RobK

If so, how do you like it? I'm moving out of a diesel Suburban into an Expedition EL potentially. Just curious how they're holding up. On the surface it looks like a great truck.

Thanks!

cds06stang

I best friend sister has one, has had it for about 6 months, no problems so far runs good, and she likes it alot. Gas mileage isnt the best though.

kevinb120

I've driven 100 of them and sold quite a few. Beautiful truck and way more advanced then any competition. I thought it would be a dog with the same motor as the 05 'shortie'. Is actually faster and smoother with the 6-speed auto, and the thing handles way better then you can imagine, even nicer then the last gen standard wheelbase. They worked a little magic with the redesigned rear suspension. Dash looks like it came right out of a nice airplane-very cool SUV, and expys have the best third row seat in the world of any vehicle type. You'll laugh at the others after being in the 3rd row, even the brand new Tahoe is a joke of a back seat. Summertime is a great time to get an uber deal on full-size SUV's. Price is over $5000 lower MSRP then the 05 models. What cost $54k in 05 is now $48k MSRP, and you can get them at a big discount right now.

official_style

lol the new expedition is a joke. stay GM for big trucks. only good cars ford makes are the mustang, town car and crown vic. trust me i have driven one, its a joke

kevinb120

Are you nuts? I've already had nearly a dozen 07 GM SUV's traded in. Driven them all Tahoe/Silveradao/and 3 07 'slades. The older Tahoe familly drove much better then the old Expys, but not the newer stuff(which is still the old truck cleverly hidden under the new looks). Still drives nice and is a decent vehicle by all means, but if you spend 5 minutes looking into any one particular area, you find good old GM inside. Funny enough my long hated-with-a-passion GM product is now one of my favorite ones from their truck line-Avalanche.

I just sold this one last month traded for an Expy, took it to lunch every day for a week.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...m=140118285699

Decent motor, older engineering throughout-although much better executed. I have no less then 6 last-gen (all 04-06) Tahoes in stock now I can't get rid of. The new GM full-size stuff though is still much better then any Japanese SUV. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with them at all, but the expedition is much more sophisticated then the competition. 03-06 2nd gen expys were decent, but lacking in a lot of details(like the LS-as if they spent so much on the platform they ran out of money on the interactive parts of the vehicle), the 07 really finished off what they started and should of been the way the 2nd gen was done.

I did get another new GM toy to play with this week, traded(actually we bought it as a favor for a good customer, who went and bought a 911). Just threw it online today.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...m=140134078289

I also like the 06 Land Rover LR3 a lot, I've driven that around a bit and its schweet, although its not in the same size class(and the back seats are only so they can say they have it-they are nearly as bad as a Highlander's). Great suv for the flashy-types, although an extended warranty is mandatory.

RobK

Thanks for the input Kev. I currently have a diesel '98 GMC Suburban LT. I originally bought it for the mileage I could get with the diesel vs. the gas engines of the day. The gas trucks these days have caught up, so I won't really be giving up a whole lot. I've become spoiled with the room, towing capabilities and the third seat, so my only viable options are another Suburban/Yukon XL or the Expedition EL. I have to agree that the third row is a bit of a joke. Kids only territory, and only two at that. I absolutely hate having to drag the darn seat out every time I need to haul something. I love the idea of a seat that folds into the floor and actually seats adults. The wonders of an independent rear suspension. Since my Sub is a diesel it sits on the heavy duty 3/4 ton chassis so it really rides like a truck. I think the Expedition will be a nice change of pace. I'm x-plan so pricing is pretty much a done deal. I'm just on the fence with the timing wondering what the next round of rebates will bring...

kevinb120

I can't believe Ford hasn't gone the extra step with V6 diesels for the F150/Expy(along with 50 million other people). If they can get it as quiet as the new 6.4 it would be gangbusters, they already have a heavy duty 5-speed auto for diesels that's sophisticated enough to work with a luxury SUV. I don't think they are going to do super-rebates on the expy as the price has dropped quite a bit for a more market-value pricing structure to help cap residual values. But the vehicle you have is quite desireable and would be great to sell on your own rather then trade it. The extra bucks you would get by selling it yourself would be a 'rebate' towards the new truck as well. I would get it cleaned and up for sale, and just let fate dictate. When it sells for what you want-get the new one.

Lime GT

We have 2 07's with xlt trim in our fleet, both bought at the same time with 5.4 l engines. One had both rear shocks and the steering rack replaced under warranty and currently uses about 1 1/2 liters of oil between changes. The other has had no problems and uses no oil. Both have roughly 30,000 km's on them already.
The ride is great and quiet inside. The only thing I don't like is when I get out of the truck with work boots on my foot get hooked between the cup holder on the door panel and the power seat plastic trim. It's just kind of awkward to get out of.

