We just hit 100,000 miles on the 2005. I am being perfectly honest when I say that it is the best car I have ever owned. It is about to hit 10 years old and the extended warranty I bought will expire as will the "green state" 10/150 warranty on the hybrid components. I am not sure what I will do once it expires but since the trade-in value is pretty low, I may run it until something major craps out on it.

So, in almost 10 years of ownership, here are some details:

• I filled the tank at exactly 100k miles. Over that time I used 2933.54 gallons of gas for a lifetime average of 34.082 miles per gallon. That is every drop of gas and every mile, not select good tanks. And a good amount of that driving (maybe 30%) was my wife doing short, local trips that killed the average.
• Comparing this car to what I got for mileage in my 2004 V6 Escape, I saved an estimated $8,440 on gas.
• The car had only a couple major repairs. The front end had the swing arms replaced ($100 deductible), the AC condensor ($100) and just the other day had the rear AC actuator replaced ($100). Everything else has been regular maintenance. I've never even changed a lightbulb in this this thing.
• I did the brakes at about $70k. Did them myself for a couple hundred bucks in parts.
• The car still looks and drives like new.
• The best mileage tank was 40.028 miles over 536 miles. The car had about 78k miles on it at the time.

 

Hi Ray,

That's an impressive track record, hope I can do as well at 100k.

At 65k my lifetime mileage is 30.1mpg, but I'm AWD which deducts 10% I've read.
I did spend $170 on the MECS pump but that should be reimbursed under the recall.
Original tires, but $120 on an Optima sealed 12v battery.
No other expenses except routine maintenance.
Almost forgot, I had a taillight bulb burn out that the systems check did not detect.
Brakes are only down 10% according to the tire store.

Until the first major problem it's all free miles for awhile, I hope.
I figure I save $500/yr over driving my S-10 4wd Blazer.

 

Excellent info, thanks

 

At 73K, I've has both front ABS tone rings crack, four stabilizer bar link sets fail, the exhaust flex coupling failed, replaced both front wheel bearings, the servo that directs the battery cooling air failed and I have a front end clunk that neither I nor my mechanic can identify. Also replaced one set of brakes, one 12 volt battery and one set of tires. And the rear wheel well has rusted through.

 

210, 000 K total this morning, bought with 34k with salvage title after minor rear end collision that.

Total replaced:

• Rear brakes at 122k
• Reflash of PCM + dab of special grease (to correct the dreaded hydraulic brake issue at 145k.
• 1 tone ring (while carrying an overload of landscape blocks)
• MECS pump at 180k
• Wheel bearings at 205k
• A/C Compressor at 208k
• Thermostat housing at 209k (plus 2 more MECS pumps due to misinterpretation of MECS failure from Thermostat sensor failure

Routine wear items at appropriate time- 3 sets tires, two sets plugs, 2 coil packs, air-fuel-battery-oil filters, two windshields, 2 fog lamps (courtesy gravel on Missouri roads,1 12 v battery, 1 serpentine belt. 2 sets floormats, 1 radio (plays audiotapes continuously when driving.) while this looks like a pretty long list, 210k is a lot of miles- and the car still looks and acts like a low-mileage pampered vehicle.

1 Ford complete workshop manual.

Forget about the FEH part- this is a excellent vehicle with minimal maintenance. 210k and drives like new, no signs of engine wear. Good acceleration, easy to get in and out of, OK air conditioning, good urban driver, tows small boat trailer w/o issues, for medium distances. Seats, interior items, rubber, etc. all act as they should and aren't worn or frayed.

I am sure it will die one day, but it looks and acts like it has a lot of life left. No real value for resale, but no sign of permanent failure at present. Dealer still hates it.

Gary

 

Hey Gary, what brake issue are you referring to? I'm closing in on 145k myself...

 

Forgot - all four tie rod ends also failed.

The hybrid stuff has been great, though, knock on wood. Based on the Escape's superior reliability record, bought a Honda CRV for the wife.

 

Re: front end clunk. Early on, say about 75k, I had that when going over bumps on dirt roads. Couldn't find it but replaced Sway bar links and that fixed it even though I could find no slop in the joints.

Could you describe it more? I've got a repetitive clunking that I can't find either.

 

I had that too and replacing the sway bars fixed it, although the first set of Moogs I put on were absolute garbage and crapped out all the grease as soon as I torqued the nuts. I took them back and got a newer, much stronger replacement that had apparently been slipped in unbeknownst to the parts store. Same part number and everything...

The clunk came back after I changed my front struts out. That wound up being the upper mounting nut losing torque on the stud. I had to go get a Craftsman "dogbone" tool to allow me to hold the strut stud with an allen wrench while torquing that nut down. I have about 7 threads showing now-- with the standard 3 showing it was not torqued enough and was still clunking on bumps.

FWIW

 

I know all about the sway bar links - I'm on set #5, the last three being Moogs. You cannot feel the slop unless the vehicle weight is on the tire - i.e. it goes away when the tire hangs.

My clunk sounds exactly like bad sway bar links and occurs on every bump, but especially at speeds under 40 mph or so.