valkraider

Also, be careful when googling "dirty backside".

I was just doing a few searches to try and find some details to post about the aerodynamics and the kind of deflectors which help. Every search word combination has results of just about every type of hatchback/van/wagon/SUV forum asking the exact same question. :)

Every minivan or hatchback will have a similar problem. It's the big airfoil which occurs at the back of the vehicle which is essentially still air. It allows the dirt to accumulate. That's why they put wipers on flat backed vehicles - but not on others... One solution used on SUVs or vans is the aftermarket wing type thing which goes at the top edge to push air down across the window. That prevents the stalled air and then the dirt won't just land on the window. I have had this same pattern on a Chevy Astro, Chevy Venture, Dodge Caravan, and Jeep Liberty.

Does NAV have the annoying blinking white circle?

Also - "by" and "bye" mean completely different things, thereby changing the subject entirely. But the "Sirius unit" is maybe 6 to 8 ounces, if it is a separate unit like my other cars. Its just a tiny little box at the end of the antenna. If its built in to the head unit (computer) that runs MFT then there is no way to remove it. Also, I am not sure why you are so angry at Sirius. :) I am not sure if Spotify will make it to the current C-max, as its a Gen2 system and there have been indications that the AppLink may only be Gen3 compatible. We'll see. If you're really desperate - change your wheels out for 16 inch wheels, you'll get better fuel economy and lose way more weight than the small Sirius box. I've taken to driving naked - saves a couple pounds of clothing. ;)

I am learning quickly to just accept what we can get from Ford IT. I feel like the IT department at Ford is stuck in a Dilbert comic.

I had a tiny chip that lasted for years with no problems. One morning, not particularly cold but enough that I needed to defog the windows, I turned on defrost and heard CRACK ant the chip turned into a crack that split the window 3/4 of the way across all the way to the side. Another unpatched chip got bigger in a car wash. After that I decided the gamble was just not worth it. Even if the chip patch is not invisible, it should always fill the holes so that moisture can't get in there and seal it up to almost always prevent spreading.

If that's available for the CMax, it's worth the price of admission right there... :)

Always fix. Always always always. Most insurance plans pay 100% for chip repair. But even if not, all it takes is an odd temperature/humidity combination to ruin the windshield.

69 vs 70 is just about 1% off. That means the extra half percent can be attributed to the analog speedometer. Even leaning your head to one side could change the reading of the speedometer half a mph. Does the engineering test mode screen have a digital value for speedometer? I know it does for tach...

You don't need to test via miles. You can test using speed. Go 60mph on the car speedometer, then drive long enough to have the GPS device settle down onto a stable speed. Compare the GPS speed with the Speedometer and you have your percentage of difference.

And buyers will go buy a Prius.

Just remember, if you pull in to a Ford dealership with these on it is likely to be noted in your vehicle's permanent file - and be prepared for a fight if something does happen. They can not legally deny a warranty repair unless they can prove the accessory was the cause of the problem. But they CAN make it a nightmare for you every time you want the car fixed. Ford has time and money, how long can you go without your car? Just a warning about accessories and modifications. They can't legally prevent you but it doesn't mean they have to be nice about it...

Jeff: You also don't say what the "highway" speeds are, or how long your average city trips are... I drove over 300 miles this last weekend with Eco-cruise set at 55mph. Two adults, and we are both heavier than you, plus the Energi carries around another 300lbs of battery. Mountainous rural roads mixed with some small towns. Temperatures in the low 50s, and no rain. I set the Energi to "EV Later" mode so it's exactly like the hybrid in that mode. Four legs of the trip, each over 80 miles. The Energi is only rated 44/43/41. My results:

Also folks, remember Park Assist won't work next to a jacked up or tall truck - it needs to "see" bumpers and if they are too high it won't see them. It also needs a curb, otherwise it just drives right off the road.

It has nothing to do with the ridiculous lawsuit. Most people have no idea the C-Max exists.

Remember, online inventories include "in transit" units.

I used to do that but I got tired of answering the questions.

Ford has not lowered the estimates. They can't. They are required by law to use the EPA tests and put the stickers on the cars. Maybe the dealer mentioned above had extra advertisement stickers on the cars, like the ones that say "Extra Clean" and "Loaded". They maybe took those off. But until the EPA decides if it needs to be changed, the numbers are 47/47/47 and are on the window sticker. This isn't a Ford thing.

Yeah, that would be a safety disaster. OnStar and LoJack can do it though. LoJack can actually lock the thief in the car, with the lights flashing and horn blaring. Although I bet that would just lead to the thrift thrashing the inside of then car...

Did you start the car with the brake pressed (ok to drive mode)?

I don't mind if something gets slammed for legitimate faults. However, making stuff up is not fair. Imagine a story like the NYTimes Model S one but with a Toyota Camry. The reviewer only fills the gas tank 1/4 full and lets it idle all night, and then complains the next morning when it runs out of gas. Would the world blame the car or the reporter? If you don't plug in a BEV it won't work. Period. CNN did the exact same trip with no problems. A couple Tesla owners have tries to duplicate the overnight conditions and have not seen the same problems. One fellow has driven his Tesla model S from Portland, OR to New Orleans and back - over mountains and through the snow. He logged his journey, and he responded to the things the NYTimes reporter did wrong. (Like not charging the battery...) No one would drive a gas car with a 400 mile range on a route with gas stations only every 200 miles - and then only put half tanks of gas in... That would be stupid. My motorcycle only goes 150 miles on a tank. Is my motorcycle a failure? Nope. I just need to plan better when riding in remote areas. There are places in the west with no gas for a hundred miles or more. When we make trips there we are very careful. Yes, EVs currently have limitations. The reporter could have easily hit on the real problems or limitations - but instead he lied to make the story more sensational.

I use the entertainment on the right side. Not as good as being able to get more gauges - but better than the leaves. Especially since my leaves are almost always fully grown... :) I would love to be able to turn on something like engineering mode and leave it on. The displays are digital, there is no reason to not have an "advanced" settings menu which allows more geeky info to be displayed. It could be in an "advanced" setting category, and when entering pop up one of those warning saying "for advanced users only [OK]" and have the first option be to "return to simple mode" to defend against mere mortals getting too confused.

Or use Google, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, iOS, Android, Netflix, DirecTV, Dish. Credit cards, grocery rewards, club cards, frequent flyer cards. They all track. This very website utilizes cross-site tracking mechanisms. (Install Ghostery in your browser and be amazed!) There is no privacy in 2013 unless you forgo all technology.

You might not want to drive any new vehicles. Or have mobile phones. Or go into any cities. All three will get you tracked and logged.