Will I be dissapointed?

[07xln]

The two limited models I looked at yesterday and today had moonroofs but standard rear suspension. They were both 13s with 65k miles and were listed at 27500. For 33 I can get a 17 limited certified pre owned with brake controller and 3.73 gears. I'll be keeping this rig for 4-5 years, will that eco be good to me till 100k miles (if I get one with 50)? I don't know if it's worth the extra up front cost, 5k buys a lot of other things.. .

That’s a great price for the 17.

Do people actually like to have & use a moonroof? They seem like a waste to me. I keep hearing about problems with them and I cant imagine ever using one. Being tall, I cant have one anyway because they take up space required for headroom but I don't feel like I'm missing anything.

Use mine all the time

 

[Plati]

Yeah, a lot of used Expys with features have them so thats a lot of vehicles I cant buy. I can see the airflow part, especially if a smoker that would be nice I guess. Probably works around the standing wave problem also with a window open and you dont create wind on people in rear seat.

 

[coolzzy]

I have the moon roof in my truck and am scared to death to use it for fear of it breaking. Also I cringe in automatic car washes when the high pressure blowers hit the roof, I usually hold my hand up on the glass to keep it from moving under the force. The 17 limited has no moon roof and has 3.73 gears with the built in brake controller and is certified pre owned, but it's about 4k out of my price range.

I like and have been satisfied with the 5.4 in my truck with the same gears and transmission, especially with a tune. My biggest concern is combating the sag of having a trailer hitched up and having gear loaded in the back of the truck. I have a standard round bar with chains WDH and might need an equalizer hitch so have to factor in that expense as well.

Ive got a line on a 14 limited for a decent price but it's out of state. The nice ones don't stick around long so there is little time for my internal debate.

 

[Bigbadbull]

I could do with out the Moonroof on both my 2012 F150 and 2016 KR Expy.
Never use it, its either way to hot here, Way too cold , or Pollen season...

the 2016-17's have an option for a mechanical load leveling rear end shocks ( which can be added to any of those years as an aftermarket install), and on the Platinum the CCD active suspension was standard.

 

[deweysmith]

Use mine all the time. Especially at night. I also like to tilt it open and open the side glass get air moving thru the cabin.

Same here. It’s really nice in the summer too, gives the hot air somewhere to go while the A/C pushes cool air into the cab. Cracking open the rear vents and tilting the sunroof cuts down on the cool time in the summer, especially with the black leather interior.

 

[B-McD]

I could do with out the Moonroof on both my 2012 F150 and 2016 KR Expy.
Never use it, its either way to hot here, Way too cold , or Pollen season...

the 2016-17's have an option for a mechanical load leveling rear end shocks ( which can be added to any of those years as an aftermarket install), and on the Platinum the CCD active suspension was standard.

Just remember, the CCD suspension doesn't do load leveling.

 

[Plati]

..... Cracking open the rear vents and tilting the sunroof cuts down on the cool time in the summer, especially with the black leather interior.

Thanks for mentioning rear vents, had to look that up --- did not know I had those motor controlled rear window vents!

 

[bobmbx]

Thanks for mentioning rear vents, had to look that up --- did not know I had those motor controlled rear window vents!

They're not windows.....they're air brakes.

I'm afraid of running with them open; I watched the drivers side one day in the outside mirror and it was bowing in and out way too much for me.

 

[Adieu]

Hi, new here but not new to Fords. My Wife's Envoy XL is getting long in the tooth and I'm looking for a replacement. Everything we've looked at with 3 rows (a necessity for my family) has been a joke (my kids are young but not small). We keep coming back to a suburban, Armada, or Expedition. My wife prefers the truck based SUVs, and the kids prefer them for the usable 3rd row.

I currently own a 10 F150 Platinum crewcab with Max Tow package and 50k miles on it (its a unicorn of trucks and I looked for over a year to find it). It sits 90% of the time since I have a focus for a commuter and only use the truck to pull our 6200lb (GVWR) camper (hence the low miles). My oldest daughter just got her first car, and now I've got more vehicles than drivers or garage space, so we're thinking of trading in the truck and buying an Expedition EL that can serve double duty as the grocery getter and the tow rig. It will fit in my garage (my truck does not), and will be used daily.

