I let my wife buy a Ford Edge and I realize it may be a major mistake.

[gofishn]

Am in the exact same situation.

Wife's driving a new Explorer St that I think is the biggest **** I've ever round in.
Damn Fast, but rides rougher than a one ton dually. I could care less how fast it will take corners.
I'm 60, not 16, and was never really a road racer, more a 1/4 miler, myself.

Got the most warranty I could buy and could care less if it is in the shop every week of its Life.
She picked it out.
She Likes it.
She can put up with it.
I just paid for it.

Am patiently waiting for the day when she says I hate it and want it gone.
Might even get eh video camera, out of the closet, so I can savor the moment, over and over again.

 

[Docwagon1776]

Some of you guys must have the opposite of the Midas touch. The poo touch. Every vehicle you touch turns to...crap.

I've gotten a ton of vehicles over 100k, a couple vehicles up over 200k and one over 300k. I've blown one engine, a Chevy 350 in a '75 Blazer as a high school kid when I let it get too low on oil due to leaks. I've blown one transmission, a slightly warmed over '89 Iroc-Z's 700R4. Bent the push rods in a 318 on my '87 Ram. Otherwise it's all been wear items and maintenance. Sports cars, trucks, bikes...either I'm living a charmed life or you guys are cursed...

 

[dhay13]

I was actually a GM guy and have owned 3x as many GM's as Fords and never had any engine issues in any of my GM's or Chryslers. So in my opinion when 3 of my about 50 vehicles have needed new engines and all 3 were Ford and 60% of my Fords needed new engines that tells me it's a Ford issue. And Fords attitude with me over the 1996 Windstar was the deal breaker for me to EVER own another Ford

 

[BadHemi2014]

I grew up with Fords and it seems like they were all crap. But then I've also experienced lifter failure in my Ram. As my buddy said, all vehicles are just a collection of parts waiting to break.

 

[Yardbird]

............ And Fords attitude with me over the 1996 Windstar was the deal breaker for me to EVER own another Ford.

The 3.8 engine in Windstars, Sables, some Taurus, ect, was a lemon from the get go. They almost all blew head gaskets. The only ones I knew that didn't were ones that were driven long periods at one time.

The aluminum heads and iron block expanded at different rates, and in those days, the head gasket technology hadn't caught up.

Lots of short trips meant constant expansion and contraction, causing head gasket leakage.

We had a '94 Sable that my wife had to make several short trips a day for work with.

First engine started around 30k. drive it until around 50k when Ford put in a reman engine under an extended warranty. That engine lasted about two years before using water again. With one day on the warranty at 90k, we went to Ford, and instead of getting a new engine, we got a new Hyundai SantaFe the wife wanted.

The Sable still looked great, and ran great, but the wife wanted the SantaFe.

Here is how many dealerships work. I told the sales guy about the engine, and there was still a day or two to get another engine in and put it on the lot.

That way the dealership could make money installing the engine in my name, and sell the car at a profit with the new engine. Instead the sales guy said we won't mess with it. It's going to the auction next week.

That way someone ended up buying a car with a bad engine. Dealer doesn't care though.

 

[PoconoJoe]

Those Ford Triton engines were the worse. Spark plugs would shoot out of them. Ford never made good even though it was a design flaw. I think there were millions of them.

I had a '92 Explorer that needed the transmission rebuilt and a 2003 Explorer that the tranny died at only 30,000 miles. I immediately got rid of that 2003.
I had two 4x4 Rangers that never had any problems.

I have a 2019 Silverado that's been great so far.
My wife drives a 2022 Ford Escape that's great so far. I tried to talk her out of that, but it's what she wanted.

My daughter's 2015 Ram has had tons of recalls. Thank goodness those don't cost anything. It cost her $900 to replace the fuel pump/sending unit and she had the lifter tick that wiped out the cam leading to a $7,000 engine rebuild.

I think it's just a crap shoot. No vehicle line is perfect.

 

[White six four]

My mom bought an 18 edge sel in May. It had 100k on it when she bought. She really likes it. I got to drive it 2 weeks ago bringing her home from the hospital. She just had her shoulder popped back in place so I took it easy with her riding shotgun. The tranny in it seemed to be sluggish shifting gears and my wife's 2.0L outlander sport has a lot more get up and go down in the lower rpm range (3k and below). Could just be that hers has got over 100k on it and who knows the maintenance that's been done to it. I'll let you know if she has any problems with it.

 

[dhay13]

The 3.8 engine in Windstars, Sables, some Taurus, ect, was a lemon from the get go. They almost all blew head gaskets. The only ones I knew that didn't were ones that were driven long periods at one time.

The aluminum heads and iron block expanded at different rates, and in those days, the head gasket technology hadn't caught up.

Lots of short trips meant constant expansion and contraction, causing head gasket leakage.

Ford had recalled Windstars up to 1995 but not 1996. They said they 'fixed' it. The fix was to put a piece of sheetmetal in between the exhaust manifold and the head but that didn't fix the issue.

 

[Maryland_Man]

Worst car. By far a Chevy Vega. Real oil burner, wife refused to drive it. Tried to save her by sleeving the block. Cooling system inadequate. Swapped in a Chevy short block and it quickly rusted out driving on salted roads back east. For getting involved with a Vega to begin with, you guys can load me up with the laugh emojis.

 

[Loudram]

Worst car. By far a Chevy Vega. Real oil burner, wife refused to drive it. Tried to save her by sleeving the block. Cooling system inadequate. Swapped in a Chevy short block and it quickly rusted out driving on salted roads back east. For getting involved with a Vega to begin with, you guys can load me up with the laugh emojis.

Growing up we had two of them at the same time. I don't remember having them that long but I was young.

