CrystalSC

*waves to a South Carolinian* I'm in Greenville but I am from Columbia. I haven't seen any C-Maxs on the road in SC yet. You?

Great tip!

I saw a Ruby Red in person for the first time and it was GORGEOUS. It's a very rich red, looks very elegant. It would definitely be my #1 choice now.

Interesting! I haven't seen any commercials for the car.

The sterling gray has a nice calming effect, I think. Enjoy your new ride!

I didn't realize there is an SD card slot. Where is that located? Is that on the SE trim or just the SEL?

Whenever I buy a car, I ask them to remove their logos off of the car (if they've affixed them). They don't like it when I asks but I'm not into free advertising. There's enough ads hitting you in the face every day. If someone asks, I'll gladly tell them where I got my car. The black looks great. The first dealer I talked to has a black one. He was unwilling to negotiate (and it's still sitting on his lot.)

Has anyone found the USB and AUX ports inside the armrest to be an awkward location? This is the one thing I thought seemed strangely placed when I looked at the C-Max. If you plug your phone into the aux port with a cable, can you close the lid of the armrest or will it bite into the cable? Do you want a long cable hanging out and stringing across the seat or console? I know it sounds like a minor thing but I listen to my iPod 80% of my time in the car, not the stereo so it being conveniently placed and easily accessible is important.

Congrats on your new car. What trim & color did you get? Any hard negotiating?

You are paying good money for your car, don't feel bad asking them to check on it for you.

I wondered if you were guilt tripping me with the photo. ;) honestly, I haven't been able to upload an avatar at all. Welcome to the forum. Hope you enjoy your new ride!

Great update Rapier!

My hubby uses a log book that he stores in the glove box. I use an iPhone app

What Laurel said. ^

That made me lol. I wish I could steal that name.

I actually think the C-Max exterior is very boring looking but that doesn't bother me enough to stop me from wanting it.

Aw man. That's disappointing Rachel. Stick to your guns and you'll get the deal you want! :)

Nice to hear that you don't have buyer's remorse. That's the one thing that keeps holding me back from making the actual purchase. Pay off my car in 2 years or take on another 4 years of payments......Even though I love the C-Max, I'm still torn. And it's frustrating to hear ill-informed reps and dealers.

I can understand the nervousness of downsizing. I've driven an SUV or SUV-like car for several years but I think the C-Max offers great storage room for the size of the car. Hope you don't have to wait too long!

Was the lifespan of a hybrid battery and/or the cost of replacing a hybrid battery a concern for you when looking at a C-Max? As a hybrid newbie, the large replacement cost is worrisome. How much do you think the cost of batteries will drop on avg in the coming years?

Why would a car need a break-in period? I don't know how that works.

Great post Scooter!

Ah. Gotcha. ;)

Thanks Scooter. I will try my best. I'm not a haggler so I've got to really buckle down. I'll try not to get too hung up on the monthly payment though that is my biggest concern. I have a monthly budget I can't exceed. Thanks zhackwyatt. I will read up on those links. RacheInLA, sorry to have hijacked your thread. ;)

This might sound rather naive but I've never bought a new car before...what do you mean by "invoice price"? Is that MSRP? When negotiating a price online, do you secure your own financing?