LOADS OF ROOM-GREAT FOR BEING A TAXI SERVICE FOR THE KIDS AND HAULING ALL THAT IS REGUIRED TO BE A PARENT. THE LEATHER SEATS ARE NICE. ENTERTAINMENT PACKAGE IS PERFECT SOUNDS LIKE YOUR AT THE THEATRE

FIRESTONE TIRES AREN'T EVEN WORTH MAKING A TIRE SWING OUT OF-WHY WOULD FORD PUT HUMAN LIVES ON THEM? PAID ALOT FOR IT AND THEN HAD TO BUY GOOD TIRES. ROUGH RIDE YOU FEEL EVERY BUMP EVEN THOSE YOU DO NOT SEE. GAS MILEAGE VERY POOR. DO NOT LIKE THE GOVENER THAT CAUSES VEHICLE TO STALL

MOSTLY I LIKE THE EXCURSION. EXTREMELY ROOMY,SEATS ARE COMFORTABLE,LOVE THE REAR SENSOR DETECTOR,TURNING RADIUS IS SHARP FOR THE SIZE OF THE VEHICLE, GREAT STEREO SOUND AND ENTERTAINMENT PACKAGE(the kids favorite part of the vehicle),A GREAT VEHICLE FOR HAULING EVERYTHING YOU NEED! MOMS DADS IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A VEHICLE TO HAUL YOUR KIDS, FRIENDS AND EQUIPMENT IN THEN LOOK NO LONGER THIS IS THE VEHICLE FOR YOU

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1997 EDDIE BAUER EXPEDITION & FULL-SIZE VAN IF THE RIDE OF A EXPEDITION AND THE ROOM OF THE EXCURSION COULD BE PUT TOGETHER FORD WOULD HAVE AN UNBEATALBE VEHICLE. BEATS ANY VAN

Interior room (passenger and cargo), Power, towing capacity, comfort, handling, appearance, quality and workmanship.

The front disk brake rotors have been turned or replaced twice in the first year and a half due to warping. The second seats are hard to tilt and slide forward to gain access to the third seat.

I have owned my Excursion for 1 1/2 years and still enjoy it as much as the day I drove it out of the dealer. I use this vehicle for towing a travel trailer, as well as a daily driver. This vehicle is most definately a TRUCK, and anyone that bought one expecting a car is going to be sorely mistaken. When used for the purposes that it was designed for, no other vehicle on the road can even come close.

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GMC Suburban, Expedition. NO Comparison!

Solid mechanics and truck frame. No twisting in the rough. Proven driveline. Excellent clearance. Good low range. Super interior room. Excellent fuel mileage for 7200 pounds plus fuel plus load if driven sensibly. Gobs of torque. Surprising passing performance. Quiet driveline. Excellent accessibility to in dash electronics and wiring. No hidden snaps, pins or other do-das. Screw and bolt heads easily found to remove panels.

What the hell happenned to the rear seat! This truck is sold as a people mover but the 3rd seat seems to be from a 1986 minivan...it's a sad joke...low back, no headrests, flat as a pancake. FORD! Give us a real 3rd seat! Please! The second row is marginally better...cheesy cosmetic headrests, low backs. Ok the front two buckets are fine but please Mr. Ford, do something with the rest. If you check out the plush seating in a 2000-2001 Suburban you'll learn a thing or two.
Thin sheet metal: dents just by looking at it. Goofy add on anti-vibration weights on the frame cross members. I took the middle one off...is that OK Mr. Ford? It already got hit by something in the weeds. Poor technical info in manual. Little peeve...with the jack rods under the hood it would have been nice to find a spot for the jack there too. Bad reputation...thanx to the soccer Moms and testosterone challenged Dads to make this great truck a PIV: Politically Incorrect Vehicle. Shame on you.

Here's a switch folks. My truck has about 700 kms (435 miles) with fully 60% of that in the dirt..with 50% of that in 4 low in the muck. Interested in using yours for more than hauling groceries and squashing Hondas...read on. It you bought one of these to impress the neighbours or to satisfy your self centered inadequacy as a driver hiding behind the "safety" excuse, you deserve all the crap unfortunately being targeted to this truck as a fuel pig and parking lot menace. Please, buy a minivan with a good roof rack and save this fine machine for what it does best...a superb truck for towing, loading and being able to haul a crew into the bush.

I searched for 3 months for an Excursion here in southern British Columbia. Turns out, with the tiny Canuck Buck, all you fine folk in the US of A are snapping up every good used and a lot of new Excursions before the hit the Canadian market. A quick metric to ancient mode speedo switch and voila... southbound faster than a squirrel in heat.

I have formed a tour company specializing in Canadian backcountry travel and required a suitable vehicle for carrying 7 clients in comfort into Canada's backcountry. (www.geoqwestexcursions.com) With 25 years of backroads driving in every conceivable 4x4 on the market, my choice came down to the usual feud. If you want to move up to 7 people in comfort off pavement...Suburban or Excursion.

