I purchased my Ford Explorer with 130,000 miles on it, and it now has over 160,000 miles. It has been very reliable, which is important to me since the main driver of the vehicle is my wife when she drives around our two daughters. I also feel that the vehicle is safe and well built so that it would fair well in the even of a collision. I am a professional mechanic, and I find that this vehicle is relatively easy to work on, especially when compared to minivans. I have only had to replace one part since owning the vehicle (EGR valve which was approximately $130 and 20 minuet install time). I find the ride to be very comfortable and the handling to be very responsive and safe-feeling as well, especially for a vehicle that is 13 years old. The interior is of high quality and has minimal wear considering the use it sees. the seats, flooring and trim materials are all in great shape and have not ripped, faded or cracked. The power and throttle response are great, and I never have to worry when passing or merging onto the highway. I have even towed a small trailer with it, and the vehicle handled wonderfully. The suspension did not bottom out, and there was plenty of towing power. The main negative for the vehicle is the gas mileage. I average about 14 MPG which isn't great. However, for the safety my wife gets by driving a bigger vehicle, I consider it well worth it. Overall I have been impressed by my explorer and will probably be looking into getting another one for my next vehicle when she finally does wear out.

I have owned my Ford Explorer for nearly five years now. I bought it brand new and had some upgrades added to it such as leather seats. It was an expensive purchase but I have really enjoyed this vehicle. It drives well and has numerous bonus features such as the Sync program and the backup camera that have really made driving it a pleasure. When I first bought it, gas prices were nearly double what they are now so I did not enjoy having to fill it up but now that gas prices are the lowest they have been in years it really is nice to be able to drive a comfortable vehicle. I have used it to haul large items many times and have found that it really does do the job.