Test Drive...?

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Mike Wolfe

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Abs
Absolute pressure is just a better way of measuring boost pressure, Psig can also be used. I think what you meant to say was that turbos are more efficient therefore are less affected by the lack of oxygen at higher altitudes.
Absolute pressure measurement is not the same as psi. Mechanical Gauges measure in psi but are effected by lower atmospheric pressure on the exterior of the bourbon tube. So even though the air density is lower at high altitudes, the turbo's will still produce the same absolute pressure at high altitudes as sea level. Therefore the turbo engines will produce the same power at 14000ft as at sea level whereas the n/A & supercharged engines will lose power.
 

JExpedition07

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Absolute pressure measurement is not the same as psi. Mechanical Gauges measure in psi but are effected by lower atmospheric pressure on the exterior of the bourbon tube. So even though the air density is lower at high altitudes, the turbo's will still produce the same absolute pressure at high altitudes as sea level. Therefore the turbo engines will produce the same power at 14000ft as at sea level whereas the n/A & supercharged engines will lose power.

Still won’t change the fact there are two cylinders less and less than 4 liters of displacement. Anyone can have a turbocharger added to their bigger N/A engine and it will always produce more power. Many people who live at elevation have these modifications done and some have been well documented online. More cubic inches is more cubic inches. If you add forced induction to a bigger motor it always will be capable of more power than a smaller engine. More displacement means more potential to compress atmosphere and fuel always. You can’t escape physics. I don’t live at a higher elevation so power loss is not on my list of concerns, but if it was you are absolutely correct a turbocharged engine is much less effected by elevation so I’d probably have the modifications done to my V8 or buy a stock turbo engine such as a ecoboost.
 

J_82

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Absolute pressure measurement is not the same as psi. Mechanical Gauges measure in psi but are effected by lower atmospheric pressure on the exterior of the bourbon tube. So even though the air density is lower at high altitudes, the turbo's will still produce the same absolute pressure at high altitudes as sea level. Therefore the turbo engines will produce the same power at 14000ft as at sea level whereas the n/A & supercharged engines will lose power.

Right, psig and absolute are not the same. I said absolute reading is better for measuring pressure but psig can be also be used.
I am saying it’s just a method of reading pressure it has nothing to do with how efficient an engine is. In other words you can use absolute pressure reading on a supercharged engine or a NA engine and it will not make a difference in how efficient the engine is where ever you may be.
 

J_82

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Absolute pressure measurement is not the same as psi. Mechanical Gauges measure in psi but are effected by lower atmospheric pressure on the exterior of the bourbon tube. So even though the air density is lower at high altitudes, the turbo's will still produce the same absolute pressure at high altitudes as sea level. Therefore the turbo engines will produce the same power at 14000ft as at sea level whereas the n/A & supercharged engines will lose power.

Did you mean bourdon tube not bourbon?
 

Joshua DeHaan

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So I joined because we own an '04 XLT and just ordered an '18 Platinum Max last week after a test drive. I was able to test drive a Ruby Red Platinum Max with captain's chairs and it's definitely a massive upgrade over both our old Expy and my lifted '12 4Runner. We really liked the CCD soaking up the bumps as well as the overall quietness in the cabin on the road and comfy seats.

We ended up ordering a Max vs a regular because compared to our old expy the rear lift gate opening is 4" smaller than the '04, which combined with the more sloping roof doesn't allow us to put a very large dog crate into the new expy without taking it apart as well as the fact our '04 expy is the 4.6L V8 and can't really tow our 5000lb+ travel trailer in the mountains.. We plan to build the crate in place since our dogs go everywhere with us and don't really move the crates in and out. It'll be the primary road trip vehicle/towing vehicle for our RV/travel trailer (it's just her and I and the two dogs). I didn't take as much time as I would have liked to fiddle with the tech from an adaptive cruise control and park assist perspective but SYNC 3 is very easy to manage. We checked out a bench seat in a loaded XLT and liked the softness of the captain's chairs in the platinum (our parents are in their late 60s/early 70s and visit often) as well as the ease of access to the 3rd row in times when we have our friends that have kids in town. The acceleration of the 3.5L EcoBoost is phenomenal, especially in comparison to the 4.6L V8 and 4.0 V6 in the 4Runner, I'm really looking forward to towing with it.

The one thing I noticed and could be a turn off (but I didn't override it) is the auto start stop. I actually didn't notice the auto start stop until we were at a light and realized we were in the wrong lane and when to turn the wheel to change lanes without rolling forward and the steering wheel wouldn't budge because the engine stopped and the power steering pump had no power. As soon as I lifted off the brake it fired right up and I was able to switch lanes but it was the first time that I noticed it.

