My 18 yr old nephew just bought a 96 Ford Explorer

[Cutehumor]

Originally Posted By: bretfraz
Info on power window repairs for the Explorer:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=145469



I'm reading the thread. the guy who posted the how to replace power windows on a Ford Explorer lives in Germantown, TN. which is like 5 miles from my nephew's house. wonder if I could PM him to come over....He posted that thread on my dad's birthday too. hmm

 

[memsu]

I used to have a 1996 Ford Explorer with the 5.0L V8 engine. It would move out pretty good for an SUV. Got 20+ MPG if you drove it at sane speeds. The transmission was kinda slow shifting, but otherwise it was a good vehicle. We put 60K miles on the recalled Firestone tires

My parents traded it in to get a 2005 Ford Expedition. At that time it had 135K miles and the original transmission fluid

 

[exranger06]

I had a 1994 Explorer as my first car. Still have it, it's the one in my sig. Let me say that Explorers are very safe, well-built, and tough vehicles, and can make an excellent new-driver vehicle. As for rolling over, well, let me just say that not long ago, when I was being a typical stupid teenager driver, I did some VERY stupid and dangerous driving, none of which I support or condone, nor participate in anymore. A lot of that stupid behavior involved taking sharp turns at VERY high rates of speed, even for a sedan, let alone a top-heavy SUV. I never once even came CLOSE to flipping it. Trust me, the only way to flip an Explorer is to actually try to flip it, or else do something just plain, well I don't know, incredibly stupid. Keep in mind that my 1994 Ex has the primitive twin-traction beam front suspension that doesn't handle nearly as well as the updated SLA suspension that your nephew's 1996 has.

I also know that if I had a car as first vehicle, I would have surely wrecked it and possibly injured/killed myself with it. A better handling car would have tempted me to drive even faster and feel more invincible. The Explorer's obvious handling limitations prevented that.

The Explorer is a very tough and well-made vehicle that holds up well to teenager's abuse. Mine's been rear-ended twice (not my fault, heck I wasn't even the one driving it the first time). Both times the damage was not repaired, and even now, the bumper is only slightly tweaked and is only noticable when you look at it from the driver's side. I can't say the same for the vehicles that hit it. I have also slid on a slippery road, hit a curb, and landed (yes LANDED as in hitting the ground after being airborne) at about 45-50 mph with absolutely NO damage to the truck. Didn't even throw the alignment off.

I say let him keep it, although, being an Explorer fan, I cringe at the thought of someone abusing and wrecking a good Explorer...

 

[OVERKILL]

Especially one with a 302!!!! Those things are as rare as hen's teeth in Canada!!!!!

 

[eljefino]

If you have a vehicle taller than the average traffic you get to see further ahead.

Basic psychology says this advantage is going right out the window, creating a perception of safety that is being abused by texting.

Sort of like improving a deadly intersection actually reduces accidents at that intersection... but the rest of the road actually takes up the slack, and it averages out.

Thankfully the state has provisional licensing!

 

[Cutehumor]

Well, the driver side power window was fixed yesterday by a neighbor for $80. So at least I don't have to worry about it when I get there. My sister likes driving in SUV's, likes to "sit up higher and see over everyone" her words.. false sense of security.

 

[crinkles]

shouldn't be driving ANY car. I am no mario andretti but it takes some doing totalling 3 cars in a year.

if he were my son i would not get him a car again. he could work for it and show it some respect.

btw its just my opinion and not a personal attack. I've always wanted an explorer. I like the look of them - just a pity they stopped selling them here.

 

[Black_Thunder]

if it is indeed the V8 all wheel drive, at least you don't have to worry about him spinning the tires and doing donuts

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: Black_Thunder
if it is indeed the V8 all wheel drive, at least you don't have to worry about him spinning the tires and doing donuts

96 should have 2wd lock-out as one of the options, Control-Trac came out in '97 IIRC. My '97 only had Auto/4WD/4LO on the selector switch, where the '96's I test drove at the same time had 2WD on that switch.

 

[01rangerxl]

My 1995 4.0 Sport had Control-Trac 4WD, and an odd ball vacuum disconnect front axle that I think was only used for about two years. I did have a 2WD mode though...the positions for the switch were 2WD, 4WD Auto, and 4-LO. The V8s were true AWDs...no 2WD mode, no selector switch, and no low range.

 

[rpn453]

Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
I don't think so. My sister managed to flip a Mazda sedan into a ditch, whilst my old '97 Explorer went SIDEWAYS down a hill at 80Km/h without a HINT of trying to roll over. It depends on the car. Broad-brush statements are ludicrous. Have you ever DRIVEN an Explorer?


Unless there was something mechanically wrong with the Mazda that contributed to its rollover, the Mazda sedan was certainly more difficult to roll than an Explorer, and probably required a far more incompetent driver than yourself to perform such a feat.

 

[GMFan]

I would give him a 4 cylinder 110hp car and pull out two of the spark plugs.

Giving someone a V8 SUV with a horrendous driving record is negligent.....especially when they text and run red lights. It's only a matter of time until someone is killed for actions like this.

Just my opinion of course.

 

[wander2039]

If a teenager is going to get in trouble a teenager will get in trouble no-matter what he/she drives. I managed to roll a Festiva and rear-end a few other cars in first few years of driving. Although I did some crazy stuff in my dad's 5.0 F150 and the 72 351 Torino during the same period. Knock on wood no accidents since 1999.. I think it made me a better driver.

 

[Win]

Originally Posted By: d00df00d


The Explorer's high center of gravity, primitive suspension, and big blind spots require special skills to control, as you have indicated. Maybe many Explorer drivers have those skills (I would hesitate to say that given how they behave around where I live), but most drivers at large do not. Given the accident history of the driver in question, I'd say he's likely to fall in with the latter group.

