Thoughts on the Ford Escape - XDTalk Forums - Your HS2000/SA-XD Information Source!

jtkratzer · 10-08-2007, 08:54 PM

Anyone have one of these? Any feedback? The wife and I are looking at one, mostly for her to drive (I like my 5 series) and I just don't know much about it.

The one we're looking at is a 2003 Escape XLT 4x4 with the 3.0 V6, auto, 6 disc in dash changer, and the No Boundaries roof rack. It has around 50,000 miles on it.

We've looked at the Jeep Liberty, but comparable models with similar miles seem to be $5,000 - $8,000 more and the gas mileage significantly lower.

Zach · 10-08-2007, 10:34 PM

I've worked on a few of them. Which 3.0 V-6 is it? the OHV or DOHC? I would strongly suggest staying away from the OHC/DOHC (cant think of which it is off the top of my head). They have some sever timing chain issues and the repair runs in the neighborhood of 24 hrs in labor costs. Other than that the front control arm bushings tend to come apart and squeak, but the repair/replacemnt costs for all 4 lower bushings is less than $500 iirc. They seem to run well and so far we havent noticed many problems with them.

jtkratzer · 10-08-2007, 11:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zach

I've worked on a few of them. Which 3.0 V-6 is it? the OHV or DOHC? I would strongly suggest staying away from the OHC/DOHC (cant think of which it is off the top of my head). They have some sever timing chain issues and the repair runs in the neighborhood of 24 hrs in labor costs. Other than that the front control arm bushings tend to come apart and squeak, but the repair/replacemnt costs for all 4 lower bushings is less than $500 iirc. They seem to run well and so far we havent noticed many problems with them.

Good to hear. My uncle owns a mechanic shop in New Jersey and he just traded his Liberty in on a new Escape. I'm going to have a mechanic look it over, but the price is a steal. It looks brand new. It rode very smooth and everything seemed fine.

Where would I be able to find out about the engine specs?

jtkratzer · 10-08-2007, 11:04 PM

Are the timing chain issues something that can be diagnosed ahead of time before the problems arise?

jtkratzer · 10-08-2007, 11:11 PM

It looks like the inline-4 and V6 are both DOHC...from 2001 through 2007. The 2008 has been redesigned, but I'm not sure if that includes the engine.

murphyslaw · 10-08-2007, 11:18 PM

my cousin has a 05 escape and it has been into the shop more times in the last two years then I have been to the range in the last year. She has told me that if she were to be looking at rigs again she would NOT get an escape.

amishclark · 10-09-2007, 05:22 AM

get a toyota.

jtkratzer · 10-09-2007, 05:31 AM

I guess I'll call some shops and see what they have to say. I guess I should know better to ask a question like this. Not that I don't value input or recommendations, but last week the wife and I went out and test drove a few cars, specifically a Jeep Liberty and then a Volvo V70 T5. After the Liberty, we stopped at the lot with the Volvo and talked to the guy about what we were looking at and he said, "Don't get a Liberty, my sister had all kinds of problems blah blah blah." So, we looked at the Volvo, it was nice and sporty and fun to drive being a turbo and 6 speed manual. On to the next lot. Talking to the salesman about what we've looked at, "Oh, the Liberty is great, but don't get a Volvo. Every time it goes into the shop, it's going to cost you at least a couple hundred bucks."

Like I said, my uncle owns a shop in New Jersey and he had a Liberty for 5 years and had no issues whatsoever. Another relative still has one and they both loved them, but their only complaint was the gas mileage for the size of the vehicle. They thought it seemed low. The uncle with the shop just replaced his Liberty with and Escape.

east_stingray · 10-09-2007, 06:31 AM

If you want the vehicle to do what it's supposed to without being in the shop all the time, buy Japanese. Up until last year I was STILL driving an '86 4-Runner that my parents bought new and gave me on my 16th birthday. It's got something crazy like 450k on the clock, and one of my young cousins is driving it now. I think we replaced the clutch once or twice.

That's not at all an isolated experience. Pretty much my whole family drives 'yotas now and the only "maintenance" most of them do is change the oil. No shop costs unless you run it into something.

If you just really, really want to buy a ford, do it. You won't hurt any of our feelings.

Gravel · 10-09-2007, 08:57 AM

This was an Escape project car we had a hand full of years ago. It was actually quite a bit of fun to drive. My sales manager also has one for his wife and they love it..

http://www.hrsprings.com/projects/detail/gpd2/

Click the pic for a large one.

