The 2001 Mercury Mountaineer Is The Ford Explorer's Forgotten Cousin!

Рет қаралды 35,457

10 ай бұрын

Register today at SalvageReseller.com and start bidding on salvage auto auctions without needing a dealer license. Register for free and use code CLASSIC20 to save 20%. Go find your salvage car gem now! www.salvagereseller.com/TFLCl...
( www.alltfl.com/ ) Check out our new spot to find ALL our content, from news to videos and our podcasts!
( / tflcar ) Visit our Patreon page to support the TFL team!
Watch more videos from TFL Studios:
The Fast Lane Truck ( / tfltruck )
The Fast Lane Car ( / tflcar )
TFLoffroad ( / tfloffroad )
TFLbike ( / tflbike )
TFLnow ( / tflnow )
TFLclassics ( / tflclassics )
TFLtalk ( / tfltalk )
TFL Podcasts:
TFL Talkin' Cars Podcast ( redcircle.com/shows/tfltalk-c... )
TFL Talkin' Trucks Podcast ( redcircle.com/shows/tfl-talki... )
#Mercury #Mountaineer #MercuryMountaineer

Пікірлер: 222

@sonnyserrano5522 10 ай бұрын

My wife and I own a 97 explorer 5.0l with all time all wheel drive. It's been great to us. 220,000 on the odometer and still runs like new. Most reliable vehicle we have owned.

@MastersOfMask 10 ай бұрын

Yeah, after fixing the air idle control.

@kennetho5393 10 ай бұрын

@@MastersOfMaskThat's not what they said. My 5.0 was flawless too

@thatsthesandersfamily 5 ай бұрын

@@kennetho5393same i had one too great vehicle

@danielwells5032 10 ай бұрын

My 2000 is still kicking. Rust on every inch of it and 220k miles but the 5.0 v8 is amazing.

@eam417 10 ай бұрын

I got a 2000 Mercury Mountaineer 5.0 V8 2 WD and I can say the 0-60 is a kick in the butt when you put your foot down. Just not in the rain, it tends to get a bit swirly. It a great truck.

@OldThomMerton 10 ай бұрын

Wow, that Mountaineer is really clean for a 2001.

@williamGT 6 ай бұрын

I currently own a 1998 Explorer 5.0 AWD... spent $3400 Canadian and fixed her up, next project is removing the AWD transfer case and adding the manual shift 4406 from the 97-03 F150.

@390fe390 10 ай бұрын

I own a 2001 Explorer has been in my family since new. 182k miles on it currently. One of the best vehicles I have ever had. Feels like a tank, smooth ride and drivetrain. Would not trade it even for a brand new one! Body on frame, RWD layout, natural aspirated engine, metal bumpers, column shifter, tons of storage, very good ground clearance, and so on. These things were not just versatile but they were built to last. You just don’t see that in new SUVs anymore. Everything is disposable.

@bldontmatter5319 10 ай бұрын

New "SUVs" even have unibody construction and rear wheel Independent suspension. Embarrassing

@b-genspinster7895 10 ай бұрын

Column mounted shifter is where it’s at.

@Kevin6t8 10 ай бұрын

The two things I didn't like about these was the solid rear axle and the numb steering feel for the first few inches of travel either direction. It made for a very tiresome long distance cruiser.

@twofjs6334 10 ай бұрын

@@bldontmatter5319 Square body jeeps are unibody construction. They had solid axles. They are amazing offroad vehicles.

@2010hyundaielantra Ай бұрын

Well i would, sell the new suv and buy the old one back

@curtisblair7618 10 ай бұрын

I had the same Mountaineer. Got it with 120,000 miles on it, paid $4500 . Loved that truck. Gave it to my friend with about 200,000 on it. Should have kept it. He trashed it in less than a year. 😂

@attackb5349 10 ай бұрын

My parents bought a brand new 1997 Mountaineer back in 97. Two tone black and gray with gray leather. Man it was a good looking truck. We were on a road trip with the Firestone tire recall broke. Was a little nerve racking but no issues on ours and we got a new set of Michelins from Ford. 😊 I learned to drive on it and it was a absolute tank in the snow. Very reliable too!

@myob6953 8 ай бұрын

I am a proud owner of 1997 Mercury Mountaineer 5.0 AWD almost 200k miles, still going and it still looks sharp!

