HELP, they are trying to get me to buy an Explorer

[coggie2k]

Okay,

Today I am off to Westfield Motors in Rayleigh to look over the latest batch of surfs.

BUT I have 1 BIG problem, my colleagues are trying to get me to seriously consider the Ford Explorer as an alternative to the surf.

Primarily the issue would be me becoming banned from this site, and I find it a jolly good read every morning!

Seriously. Anyone know real reasons for not buying the Explorer, no, not just the fact it is a Ford, or that it is thirsty, American etc.

I have about 6k to shop with, I need a big vehicle for my 'little' puppy and yes I would get dirty, not every weekend and certainly not the the extent some people do, I do not fancy the idea of being stuck in sinking water in a quarry with a very bashed motor.

I would very much appreciate the breadth of knowledge you guys obviously have, grovel grovel.

However I will admit to liking the X somewhat, even if it does not look like a true off roader, it looks a little too like an estate with a suspension lift.

Yours eagerly

Neil

[robby]

Okay,

Today I am off to Westfield Motors in Rayleigh to look over the latest batch of surfs.

BUT I have 1 BIG problem, my colleagues are trying to get me to seriously consider the Ford Explorer as an alternative to the surf.

Primarily the issue would be me becoming banned from this site, and I find it a jolly good read every morning!

Seriously. Anyone know real reasons for not buying the Explorer, no, not just the fact it is a Ford, or that it is thirsty, American etc.

I have about 6k to shop with, I need a big vehicle for my 'little' puppy and yes I would get dirty, not every weekend and certainly not the the extent some people do, I do not fancy the idea of being stuck in sinking water in a quarry with a very bashed motor.

I would very much appreciate the breadth of knowledge you guys obviously have, grovel grovel.

However I will admit to liking the X somewhat, even if it does not look like a true off roader, it looks a little too like an estate with a suspension lift.

Yours eagerly

Neil

[paulc]

They have leaf springs on the rear end for god's sake

[silvtr1000]

I was in Folsom, California for training with my job for 6 weeks in 1999, and they hired me a 1999 V6 auto Explorer. I loved it! It took me and a workmate through traffic to & from work every day in supreme comfort. We collected her fella & kid from San Francisco, 150-odd miles away, and dropped them back 2 weeks later, went to Lake Tahoe through snowy mountains and back. It was a very impressive car on any trip - comfy ride with not much wallow given its size, loads of passenger comforts & gadgets, huge boot.

Then I took it to an off road driving site - rocks, mud, 45-degree ascents & descents - and........ it rocked! Climbed everything I tried (very little offroad experience) good ground clearance on rocks...

I was all excited and thought I'd try a jump - BAD move, to say the least. The front went about 2 feet in the air and when it landed the CRACK was so loud, I was sure the chassis had broken. I had bruising on my shoulder from the seatbelt and a sore nose from the airbag (both front bags went off). The horn was blaring away and the hardcore honchos were over in a flash - BIG lift on one pickup. They helped me look the car over and were surprisingly avoiding the "what's a fool like you doing in a place like this with that family car" comments I rightly deserved.

They found the fuse for the horn so that could be quited. We rolled the airbags back as best we could, and talk was gloomy - even if my job had bought the best insurance available, it wasn't going to cover this... I was thinking about a second mortgage...

Amazingly, there was no structural or mechanical damage to be seen. I drove the car to a whizzbang carwash that had jet sprays for the underneath of the car. I drove it back to the hire company and told them I had travelled over roadworks that I hadn't seen and the airbags just went off. Huge apologies from them(!), and a V6 Pontiac Grand Prix later, I was off on my merry way...

Take your own conclusions from this story (with scant relevance to the original question, I'll admit, but once you get going it's hard to stop, sometimes, eh?), but I loved the Explorer. It was very robust, solid, strong and comfy. And survived a day in the hands of a fool of an excited big little boy at a hardcore offroad venue. I fell in love with the whole jeep thing and bought a Discovery 3 months after I got home.

