how long will an explorer last!

[jharber15]

i'm about to buy a 1998 ford explorer sport w/75k miles. It's been taken care of, but how many miles can I put on this thing before it's going to need massive help. Thanks for the help guys!

[wegallag]

My 92 XL 2WD has 167k. Since I bought it three years ago with 121k, I have replaced the exhaust, which needs it again, replaced the front suspension bushings, replaced the starter (wouldnt diisengage), replaced the 1-2 synchro (manual tranny, driver error), reseated the left rear lift bracket, replaced main universal on driveshaft (even put about 800 miles on it bad, didnt mess anything else up), and had it tuned. My interior door handles keep breaking, but my handles are rubber mounted to plastic brackets screwed into the plastic door wall, which is a poor OEM design. The main compressor bearing has been going for a while, but the AC still blows strong and cold. Needs a new clutch and shocks, especially rears. Engine pulls strong, although it knocks and pings on certain brands of gas. Amazingly, I have not had to replace the OEM speakers mated to my Sony 35Wx4.

I can get 23+ mpg hiway if I try, but its usually around 21 interstate. City mpg is low because I am an acceleration nut, but can be as high as 18-19. Ive never babied this thing, and I put over 20k on it this year.

I am thinking its got at least another 20-30k in it before I need to consider a rebuild, if I dont blow it. Stock tach shows 5k as redline; I have hit 5500 a few times. I think you would have transmission trouble before engine trouble if you have an automatic.

Overall its been really dependable for me. I consider the things that have failed to be petty things that are subject to age anyway.

[TorinoGT69]

Usually they last to around 130-160 if well taken care of. There are exceptions but usually mid hundreds is about all you get without major problems.

[wegallag]

I also change my oil and filter around 3k miles or before. After draining the oil I chase the dirty oil with a quart, drain that, then add the new oil.

[techman2000]

I just bought my work unit. It a 93 XLT with 478K KM in it. Other than routine maintenance, the vehicle has never given us a problem. The heater core/radiator have been replaced in the last year or so. It has the original 4.0 and tranny. It burns no oil and drives like new.

It was stored inside a heated shop 99% of the time.

It was maintained properly though. I have seen them with 100K on 'em that are total junk. Buyer beware.

Edited to add:

The '95 that was bought to replace the '93 is a POS. It has only 141K KM on it. Since it was purchased it has had a new RAD, heater core, RT hub mech, cat converter and transmission. It also refuses to start at anything below about -10c unless you plug it in.

[FORD1]

Just Sold My Explorer A Couple Of Years Ago With 140,000 Miles, Saw Owner Last Week And Said She Still Runs Perfect

[Mendari]

My 1997 Explorer has 99,720 miles without any problems. I will be getting the master cylinder replaced this week; better safe than sorry. I change the oil frequently, 3k miles. And I get the automatic transmission fluid changed every 18 months. People forget to get the tranny fluid changed and instead of $150 every couple of years it turns into a $2,000 problem.

[Craigvalk]

I have a 94 XLT with 155K Miles on it now. It's been utterly dependable.
Items repaired:
AC compressor (under warranty when new)
Exhaust ( once, at 30K miles)
Hubs for 4WD at 140K miles ( expensive)
A couple of MAP sensors, about 100 bucks each time
The battery lasted until last month, I couldn't believe it! Almost 10 years.
I had a couple of paint chips that started to rust and spread, spent the money to nip that in the bud. The truck has no rust and I live in New England with tons of road salt all winter.

Maintenance:
Change oil every 3K and haven't let it slide
Service the tranny every 50K miles.
Usual brakes and tuneup maintenance
Wash the thing and make sure to wash the undercarriage at least once a month.

What a truck, I have no complaints. It's never let me down.

[nitenrustinarmor]

1994 Explorer XLT 124,000 + I love the truck my father bought new in 94 and gave it to me in 2002 when we got a yukon also have had numerous transmission rebuilds and replaced 5 to be total and the 5th is slipping on ocassion just put new heater core and a/c unit in blows ice cold go through brakes every 6-7 months I drive it kind of hard in NYC so its gets abused every 3k oil gets changed once a year i do the tranny fluid looking to see if i can find a diffrent tranny to put in the truck but to keep my 4x4 which I replaced the hubs on 2 months ago went with warn manual locking hubs which work great have sony x-plod cd player @ 50x4 and pioneer 4 way 6x8's in the door 240w a piece looking to put amps maybe a sub

anyway anyone know of any diffrent trannys that will fit reguardless of cost? or of any kits to improve greatly upon the existing transmission?

any help is much appreciated thanks.

[bmckay]

If you blow it up on the second day - around two days!

My 92 explorer has around 170,000 miles and the motor is still very strong. The trans and interior bells -n- whistles are another story. If your willing to put a few bucks into it each month and an overhaul of the trans every 120,000 miles or so it will last indefinately. As long as you keep the oil changed, do a tune up every 30,000 miles or so and replace sensors that go bad a 4.0 motor will last a very long time!

[D66t]

Our 94 explorer has 165k miles on it, nothing major to the vehicle. Just routine maintenance of oil and other lubes, brakes, belts, etc. One time had to rebuild the steering box. We have had four explorers, a 92, 94, and two 97's. One 97 was wrecked, second was sold so we could start a new house! Someone at work bought it over four years ago from us and she still loves the vehicle.

[RX-1]

I have a 1997 Explorer with a 5.0 and i have 176,000 on mine and its still runs good.

[g.simonson]

My '95 Explorer XLT, 4.0/automatic had 215K miles on it when I finally parted with it last month. The transmission was rebuilt at 140K by a jerkwad trans shop, they butchered that job and it was never right after. The engine was flawless at 215K, never had to do a thing to it but change oil and filter REGULARLY. When I say regularly, I change it every 3K and run synthetic blend oil. Oil changes are cheap insurance.

My company runs these trucks as fleet vehicles, used hard and driven to very high mileage, and they have had the best reliability of anything they've used in this fleet. I can't speak for the '02s and newer, I just bought an '02 and I have a feeling it is not going to be as good a truck as the '95 was. Probably shoulda put another trans in the '95 and kept on truckin'.

[explorerfriendly]

I hope my explorer will last in to at least 200K ive got a 95 xl v6 och paired with a manual with 146K and am wondering if it would be a good idea to get a basic repaint job on it b/c the hood is turning white, and the rest of it is scratched up pretty bad probly from a bad paint job when we got it made. and i want to buy the 16" explorer wheels off ebay and some other accesories. i also want to put in a nice stereo and basic sub. Do u think i should go with a k&N air intake?

Should i do all this or would do u think it wouldnt be worth it? my dad has kept up with it regurally and changed oil every 3k.? thanks for your help!!!

[thegolfstud]

ive got a 97 eddie with 220000 but i think the trany is finailly going bye bye.