@whatchath385 10 ай бұрын

My gf had one and she absolutely loved it! She sold it because it was rusting out and it started needing things fixed every other week. She would buy another one if it was in really good condition.

@outdoornaturestation4043 10 ай бұрын

So glad Brenden is a part of the TFL team. He’s an awesome host and has a wealth of knowledge!

@NWI_Steel 10 ай бұрын

Agreed, he is a great addition to the channel

@9725saints 10 ай бұрын

My grandmother bought one of these new in 2000. She still has it and it’s only at 70k miles. I’ve been driving it around lately and wow I can see why my dad prefers his 2016 4Runner😂. I really do like driving the mountaineer though coming from small 90s cars it takes on the roads like nothing and is a pretty smooth ride. The torque on these v8s catches me by surprise too👌🏼. Just used it the other day to load an engine block in the back too since there’s so much space.

@tonyc7435 10 ай бұрын

Does she want to sell it? I am looking to buy one

@JonOfThe979 10 ай бұрын

Crazy to me that a 2001 is a classic now.

@EZchairchillen 10 ай бұрын

Yes, you are old

@angelgjr1999 10 ай бұрын

Yup

@irondino247 10 ай бұрын

I know man, time is speeding these days

@TonyDMan67 10 ай бұрын

I had over 300k miles on my 2000 Mountaineer when it was totalled by a dump truck sliding thru an intersection. I was okay, but the motor didn't survive. I miss it alot since I had cam work and other goodies added on. It was a great "Road Trip " vehicle.

@joedimos 10 ай бұрын

When I was a kid, I submitted a request to get some brochures from Mercury for the second generation Mountaineer. I really appreciated their ad campaign for those. The "Mountaineer Soundtrack" was actually complete with Marvin Gaye "Let's Get It On"..

@DblOSmith 10 ай бұрын

My parents had the '97 Explorer with the OHV V6 and 5spd auto. That vehicle was a tank. It lasted forever and the 5spd automatic really paired well with that engine. It felt much more peppy than it had any right to be.

@mjrtensepian1727 10 ай бұрын

The 5.0 V8 AT AWD model is the one to get; It comes with a relatively bulletproof 4r70w transmission. Later models (like '97-'00 ish) have the GT40 cylinder heads from earlier SVT products. Until recently these were a dime a dozen(

@XxViciousxX 10 ай бұрын

Man I still sometimes miss my old 97 explorer with the 5.0. That thing was a tank never left me stranded got me 390,000 miles out of it before I sold it.

@XxViciousxX Ай бұрын

@geraldadventures That's where it failed a few times I went through 3 transmissions in those 390k miles. Was still a great truck though even with the transmission failure. At least in my opinion.

@user-mi6ff8uv7g 7 ай бұрын

Ive owned a 2000 Explorer 5.0 for the last two years. All ive done is dual exhaust and the rest just maintenance items. Its been very reliable. 190,000 miles currently with many more to go

@JoshHallingse 10 ай бұрын

Brenden and Tommy are pulling on the heart strings with these late 90s, early 2000s vehicle purchases/reviews! Thank you! My favs...96 BMW 3.25i, mid 90's Mazda Millenia, and of course the the 1st gen Chrysler Sebring JXI. All made driving fun in there own way.

@spacecatF40 9 ай бұрын

I got my first car last year it was a 2000 mountaineer with a v6 and I still drive it. overall soild truck and yesterday I just changed one of the sparkplugs and I wish the suspension has a little bit more cushion but its over 23 years old. I rearly see any other mountaineers and when I do usually give a wave

@justadakota1822 10 ай бұрын

So glad you guys dhow love to these cool older cars. However we both know that the grang Cherokee and durangos where the ones to get. Around that time remember they had the 5.2 and the 5.9 and they both had more power especially in the jeep. Ppus had 3rd row and the durangos where great looking.

@hodad200 10 ай бұрын

These are tanks. Picked up a clean ‘97 5.0 AWD with 150k miles for $2500 USD. Wish it had low range, and the around town mileage leaves something to be desired, but otherwise it’s great. Takes everything you throw at it. FYI all the early build trucks were 5.0 AWD with the 4404 t case. Later trucks were available 2wd and/or v6. These were originally more up market than the explorer so they came pretty loaded options wise.