But I prefer the authenticness and heritage and coolness and handsomeness of the Surf.

Mark

[Gamedawn]

BUT I have 1 BIG problem, my colleagues are trying to get me to seriously consider the Ford Explorer as an alternative to the surf.

Or as they are known in the States a Ford Exploder. The only one I have seen off roading was at Devils Pit earlier this year and after a very short time Hormygollop had to trailer it up the road to be picked up by the AA because the front wheels were pointing in opposite directions. Not a comprehensive knowledge I admit, but give me a Toy any day.

[muncher]

I thought about buying an Explorer, they look good, until i saw what they sold for. Still too expensive and deprieciate like mad. I've seen K-plate Surfs for sale at £5500 the same mony will buy you an R-plate Explorer. Surfs hold their value for a reason, their Bl**dY good.
I hope the fuel consumption is not a prob for you because they guzzle.
For me i would go for the Surf, 2.4 or 3.0 diesel and have some Surfin fun.
If you go for the Explorer then have fun anyway and let us know how you get on with it.
Cheers .................muncher

[AndyLala]

Just my 2p worth.

Explorer is an american car. Designed as a left hand drive. (then converted to right hand drive)... Surf always designed as a right hand drive from the start. Some conversions are done well, other not so well.

Also bear in mind that there are tax breaks in the States for SUV's, or vehicles with a body on a full chassis. The explorer was designed at the time to cash in on the tax break, not necessarily on the growing 4x4 market. Not necessarily a softroad car, but not a full nod at an off road vehicle. So if that is all that you are going to use it for, fine... you could live with the lifetime ban from here if you are happy with your choice.

This brings me to another point. Are you buying the car to please your mates, or yourself. Who will end up driving/living with it...? Or better said, buy the Explorer and spend the rest of its life wishing you'd bought a Surf.

You've read the forum, you know what you are letting yourself in for. Now that I have one, and suffer the normal problems, I am more than happy with it, and wouldn't have anything else (except maybe a Pinzgauer, but I digress).

Final point... you remember the Top Gear "tested almost to distruction" HiLux pickup...? Same chassis as a Surf (near as dammit), same family, same build quality. Look at the mess Explorers got into with the Firestone tyres not too long ago...

I'll shut up now.

andyL

[Koi]

Leave the mates (so called) at home and go and look on your own, whatever you decide it will be your lonely descision not influenced by your mates. Then you won't regret buying the wrong motor because your mates were there.
As for the explorer, I drove one, as well as a frontera, disco, discovery, pajero, shogun, maverick before I drove the surf. Needed to get my fishing gear what ever motor,I bought the Surf nuff said.

Oh yeah the Explorer at the pit, broke/ snapped clean in half its steering arm on the green beginners course, we carried on playing all day on the green, red & black courses.

[coggie2k]

Thanks for the feedback guys,

What is the benefit of not having leaf springs??

As for the reasons, I am buying the vehicle for me and the dogs, the guys I work with are just suggesting alternatives to ensure I do not buy the first thing I see.

Fuel consumption is going to be an issue with all 4x4 vehicles surely, as they are all big and heavy. Yes diesel will be a little more economic but will still not compare to a normal car. This is just an expense I will have to accept.

I just do not want to buy a vehicle that will be a bag of nails, unreliable etc, I am not a full blown mud monster but the 4x4 I get will not be used for school runs, scaring drivers of small cars etc, it will be used for transporting dogs and having novice fun off road. so does not need to be a super capable 4x4 with a 10" lift etc, just enough to enjoy and then drive it home unbroken.

Question? Jumping in a 4x4, do you? Can you??? why???

I will attend to the next bit of work now, they are paying me... But I await the replies, insults and restraining order to prevent me tying in the surf web address...

[Guest]

Thanks for the feedback guys,

What is the benefit of not having leaf springs??

