Too Big To Succeed

I bought a new Ford Explorer (V6 / 2WD) back in 2003 and it has significantly exceeded my expectations. When I heard Ford had completely redesigned the Explorer for 2011, I went on line, checked out the pictures, and found it to be well executed, attractive, and seemingly true to form.

Further investigation revealed that the Explorer is no longer an SUV but rather a crossover so in 2WD form, it’s FWD and the ladder frame supplement is gone leaving only a unibody…that’s OK Ford, I don’t need it for towing or going off road so I’ll still buy one in a year or so when the “hoopla” settles down.

Not so fast…it turns out that it’s 7.6 inches longer and a whopping, deal breaking, all bets are off, 18.1 inches wider than my existing Explorer.

I don’t get it…my last garage was the same width as my current garage to the inch even though there’s a ten year difference in construction dates so it appears there’s a pretty high level of consistency in dimensions.

BTW, the new Jeep Grand Cherokee is 0.3 inches longer and 12.7 inches wider than my 2003 Explorer.

I’m already tapped out on width…I just don’t have 12.7 much less 18.1 inches to spare and suspect my situation is fairly typical but I’d like to hear from you folks.

Do you have a foot or two lying around that you can easily part with?

Brett

My wife is new car shopping and she brought home a 2011 Taurus for a couple days. The thing is gargantuan. I'm six feet tall, and I literally cannot see the ground if I roll down the window and lean out--the door is that wide and tall. In spite of the outwardly swollen proportions, the front seats are placed on either side of an overbearingly humongous center console that results in a rather snug, even confining feeling, to the point where it could limit leg placement on long trips. Ride comfort and driving feel were fine for such a boat, but altogether a rather baffling package. Nice big trunk, though. If you're into such things.

They just don't make them like they used to!

Seriously, they don't.

Bryce

I don't care too much for the new explorer's looks, it just looks like a bloated edge.

RX Reven' wrote: I’m already tapped out on width…I just don’t have 12.7 much less 18.1 inches to spare and suspect my situation is fairly typical but I’d like to hear from you folks. Do you have a foot or two lying around that you can easily part with? Brett

not if I want to keep my workbench...SpoCom FTMFW

What numbers are you using? I'm just not seeing an 18" variability in any modern vehicle. Hell - I don't know if Aveo to Suburban accounts for an 18" difference.

FWIW, Wiki says that your current one is 70.2" wide and the new one is 70.4" wide.

Yeah, I'm with DILYSI Dave on this one, there is no stinking way the new one is 18" wider. I think you are getting numbers crossed somewhere.

DILYSI Dave wrote:

What numbers are you using? I'm just not seeing an 18" variability in any modern vehicle. Hell - I don't know if Aveo to Suburban accounts for an 18" difference.

Ford Site

2011 Ford Explorer = 90.2"

Explorer Forum

2003 Ford Explorer = 72.1"

Internet Auto Guide

2003 Ford Explorer = 1,831 mm (1 mm = 0.0394" so that gives us ~ 72.14")

I hope I'm wrong but so far it doesn't look like I am.

DILYSI Dave wrote: FWIW, Wiki says that your current one is 70.2" wide and the new one is 70.4" wide.

Nope the HEIGHT is 70.4 on the new one, the width is 78.9".

It is pretty crazy, the recent one got really fat. From 2002 to 2011 it went from 72.1" wide to 78.9", that's 6.8"!! That's still a LOT.

(This info is from Wikipedia if that can be trusted)

BTW - A Hummer H1 is shown as 86.5" wide, so that 90.2" has to be wrong. I believe the H1 was to be as wide a would fit on a civilian road (maybe by law?).

Edit - That 90.2" on the Ford side is with mirrors. You will likely have to add the mirror width to the 2002 width for a proper comparison.

aircooled wrote:

DILYSI Dave wrote: FWIW, Wiki says that your current one is 70.2" wide and the new one is 70.4" wide.

