Advice buying 2007 navigator

[Maximuz]

Im about to buy 2007 Navigator
Still has around 95k on the mileage
What flaws that i need to look for? I used to have cadillac srx and tend to have oil leak from the pan
Seller asking around 7k for this bad boy
Appreciate it for the advice

 

[jkeaton]

2007 Lincoln Navigator Problems and Complaints - 15 Issues

Problem with your 2007 Lincoln Navigator? Our list of 15 known complaints reported by owners can help you fix your 2007 Lincoln Navigator.

repairpal.com

 

[Indy]

Spark plugs are a major problem if they have never been changed. They tend to break off in the head. This happen enough that there is a special tool made just for removing the broken plug.

Do you know the maintenance history for the engine, this would be important?

You might want to watch some of the videos by this guy when he covers the Ford 5.4L 3V Triton engine that you have. Specifically when he talks about these items.

Roller Followers
VCT
Timing Chain
Chain Tensioners

 

[Maximuz]

Spark plugs are a major problem if they have never been changed. They tend to break off in the head. This happen enough that there is a special tool made just for removing the broken plug.

Do you know the maintenance history for the engine, this would be important?

You might want to watch some of the videos by this guy when he covers the Ford 5.4L 3V Triton engine that you have. Specifically when he talks about these items.

Roller Followers
VCT
Timing Chain
Chain Tensioners

This is the list that the seller did so far. manifold gaskets 850$
New coil packs 250
New abs sensors 180
New air filters 35
Differential flush 95
Coolant flush 75
New wipers 60$
New ac compressor 500-600$

I have to do the spark plugs and allignment if im buying this

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[Action]

May be.

2007 Navigator will have a 5.4l 3v engine. The issue of the 2 piece spark plug breaking was changed for all 5.4l 3v engines bult after 10/9/07.
If he seller supplies you with a picture of the warranty decal (The decal on the driver door post with the VIN) or you can look at it there will be a date code in the upper left corner. It will only give month and year. Many times the sticker is mounted sideways.
If after that 10-07 then you are good. Or if before ask if the plugs have been changed.

I have an 06 Navi. I have replaced all the plugs two times. ON the initial change I broke two. Extracted one with a $50 tool set. And paid a shop $180 to extract the other. All subsequent times have been no problems as it is a matter of using a very high temp anti-sieze and replacing plugs every 50,000 miles versus the factory recommendation of something like 75K or more.

Action

 

[Maximuz]

May be.

2007 Navigator will have a 5.4l 3v engine. The issue of the 2 piece spark plug breaking was changed for all 5.4l 3v engines bult after 10/9/07.
If he seller supplies you with a picture of the warranty decal (The decal on the driver door post with the VIN) or you can look at it there will be a date code in the upper left corner. It will only give month and year. Many times the sticker is mounted sideways.
If after that 10-07 then you are good. Or if before ask if the plugs have been changed.

I have an 06 Navi. I have replaced all the plugs two times. ON the initial change I broke two. Extracted one with a $50 tool set. And paid a shop $180 to extract the other. All subsequent times have been no problems as it is a matter of using a very high temp anti-sieze and replacing plugs every 50,000 miles versus the factory recommendation of something like 75K or more.

Action

Thank u for your insight

 

[Action]

Oh my guess on the above work the seller states they have done.
My guess is there was a fair bit of over repair. Likely chasing an issue that was not diagnoses, just parts were thrown at it. That is OK if you have a lot of money.

These are really very good vehicles if they are well maintained. Because there is not a lot of maintenance (unlike cars of the 70s and earlier) many owners forget to do any maintenace other than change the oil. Should last you to triple the current mileage or much more. My 06 looks like a new used car and has close to 200k on it

Action

 

[Maximuz]

Oh my guess on the above work the seller states they have done.
My guess is there was a fair bit of over repair. Likely chasing an issue that was not diagnoses, just parts were thrown at it. That is OK if you have a lot of money.

These are really very good vehicles if they are well maintained. Because there is not a lot of maintenance (unlike cars of the 70s and earlier) many owners forget to do any maintenace other than change the oil. Should last you to triple the current mileage or much more. My 06 looks like a new used car and has close to 200k on it

Action

Does 07 have air suspension or coil spring?

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[Action]

I think it has dynamic (air) suspension on all 4 wheels
My 06 has dynamic suspension and it was standard on all Navigators of that year
And I think that is true for all years
Both the first and second Gen Navigators have dynamic suspension.

You are considering a first year 3rd Gen.

Action

 

[Indy]

@Action

Wow, Action, where did you find that info ? Mine had the latter style plugs, so I didn't have any problems. But I would hope so since it's a 2008 model, but it was built in 10/2007.

 

[Maximuz]

Oh my guess on the above work the seller states they have done.
My guess is there was a fair bit of over repair. Likely chasing an issue that was not diagnoses, just parts were thrown at it. That is OK if you have a lot of money.

These are really very good vehicles if they are well maintained. Because there is not a lot of maintenance (unlike cars of the 70s and earlier) many owners forget to do any maintenace other than change the oil. Should last you to triple the current mileage or much more. My 06 looks like a new used car and has close to 200k on it

Action

The seller actually nicely dropping off the car to my house today i knownits def a buy for that price and mileage
Planning to use this for myself

 

[Action]

@Action

Wow, Action, where did you find that info ? Mine had the latter style plugs, so I didn't have any problems. But I would hope so since it's a 2008 model, but it was built in 10/2007.

