Re: Reliable SUV's
 

I had a LC up to a couple of years ago. 1987, manual gearbox, you could drive it across a frozen ploughed field and it felt just like being on the highway. Unfortunately the reverse was also true.

The mystery with the current F150 range is that heated seats aren't offered until you get to the price-of-a-house models.

Re: Reliable SUV's
 

That's why you get an older better model one that's been looked after rather than a brand new base model - same could be said for all vehicles imo;)

Re: Reliable SUV's
 

Well yes, but actually no. If you are financing a vehicle as most do, and are not particularly interested in keeping it for a long time, as I am, and are not of a mechanical bent (or indeed married to a person of a mechanical bent), then it can be cheaper to lease a new one than an older one. It all depends upon the deal, the residual, the interest rate etc. Right now, Ford seem to be doing cracking deals on F150's. It was cheaper for me to lease one than to lease a new Escape. Or finance an older vehicle over multiple years that might be rotting away/falling to bits before I'd finished paying for it.

As ever YMMV. Particularly with this topic.

Couldn't agree more & the same principle applies to the new Explorer, although not the new Escape. Still, a $20 plug in seat cover from Crappy Tire will likely to the job well enough if needed.

Re: Reliable SUV's
 

Hope you have better luck with your F150 than I have. I purchased an Ecoboost FX4 last May, and it's been broken since October with transmission issues. Ford have said they have no fix for it, the dealer's solution is to ask me to trade (at my expense) into another truck. Lawyers will be involved soon.

Re: Reliable SUV's
 

Some stats to consider when purchasing a used SUV:


2011: "NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Once feared for their dangerous rollover tendencies, high-riding SUVs are now much less likely to be involved in the deadly crashes than ordinary cars.
In fact, someone driving a 2009 model year car is almost twice as likely to die in a rollover accident as someone driving a 2009 model year SUV."

http://money.cnn.com/2011/06/09/auto...over/index.htm


2007: "Despite the fact that more than 10,000 people are killed each year in SUV rollover accidents, many consumers believe they are more protected in a larger, heavier vehicle. Although that may be true in some crashes, when it comes to rollover accidents (the leading cause of death on America's highways), SUVs are among the worst in terms of safety."

http://voices.yahoo.com/lawsuit-clai...28.html?cat=27

2005: "Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death in the United States for persons of every age from 3 through 33. Rollover crashes, in particular, have a higher fatality rate than any other crash mode. Of the 6,159,287 police reported crashes in 2005 in the United States, only 4.1% involved a rollover. Yet, rollovers accounted for 34.4% (10,816) of all passenger vehicle fatalities. The fatality rate (defined as deaths per 100,000 registered vehicles) in rollover crashes is more than two and one-half times higher in sport utility vehicles (SUVs) than in passenger cars (8.28 vs. 3.22, respectively). Another 149,406 individuals sustained serious injuries in rollover crashes in 2005, approximately 30% of whom were occupants of SUVs"

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2040176/

Re: Reliable SUV's
 

All these SUVs are CRAPP--Buy a Land Rover and live for ever!!

Re: Reliable SUV's
 

International Institute for Highway Safety - June 11

A tad more objective and current than the lawyer touting for business links provided above.

Dying in a Crash.....

http://www.iihs.org/externaldata/srdata/docs/sr4605.pdf

"...today's drivers of SUVs are least likely to die in a crash...."

As for XC90s....You can rollem or drop-em....to your hearts content.....been happy with mine...not that we have had to personally experience those aspects in the vehicle.

AS...

Re: Reliable SUV's
 

Chopped from doc above....

Re: Reliable SUV's
 

Just asked OH, what this could be, he said there is plenty of problems with 'em but not transmission ones, he also said they would have replaced the transmission. Ford are pretty hot on a recurring problem, he fixed a escape for a problem the other week and the hotline people called him and asked what he had done to fix it as the same fault had been reported on other escapes so they needed to investigate. Just for info sake. :)

Re: Reliable SUV's
 

Lol, before oh I could never either qualify or afford finance for a vehicle, so had to save up if I wanted a new one which would actually be a pretty old one, the only time I ever bought brand new vehicles was my bikes 2 were paid cash and one financed.

Re: Reliable SUV's
 

I know of 4 other owners locally with the same issue, same model/year of truck. The revs rise and fall by 250 to 500rpm under a closed throttle, so the truck surges then decelerates as you're cruising along. It's particularly bad when descending a hill and using manual gear mode. It also locks out gears and the manual switch is the only way to change up or down. Doesn't seem to matter how many or few revs the motor is turning. Ford have been completely inept - I've had data recorders in the truck, and the data has been sent to Ford at Dearborn, they've had the vehicle in their shop over half a dozen times for days on end. The official word is that they have no fix.

It's my 3rd F150 and my last. Previous ones had major warranty issues in the first 12 months too. They're just too unreliable in my experience, especially at $50k a pop.

Re: Reliable SUV's
 

Sounds more like an electronic issue than a straight transmission fault. I assume it's a fly by wire system on those?

Re: Reliable SUV's
 

Ford have classified it as transmission. I couldn't care less what it is, I just want it fixed or my money back.

Re: Reliable SUV's
 

Just read your symptons to OH, he said, those turbo's are terrible. There is one in his shop another tech is working on that shows its overheating - no fix for that either...He's not happy to hear of another potential bunch of unfixable trucks.

I personally feel if you have a vehicle that has no fix, they should replace it for you free of charge, especially in the first year of ownership. I hope it gets fixed, ill let you know, if something comes up here - not that it will probably help you:thumbdown: there is a reason OH prefers older vehicles, as most of the niggles have been fixed and the older they are the less electronics and computer chips, he hates all that crap.

Re: Reliable SUV's
 

It can be a real pita when dealerships can't sort a problem. Sounds like it's something Ford are aware of but don't know how to fix. My Ram 1500 has a similar surge issue just as it comes to a halt, pretty disconcerting and the dealership hasn't a clue. These sort of issues are going to be increasingly more common and difficult to fix as vehicles rely more and more on electronics. I know there have been quite a lot of Sync issues with new Fords from a guy who does the Sync training of techs and it can affect the whole vehicle from a seemingly minor electronic hiccup.

Re: Reliable SUV's
 

Last week, when I was shopping for a tractor, one dealer made the compelling pitch "no chip in this model, nothing is computerised".

I suppose eventually we'll see cars sold the same way.

Re: Reliable SUV's
 

Yeah, they're called horses.

Re: Reliable SUV's
 

Ah, they sound good, I think I'll get me some.

Re: Reliable SUV's
 

We dont have any left in the UK - theyve all been minced up and processed into beef burgers