1997 Ford Explorer

XLT SUV

V6

Automatic

1FMDU34X8VUB14872

Clear

Gasoline

Hello. Up for auction is a 1997 Ford Explorer XLT 4 Door SUV, in running and driving condition. Auction is for local pickup only. 119,067 original miles. I bought this from a nice kid that said he was the second owner. As a bright, techie millennial, he was moving on to new car pastures, complete with touch screens and driver aids. As for me and the car, I almost exclusively ride my bicycle, so it has become foolish to pay to drive something only once a month. I have owned in for 5 years or so, and only put about 6 thousand miles on it during that time. There are so many things on this car that work great, some that need some attention. Overall though, well cared for, and never in an accident. I'm starting the auction on the cheap. If I was an auto mechanic, I would address the issues, as the car really has most of its integrity compared to most Explorers of this vintage. I think the best way to describe the car has been inspired by Clint Eastwood, so, here's the good, the bad and the ugly. The Good: The SUV spent most of its life in one family, and had been routinely maintained most of its life. This is evident by the relatively nice condition of the interior and exterior, and the fact that almost everything electronic still functions well. The car has some minor rust on the rear fender wells, but overall is in pretty nice condition, see pics. The tires are relatively new, wheels are in nice condition. The shocks and suspension seem to be in fine order. The car also has some nice features like an Alpine CD player that works great, bike rack on the roof and a professionally mounted trailer hitch in the rear, of which I think was seldomly used. It has started up instantly every time for me, and doesn't leak any fluids. The Bad: The driver side mirror was whacked off by somebody late one night, but it's mostly intact and is inside the vehicle. There is no damage to the body around the mirror. The A/C compressor will need to be recharged. The left rear tail light bulb is out. The hood cable recently snapped, but it happened right at the latch, so I've been using a vice-grips to pull the wire to do routine maintenance. The sunroof works intermittently, so there might be a wiring issue. The Ugly: The brakes will need to have new pads. In my last couple of drives, I noticed a slight grinding sound. I didn't want to damage the rotors, so it hasn't been driven since. It will still brake, run and drive fine though if you want to drive it home. The transmission works great about 95% of the time, but occasionally I hear a slight "clunk" between 1st and 2nd gear. I surmise that the engine may also want a new head gasket. It starts and runs well, but the 5th cylinder (driver-side in the middle), seems to foul the plug every 6 months or so. When I replace the plug, everything runs fine. The engine runs cool, but my (and my mechanic's) guess, is that the gasket needs replacing. The car does not leak oil or transmission fluid. Overall, this old truck has a lot of integrity and promise. The crucial things that a car needs at this age (brakes, head gasket, transmission rebuild) could be done hopefully by a mechanic that can spend the time. I truly feel that after this work is performed, it's not out of the question to expect at least another 100,000 miles out of her. Starting the auction cheap, local pickup only, unless you arrange it to be towed. Auction invoice must be paid within 3 days. Good luck bidding, and feel free to ask any questions.