Ford Escape

[gunflint]

The wife is looking hard at a 2007 Escape. Does anyone have any experience with these? Thanks.

[smilee_54]

my wife and I have a 2003 escape and we love it and we didn't have any problems with it

[Valv]

I agree with smilee-54, I had a 2003 V6 4x4 and was very happy with it, a lot of power and very snappy. Good mileage and safe on ice/snow.

Practically it's a Mazda Tribute with few Ford parts, that's why runs good

This year I am looking at SUVs too and I come down only to 2 choices, Jeep G.Cherokee or Ford Escape.

[Huskie]

Are you guys pulling boats with the Ford Escapes? How do they perform and what type of gas mileage do you get? I have been considering one also.

[smilee_54]

yep like U said valve ford/mazda are the same thing there are a few minor details that are differnet/ I own 2003 two wheel drive. I didn't feel we needed a four wheel drive with a front wheel drive car boy was i wrong if I could do it all over again I would of got the four wheel drive. I do not tow with the escape. Would of cost to much time and money to put a hitch on. If U get a escape make sure to get the tow package. I belive the escape can pull 3000 pounds with the tow package and 2000 without. thats is for the 2003 model. I tow with a 06 grand marquis. I think that it gets obout 18 city and about 25 highway. gas milage for towing I am not sure

[Dragonsm]

My brother has a Ford Escape with the AWD or 4WD...whatever it is. His thought on it have been nothing short of impressed!

I have traveled with him with 5 adults and it was comfortable. You sit up nice in it. (My mother who is 4'11" feels comfortable driving it and can see over the hood)Great ride for the value. If I did have such a "want" for a pickup, I know that would be one of the first vehicles that I'd be looking at.

As for towing, it tows great. Not sure your boat size, but he has towed my father's 16.5 crestliner with a 90 hp, kicker, gear and a full fuel tank around with no issues. When it comes to landing the boat and getting it out of the water......no issues either.

They are definitely worth a look!

Steve

[MuskieJunkie]

I can't believe all these posotive posts, I guess I'll be the one negitive guy. My wife had an '05 V6 for a company car for a while. I think we were averaging about 18 mpg, which is bad for how small they are. I didn't like driving it, they are small and have a really cheap feel, it really felt like driving a toy. I never towed with it but I don't think it would be a good tow vehicle.

[Jeremy airjer W]

We very rarely see these in for repairs at our shop. Brakes, tires, and routine services are about all you see. Seems odd to be talking about a reliable Ford product

I talked my sister in-law in to getting one about a year ago. She had norrowed her choices down to the Honda CRV and the Escape. I hate to say it but we are running into big dollar problems with the CRV. More specifically the valves are sucking up into the heads to the tune of about $2500 to repair. She opted for an all wheel drive v-6 Escape. It was a definite improvement over the pontiac sunfire. She is very happy with her decision!!

[mtreno]

my mom has one. good "mom" car if you ask me. i would never tow anything with it - just loading the rear end of that thing and your bouncin down the road like some rap star. stopping would be an issue for me as well - i would bet it would have a hard time stopping any normal sized boat in a hurry. everyone is always looking at how much the factory says it can tow..... but what can it stop? i would not feel safe towing anything over a small jon boat with no motor or a small trailer with like your camping gear. its not made to be a tow truck.

now can it be done? sure can. you see the family minni van towing the 20 ft bayliner all the time in the summer. i even saw a saturn towing a crestliner.

not trying to be bad mouth ya or anything just saying if your looking for a truck and it will be towing your not looking for a escape. if your looking for a city car but want to have 4wd and a higher ride height - escape is your car.

mom loves her escape! great on gas - nice ride (rides like a car not a truck) love the awd. perfect amount of cargo area for her work stuff or the dogs or whatever. plus it turns on a dime and parks real easy for her. never had any problems with it what so ever - there was one recall on it and other than that just normal stuff. super dependable.....

