The V-10 Excursion is one of the best HD SUV's out there. They do need a bit of tweaking in the suspension to make them tow great! When dialed in it will be an excellent hauler. I routinely drive upwards of 10-14 hours a day without being worn out (well I am tired but not from driving).
The 02 was the year they switched to PI heads, they have more threads per hole to fix the spark plug issue.
Go to Ford Truck Enthusiasts forum and go to the Excursion section. There are a lot of people there that can answer your questions more in depth.
Good luck.