Ever see a Lincoln Aviator pull a Coyote up a mountain?

The Aviator, Lincolns luxury version of the Ford Explorer had me spoiled. Air conditioned seats oh my! And just when I started wearing shorts on my chicken legs. Yeah you can tell I've been in the big city too long, imagine me with shorts and sandals. And then there is the GPS touch screen that maps the roads ahead of me. This is too cool to see the intersections that are coming up and gas stations and finding a movie theater complete with play by play driving directions. The Aviator has 4 valves per cylinder in it's all aluminum 4.6L V-8 302 horsepower engine verses the Explorer's 2 valves 239 horsepower engine. Just like big brothers 5.4L 4 valve in the Navistar compared to the Expedition's 2 valve 5.4L. But that's not all you get for the thousands the Lincolns cost over the Explorer. The laminated front door windows keep out wind noise as just another feature of the extra quite comfort if you want it quite. The stereo system complete with a six disc CD behind the GPS screen, has touch screen controls to move the speakers to the seats you want the sound to come from. The front seats are perforated for heat or AC with 5 settings and the Aviator seats seven like a mini-van with the 2nd and 3rd folding out of the way. The Premium model I had came with a rear DVD, power pedals, express down and up drivers window, dual temp control, plus more buttons in the steering wheel for the stereo, mute, temp and navigation. I'm not sure I could list all the features including suspended needles in the gauges in the dash that turns black when you shut it off. The GPS screen will turn black at night to cut out glare.

When a new vehicle arrives my girls have to show it to all the neighbors and with the rear DVD and three rows of seats, the Aviator was a mobile theater for a while. Even the middle row of seats recline. Then you have me upfront with my air conditioned seats and touch screen Lincoln Navigation (GPS) map which is more fun than video games and who needs $8 popcorn and a crowed theater parking lot. I've always liked the way Lincoln puts their seat controls on the doors instead on the side of the seat where you can barely reach them. You know you're in a Luxury vehicle with American Burl Walnut on the top of the steering wheel and throughout the dash, with the extra storage compartments in the armrests and pockets that fold out of the doors.

The ride of the Aviator is excellent with 4-wheel independent suspension, and large 4 wheel disc ABS brakes stopping this 5000# luxury SUV very smoothly an in a surprisingly controlled manner. And then there is the AdvanceTrac  traction and stability enhancement system (Interactive Vehicle Dynamics) , now this is hard to explain, it's some of that YAW stuff, no not yah the cattle but the YAW the center axis of the weight of a vehicle is where it pivots side to side with dominant dynamics at highway speeds. In plainer English, the computer uses the ABS brakes to use right or left brakes, front or rear or a combination of all the wheels to stabilize the vehicle if you lose traction or go into a skid like a co-pilot helping you get your SUV under control during those emergency situation we try to avoid. All that plus side curtain air bags and tire pressure monitoring that tells you if a tire is under or over inflated adds to this SUV's  safety category commitment.

I did get up to 18 mpg on the highway and 9.3 mpg pulling the travel trailer in the mountains with the All-Wheel-Drive in auto mode. Nice warranty on the Aviator, it's 48 month or 60,000 miles bumper to bumper with service free for the first 36 months or 36,000 miles.

The Coyote Sportster travel trailer I pulled to Estes Pak is within the maximum trailer capacity (7100#) of the Aviator AWD at sea level with the optional class III tow package. With the 5-speed auto and 3.73 rear axle ratio, the Aviator can be used as a comfortable towing machine. It had no problem pulling the 26' Coyote Sportster's empty weight of 4085#'s. This would be a nice combination for searching the wilderness on your vacation. Go deep into back roads of the mountains, pull over to camp and lower the Coyote's rear ramp and release your ATV to explorer the mountains and then when you are really lost, check out the GPS on the Lincoln and find civilization again. The Aviator has great HID headlights for seeing the deer that like to hang out on the side of mountain roads at night. The rear view mirrors will dim with approaching vehicles from the rear and automatically lower when you backup so you can see which lawn chair you are about to back over.

The Aviator 4-wheel independent suspension improves the ride but pulling a trailer may give you more sway from a trailer leveraged on your receiver hitch. Since it's not my $51,835 invested in the MSRP of the Aviator, I used Equal-i-zer's weight distributing hitch to control the trailer movement. The Coyote Sporter travel trailer from Economy RV pulled superbly up and down Colo. Highway 34 to Estes Park with no "Elvis the Pelvis hip action."

Coyote Sportster Travel Trailer Plus

The drought and runaway fires were last year. This year the lakes are full and it's time to get back to that great Colorado camping. Which is one of the best ways to keep the family together on weekends before the kids grow up and fall out of the nest. But then when that happens there is more room for more toys, (ATV, motorcycle, jet ski) in the back of a trailer like the Coyote Sportster that is the next evolution past the tent trailer that has a rear ramp for securely hauling your toys, then that floor space converts to beds or table and couches. The front of the Coyote folds out into another bed. Then you have the 18' awning for your "rest" times from the trail. The model I pulled was the 22CSP with just the right options of an outside shower for you and your fish and an outside stove all under the canopy so you can enjoy the outdoors and stay out of the sun.

I picked up the Coyote just south of Greeley for a straight shot up CO Highway 34 through Loveland and uphill to Estes Park. Jerry Ostermiller gave me the tour of the Coyote,  and showed how it all worked from the canopy that can turn into a carport to the drop down rear ramp door screen that lets you take the party inside and have your own screened porch to listen to the night sounds of nature. That's a lot of camping machine which lists for around $18,000, less than many slide in campers. The model I pulled had the straight axles giving me plenty of clearance for missing the rocks and logs I towed around driving on some of the off-roads on the way to Estes Park and the Rocky Mountain National Park.

The service folks at Economy RV hooked me up to a Prodigy brake controller so I could enjoy the scenery coming down the mountain  without testing the Aviator's YAW! The travel trailer pulled easy and braked well. For first timers you would want to buy an aftermarket wider mirror than what comes on most SUV's. I could see out the right mirror well but I would "wag the tail" to see what's behind me on the drivers side. I took the curvy road to Estes in my usual fashion with no problems leaning into curves in controlled easy cruising. In the city of Estes Park In August there are thousands of tourists any day of the week. Pulling a trailer through all the traffic and up and down to the many side shops was all possible and I even backed into a couple of parking spots of course to find my favorite caramel apples at the Chocolate Factory.

I come here to watch water run, this being the Big Thomson River and of course the caramel apples. This one from the Chocolate Factory covered in walnuts. Work work work but I do take a break from a long day of fresh mountain air, white water and air conditioned seats to stop and eat my vitamin filled nutritious caramel apple.

HOME  PAGE 1   2    3    4

 A special thanks to Don, Gary and Rich Schwartz of Economy RV (45 years young in business) for the Coyote Sportster and Jerry Ostermiller in sales there at 1-970-339-5350 Check out there website at www.economyrv.com

© Copyright 2003 H. Kent Sundling and MrTruck.net/com All rights reserved including digital rights.