just got a 05 Expy with tow package

[JoshuaGrooms83]

well, ive commited the gm sin, i bought a ford lol
actual i dont have anything against ford, ive just always grew up with GM vehicles. My baby is a 98 trans am with a T76 turbo

since my family is expanding, we've been in the market for a vehicle with a 3rd row seat. To tell you the truth i was looking for a Tahoe (chevy lol) but any larger then a sedan but not a mini-van vehicle without a billion miles on it would do for the most part. It also had to make my wife happy since she was gonna be driving it most of the time.

Well after seaching around endlessly and many dead ends and scammers along the way, I found an 2005 XLT with some kind of tow package all wheel drive. completely stock with 117000 miles on the ODO for $8000 and pretty imaculant interiour and near perfect exterior. Its a northern states wisconsin vechile so some surface rust on the undercarriage is expected. all surface rust that can be cleaned up and under coated. Looked to somekind of farm vehicle used to haul some stuff. everything works great.

Of course since im a gear head and performance junky im already looking into mods lol just gotta make sure the wife doesnt notice it soo much lol

So far i like it alot. great for a family and plenty of power with the 5.4

 

[03dblcabtaco]

Welcome. Don't feel bad about the switch. I'm a Gm tech and have driven Toyota for years. Got my wife a 2012 king ranch expedition a few months ago. She loves it and it looks great.


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[JoshuaGrooms83]

lol i dont, just a little new to fords other then normal tech stuff thats easy to find on the net or around other car guys. i know the 5.4L is a good motor minus a few little things ive read that pop up on higher milaged vehicles like spark plugs and coils somtimes.

ive already scouted an CAI to replace the stock intake lol propably gonna locate a magnaflow muffler to get alittle note to it but nothing too loud. gotta havemy wife represent it right lol other then that not gonna do too much to it other then strict maintance and cleaning.

 

[sgtowing]

Welcome. At least you have realized the error in your ways and have fixed them with the Ford.

 

[1997SCEBFEX]

Welcome Aboard.

Post up a pic or two when you have a chance.

PanHandler.

 

[Reginald]

Welcome!!!!

 

[Mikes05expy]

Welcome, I too was gm faithful and looking for a suburban or tahoe when I came across my expy and I must say I am extremely happy with mine.

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[kmh1596]

Welcome! Post up some pictures of your rig!

 

[GAINMOB]

welcome to the site

 

[JoshuaGrooms83]

thanks guys, will post up when i get home to ft bliss. was visiting family for easter and just happen to stop at a ford dealership with my dad since he just got a 2011 lincoln MKS for a reall good deal compared to other dealerships so i wen in there not even considering buying anything. just kicking tires really lol but happen to come across this one and i was curious so origianly it was at $15,000 and came down to $9700 after the holidays. with a $1000 trade in on a crap lincoln towncar and $2000 down, that was their first offer. since im on vacation i have no intention of puttin gdown $2000 wheni gotta trek back to FT BLiss texas. then they call me back and offer no money down, $1000 for the TC, and price reduced to $8200. I was sold lol its a nice SUV that has plenty of room for the new baby on its way. still would have liked a suburban but cant complain about this one. and i do like the 5.4L now i just gotta learn up on it. im an LS guy so not to familar with the modulars other then the basic stuff. all though i would like to put a turbo on it lol

 

[JoshuaGrooms83]

Welcome. At least you have realized the error in your ways and have fixed them with the Ford.

lol not so much an error, just very biased lol but i still like fords too. i still absolutly refuse to get a dodge lol

 

[1ATony]

Welcome to the site! Fords are great. I've owned Fords most of my life however I've been on a Jeep kick lately...lol

 

[JoshuaGrooms83]

so heres the big boy lol im pretty impressed with it after 1500 mile trek from wisconsin to El paso tx. didnt spend as much money on gas as i thought. i used premium since the truck sat at the dealership since DEC 2012, which isnt too long, but thought good clean pure 93 pump gas without 10% ethanol in wisconsin to help push out any crap that was sitn in the tank. gonna look into gettin the fuel filter changed though after that. alaso gonna change the oil to royal purple synthetic 5w20. i use royal purple in everything. Even my ATF trans when i can afford it lol Also gonna change all the other fluids so i know that all the fluids have good fluids in it. full synthetic all around; gear oil and all.






