Exporer-Escape or Focus

[Maxtor]

Our 1997 Explorer has 120,000 miles, and about time to get a new one. We went down to the local dealer and drove a Escape, and found that the seats were like rocks. Very hard. The Explorer was a bit better, but to our surprise the Focus was by far the most comfortable. It is also $10,000 less than the Explorer, and gets 32 mpg with the SES model. The Explorer gets 22 mpg with the options that we wanted. Has anyone else tested the new 2007 models?
Anyone have a 2007 Focus or Explorer?

 

[02SilverStroke]

Max, did you look at the new Edge? My son and daughter in law just got one last Saturday and really like it. He did plenty of research and drove several before getting this one. His job now gives him a "take home" vehicle (a 250 SD SuperCab 5.4 V8), so he traded his 2006 F150 on the Edge. The economy rating is 18/25. Theirs has the rear seats that recline (that's really weird), and the front passenger seat back folds flat for lengthy objects. It bears a strong resemblance to the Nissan Murano and has 1 inch more clearance than the Murano. The one they got has 18 inch wheels on it. It has the 3.5L V-6 with 265 hp. They also have a 2006 Focus, and this one will be their primary family vehicle. It will be lots safer with their 2 1/2 year old daughter also. I think the list price on theirs was around $29,000.

 

[JLDickmon]

the Focus is junk.

J - U - N - K, junk.

they eat rear tires & wheel bearings, the engines are far from "built Ford tough" and they squeak and rattle from every nook and cranny with any amount of mileage.

get a Fusion.

 

[big_rooster]

I'd go with the roush nitemare that thing is nice. Doubt it would get good gas mileage though, oh and there's only 100 made for 2007. Cant help otherwise though aint never drove any of them.

 

[Maxtor]

They had a Roush Mustang on the show room floor, which was $47,000 but at our ages and health, a two seat car is out of the question. My wife loves the
Explorer, so we will probably get it. I did notice more road noise out of the Focus, but it was more comfortable, and stopped on a dime. It has front disk abs brakes. On our ride back home, wife said that our 97 explorer was more comfortable than anything that we had driven that day.
We did not see the Edge, but we can look at one tomorrow. The Explorer had 292 hp,V8 and gets 22 mpg hwy and 15 mpg city.
Decisions, decisions, decisions...

 

[W4RLR]

the Focus is junk.

J - U - N - K, junk.

they eat rear tires & wheel bearings, the engines are far from "built Ford tough" and they squeak and rattle from every nook and cranny with any amount of mileage.

get a Fusion.

To each his own. The wife has a 2002 Focus wagon that has been rock solid. The rear tire problem is due to the factory not setting the alignment properly and the dealer not setting it up before delivery. Our local mechanic did a four wheel alignment, added shims and no more rear tire problem. That was over 50,000 miles ago. Too bad they don't make the Focus wagon any more, it's a great little car.

I offered the wife a chance for a Ford Edge, I had one as a rental for a week when the Beast was in the body shop. She liked it, but the only way you'll get her to give up her Focus key is to pry it from her cold dead hands.

Best of all, it's paid for and ALL HERS!

 

[Buffs F-350]

My wife had an 05 focus and that little car was great on gas and was pretty quick. It also saved her life she ran into a 4 car pile up and went under an suv at 35mph and walked away with just some brueses. Now she has an 02 explorer with a v6 not as good gas but she likes it. If you get an explorer go with the v6 it is just as powerful and much better on gas but thats just my

 

[Maxtor]

My wife loves her Explorer, so she is leaning towards another one. We have a two seat two door Nissan 300ZXT sitting in the garage, that never gets used, because it is to low for us. I won't let her drive the PSD, so she can make the decision on what we get, because it will be her vehicle.

 

[ktpauley]

4 years ago we bought niece a 2000 Focus. It had 42k miles on it. Now it has over 70K. The car has no problems. All I do is the routine maintenance on it, and it runs great. Keith

 

[Maxtor]

Thanks for all your inputs. I have heard many more positive reports about the Focus than negative reports. It reminds me of the old 1960 Falcon that Ford built for economy back then. It was cheap to run and fix. It was a fun car to drive, but not in the same comfort league as the 1960 Thunderbird. Of course the prices where very different also. It was a great little car, and it sounds like the Focus is built with the same theory.
I still have a 1960 Ford Falcon, but it does not have the original 144 ci. six, but now has a 428SCJ with nitrous. Not quite as good fuel economy.
If the wife decides on the Focus, I'll let you know how well it holds up.