Bullitt995

It has to do with the weight capabilites of the F150/Exp frame. I actually looked a doing a motor swap for my dad's 01 Expedition. They aren't sturdy enough to hold a diesel the way they are. It would take a total overhaul and redesign. But if anyone ever built an american diesel SUV....They'd have a buyer right here.

06 Slvr Bullitt

Here's a review of a 2007 Ford Expedition EL that MotorWeek had did recently on their television programming...

While big SUVs are out of favor in the media, some folks still need them for big families and big towing. And when Ford canceled the big Excursion, it left the largest SUV market to General Motors and vehicles like the Chevrolet Suburban. Well now, Ford, still the world's number one truck maker, is filling that void with an extended version of its revamped Expedition, the Expedition EL.
'EL' simply stands for 'extra length.' And with it, Ford reaffirms the mantra "Bigger is Better." This super-sized variant of the thoroughly revised Expedition is the epitome of full-size capability, comfort, and cargo-readiness.
With a yacht-like presence, the EL's wheelbase stretches to 131 inches, bettering the standard Expedition by a full foot. Overall length is almost 15-inches longer at 221.3 inches, just an inch shy of the Chevy Suburban.
Style-wise the new Expedition series follows the SuperDuty with an ever brawnier look. The bulging "powerdome" hood conveys more brute force than before. It leads down to a new three bar grill, flanked by contoured headlight housings.
The EL's linebacker stance is enhanced by new flush-mounted lower body cladding. And on our tester, optional 20 inch chrome-clad alloys with all-season tires.
The extended flanks end with an oversized hatch with separate opening glass and available power assist.
Within, an all-new, handsome interior is centered on room and comfort for up to 9 passengers. The gauge cluster is large, white-faced, and in-your-face. They compliment the well-crafted controls and over-sized air vents.
And there's no shortage of interior storage, either. The standard Captain's Chairs can add both heat and ventilation. The thick rimmed steering wheel has controls for cruise, climate, and the 6-disc CD stereo.
Standard safety comes as six airbags including side curtains with rollover sensor.
Popular options include power adjustable pedals, navigation, and rear seat DVD.
As before, Ford has nailed it when it comes to people room. A 40/20/40 split bench is standard for the second row and these Captain's Chairs an option.
Access to the split third-row bench is reasonable, where there is almost three-inches more legroom than a Suburban.
But that's the same for all Expeditions as the EL's added length goes solely for cargo.
Behind the EL's 3rd row there is 42.6 cubic feet of space, more than double the standard Expedition. That's also a little less than Suburban, but the "Burb" lacks the Expedition's very convenient fold into the floor 3rd-row seats that quickly expand space to 85.5 cubic feet. There is a maximum of 130.8 behind the front seats. Again less, but easier to use space, than the Suburban.
The folding seats and generous leg room are directly tied to the Expeditions new 5-link independent rear suspension and half-shafts that pass through rather than under the frame. The frame is a fully boxed ladder-type that is 10% stiffer than before.
The result is a 6,053-pound behemoth that is more agile and flatter in corners than you think it should be. There is still plenty of weight transfer, but the new variable boost steering is very responsive.
AdvanceTrac with Roll Stability Control is now a standard on all Expeditions.
Still, the EL doesn't handle appreciably better than a Suburban with its more primitive live axle rear. And being a Ford truck, the Expedition is fairly stiffly sprung with a less compliant ride over pot-holed roads.
Catapulting this beast forward is Ford's proven 5.4-liter 24-valve single over head cam V-8. Output stands at 300 horsepower and 365 pound-feet of torque.
It ties to a new 6-speed automatic transmission and feeds either rear or available on-demand 4-wheel drive.
Towing capacity is stout 9,000 pounds, compared to 8,200 pounds for a Suburban 1500. And its max payload of 1,775 pounds again eclipses the Suburban. You have to upgrade to a heavier, thirstier Suburban 2500 series to beat the EL.
On the track, our EL plowed from 0 to 60 in a reasonable 9.1 seconds and rumbled through the quarter-mile in 16.9 seconds at 83 miles-per-hour. Power off the line is modest, coming on much stronger in the mid-range and top-end.
To leash this momentum, are four wheel disc brakes with ABS and Brake Assist. Straight, fade free halts from 60 to 0 averaged a size-respectable 135 feet.
Now for the bad news. Government Fuel Economy ratings for a two-wheel drive Expedition EL are 14 city/20 highway. The four-wheel drive model isn't rated, but our test average of 14 miles-per-gallon on regular gas seems normal. For comparison, our long-term Suburban is averaging 15 miles-per-gallon.
Base price for the EL is $34,625. Load on the options, as in our Eddie Bauer 4x4, and the sticker rises to a hefty $51,280.
But, if you need the size and capabilities, ever higher sticker and fuel prices are likely secondary concerns.
The arrival of the 2007 Ford Expedition EL expertly fills a void for the brand's neediest diehards, and gives them plenty of good reasons to stay out of GM showrooms.

