2005 Ford Explorer XLT 4.0L from North America

Summary:

Would buy another one if gas prices stay below $3/gal

Faults:

Nothing has gone wrong with the vehicle.

General Comments:

I bought this car with 33,000 miles for $13,000. It is a great vehicle for the money. It goes through the snow well, and feels safe and comfortable to drive. We get about 21.5 mpg on the highway.

I enjoy the visibility from the driver's seat. The seats are comfortable on long trips. The second row seats quickly fold down to open up a large area for hauling things.

I'm very happy with our purchase.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 30th October, 2008

2005 Ford Explorer XLT 4.0 Flex fuel from North America

Summary:

Good value

Faults:

The leather seats cracked quickly. The dealer replaced two of the seats (driver seat and right rear) under warranty.

Three months after purchasing the vehicle I received a notice from Ford that the wrong transmission fluid was added at the assembly plant. I was requested to bring the vehicle in for an additive to correct the problem. The notice that I received in the mail indicated that this was their last attempt to notify me of this defect. Ironically, I only received 1 notice regarding this matter.

The transmission shifts are rough at times. Particularly between reverse and drive.

General Comments:

The Explorer is great for a family who needs an SUV for weekend errands.

This vehicle was approximately $10,000 less than a new Toyota 4 Runner. Perhaps the Toyota would not have had the minor issues I mentioned above but with a $10,000 differential in price the Ford was a great buy.

The flex fuel option on this vehicle interested me when I purchased the vehicle. However, like most people when I used ethanol my mileage suffered dramatically.

If you purchase the vehicle make sure you get the towing option. It was less than $200 and you get a larger receiver and a nice wiring package.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 28th August, 2008

2005 Ford Explorer XLT 4.0L V6 from North America

Summary:

A good truck but with faults

Faults:

Defective drive shaft caused roaring vibration at highway speeds. Dealer replaced drive shaft under warranty.

At around 15000 miles the rear differential starting whining, a common problem with 02 to 05 Explorers. Dealer rebuilt rear differential under warranty. (TSB 05-12-6)

Do Not Use Curse Control At Speeds 35 mph or Less, the Engine Will Shut Down! Luckily my wife didn't panic when this happened. I have seen many complaints on this and apparently Ford can cure this with a $120 PCM flash.

General Comments:

Overall this is a very nice truck. The four wheel drive system works well in snow. This rig makes many trips to the slopes during the winter without any problems.

Gas mileage is what it is... 16 mpg in town, 20 mpg highway.

3rd row seating works well even for teenagers and medium sized adults.

4.0L V6 makes good power, seems stronger that its rated horsepower.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 26th August, 2008

2nd Jan 2009, 20:40

The one problem I have with this vehicle... they actually make them without cruise control. These days when I look for a new car I don't even look for cruise control. Well, that was a mistake on my part. Shame on FORD for making a car without cruise control.

2005 Ford Explorer xlt 4.0 from North America

Summary:

Great ride, very handy

Faults:

Weather stripping behind the wheels fell down making it very loud inside.

General Comments:

The truck has a lot of wind noise in the cab. Also it is very drafty. I feel cold air all the time.The wind seems to blow through the door.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 20th January, 2006

6th Apr 2008, 12:38

Just bought the 2006 Ford Explorer. It is used and has about 47000 miles. It is a smooth riding SUV, and is super quiet. Gas mileage is okay... It is a SUV so I wasn't hoping for 50 miles to the gallon, and if you are don't buy an SUV! If you want a stylish, quiet, smooth, and sweet looking ride get a Ford Explorer. You feel like you are in a luxury car, but you still have the height of a small truck. Beautiful!

2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac XLT Adrenalin 4.0L V6 from North America

Summary:

It's a great mid-size truck, a V8 option would make it better

Faults:

None so far.

General Comments:

There is a problem with the 60/40 split rear seats. The seat on the driver's side rear will not fold over due to the sub-woofer being mounted underneath.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 1st October, 2005

22nd Dec 2005, 23:27

They do have a V8 available today. It comes in the form of a 4.6 liter. The older Explorers came with 302s, which are nice engines.

23rd Dec 2005, 05:03

The reviewer is correct, Ford only offers a 4.0 liter V-6 in the Sport Track. You can get a small V-8 in the Explorer, but not in the Sport Track.

27th Dec 2005, 03:56

Just my opinion, but I really wish Ford had made a true quad cab pickup truck using the Ranger base. Chevy, Dodge, Toyota, and Nissan all offer true pickup truck quad cab vehicles. I feel it would have been a real hot product for Ford. The Sport Track just does not seem to know what it is, SUV or truck? I know that many like the product the way it is. Could you imagine a Ranger Quad Cab with the 4.6 liter V-8, and FX4 package? It would have been a huge success.

4th Aug 2006, 10:06

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think they do sell quad cab Rangers for the European/Asian markets. Over there, they are sold with diesels.

30th Aug 2006, 12:39

Yes I think you are right, I saw a picture of a European version Ford Ranger on the Internet. It looked waaaaay different though, not nearly as good as the American version.