Because we're looking to make it our primary towing vehicle we've already decided to get rid of the 22" wheels and tires for some aftermarket 18s with load C all terrains. Not sure if we'll sell or trade the 22s yet. I'm looking forward to getting it because it is very comfy for long trips with plenty of space and storage for all of our adventures.

We aren't looking to take delivery until late March of '18 so it gave us flexibility to order what we wanted (Mag Grey with Ceramic Interior) and we are fortunate to have "Z" plan through my wife so we'll get a pretty decent deal in the timeline we want it in. They took until Dec. 1-4 to start showing up in the Seattle area and even then there were only maybe 10 between 3 or 4 dealerships, so we didn't see any discounts but we didn't dig deeper because we weren't looking to make a day of purchase. Overall, it's a great vehicle and a definitive upgrade from previous generations.

We were always set on a platinum vs a loaded Limited so we didn't test drive anything else.
 
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dlcorbett

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If you ordered the magnetic gray and can acquire either the fx4 grey wheels or the f150 raptor/sport wheels, your gonna have one clean lookin expy. Idk how the ccd will be affected with the smaller wheels though.
 

MiddKid

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We aren't looking to take delivery until late March of '18 so it gave us flexibility to order what we wanted (Mag Grey with Ceramic Interior) and we are fortunate to have "Z" plan through my wife so we'll get a pretty decent deal in the timeline we want it in. They took until Dec. 1-4 to start showing up in the Seattle area and even then there were only maybe 10 between 3 or 4 dealerships, so we didn't see any discounts but we didn't dig deeper because we weren't looking to make a day of purchase. Overall, it's a great vehicle and a definitive upgrade from previous generations.

We were always set on a platinum vs a loaded Limited so we didn't test drive anything else.

Which dealer did you test drive the Max at? We've had a Max Platinum on order from Evergreen in Issaquah, but they are saying ours will be their first one in (January). Would love to test drive one now to confirm.
 

ExpeditionAndy

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So I joined because we own an '04 XLT and just ordered an '18 Platinum Max last week after a test drive. I was able to test drive a Ruby Red Platinum Max with captain's chairs and it's definitely a massive upgrade over both our old Expy and my lifted '12 4Runner. We really liked the CCD soaking up the bumps as well as the overall quietness in the cabin on the road and comfy seats.

We ended up ordering a Max vs a regular because compared to our old expy the rear lift gate opening is 4" smaller than the '04, which combined with the more sloping roof doesn't allow us to put a very large dog crate into the new expy without taking it apart as well as the fact our '04 expy is the 4.6L V8 and can't really tow our 5000lb+ travel trailer in the mountains.. We plan to build the crate in place since our dogs go everywhere with us and don't really move the crates in and out. It'll be the primary road trip vehicle/towing vehicle for our RV/travel trailer (it's just her and I and the two dogs). I didn't take as much time as I would have liked to fiddle with the tech from an adaptive cruise control and park assist perspective but SYNC 3 is very easy to manage. We checked out a bench seat in a loaded XLT and liked the softness of the captain's chairs in the platinum (our parents are in their late 60s/early 70s and visit often) as well as the ease of access to the 3rd row in times when we have our friends that have kids in town. The acceleration of the 3.5L EcoBoost is phenomenal, especially in comparison to the 4.6L V8 and 4.0 V6 in the 4Runner, I'm really looking forward to towing with it.

The one thing I noticed and could be a turn off (but I didn't override it) is the auto start stop. I actually didn't notice the auto start stop until we were at a light and realized we were in the wrong lane and when to turn the wheel to change lanes without rolling forward and the steering wheel wouldn't budge because the engine stopped and the power steering pump had no power. As soon as I lifted off the brake it fired right up and I was able to switch lanes but it was the first time that I noticed it.

Because we're looking to make it our primary towing vehicle we've already decided to get rid of the 22" wheels and tires for some aftermarket 18s with load C all terrains. Not sure if we'll sell or trade the 22s yet. I'm looking forward to getting it because it is very comfy for long trips with plenty of space and storage for all of our adventures.

We aren't looking to take delivery until late March of '18 so it gave us flexibility to order what we wanted (Mag Grey with Ceramic Interior) and we are fortunate to have "Z" plan through my wife so we'll get a pretty decent deal in the timeline we want it in. They took until Dec. 1-4 to start showing up in the Seattle area and even then there were only maybe 10 between 3 or 4 dealerships, so we didn't see any discounts but we didn't dig deeper because we weren't looking to make a day of purchase. Overall, it's a great vehicle and a definitive upgrade from previous generations.