ShowGT

They are nice, my folks have one and I love to borrow it from time to time.

official_style

GMT900 owns

Mustangfreak

Wrong section.

RobK

Highest visibility.

RobK

If they had a diesel I would have already had it for sure. I really wanted an Excursion, but the pricing was insane for diesels. I will definitely be selling it on my own along with a few of my other cars. I have too many single purpose cars. The Expi would be a pretty good all-around ride. I'll go down and take one for a spin. Thanks for the feedback.

pville piper

My wife favors GM and likes a full sized vehicle. Her last car was a 94 Caprice that had over 250,000 miles on it with the last 100,000 miles was nothing but nit picking little problems and I finally pulled the plug on the car. We traded it in on a used 03 Gran Marquis. She doesn’t like it as much and now want to get rid of it. Being that real, full sized cars don’t really exist anymore she wants an SUV or a truck. Worst of all she is looking a GMs. I don’t hate GM, but being a former mechanic, I have always felt that Fords were better designed than GM. I mean, what idiot thinks that running the plug wires behind the exhaust manifolds is a good idea. Anyway, every time I try to steer her to a Ford she resists. My quandary is that if I “make” her take a Ford and anything goes wrong she will hold it against me. On the other hand, I don’t want to live with the nit picking problems for another 10 years or so. I have some of friends with Chevys and the seem to have a lot of nit picking problems. Of coarse her son told her that Ford trucks have big problems with there rear ends and now my stang has the TSB for rear axel moan for the second time.
Sorry to vent and hijack the thread but I am getting a little frustrated with the situation. If I could get her to do an honest evaluation of the vehicles it wouldn’t be so bad.

kevinb120

They were redone with the 04 150/03 expy, not one part is the same from the old trucks. I think the frame was 600% stronger, and its a bigger boxed frame then the super-dutys. They use fully boxed members(hydroformed in the forward half), and the cross members go all the way through the frame and are welded both sides-instead of just a butt joint with several small welds like most other frames. Its massive. Ford could take 2/3's of the welds out of the frame and still be the strongest out there. Part of why its over 500lbs heavier then a Titan.

Spring perches, fittings, and knuckles are larger then GM's 3500 series trucks. Expy shares the frame to the rear of the driver's door. The rear of the expy is massive too, the IRS axles actually go through a porthole in the rear frame. Another expensive development was the doors, Fords expy has its own doors, and there are two other sizes for the F150's front doors. Other brands cheap out and use one-door-fits-all. That's why dodges quad cabs look like the rear doors are so small. It's rediculously overbuilt(hence why rivited C-frame Tundra's are much faster), as if they built it for a diesel and didn't come through. Ford's motor program has been a few years off for a while now, with vehicles like the 500 being released a year late and the intended D35 was still not ready. It was supposed to be released with it back in 03/04. I think the F150 was designed for the Hurricane which was also put on the burner and it was released with only the 5.4. Look under the rear wheel well of a newer 150 and peek at the frame under the cab, its gigantic.

Rear axle issues are pretty much nill with the new trucks. Clutch packs were an issue of the 97-02 expys, and are pretty much done with the newer trucks. The new ones share virtually nothing with the old ones, maybe some bolts. I am surprised people think the newer trucks have anything to do with the older ones. A lot of it had to do with never changing the rear diff fluid on high mileage ones. Often it just needed friction modifier. The explorer had an issue with them too in the 02-04 models, but most were replaced with newer updated pumpkins.

You have to take internet 'issues' with a grain of salt too. Our shop has yet to replace strut caps on a Mustang.

RobK

For every one positive comment you find on the internet you'll find a hundred negative. People like to vent. People also go digging for answers when they have a problem, not when things are working well. That's why I figured I'd ask. I have no clue what forums might be decent for Expis, so I thought I'd check here first. I think it's a done deal at this point anyway...we found one we really like.

RobK

I don't care whose car it is, if you keep it long enough you'll have minor issues to contend with. My Suburban has about 180k on the clock and runs like a top. I bought it with 120k three years ago. The only thing I've done is replace some oil cooler lines (poor design) and all of the A/C hoses and compressor. I also had to replace the driver's inside door handle. That's it, nothing else needed to be repaired or replaced. Even the paint is beautiful. My wife's car is a '95 BMW 525i wagon with 198k on the clock. It's perfect in every way. It's a 9.5 out of 10 because it's been well cared for both mechanically and cosmetically. As long as you perform proper maintenance and correct each of the "small" issues as they happen you should be able to keep a car on the road for a long, long time. When you start talking trucks, both Ford and GM have had their share of issues over the years, but for the most part they're both a good bet. GM does a good job with power and economy while Ford builds them a little more sturdy. Any issues that an older truck might have had during it's run has usually been taken care of with redesigned parts either by the OEM or aftermarket.

Zastava_101

According to Edmunds.com, Expedition is better than Tahoe/Suburban.

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...ticleId=118877