@TheRealSuperJ 10 ай бұрын

I leased a new 1997 Mountaineer on A plan for $379/mo for 24 months with zero down. I loved that thing!

@felixbaum48 10 ай бұрын

Super reliable cheap-to-free 4x4 Vechicle. That's actually great on the highway? Don't tell anyone!!

@dawsonfradin9071 9 ай бұрын

What I love about old SUVs (My 06 Explorer included) is that if you got them without a 3rd row, you got a massive storage area. With the 2nd row down, you basically have a bed out of a Ranger/S10. Im on the hunt for a new truck, and to get a midsize, 2 row suv, on a truck platform is next to impossible unless you get a 4Runner. I like these old school, utility focused SUVs. Even the nice "Luxury" trims were basically just adding some nice creature comforts, which was perfect for regular use.

@aaronbehindbars 10 ай бұрын

The 302 truck engines were very understressed. Bot a ton of power, but made great low end torque, especially just driving around light on the throttle. I had a 91 F-150 with that engine and and it would hit OD at 42 mph and around 1100 rpm and that thing would chug up hills without needing to kick down. The GT40 heads and intake were a common upgrade for the pickups to gain a few extra ponies, but they probably diminished some of that low end grunt to a small extent. If you took one of these Explorer/Mountaineers and tossed in a E303 or B303 cam, high flow cat, and 3 inch single exhaust, you'd be sitting at 250-260 hp which "probably" isn't too much for the stock awd system. Lowered 2/3" on some nice 17's, you'd have a pretty slick performance SUV.

@davidheckart639 10 ай бұрын

Great vehicle, absolutely agree! Our family had 2 of them and they were all that you say. Nevertheless you’re now looking at a vehicle over 20 years old!

@dmope22 8 ай бұрын

I like this vehicle. I am glad to see you show some of the features on it. I own a 1999 mountaineer V8 5.0. and it is still running after 208.000+ miles. they burn a lot of gas but it runs.

@LukeEdward 10 ай бұрын

Let’s be honest, it the presenter that’s more of a gem.

@robervin9107 10 ай бұрын

Preach it yas

@user-sf7kl9uh7k 10 ай бұрын

He's got that "trust them instantly" feel.

@taurussel 10 ай бұрын

I love those explorers and mountaineers. Would love that one!

@upscaleshack 10 ай бұрын

@@user-sf7kl9uh7k If you trust a used car auction flipper instantly you deserve exactly what you buy.

@kennetho5393 10 ай бұрын

Yeah but that Mountaineer is really clean and 5.0 powered. I had one with the 5.0 that looked exactly like it but with base equipment. It was one of my best vehicles so far.

@kennetho5393 10 ай бұрын

I had a '97 Mountaineer exactly the same colors and the 5.0. I bought it used 14 years ago and was one of the best vehicles i ever bought. Should have kept it.

@jaypioh 10 ай бұрын

i freaking love both my 98 Explorers besides the SOHC problems. I've been slowly buying the optional upgrades that are found on the Mountaineers and Limited/ED Explorers like the message system, auto AC, heated mirrors, etc.

@MatthewTheCCMA 10 ай бұрын

Back in high school I was in marching band playing the bass drum, I had a 1996 Ford Explorer XLT with like 220k at the time and it was such a good SUV, the 4 wheel drive still worked great. Another one of us in the percussion section had a mercury version and it was sooo nice inside. Made up for the 10 MPG! Haha

@jacknimble1 10 ай бұрын

My grandmother has one of these in mint condition with about 35k miles but the v6,4x4 that sits in a garage. It really looks new. Was my grandfathers. Just talking to my dad yesterday about the value and what they will do with it.

@danielwells5032 10 ай бұрын

WOW that engine bay is immaculate…

@2H2521 10 ай бұрын

One of the best SUV’s ever made!