View attachment 14088

Looks like I mess up on model year versus calendar year. The 2007 would have come with the two piece design spark plugs.

Data came from Ford TSB 08-7-6.

Indy
You have a 10 2007 scheduled build. The modular engine cut off date was 10-7-2007. Very early in October.
You got lucky!!! Way to go.

Action

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[Action]

Roller Followers
VCT
Timing Chain
Chain Tensioners

All of the above modular engine issues mentioned above have always scared me after I bought my NAVI. Those are real issues. You can search the net and find these issues and the repairs for them rather easily.

What I have come to realize (it is just a guess) is the modular engine could be prone to these items. But not all modular engines will have these issues. My only explanation (that makes sense to me) as to why doesn't every modular engine have these issues, comes down to maintenance. That is the only reason I can come up with as to why some engines have issues and others do not. Unless someone else can shed some light.

My recommendation would be to not overextend oil/filter change intervals. ALWAYS use the recommended oil weight. Buy a good quality oil that meets the API service classification for the engine. And use the Motorcraft oil filter. FL820S (It's actually kind of cheap to buy) I no longer believe the oil quality is the biggest factor versus the other items mentioned above. Many people will take me on (or disagree in a big way) for the oil quality piece. That is OK with me. I will not debate this issue. I am good with others buying what they do based on quality. In my opinion, if the oil is changed very regularly and is the recommended weight and the oil meets the needed API service classification I am good. For me that service classification takes out the oil quality question.

And maintenance kind of sums up a lot of things about used vehicles in general. Don't really care how many miles on a used car. If it has been well maintained that is what I seek in a used daily driver. Well maintained beats low miles every day in my opinion.

I will buy poorly maintained stuff however the price paid is adjusted. And usually is confined to non-daily driver vehicles. I have an addiction for the older rides too. My wife wanted to enroll me in a 12 step program. I was very excited! I have 5 classic cars, with a 12 step program I was wondering if that meant I could pick up another 7 rides!

Action

 

[Indy]

And many people will take me on (or disagree in a big way) for the oil quality. That is OK with me. I will not debate this issue.

Oh come on, surely you have been down a few rabbit holes in your life ???

Data came from Ford TSB 08-7-6.

Now that took some careful reading! Just noticed that you are some kind of a STAR at the FORD technical center that issues TSB's, I noticed YOUR NAME in the TSB !

I bet your wrote the whole TSB, not just the one section ...... No need to blush, it's OK, your a talented guy !


.

 

[Action]

LOL

The holes not exactly rabbit. More like black. And I did work for the company at one point. Parts and Service Division (Which is no longer) out of the Seattle District office. FPSD specifically or maybe the company in general has aspects like a black hole. Crap only goes in one direction.

Action

 

[Indy]

Glad I could make you laugh a little and bring back some memories. I hope they are good ones!

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[Action]

My time at the Blue Oval is a mixed bag. It was the realization of a dream that I had for a very long time. And I really have a love for cars. But the company is a business. A very big business. With all of the big business pieces. The District Manager I was hired under was in trouble. Didn't really didn't know that until about a year or two later. That impacted everyone in the District. And I wasn't really interested in climbing the corporate ladder. I was pretty happy in the field. With the product and dealing with issues out in the field. That wasn't what the company wanted. You either moved up or out. Eventually I moved out.

Action

 

[Indy]

Well you certainly learned alot while you were there!

 

[Maximuz]

All of the above issues mentioned have always scared me after I bought my NAVI. Those are real issues. You can search the net and find these items very easily.

What I have come to realize (it is just a guess) is the engine could be prone to these items. But not all engines will have these issues. My only explanation as to why not every engine has these issues comes to maintenance. That is the only reason I can come up with as for why some engines have issues and others do not.

My recommendation would be do not overextend oil/filter change intervals. ALWAYS use the recommended oil weight. Buy a good quality oil that meets the API service classification for the engine. I no longer believe the oil quality is the biggest factor as the other items mentioned. And many people will take me on (or disagree in a big way) for the oil quality. That is OK with me. I will not debate this issue. In my opinion, if the oil is changed very regularly and is the recommended weight, my opinion is the API service classification takes out the quality question.

And that kind of sums up a lot of things about used vehicles in general. Don't really care how many miles on a used car. If it has been well maintained that is what I seek in a used daily driver. Well maintained beats low miles every day in my opinion.

Actio

So got the car yesterday , not the best exterior and interior , missing running board , gave me spark plug motorcraft and need to hire someone to replace that , front bumper tied up with zip tie , no engine light just tpms light on since one of the wheel using non original wheel
So far im loving it and plan to restore the car
Paid $7100 i think its a fair price

 

[Action]

Ouch.
You might negotiate a little or maybe that is inflation, not sure

Hopefully the missing running board is fixed and not a power running board.
Bumper cover has been zip tied
Non-OE wheels without TPMS
Hmmmm

That build date definitely has a 2-piece spark plug as original equipment.
When replacing use anti-seize. And not just any anti-seize. Pictures attached are two different ones.
The Permatex shown is good for 1600 degree f. Not enough for this application.
The Motorcraft high temp is good to 2500 degrees f.


Action