We were always set on a platinum vs a loaded Limited so we didn't test drive anything else.
Joshua, welcome to the forum. Congratulations on your new Truck it sounds great. If I am not mistaken, you can purchase a pet grate that mounts behind the third row seat and allows you to give your dogs access to the space behind the third row, or you can put it behind the second row if your need more room.
 

gtnator

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So I joined because we own an '04 XLT and just ordered an '18 Platinum Max last week after a test drive. I was able to test drive a Ruby Red Platinum Max with captain's chairs and it's definitely a massive upgrade over both our old Expy and my lifted '12 4Runner. We really liked the CCD soaking up the bumps as well as the overall quietness in the cabin on the road and comfy seats.

We ended up ordering a Max vs a regular because compared to our old expy the rear lift gate opening is 4" smaller than the '04, which combined with the more sloping roof doesn't allow us to put a very large dog crate into the new expy without taking it apart as well as the fact our '04 expy is the 4.6L V8 and can't really tow our 5000lb+ travel trailer in the mountains.. We plan to build the crate in place since our dogs go everywhere with us and don't really move the crates in and out. It'll be the primary road trip vehicle/towing vehicle for our RV/travel trailer (it's just her and I and the two dogs). I didn't take as much time as I would have liked to fiddle with the tech from an adaptive cruise control and park assist perspective but SYNC 3 is very easy to manage. We checked out a bench seat in a loaded XLT and liked the softness of the captain's chairs in the platinum (our parents are in their late 60s/early 70s and visit often) as well as the ease of access to the 3rd row in times when we have our friends that have kids in town. The acceleration of the 3.5L EcoBoost is phenomenal, especially in comparison to the 4.6L V8 and 4.0 V6 in the 4Runner, I'm really looking forward to towing with it.

The one thing I noticed and could be a turn off (but I didn't override it) is the auto start stop. I actually didn't notice the auto start stop until we were at a light and realized we were in the wrong lane and when to turn the wheel to change lanes without rolling forward and the steering wheel wouldn't budge because the engine stopped and the power steering pump had no power. As soon as I lifted off the brake it fired right up and I was able to switch lanes but it was the first time that I noticed it.

Because we're looking to make it our primary towing vehicle we've already decided to get rid of the 22" wheels and tires for some aftermarket 18s with load C all terrains. Not sure if we'll sell or trade the 22s yet. I'm looking forward to getting it because it is very comfy for long trips with plenty of space and storage for all of our adventures.

We aren't looking to take delivery until late March of '18 so it gave us flexibility to order what we wanted (Mag Grey with Ceramic Interior) and we are fortunate to have "Z" plan through my wife so we'll get a pretty decent deal in the timeline we want it in. They took until Dec. 1-4 to start showing up in the Seattle area and even then there were only maybe 10 between 3 or 4 dealerships, so we didn't see any discounts but we didn't dig deeper because we weren't looking to make a day of purchase. Overall, it's a great vehicle and a definitive upgrade from previous generations.

We were always set on a platinum vs a loaded Limited so we didn't test drive anything else.


Congrats on ordering your new Expy. And thank you for the detailed account of your test drive. I'm curious, did you compare the 2018 Expy to any other vehicles, like the Suburban, before making the decision to order the Expy?
 

gtnator

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Anyone test out the Massaging Seats?

I've heard good things about them in both the Expedition and the Navigator. However, i was reading this review of the Continental which has the same seats as the Navigator and they were saying the massage motors are too loud. I wonder if this is also the case in the Expy/Navi? Anyone know?

"The Continental also makes available a pair of 30-way power seats with a massaging function for $1,500. Having the ability to customize the seats so much is fantastic, as is the fact that the massage, heating, and ventilating functions have one-touch controls—surprisingly, that’s not the case for every car in this class. What would make this feature more of a value is if the massagers were quieter. On a near-$80,000 diesel-powered Ford F-250 King Ranch truck, you might not be able to hear the buzzing of a massaging seat, but it’s far more obvious on a luxury sedan.

What caused us a little concern about the 30-way seats is the fact that more than one editor noticed that the ones on our tester creaked a little. It’s unclear if this issue is unique to our test car."

http://www.motortrend.com/cars/linc...630DCE371EA3B126522EAB2C8C7A90AC0FD44D1CBDDE2
 

aggiegrad05

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Anyone test out the Massaging Seats?

I've heard good things about them in both the Expedition and the Navigator. However, i was reading this review of the Continental which has the same seats as the Navigator and they were saying the massage motors are too loud. I wonder if this is also the case in the Expy/Navi? Anyone know?

"The Continental also makes available a pair of 30-way power seats with a massaging function for $1,500. Having the ability to customize the seats so much is fantastic, as is the fact that the massage, heating, and ventilating functions have one-touch controls—surprisingly, that’s not the case for every car in this class. What would make this feature more of a value is if the massagers were quieter. On a near-$80,000 diesel-powered Ford F-250 King Ranch truck, you might not be able to hear the buzzing of a massaging seat, but it’s far more obvious on a luxury sedan.

