OT - Ford Explorer opinion/experience?

veloduffer · #1 01-25-2015, 07:51 AM

We are looking at a 2015 Ford Explorer Limited as the new family car.. We've checked out the Highlander and Durango, and the Explorer seems to be a good fit. We had A Siena and Odyssey previously., and our other car is a Subie Outback.

Just wanted to see if anyone has had any recent experience with one. Thanks

Cicli · #2 01-25-2015, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by veloduffer

We are looking at a 2015 Ford Explorer Limited as the new family car.. We've checked out the Highlander and Durango, and the Explorer seems to be a good fit. We had A Siena and Odyssey previously., and our other car is a Subie Outback.

Just wanted to see if anyone has had any recent experience with one. Thanks

Funny you bring it up. I went shopping for an Explorer recently. Ended up with the Transit Connect Titanium.
The wife actually picked it. I think it will work fine as a family with kids and bikes and camping gear car, van truck or whatever the heck it is.
I like utility over luxury though.

echelon_john · #3 01-25-2015, 08:01 AM

Love the new Explorer. Drives great, really nice, spacious interior.

It's on my shortlist for a new car, hopefully next summer.

gomango · #4 01-25-2015, 08:06 AM

Rented one recently.

Very comfortable, tons of space and decent sound system.

Fuel economy seemed fine, but not exceptional.

Driveability was very good on our 8 hour trip to Chicago.

Our boys are 6'1" and 6'3" and they didn't grumble about leg room in the back, which can be a source of complaints in our other main car.

Cat3roadracer · #5 01-25-2015, 08:07 AM

A few guys in my office have models from various years and like them very much. Gas mileage, however...

Ralph · #6 01-25-2015, 08:12 AM

My wife drives a 2012 Ford Edge Limited. Has exactly the same transmission, engine (3.5 L V6), My Ford Touch system with Sync, Nav, Sony HD radio, Sirius, etc as Explorer. It has been a terific vehicle so far. Explorer w/b the same. I didn't get the 2.0 turbo....figured the gas savings not equal to $900 extra cost, and I like the smoothness of V6 better than turbo 4. But the Turbo 4 at 240 HP makes slightly more TQ than the 285 HP V6.

One thing i really like is how easily Ford can change or update anything about the vehicle by sending you a SD chip in the mail. Want to move things around on the dash, back up camera, add language to voice recognition, change transmission shift points a tad, ECU, NAV, etc.....you just get a SD chip in the mail, let engine idle a few minutes in driveway, and you're updated. No need for dealer visit.

Most of the complaints you read about on consumer reports about Ford's electronics on the higher end models, I don't understand. However, there is a learning curve to understanding how everything works. I don't think a magazine tester can spend one day with a high end Ford product, and understand how it works. I think Ford and even GM are way ahead of other manufacturers in many areas, especially electronics...but maybe not in simplicity. Our 2012 Edge Limited has same stuff new MB and BMW's are just now getting. Explorer the same. Understand next generation with have simpler electronics, and some buttons coming back. But ours works fine as is.

Folks experience with old Explorers are not even remotely relevant to new models....except perhaps re their long life engines and transmissions. BTW.....The transmissions come from the joint Ford/GM transmission plant.....which also sells transmissions to some very high end European cars. You might be amazed how many vehicls use parts made by competitors.

eddief · #7 01-25-2015, 08:16 AM

I recently test drove a 2015 Fiesta ST. Decent enough and fun car...but not even the salesperson could easily explain Ford Sync. Ford is on the verge of switching to a much better product based on Blackberry technology, but not sure when the tech is supposed to show up in cars. If tech is important, I'd wait for it.

http://www.autonews.com/article/2014...ainment-system

bobswire · #8 01-25-2015, 09:15 AM

I'm still driving a 2002 Ford Explorer, has about 60,000 miles on it (shows how little I actually use it) I keep thinking I'll get a new car but have found no reason to do so since most of my trips are by bike or walking (living in San Francisco or New York cars are really not necessary). I might use it once a week at most nowadays for shopping and an occasional trip to Yosemite or other designation for cycling. Have had very few problem and those I did have I was able to fix myself.

LouDeeter · #9 01-25-2015, 09:20 AM

Can someone give a brief tutorial to the various models within the Explorer line?

