Aughhh! The Ford Explorer is history

[Bill]

For various reasons, I have always towed my TMs with a Ford Explorer. When I got my 2002 TM, I also got a 2002 Explorer, which was the first year of the "3rd generation" Explorer. (Previous generations were smaller.) It was, in my opinion, an almost ideal tow vehicle, with a small V-8, 5-speed automatic, decent fuel economy for a vehicle its size, and a tow rating above 7000 pounds.

About the time I got my 2006 TM, my 2002 Explorer died. I moved to a "4th generation" 2007 Explorer. Same-size V-8 but with 24 valves, so more power and torque. New 6-speed automatic, better mpg, and a tow rating still above 7000 pounds.

I just learned that the "5th generation" Explorer will begin with the 2011 model. It will be a unibody vehicle rather than body-on-frame - a car-based platform based on the Taurus. The "big" engine will be a 3.5 liter V-6. The tow rating will drop by more than half, to 3500 pounds.

I'm crushed. Devastated. Shattered. And I bet the whole auto industry will be moving in this direction. What will happen to RVing as we know it?

I recognize the world's need for better fuel economy and greener vehicles, and I'm not looking for any lectures, and certainly not any political comments. And I guess I'm not looking for sympathy, either. I just don't know where we are all headed.

Bill

[Wavery]

Bill,

We are seeing what has been inevitable for a long time. The truck based SUVs have been classified as trucks (which is what they are). Classifying them as trucks has gotten the manufacturers around a lot of regulations that are placed on passenger vehicles (which is what they should be). *****(this is an edit....I read my post and realized that I wrote it bass-ackwards).

As all vehicles have to pass stricter fuel economy standards, manufacturers have to make adjustments in their product line to meet these standards. They are now forced to build the SUVs as passenger vehicles, make them lighter to comply with new fuel economy and safety regulations. I think that we may see all truck based SUVs disappear over the next few years. After-all, an SUV is primarily a passenger vehicle and really not a truck and should be subject to all of the regulations of a passenger vehicle.

I think that you will see a more clear delineation between trucks and passenger vehicles and trucks may be heavily penalized for their lack of fuel efficiency, thus making trucks a smaller percentage of the fleet and making government compliance possible.

Very close are the days of $5 a gallon gasoline. That coupled with the pressure to downsize manufacturers fleets will put a lot of pressure on the RV manufacturers. As you rightly point out, the RVing lifestyle seems to be in jeopardy and none of us know (or like) where this may be headed.

I know of which you speak and feel your pain. I cringe at the thought of having to replace my TV. The truck I have, a 1997 Chevrolet Cheyenne 4x4 - K2500, is a bit dated compared to today’s wonder machines. My truck is only rated for pulling 6000 lbs. Compared to the big Toyota truck and Nissans big truck I might as well keep my dog on the porch. Good thing I have a TM to tow and not something heavier. Good thing my Chevy is more of a hobby than a vehicle that is driven every day as it never has learned to sip fuel. It guzzles! But I wanted to throw something out there to the group regarding where we are all headed. Something to chew on. There is no right or wrong answer to this, just individual choice and I just want to stir the pot a little to see what comes to the top..

My father-in-law recently purchased a tractor from an Indian company called Mahindra. It has a diesel engine. He swears by it. Says he will hook it up to any American made tractor of comparable size and pull it around the field. Well, I am not a farmer and I know nothing of tractors. But they make trucks too. From their website . . .

Established in 1945 as a franchise for assembling jeeps from Willys, USA, the company soon began manufacturing light commercial vehicles and agricultural tractors, emerging as one of India’s leading auto brands. Today, the Mahindra Group is a leading manufacturer of multi-utility vehicles with significant presence in key sectors like automotive, farm equipment, financial services, trade and logistics, automotive components, after-market, IT and infrastructure.

Anyone who helped make the venerable Willys cannot be all bad...

Now I am one of those, some would say foolish, folks who even though aware of a global economy cannot bring myself to purchase a foreign car.

( Motorcycles are a different story - two Yamahas sit in the garage, but only because there is not an American motorcycle manufacture that make anything like a FJR-1300. )

( and yes I know there are foreign made bits and pieces in my American made vehicles. ) See, told you I was a bit foolish.

But I digress.

One thing that Nature abhors is a vacuum. Where there is a need and money someone usually comes along with something to sell. It may not look like something we are used to. It may come with a funny sounding name. But somewhere, there will be an answer for us. Me thinks it may come in the form of a small diesel engine. Perhaps turbo charged? If history can be used as a guide, it will be made by someone overseas with technology America started and failed to capitalize on.