@braxtonmorgan2125 9 ай бұрын

i own a 98 mountaineer 5.0 awd and i dont ever see myself getting rid of it. i threw an intake on it and a 15" sub in the back and still have plenty of trunk room. i did a chrome delete for the grille, rear emblem and hub caps, and i unbolted the muffler at the cats. still slow for now but man does it sound incredible. i have a lot more plans for this car

@CaMsTaYlOrD 5 ай бұрын

This car saved my life when I got into my horrible accident. ❤

@rtcturnemup7028 10 ай бұрын

The nostalgia with this explorer/mountaineer. Personally my family was always into ford suvs but I had a thing for the trailblazer and Tahoe duo just a little more.

@mc540flip 10 ай бұрын

Crazy, I was literally looking at one of these last night and this posts this morning!

@Higherthanany1 10 ай бұрын

Very nostalgic I use to own a 97 5.0 AWD explorer Eddie Bauer edition it was one of the most reliable versatile and capable vehicles iv ever owned use to give the new edge mustangs a run for their money

@Ruben-dr4yi 10 ай бұрын

Great job Brenden..really enjoy your videos

@mattmaverick703 10 ай бұрын

These were great trucks regardless of what ppl think! Same for the Explorers of this Generation which were all based off the bulletproof Ford Rangers of same era! I bought a 98 Ford Explorer 2dr Sport for $1600 wasn't in pristine condition but very mint with little rust few years ago, and truthfully other than new tires and battery that truck was super reliable and handled great in bad weather with the 4x4. Heck it had remote start and ice cold AC that worked still

@xziang 10 ай бұрын

Loved these actually and basically the drivetrain is what didmit for me. Gt40 intake and heads made it better than the normal mustang 5.0. The engine runs great and if taken care of will last a long time. Not very fuel efficient but reliable.

@Simple_Jack82 10 ай бұрын

Right on, man. When you know, you know.

@kennetho5393 10 ай бұрын

My 5.0 Mountaineer had the 3.73 axle and could still get 20-21 mpg highway running 75 mph. I usually averaged 17 mpg. It was decent but fuel economy was the reason I sold it.

@BRBNWolf 10 ай бұрын

TFL bump! 🎉 I’m sure with you and Tommy making videos at the auction has single handily divine prices up on the pre owned market 😂

@mikeloeffler6325 10 ай бұрын

Had a white one 1999 5.0awd fully loaded with a six disc cd changer in the center console awesome small suv other than the gas mileage

@joesciandro8478 10 ай бұрын

Keep up the Great videos I had an old explorer v8 i think with the 4.6 great old suv.

@gqami 10 ай бұрын

Case in point, manufacturer’s had rear air vents and yet today, for 2-3x more money, no rear seat vents. Great video guys.

@RonnN-gf8tm 10 ай бұрын

Not too many of those models in Canada... I used to see only one in town..nice square body style.. good video TFL

@TheKelvala 10 ай бұрын

I have a 2012 Ford Escape (sibling to this one and the Mazda Tribute). Its also the last year of this body style. I love it, sunroof, bluetooth radio (gen 1 sync), AWD, heated seats, parking indicators and it cost me around 8k. I've had it for 4 years and its only needed oil changes. 140+k miles on it and running strong. I would most definitely get another one.

@user-pgchargerse71 10 ай бұрын

There was also a Mercury version of the escape, I think it was called the Mariner

@1leggeddog 10 ай бұрын

The center console and onboard computer was very cool. Heck, all of the features seem useful.

@americanrambler4972 10 ай бұрын

That’s a nice clean old truck! It is a hidden gem. Someone is going to get a rake ally nice old car.

@sternumboy1 10 ай бұрын

I have a 99 mountaineer that's only got 120k on it. The interior is showing its age, but mechanically it's solid.

@MOBGaming4 10 ай бұрын

I had a 5 liter Explorer and loved the power. Only bad thing, the u joints in the drive train kept going bad. Eventually sold it for a XJ lol

@lanceripplinger8352 10 ай бұрын

That dash looks exactly like the one in my dad's 2000 Ranger, and my 2004 Ranger (just a different different instrument cluster in mine versus that). I didn't even know they had a 5.0L V8 option. Maybe that is why on KZfaq, you can find videos of people doing the 5.0L swap into their Rangers from the 4.0L V6.

