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Replaced spark plugs on my sister's 2014 Edge V6 yesterday.
Took for granted the extra hood length on the Flex. Back & knees are paying the price for the 2 hours stopped under the hood.
Plugs are the easy part, getting the intake plenum off, to access the rear bank takes the majority of the time. Got everything loosened & still couldn't get the thing off. Turns out there's a hose on the nearly inaccessible back of the plenum, under the firewall, and a hidden bolt under the throttle body that took 2 extensions on a 1/4" drive to get to, with not enough room to get a ratchet on it.
MiniBus went in for cam phaser replacement today.
Got a new Explorer XLT for a loaner. Gotta say, it's not bad. Better ACC (lane centering & lane keep, did well on the light bends on the interstate before telling me to pout my hands on the wheel. Not sure on the intelligent cruise, it automatically sets the CC speed to the speed limit; had it set 5 over [50mph], and as soon as the NAV recognized the new limit, it reset the CC setting to 45.) than the 4 year old Expedition, smaller screen.
Didn't get an eta on the repairs, so maybe I'll get some seat time the in the Exploder. So far, from the 15 minutes I drove it from the dealer to home, I'm liking it.
A quick B&P online puts a similar build in the mid 40s.
Wasn't expecting the 2.3EB to be as peppy as it is. Definitely has no problem motivating the speeds over the limit quickly. Not quite as much as the 3.5 in the MiniBus, but guessing the Exploder is a lot lighter.
MiniBus went in for cam phaser replacement today.
Got a new Explorer XLT for a loaner. Gotta say, it's not bad. Better ACC (lane centering & lane keep, did well on the light bends on the interstate before telling me to pout my hands on the wheel. Not sure on the intelligent cruise, it automatically sets the CC speed to the speed limit; had it set 5 over [50mph], and as soon as the NAV recognized the new limit, it reset the CC setting to 45.) than the 4 year old Expedition, smaller screen.
Didn't get an eta on the repairs, so maybe I'll get some seat time the in the Exploder. So far, from the 15 minutes I drove it from the dealer to home, I'm liking it.
That's a setting you can change. Tesla has the same thing.
I figured, could only do so much while doing 70 on the freeway. Most of those settings are locked out in motion
Will have to look in the menus later, I think I recall seeing a setting for MPH tolerance, maybe that was it. It was set to 0, so I suppose that would adjust the CC to the limit.
Pulled the window sticker for the Exploder online
Upper trim XLT (202A) RWD
Sport pkg (appearance)
Driver assist pkg
Has credits for auto-stop removal & 4g hotspot delete (microchip shortage)
$47k MSRP
Puts it $1k less than my 2016 XLT F150
I figured, could only do so much while doing 70 on the freeway. Most of those settings are locked out in motion
Will have to look in the menus later, I think I recall seeing a setting for MPH tolerance, maybe that was it. It was set to 0, so I suppose that would adjust the CC to the limit.
For Tesla, you can set it to either speed limit, speed limit plus some number/percent, or just set at current speed. I'm assuming the Ford has something similar.
Day 1 commute in the Exploder. Really liking it & it may be creeping to the top of my shortlist as a Malibu replacement.
Quieter on the highway, even in more plebian XLT trim. Smooth ride, even on the Sport pkg 20" wheels, Id say it rides smoother than our old Flex did, but I think the Exploder has taller sidewalls.
Only complaint so far was that on a 5-6 lane wide section of the interstate, I was in the 2nd lane from the right & the GPS must have momentarily thought I was on the frontage, 'intelligent' CC dropped my set speed from 70 to 50 (figured out how to adjust the setting to +5mph).
Initially thought it was the car ahead slowing & the radar keeping pace, but then the gap kept getting bigger with consistent slowing. Looked at the dash & saw that the CC was set to 50
Also don't like that, at least on the XLT, there is no rear AC control from the front without locking out the rear, has to be manually set with the rear controls.
Yeah, I think I'd definitely go for something above the XLT. Would at minimum want memory seats & ventilated seats would be a plus too.
ST-Line, Limited or a Timberline would probably be where I'd have my eye.
Most likely some form of SUV, possibly another truck.
7 seater not a necessity wince we have the Exped. But don't want to go down to an Edge or Escape.
Shortlist at the moment [for this week] Explorer, GC (WK2 or WL short), 4Runner
A couple times a year I go down to our property (bird & deer season usually) and those would handle that well while still being a good DD. I drove an 04 Civic down there & was constantly scraping the low bits on gravel on the 5 mile drive in to the camp, and it took easily 20 minutes longer than it would in something with more ground clearance.
8 days since I dropped of the MiniBus for cam phaser replacement.
We set the appt the week after we bought it, shop confirmed cam phaser issue & set the appt for November as that was the soonest they could guarantee a loaner.
Just called for an update. TL;DR they haven't touched it yet.
Longer version:
The 'used car techs' aren't Ford certified & may have confirmed the CP need replacement, but the Ford svc tech still has to go through the same process, then can order the parts.
Oh, and parts are on backorder.
We're due to go to Denver for Christmas, might have to get the dealer to authorize taking the Exploder out of state (loan agreement states vehicle can't leave TX).
We're due to go to Denver for Christmas, might have to get the dealer to authorize taking the Exploder out of state (loan agreement states vehicle can't leave TX).
Tell the dealer to suck it and you'll see them after Christmas! If it takes that long...
Just more upset that they diagnosed the issue in September and didn't get the backordered parts ordered then.
As of my call about an hour ago, they haven't diagnosed nor ordered anything yet.
Got the call this morning that the Minibus is ready. 12 days, not a terrible turnaround considering parts have been on backorder off & on.
We'll see tomorrow if the cold start rattle is gone & I'm back to slumming it in the Malibu.
CEO of my wife's company is in from the corp office in ID.
He keeps a car down here for when he's in town. Wife just told me he gave her a price on it.
Barely driven 2008 (I think) G55 AMG.
Tempting, but think it would ruin me in running costs.
Also, it's black
Wow, these hold value, NADA doesn't report on 08, but an 09 without specifying mileage is $84k average retail.
Conceivably could buy/flip for what he offered for.
Small company, not sure the total head count but I'm guessing <100.
Her last job, the owner had a F350 Platinum & a H1 Hummer. Previously had a Panamera S, sold to fund company projects.
Company 2 jobs prior to that, the owner(s) had some nice cars. Top lady had an S63 AMG, husband had a McLaren 620S, and subsequently a Koenigsegg Agera (the Vegas record car).
The G55, on my shortlist if I have fuckoff money, but if the W205 was an expensive to run car, the G is on another level I'm sure.
My W123 & W126 were really simple, apart from everything being vacuum controlled.
We had to disable the vacuum locks on the W123 as it affected how the trans shifted.
The W205 was reliable, but ate tires like cookies, and was developing some minor issues that I foresaw being bigger $ repairs in the future.
At any rate, the G55 is gone, he traded it for a new(er?) MB SUV. Guessing GLE, wife wasn't sure.
10-11-2022, 10:37 AM
Explorer, GC (WK2 or WL short), 4Runner
