 My mom bought this SUV in October 2012 (I've daily driven it since September 2014) with 113,000 miles, with almost all the maintenence reports, and the vehicle was very well maintained. First year of ownership was great.  It Handled very well, rode very nicely, had a lot of power, and got good gas mileage (25 MPG combined).  About 13 months later it started having normal issues, like needing tie rods and tires and spark plugs.  Then the vacuum leaks popped up.  Then the exhaust falling off the car.  Then needing a seal on the transfer case replaced.  My car died in September 2014, and I've been driving the Escape almost daily since.  In that time, it's needed struts as well as two new tires, which are normal things to wear on a car.  The not so normal?  Power steering pump failed twice, needed new brake lines, new front calipers, as well as a new master cylinder, more vacuum leaks, exhaust leaks, ball joints, and a wheel bearing.  Fast forward to now, the car sits at 153,954 miles, and the car has an extremely rough idle, a plastic melting smell that will literally burn your eyes, and stalling.  I'm pretty sure it's a vacuum link, my mom thinks the engine is blown.  Either we're not sinking any more money into it, as the transmission was on it's way out as well.