Daryll40 Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 Well, our 2003 Mountaineer Premier V8 is approaching 70,000 miles. I just spent $1200 for rear brakes/rotors, new springs and front bearings. It seems to be running great now and is not as loud as before (see my prior posts). I have been thinking about a new Mteer/Explorer....but on the other hand the old ride seems to be worth only about 8 grand is looks/runs great. I've done all the maintenance including tranny and coolant flushes. I am wondering if you guys think I can get to 100,000 miles....about 2-3 more years...and what additional preventative maintenance I outta consider. New hoses maybe? On the one hand, we live in Pittsburgh and the winters are nasty and the hills/potholes take it's toll on our vehicles. On the other hand, my vehicles are garage kept, washed weekly and well maintained. What would you do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 Replace the spark plugs - if you wait until 100K they may be very hard to get out. Replace the brake fluid. It's hygroscopic and absorbs water which will rust the internal brake components over time. Remove as much fluid as possible from the master cylinder (turkey baster works great), then fill with fresh fluid and bleed all 4 wheels. That's about it if you've already done the coolant and tranny flushes. As for hoses, you could replace them to be safe but they should be ok. Check for any weak spots by squeezing them (when they're cool of course). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbf2530 Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 (edited) Well, our 2003 Mountaineer Premier V8 is approaching 70,000 miles. I just spent $1200 for rear brakes/rotors, new springs and front bearings. It seems to be running great now and is not as loud as before (see my prior posts). I have been thinking about a new Mteer/Explorer....but on the other hand the old ride seems to be worth only about 8 grand is looks/runs great. I've done all the maintenance including tranny and coolant flushes. I am wondering if you guys think I can get to 100,000 miles....about 2-3 more years...and what additional preventative maintenance I outta consider. New hoses maybe? On the one hand, we live in Pittsburgh and the winters are nasty and the hills/potholes take it's toll on our vehicles. On the other hand, my vehicles are garage kept, washed weekly and well maintained. What would you do? Hi Daryl. :D In addition to what "akirby" has mentioned and what you have already done, here is a link to the Maintenance Schedule web pages (in case you do not have your Maintenance Schedule). Just input your vehicle information in the drop down boxes, choose "View Full Maintenance Services", then fill in the required information as the pages progress. You can either choose "Normal Driving Conditions", or one of the more severe driving conditions (if you wish to play it safer). Good luck! :beerchug: Edited January 28, 2008 by bbf2530 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daryll40 Posted January 28, 2008 Author Share Posted January 28, 2008 Hi Daryl. :D In addition to what "akirby" has mentioned and what you have already done, here is a link to the Maintenance Schedule web pages (in case you do not have your Maintenance Schedule). Just input your vehicle information in the drop down boxes, choose "View Full Maintenance Services", then fill in the required information as the pages progress. You can either choose "Normal Driving Conditions", or one of the more severe driving conditions (if you wish to play it safer). Good luck! :beerchug: Thanks guys. I should have done the brake fluid last week when they did the rear brakes. That being said the front brakes will be due within 9 months so I'll do that at that time. I hope to get to 100,000 miles without too much trouble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
05gt Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 Thanks guys. I should have done the brake fluid last week when they did the rear brakes. That being said the front brakes will be due within 9 months so I'll do that at that time. I hope to get to 100,000 miles without too much trouble. We have an '03 premier also. It's just past 110K and running strong. Did all the scheduled maint. The only problem we've had was to replace a coil because of a misfireing cylinder. Just did the front pads, and we're on our second set of tires. I would think twice about getting a newer one with the 6sp auto. We did based on how well the '03 has been to us but the '06 trans has been nothing but trouble. After 6 trips to the dealership it's at least livable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daryll40 Posted January 29, 2008 Author Share Posted January 29, 2008 We have an '03 premier also. It's just past 110K and running strong. Did all the scheduled maint. The only problem we've had was to replace a coil because of a misfireing cylinder. Just did the front pads, and we're on our second set of tires. I would think twice about getting a newer one with the 6sp auto. We did based on how well the '03 has been to us but the '06 trans has been nothing but trouble. After 6 trips to the dealership it's at least livable. Thanks. Your post falls into the category of "perfect is the enemy of good enough". I'll probably change the plugs, hoses and brake fluid and keep on truckin'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLLMTR Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 If your vehicle is working well, I say keep it. It is hard to justify the purchase of a new Explorer in this high fuel price economy because the vehicle has a low demand compared to the smaller CUV's that are selling strong. Thus the value of the Explorer drops nearly 1/3 when you literally sign your name at the dealership. I purchased a 2006 Mountaineer loaded to the gills in June 2006. I will be lucky to get half of what I paid for it only two years into ownership. If you want a newer midsize SUV, you may want to consider one just a couple of years old. They are a steal right now and they look practically brand new. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theoldwizard Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 Replace the shocks if you haven't already. It will make a big difference in the ride. I would not go with Motorcraft. Top of the line Monroes or other brand name. The "new" Explorer will be out sometime between 2010 and 2012MY. It will be unibody and should be available with EcoBoost. Even without EcoBoost, the biggest engine is likely to a V6. Expect much better fuel economy, but lower trailer towing capacity (likely 3,500 lbs max) P.S. Talk abut lousy fuel economy. My wife won't give up her 2000 Econoline ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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