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Searching for the (Great) Escape...

nobodyspecial

Fire in the hole...
5,756
366
ND
Sitting in the airport, webpaging on my phone, waiting for the better halfs flight to get in and have something to ask since i dont want to look it up myself on my Treo.

Are there any Escapes made with manual transmissions and manual transfercases? We are looking at trading her car in soon.

Thanks, Joshua
 

Lost

PA Chapter leader
3,288
33
central PA
no to the manual transfer since like first year they made them .(first year got better MPG )And good luck finding a non 4 cyl with a standard.

But I'm in the market for a wrecked Escape.
 

nobodyspecial

Fire in the hole...
5,756
366
ND
good luck as in impossible, or good luck as in rare?
 

john112deere

caffeine junkie
Staff member
10,807
405
central Vermont
Impossible- to the best of my knowledge, they didn't build any. Knowing Ford, they probably did build about three or four, just to taunt anyone who might one day want to own one...but for practical purposes, I'm pretty sure you can assume they don't exist.

*Manual t-case, in my world, means something that's never been installed in an Escape, either. They're basically FWD cars with a means to send power to the rear wheels. Think more towards Subaru than Explorer, though they actually land somewhere in the middle. OK for snowy or muddy roads, but probably nothing more than that.
 

nobodyspecial

Fire in the hole...
5,756
366
ND
Yep, I know how their system works. This is not a vehicle for offroads, but instead the "family" car. We are just trying to decide if she will be happier with a Ranger (she likes trucks) or compromise with an Escape.

Although, I am really tempted to go with a Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited. (4 door)
 

john112deere

caffeine junkie
Staff member
10,807
405
central Vermont
Buddy of mine just bought an Escape. Early '00s, 4-cyl, 5-speed, 4wd. Pretty beat (he got it real cheap), and it's exactly what you'd think it'd be- boring, adequate power but none to spare, decent space inside but not too fancy, goes OK in snow and muddy roads. He did say that in the snow it handles a lot more like a FWD than RWD (a bad thing in his opinion, as in mine).

Personally, I'd go with a Ranger, unless she needs the interior space. I think they're built tougher, easier to work on, and all that jazz. But, realistically, they're two-passenger vehicles with next to no interior storage space- even the extended cab models.

As a single guy with no kids, I don't find that to be a big problem, but they're not really the right configuration for a "family car", either.

*I decided not to even test-drive a new Wrangler before I bought my '09 Ranger- I was afraid I might like it.
 

nobodyspecial

Fire in the hole...
5,756
366
ND
You would. :D I have driven one, and may just go that route. She will like it better than an escape. The mileage isn't "horrible" and its built way tougher and is actually more truck than car.

The ranger isnt bad, but like you said no interior space. Its just us, no kids for a while, but after getting my Mountaineer, I am really digging all this interior storage space. my rear seats are folded flat 99% of the time. :)

Plus, it could look as bad as the wrangler from Terminator Salvation: :D

940.jpg

tsd-07301-post.jpg
 

polarbear

just growing older not up
12,878
607
Boring, Oregon
Escape and Wrangler are night and day opposites. Both, IMO, do a good job at what they were designed to do. The Escape is a compact crossover SUV, and it's been a very successful product. I'd go a V6/Auto myself, though... or a hybrid. A few friends of wifey's have them, and love them.

The iconic Wrangler is a completely different beast. They're relatively uncomfortable, noisy, but have a devoted following. Take some Xanax before you price a 4 Dr. Rubi though. I personally would hold out for the prior gen Wrangler with the 4.0L inline 6. Resale on those things (especially the Rubicons) is flat amazing though.
 

nobodyspecial

Fire in the hole...
5,756
366
ND
I wasn't comparing them. :D

She wants a truck, but since we don't need a box for anything, my Mountaineer will out Ranger a Ranger for our uses.

I think she would be let down by an Escape (more car than anything) since she wants a truck. She does like Jeeps, and the Unlimiteds are just too cool. :D

We wouldnt get a new, new Jeep. Although I have heard good things about the new v6 in them. Rubicon isnt a necessity, but would be great if we found one.
 
Last edited:

polarbear

just growing older not up
12,878
607
Boring, Oregon
I wasn't comparing them. :D

She wants a truck, but since we don't need a box for anything, my Mountaineer will out Ranger a Ranger for our uses.

I think she would be let down by an Escape (more car than anything) since she wants a truck. She does like Jeeps, and the Unlimiteds are just too cool. :D

We wouldnt get a new, new Jeep. Although I have heard good things about the new v6 in them. Rubicon isnt a necessity, but would be great if we found one.

They lied. Soft on torque, and yet to be proven to be the bomb-proof powerplant the 4.0 inline was.
 

nobodyspecial

Fire in the hole...
5,756
366
ND
Yeah, I would prefer the inline, just passing on what I heard. That 4.0 has been powering Jeeps forever, and has proven itself I would say.
 

nobodyspecial

Fire in the hole...
5,756
366
ND
Umm... have you read the thread? :D I have a Mountaineer (rebadged Explorer, granted mine is a 302, which I prefer to the 4.0, I used to have one) and the last half of the thread has been talking about Jeeps. I fail to see the use of the 2 dr Jeep as already stated, good cargo capacity is needed.

The extended wheelbase Wrangler was called the "Unlimited" I forget what year they changed the Unlimited to 4 door.
 
Yes, I read the thread when they were talking about the unlimiteds i thought they were only referring to the newer V6 4drs. I know you have a Mounty.I got the message from this thread that you wanted decent mileage but something more trucky than an Explorer thus I suggested the 4.0.
 

john112deere

caffeine junkie
Staff member
10,807
405
central Vermont
The extended wheelbase Wrangler was called the "Unlimited" I forget what year they changed the Unlimited to 4 door.

Whatever year they replaced the TJ with the JK*. 2007, I believe.


*You'd think somebody might have realized that wasn't a brilliant model name. Especially since they got it backwards from the way they always did it.
 

nobodyspecial

Fire in the hole...
5,756
366
ND
They couldn't call it the KJ, as thats a Liberty.
 

john112deere

caffeine junkie
Staff member
10,807
405
central Vermont
Yeah...but why "J" at all? It's not like it's replacing the the "IJ" (or even "HJ", if they skip vowels...).
 

john112deere

caffeine junkie
Staff member
10,807
405
central Vermont
Uh, by "J" I meant "K". :redface:

What's worrisome is how far back in my thought process I got the letters confused. Either Four Roses Yellow Label is awful potent for it's rated proof, or it's long past time for me to go to bed tonight.

*I really did know what the J meant.
 

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