Used Ford Endeavours are easy to find, but are they safe buys? We explain
The Indian car market is moderately old now, which is why the used car market is full of all kinds of options in India. If you’re out to buy a pre-owned vehicle in the Indian market and want to get hands on the previous-generation Endeavour, you may find multiple examples of them in the used car market.
Many of these well-maintained vehicles are priced lower than a brand new mid-size hatchback, which makes them very attractive. However, how safe are these vehicles to buy and maintain? We have gathered a few points that can help you immensely while buying a used, first-generation Ford Endeavour in the Indian market.
Also read Buyer’s Guide for Ford Endeavour
Examples of affordable used first-generation Ford Endeavour SUVs: Ford Endeavour Example 1, Example 2, Example 3
Ford Endeavour has a lot of good things going for it and you’ve singled out the vehicle on your buying list, you probably have thought of the same good things.
A simple, no-nonsense design
The previous-generation Ford Endeavour gets a simple and straightforward design. The power of the older-generation Endeavour lies in its simple yet powerful design. It looks like a true American SUV. The Endeavour is built on the ladder frame chassis and it seems like the designer of the previous-generation model did not spend much time on beautifying the vehicle.
Very rugged and capable
The simple design that it gets also makes it very rugged. The old Endeavour could take all the rough handling and rough roads without squealing any noise. The vehicle is very capable too. It came with both 4X2 and 4X4 versions and it also received the 4X4 Low transfer case, which made the Endeavor mighty capable. It came with a 3.0-litre diesel engine that produces a maximum of 154 Bhp and 380 Nm of peak torque.
Great value for money
If you find a well-maintained Ford Endeavour, which is easy to find, you will enjoy the big space inside the vehicle, its power and how capable it is. None of these things can be offered by any mid-size hatchback or sedan in the market at the same price as the used Endeavour. It is just massive value for money when you buy a used Endeavour in the market.
Widespread service network
Ford has a moderately well-spread service network in India and can be found in all the major cities and many Tier-II and Tier-III cities of India. Even though the old-generation Ford Endeavour got replaced by the all-new model a few years back, Ford offers a great after-sales back-up and you will not need to rely on a local mechanic for the regular service of the vehicle. Also, sourcing the spare parts is also very easy with a functional service network.
However, there are quite a few issues that might be faced by the owners of used Ford Endeavour. Here are a few of them
Old engine
The 3.0-litre engine available with the old Endeavour is not available in the market now. Even though the older engine produces a lot of torque, it made a loud rough noise and was not exactly very smooth to drive. Well, this can be a problem for some people who are looking to buy a silent SUV with super NVH levels.
5-Speed automatic
The 5-speed automatic transmission available with the old Ford Endeavour is extremely sluggish and slow. The torque converter transmission available with the older model is very crude. If you’re looking to buy an automatic version of the old Endeavour, make sure that you take it for a proper spin to feel the vehicle completely before you buy it.
Bad fuel efficiency
The old Ford Endeavour gets a very thirsty diesel engine. Most of the times in city traffic, the heavy Endeavour returns around 8-9 km/l and on the highways 10-12 km/l, which is extremely low. The diesel guzzler was not known for its fuel efficiency and it may just increase the running cost of the vehicle.
Expensive spares
The old Endeavour has been discontinued for a long time now. And the SUV has very little localisation. This means high spare parts cost. Also, like all old cars, maintenance will be higher on an old Endeavour as opposed to a new one. So, future owners of this SUV need to take this factor into consideration.
Bouncy ride
The older Ford Endeavour was infamous of a bouncy ride because of the suspension set-up. If the vehicle had only one or two occupants, it bounced quite a lot on the rough roads. This problem was not evident when it was full of passengers though.
Risk of ban
With the NGT imposing a ban of 10 years on diesel vehicles and 15 years on petrol vehicles, the used vehicles have a lower life than new vehicles. Currently, the rule is applicable only in the Delhi-NCR region but other states may soon pick it up due to the rising pollution all over the country.
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