Are these good vehicles?

[dave2]

Hi folks,
I'm looking at buying one of these for my wife (2000-2004?). Need a 4x4 that can pull a 2 horse trailer 50-60 mph with no problem. We are in Germany and the terrain isn't to drastic (actually pretty mellow). The German version is also came in a 4 cyl which had about 125 hp. The 6 cyl has 197 hp. I'd like to get decent gas mileage (around 20 mpg)also. Should I be looking for something else, or will an escape take care of us? The main purpose of the vehicle is a daily commute (50 miles a day) for work, the horse trailer periodically, and 2 daily circles of about 3 miles of gravel and unpaved roads to check on our horses. If anyone would tell me the pros and cons of having one of these, I'd sure appreciate it. I'm a little concerned about the horse trailer and the 4 cyl (125 HP).


Thanks, Dave

[Mgadget504]

How much does the trailer weigh? 3500 is the limit on the V6, 1500 on the I4. if it weighs more than that you probably wont find 20mpg and able to tow the trailer.

[dave2]

Originally Posted by Mgadget504

How much does the trailer weigh? 3500 is the limit on the V6, 1500 on the I4. if it weighs more than that you probably wont find 20mpg and able to tow the trailer.

The trailer is rated for 4400 but the size of our horses and the trailer weight would put it at 3800 tops. No more than we would pull that much, I guess we'll be buying one.

Thanks,

Dave

[Mgadget504]

3800 should be fine on LEVEL ground. Being that Escape is not wired for electric brakes I would suggest hydraulic surrge brakes on the trailer. 3800lbs is goint to make a hug difference when you stop(or try to stop).

[dave2]

Everything above 1500 lbs here has tongue activated brakes. When the pulling vehicle slows down, the tongue collapses a little and activates the brakes. May be what you are talking about (????).

Thanks again,


Dave

[Mgadget504]

Exactly what i was talking about. All i meant was the Escape cannot handle 6-round or 7-round trailer plugs without a lot of aftermarket and homemade wiring. as long as the brakes are toung activated they will work. good luck.

[Korb]

I bought my 2001 used with 60k. It was well maintained, but I do recommend changing the transmission fluid every few oil changes (it is as easy as changing oil - remove plug, drain, fill) I added Lucas Trans Additive when it was shifting slugish and fumbling at around 40MPH and that was the cure! - Love that stuff!.

All that to say: I have had absolutely no problems except my dashlight behind the odometer. (easy fix - see article here somewhere)

I am now at 106k and going strong. I would also recomend replacing the 20 weight standard oil with a 30 weight full synthetic. Mobile One (5- 30w) quieted my engine and although I may have lost a few MPG, its not noticable. I'm not sure what the real reason is for the 20w on new cars - some say so they can advertise better gas mileage and some say because the specs today are much tighter with laser machined parts and computers used in manufacturing. I don't know the real answer, but 30w works fine and I'm not the only one running on it.

[Abusch]

I tow a 17 Ft. camper with my 2008 Escape V6 4X4. The camper weighs 2200 lbs dry, and I had to add an electronic brake control, ( no big deal, just standard wiring). It tows it fine, as long as I dont try to exceed 60 MPH.
I also do all my towing with the overdrive turned off, so the transmission stays in 3rd gear. This allows for a direct drive between the engine and transmission, eliminating clutch slip and keeps the transmission cooler.
I do plan on changing out my transmission fluid and rear differential fluid to a good quality synthetic as a preventative measure.

[dave2]

She's got 4 to look at this weekend. 03 and 04 models with 30k-60k. All but one with factory tow package and all V-6. I feel more comfortable about buying one now.

Thanks,

Dave