@tonyc7435 10 ай бұрын

I have been wanting this gen so bad, but I have been looking for the Explorer version/ I am going to look for one of these now. I would love a clean one just like this one

@grantman64 10 ай бұрын

My wife and I were car shopping many moons ago and came across a 1997 Mountaineer in Willow Green, with matching green leather interior. It had the V8, which immediately grabbed my attention. We took it for a test drive, and I was ready to buy it, but my wife started in with carping about gas mileage. In the end we passed it by.

@markhavelka4924 10 ай бұрын

That’s one clean Mountaineer!

@cartopia6161 10 ай бұрын

Really clean. I could see that selling for $7-8k on the private seller market.

@bricegraham8256 10 ай бұрын

I love love love these Mountaineers. And also the first generation Mountaineer based off the second generation Ford Explorer.

@einfeldt777 10 ай бұрын

That is so cool, thanks for sharing 🤗🤗🤗

@twofjs6334 10 ай бұрын

We had one. I still see them around here in SW CO. The Mountaineer was a nice vehicle but the seat comfort was far from the three Explorers we had owned. The Explorer I had that had belonged the Harry Cary was rather plush. The Mountaineer was traded in on a 94' Saab 9000.

@bryanhill4516 10 ай бұрын

My grandpa gave me his so I had one for awhile with the same setup. The only thing it didn't pass was a gas station...LOL

@gmanandhislady 7 ай бұрын

We briefly had a 2002 Mercury Mountaineer that was on its last leg. The AWD was messed up, and we were always running out of gas because the gas mileage sucked even more with it needing work. It was a POS. We ended up letting it go back because it was a lemon, and the car dealership was unwilling to help us get it fixed.

@deejayimm 10 ай бұрын

The second gen Explorer sport with the correct drivetrain was a little off-road beast.

@hkm_865 10 ай бұрын

I love these things. Couple inch lift and some meaty tires on stock wheels. Future classics

@MCD1994 9 ай бұрын

I had one just like this one same color and everything. I loved that car mine only had 85000 when I sold it. I hated selling it but I needed the cash bad ihave two kids. And I was in CDL school and gas was 5 bucks gallon here in ohio.

@sx20Ramar 9 ай бұрын

I bought a 2000 Mountaineer, 302, black with beige interior, sun roof, AWD , around 5 years ago for $1400. Just passed inspection again today. 12 mpg sucks.

@unintendedpurposes 10 ай бұрын

The fact that Ford has had a keypad on the door to get into the car since the 90s and still few makers have it today, puts ford above the competition. I cant express how convenient it is to lock my keys and wallet in the glove box so i dont lose them on the trail.

@mattjohnson6227 10 ай бұрын

That thing is in great shape

@ambienteterrazas 10 ай бұрын

About a year ago when i was looking for a cheap camping rig i came upon a second gen explorer with the V8, i defenitely wanted it since the V8 came paired with the more reliable transmission, it was in good enough condition and the price was perfect but i never realized it only came with awd, since i go camping deep into baja i absolutely needed an suv with a 2 speed transfer case, i never understood why ford didn't just slap a 2 speed transfer case in the V8's, there is a mod for it but i did not want to mess with it.

@bobbydavenport8941 Ай бұрын

I had a 1997 mercury stable ls wagon I bought as a fixer upper it also had a power lock switch in the cargo area it wasn't in the worse shape the odometer showed it had only 127,000 but later I did a Carfax on it using the vin ,it came back showing 400,000 so that was the end of that

@AbuPaul 10 ай бұрын

My 2015 Explorer has 129K - this car is brand new :)

@petermandics1517 10 ай бұрын

Brenden, help me understand why you were minimizing the Firestone tire recall. While I guess you're right that "relatively few people had that issue", it killed 238 people, leaving another 500 with injuries, here in the U.S. alone. Wouldn't you agree that's exactly why that "bad reputation" that they got "caught up in" was well earned?

@edwined82 10 ай бұрын

I like those types of vehicles

@notsureigaf 10 ай бұрын

I almost bought one of these last year, the V8 was enticing and they can be converted to standard part-time 4x4 without too much effort. Previous experiences with Ford reliability, if you can call it that, ultimately scared me off though.

@alangrosinske3244 5 ай бұрын

I bought my 99 5.0 about a year ago now has 200,000 .. Runs amazing.. suspension is iffy though

@PaddyBoy644 10 ай бұрын

My favourite presenters on TFL are Brendan and Andre. Keep up the great work guys! Cheers Pat 🇦🇺

@gpilsitz1783 10 ай бұрын

About $4k tops. Good, thorough, review.