10-08-2007, 08:54 PM	#1
jtkratzer XDTalk 15K Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Lancaster Co., PA Posts: 17,478	Thoughts on the Ford Escape Anyone have one of these? Any feedback? The wife and I are looking at one, mostly for her to drive (I like my 5 series) and I just don't know much about it. The one we're looking at is a 2003 Escape XLT 4x4 with the 3.0 V6, auto, 6 disc in dash changer, and the No Boundaries roof rack. It has around 50,000 miles on it. We've looked at the Jeep Liberty, but comparable models with similar miles seem to be $5,000 - $8,000 more and the gas mileage significantly lower. __________________ "I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it." - Thomas Jefferson The Gun Lounge Pennyslvania Firearms Owners Association Hockey Forum

10-08-2007, 11:04 PM	#4
jtkratzer XDTalk 15K Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Lancaster Co., PA Posts: 17,478	Are the timing chain issues something that can be diagnosed ahead of time before the problems arise? __________________ "I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it." - Thomas Jefferson The Gun Lounge Pennyslvania Firearms Owners Association Hockey Forum

10-08-2007, 11:11 PM	#5
jtkratzer XDTalk 15K Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Lancaster Co., PA Posts: 17,478	It looks like the inline-4 and V6 are both DOHC...from 2001 through 2007. The 2008 has been redesigned, but I'm not sure if that includes the engine. __________________ "I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it." - Thomas Jefferson The Gun Lounge Pennyslvania Firearms Owners Association Hockey Forum

10-08-2007, 11:18 PM	#6
murphyslaw XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Alaska Posts: 292	my cousin has a 05 escape and it has been into the shop more times in the last two years then I have been to the range in the last year. She has told me that if she were to be looking at rigs again she would NOT get an escape. __________________ Because you can read this thank a teacher, because its in English thank a soldier. The chain of command. Is a 3/8" chain I beat you with till you realize I'M IN COMMAND. XD45acp service rem 870 exp super mag 12ga enfield 303 mark1 no3 Springfield30.06 Bushy Ar-15 .223 marlin .22lr(no not a 10\22, but has silencer, expanded round tube, lightened trigger, and more) www.opencarry.org www.alaska4x4network.com http://concealedcampus.org/index.htm

10-09-2007, 05:22 AM	#7
amishclark XDTalk 1K Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: pennsyltucky Posts: 1,576	get a toyota. __________________ "sin lies only in hurting others unnecessarily. all other 'sins' are invented nonsense." - robert a. heinlein

10-08-2007, 10:34 PM	#2
Zach XDTalk Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 45	I've worked on a few of them. Which 3.0 V-6 is it? the OHV or DOHC? I would strongly suggest staying away from the OHC/DOHC (cant think of which it is off the top of my head). They have some sever timing chain issues and the repair runs in the neighborhood of 24 hrs in labor costs. Other than that the front control arm bushings tend to come apart and squeak, but the repair/replacemnt costs for all 4 lower bushings is less than $500 iirc. They seem to run well and so far we havent noticed many problems with them.

10-09-2007, 05:31 AM	#8
jtkratzer XDTalk 15K Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Lancaster Co., PA Posts: 17,478	I guess I'll call some shops and see what they have to say. I guess I should know better to ask a question like this. Not that I don't value input or recommendations, but last week the wife and I went out and test drove a few cars, specifically a Jeep Liberty and then a Volvo V70 T5. After the Liberty, we stopped at the lot with the Volvo and talked to the guy about what we were looking at and he said, "Don't get a Liberty, my sister had all kinds of problems blah blah blah." So, we looked at the Volvo, it was nice and sporty and fun to drive being a turbo and 6 speed manual. On to the next lot. Talking to the salesman about what we've looked at, "Oh, the Liberty is great, but don't get a Volvo. Every time it goes into the shop, it's going to cost you at least a couple hundred bucks." Like I said, my uncle owns a shop in New Jersey and he had a Liberty for 5 years and had no issues whatsoever. Another relative still has one and they both loved them, but their only complaint was the gas mileage for the size of the vehicle. They thought it seemed low. The uncle with the shop just replaced his Liberty with and Escape. __________________ "I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it." - Thomas Jefferson The Gun Lounge Pennyslvania Firearms Owners Association Hockey Forum

10-09-2007, 06:31 AM	#9
east_stingray XDTalk 1K Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 1,262	If you want the vehicle to do what it's supposed to without being in the shop all the time, buy Japanese. Up until last year I was STILL driving an '86 4-Runner that my parents bought new and gave me on my 16th birthday. It's got something crazy like 450k on the clock, and one of my young cousins is driving it now. I think we replaced the clutch once or twice. That's not at all an isolated experience. Pretty much my whole family drives 'yotas now and the only "maintenance" most of them do is change the oil. No shop costs unless you run it into something. If you just really, really want to buy a ford, do it. You won't hurt any of our feelings.

10-09-2007, 08:57 AM	#10
Gravel XDTalk 2K Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Bellingham Washington Posts: 2,148	This was an Escape project car we had a hand full of years ago. It was actually quite a bit of fun to drive. My sales manager also has one for his wife and they love it.. http://www.hrsprings.com/projects/detail/gpd2/ Click the pic for a large one. __________________ Those who trade liberty for security have neither. McCain/Palin '08

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