raymond963

Saw another Ruby Red C-Max yesterday in Downtown (Uptown?) Normal, Illinois. Looked just like mine but had fog lights (SEL?). The driver was smiling and waving, so was I, as we passed each other going opposite directions.

syncmyride shows that my C-Max's (4.1.2.F) SYNC system is up to date, but I found the below information on OASIS. Has anybody with a non-Touch C-Max seen an update to 4.2.1.F for their SYNC system? My Current Version Assembly: DB5T-14D212-AC VIP: DG1T-14D205-AB CIP: DG1T-14D544-AC Version: Gen1 - 4.1.2.F Description: This software update is based on your feedback and contains improvements to the SYNC voice recognition system. This includes several enhancements in the handling of phone commands, such as being able to handle all caps in phonebook names. Please Read: This update will take up to 5 minutes to complete. Approximately 40 seconds after you begin the installation, you will receive an Installation Complete message. DO NOT REMOVE YOUR USB DRIVE OR TURN OFF YOUR VEHICLE. You must wait and additional 4-5 minutes until you receive a second Installation Complete message before removing your USB drive. During this interval, while the update is loading, SYNC will not recognize your mobile phone or media device. Be sure your vehicle is running (not in accessory mode) throughout the entire installation process. New Version? Assembly: DB5T-14D212-AE VIP: DG1T-14D205-AB CIP: DG1T-14D544-AE Version: Gen1 - 4.2.1.F Description: This new software will provide the following enhancements to your current SYNC system: -Updated Bluetooth device connectivity -Improved system stability -Improved media player functionality -Enhanced voice recognition capabilities -Optimized for use with Apple iOS 6 for incoming text messaging This update includes improvements from all previous SYNC updates such as flattened phone grammar, improvements in device indexing, text messaging capabilities with the implementation of message access profile (MAP), and more. For additional information on previous updates, visit SYNCmyride.com Please Read: This update may take up to 20 minutes to complete. About 1 to 3 minutes after you begin the installation, you will hear an Installation Complete message. DO NOT REMOVE YOUR USB DRIVE OR TURN OFF YOUR VEHICLE. You must wait up to an additional 20 minutes until you receive a second Installation Complete message before removing your USB drive. During this interval, while the update is loading, SYNC will not recognize your mobile phone or media device. Be sure your vehicle's engine is running (not in Accessory mode) throughout the entire installation process. Although your vehicle must be in Park when you initiate the installation process, once the download process has begun, you may drive your vehicle.

So far the best, non-EV Mode, FE I've been able to obtain on the commute is 44.4MPG by setting ECO-Cruise at 64MPG (GPS-based) and accelerating to 70MPH down hills with slow deceleration to the cruise setting up hills. Doing the opposite, accelerate-up/decelerate-down, has yielded only 39.1MPG at best so far. After accelerating to 70MPH on entering the interstate, I try to keep the FE gauge above 40 while slowly decelerating up hills and also try to keep the highest possible FE while accelerating down the next hill, which is frequently around 50MPG. Thus, while on the interstate, I'm averaging somewhere around 40MPG and making up the extra 5MPG during the non-interstate portions at the beginning and end of the commute, which are usually 55-60MPG on average. I've seen 47MPG running 55MPH ECO-Cruise on my way to work at 4:30AM, but that was with almost no other traffic, a slight tail-wind, and takes a bit longer. Traffic on my way home at 2:30PM is much heavier and I wouldn't want to be going only 55MPH. Also, it's sometimes difficult to maintain my acceleration/deceleration objectives without really annoying other drivers on my way home, which probably has more than a little effect on FE. I plan to widen the speed range from 64-70MPH to 60-70MPH and see what an added EV Mode component will accomplish. It could help to accelerate in EV mode down some hills but the recharge up the next hill may be too costly. I may also start pulling over and turning off the key right before and after the interstate portion while keeping a log for interstate versus non-interstate portions. That should provide a better idea of what I'm actually accomplishing while experimenting. Also, I think Illinois will be raising interstate speed limits to 70MPH soon, which will allow more room for experimentation at the higher end. Maybe 64-75MPH? I'm still over 1/4 on the current tank and don't want to fill-up just yet, so it isn't on fuelly.com, but I just hit 35MPG lifetime and my current tank should be over 43MPG. Current Lifetime Summary: Odometer: 10054.1 Distance: 3112.2 EV Miles, 471.8 Regen Miles Fuel Use: 35.0 MPG Brake Score: 98% Ray