What caused us a little concern about the 30-way seats is the fact that more than one editor noticed that the ones on our tester creaked a little. It’s unclear if this issue is unique to our test car."

http://www.motortrend.com/cars/linc...630DCE371EA3B126522EAB2C8C7A90AC0FD44D1CBDDE2
I had them turned on when I test drove a Platinum and didn't notice any noise. Granted, the salesman and I were yammering most of the time, but nothing stood out to me. It wouldn't surprise me if there was SOME noise from them, especially if the ventilation is also on and the radio is off, given all the airflow to/through the seat and how quiet the cabin is.
 

Joshua DeHaan

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Which dealer did you test drive the Max at? We've had a Max Platinum on order from Evergreen in Issaquah, but they are saying ours will be their first one in (January). Would love to test drive one now to confirm.

Bickford Ford up in Snohomish. Had to make a bit of a drive but was a great experience. They had a ruby red platinum max at the time (not sure if has since sold), but may have more soon. They also had a white regular platinum and a black limited regular. The black was sold that day.

Also the sales guy told us they shut down the plant for December and won't be starting orders in January. We didn't mind since we have a flexible lead time. I like Evergreen Ford but I find they mostly deal in F-Series trucks (mainly F150s) so I was hunting around and it seems like Bickford does trucks (they had a lot on the lot) but also Expys. Ford Kirkland also seems to do more Expys than Evergreen but while I didn't have a bad experience with them I just had better experiences with Bickford and Evergreen.
 
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Joshua DeHaan

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If you ordered the magnetic gray and can acquire either the fx4 grey wheels or the f150 raptor/sport wheels, your gonna have one clean lookin expy. Idk how the ccd will be affected with the smaller wheels though.

We're actually looking to go 18" Fuel Anza's in Anthracite with black ring and Cooper Discoverer A/T3s, 275/65/18 Load C tires. I've run the 265/70/17 Load C's on the 4Runner for the last 30,000 miles and just enough rigidity in the 6 ply for towing but still keeping decent mileage and they're quiet on the road but with good grip in snow and rain.
 

shane_th_ee

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Thanks for the info. I'm in no rush either (just need it in time for camping season next summer). I've also pretty much concluded I'm going to have to order as I want a hen's tooth: FX4 max with the sun roof and the drivers assistance package, preferably in red. But I'd really like to take a test drive and let my wife see one in person before I place an order...
 

Garrett

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Just test drove a new Gator Reserve. HOLY CRAP. Now I don't know if anything, including the Expy, can live up to my new expectations.
 

Artie

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Just test drove a new Gator Reserve. HOLY CRAP. Now I don't know if anything, including the Expy, can live up to my new expectations.
I’m read your Expedition review so now you’ve driven both. How do they compare? I’m in your opinion is the Navigator worth the extra cost? This, of course, takes into account that both are expensive and depending on who you ask over priced so you can skip that portion of your answer lol
 

Garrett

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The seats in both are extremely comfy. I liked the 30 way adjustable, but honestly wouldn't pay extra for it.

However, I would fork over the cash for the reserve (wheels, HUD, panorama, etc) and definitely the upgraded sound system.

My wife and I thought they both rode well, but I felt the Gator had a little more giddyup. This time around I did notice the auto start stop. Not terribly annoying, probably just need to get used to it.

The fit and finish in the Gator was impressive. Tiny details here and there add up. Loved the middle console in the second row!!!

I also went in thinking I'd hate the iPad looking infotainment center, but it's actually quite nice and impressive.

Now the question is how do I get the dealer to sell me an 85k car for 75k!!??!?!!?
 

gtnator

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The seats in both are extremely comfy. I liked the 30 way adjustable, but honestly wouldn't pay extra for it.

However, I would fork over the cash for the reserve (wheels, HUD, panorama, etc) and definitely the upgraded sound system.

My wife and I thought they both rode well, but I felt the Gator had a little more giddyup. This time around I did notice the auto start stop. Not terribly annoying, probably just need to get used to it.

The fit and finish in the Gator was impressive. Tiny details here and there add up. Loved the middle console in the second row!!!

I also went in thinking I'd hate the iPad looking infotainment center, but it's actually quite nice and impressive.

Now the question is how do I get the dealer to sell me an 85k car for 75k!!??!?!!?


I can't remember, which Expy are you comparing this too, a Platinum? I'm wondering how much better the Navi is than the Platinum Expy? Meaning, is it worth the extra $10-12k?
 
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