1998 Ford Explorer XLT from North America - Comments

All four shocks/struts replaced at 82,000 miles.

Alternator and serpentine tension wheel replaced at 88,000 miles.

Thermostat replaced at 93,000 miles.

Installed 4 Michelin tires at 95,000 miles.

Replaced lower ball joints and passenger power door lock assembly at 103,000 miles.

My wife's Explorer is comfortable to drive, and has been fairly reliable for a high mileage vehicle. It needed new shocks and the tires when we bought it, so we were able to negotiate a lower price with the dealer. (The Ford dealership normally auctions off cars with high mileage, but they kept this Explorer on the lot because it was very clean.)

I do most of my own vehicle maintenance, so my operating costs have remained much lower than if I had had to pay someone else to do the work. (I might not be as happy a Ford owner if I had to pay for labor on all of my repairs.)

So far, most of the maintenance is what I'd expect for an American car with 80,000 - 100,000 miles. (My only exception to this are the front ball joints. I can tell that they have been replaced before. 50K miles between replacing the ball joints is not very impressive...)

My other car is a 1984 Honda Accord with 230,000 miles..

I have been up to my elbows in the guts of both vehicles I can honestly say that the Honda is a much better built vehicle.

On the other hand, the Explorer wins hands down for its versatility and cargo capacity.

Just an update... As of Dec. 2005, the Explorer has 135K miles. Drivetrain still running smooth. No significant repairs other than scheduled maintenance since replacing lower ball joints.