Finally, its weight and the height of its bumper mean that if it does hit someone, the accident is more likely to be fatal for the other person. The bumper of an Explorer lines up neatly with the face of someone bumbling along in a Honda Civic.


So, how much wheel time do you have in an Explorer?

I had a '93 Explorer XLT 4WD with the pushrod V6, weak Mazda 5 speed tranny, and low range gearbox and it was an absolutely fantastic vehicle. Wish I still had it.

I don't recall it having any blind spots, it was very easy to handle both on road and off road - I never felt like it was close to going over on me, and that "primitive suspension" got me into some pretty deep and rugged fishing spots.

I don't know what would happen if a Honda Civic bumbled into it. It would probably be no worse for the Civic than if they had the misfortune to bumble into my Xj12, GTO, or any other car made of real steel.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: rpn453
Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
I don't think so. My sister managed to flip a Mazda sedan into a ditch, whilst my old '97 Explorer went SIDEWAYS down a hill at 80Km/h without a HINT of trying to roll over. It depends on the car. Broad-brush statements are ludicrous. Have you ever DRIVEN an Explorer?


Unless there was something mechanically wrong with the Mazda that contributed to its rollover, the Mazda sedan was certainly more difficult to roll than an Explorer, and probably required a far more incompetent driver than yourself to perform such a feat.


She flipped it into a ditch, and yes, she's a horrendous driver. The fact of the matter is, it doesn't take a "high centre of gravity" SUV to create a rollover; poor driver skill or incompetence works far better

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl
My 1995 4.0 Sport had Control-Trac 4WD, and an odd ball vacuum disconnect front axle that I think was only used for about two years. I did have a 2WD mode though...the positions for the switch were 2WD, 4WD Auto, and 4-LO. The V8s were true AWDs...no 2WD mode, no selector switch, and no low range.


Yeah, the "Auto" mode is Control Trac, but you had the 2WD lock-out option, whilst my '97 did not. '96 did.

I thought (though it's been a long time, and I could be wrong) but the XLT V8's had the same switches as the V6 trucks???

Wonder if the OP could give us a dash shot

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: Johnny
Cutehumor, I do not mean to be rude as I highly respect you and your opinions, but I would tell your sister to have her husband fix the windows. It is in no way your responsibility, and you do not need the headaches. And there are going to be a lot of headaches before this is over. Also, if he were my son, before he got the keys to the car, his cellphone would be in my pocket.


x2

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: exranger06
I had a 1994 Explorer as my first car. Still have it, it's the one in my sig. Let me say that Explorers are very safe, well-built, and tough vehicles, and can make an excellent new-driver vehicle. As for rolling over, well, let me just say that not long ago, when I was being a typical stupid teenager driver, I did some VERY stupid and dangerous driving, none of which I support or condone, nor participate in anymore. A lot of that stupid behavior involved taking sharp turns at VERY high rates of speed, even for a sedan, let alone a top-heavy SUV. I never once even came CLOSE to flipping it. Trust me, the only way to flip an Explorer is to actually try to flip it, or else do something just plain, well I don't know, incredibly stupid. Keep in mind that my 1994 Ex has the primitive twin-traction beam front suspension that doesn't handle nearly as well as the updated SLA suspension that your nephew's 1996 has.

I also know that if I had a car as first vehicle, I would have surely wrecked it and possibly injured/killed myself with it. A better handling car would have tempted me to drive even faster and feel more invincible. The Explorer's obvious handling limitations prevented that.

The Explorer is a very tough and well-made vehicle that holds up well to teenager's abuse. Mine's been rear-ended twice (not my fault, heck I wasn't even the one driving it the first time). Both times the damage was not repaired, and even now, the bumper is only slightly tweaked and is only noticable when you look at it from the driver's side. I can't say the same for the vehicles that hit it. I have also slid on a slippery road, hit a curb, and landed (yes LANDED as in hitting the ground after being airborne) at about 45-50 mph with absolutely NO damage to the truck. Didn't even throw the alignment off.

I say let him keep it, although, being an Explorer fan, I cringe at the thought of someone abusing and wrecking a good Explorer...

What you describe is when there is not collision. In a collision when the explorer is T boned by a Honda Civic, the Explorer will flip and the Civic will lose a bumper. It happens 3x along my way to work, once in front of my house.

It is not just Explorer, Lexus RX is famous for that too.

 

[asiancivicmaniac]

SUV tipping, lol

 

[will77]

An 88 Bronco II was my first vehicle (the block cracked or I would still have it) , and a 95' Explorer was my second vehicle I drove the Explorer up until this August. Both of these vehicles were driven between the ages of 16-18 when I did some very stupid driving especially with the Explorer, the Bronco II didn't handle, brake, or maintain speed well enough to do anything extremely stupid with. The Explorer held up pretty well during the 35,000 miles I owned it. It had some suspension issues, but that was due to hopping a curb in wet weather (the only semi accident I've ever been involved in). The Explorer actually didn't handle to bad even with the suspension problems. It was perfectly stable at the 100+ speeds during my daily highway commute, and didn't ever feel like it would flip even with my stupid teenage driving that often involved driving way to fast everywhere.

As far as the nephew goes I would agree if anyone is involved in 3 accidents within a year they shouldn't be on the road. Especially considering that a 4000lb vehicle can cause a large amount of damage when it hits something which is bound to happen with this driver.

Overall he Explorer isn't a bad vehicle if it isn't driven like a sports car. However I wouldn't recommend any vehicle to an unsafe driver.