Now all that being said, I'm happy with how my truck pulls my camper. Its no EcoBoost, but is quiet, comfortable, and is tuned and has good power. If I am looking at a 13 or 14 Limited Expedition EL with the same 3.73 gears and tow package, will it be a similar towing experience or will the IRS muck all that up and make me regret getting rid of the pickup? I'll miss the truck bed for sure, but have access to one if needed. I'd be putting firewood, generator, fishing gear, etc into the back, and figure the long wheelbase of the EL will be best for towing my 25ft trailer, which is 29ft bumper to tongue. We live in the north west, so a majority of our camping trips are into the mountains. Sorry for the long windedness, but just don't want to make a $30k mistake. Also as a side note, by the numbers the suburban is actually longer than an EL, but the reverse is true of just looking at them side by side. I think the expedition feels bigger inside as well, and wish I could get by with a short wheelbase model strictly for parking lot manuvers and parking garages....

Side note:

Unlike Tahoe vs. Suburban with the third tow gaining like 10 inches, Expedition short vs. long 3rd rows are either identical or nearly identical... and BOTH roomier for rear passengers vs. Suburban

 

[Adieu]

The two limited models I looked at yesterday and today had moonroofs but standard rear suspension. They were both 13s with 65k miles and were listed at 27500. For 33 I can get a 17 limited certified pre owned with brake controller and 3.73 gears. I'll be keeping this rig for 4-5 years, will that eco be good to me till 100k miles (if I get one with 50)? I don't know if it's worth the extra up front cost, 5k buys a lot of other things.. .

All expeditions are safe bets to 150, and easily good for 200+

You might consider looking into an earlier year with more miles for a lower price and free options

 

[cmiles97]

Can you tell me where you saw that 2017 so I can go buy it before you can get your filthy mitts all over it?

Seriously, that's a good deal. I'd take it in a heartbeat.

He's not kidding. I just paid $34K for a 2017 EL XLT that was a rental or fleet car with 29,000 miles on it.

I have always used sun/moon roofs with zero issues. I just traded in an 07 sequoia that had zero problems with it. I did have some water issues during heavy rain on my 1992 Camaro with T-tops. LOL

 

[Sccritterkiller]

They're not windows.....they're air brakes.

I'm afraid of running with them open; I watched the drivers side one day in the outside mirror and it was bowing in and out way too much for me.

I usually leave mine open all the time...6hrs trips running 80...8 years never had an issue...I do occasionally oil them...the are usually open when it rains most of the time...lol

 

[ElliottM]

coolzzy

I'm a bit late to see and respond to this thread, but I'll add my two cents. First off, where do you live? I live in Wenatchee, in case you are nearby and want to meet up. I bought a 2016 xlt in May of 2017, a rental fleet unit with about 32k miles at the time, and the expy is now at 86k miles, as I'm putting on almost 5k miles per month.
My experience:

• I moved from an f350 diesel crew cab, and the expy is not as roomy in the front row as the truck was, but it's still comfortable enough for me.
• I regularly haul adults in all three rows and people are always surprised how comfortable the third row is. Fwiw, I've had owners of new escalades ride with me and tell me they prefer my rig to theirs.
• We tow a 30' trailer (7200 pounds dry) with the expy and are very happy. I expected to be disappointed in the ecoboost, but it has amazing torque. I've towed the trailer up over Steven's pass and there's ample power, and I only need to slow down for curves in the road, not inclines.
• Fuel economy can be surprisingly good, except when towing, when it's worse than the diesel. We've averaged between 9 & 11 mpg towing the trailer, which includes over the passes, so in retrospect not so bad. But with rising fuel prices , you do feel it at the pump.
• You will need towing mirrors, as the stock mirrors on my xlt don't give enough view.
• My expy came with the moonroof, which is nice to have but i rarely use it.
• The vehicle has been very reliable so far. I get it serviced regularly (and often, given the miles I drive), and the only thing I've had to replace is the battery.

I'd be happy to answer any questions you have. Good luck in the search.

