The Chairman
Active Member
Our 2019 Nautilus has a black top and we love it. Get many nice compliments on the color combo.
Looking to buy a new Nautilus or Aviator and we want the black top again. Have to find the right combo with availability.
What was Ford thinking by adding back in the tailgate?
- Thread starter GlennSullivan
- Start date
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Looking to buy a new Nautilus or Aviator and we want the black top again. Have to find the right combo with availability.
Danm355
Well-Known Member
I had a Lincoln Navigator with the air suspension and it's didn't last long Just before my 3 year lease was up something happened to the air suspension and the dealer wanted $1500 to repair it. I said no thanks and left and stopped at a Firestone shop and the mechanic looked at it and told me he could fix it for $300. He said it was the compressor and it has an O ring that wore out and he could take it apart and replace the O ring and I was out of there in 1 hour and was happy to pay the $300.
Yep! sixstring. You are absolutely correct about Fords crummy idea to change back to a 2 piece tailgate! In January 2025, we were going to buy a 2025 Expy MAX and, even though no local dealers had any 2025's on their lots yet, I looked at every Ford internet video of the 2025's and just hated that 2 piece tailgate and hated the shinny black gob (mandatory) across the upper/back portion of that 2 piece tailgate too! In 1981 (when we were young) we bought a new Squire Ford Wagon w/ a 2 piece tailgate and loved that car! Now we're getting old and my wifes' shoulders are bad from bucking saddles up onto horses for 40 years so she now has little strength lifting above her shoulders and it's painful to do too. So, if we bought a 2025 Expy, she would have to lift groceries up/over the lower tailgate or swing it down and reach way OUT to place them back in there. Both BAD! We also both hated the 2025 Expy ALL Digital DASH and all digital center screen. It is so difficult and dangerous (by taking your eyes off the road to try and touch the screen in exactly the right spot) vs our 2024 Limited with the 12" screen which still has radio and A/C control knobs below it. Glad we found a 2024 Expy MAX Limited with HD Trailer Tow and 95% of all the stuff we wanted anyway. We just love our 2024 Expy MAX Limited! We sold our 2012 Expy EL Limited (that we loved too) and the only thing we liked better about it was, it rode a little smoother but maybe it did so also because it had Michelin tires on it vs Pirelli Scorpions on our 2024. Don't know? I'm pretty certain that Expy buyers are NOT doing much tail-gating anyway. Sounds good but just a useless sales gimmick, for us. We loved or 2012 1 Piece Tailgate and now our 2024 1 piece tailgate. All GOOD points guys! Thanks, Lance
ROBERT BONNER
Full Access Members
We have a '20 MAX FX4 with a recently rebuilt 10 spd (under warranty) and a couple of months before I have to take it in for phasers....So, we were looking at '25's. Two hard no's for us, (1) the tailgate and (2) the absence of a limited slip on ALL MAX models. The problem for us with the tailgate is that my wife, 5' nothing literally can't reach over it if it's up and can't reach past it if it is down. And with no limited slip rear end, you end up with a 1x4 or 2x4 best case in tight spots.
There's a little bit of conversation above about the old Gen I, II, III air ride systems:
I drove all 3 back in the day, the Gen II was great, the Gen I not bad, and the Gen III was useless. The reason the company phased it out wasn't warranty, it was lack of customer interest in paying for it. The Gen II was a great vehicle with a big cost problem that caused tons of de-contenting leading into the Gen III. The Air ride was one of the casualties. As far as durability goes, all three of the early systems were more durable than the phasers and transmissions in the later gens, like EVERYTHING developed outside of Ford's USELESS Powertrain Division.
There's a little bit of conversation above about the old Gen I, II, III air ride systems:
I drove all 3 back in the day, the Gen II was great, the Gen I not bad, and the Gen III was useless. The reason the company phased it out wasn't warranty, it was lack of customer interest in paying for it. The Gen II was a great vehicle with a big cost problem that caused tons of de-contenting leading into the Gen III. The Air ride was one of the casualties. As far as durability goes, all three of the early systems were more durable than the phasers and transmissions in the later gens, like EVERYTHING developed outside of Ford's USELESS Powertrain Division.
Yep 1badhabit: My wife and I are 2 of those "People" that think it's "Much" harder to reach into the 2025's. And, yes, with the 2025, 2-piece, lower tailgate 'down', it would be over a 4ft reach in. On our 2024 Expy MAX Limited, it is 3 ft from the liftgate seal to the back of the 3rd row seats. So, if the 2025 lower tailgate is 1'-6" (18") deep, that would make it a 4'-6" reach into the farthest forward portion of the rear cargo area. I do know that it was 'no big deal' when we were 35, in fact any drop-down tailgate was NEVER even given a second thought back then, but at 'over-70', things are much different and "Much Harder". Especially so for my wife at 5'-4" w/ bad shoulders. When we bought our 2012 Expedition EL w/ a 1 piece tailgate, it was such a wonderful improvement to be able to stand w/ your legs right behind the rear bumper and easily reach in the 3' to put stuff in and get stuff out easily. I would guess we were just 'spoiled' by this "GREAT", 1 piece Tailgate Ford idea, back then. So, NO we didn't want to go back in time to an antiquated design of a 2 piece tailgate. I see you have a 2025 Expy. How do you like the fully digital dash & screen, so far? We didn't like that but without even a 1-time test drive of a 2025, we had NO experience to make any judgement on it. Also, No offence taken. It's just us getting old and liking what's easiest for us now. Thanks, Lance.
DieselMonk
Well-Known Member
Had the split tailgate once, back in 98 on a different vehicle and didn’t like it and got rid of the truck within 18 months and got something else that had a single piece. I would not go back to the split tail gate. A non starter / deal breaker for me. Sure… you can sit on it, but that’s the only thing it’s got. Was one of the mayor reason I picked up a 24 and didn’t order a 25.
My wife is 5' flat and has no problem at all lifting things over the tailgate when it's up.
Also, there is an e-locker for the rear.
I get what you're saying but I don't see this as an antiquated design. The tailgate is 9.5" taller than the cargo floor when up and extends a hair over 9" from the bumper when down. Ford's marketing of having a great seat to sit on to watch the kids ballgame might have everyone envisioning a nightmare scenario with this. It's not like a pickup tailgate slapped on there. One nice thing it DOES do is make a continuous flat floor. There's no liftgate seal as a lip preventing you from sliding something in or out.
BTW, we're both in our mid 50s, and as much as it pains me to admit it, we're not totally unfamiliar with age induced physical limitations lol. Beats the alternative though.
The dash is a major departure from convention and was my only hesitation about getting one. After the first drive my reservations were gone. It's in a much more natural position, it's much more in your field of view while not obstructing your line of sight. It's a better solution than a windshield HUD in my opinion. However I'm not thrilled with the limited info that's up there and the lack of customization. I'm old school and would like to see more/better gauges, or at least the option for them.
