Replacing 02 Envoy with 08 Escape

[dogememe]

I'm about to get this Escape for $1k - it's a V6 (unfortunately - I rather would have had a four-cylinder), and it has minor body damage. The place I'm getting it from said I can bring it back whenever for another $1k I can have it fixed if I want. No clue on the mileage... This will be my first "small" vehicle. Everything else I've ever owned was a rwd truck or SUV based on a truck. I know they have awful transmissions but it's not like the 4L60E in the Envoy is much better.

I really like how the Envoy handles and drives, but I've also driven an older Escape (01) once or twice and it was plenty good enough.

I intend to change the transmission fluid as soon as I get it, and change the oil as well. Any reason not to put Royal Purple Max ATF in the transmission and Royal Purple oil in the engine on the Escape? I am a bit of an agressive, impatient driver and I want the vehicle to last.

I'll post a little review/comparison once I get it, should be interesting for me. Anybody here have a similar vehicle and what has your experience been with it?

 

[FirstNissan]

For $1K, I figure its got either major body damage or significant mechanical issues or BOTH. Be very careful, you may be buying a $1000 heap of scrap metal. Take it out for a 1 hour test drive and see if it breaks down.

 

[planeman223]

Originally Posted By: dogememe
I'm about to get this Escape for $1k - it's a V6 (unfortunately - I rather would have had a four-cylinder), and it has minor body damage. The place I'm getting it from said I can bring it back whenever for another $1k I can have it fixed if I want. No clue on the mileage... This will be my first "small" vehicle. Everything else I've ever owned was a rwd truck or SUV based on a truck. I know they have awful transmissions but it's not like the 4L60E in the Envoy is much better.

I really like how the Envoy handles and drives, but I've also driven an older Escape (01) once or twice and it was plenty good enough.

I intend to change the transmission fluid as soon as I get it, and change the oil as well. Any reason not to put Royal Purple Max ATF in the transmission and Royal Purple oil in the engine on the Escape? I am a bit of an agressive, impatient driver and I want the vehicle to last.

I'll post a little review/comparison once I get it, should be interesting for me. Anybody here have a similar vehicle and what has your experience been with it?


Any car acquired for $1,000 has disaster written all over it.

 

[bullwinkle]

Originally Posted By: planeman223
Originally Posted By: dogememe
I'm about to get this Escape for $1k - it's a V6 (unfortunately - I rather would have had a four-cylinder), and it has minor body damage. The place I'm getting it from said I can bring it back whenever for another $1k I can have it fixed if I want. No clue on the mileage... This will be my first "small" vehicle. Everything else I've ever owned was a rwd truck or SUV based on a truck. I know they have awful transmissions but it's not like the 4L60E in the Envoy is much better.

I really like how the Envoy handles and drives, but I've also driven an older Escape (01) once or twice and it was plenty good enough.

I intend to change the transmission fluid as soon as I get it, and change the oil as well. Any reason not to put Royal Purple Max ATF in the transmission and Royal Purple oil in the engine on the Escape? I am a bit of an agressive, impatient driver and I want the vehicle to last.

I'll post a little review/comparison once I get it, should be interesting for me. Anybody here have a similar vehicle and what has your experience been with it?


Any car acquired for $1,000 has disaster written all over it.
Not necessarily-but usually there's some luck involved-the GMC in my sig was $777 from a government auction (allegedly had a bad transmission, was just a TPS issue). But, the odds of a cheap Escape being good-virtually zero.

 

[Ethan1]

Don't buy a $1,000 Escape. Don't think that a CD4E is on par with a 4L60E, it was bad when it was in the Probe let alone a vehicle with a 3k tow capacity.

 

[4WD]

What all is in the Carfax report?

 

[dishdude]

He added it to his signature so I am guessing it is his! For $1k, if it runs and drives how bad could it be? He's in the Bay Area so rust shouldn't be a concern. I wouldn't put RP in a $1k vehicle though...

 

[itguy08]

Originally Posted By: Ethan1
Don't buy a $1,000 Escape. Don't think that a CD4E is on par with a 4L60E, it was bad when it was in the Probe let alone a vehicle with a 3k tow capacity.


It needs maintenance. With 30k fluid changes the wife's CD4E in an 03 Escape was mostly fine at 160k when she got rid of it. It would sometimes flare on WOT shifts but still shifted good for its age. We wouldn't have hesitated to to a cross country in it.

 

[dogememe]

Originally Posted By: Ethan1
Don't buy a $1,000 Escape. Don't think that a CD4E is on par with a 4L60E, it was bad when it was in the Probe let alone a vehicle with a 3k tow capacity.


Yeah, not every CD4E is going to die prematurely... my friend's sister has an 01 Escape V6 AWD with the original engine and automatic transmission somewhere between 200 and 250K (I don't remember) but that vehicle has been maintained awfully, so it's really impressive. The Envoy (4L60E) needed a tranny at 100K, I had a 96 Yukon tranny with 115k die on me, I had an 07 Colorado tranny with 70K die on me. Not a great history with 4L60Es and me...

As for the Royal Purple oil, it costs me almost the same as Mobil 1 or Castrol Edge so why not? Besides, it's friggin PURPLE. How awesome is that!

 

[4WD]

400k on BiL's 4L60e and I'd bet hundreds of them have done 200k or more ...

 

[willistheguy]

So I think we can agree it depends? I'm not too afraid of $1000 cars anymore because it's so easy to google what their most common issues are and how to prepare/prevent. Like you were saying, you are already planning on changing the transmission fluid so you're clearly thinking about it. I would personally stick with the MC Mercon V though, don't know what other would say to that. I also think RP is overkill for engine oil but I see what you said about it being near in price to M1.

I think those cars also have Ford's electric steering. There were some recalls on the car so it might be okay but nonetheless they're fragile. That means no rolling with flat tires on front and no hammering the steering knuckles without disconnecting battery (or maybe that's just fusions?). Either way it's something to be aware of. The repair is very expensive.

 

[dogememe]

Originally Posted By: willistheguy
So I think we can agree it depends? I'm not too afraid of $1000 cars anymore because it's so easy to google what their most common issues are and how to prepare/prevent. Like you were saying, you are already planning on changing the transmission fluid so you're clearly thinking about it. I would personally stick with the MC Mercon V though, don't know what other would say to that. I also think RP is overkill for engine oil but I see what you said about it being near in price to M1.

I think those cars also have Ford's electric steering. There were some recalls on the car so it might be okay but nonetheless they're fragile. That means no rolling with flat tires on front and no hammering the steering knuckles without disconnecting battery (or maybe that's just fusions?). Either way it's something to be aware of. The repair is very expensive.


Yeah, I saw a ton of steering issues listed on carcomplaints.com, that was by far the second most common issue besides transmission failure. I'm definitely a fan of matched tires anyway and not driving on a flat lol.

As for the fluid, I've read conflicting stuff... many people saying that Mercon V kills CD4Es... if I hadn't read that I'd have used Motorcraft Mercon V for sure.