Purchasing a used 2017 EL - Rentals

[star-art]

Funny, 3 out of 4 trucks on the market here are black. I'm actually looking for a white truck (another reason it's taking so long). I, too, think it looks better on a Limited because they nearly always have power running boards. While those are expensive options that are very likely to fail over time, I feel that, aesthetically, a white truck looks better with PRB's than it does with fixed running boards.

BTW, the white comes in two "flavors" -- Oxford White and White Platinum Metallic Tri-Coat. The Platinum white is quite lovely -- a true white instead of the more yellowish white that's often the case with metallic white vehicles. But, it's a lot more expensive to touch up or repair. Oxford white is easy to fix, but Ford has had some quality issues in the past on vehicles painted that color.

 

[Black]

Seems that I am the minority. I was looking for a model with very few options. Don’t need them, just more upfront cost and expensive stuff to break and cost me down the road.
All I needed was an EL with 4wd, Bluetooth,and a backup camera. So an XLT rental was perfect for me. Silver was my top choice in color as it hides dirt the best and I drive a long gravel driveway multiple times a week.
Local Chevy dealer had a white one but it sold before I could get there. They found me a silver one with the moonroof but could not careless about that.
I’ll add seat heaters and leather to the front 2 seats for the wife. Portable Nav units are far cheaper and all pretty much come with lifetime updates for free so I will make a mount in that little cubby on the right and hardwire it behind the dash.
Since finding this site after purchasing I learned about ForScan and since adding the factory trailer brakes and remote start is quick easy and cheap I will do those once my ODBII module arrives. I hope to get a camper some day. So adding the trailer brakes now before ForScan becomes a pay program will save me in the long run.
I have an iPad Mini that will mount to the headrest on trips for the kids. Don’t want them thinking they can watch a show every time we are in the car.
So I found no downfall in buying a rental Expedition.

 

[Adieu]

Some of us like the amenities. On the F150 forums a lot of owners are discussing how to add options that didn't come on their trucks. Unfortunately, tighter electronics integration these days means it's much harder to add some options to the vehicle after the fact. It's often much easier to purchase a truck that has what you want on it to start with. I've learned this lesson the hard way. . .

All the navigation bluetooth GPS dvd etc nonsense will be hopelessly outdated and bundled in any $60 china headunit 2-3 years after an infotainment system's rollout... add a few hundred more, and you'll be getting features that haven't even been offered yet

As to leather, you can buy better leather. Whether it's navigator seats, professionally installed premium reupholstery, or just a DIY reskin job with dirt cheap ebay surplus katzkin kits (probably wrong item shipped to installer returns...cuz there's so many steadily available at such ridiculous prices) --- all depends on enthusiasm, aptitude, or willingness to pay... however it's pretty much ALL better than any factory option.

See the F150 forums, those guys swear by the stuff, and even the sillier color options are damn gorgeous materials, fit, and finish:
https://www.f150forum.com/f118/lets-see-your-katzkin-leather-seats-380605/index11/

 

[kekman]

Great stuff on this thread. My wife & I just purchased a 2017 Expy Limited from a Ford dealer that came from a fleet. It is a Certified Pre-owned vehicle from a Ford dealer. Bought it several thousand below average Kelly Blue book and got new tires, alignment, and stone chips fixed thrown in with only 41K miles on it. On top of that, 12 month 12,000 mile warranty on everything plus balance of orig drivetrain warranty. Best deal in decades and I paid only 43% of MSRP for a 16 month old vehicle that had a complete CARFAX service history and checked out by a Ford Dealer.

I have been driving fleet cars in my job for over 20+ years and avg 42K miles a year. You take care of them or you get nasty emails from fleet admin. I purchased everyone of these cars when they came due and used them as my private cars, given to my 3 sons, now giving them to my grandchildren.

Fleet cars usually get special fleet incentives, i.e. add- ins to the model. The Limited I just purchased has most everything a Platinum except the heated steering wheel- I can live without that ! Check the VIN for the build codes per previous msg.

Regarding color. I grew up with the black is beautiful thing. About 15 years ago I had to take a white car from the fleet as it was ordered and the principle driver quit. Love the color! Doesn't show the dirt; Doesn't show the dings; cooler in the summer. All my cars have been white since then except for the car we just purchased-> Still love the looks of a dark color, but love the simplicity of white.

I have no reservations on buying a well maintained fleet car- they have miles but most of them are highway miles- look at the brakes closely. Look at the interior- it will tell you everything on how the car was operated and maintained. I was fortunate that this rental had a complete history on carfax. I knew where he was domiciled, how far he traveled, where he traveled, etc.