[smilee_54]

"i would never tow anything with it - just loading the rear end of that thing and your bouncin down the road like some rap star. stopping would be an issue for me as well - i would bet it would have a hard time stopping any normal sized boat in a hurry. everyone is always looking at how much the factory says it can tow..... but what can it stop? i would not feel safe towing anything over a small jon boat with no motor or a small trailer with like your camping gear. its not made to be a tow truck"

Mtreno i would go that far with that comment. I haul my boat with a 06 grand marquis no problems at all.

[mtreno]

not to sure of which car that is but if its the one i think it is its about twice the size of an escape. anyone who has ever towed with a jeep and had to make a quick stop will know what i am talking about. same with your car - ever had to lock the wheels while towing your boat? just cause you can get it up to speed does not make it a good idea.

it just a pet peeve of mine. not going to argue about it. if your buying something to tow with then buy something designed to tow. if you buying something to drive the family around in and do well on gas - well thats what it does. there is to much of this "he did it so it must be ok".

its also the same guy who will then buy something to tow with and then feel its ok to drive 80+mpr down the highway while towing a 20 foot ranger.

gunflint - back to the point i know your not towing with this car. it should be great for your wife. they are very built with very few problems. my mother loves hers and is talking about getting another one when the time comes.

[upnorth]

I agree one of the biggest thing with tow ratings for vehicles it the size and stopping capacity of the brakes. You ever look at the size of the disc and drums of the real heavy duty stuff? They are huge

[gunflint]

I'm not worrying about towing at all. That's what real trucks are for. This would be drivin to town once a week (about 60 miles round trip) and to Duluth once a month (250 round trip) It sounds like most people are happy with them.

[genegodawa]

My wife wanted a vehicle that she would be sitting up high in so whe choose an Escape. My friend had warned me and man was he ever right - it rides LIKE A TRUCK! Cruddy ride to me. But I guess it is all what you are used to. My wife never complains so it must be OK.

[upnorth]

My wife has a little 2002 Suzuki Grand Vitara, very similar to the Escape and she loves it. Easy to drive and gas mileage on that one is about 26 on the Hwy @ 70 mph. I am guessing she would really like it.

[HarryG]

I have driven the Mazda Tribute, I think it is the same car but made by Mitsubishi. The V6 had a lot of zip. It would be nice for the LOW trip as it was good on Gas and could tow a decent trailer for all the gear. A very good SUV.

[fishing tech]

As a tech that works at a Ford dealership I have nothing bad to say about the Escape. I recommended it to a friend of mine who is a big guy, he liked it so much that between his family they own 4 are just love them. They put on mostly highway miles and at 65000 miles I just did front brakes and tires for him. If you are buying new I would suggest trailer tow package and michelin tires.

[hovermn]

I've towed with the Escape. Mom has one and I used it for a trip into South Western WIS when my truck was in the shop. I was towing the hovercraft with a total towing weight of around 2300 lbs, plus 350 lbs of cargo in the back. It did great! Towing out of OD, I averaged around 17 mpg! The route I take has a few pretty steep hills, steep enough that passing lanes are needed and it did great on them, too.

Would I buy one? Maybe. The fit and feel doesn't really appeal to me, but I have no issue with the quality. Mom's is a first model year and she's had it for around 3 years now. It's been pretty good and I can think of only one issue. On a trip to Duluth, it ended up spending a couple days at a dealership up there to replace the fuel pump. Other then that, it's been good to her. She loves it!

Yes, a 2 man flip over house will fit in the back. I used it a few years ago to bring home a Frabill XLT still in the box. There was room to spare.

[Mike Wallace]

We've had one since 2000. Still get about 24mpg on the hwy and I can get 20 in town if I lightfoot it. We were looking at a explorer when my wife saw it. "Felt" like it had more room up front than the explorer, and it has good legroom in the front.

My wife likes it because she sits a little higher than a car, but isn't overwhelmed by the size. Easy to get kids in carseats in an out of. We have had absolutely zero problems with it for six years (knock on wood.)

Good Luck

Mike Wallace