Used Sport Trac vs Used Expedition Gen1 to add to Van and Sedan

**RightFootHeavy** · August 23rd, 2010 11:04 AM

hi, I'm looking at buying a used vehicle. I've trimmed down my choices to the ff:

Explorer Sport Trac 4x4 PICKUP (1st gen 2001-2003?)
Expedition 4x4 SUV (1st gen, maybe a 2001 model)

Budget is approx P450,000 only.

The vehicle will serve as flexible "reliever" for my 2 other cars: a Grand Starex we bought brand new in 2008 and an older Euro sedan.

I have 2 toddlers, a wife and 2 yayas/househelp.

Monday to Friday: Wife takes the kids to preschool (she takes the van) while I'm at work (I take the sedan).

Saturdays is grocery and "pasyal" day with the whole gang (incl the househelp). This requires the van.

Sundays is church day and some biking/running in Metro Manila or (farthest) Tagaytay--this is probably when the third vehicle would find action the most.

I'd like to request your feedback please based on the ff criteria:
1. can fit 4 adults and 2 toddlers
2. will have 4x4 for Sunday duties
3. will be able to carry 2 BICYCLES *and* a few bags and stuff.
4. the overall ownership experience.

More infos:
Garage space is not a problem, as well as Gas/insurance/registration costs---but my main concern will be reliability and usability. I have only max. 1 hour/week to do preventive maintainance myself so it better be worth it (i.e. i'm trying to avoid a car that always requires fixing)

Kids are growing up so 1 yaya might be let go after 2 years or so. This should free up some space in the vehicles.

This third vehicle may also function as reliever from Mon to Fri either for the van or the sedan. So it must be something that the wifey can drive as substitute for the van.

Q: Which vehicle would you prefer if you were me?

sorry for the long post, T.I.A.

**voltscastillo** · August 23rd, 2010 11:18 AM

ang sarap ng problema mo brod! hahaha

given both choices, i would probably go for the expedition. more mass, more space, more engine for the same peso won't hurt, you know. since both vehicles would consume approximately the same amount of fuel over approximately the same distance, expedition na...

expedition will also ride more comfortably, will have a more menacing/imposing appearance (carjackers who use the bump the rear end tactic will think twice before bumping into the expy's massive rear end). i've heard people seating 7 in the expy quite comfortably daw.

both vehicles are truck based... they will be utterly reliable. look for expeditions that have had their air bladder suspensions replaced with metal coils for added reliability since the air bladder systems tend to leak air with age and cost 20K daw apiece. engine wise, ford V engines are very reliable... north american forums report mileages of over 300K easy, with proper maintenace.

there's a ford expy topic in here somewhere, you may want to check it out.

**niky** · August 23rd, 2010 11:24 AM

Originally Posted by RightFootHeavy

hi, I'm looking at buying a used vehicle. I've trimmed down my choices to the ff:

Explorer Sport Trac 4x4 PICKUP (1st gen 2001-2003?)
Expedition 4x4 SUV (1st gen, maybe a 2001 model)

Budget is approx P450,000 only.

The vehicle will serve as flexible "reliever" for my 2 other cars: a Grand Starex we bought brand new in 2008 and an older Euro sedan.

I have 2 toddlers, a wife and 2 yayas/househelp.

Monday to Friday: Wife takes the kids to preschool (she takes the van) while I'm at work (I take the sedan).

Saturdays is grocery and "pasyal" day with the whole gang (incl the househelp). This requires the van.

Sundays is church day and some biking/running in Metro Manila or (farthest) Tagaytay--this is probably when the third vehicle would find action the most.

I'd like to request your feedback please based on the ff criteria:
1. can fit 4 adults and 2 toddlers
2. will have 4x4 for Sunday duties
3. will be able to carry 2 BICYCLES *and* a few bags and stuff.
4. the overall ownership experience.

More infos:
Garage space is not a problem, as well as Gas/insurance/registration costs---but my main concern will be reliability and usability. I have only max. 1 hour/week to do preventive maintainance myself so it better be worth it (i.e. i'm trying to avoid a car that always requires fixing)

Kids are growing up so 1 yaya might be let go after 2 years or so. This should free up some space in the vehicles.

This third vehicle may also function as reliever from Mon to Fri either for the van or the sedan. So it must be something that the wifey can drive as substitute for the van.