@austinreeves9112 10 ай бұрын

I have a 2000 mountaineer with only 130,000 miles and all original, the cosmetics are rough but it was given to me after my grandmother passed away and I can't part with it.

@igarrett113 10 ай бұрын

My mom had an 99 Mountaineer lasted until 2021. 😊

@blackri75 10 ай бұрын

LOL thank. Now I have another vehicle to add to my want list.

@johnalexander6322 10 ай бұрын

I had a 1996 Explorer v6 OHV, and a 2000 Explorer v6 SOHC

@richonsound6531 10 ай бұрын

That red beard In contrast with that white old schoolgirl SUV. Majestic!

@bronzechicken4437 10 ай бұрын

I'd be interested in buying that exact Mountaineer if possible.

@JamesPhieffer 10 ай бұрын

The whole deal with the Explorer/Mountaineer was entirely a tire problem with the Firestone tires they came with, combined with the 29 lb air pressure recommended by Ford. Boost the pressure or replace the tires, and you have no problem. And even if you had a tire blow, the Explorer was entirely safe. Car & Driver repeatedly experimented with rapidly deflating or blowing a tire at speed, and the Explorer behaved like ANY other car. So long as you keep your foot off the brake - Driving 101 in the event of a blowout - it was easily controllable as it rolled to a stop. I wouldn't hesitate to buy one, for myself or anyone else.

@Doncan0823 10 ай бұрын

😲😍 It is a true gem. If I had the money, Ill buy it in a heartbeat

@saysbadman 10 ай бұрын

That bit about the V8 being a couple seconds faster is not true from what I gather. The previous V6 cologne engine only had 160 HP, but the 2001 cologne V6 had an overhead cam and produced 210hp or the same as the V8. I couldn't tell you about the power band or exact 0-60, but they should be fairly similar.

@xziang 10 ай бұрын

Bummer was hoping you were going tomshow what it sold for at the auction

@Motorsportsgeek 10 ай бұрын

that thing is mint

@cpear760 10 ай бұрын

Looks like the PO took care of it. For 100k, it's looking great.

@slowstang88 10 ай бұрын

I had a 1999 Mountaineer 5.0 2wd. I regret getting rid of it

@kc0lif 10 ай бұрын

i be looking it on tflbids. but the next generation had a third row seat. mountainer always 4 door explorer had 2 doors that year.

@minipandora22 10 ай бұрын

I miss Mercury 😢

@fishtropiccanada4747 10 ай бұрын

No clue they even made those 😂 awesome truck. And i bet you could upgrade that engine to be super quick ❤

@KevinCruz-pu2ue 10 ай бұрын

The best way to upgrade that engine to make it real quick is to pull it from the Mountaineer and drop it in a Ranger. Instant 800lb weight reduction.

@jaypioh 10 ай бұрын

Saleen made em pretty quick for what they were

@hezues 8 ай бұрын

I have one witj 260,000 miles. Loud as all help with the 5.0 and half an exhaust but still goes great

@ousamaabdu794 6 ай бұрын

Im looking at buying a 2001 Mercury Mountaineer 4x4 with the V8. Can someone chime in with any personal thoughts how this unit does in the snow?

@anthonyrivera4735 4 ай бұрын

The Ford Explorer and Mercury Mountainer would both get redesigned for the 2001 model year.

@fscottgray9784 10 ай бұрын

I would get a similar year Dodge Durango with real 4 wheel drive and pay about half of what a similar Explorer/Mountaineer . More power and 3rd row seats.

@richfarfugnuven6308 10 ай бұрын

Those old Durangos had rust issues though, have to find a southwest one, though...

@2H2521 10 ай бұрын

Durangos are junk!

@VanessaCastano-hf1px Ай бұрын

My 2012 infinity broke I couldn’t afford to fix . I was praying to Jesus for a car . I meet this lady at work she told me I have a car in my house it’s been there for 5 years I lost keys she said if u can make it run it’s yours . To my surprise it was a 2001 mercury mountaineer 80k milles . I called lock smith and a new battery and I’m loving it ❤ thank u Jesus . Ask and it shall be given