High Mileage Concerns? Breakdown plan?

[prof_fate]

Just bought a TV, a 2001 expedition eddie bauer with HD tow package.

It's a one-owner truck with all the receipts and seems to be in very good condition - but it's got a few miles on it - 231,000 of them to be exact.

I've done the research on these vehicles and this one has had the typical issues (plug coil, plug spitting, windshield leak into fuse box) as well as the regular wear items. Never been wrecked and still has the original trannie in it.

Plan is to pull a greywolf 28 - loaded the truck and trailer should weigh about the same (6500lb or so).

Other than normal things to look at (hoses, belts, leaks (it has none), fluid levels) is there anything I should be attending to or watching for on this particular model or mileage?

What if something fails on a trip - like a trannie - leaving the tv and trailer dead on the side of the road - what's a good plan? SAM, the FR deal or something else?

[shineysideup]

Originally Posted by prof_fate

Just bought a TV, a 2001 expedition eddie bauer with HD tow package.

It's a one-owner truck with all the receipts and seems to be in very good condition - but it's got a few miles on it - 231,000 of them to be exact.

I've done the research on these vehicles and this one has had the typical issues (plug coil, plug spitting, windshield leak into fuse box) as well as the regular wear items. Never been wrecked and still has the original trannie in it.

Plan is to pull a greywolf 28 - loaded the truck and trailer should weigh about the same (6500lb or so).

Other than normal things to look at (hoses, belts, leaks (it has none), fluid levels) is there anything I should be attending to or watching for on this particular model or mileage?

What if something fails on a trip - like a trannie - leaving the tv and trailer dead on the side of the road - what's a good plan? SAM, the FR deal or something else?

In Canada we have CAA (AAA in the U.S.) RV. It will cover your tow vehicle and your trailer. I believe that it is good for 250 miles of distance before you will pay extra (to the tow truck driver). That's good as long as you are close to home... Not sure what options U.S. citizens have, seems like Canadians' don't always get the same deals as our American friends do.

Guess it's like anything, take care of your stuff and do some maintenance, in the end it is all machinery and could break at any time.

happy Camping,

[tentcamper1]

I have state farm insurance and have their "emergency roadside service coverage" it will cover my truck and trailer. I have to find the tow service and pay for it and state farm will reimburse me. my agent said it would cover the trailer also so I can get it to a safe location. it will also cover if I need help changing a flat, run out of gas, etc..
I pay 2.51 per month for this.

[prof_fate]

define 'safe location' though...off the hiway may be all that means.

Many years ago a friend was on a trip with his truck and girl friend about 200 miles from home pulling their horse trailer when the engine blew on the truck. He ended up having someone local there fix the truck but that was gonna take a few weeks, so he had to scramble to find a way to get the trailer (and horse) home. Renting a tow vehicle is just about impossible (uhaul is the only option I know of - and there's no guarantee it would be equipped to tow one's camper 100 miles (or more).
At least it's possible I suppose to leave a trailer somewhere (as opposed to a horse).

I have 'limped' a car to a repair facility in the past but not while towing a trailer...and having left a car or had friends leave them on the side the interstate has had more bad experiences than 'normal' ones. (wrecked, stolen, stripped to name a few experiences)

[MtnGuy]

Be careful out there.....that is a lot of trailer for that Expy.

[prof_fate]

Originally Posted by mtnguy

Be careful out there.....that is a lot of trailer for that Expy.

if you follow the 'guidelines' you find here and there on net (that nobody anywhere can site the original source of) then there's only one or two vehicles ever made made that can tow such a trailer, yet they make longer ones, heavier ones and have for decades - long before 150-160" wb vehicles existed.

So I've concluded it's just fairy tales and rumours. I've been over this with many here on this forum. I need an SUV, a PU won't work, sorry.The only SUVs even weight rated to tow 7000+ (trailer is 5300 empty) are fords or the 2500 suburban (the 1500 GCWR is too low even though chevy claims an 8300 tow rating)


I'll agree the bigger the tv the better, so this is better than an explorer (which is 800lb lighter and 1100lb less tow capacity - according to ford and the law it can tow the trailer)

The only SUV bigger is an excursion and if you can find one to buy you're the only one that can. A dealer friend looked for nearly 3 years to find one for under $12,000 at auction and ended up spending $15 anyway. As for the expy EL, I've yet to meet anyone that's seen one (including 3 ford dealers BTW).

The 'arabs' (as the car auction guys are calling them) are coming to all the used car auctions here and snapping up every expy and excursion they can. About all you can find around here are new or near new (think $40k plus asking price) or high mileage ones from POs. Car lots rarely see them - why sell it retail for $7000 when you can get $8k at the auction and not have to do any work to it, or stand behind it?

the EB expy is the more robust of the expy's, the HD tow package adds better gearing as well, and AWD (not just 4wd) for a bit more grip/security in the wet.

My concern is the mileage - I've never had something with this many miles. Wear items (breaks, steering, etc) are not a major concern. Engine? Trannie? Other drive train components? Yeah, they are. This is partly why I opted for a 1 owner 231k over a 99 w/ 96k at that has issues and 3 owners and looked a lot more beat for less than 1/2 the miles.
I got it for $4400. The 2003/4 era expy's with say, 150k on them are going for $12-14k. Even if a 4door truck would work they're just as costly and even rarer. At least at the moment.

[edman87k5]

I have owned several vehicles with 200k miles + on them and have no worries. As for that vehicle, as long as it has been maintained properly, it is no more likely to have issues than a vehicle with 100k on the clock. Dont tow in overdrive and keep enoughmoney on hand for a trans rebuild, because it will eventually go and towing will bring it one quicker. Otherwise, run it until it quits!

[prof_fate]

About what I was thinking too. Seems around here at least folks LOVE their expeditions and keep them forever, and parts are cheap and plentiful.

The PO was/is an airline pilot and has all the receipts for maintenance and seems to have had it all done at 3 shops, 2 of which I know (one of which is a ford dealer).

For better or worse we won't use it much (I work from home and it's our third vehicle) and it gets crap gas mileage (12 in town, 15 on the hiway) - 1/2 of what our car gets. So it should last us a few years (4 to 5 is the objective)

Originally Posted by edman87k5

I have owned several vehicles with 200k miles + on them and have no worries. As for that vehicle, as long as it has been maintained properly, it is no more likely to have issues than a vehicle with 100k on the clock. Dont tow in overdrive and keep enough money on hand for a trans rebuild, because it will eventually go and towing will bring it one quicker. Otherwise, run it until it quits!

[Sgt. Schultz]

OP the truck in my sig is new to me and has over 400k km (240k m) it has similar issues to your Exp. - the things I have done to setup for towing incl. Flush trans, axles and transfer case ensure trans cooler is large enough for trailer towing. Flush cooling system and power steering system just to remove crud built up over time, I will flush the brake system as well prior to towing - with the fluids in good shape and plugs coil etc replaced as required I believe these vehicle can provide half a million or more miles reliably
Just my 2 cents.
sr.