Nope the HEIGHT is 70.4 on the new one, the width is 78.9". It is pretty crazy, the recent one got really fat. From 2002 to 2011 it went from 72.1" wide to 78.9", that's 6.8"!! That's still a LOT. (This info is from Wikipedia if that can be trusted) BTW - A Hummer H1 is shown as 86.5" wide, so that 90.2" has to be wrong. I believe the H1 was to be as wide a would fit on a civilian road (maybe by law?).

The reported width of 78.9" may be for when the mirrors are folder which does me no good when making a comparison to the non tarted up trim level of my current Explorer.

Hey Guys, I think you are missing the opportunity to visit & screw with their heads:

Let the new salesguy think your all excited and sticky over the re-design, ask for a tape measure...

"Can't buy that bloated porkchop, it won't fit in the garage!"

From the Ford website:

2011 Explorer:
Width - Excluding Mirrors [in] 78.9
Width - Including Mirrors [in] 90.2
Width - Mirrors Folded [in] 82.5

How wide is your current Explorer including and excluding the mirrors? All the specs I see online do not specify, though I assume they do not include the mirrors.

Bob

You fold in the mirrors so you can get the thing into really tight spaces-that's fine, but now you have to back out of a space you couldn't get into without folding in the fricken mirrors without using your mirrors!

MrJoshua wrote: You fold in the mirrors so you can get the thing into really tight spaces-that's fine, but now you have to back out of a space you couldn't get into without folding in the fricken mirrors without using your mirrors!

Look at the backup camera of course.....now I know why they have them.

we made our garage so that we could park out 19.5' long truck in any of the 3 spots. So yeah, I got an extra foot or two.

T.J. wrote:

MrJoshua wrote: You fold in the mirrors so you can get the thing into really tight spaces-that's fine, but now you have to back out of a space you couldn't get into without folding in the fricken mirrors without using your mirrors!

Look at the backup camera of course.....now I know why they have them.

That would help, didn't even think about that, but I am worried about the sides being so close. Reality is I will never buy one and my garage will always have some ratty project car in it so the nice ones always live outside.

not much different from the new Camaro that every one seems to drool over... it's berkeleying HUGE

MrJoshua wrote: You fold in the mirrors so you can get the thing into really tight spaces-that's fine, but now you have to back out of a space you couldn't get into without folding in the fricken mirrors without using your mirrors!

Two words: Combat Park

Whenever possible, whichever vehicle.

That is, park nose out. Leave the vehicle ready to drive straight out. Drive through is preferred - no backing required. Do what backing you have to on arrival, not departure (ER runs excepted).

It's SOP in the military and the oilfield, both places where one sometimes has to jump and run.

Backing in without mirrors will be even more difficult.

Remember: Bigger is better. It's merica' we like everytin' big...

Sorry about your lunch...

That's just mean.

Mounting evidence that the 2011 Explorer actually is 18.1 inches wider than the previous model:

New-Cars.com

Not only does the above reference specifically indicate “overall width” of 72.1 inches but the following wheel track figures are provided: f /r = 60.9/61.2

I’m going to measure my Explorer tonight but I think I can mentally eyeball the distance from the tires sidewall to the tip of the mirror to about +/- one inch.

My best guess is 6 inches so 6 X 2 + 60.9 = 72.9 which agrees pretty nicely with the 72.1 figure.

Anyway, I’m reminded of the Kano Model in marketing where consumer desires are classified as: Needs, Wants, & Delighters.

I want my next vehicle to be narrower and I need it to be no more than an inch or two wider. If it is, I’ll need to remove a bank of four 3w X 2.5d X 7h modular storage shelves which provide 270 cubic feet of space…I’m using 9 rather than 7 for the height to account for the stuff on top of the shelves.

BTW, I’ve been 5Sing my garage over the last few weeks and I’ve now gone through about 80% of my stuff so I don’t believe the solution will be to free up space.

So, I’d like to get a read on how many folks consider vehicle width to be a deal breaker.

5S lol...I have to hear that at work all the friggin time.

I still don't believe it's 18" wider. 6" - sure. 18", NFW.

For reference purposes, I just measured my MINI and it's 76" mirror tip to mirror tip. I'll assume the 2003 Explore dimension excludes the mirrors,or it's narrower than a MINI (don't think so).