My first choice was a Suburban because there are lots of good used 2500s around. But research swayed me to Ford. The Suburban is more tuned to on road comfort and good town and highway manners whereas the Ford is more brutish in its approach to life. It is a true truck under the pretty face and can be relied on just as the successful Super Duty mechanics of its underpinnings have delivered for years. But for a brute, it still treats you just fine.

Don't ever buy anything this heavy and expect it to ride like your Lexus. Just smile if you ever have to get it truly dirty 'cuz it will get you in and bring you back without a hiccup.

I've driven many Ford and Chevy 1/2, 3/4 and 1 ton single axle 4x4s in Canada's bush. No amount of subtle German or Japanese engineering can match the gross effectiveness of a 3/4 or 1 ton working it's way up a skidder trail in a BC rainforest. Don't compare apples to elephants. These are trucks designed to haul, not toys used to diddle in the fiddleheads. The Excursion is an elephant...big, strong and reliable.

A few modifications were in order. I swapped the Firestone Steeltex for Bridgstone Dueler M/T. Both are built by Firestone. The Steeltex are good tires but at 265 with are too wide for good off road performance and have typical LT sidewalls. Yes..too wide. Fat tires are great for sand and ok for goo but are like driving on marbles on gravel roads, slide around on pig grease after a rain and pathetic on snow. Narrow tires but more psi on the footprint and cut below the surface scrabble to give good traction. They cut down to the bottom of the mud to more solid terra firma where the fat tire guys can't reach.

Next came a Safari roof rack and driving lights mounted to the front of the rack. Side facing wildlife spotter lights were added to the rack. The truck has been fitted with a 9500 pound Warm winch and brush guard. CB, VHF radiotelephone, cellular and GPS complete the truck for now.

I've driven a couple of roads I had traveled in the 1996 Explorer I traded. Absolutely no comparison. Cross ditches that dragged the hitch on the Explorer were barely noticed in the Excursion. What a difference clearance makes. The ride is the typical heavy-smooth of a ¾ ton without the bouncy jostling common of smaller SUVs and pickups.

Scary trip computer that advertises your 3.5 mpg working off-road, uphill, 4 low. But get happy on the highway at 55-60 mph @ 15-16 mpg. Not too shabby for a beast. My 1969 Datsun 510 only got 25 mpg and was hardly a third of the size.

I've never driven a V10. I always wanted a V12 Jag but was too smart to ever buy one. This motor has bottomless torque. Be gentle in 4low, low gear in the goo as this motor has enough chuzpa to strip body cladding if you ever hang it up on a rock or stump and suddenly get traction. Truly a friendly monster.

Huge fuel tank but I wonder if Ford could have seen fit to build it between the mid rails and put the spare tire under the tail. Even dual tanks might have worked. The spare robs a lot of space in the cargo hold. Sure, spares under the tail get yucky over time. But don't we all? Nice touch...the gloves in the spare tire cover. Beautiful full wrap skid plate around the fuel tank.

I'm tempted to take off the running boards. My wife says I'll have to tie a rope to the dome light 'cuz she will have to climb up the side to get in. Cheesh! But the boards do cut down on ride height and have already found a couple of logs at the side of a muddy bit. But the little lights are so cute, I think I'd miss them. A trip to the parts store is in order to buy 4 cheap mudflaps to cover the triangle space at each end of the boards. They load with mud thrown up from the tires. That mud ends up inside with every step in.

All 4x4 manuals state that the vehicle should not be driven through water higher than the hubs or risk water entering the axle. The breather tubes on both axles run high into the chassis. The rear has an angled snorkel on it. I added a homemade on to the front. It would be nice to hear a full explanation of the risk as hub deep water (8 inches) in the real albeit muddy world as avoiding it is a bit restricting.

I think that's it…nice truck, wasteful car.

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Suburban..the only apples to apples comparison. Better mechnics on the Ford. Better interior on the Chevy. Leaf springs on the Ford, torsion bars on the Chev belong on a Porche, not a truck.

The truck has two axles instead of cv joints and rubber boots to worry about ripping and water getting inside and trashing my bearings.
7200 lbs. empty and can pull anything up to 10k.
Safety, Safety, Safety, the three things that I look for in a vehicle.
I can seat all eight of us comfortably and still have room for kitchen oven in the back.
The v-10 is power and efficiency all in one package.
This truck will run for 20 years, easy.
Very low maintenance: Just change the fluids. Also has trans drain plug.
Full view of the road, ahead and behind.
Back up sensors for detection of little or big people or objects.
Huge interior space and absolute comfortable leather seats.
Will never get stuck in bad weather.
As fuel efficient as my 1/2 ton suburban that had a 350 v-8.
The seat height is excellent for the back on long drives. Seats also have a lumbar adjustment. Totally comfortable seats even in the back.
The rear doors are a great idea. I do not miss the heavy tailgate I had before. It is just a well planned out truck.