 

[coolzzy]

Thanks, I'm still trying to find the right one for us. In the 33-35k range there are many loaded XLT ELs with leather and heated cooled seats with heavy tow package, all with less than 36k miles. All are Ford CPO as well so that would give peace of mind with the ecoboost. My trailer is 6200 GVWR and 29ft bumper to tongue, an ultra light but thr fresh tank is in front of the axle and we often tow with it full. That worries me with the sagging suspension of the expedition but I think with a better WDH it would all work out.

Most all of my towing is in the mountains so the ecoboost would surely be nice, although I don't have any real complaints with my 5.4 and tow gears.

 

[ElliottM]

What you are seeing on the market is exactly what we got in terms of mileage and equipment. Now I see in your signature that you're in Idaho, and we got our Expy from Corwin in Nampa. You won't be disappointed in the vehicle you choose. However, definitely use a WDH. Good luck!

 

[ManUpOrShutUp]

Also as a side note, by the numbers the suburban is actually longer than an EL, but the reverse is true of just looking at them side by side. I think the expedition feels bigger inside as well, and wish I could get by with a short wheelbase model strictly for parking lot manuvers and parking garages....

The interiors are nearly identical in size; I measured both 3 years ago when I was shopping for an SUV. The EL is ~99" inside from the back of the drivers seat to the rear hatch. If I remember correctly, the standard length (SL) is about 85" inside. All of the room you lose will be behind the 3rd row. FWIW, there is a minor handling difference when moseying alone, but if you are a spirited driver the difference in how the EL handles vs the SL is significant. As for parking it depends on where you're parking. The standard length space in the US is 18' so the EL often runs into other spaces in the city and suburbs. Out in more rural areas, however, the spaces tend to be longer as they know more people drive trucks. I've rarely encountered a spot where I couldn't maneuver/park with an EL where an SL would have made a difference.

 

[07xln]

Thanks, I'm still trying to find the right one for us. In the 33-35k range there are many loaded XLT ELs with leather and heated cooled seats with heavy tow package, all with less than 36k miles. All are Ford CPO as well so that would give peace of mind with the ecoboost. My trailer is 6200 GVWR and 29ft bumper to tongue, an ultra light but thr fresh tank is in front of the axle and we often tow with it full. That worries me with the sagging suspension of the expedition but I think with a better WDH it would all work out.

Most all of my towing is in the mountains so the ecoboost would surely be nice, although I don't have any real complaints with my 5.4 and tow gears.

Do you do a lot of boondocking (dry camping)?

Find an Expedition with the load leveling shocks and you wont have to worry about the sagging

 

[coolzzy]

What you are seeing on the market is exactly what we got in terms of mileage and equipment. Now I see in your signature that you're in Idaho, and we got our Expy from Corwin in Nampa. You won't be disappointed in the vehicle you choose. However, definitely use a WDH. Good luck!

I like Corwin but their prices are usually $1k higher than Lithia in Boise for the same vehicle. I bought my truck from Corwin, maybe they'd do better on the trade to balance it out, but they are on that no haggle price structure and won't budge on their listed prices. It doesn't appear that traveling out of state gets me a better deal on these either.

I've not driven the ecoboost version, I have to do that first and see if it's worth it over saving some coin on a 14 with the 5.4. It's looking to be a $5k difference in price between a 2014 limited and a similarly equipped loaded 17 Xlt (minus the power boards, power fold mirrors and front park sensors).

 

[deweysmith]

front park sensors

!!!

That’d be a dealbreaker for me. I didn’t think I’d love them as much as I do.

 

[chuck s]

Find an Expedition with the load leveling shocks and you wont have to worry about the sagging

Load leveling just disguises an out of balance trailer setup. A properly set WDH will result in level towing where by both suspensions depress equally. Load leveling just cranks up the rear so it looks level but not an ounce is removed from the rear axle and distributed to the front axle (and back to the trailer axles).

Great for a load of bricks or your porcine friends in the cargo area. But doesn't remove an once of weight in this case either.

Set the WDH with this turned off and you'll be fine. It can take out the last 1/4 inch when hooked up to the trailer.

-- Chuck