Guest]

is that only a eb option? or would the newer ones have it?

 

[Fred69]

Go for the 5.4 L Tow package if available, this will give you pretty much all the cooling power you will ever need. Here in Michigan I would not go w/o 4x4 it's the only way to go (personal opinion) eb does as mentioned have extra's as shown above, I didn't really care for the cladding, again (personal preference) I also like the newer IRS, provides a better ride.....Go buy a exped you'll love it. Make sure you know your seller!!!!! caviat emptor Use common sense,follow your gut, and hire your own mechanic to give it a inspection... It's worth a couple $$$ to save you headaches down the road....Anyone who balks @ your own mechanic checking it out is a big RED FLAG to move on down the road and find something else.

 

[AZFlyer]

I see you've gotten lots of good advice already. I'll add my $0.02

I like the extras with the Eddie Bauer edition (I'm a little iffy on the extra flashy cladding/moulding), but the three Expeditions I've bought were XLTs. Reason: My wife hates leather seats (Its the only arrangement you can get with Eddie Bauer). Here in Arizona it is normal to come back to your vehicle after a trip to the shopping mall in the summer and it'll be 140 degrees F or more inside. Leather against the back of the legs wearing shorts or a sun dress is a definite NO GO. Cloth seats rule!

If there are any hills around, you need the 5.4 L engine. We go for the 4WD 'cause around here they don't build bridges over the dry streams....that run five time a year. When they do run, you need the clearance, if not 4WD, to get through. Then we also go out into wilderness areas where we really need the 4WD.

 

[PaulC]

The optional load leveling suspension (LLS) system does not have a reputation for aging well. Repairs can be expensive. This system is a stand-alone option on 4x4 Expeditions, so it's possible to find an XLT or Eddie Bauer without it.

I've always hewn to the philosophy that simpler is better. XLT has manual A/C, less goodies, thus less goodie$ to potentially break.

 

[Guest]

Stay away from 2000 and less on years...stick with 2001 and 2002 the best years of the Expy...2003 they are back to fixing things (or not fixing things, depending on who you talk to)...

think about resale value...get 4WD, and the third seat...EB are easier to sell from what I have found

Consistantly the year least mentioned on forums is the 2001...also check the search feature at the www.ford-trucks.com expedition forum.