The Ford Excursion was one of the largest regular passenger vehicles ever built by Ford Motor Company. Based on the Super Duty pickup truck chassis, the Excursion was designed to compete with the full-sized Chevy Suburban. Despite the large amounts of room and the towing capacity offered by the large sport utility vehicle, the Excursion was often criticized for not being able to fit inside of standard-sized garages and its relatively poor fuel economy. The Excursion was eventually replaced by an extended version of the smaller Ford Expedition.
The Ford Excursion, like many other vehicles, originally came with a new-car warranty when it left the factory. This warranty only lasted for a period of three years and/or 36,000 miles, whichever came first. For many owners who desired long-term ownership of their Excursions, the factory warranty didn’t provide the long-lasting coverage they desired and once the vehicle fell out of the warranty period, they suddenly became responsible for repair bills that totaled in the thousands of dollars.
Long-term ownership comes with its own set of pitfalls, due to the constant need for maintenance and repairs of the vehicles in question. Despite its robust construction and relatively solid reliability, the Ford Excursion is not immune to the rigors of long-term operation. For instance, parts such as air conditioning components, alternators, axles and water pumps will eventually require replacement. In some extreme cases, you may need to have the engine or transmission rebuilt or even replaced. Such repair and replacement tasks can become expensive as the parts and labor costs rack up. Avoiding the possibility of facing a $1200 repair bill is one reason to check out an extended warranty.
Extended warranties are somewhat similar to the warranties offered by the factory, except that it is usually a third-party company offering the warranty. Nevertheless, the extended warranty provides protective coverage for your Excursion and a wide array of other vehicles. With the extended warranty’s coverage, you won’t have to pay out-of-pocket costs for repair expenses. In fact, the only amount you’ll usually have to pay is the deductible. Extended warranty coverage also comes with its own perks, including roadside assistance, free or reduced-cost rentals and the ability to select your own repair shop.