1998 Ford Explorer Limited review from Australia and New Zealand
"Good wagon for the cash"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
HVAC fan resistor went (so climate would only do flat out or off).
Coolant leak (possibly through the radiator).
Differential leaked.
Drive line tended to shunt when warm.
General comments?
The handling was incredibly sloppy, very very loose in the body and just woeful under brakes on gravel (the back end would fly out).
Nevertheless, it was a good bus with heaps of space, reasonable economy and performance for its size.
The stocker stereo was OK and you get heaps of kit.
The seats are flat and lacked support, and the rear seat is too close to the floor (lacking under-thigh support).
The split tail gate is a good idea, and the tall diff makes for good highway cruising. Unfortunately it makes 1st gear very tall, and thus it isn't ideal for towing.
The handbrake was a joke though - it just never held, even after tightening.
The worst thing about owning this car in Australia is the lack of support. Parts are so expensive through dealers and they have little idea what they're doing! The conversion wasn't handled very well, so the engine bay is a bit of a disaster in RHD cars too.
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| 1997 - Explorer 4WD Sport 4.0L OHV V6 The perfect bargain SUV, reliable, fun and safe. |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 1998 |
| Year of manufacture | 1998 |
| First year of ownership | 2005 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2008 |
| Engine and transmission | 4.0 SOHC Automatic |
| Performance marks | 7 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 7 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 5 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 0 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 7 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 140000 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 160000 kilometres |
| Previous car | Nissan Skyline |
| Date of Entry | 14th October, 2008 |