Wonder if they're planning any updates for those of us with SE non-"Touch" models.

It's pretty easy to set up. Run GPS Essentials then select "Tracks". To start a new track, select "(+) NEW" and it will begin tracking via GPS. When finished, select "PAUSE" and you're done. If you paused to go into the gas station or store, etc., you can "RESUME" and it will pick up where you left off. After traveling, possibly while traveling but I haven't tried it because I really don't need something more to look at, select "CHART" and it will show your speed and altitude. I captured the screen showing the chart and uploaded it here. Screen capture for my phone (Samsung Galaxy S3) can be done by simultaneously pressing and holding volume-down and power, or by swiping from one side of the screen to the other with the edge of my palm. If you wanted to go back and review a previous track, select the "<" with the paw prints next to it, at the top-left of the screen, to see a list of previous tracks. You can also export the track data to KML for Google Earth or GPX for other programs. Of course, it's using the GPS for altitude, which is not always very accurate, but gives you a pretty good idea of the topography of a trip. Ray

My first car was a 1964 Ford Galaxy 500; that was in 1977. It had been my mom's car and she sold it to her boss, who sold it to me for $400. I loved that old tank, 8-track player and all! LOL

It's nearly 48 miles of rolling hills, some higher, some lower. I used an Android App called GPS Essentials to obtain a speed vs altitude chart of the drive, which is shown in the picture. The section in the middle where I was doing nearly 65MPH is the interstate portion. I follow the speed limit for the non-interstate portions and probably average about 50MPG for those. I have been experimenting with eco-cruise for the interstate portion of the commute, mostly in the morning when I leave at 4:30AM and am less likely to get run over by the speed demons... :shift: If I travel with eco-cruise set at 55MPH on the interstate, with all the ups and downs, I'll average about 45MPG. Eco-cruise set at 60MPH averages about 42MPG. Eco-cruise set at 64 MPH, so it doesn't engage EV mode, averages about 40MPG. I'm thinking about trying some sort of modified Pulse and Glide technique, possibly accelerating to 65MPH up hills and gliding down to 60MPH on my way home in the afternoon, 55MPH on my way to work in the morning, to see if I can make any improvements in fuel economy. Does anyone have any other ideas for how to achieve better fuel economy on such a drive?

I'd say I'm somewhere in between. I haven't reached the Hypermiler P&G stage (yet) because I've kept busy experimenting with cruise control and speed on the interstate portion of my commute. I'll probably get to the P&G eventually.... I'd say I'm a better driver because it's no longer about getting up to speed quickly and I have to pay more attention to traffic and approaching stops to get better mileage in town. I'm also watching my speed closer on the interstate and don't tend to let it creep up anymore. I don't think I spend a lot of time watching the gauges, so I don't see that as a factor.

Was passed by a white C-Max today on interstate 74 westbound between Champaign and Bloomington, Illinois this afternoon. I think it had Nebraska plates. Anybody here from Nebraska?

Thanks, Jeff, for the write-up. I'm thinking about following in your footsteps, except for the part about drilling into the roof...a little squeemish about that...

I'm really liking the difference with the window tint. Went to a movie yesterday, Fast & Furious 6, at 4:05 PM and parked with the front of the car facing east, away from the sun. After 2-1/2 hours, returned to the car and it was just barely warmer than outside temp of 85+-degrees.