AngryScientist · #10 01-25-2015, 09:21 AM

personally speaking, new fangled technology in a car is actually a detractor for me. i tend to keep cars for a long long time, and all the un necessary electronic gizmotry is just something waiting to go wrong. when i look for a car, i tend to gravitate toward the least amount of tech available, both engine management and convenience items. give me a naturally aspirated car with a manual transmission, a steering wheel and a radio, some of these new cars are way over the top with electronics. IMO.

by the way, i'm no that old, but i remember all of my first several cars, the first thing we used to do is replace the head unit for the stereo and the speakers. this used to be like half an afternoons worth of work and you had a nice rockin stereo. these days, the "dashboard unit" controls everything, radio, climate control, etc. i hate that.

i also have no conception of how we can simultaneously be trying to ban drivers from using ipods, smartphones, etc, and give them a touchscreen dashboard thingy that you need to look at to operate the air conditioner. we're going in the wrong direction IMO.

veloduffer · #11 01-25-2015, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ralph

One thing i really like is how easily Ford can change or update anything about the vehicle by sending you a SD chip in the mail. Want to move things around on the dash, back up camera, add language to voice recognition, change transmission shift points a tad, ECU, NAV, etc.....you just get a SD chip in the mail, let engine idle a few minutes in driveway, and you're updated. No need for dealer visit.

Most of the complaints you read about on consumer reports about Ford's electronics on the higher end models, I don't understand. However, there is a learning curve to understanding how everything works. I don't think a magazine tester can spend one day with a high end Ford product, and understand how it works. I think Ford and even GM are way ahead of other manufacturers in many areas, especially electronics...but maybe not in simplicity. Our 2012 Edge Limited has same stuff new MB and BMW's are just now getting. Explorer the same. Understand next generation with have simpler electronics, and some buttons coming back. But ours works fine as is.

The SD update is cool and smart. I read all the criticisms about the MyTouch but it doesn't look terribly hard. My friend sold his Mercedes SUV and got an 2012 Explorer and raves about the system. I viewed some video demos online and it doesn't look hard to master. Thanks.

Mikej · #12 01-25-2015, 09:42 AM

Me too I checked on an explorer-seemed pretty big and a bit pricey. Current Honda pilot is on serious clearance 6k$ off was my quote - 2016 pilot coming out in spring, supposed to be a game changer. Also, this is the last year for the current explorer, new updated version expected in fall, so use that to bargain. I currently have a 2006 pilot I bought new, wife loves it. Also, for some reason car dealers think current gas prices are here forever and try to use that as a selling point. Actually the ONE thing many of the sales people could explain, they don't know much about the vehicles they sell- amazing

LouDeeter · #13 01-25-2015, 10:04 AM

I hope everyone is using truecar.com to do their initial shopping. If you can find three local dealers that will give you "coupons", you can usually get a better deal than the price quoted on truecar.com

Mikej · #14 01-25-2015, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LouDeeter

I hope everyone is using truecar.com to do their initial shopping. If you can find three local dealers that will give you "coupons", you can usually get a better deal than the price quoted on truecar.com

True car is an average- I go right for below invoice by 500 plus a bunch of crap like running boards all weather matts cargo matts etc no delivery charge and go from there. You have to use their own tactics against them- if you start out so insanely low they feel like they're in control when they come up a bit. Waste their time as much as they do yours. Oh and email for the price sometimes that is the best way.

54ny77 · #15 01-25-2015, 11:23 AM

Funny you should ask, I'm renting one right now for a week. It's the limited model, very swank.

The power: plenty of get up and go. Mileage: as bad as my older Ford 5.4L V8 4x4 work truck, which is to say, it's a joke. Am averaging maybe 14 mpg so far, mostly town driving, some highway. Granted, I'm a little heavier than usual on throttle, because I punch it now & then to see how it goes. But if I drove conservatively, which I've monitored on the mileage indicator, I'm still in the upper teens at best. Gets about 20 mpg on highway at 70, +/-.

The interior: super luxe. Quiet as a church on a Thursday morning. Seats are amazing. Took me a half hour, literally, to figure out how to use things like the climate control and radio and get the damned cell phone sync'd for the Bluetooth whatever thingamajiggy. I'm not up to speed on today's modern interior electronics (from a driving standpoint, but been in plenty as passenger), and it's way, way, way too distracting.

The ride: plush, but tight too, esp. when turning corners. At sustained highway speeds, very little bounce. My perspective on that is a little skewed by what I drive regularly, however, so to me just about everything feels like a limo, including the Nissan Sentra we rented a few weeks ago on vacation.

Fit and finish and materials: terrific.

My only two gripes: #1) mileage. If I was looking for a regular commuting/daily use car, I'd get something that gets better mileage. Maybe their turbo v6 ("ecoboost" is what it's called) would be better, I dunno. #2) hand/arm position while in driver seat. This is a big deal to me, and I can't get my arms resting on either the door sill or the center console with one hand on the wheel, no matter the seat adjustment (within reason). That's how I like to drive.

We're in the market for a new SUV and that alone makes it a deal killer for me, oddly enough. Go figure. When fully decked out in Limited trim, it ain't cheap either.