Introduced in 1990/91, the Ford Explorer remains one of the most iconic and best SUV’s on the market. It has a huge following as a vehicle, coupled with a loyal Ford customer base, making it not only a sound investment, but for many people an invaluable part of their daily life.
Almost 30 years on, there is a huge market in used Ford Explorers, as well as the 2019 model currently available. With such a wide pool of vehicles to choose from, it is a good idea to have a plan and a number of questions to ask yourself in order to get the best deal with on the vehicle, and on finance as well.
Buy close to where you live
There is an old adage about buying a car which says that you should ready by close to where you live. This to an extent remains true, signifying a used Ford Explorer.
However, with the growth of the Internet this also means that it is possible to view and buy a whole range of new and used Ford Explorers from virtually anywhere in the country.
For many people, when buying a new or certified pre-owned Ford Explorer, if they are willing to travel or to take a bit of a gamble, then that all number of seriously good deals to be done if they are willing to put in the time and the research.
If buying an older version of the Ford Explorer, either from a dealership or online through summer like craigslist, then there is a lock to be said for buying it close to home. This is because you will most likely want to give it a test drive, possibly have it examined for structural and mechanical issues and know where to go to if there are any problems once you have bought it.
Ford Explorer Carfax – Vehicle Inspection
Having some type of vehicle inspection report, such as Carfax, is probably a must if the vehicle is not new or certified preowned. Even some used and second-hand vehicles that are quite recent new vehicle inspection report can provide real peace of mind.
The decision in terms of having the used Ford Explorer inspected can only be done by a professional, or if you know someone who is mechanically minded, they may be able do it for you as a favour.
Bear in mind, that a vehicle inspection report such as contracts almost only inspect the road worthiness of the vehicle, in this case a Ford Explorer, but will also do checks to make sure it has not been in an accident, and then on the issues about ownership of the title.
The report should also detail information about it’s servicing and maintenance history, its ownership history and any potential issues that may be fined up regarding fraud in terms of misrepresent data.
This normally refers to items such as the milage counter been tampered with or reset to indicate a more favourable usage of the vehicle.
Altering the odometer of a vehicle is more difficult nowadays, but can still be done quickly on older models of any used Ford Explorer. This can still have been done even if buying from a reputable Ford dealership, as it could be altered before being passed on to the dealer
Research
Doing your own research prior to buying a used Ford Explorer is pretty crucial. The research should cover the vehicle itself, and should give you enough information to decide whether or not you want to buy a new way used or second hand one.
You should also be able to tell what are your best options in terms of where to buy from, and to what extent you are willing to travel out of your immediate area in order to purchase the vehicle.
Research can often be done online, either by going to one the many reputable car dealing sites, or by going to a number of discussion forums. You can also do your own research by talking to people you know who either own or have o meet your ownned Ford Explores in the past.
The reason such matters is that you need to be sure from yourself that buying a Ford Explorer will meet your specific needs at an individual and as a family.
There are many different models and types of engines and drive options, knowing what these are into is important before embarking on the process of finding the vehicle and raising finance for it.
Maintenance and Running Costs
Many people simply look at the cost of the Ford Explorer in terms of the purchase price and the finance deal. What is this important, it is also crucial to your finances to work out what your lighting maintenance and running costs will be on an annual basis.
Servicing and maintenance costs should be available to you as indicators from any Ford dealership, and if buying the used Ford Explorer through a Ford dealer you may well be able to arrange some type of deal or arrangement concerning servicing as part of the purchase of the vehicle.
Aside from servicing costs, it is important to know what items are and are not included in the warranty becomes of the vehicle, as any mechanical problems relating to the areas which are to paid for out of pocket.
Insurance Costs
Insurance costs or a potential nightmare for anyone, irrespective of whatever car you’re buying. Buying a Ford Explorer can be an expensive decision, simply because of the amount of money involved.