As for the reasons, I am buying the vehicle for me and the dogs, the guys I work with are just suggesting alternatives to ensure I do not buy the first thing I see.

Fuel consumption is going to be an issue with all 4x4 vehicles surely, as they are all big and heavy. Yes diesel will be a little more economic but will still not compare to a normal car. This is just an expense I will have to accept.

I just do not want to buy a vehicle that will be a bag of nails, unreliable etc, I am not a full blown mud monster but the 4x4 I get will not be used for school runs, scaring drivers of small cars etc, it will be used for transporting dogs and having novice fun off road. so does not need to be a super capable 4x4 with a 10" lift etc, just enough to enjoy and then drive it home unbroken.

Question? Jumping in a 4x4, do you? Can you??? why???

I will attend to the next bit of work now, they are paying me... But I await the replies, insults and restraining order to prevent me tying in the surf web address...

OK a note of reasoning.

Nowt wrong with leaf springs except generally in a lighter car they are a bit more harsh on the bumps. The Explorer is a big heavy car and you can't really fault the softness of the suspension, however the handling is considerably under par compared to the Surf.

Also the Explorer is a seriously complex beast compared to the Surf with much more to go wrong, however it is still built to American standards - i.e it should always start. American cars do sometimes have build quality problems with the minor electrics, however the engines are pretty reliable.

To be honest for general use you wouldn't really go wrong with the Explorer, however it is a big beast to take off road, the steering is somewhat weak compared to Toyota's mind you that is also a fault on a lot of American SUVs especially the GM Yukon, Chevy Tahoe models.

The Fuel economy is absolutely appaling on the Explorer, expect worse than Range Rover economy of around 14 - 16mpg on a run - especially as you won't be able to resist putting in the loud pedal very hard - the engine is a peach.

I'd still go for the Surf, or if I had the money a Landcruiser, if you want something that is good all round, easy to maintain, relatively cheap to run (for a 4x4) and very strong.

For all it's bad press, the Explorer is not a bad car, however the old Bronco was the real deal as far as Ford 4x4s go.

Cheers

[marky]

Parts aint cheap & you wont GRIN as much

[Linda]

Question? Jumping in a 4x4, do you? OH YES!
Can you??? OH YES!
why???COS IT'S FUN!!!

[Gizmo]

Surfin UK

Whilst I have always wanted to go off-roading I never thougth I would.

I was looking at the usual weekday 4x4s (you know the ones Sante Fe, X's and so on and nearly bought a Sante Fe on what would have cost me 17k) and then I came across the Surf...and was hooked straight away for £8500 and upto now its passed all expectations and has allowed me to go off-road.....Barton, Haslingdon and the South Lakes.

And the main thing is....I'm still smiling everytime I see it

[Malenibo]

There was also alot of problems with the American Explorers suddenly going out of control. There was a big re call by the American safety agency I think they traced it to the wheels and the cruise control. We have four dogs and the Surf swallows them without any problems. Got a purpose built rattle free cage from hamster Baskets. Like many of the others on here I have had other 4X4 vehicles and I can honestly say the Surf is just an amazing vehicle. At the end of the day it is your choice and I know that buying a 10 year old vehicle when for the same money you can have something newer does not sound like sensible but consider that the Surf you buy has not been thrashed around, has never been in a salt ridden damp enviroment, and will not have done a huge amount of miles. It will also be twice as reliable and comes with a smile factor that no other vehicle I know has.

[ckstratford]

you'll need deep pockets

some friends of mine run an explorer and its a very nice vehicle but my god its crap on fuel.they're averaging 16mpg and the best they've done is 19 on a motorway run doing 65.my 3ltr diesel 4 runner averages 26 and i don't drive it gently! also as someone else said they're a lot more complicated than a surf or 4 runner so their is a lot more to go wrong and when it does the parts sure aint cheap.go with the toyota you know it makes sense.