Great deals are out there- just have to look and do the research. Let someone else take the depreciation hit!

 

[star-art]

All the navigation bluetooth GPS dvd etc nonsense will be hopelessly outdated and bundled in any $60 china headunit 2-3 years after an infotainment system's rollout... add a few hundred more, and you'll be getting features that haven't even been offered yet

True, aftermarket head units are very often better than OEM. But, we have SYNC3 in our new '18 and I am really starting to like it. You can't get that degree of integration with the vehicle settings/systems with an aftermarket unit. To each his own. . .

As to leather, you can buy better leather. Whether it's navigator seats, professionally installed premium reupholstery, or just a DIY reskin job with dirt cheap ebay surplus katzkin kits (probably wrong item shipped to installer returns...cuz there's so many steadily available at such ridiculous prices) --- all depends on enthusiasm, aptitude, or willingness to pay... however it's pretty much ALL better than any factory option.

See the F150 forums, those guys swear by the stuff, and even the sillier color options are damn gorgeous materials, fit, and finish:
https://www.f150forum.com/f118/lets-see-your-katzkin-leather-seats-380605/index11/

On this, we totally agree. Even in Limited models the leather isn't that great at all. In fact, the perforated material likely is synthetic and not real finished leather. Most of the 1st and 2nd row seat surfaces are actually matching vinyl, with very little real leather. The 3rd row is entirely vinyl.

The Platinum has "premium" leather and I can say, having experienced this, it is thicker and more supple than other seats. It feels more comfortable, at least to me, and I can really tell the difference. But, the added "Agate" grey stripe along the outside edge of the seat bottom causes it to wear prematurely. I've seen a couple trucks now with that edge heavily worn on the driver's side and a couple of them had only a few thousand miles on them. The Navigator uses the same premium leather, but the seat pattern is different and it should wear better IMO.

The Limited I just purchased has most everything a Platinum except the heated steering wheel- I can live without that!

Unfortunately, you can't get a heated steering wheel on a '15-'17 Expedition. Even though it may be mentioned in some printings of the owner's manual, it was never an option. It became available for the very first time on 2018 models.

This is one add-on that's quite challenging to install after the fact. It's been done on the F150 forums, and it may be possible in an Expedition, but it sure won't be easy and I have yet to see anyone actually get it done in one of our trucks.

 

[cmiles97]

Don't forget if you buy a lease/rental that is less than 3 years old with less than 36,000 miles you get the remainder of the Ford warranty and you can also purchase an extended one from Ford.

I just bought one that was much cheaper than the one quoted on the ford owner's site.

https://www.floodfordesp.com/

There are others to shop online or you can call around to different Ford Dealership finance managers for an even better deal. I just wanted to get it over with after checking the price against 4 other ford dealer websites. This and one other were the least expensive.

 

[star-art]

I spoke to a Ford tech recently and he was very helpful in addressing my concerns about the cost to maintain/repair the newer Ecoboost engines over the old Triton V8s. He told me he has never replaced an Ecoboost, and the only major service he recalled performing was replacing a turbo. Using a Ford oil filter is critical to keeping the engine going (as I'm told it is with the 5.4 V8 due to the small oil galleries). He also told me that the power running board motor/bracket is, in his opinion, not a strong enough design. As a result, they frequently fail. He highly recommends getting an extended warranty if you have this feature.

I noticed that Ford has revised the design of the PRB motor mounting in the new 2018 models. I hope that makes them more reliable!

 

[Big Dave]

I too bought a former Enterprise Rental. It was a 2016 Limited EL 2WD. While I wanted 4WD I didn't see a real need here in FL. It seems some rental car companies will get XLT's with 4WD (Hertz) or 2WD Limiteds (National/Enterprise). We got a great deal and have been very happy with the choice.

-Dave

 

[TC16XLT]

I bought a Enterprise ‘16 XLT with 41K on it, and it has been great. Couldn’t beat the options for the price; power moonroof, power vent windows, towing pkg. The only thing I had to do was put AT tires on it for the Michigan winter.

 

[Nate03]

I just spoke with a Ford dealer who has 5 program vehicles on the lot right now. They are all XLT's which is good but I would really prefer a limited. Don't get me wrong the XLT is nice but I really like the limited model. I will keep looking for a limited that has the color and options my wife is looking for.

I wanted same thing and purchased XLT because it was loaded anyway. I do wish it was limited though. I miss the looks of rims and other limited features this doesn’t have but I couldn’t justify cost difference.