The new Daily Driver has arrived in SUV form

[JCE]

Traded in my problem red hooded step-child Focus SVT for a 2003 Mercury Mountaineer Luxury V8. This thing literally has almost every option except AWD. Plus the awesome bit? I paid less than what this car would get on trade-in thanks to my employee discount at my Ford dealer. On to the pictures from my wonderful cell phone camera!

And the obligatory "proof" pic.

 

[argatoga]

Rocking Firestones on that?

 

[Hbriz]

I've never seen one of these before. Looks like a cross between an Explorer and an enlarged (Euro) Fusion.

Still, looks nice and clean The front end makes the car look a lot lower than an Explorer.

 

[Spectre]

I've never seen one of these before. Looks like a cross between an Explorer and an enlarged (Euro) Fusion.

Still, looks nice and clean The front end makes the car look a lot lower than an Explorer.

That's because it IS an Explorer. Albeit one with nicer interior trim, some added features, a restyled nose to match the rest of the contemporary Mercury lineup, slightly different body cladding and a third row of seats.

There is (or was) a Lincoln variant of the Explorer, too - the Lincoln Aviator.

JCE: Nice acquisition, should be a lot more reliable than the UnFocusEd. Anytime you want to go hit the junkyards to get a replacement hatch panel or upgrade to the 06-10 rear hatch from a scrapyard, let me know, we can take my truck down - nobody will bother it in the junkyards.

 

[Hbriz]

That's because it IS an Explorer. Albeit one with nicer interior trim, some added features, a restyled nose to match the rest of the contemporary Mercury lineup, slightly different body cladding and a third row of seats.

I realised this - from the windscreen back it's pure Explorer Hence why I said the Mercury front end makes the car look a lot lower than an Explorer. The Lincoln looks a bit better disguised however.

 

[shad_68]

http://www.jce3000gt.com/auto/My Merc/0202121238a.jpg

Are those chrome bits around the tail lights stock?

 

[JCE]

JCE: Nice acquisition, should be a lot more reliable than the UnFocusEd. Anytime you want to go hit the junkyards to get a replacement hatch panel or upgrade to the 06-10 rear hatch from a scrapyard, let me know, we can take my truck down - nobody will bother it in the junkyards.

Thanks. But, I'm dealing with my finance company now to finalize it. I had it finalized yesterday afternoon but now they're dicking me around on paying 100% for the loan because they want to pay 90% and me 10% because of the age of the vehicle and my upside-down amount on my SVT. My credit score is good enough dammit just take the 100% and be done!! Small possibility I take it back and pick out something that fits the no down payment criteria. :lol: My Focus has left me with no money in checking or saving to even have a down payment. I want this truck so we'll see what they do today, I believe they will work with me especially since my wife and her father have been members for over 20 years with numerous loans through them.

Are those chrome bits around the tail lights stock?

They aren't chrome, they are more slightly shiny grey plastic. And yes they are stock, it is meant to closely match the front grille color.

 

[MWF]

Question: why would you buy a huge great thing like that without AWD?

 

[_HighVoltage_]

Question: why would you buy a huge great thing like that without AWD?

Why would he need AWD in Texas?

 

[JCE]

Question: why would you buy a huge great thing like that without AWD?

1. Availability of even finding one with AWD--they sold very few of them.
2. RWD is still better than FWD no?

Why would he need AWD in Texas?

Ask Spectre, off-roading would be one. But I won't do that, the most the wife and I would do is some driving out in the country for fishing, camping or hiking.

 

[Perc]

I was wondering about the non-AWD part too. A SUV with four wheel drive is useful, in my eyes. Remove that and you might just as well get a station wagon... or a minivan, if you need all those seats.

Then again some people just like the SUV thing. I know Volvo actually dropped the normal V70 in the US because everyone just bought the FWD XC70. Can't understand why, but to each their own.

 

[Spectre]

Question: why would you buy a huge great thing like that without AWD?

The supermajority of Explorers were RWD - and the Mountaineer (ironically) was actually deliberately marketed more at the mall-crawler segment specifically so there's even fewer of them, percentage wise, that are 4WD than the parent Explorer.

Sales figures like that are why the current Explorer is now a FWD-car-based SUV instead of a body-on-frame truck.

Also, it's not all that large a vehicle - it's in the same size class as the Nissan Pathfinder/Terrano. Though I tend to believe that if you're going to have something like an SUV and haul that mass around, you might as well go all the way and bring a 4WD system along for the ride just in case as it will tend to pay for itself if you really need it, it's no secret a lot of people just use them for trucking the kids around, etc., and don't think they'll ever need 4/AWD. I think they're wrong, especially around here at this time of year, but the sales figures say that's what they think.

Why would he need AWD in Texas?

It gets a touch cold and icy here sometimes.

I was wondering about the non-AWD part too. A SUV with four wheel drive is useful, in my eyes. Remove that and you might just as well get a station wagon... or a minivan, if you need all those seats.

Then again some people just like the SUV thing. I know Volvo actually dropped the normal V70 in the US because everyone just bought the FWD XC70. Can't understand why, but to each their own.

Most people who bought the Mountaineer when new were actually just using them as a station wagon type. Thing is, many women especially like the "command seating" and longer sight lines that taller vehicles like an SUV provide (due to their generally shorter stature) but they don't necessarily want to deal with the greater complexity of a 4WD system or the rest of the all-terrain gear. Essentially what they want is a really tall wagon, and that would be a crossover or SUV.

 

[DubyaStep]

Rocking Firestones on that?

You Win

 

[JCE]

Jesus, tough fucking crowd here. Well, I like it and that's all that matters. Its a million times better and easier on the wallet than my piece of shit Focus I just traded in.

I knew this sort of anti non-AWD comments would happen, should of never posted it here. :lol:

*edit*
By the way, I hope you all can see the sarcasm and humor in my post! Also...

JCE: Nice acquisition, should be a lot more reliable than the UnFocusEd. Anytime you want to go hit the junkyards to get a replacement hatch panel or upgrade to the 06-10 rear hatch from a scrapyard, let me know, we can take my truck down - nobody will bother it in the junkyards.

What is the difference with the rear hatch for those years?

 

[Der Stig]

So...supercharger?

 

[Spectre]

Jesus, tough fucking crowd here. Well, I like it and that's all that matters. Its a million times better and easier on the wallet than my piece of shit Focus I just traded in.

I knew this sort of anti non-AWD comments would happen, should of never posted it here. :lol:

*edit*
By the way, I hope you all can see the sarcasm and humor in my post! Also...



What is the difference with the rear hatch for those years?

The hatch is all one piece instead of split and therefore doesn't have that panel in the middle that cracks.

 

[rickhamilton620]

I've always liked mountaineers! Very nice color as well.

 

[Spectre]

I've always liked mountaineers! Very nice color as well.

JCE: Oh, man, now you're screwed. You better sell it right away. :lol:

 

[JCE]

:lol:

I like the newer hatch design. I need to see if the still have the correct paint code. Wonder if the bumper needs to be replaced too.

 

[Spectre]

:lol:

I like the newer hatch design. I need to see if the still have the correct paint code. Wonder if the bumper needs to be replaced too.

Dunno. I know the best body shop in the city, so if it isn't the right color they can fix that.