<p>You can check this information if you are buying a Ford. The dealer will get the VIN, and then you can get your window sticker from a Ford website. On the sticker are a series of numbers that include the production date. It will change if the production date changes. On another Ford website I was able to plug in the VIN, after the production date, and determine that SYNC, which is the heart of My Ford Touch, was installed on 4.5. I called the customer support line today and was told that my car will arrive at the dealer on 4.10 or perhaps the week of 4.10. </p>
<p>For many folks Ford has been slow to deliver Explorers partly because it is a new production model and they want to check everything before they send it off. There is a substantial amount of very complex electronics on the Explorer, which has caused some problems. Some folks have given up in frustration, and canceled their orders or will wait for the 2012 models. </p>
<p>This information comes from what I learned by reading a website with a forum specifically devoted to 2011 Explorers. See my 3.21 message for the address. The site in monitored by a customer service rep for Ford, Seni, who is an active participant. She will will get answers to the participants’ questions on production and delivery and respond to rumors.</p>
<p>I think that this information maybe Explorer specific since the Ford dealerships in Madison seem to be loaded with all models except Explorers so people are just buying their Edges and Tauruses from inventory. There is almost no inventory of Explorers.</p>
<p>I am waiting on an Acura MDX so that will not help me. I have a call in to my salesman as Honda/Acura has cut production in half since last week at many of their plants, including the one in Canada where my car is being built. It was suppose to be built beginning last week, so I am hoping it will arrive not too late. I let another car go at a different dealer as the saleswoman was driving me crazy! I know I didn’t have to deal with her too long, but she spent an awful lot of time telling me how her dealership was not like others, how they don’t do bait and switch tactics, how they weren’t sleezey, blah, blah, blah. After two phone calls and three emails, I couldn’t handle her anymore.</p>
<p>Hopefully I didn’t make a mistake waiting for a new build.</p>
<p>Regarding entended serevice plans, Geico has a similar option called mechanical breakdown insurance. Run the numbers for this and it might be chaper than the extended plan.</p>
<p>If you have USAA insurance, they offer extended warranties on vehicles – DH is kicking himself because USAA’s price was half of what he paid. Was the first time he’d ever bought one, and probably the last.</p>
<p>Picking up the new Explorer after work today. I consider myself fortunate since many folks who ordered a substantial time before me still haven’t received their cars yet. I think it has to do with how relatively close we are to Chicago (140 miles or so), where the car was manufactured. It could come by truck rather than go by railcard. The latter is proving to be a problem,.</p>
<p>I’m financing through the credit union and they have a well priced extended warranty. I’ll compare it to Ford’s.</p>
<p>My car also arrived yesterday and I am now trying to figure out how to get it. The dealer is only 4 hours away, but the dealer can not bring it to me. We are leaving town for a big family vacation in honor of my mother’s 80th birthday, so this week is crazy busy before we leave. My husband of course wants it right now, but I am thinking about waiting until we get back from our trip. I can fly to the dealer’s city for $65 and drive the car home if I wait 2 weeks; if I book for this week, it is almost $300!! The point of getting the car where we did was price and availability; seems silly to pay an extra $200+ to get in this week.</p>
<p>I check into transport companies, but that will run $500-$600, so that is a no go. Even though the dealer will not deliver out of state, my salesman said he would meet me half way, but it would have to be this Friday; the worst day of the week for me to be gone all day!!</p>
<p>While we are excited to get the new car I think it would just be best to wait the 2 weeks. Now to get the dealership to agree not to let anyone drive the car while it sits on the lot. What I really want it for the car to stay covered and not out in the open while we have April storms in the south, but I know that won’t happen!</p>
<p>I think I would just wait the 2 weeks. Haha - but there’s a big difference between SAYING I would wait (when it is not me who is actually getting the car), and then if I were actually in your situation, being able to wait. Spending an extra $200 to get it two weeks sooner is justifiable.</p>
<p>Your Navigation system is cooler than mine I have had so many loaner cars lately that I think I have the hang of the basic navigation screens, but have not had a touch screen yet. Hope you enjoy!!!</p>
<p>tsdad: I bought a Mercury Mariner (baby cousin to the Explorer) back in September. I was completely intimidated by the NavSync system. It was much easier & more intuitive than I realized. Now I don’t know how I lived without it. Cool feature: you can load up to 10gigs on the hard drive memory. Other cool feature: voice commands. </p>
<p>We bought the car on the way to a college football game. Told the dealer that we would buy the car IF he could finish the paperwork & get us out the door in time for kickoff. He did!</p>
<p>The things we do for our dogs! My dog will only get into an SUV if it has running boards
Each car I test drove, the dog got to test ride; luckily she like the MDX as much as we did!!</p>
<p>This is a large enough dog that she could easily jump into any seat, but the princess feels the need to use the running boards. The first car I brought home without running boards she just stood there and stared at the seat. It took some smooth talking to get her to take a step up onto the floor boards and then get into the seat. This same dog jumps onto my bed with no problem, so what is the issue with the car?</p>
<p>I picked the Explorer up yesterday afternoon. It was cleaned and polished and sitting in front of the dealership. A very good looking car that seems to handle well. Everything went smoothly and as expected. I was briefed on all the electronic stuff, and they didn’t attempt to load a bunch of extras on me.</p>
<p>Well let me tell you, I feel like I need an engineering degree. A 45 minute briefing is not really enough to get on top of the electronics that would do justice to a fighter jet. It is going to take me several weeks to just figure out the basics, and months if ever, to get on top of everything else. Understand I am not a car person, and I am trading up from a 2001 Isuzu Trooper; a plain, boxy, but serviceable automobile.</p>
<p>12: we did load the iPod songs and my iPhone contacts into memory. We programed my phone and my wife’s Blackberry into the system, I did use the voice commands to change the Sirius stations and make telephone calls. A lot of cool stuff there, but right now I would settle for figuring out how the wipers work. Luckily the headlights came on automatically because I had no idea where the controls were for them. </p>
<p>I probably need to take several days off from work.</p>
<p>As an ‘industry insider’ my view is that it really depends on what you want - comfort, road feel, fuel economy, size, etc. You need to prioritize. If money is no object a BMW X3, X5, or X6 would do. If you care about road feel and driving experience, any larger SUV is likely to be a disaster. If you care about fuel economy, a crossover would be a good choice. </p>
<p>Depending on size of said greyhound, even something like a Subaru Outback or BMW 5 wagon might work, again for driving experience. If you move a lot of stuff, obviously, none of that would work. Heck, Cadillac CTS-V Wagon may work :-)</p>
<p>My recent college drop off trip with a loaded Toyota Sequoia was an unmitigated disaster. Great cargo capacity, but very jittery handling, poor mileage, and the ride was way too floaty. </p>
<p>Start by figuring out what the SMALLEST practical size vehicle you can live with is and start from there. If a Murano type is too small then move one notch up, etc etc etc.</p>
<p>Bought a used Buick enclave a month ago and LOVE, LOVE it. Perfect size, loaded with extras. A definite improvement from my trusty 12 yr old Honda Odyssey with 165k miles.</p>
I have had so many loaner cars lately that I think I have the hang of the basic navigation screens, but have not had a touch screen yet. Hope you enjoy!!!</p>