In the mean time I will keep my Chevy alive as long as possible.

A quick aside - my Subaru Outback (NOT a towing vehcle) was made in a "green" plant in Indiana - by American workers. My son lives in Murfreesboro, TN not far from Smyrna, where there is a large Nissan truck plant. When I toured the GM factory in Arlington, TX (years ago) I found that many components (not just bits and pieces) were made in Mexico. Many US auto plants are in Canada and Mexico. What's the point? The delineation between American and Japanese (or any other) autos is very blurry at best. Welcome to a world economy!

Now to the Mahindra - I've seen this mentioned on several forums - and the appeal of this vehicle is no doubt the diesel engine. So why don't we have more diesels in the US? Jeep put a small Mercedes (3.0 L) diesel in the Grand Cherokee for a couple of years. It is my dream tow vechicle. Highway mpg around 23-24. Towing capacity upwards of 7000lbs. torque at 396 ft-lbs. Unfortunately they didn't advertise much, didn't sell many, and it is no longer available. Again, why don't we have more diesels in American cars? VW has a great diesel package in the Toureg II. BMW even has a diesel SUV. If you want to buy an "American" diesel, you are pretty much limted to a big pickup - all 3 manufacturers only put diesels in the heavier line. Dodge 2500, Ford F250, Chevy HD/2500. A 3L turbo diesel would be a great addition toa Ram 1500, F150, or Chevy 1500! (Dodge still puts it in the Sprinter)

I was doing some surfing a while back and found a review of a Hyundai Santa Fe diesel. I was excited until I realized it was only sold in Australia!

So, off my soapbox for now.

FWIW my Durango 4.7L with 5500 lbs towing capacity will be my tow vehicle for a long time - and it has 163000 miles on it now!

Sorry for your loss Bill...may be time to look at a Chevy Tahoe.

Originally Posted by Redhawk

May be time to look at a Chevy Tahoe.

I went with my son recently to Home Depot to pick up some sheet rock on a rainy day. This was not a good idea with my pickups, for fear of the heavy rains last week damaging the product.

So we took his Chevy Suburban. This can carry several sheets of 4x8 material with all doors closed, and 3 adults sitting in the front seat.

I do not know if modern Suburbans can still do this. I think they started making the smaller.

I used to carry 4x8 plywood in my Ford Station Wagon. Not often, but sometimes.

In the future I wonder what will be available that will carry 3 adults and 4x8 plywood or sheet rock on a rainy day?

[Wavery]

Originally Posted by PopBeavers

I went with my son recently to Home Depot to pick up some sheet rock on a rainy day. This was not a good idea with my pickups, for fear of the heavy rains last week damaging the product.

So we took his Chevy Suburban. This can carry several sheets of 4x8 material with all doors closed, and 3 adults sitting in the front seat.

I do not know if modern Suburbans can still do this. I think they started making the smaller.

I used to carry 4x8 plywood in my Ford Station Wagon. Not often, but sometimes.

In the future I wonder what will be available that will carry 3 adults and 4x8 plywood or sheet rock on a rainy day?

A truck!

Originally Posted by harveyrv

A truck!

Sure, a truck with a camper shell. But on days when you are not carrying cargo, the kids can not ride in the back of the bed of the truck. They can ride in the back two seats of the Suburban.

The only flaw in the old K3500 suburbans (circa 1986) was the (lack of) fuel economy.

Very few vehicles serve the dual purpose of:

1. 6 adults and 2 kids, plus luggage for the weekend

or

2. 3 adults, several 4x8 sheets of building material plus a bunch of other cargo.

Another option would be an enclosed cargo trailer that was big enough. But when driving 150 miles to the cabin in the mountains, you have to drive 55 towing the trailer but can drive 70 if it was all in the suburban.

I always thought the 3500 series Suburbans were a tremendously versatile vehicle. But, I drive a truck anyway.

Large SUVs, on a truck frame should be classified as a truck. Small SUVs built with uni-body construction should be classified as a passenger car. IMO

Alternatively, use cargo and/or towing capacity to distinguish between a car and a truck.

Uh oh, Ford is making a big mistake with a unibody in the Explorer. Personally, I think this is the wrong direction. Ford if forcing those that are brand faithful that want to tow something into the Expedition. For those Ford owners that don't want to go that big, then that will lead some people to different brands.

Bill, I hope Ford realizes their mistake when sales drop, and you can buy a 6th generation when they smarten up and start putting real frames back under the Explorer. In the meantime, do everything that you can think of to keep that 2006 on the road.