at first i found that a TPMS sensor and the washerfluid pump was out. the dealership fixed for free.
the running boards are rusty but im in the process of removing the trim and sanding it. just gotta find a simular paint. im thinking flat black but id rather have the same color or close to it.
Unfortunatly i found out what a northern vehilce that sits too long does when it hasnt been driven in awhile. The drivers front caliper was seized noticed this after i had a horrible vibration at 75mph and only got worse at higher speeds (80mph is legal in texas lol) Then i noticed the burnt brake smell... then the draggin started at low speeds. so yeah. time for a new caliper. thinking of doing both but not sure. what do you all think?
the rotor and i thknk the pads are shot too they chatter now when the brakes are applied

also wondering if they make stainless steel braided lines for EXPY's? im thinking of replacing them all and rather put stainless braided in there. im sure the old rubber ones could use to be replaced.

also found a CAI on ebay that comes with everything http://www.ebay.com/itm/370649819204?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649
looks pretty good and not at the K&N new price.

also gonna have the muffler replaced with a magnaflow, dont want it too lound since its the wifes lol but want it to be noticed alittle. a nice corsa clone would be nice on the pipe that would be a tip lol

 

[kmh1596]

Looks clean! Looks like someone re-painted the lower door trim at some point, as it has a gloss to it... I believe the XLTs would have matte-finish trim similar to the fender flares.

Nice rig! Any luck on the dealer helping pay for at least the parts on the seized caliper? If you were local to them, I'd imagine it would be covered.

 

[JoshuaGrooms83]

i think the trim is standard. ive seen a few XLT's just like mine running around on ft bliss with the same trim.

I can eat the cost of the caliper. its only $65 (after i return the core) the dealerships all the way back in wisconsin lol so its not local lol but the dealership did a great job on selling it too me so i can take that hit. now if i drove down the road and the motor crapped out 50miles from where i bought it, then yeah, that would be different lol

 

[kmh1596]

i think the trim is standard. ive seen a few XLT's just like mine running around on ft bliss with the same trim.

I can eat the cost of the caliper. its only $65 (after i return the core) the dealerships all the way back in wisconsin lol so its not local lol but the dealership did a great job on selling it too me so i can take that hit. now if i drove down the road and the motor crapped out 50miles from where i bought it, then yeah, that would be different lol

Yours appears to have clear-coat on it, is that the case? The XLTs don't have shiny trim:



The Eddie Bauer and limited would be the only ones with a gloss finish. If yours are glossy, they were either repainted, or replaced.

 

[Mikes05expy]

Yours appears to have clear-coat on it, is that the case? The XLTs don't have shiny trim:



The Eddie Bauer and limited would be the only ones with a gloss finish. If yours are glossy, they were either repainted, or replaced.

Not true, some XLT's actually did come with the wheel well trim and it was all painted like a graphite color as opposed to the fading crap raw plastic ones. There are quite a few around my area I just wish I would've known that some came like that before I bought mine.

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[JoshuaGrooms83]

well it looks nice to me lol
the major concern im having was a sticking/draggin drivers side caliper about 500miles into my trek from wisconsin to el paso
so far, replaced caliper, rotor, and now brake line and ABS vacuum hoses as well as bleeding the crap out of the brakes system. went though almost 2 resivious worth of fluid. (no i didnt empty it)
its not dragging par say but its still making alot of ABS "noise" when i hit the brakes. it releases at least now. and now the petal is going down by itself sometime :/ not cool.
it did have really bad fluid in it when i bled it. im thinking of bleeding it again.

question on this vehilce. does it matter if i bleed it with the truck on or off?
anybody have any hints?

 

[JoshuaGrooms83]

i think ive found my answer. i had a sneaking suspition but i think im gonna have to go this route
ive been readin around that these systems require a reader to activate the ABS to bleed correctly while you bleed the brakes on these vehilces i dont have a OBD2 reader for this let alone a diagnositc reader that can activate vehilce computer tests and maintainance proceedures. and i really dont want to take it to a dealer but i really need to get these brakes bled correctly damn it all. always something

 

[kmh1596]

Not true, some XLT's actually did come with the wheel well trim and it was all painted like a graphite color as opposed to the fading crap raw plastic ones. There are quite a few around my area I just wish I would've known that some came like that before I bought mine.

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I haven't ever seen one with gloss trim that wasn't a EB or Limited, but am glad to hear they learned the error of their ways and went with painted trim at some point! Do you know when that changed?