Used 1997 Ford Explorer Consumer Reviews
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Piece of junk!
Matt, 09/25/2009
1997 Ford Explorer Sport 2dr SUV 4WD
2 of 12 people found this review helpful
Well if your looking for a gas sucker this is your kinda car! Iv'e had it for almost a year myself. My father knew the ppl who bought it brand new. They took good care of it but no matter how well you treat a Ford, they always fail on you. It sucks gas, looks ugly and is louder then a mack truck! And make sure your ready for the expressway because if you want to speed up to pass your going to have to floor it otherwise the tranny stays in the same gear and you don't go anywhere! Whatever you do don't buy this thing, and i thought my sebring was bad!
Loved the car first, Now on the Fense
mercuryfordlover715, 03/29/2010
1997 Ford Explorer XLT 4dr SUV AWD
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
When my parents bought this Ford Explorer, I was in love with it. Plenty of get up and go from the 5.0 liter V8. Awesome comfort for me and 4 of my friends. But about 3 weeks after I purchased the car, I began to have problems. Needed a new EGR Valve,$300. Front End Alignment, $80. Sway Bar $200. And lastly, a Wheel Bearing, $150. After that though it seems to run like a top. But I do experience some rough idling from time to time. Even though I have experienced these problems, my other family members have been very lucky with their Fords. Uncle, 1997 Ford Expedition 187,000 miles before he traded it in, No Problems. Sister 1996 Ford Explorer V6, 167,000, traded in, No Problems.
1997 Ford Explorer for sale near you
Showing 3 of 11 listings
- Sport 2dr SUVMSRP: $3,563460 mi away
- XLT 4dr SUVMSRP: $4,995513 mi away
- Limited 4dr SUVMSRP: $1,950526 mi away
See all 11 listings
Death of Black Beauty
JaDane, 05/05/2002
1997 Ford Explorer Sport 2dr SUV 4WD
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I began looking for an Explorer in 10. It took me 6mo to find one with everything; Black ,leaher, sunroof, 6Disc CD, less than 75K. I had the Explorer thirteen days and I was rear- ended at 65 miles per hour. At first glance I was amazed, the damage was minimal, however upon further inspection the frame was badly bent. I feel this is no fault of the manufacturer, considering the rate of speed I was hit while at a complete stop. I do feel I owe my life as I know it to the Explorer. I had a neck injury do to whip lash, nothing rehab won't fix. However if I was in my Camaro I would say I would be paralized, and I would have hit the car in front of me.
Got a Good One!
mv, 04/26/2009
1997 Ford Explorer XLT 4dr SUV
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I purchased my SUV new and have been relatively happy with it. I got a good one! I've owned my Explorer for almost 12 years, have more than 224,000 miles on it (original engine and transmission) and it's held up pretty well. Only persistent problem seems to be a roaring in my wheel bearings, which I've had serviced a few times. Other than that this was a good purchase that has paid for itself over the years. Standard service intervals were always stretched (e.g. oil changes every 4,000 to 6,000 miles) - perhaps that is the secret to this longevity. I've owned three Fords before this one, and I hope I can make my next purchase a Ford also.
Explorer
sleepchin, 04/11/2002
1997 Ford Explorer XLT 4dr SUV 4WD
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
We've got over 110k on this beast and it keeps on going. Been hit (real hard) in the back, once or twice by road debris in the front and still no problems! Can't remember how many times it's been recalled (quite a few), but everything was fixed at no cost, so I don't mind. Point is, despite my predictions to the contrary, this has proven to be a very reliable American vehicle! Averages about 18 MPG with the high-output 6cyl and 5sp auto tranny. Some slight problems with suspension gremlins, but nothing that's kept it off the road or anything you wouldn't expect from a car with 100k+ miles on it.