Q: Which vehicle would you prefer if you were me?

sorry for the long post, T.I.A.

I'd get the Expedition over the Explorer... if you have to put up with gas bills, might as well have the space that goes with it... though a five door Explorer is an excellent vehicle with a good third row (the Expedition's third row, on the other hand... is humongous). Newer Explorers with the independent rear suspension are great... especially if you can find an Eddie Bauer.

Watch out for air suspensions on some older models and try to get a later Expedition, as these will be less prone to cooling problems older cars have due to not being tropicalized.

Condition is everything. While maintenance is not excessively hard, you don't want to be stuck waiting months for a new transmission if the old one conks out.

Does it have to be 4x4? If you're biking near Tagaytay, the roads are usually very good leading up to the trails.

**ghosthunter** · August 23rd, 2010 01:09 PM

1st gen Ford Expeditions have two expensive problems.

The air suspension and the fuel pump. Both are expensive to replace when (not "if") they fail.

If you have to carry two bikes and go somewhat light offroading, have you checked the Nissan X-Trail 4WD?

**RightFootHeavy** · August 23rd, 2010 02:05 PM

thank you for the quick replies.

I do appreciate your thoughts about extra space, but whenever space is needed I would use the van.

...and whenever I need to haul some stuff..like taking a broken refrigerator to the repair shop, or buying tall plants...frankly I won't need a third vehicle as these can actually fit inside the van if I really didn't care too much about its interior.

but I do care about the interior of the GS, and like you guys I want to keep a vehicle in the best condition as much as possible, inside and out, to preserve its market value.

that's why I considered getting a pickup...and on paper it turns out that the Sport Trac is the best-spec'd in the said price range.

also it looks a bit less "dated" than the Gen1 Expedition. wala na kasing lumabas na mas bagong kaha ng Sport Trac sa atin.

however, the comparison of ownership experiences reported here in tsikot and elsewhere (at least in the phils) has been heavily in favor of the Expedition.

is the Sport Trac really that bad? :victory:

**RightFootHeavy** · August 23rd, 2010 02:12 PM

Originally Posted by ghosthunter

1st gen Ford Expeditions have two expensive problems.

The air suspension and the fuel pump. Both are expensive to replace when (not "if") they fail.

If you have to carry two bikes and go somewhat light offroading, have you checked the Nissan X-Trail 4WD?

very good suggestion re XTrail, my younger sister is getting one (I actually recommended the used XTrail to her vs. a used mazda3). ayoko maisip na nanggagaya (hehe) and after all I could borrow it if needed and if she agrees.

yup, the Expedition shares its air susp and fuel pump problems with Range Rover P38 cousins (madugo nga), but at least not the electronics problems as the latter. another thing to consider (thanks)

**blue_gambit** · August 23rd, 2010 02:23 PM

How about the F-150 Super crew? its got 4x4 and I think its roomier than the sport-trac and has the bigger engine. Its an Expedition Pick-up right?

**niky** · August 23rd, 2010 02:53 PM

While nothing seats more or is more comfortable than an Expedition... ask yourself: Do you really need all that space? You can shove ten people in there and still have room to breathe.

The F150 is huge for this market... though just average for the US. You can probably take several bicycles in the back. The Sport-Trac's bed is small... even compared to Japanese pick-ups (though it's more comfortable than any locally-sold Japanese pickup of the same vintage).

Hard to say what else there is. You can always get a more rugged and more practical Japanese diesel SUV, but again, they won't be quite as comfortable.

Or cheap.

If you're going for secondhand compact crossovers like the X-Trail, CR-V or Escape, lots within your price range. And available with AWD. I'd pick the X-Trail or Escape (get the 2.3 over the V6... decent power without the V6 thirst or complication) in terms of comfort... but don't limit yourself. Look around and see what else you like.

**GTi** · August 24th, 2010 08:12 PM

I'd take the Expedition, its got lots of space and is very comfy. I'd suggest the one that was sold in the last year of the 1st gen's production which has lots of goodies like multireflector headlamps, DVD player, among others. The Sport Trac does not have much power for such a big displacement and is not very practical as it is limited to seating only five people and has a ridiculously small bed for a pickup. Some other suggestions would be the Nissan Patrol (any version that will fit your budget), Chevrolet Suburban (more power than the Expedition!) and the Ford F150, if you really want a big pickup. Just make sure to get the one with the four full size doors for more space and convenience.