What to look for when buying a gen3 expy

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rollinstone

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Test drove a well known truck dealer's 2011 Limited with just under 26,000...HD tow package. Some cosmetics, but overall very clean...including dipstick. However, the left side valve cover, the alternator, and a barely visible component (water pump?) just on the front right of the engine is covered with what appears to be heavy surface corrosion. The sales guy offered that it might be blow back from a leaky battery (you could see moderate deposits on the + terminal). I replied don't think so because all the tubes and lines on the left side would be covered with blow back as well...and they're quite clean (unless they were all replaced). Their inspection policy is my mechanic either has to come to them, or I buy the truck and then take it to my mechanic...yeah, right! I looked hard and the only drawback is that nasty looking engine. I own a '97 Explorer with an immaculate engine... Is this something that shows up on low mileage Expy's?
 
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ExpyD

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I just bought a CPO/1 owner 2011 EL Limited (50k miles) that also has light, almost chalky surface corrosion on many of the aluminum engine components... Valve covers, alternator housing, etc. Both the Ford dealer where I purchased it and my long term independent mechanic told me this is relatively common to see. The first owner lived in the suburbs of Washington DC so exposure to winter road treatments, etc. may have contributed... But probably not as bad as what the rest of its life in Pennsylvania will bring!
 

k9education

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I just bought a CPO/1 owner 2011 EL Limited (50k miles) that also has light, almost chalky surface corrosion on many of the aluminum engine components... Valve covers, alternator housing, etc. Both the Ford dealer where I purchased it and my long term independent mechanic told me this is relatively common to see. The first owner lived in the suburbs of Washington DC so exposure to winter road treatments, etc. may have contributed... But probably not as bad as what the rest of its life in Pennsylvania will bring!

PA is indeed brutal on cars. When I took my Mountaineer in for a pre-purchase inspection by my mechanic (back in 2006), the first thing he said after looking at the undercarriage was: "This vehicle didn't come from PA." He was right; a PA dealer purchased it at a NY auction. Now I'm on the hunt for a 2009-2012 Expedition EL and wondering if I should avoid vehicles that spent their lives in PA. Even the NJ vehicles seem to have suffered less salt abuse. Ironically, they don't salt the roads enough in our little corner of PA.
 

k9education

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The only non-maintenance/wear issue that the dealer found during the CPO process involved the climate control module for the seats, which needed to be replaced. Vehicle has 79K and is an '11 EL.
 

k9education

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Another issue we found on the 3rd gens that I forgot to mention are the power running boards. At least one was non-functional on 1/4 of the vehicles we looked at. I was reminded of it because the '11 EL I purchased in May needed the passenger side running board assembly replaced. It's a $2,000 part just for one side! Luckily it was covered by Ford as I noticed it the day I took delivery (it worked intermittently at first and then ultimately failed altogether a month later).
 

FloridaGuy

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wow lots of good into in this thread, I' going to look at an 07 Eddie Bauer this week 93K Miles, 4X4, 5.4L $13K, any other issues I should look for?
 

Gamecock

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wow lots of good into in this thread, I' going to look at an 07 Eddie Bauer this week 93K Miles, 4X4, 5.4L $13K, any other issues I should look for?

This is what I have (EL). I bought it off my parents. Only issue I've had is the middle seat on the 2nd row bench won't lock in the upright position after I put it down one day.

From when my parent's bought I know they had the plugs changed, new battery, and new brake booster. Fairly routine stuff.
 
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Dreamin

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At 73,000mi on our 2010 XLT with 3:30 gearing and 20mpg. :)

So far I have the following:

1. Paint peeling on tailgate
2. Drivers front window stopped working (had to have components replaced under extended warranty)
3. Passenger side Exhaust manifold leak. (Repaired under extended warranty, same issue I had with our 2000 F150)

I also had the hesitation issue and brought it to two dealers. Both said everything was fine. Mentioned it to one of our Anesthesiologists who drives a Porches and Audio and he smiled at me and said "turn off the traction control, then try it."

Put it in AWD, turned off traction control, and the Exoy took off like a rocket! Traction control is doing it's job keeping the truck from spinning the tires, that is why it hesitates.
 
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