I wanted to buy this vehicle equiped with a cng (compressed natural gas). It burns clean and is an abundant fuel. For all driving under 100 miles per trip before needing to be refueled. When empty, it will switch over to regular gasoline.

I was so impressed with the solid ride and commanding view when I fisrt drove the beast. I like the large extending mirrors with the convex mirror seperate from the standard mirror. The v-10 is standard with the 4x4 and the back up sensors are a great safey feature. I was originally going to buy the two wheel drive with the v-8, but I was given such a great deal on the loaded 4x4, I couldn't turn it down. Being a long time Suburban owner, I first looked and then compared the two trucks. Both are fine vehicles, but you cannot compare a 1/2 ton suburban to a 3/4 ton excursion. When comparing the 3/4 ton suburban, the cost alone in vehicle price was tremendous and chevy was unwilling to make a deal. I was always told, we onlly have a few on the lot and that they were in demand. When I went to ford, it was a totally different experience. I was given a great deal and the financing of 0.9 % for five years was a no brainer. Besides, the ford makes a great truck. I have had their pickups before and always wondered why they never made anything bigger than the bronco.
I heard how powerfull and fuel efficient the triton engines were also. I had a 454 in a suburban that was 8 to 10 mpg. We get 11 to 16 mpg.with the ford. I ran a trip at 55 mph and was getting 17 mpg. I also always use mobil 1 oil. I swear by it, plus I can go 6k instead of 3k between changes.

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chevy 1/2 ton and 3/4 ton suburbans. The ford is an all around better truck. More room, power, efficiency and a safer truck.

Dependable, big, safe, my wife won;t drive,,,

not good in mud, sinks to the doors, winch paid for itself within 1 week- I suggest every excursion owner invest in a winch.

Excellent monster for the highway and offroad. My "commando" version is equipped with 9000# winch, offroad tires, hot/cold shower and is the best valued vehicle on the road now.

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Suburban- excursion superior

The large interior provides more space for cargo than the Surburban.
I like the way it sets up high. The large size does intimidate other drivers.

The keyless entry on the door is great. We can leave it running locked up and still get in it. If you don't want to haul your keys around, you can lock them in it. If you lock your keys in it, don't worry, all you have to do is remember the code.

I currently have 19,000 miles on her. I've always thought the Excursion rode very rough. Now I have an audible droan/growl bumping sort of thing in the left wheel front end area that no one (my dealer) seems to think much about except those of us who drive it. I'd appreciate any advise on the subject. It seems a shame a vehicle that costs that much needs a different set of shocks and tires to get the ride we should have had in the first place.



The remote rear window doesn't work sometimes. It's a gremlin sort of thing.

I give the Excursion a good rating. The interior in the Limited is very nice. The heated seats are wonderful in the winter. The 6 disc CD changer is an excellent option. The Excursion can rock and roll without fear of busting the speakers out. The rear sensors keep you out of trouble when backing up. When backing a trailer you have to get into the routine of turning the bell off. (A bit of a hassle when you're in a hurry) The large side remote mirrors provide good views around the vehicle. The large side mirrors are great when towing. The diesel engine tows our boat very nicely. I average about 16 mpg whether running 90 or 70. The acceleration is quite adequate for passing. The large tank keeps you from going to the fuel station often but costs a lot when you get there.

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Surburban

Pulls well, Plenty of power ( V10 ) Nice on smooth roads and long trips. Kids seem to like.

Where do I start, Right front tire blew at 500 miles. Rear window blew out no apparent reason- Ford replace, no charge. 15,000 miles had rotors turned as brakes began to shake when applied. I was told this could be a regular visit by the mechanic. A very annoying rattle has just began somewhere in the dash, I need to take in and have looked at. I get shocked everytime I get out of the truck. The power steering is starting to make a "whoosh" sound when I turn the wheel. The transmission is starting to slip (22,000 miles)Rough ride on dirt roads ( I mean detrimental) I avoid some roads because I feel as though it's going to shake the truck to pieces ( that bad ). Do you get the feeling that I'm a bit dissapointed?

During the first few months it was a pleasure to drive. I did notice right away that it was extremely rough riding. At 500 miles on the odometer my right front tire blew. This was before all the hype in the media about Firestone. I took the tire down to be repaired and since it only had 500 miles on it they suggested that I put it to the spare. Shortly after I learned all about the Firestone story. The rear window blew out for no apparent reason. I took pictures and it is very clear that the window literaly blew from the inside out. Ford replaced at no cost to me. It has been a pleasue to take on long trips and pulls my 18ft trailer well. The temperature gauge never rose, at times I thought it wasn't working because it maintained a steady temperature. As time goes on, I become more and more dissapointed with my purchase. I am currently writting a letter to Ford asking for some help. I hope I have better luck than some of the letters I have read here at this site.

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