Know how much it is going to cost you in terms of insurance is crucial in terms of factory in your overall expenditure and running and maintenance costs.
Ford dealers will sometimes have special arrangements with certain insurance companies where they may build you some type of deal. This is normally worth considering, but it is also well worth getting independent quotes for only three or four other insurance companies before deciding which one to go with.
It is also well worth getting a quotation, or an estimate from a number of main truck companies before going ahead and purchasing vehicle, as the cost of insurance they will be a factor in determining which one you end up buying.
Ford Explorer Financing
Most people will need some type of financing arrangement when buying a new or used Ford Explorer. Ford credit offers a number of options that are usually well worth considering, including a leasing option.
Ford credit will operate the same credit arrangements as any other finance company, in terms of assessing an individual’s creditworthiness regarding any type of loan or lease agreement.
When arranging any type of finance, it is always a good idea to gain alternative quotations, normally two or three is sufficient. People sometimes worry this may affect their credit rating, but the industry says otherwise.
It is recognised as a good practice to obtain alternative quotes, and then if necessary use them as a negotiating tool with whoever your preferred line of credit is with when buying a used Ford Explorer.
Remember that all aspects of any finance deal should be negotiable, depending upon how good your credit score is or not. This affects the size of the down payment, the interest rate for the period of the loan and the term of the loan itself.
If leasing a Ford Explorer, then it is quite likely that other aspects of the lease agreement can be negotiated as well, such as least end deals.
Ford Explorer – Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles and Warranty
Many Ford dealers will offer what they referred to as certified pre-owned vehicles. This will be a Ford Explorer that is a used vehicle, but which will have undergone extensive mechanical and body checks, completed to a standard Ford check list.
These certified pre-owned vehicles are intended to relieve some of the anxiety or fear around buying a second-hand or used Ford Explorer.
Together with either a manufacturers or dealership warranty they can give a significant amount of peace of mind to anyone buying a used Ford Explorer.
Ford Explorer Test Drive
If buying a new Ford Explorer, there is a good chance before dealership may be able to offer you an extended test drive, either for a whole day or even over a weekend.
This is becoming more popular as a way of dealers being able to sell the vehicle. The longer you have it the more likely you are to like it, and the hope is that you will be more likely to buy it.
From a customer point of view, the value is that you get to know the vehicle really well, and as such are more likely to be able to assess whether or not it meets your needs.
If buying a used Ford Explorer, then it is equally important if not more important to test for the vehicle before purchase. If you are buying out of state or from a distance, and this obviously can be a problem. That is why it is a really good idea to try and buy locally.
Any test driving a car gives you a real feel for it as a vehicle, and may alert you to any mechanical or bodywork problems that exist that need correcting for purchase.
Ford Explorer Vehicle History
When buying any used or second-hand vehicle, knowing its history can be invaluable in terms of making a good purchase. A Carfax report as mentioned above can certainly give you a lot of that information.
Another source of information is either the person you are buying from, or a Ford dealership or an independent dealership when purchasing the Ford Explorer from them.
There is obviously a potential problem of misinformation or a mission of information, but a Ford dealership should be able to give you the sum deprecation of things such as mileage, age and condition of the vehicle.
The older the vehicle, the more necessary it is to get some type of independent verification of its age and condition, and also the fact that it has not been involved in an accident of any type.
Ford Explorer True Market Value
Assessing the True Market Value of a Ford Explorer is a bit of an exercise in both guesswork and research. The number of sites around such as Kelly’s bluebook which can give you a guide as to what the auto industry and insurance industry value a Ford Explorer at, given its age, condition and milage.
Aside from that, you have to recognise that if buying from a Ford dealership you are likely to pay a premium, whereas if you buy from an individual you may get a more realistic price, but you seem not have the benefit of a dealership warranty or any vehicle inspection done independently before you purchase .
In the end, the true market value of a Ford Explorer is what someone is willing to pay for it, and this can vary significantly depending upon the age and condition of the vehicle.
