Wife is ready for an X - Do's and Don'ts?

[birdmayon]

I just put a new set of Monroe Reflex's on mine. I read about the custom valved bilsteins, I think those might be worth a try (if I was going to do it over again). The ride isn't bad with the Monroes by any means, just a little jarring over the really bumpy roads. I also have rear airbags, so that may add to the stiffness a bit too.

 

[Vader's Fury]

I hear ya... I wouldn't be putting much on the X anyway. Increase some airflow(intake/Cat delete), increase some coolant flow(delta kit/egr delete), bypass filters and run with it I think. Maybe a tiny tune on whatever I end up getting for monitoring. Not trying to break any land speed records. Just need moma to get up and go in Houston traffic alil bit.

She won't be happy with the no baby clip thing but thanks for the info Vader. Any regrets Vader? You've got the new twins right?

No regrets. Seats are securely mounted using the seatbelt. Like stated, it is supposed to be as safe as the latch system. Just not quite as convenient. Although after putting them in and out a few times, I can do both in under a minute.

Side note... this all came up because I found out I'm going to be a Popa a few weeks ago! More than excited... Wife's going to start struggling getting into my lifted 08 so we're really trying to figure out a plan. I'm not looking to put 40k into a vehicle but we're at the point of an X, or trade my truck in on a new(er) Expedition. I think she wants the expedition slightly more but not sure where that really falls with the budget.

Some of my "logic"... New Expedition = 30-40k.

Stud my truck(gotta lower it slightly too), buy an X and a TDI for me to commute = 30-40k but i should be able to get 400K miles outa those three rigs.

Maybe i'm just being crazy lol. The right X and I think she'll like it. The one we looked at yesterday had some pretty worn out seats which was pretty obvious she wasn't happy about.

Birdmayon.. Have you done anything with the shocks? I've heard Cary has custom valved bilsteins for X's.

This is the route that I plan to go with mine. New springs, and his custom shocks. Also beefier sway bars and a redhead steering box.

Here is a pic of my second row with the bases installed.

http://i957.photobucket.com/albums/ae60/vader2003/20140612_154355_zps5fdj8zk1.jpg

 

[cbf9703]

You can't beat an excursion for hauling the family as long as you can talk your wife into it. When you start with one keep the car seat in the middle of the second row, it's easier to strap with the belt. Once they move up to a bigger seat you can move them to the side and have room for a new one in the middle.

With talks about the new bronco coming out with a small diesel and hopes for a resurrected X or similar size SUV with a new diesel on the market in the next few years, older 7.3s are easier to find. I wouldn't be scared of the miles. You can find some with nice interior and if you do a face lift they make a great looking truck. Look for back up alarm or camera, the wife may not be ready for how long the X is if shes been in a car. Might save you some $ in the long run.

 

[TARM]

7.3 are without a doubt more reliable. As it was the most produced consumer diesel engine in the USA their are just a few laying around and parts floating around. 6.0 no matter how bad any individual wants to think or not about its reliability it was for a FACT so bad it was kicked to the curb after a mere 3 yrs and has had countless law suits and lemon laws enacted against it for both Ford and Navistar/IH. You do not see that with the 7.3. I would be willing to guess that the 6.0 had more major engine warranty claims in its 3 yrs than the 7.3 had in its 10.

The 7.3 is much easier to work on by far. Its cheaper to work on. Its easier to find parts for. As the suspension and interiors are basically the same that is a wash.

Go into a dealership and see how high the list is for clean 7.3 X vs 6.0l You should see the way the sales guys come running when I would drive the 7.3 X onto the lot thinking I was going to trade it in. I have got numerous cards to call if I ever wanted to sell it. Not to mention the 7.3 X can be had for less. Even more so if you are talking 05 6.0. The 4r100 under stock power is perfectly reliable. I know of numerous SD that all towed max to over max heavy and were treated right that are on the original trans at over 400K. If its mech its going to break no matter what.

I would be very apprehensive of a 6.0 unless it was a 05 and it had full paper work on any major work done on it.

One big thing if you do your own work is having to pull the ENTIRE body off 6.0 vs popping open the hood 7.3. Most people do not have lifts at their homes to pull a entire X body.

7.3: HPOP injectors head studs turbo all very easily doable by your drive way wrencher. Not so with the 6.0. Also if you ever did have to do a engine swap look how easy it is to find and do the 7.3 vs the 6.0.

Now where the 6.0 can not touch the 7.3 reliability nor can the 7.3 touch the 6.0 in performance. The 6.0 easily walks away there and sounds great doing it as well. So what is more important to your wife? Does she need or would it be even wise for her to have a 500HP setup or is a 300 HP setup plenty?

BTW you could put car seat lock down tabs in the X floor board if you really felt the need. Its 2 bolts and tab bar thru the floor board.

 

[00X7.3PSD]

2wd turn and ride better

Made some progress... Found a gaser real close to the house and just had the wife sit in it and see how it feels. Right now we're between an X or expedition so we'll see what she ends up liking more. She struggles a bit to get past the dated interior but there are about half the price of an expedition we looked at...Few more random questions

1. 2wd turn and ride better than a 4wd? I thought I saw a better turning radius on a 2wd

2. Wife wants to know if the second row has the babe seat clip in deals specifically for baby seats. We were only at the dealer for a short time and didn't have time to dig through it. Figured y'all would know.

I have both 2wd and 4wd. 2wd rides and turns better than 4wd.

 

[Sterling B.]

any updates?

 

[LovinPSDs]

Traded my truck in to the dealer that had a TDI and an expedition. My wife just thought the insides were to dated, but we did drive a few!

 

[AirFishAutomotive]

I have both 2wd and 4wd. 2wd rides and turns better than 4wd.

because 2wd is coil front end not leaf