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Just drove home a 2021.

Draco-REX

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#1
Well, it was yesterday, but close enough...

Hello! Joining the party here after picking up a 2021 Explorer ST in black with the Street Package (possibly Performance Package, the brakes are very grabby). I needed something in this price range that can tow a 4500lb trailer reliably, and the ST fits the bill pretty well.

It was a bit of an adventure though.

The first one I looked at drove really well. Looking back I think it was modified, likely sway bars and possibly springs as well. I really liked the test drive because it felt like I was driving a sporty wagon instead of a midsize SUV. Unfortuantely, it turned out that the dealership didn't perform a UCI on it before selling it to me. When they finally did the UCI, after I signed the paperwork, they discovered water damage in the "radio" (I'm thinking telematics since the GPS wasn't working) from a leak behind the dashboard. So I called the whole thing off.

I found another 2021 with only 27,000 miles on it, but it was 4 hours away. That dealership was pretty bad too... Ford needs to look a bit closer at the dealerships that fly their logo.

But it's mine now.

Mod plans are simple for now. Top priority will be for towing. So Airlift bags, a trailer brake controller (Redarc or Curt Spectrum), and a rear diff brace. Though I may sneak in some small cosmetic mods. :) But eventually I want this to feel like the first one I test drove, so Steeda springs and sways are on the list for the future.
 

Cajun Heat

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#2
Well, it was yesterday, but close enough...

Hello! Joining the party here after picking up a 2021 Explorer ST in black with the Street Package (possibly Performance Package, the brakes are very grabby). I needed something in this price range that can tow a 4500lb trailer reliably, and the ST fits the bill pretty well.

It was a bit of an adventure though.

The first one I looked at drove really well. Looking back I think it was modified, likely sway bars and possibly springs as well. I really liked the test drive because it felt like I was driving a sporty wagon instead of a midsize SUV. Unfortuantely, it turned out that the dealership didn't perform a UCI on it before selling it to me. When they finally did the UCI, after I signed the paperwork, they discovered water damage in the "radio" (I'm thinking telematics since the GPS wasn't working) from a leak behind the dashboard. So I called the whole thing off.

I found another 2021 with only 27,000 miles on it, but it was 4 hours away. That dealership was pretty bad too... Ford needs to look a bit closer at the dealerships that fly their logo.

But it's mine now.

Mod plans are simple for now. Top priority will be for towing. So Airlift bags, a trailer brake controller (Redarc or Curt Spectrum), and a rear diff brace. Though I may sneak in some small cosmetic mods. :) But eventually I want this to feel like the first one I test drove, so Steeda springs and sways are on the list for the future.
Congrats and welcome to the forum.
 

OP
D

Draco-REX

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2021 Explorer ST
Thread Starter #3
Congrats and welcome to the forum.
Thanks.

I have a small Sync problem, so I've been looking through the Sync threads already.
 

Last edited:

Cajun Heat

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#4
Thanks.

I have a small Sync problem, so I've been looking through the Sync threads already.
You and everyone else.
 

OP
D

Draco-REX

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Thread Starter #5
You and everyone else.
It's unfortunate how poorly some OEMs treat the infotainment. I used to own a 2019 Tacoma, and while the rest of it was pretty good, the infotainment system was horrendous. The DIC in the cluster was a frustrating wreck, and even the button layout on the steering wheel was counter-intutive. Really turned me off of Toyotas; to the point where I wasn't even considering the 4runner for this purchase.

I really liked the system in the Yukon I traded in for the ST. The Sync has been a little disappointing, but not anywhere near as bad as Toyota's.
 

Blue Beast

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#6
Well, it was yesterday, but close enough...

Hello! Joining the party here after picking up a 2021 Explorer ST in black with the Street Package (possibly Performance Package, the brakes are very grabby). I needed something in this price range that can tow a 4500lb trailer reliably, and the ST fits the bill pretty well.

It was a bit of an adventure though.

The first one I looked at drove really well. Looking back I think it was modified, likely sway bars and possibly springs as well. I really liked the test drive because it felt like I was driving a sporty wagon instead of a midsize SUV. Unfortuantely, it turned out that the dealership didn't perform a UCI on it before selling it to me. When they finally did the UCI, after I signed the paperwork, they discovered water damage in the "radio" (I'm thinking telematics since the GPS wasn't working) from a leak behind the dashboard. So I called the whole thing off.

I found another 2021 with only 27,000 miles on it, but it was 4 hours away. That dealership was pretty bad too... Ford needs to look a bit closer at the dealerships that fly their logo.

But it's mine now.

Mod plans are simple for now. Top priority will be for towing. So Airlift bags, a trailer brake controller (Redarc or Curt Spectrum), and a rear diff brace. Though I may sneak in some small cosmetic mods. :) But eventually I want this to feel like the first one I test drove, so Steeda springs and sways are on the list for the future.
Welcome to the forum.
 

Chamorro85

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#7
Welcome, lets get a picture up and make it official!
 

8balldown

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#8
congrats!!
 

OP
D

Draco-REX

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2021 Explorer ST
Thread Starter #9
Welcome, lets get a picture up and make it official!
Thank you. It's just stock for now, so if you've seen a black ST, you've seen mine. But I snapped a pic at lunch today.

20230720_111200.jpg

I also added the first mod. Nothing big, just a small interior mod. If this were a manual, traditionally my first mod would be a shift knob. But since it's an auto, I thought these would be nice for the first:

20230720_111537.jpg

I have another small mod on the way for the interior. The reviews questioned the quality of the product, so I'll have to see how it looks before installing. But if I go with it, I'll post a pic.
 

GearHead_1

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#10
Beautiful! Now about those chrome lugnuts on black wheels...;)
 

OP
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Draco-REX

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Thread Starter #11
Beautiful! Now about those chrome lugnuts on black wheels...;)
Yeah, those are on the list. But next has to be a trailer brake controller.
 

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2023 Explorer ST
#12
Beautiful! Now about those chrome lugnuts on black wheels...;)
I for one like the chrome lugnuts, they match the other shiny bits on the car :cool:
 

GearHead_1

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#13
There is no accounting for taste, and undoubtedly mine isn't for everyone. That said, I see those on black wheels, and I see 5 sore thumbs. ;)
 

f2892704

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2020 Ford Explorer
#14
Congrats!
 

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