Been a good 8ys folks, but had to leave my Taco behind for better seats.

Two 2100 mile trips with almost constant back issues, had to move on. Will be posting items I pulled later. Got a fun vehicle though, 2025 Explorer ST, V6 twin turbo, it's nice. Can heat, cool, and massage my back and but.

 

Ewe. I mean good luck man.

 

Was looking at that for the wife before her 23 GX. They are nice, they let us test drive overnight, fit and finish was decent. Just too many recalls to make me feel warm inside. Did get them down $7k off MSRP and 1.9% for 60 months.

 

If you put a bull bar on the front and steelies with hubcaps and two fake antennae on top, everyone will get out of your way thinking you are an unmarked unit.

Just think, no more semi's taking 10 miles to pass another one instead of backing off 1/10th of a mile an hour.

 

Get the yellow Choose Life specialty plate and folks coming up behind still at some distance will think you have a State plate like troopers and deputies.

But the burning Q is does the passenger seat have all the toys the driver seat does?

 

Yep and the rear are heated. Ford did good with the explorer and the ST is really nice for the price. But its still a Ford.

 

Wife is on her second Explorer and loves the way it rides. We take ours on cross country road trips each summer with a Yakima box up top and kids and dog in the back. Definitely one of the more comfortable long distance vehicles we've owned and certainly no comparison to the Taco—although I wish we had the 4x4 for our trip up to the top of Pikes Peak a few winters back for dealing with the ice patches. Enjoy!

 

I came so close to getting this same one OP has and trading in wife's RX350h, the space, drive and was more quiet and features, I just couldnt let my mind get past Ford. But I've heard some owners love theirs and no issues and some nothing but problems.

 

Love the powertrain. Has Ford Performance release the same tune for the Ranger Raptor for the Explorer?

 

Out of 50ish rides over the years I've owned 4, 2 of which were Mercury.

3 were intentional purchases, one was inherited.

3 were used, one was brand new.

The 67 Merc was awesome rudimentary transportation. Cheap, reliable, easy to fix

The 85 Ford was touchy, but being a teens car didn't help. (Mechanical empathy was lacking).

The 88 Ford went over 100k with basic maintenance and sold at a reasonable price. Bought new, primarily wife's. It was a good value for us.

The 2002 inherited Merc was driveline solid, comfy ride, problematic with accessories, but parts were cheap. Didn't keep it long but it served ok for at least 2 families downstream from me that I know of.

All that to say I'm generally not a big Ford fan either, but I'd actually consider some of the newer versions.

 

We were a big Ford family, two Mustangs, two Explorers, a Focus, and even a first year Fusion, but after the fun we've had with my Taco I think my wife is eyeing the new Landcruiser for her next vehicle.