The main problem with the 3.0L auto's is Ford's shift points I'm pretty sure, I don't think they change the shift points to go with the engines power band... but then again I haven't dealt with a 3.0L...
My '97 is pretty much what I expected when I got it, I don't hate anything about it, sure it's gutless but it does have 4.10's so that helps but I expected it, it's peppier than my '90 was with 3.08's and 25" tires! The '90 tractored around better at lower rpm for whatever reason though... I kinda wish it had A/C but maybe I can add that? Cruise control would be nice, but that's just $300 apparently... it's paid for itself a couple times over in fuel savings over my '00 Explorer so it doesn't owe me anything...
I'd kinda like something newer and better but I have a hard time justifying things, sure I could save $1000 a year in fuel but at the cost of say $300 a month plus more expensive insurance? At the rate the '97's rusting it'll live until it's 132, my '90 isn't even rusty...
Everything I'm not a fan of I've just changed on my Rangers, didn't like the AWD transfer case on the '00 Explorer so went manual, there's several problems with the sploders that I don't like like the PATS, I think the '98 has a bad GEM causing a battery drain and issues with the auto headlights but I haven't looked into it. The '00 doesn't have working cruise control from a bad clock spring I think and between the two none of the 6 air shocks are sealed...