Ford knows how to build reliable vehicles. And occasionally they even put that into practice. However they don't seem to care enough to do it consistently well.
6th Gen Ford Bronco Reliability.
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From all I've read about the Bronco it looks like Ford dropped the ball with this too.
This is what I used to think, and surely the current state of Ford is complete and total incompetence at the management level, but as the years go by and new vehicle after new vehicle is a bigger turd than the last, I'm starting to wonder if it's also complete and total incompetence at the engineering and design level? You'd think engineering and design would've devised some workarounds to avoid the blackhole of suck imposed by their pencil-pushing management overlords if for no other reason than....pride.
I can only wonder what morale is like there and I can imagine a Ford engineer trying to change the subject at a party when someone asks them what they do for a living...lol
I remember us having a lot of those 90s explorers in for engine (cracked heads) and transmission issues when I was a service advisor at Ford in the early 2000s. I hated them at the time but now I'd love to have one.
They certainly had some common problems, but it was also the best selling SUV in any size at that time (not in 2 door Eddie Bauer form, mine is a collector's edition
). The Ranger had the same components and is generally regarded as reliable. My 1994 Ranger 4.0 manual was awful compared to the two 1994 4.0 auto Explorers I have owned. The white 97 in the background is a SOHC with about 237k miles, but I think I still trust it more than a brand new Bronco.The only reason I got rid of one Explorer was this, just not salvageable...it had something like 256k miles on it then. Someone ran a stop sign (after stopping) right in front of me. As much as they were the butt of "Exploder" jokes, they actually were really good vehicles and immediately outsold everything else for a reason. The new Bronco is just silly at this point.
Copart sold it run & drive.
We never got to see the Good ones because people stopped taking them to the dealer when they got that high mileage. I'd prefer a 5 speed just because of the reputation the auto had for us at the dealership.They certainly had some common problems, but it was also the best selling SUV in any size at that time (not in 2 door Eddie Bauer form, mine is a collector's edition
The only reason I got rid of one Explorer was this, just not salvageable...it had something like 256k miles on it then. Someone ran a stop sign (after stopping) right in front of me. As much as they were the butt of "Exploder" jokes, they actually were really good vehicles and immediately outsold everything else for a reason. The new Bronco is just silly at this point.
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Copart sold it run & drive.
The sohc engines were just starting to have timing chain issues at under 100,000kms when I was working there. But obviously not all of them did.
I like the interiors in the older explorers, but I'd like the rare 5.0 one would be my top pick.
I don’t care what brand of car it is. You do not buy the first year run. Add the chip shortage and the two years of shut downs, slow downs, mandates, and so forth and there are going to be manufacturing defects across all product lines.
I bought a 1991 Explorer XLT from my neighbor before she moved away in early 2012. It was black with the factory tint, which was basically mirrored tint in the back glass, aluminum rims, and it had 164,000 miles on it. She had it serviced religiously, she just didn’t bother to wash it, so it didn’t look good to anyone who couldn’t see past that. She shot a price of $600 at me and I jumped on it. I even asked her if she was sure because that was way too cheap. She said yes, $600. I guess the new car she had for a few months had blinded her to the Explorers worth.
The paint was oxidized, the inside needed a good vacuuming, and the only mechanical problem was the power steering pump leaked horribly and was sounding like it identified as a supercharger. (Ford power steering pumps of the time, right?)
Anyway, I took care of the power steering issue and then some compound, wax, and a little time had the black paint looking great.
We had that in the fleet for a few years as my Daughter drove it a lot to go out kayaking and outdoor exploring with her friends. She absolutely loved that thing! She thought it looked good too with that shiny black paint, tinted windows, shiny aluminum rims, and raised white letters on the tires. That old OHV 4.0l was a pig,….but it was a reliable old pig.
After my Daughter struck out on her own, I had it sitting around getting driven every once in a while, so it needed to go. I ended up selling it to a guy that needed something to drive back in late 2015 and he didn’t have a lot of money, so it fit the bill for him. I made a very good profit on it and he is still driving it, problem free, to this day.
"Get it out there, full speed ahead, **** the torpedoes"
Much like the politicians they buy, corps sure know how to market
(polling 1st, buyer circles, yrs of 'leaked' pic of the vehicle, test design
after test design, after... ad infinitum) but the actual product? Not so much
I no it's a huge venture to get something out there but what kinda profit they
want? Y not the product so good it sells itself (think other products too, not just
autos). Builds brand loyalty? Is a long term winner on the stock market due to this.
I think Toy'n Honda (by'n large) back to cars, do this. Now THAT's patriotism in my book
Just hada do a water pump ona ford ("my brand" too). It was an internal ! WHo
came up w/that idea? Practically tear the whole engine bay apart fo bring it out, slap a huge timing
cover back on w/o draggin the gasket snot over the cam gears, etc. Book said 14 hrs I think, w.t.h...
Much like the politicians they buy, corps sure know how to market
(polling 1st, buyer circles, yrs of 'leaked' pic of the vehicle, test design
after test design, after... ad infinitum) but the actual product? Not so much
I no it's a huge venture to get something out there but what kinda profit they
want? Y not the product so good it sells itself (think other products too, not just
autos). Builds brand loyalty? Is a long term winner on the stock market due to this.
I think Toy'n Honda (by'n large) back to cars, do this. Now THAT's patriotism in my book
Just hada do a water pump ona ford ("my brand" too). It was an internal ! WHo
came up w/that idea? Practically tear the whole engine bay apart fo bring it out, slap a huge timing
cover back on w/o draggin the gasket snot over the cam gears, etc. Book said 14 hrs I think, w.t.h...
They haven’t fixed the paint in over 25 years either. I have a friend with a 20 Explorer and the hood paint is bubbling. Looks like the aluminum is corroding underneath. A never ending Ford problem.
The 5.0 was hit a miss too. I had a 88 Bronco 5.0. Nothing but problems. Liked the looks and driving but it always needed something. So annoying I gave it up
I remember lots of 5.0 blowing up or just burning a lot of oil in trucks. But the ones that came in explorer's (albeit rare) seemed to be good. As well as he ho 5.0 models and most Crown Vic/grand marquis 5.0s.
