We had a '99 Cougar with the V6 & supposedly were hard on transmissions. I got on-line when ours was acting up & there was several write up mentioning a plastic piece on top of the motor that had something to do with the kick down. They were rebuilding trannies & the whole time it was that plastic piece. Real racket going.

It's been my experience that if the convertor's bad, the tranny is bad. I wonder what the reasoning is for questioning the convertor?

It's loud.

This is why I can't go to KC. I have any used car I am seriously considering purchasing checked by a mechanic first. I won't even consider a car over 200k. Hell, the only reason I even considered the Explorer was the price. BAsed on what I have learned today it is off my list.

No matter what you are looking at ask for the service records, last oil change, etc.

Cars can run forever if they're taken care of.

You might find a 200k mile car that has just had some major work done on it that may ease your mind.

Can't get that from dealerships. I absolutely ask for the records but most people don't keep them. Hell, I generally don't keep them either but I drive my car till it drops and then do a trade in. I don't want to hassle with trying to sell it on my own.

This always cracks me up on craigslist

"Engine light is on but it runs fine."

Well a lot of the time a CEL is just an o2 sensor or something silly like that. My car has had the CEL on since I bought it, but there isn't anything seriously wrong with it. I have a faulty o2 sensor, doesn't effect the way the car runs, drives, etc. The CEL light being on is annoying, but I am not dumping $50 bucks on a part I don't really need just so the light will go off

We had a 2000 Eddie Bauer explorer.

The ball joints will probably need to be replaced (that happens on those a lot) and the seals around the doors started to go last year so it was a little loud inside, but at 140K miles the thing ran like an absolute top. Transmission worked great, 4WD was still in perfect working order. I loved the damn thing and wouldn't have gotten rid of it but I just got a new company ride and my wife had been driving that thing forever so we decided to get her a new vehicle as well.

A friend of mine had a 1996 that he put over 200K farm miles on.

I really think Ford did a fantastic job with that body style and if you can get the SOCH V6 (I think they call it the Xmotor), it gets decent mileage without being underpowered. If it's the OHV V6, stay away; that version is underpowered. Just pop the hood and the cowl on the motor will tell you which engine it is.

For $1,500 there's very little chance you 'lose' money on it. If you drive it for a year and the damn thing explodes on you you're still coming out well ahead.

LMAO

I'll have to ask about the engine. Not sure which one it was. I did see the letters though. My wife and his work at the same place.

I went through this last year, looking for a car for my son. Every thing I could find under $3000 was complete trash unless you want something like a full size pickup. It's a terrible market right now for "kid cars". I feel for you.

Even if you die in the explosion?

Have JASONAUTO hook you up.

I have about 300,000 miles on my toyota truck. Still going strong. I had to use as a snow plow on Monday to get to work.

When I was looking last year, I was amazed at the number of Hondas that were on their 2nd engines. Apparently, a lot of people forget about changing the timing belts.

I have one, has a nice drive chain, can drive through any kind of weather with ease and I have never even almost tipped over, like any suv you proly shouldn't be taking turns at 90mph. If I were you I would take someone with me that sorta knows what to look and listen for and if it checks out I would go ahead and get it...