About to sign on the dotted line for a 2005 Ford Escape. Any owners of this model year out there to give me some feedback? Any things I should look out for or have checked out first? Glaring TSB's that are known about? I have researched it a bit myself but just wanted some first hand owner feedback on the car/SUV whatever...
Background:
I am buying this car as a reasonable gas mileage city driving work car. I needed something with some space in the back, but didnt want something hulky around Austin. The compact parking spaces here are ridiculous and anything bigger will likely chug the gas by the truck load. Mostly I dont want to spend half my week pouring gas back into it. I will be driving around town quite a bit in this and so it has to be automatic and be able to put reasonable size items in the back and go. Mostly computer equipment so a truck is kind of ruled out of course. And I plan on buying a Shelby when I can get one without fighting over it, which I am hoping for late 2006 to spring 2007ish. Not holding out to under MSRP kind of thing, but not going to pay 5-10K over just because... This will just be my work car.
Any thoughts? Model in consideration is a 2005 Blue XLT with just about every option that was available at the time for probably about $17,500 with about 19000 miles on it. I just want to know what others have had experience with this car and such. Thanks in advance.
Edit: Just thought I would post a few pictures of my new "ride".
Background:
I am buying this car as a reasonable gas mileage city driving work car. I needed something with some space in the back, but didnt want something hulky around Austin. The compact parking spaces here are ridiculous and anything bigger will likely chug the gas by the truck load. Mostly I dont want to spend half my week pouring gas back into it. I will be driving around town quite a bit in this and so it has to be automatic and be able to put reasonable size items in the back and go. Mostly computer equipment so a truck is kind of ruled out of course. And I plan on buying a Shelby when I can get one without fighting over it, which I am hoping for late 2006 to spring 2007ish. Not holding out to under MSRP kind of thing, but not going to pay 5-10K over just because... This will just be my work car.
Any thoughts? Model in consideration is a 2005 Blue XLT with just about every option that was available at the time for probably about $17,500 with about 19000 miles on it. I just want to know what others have had experience with this car and such. Thanks in advance.
Edit: Just thought I would post a few pictures of my new "ride".
![2005FordEscape.jpg](http://www.amosandjody.com/images/escape/2005FordEscape.jpg)
![2005FordEscape2.jpg](http://www.amosandjody.com/images/escape/2005FordEscape2.jpg)
![2005FordEscape3.jpg](http://www.amosandjody.com/images/escape/2005FordEscape3.jpg)
![2005FordEscape4.jpg](http://www.amosandjody.com/images/escape/2005FordEscape4.jpg)
![2005FordEscape5.jpg](http://www.amosandjody.com/images/escape/2005FordEscape5.jpg)
![2005FordEscape7.jpg](http://www.amosandjody.com/images/escape/2005FordEscape7.jpg)
![2005FordEscape8.jpg](http://www.amosandjody.com/images/escape/2005FordEscape8.jpg)
![2005FordEscape9.jpg](http://www.amosandjody.com/images/escape/2005FordEscape9.jpg)