 

[ramffml]

A nice step up from the Journey is the Grand Cherokee. Very reliable and proven drivetrain with the 3.6 and ZF 8 speed, awesome best in class 4x4 system, rides incredible (built on the Mercedes platform), gorgeous interior. If the Ford goes south might be worth a peak.

 

[turkeybird56]

Am in the exact same situation.

Wife's driving a new Explorer St that I think is the biggest **** I've ever round in.
Damn Fast, but rides rougher than a one ton dually. I could care less how fast it will take corners.
I'm 60, not 16, and was never really a road racer, more a 1/4 miler, myself.

Got the most warranty I could buy and could care less if it is in the shop every week of its Life.
She picked it out.
She Likes it.
She can put up with it.
I just paid for it.

Am patiently waiting for the day when she says I hate it and want it gone.
Might even get eh video camera, out of the closet, so I can savor the moment, over and over again.

You do like to live dangerously, keep all the sharp objects locked up? lol J/K

 

[turkeybird56]

Growing up we had two of them at the same time. I don't remember having them that long but I was young.

1st wife, when I married her, had a 76 Vega with the dbl overhead cam, it ran OK, but did not like cold and liked to eat oil.

 

[turkeybird56]

Those Ford Triton engines were the worse. Spark plugs would shoot out of them. Ford never made good even though it was a design flaw. I think there were millions of them.

I had a '92 Explorer that needed the transmission rebuilt and a 2003 Explorer that the tranny died at only 30,000 miles. I immediately got rid of that 2003.
I had two 4x4 Rangers that never had any problems.

I have a 2019 Silverado that's been great so far.
My wife drives a 2022 Ford Escape that's great so far. I tried to talk her out of that, but it's what she wanted.

My daughter's 2015 Ram has had tons of recalls. Thank goodness those don't cost anything. It cost her $900 to replace the fuel pump/sending unit and she had the lifter tick that wiped out the cam leading to a $7,000 engine rebuild.

I think it's just a crap shoot. No vehicle line is perfect.

YUP, Wife had a 2010 F 150 4 X 4 CC with the 5.4 Triton. Engine was a beast, got same basic mileage as the 5.7L. Ran great, no issues, only problem I had to put in a new idle tensioner which went south and ate up a Serpentine. Sold it to her son in 2016 when she died, and he took it to Wisconsin. Only drives it during non road salt times. I sold it with 48K, not an issue. Sometimes, really just luck of the draw. I am very happy with my early build DT 2019 RAM I (built in Apr 2018, bought Aug 2018), works for me. Maybe the ole do not buy an early Monday vehicle or a late Friday vehicle, lol, applies.

 

[PoconoJoe]

A friend of mine had a ford van with a Triton engine. He was driving down my street and heard a bang. Then the engine sounded like an air compressor. We pulled off the engine cover and found the spark plug had blown out of the engine. Parts of the coil pack were laying on the intake.

It never got fixed. Good luck getting a drill in there to install a heli-coil. Maybe you could get in there if it was an f150, just open the hood, but no way with that van. Maybe an angle drill? How would you keep it straight?
How do you gain access to the engine in a van? Lift the whole body off the chassis?

 

[Loudram]

A nice step up from the Journey is the Grand Cherokee. Very reliable and proven drivetrain with the 3.6 and ZF 8 speed, awesome best in class 4x4 system, rides incredible (built on the Mercedes platform), gorgeous interior. If the Ford goes south might be worth a peak.

I had a 2011. First year for the new body style. It was really nice but my wife had to duck her head down to get in and that bothered her neck. She has neck and back issues. We looked at the newer ones and she still has to duck. I'd be thrilled to get another one.

 

[Loudram]

How do you gain access to the engine in a van? Lift the whole body off the chassis?

Usually from the inside. Take out the center console. My Dad's Ram van was held down with clips.

 

[PoconoJoe]

Usually from the inside. Take out the center console. My Dad's Ram van was held down with clips.

We pulled off the inside engine cover/console or whatever you call it. The engine was hard to access. It was blocked by the dash above it. There didn't seem to be room enough to get a drill in there to install a heli-coil. He parked the van and never used it again.

 

[Yardbird]

We own a 2013 Edge with the 3.5 V6. I like it a lot. It's the wifes car, and she loves it. That suits me, because I have also lived with her when she had to drive a car she didn't like...lol

The 3.5 has lots of power, all above 3000 rpm. It can hold it's own below that, but if pulling steep hills or wanting to pass in a hurry, get it 3500 and above.

For those that don't know, here's the kicker. In pickups, the 3.5 is a traditional engine from the water pump back. In the Explorer and Edge, the engins sits sideways.

Ford, in their infinite wisdom, decided the engine was too long to fit in these vehicles, so instead of mounting the water pump somewhere else outside the engine, they mounted it inside the timing cover, ran by the timing chain.

This allows the engine to fit, but also opened up another problem.

If you have a garage to park the vehicle in, and keep an eye out if there are any antifreeze drops on the floor, you can get the pump replaced before anything happens.

If you don't notice and let the pump bearings go out, or you have a sudden catastrophic failure of the pump bearings, all the antifreeze goes into the engine, causing total destruction of the engine.

Engine replacement = $7k plus
Just replacing the water pump, which while in there, you should also replace the timing chain and tensioners = $3k plus

We only have 55k miles on ours, and I do keep an eye out on the garage floor for antifreeze.

Some go out around 70k miles, others can go to almost 200k, no rhyme or reason for the difference.

Bad, stupid, design.

 

[Jerrybob]

Most Fords come with a heated back bumper.......so that when they break down in cold weather your hands stay warm when pushing them. Nice feature!