I ordered the Heatshield shade and received it yesterday. This thing is huge! I haven't had a chance to try it yet but will use it on Friday while the car is parked at work. Near the bottom of the UPS label, it says, "DESC: Aircraft Covers" Hmmmmm Now I'm looking for a jet engine and the button that extends the wings from under the doors! LOL :superhero:

I saw a white C-Max on my way back from Champaign this afternoon. It was headed towards Champaign so didn't get a good look at it. I'm now up to two! LOL

I drive to Champaign every day for work, right now in a company car. I'll start driving the C-Max to work in a week and am hoping to see my overall fuel economy improve.

Finally! After owning mine for over seven months, I saw another C-Max this morning. I passed her and then she passed me but the other driver never looked my way. I've seen several cars from a distance that I thought might have been C-Maxes, but never was able to confirm until today.

I had my windows tinted yesterday at Ziebart. 35% on everything except the windshield. You can see the outline where the little black dots are on the small windows, which looks kinda strange. I've already noticed the difference in temperature inside after it sits in the sun.

The Energi wasn't available when I bought the C-Max in October, which I needed to do then because my Jeep needed more work than I had time to take care of. I was looking for a car with good fuel economy and that was relatively inexpensive because I expect to put over 25,000 miles on it every year. I also expected to be making the longer commute by now but won't complain that I'm not. The other option, suggested by DR61, walking the 1.5 miles to work isn't really doable either. I work the evening shift and would have to cross six lanes in the dark on a busy road (even that late) that doesn't have a crosswalk anywhere near where I would cross, and then I'd have to walk past a few areas that I wouldn't want to be in after dark to get to my neighborhood. My original point was that I understand why I get the mileage that I get and hope to realize the better fuel economy when I have to make the longer commute. And that I plan to do a lot of experimenting, which seem pointless with the current short commute. The car seems fully capable of reaching, and exceeding, the claimed 47/47/47 numbers but I'm just not there yet and can explain why.

Thanks for the replies. I bought the car expecting my commute to increase from 1.5 miles to 48 miles each way. That was supposed to happen on February 23rd but didn't start until March 2nd then only lasted a month. The 48 mile commute should be starting again on June 1st so hope to see the FE increase then. The drive is relatively flat but there are a number of small rolling hills along the way so I'll have to experiment with Eco-Cruise and some of the tips I've seen about keeping the battery as charged as possible. I'll have to check if the trip computer shows average MPH but don't recall seeing it. Fill-ups are so infrequent that I'll probably forget!

LOL Try going from a Jeep Wrangler, which has a turning radius of about 16 or 17 feet! Um...Dang! It's okay though, I can't drive over parking blocks with the C-Max either...

I replied to the Potential C-Max Owner thread in this forum. I haven't had any issues with rain or winter driving. The car handles well but I'm a fairly conservative driver; don't zoom around corners, observe the speed limit, slow down when raining or snowing, etc. I've also driven a Jeep Wrangler, 12 years for me, and was nervous about how the C-Max would do. I have to say I'm impressed with it.

We had a snow storm here a few weeks ago on a Sunday. When I went to work that day, at about 3:00PM, the parking lot was clean and dry. A couple hours later, it was snowing and blowing pretty hard and everything was covered. When I left to go home, there was about 10 inches of snow on the car and drifts in front and behind. Like a fool, I decided to make an attempt at the 48 mile drive home, which is 32 miles interstate and the rest two-lane country roads and city streets. The car pulled right out of the parking space, perhaps because the wheels were sitting on dry pavement at the start. It took me over 2 hours and the roads were horrendous! Frozen washboard ice/snow, not plowed within the last two hours, only one lane open on the interstate, semis driving like it's a sunny California day, etc. My maximum speed for the entire trip was 45 MPH, which was later on plowed section of the interstate and only briefly, but mostly did 25-35 MPH. I never once felt that the car was sliding or losing control in any way or that I was going to get stuck. My other vehicle is a Jeep Wrangler with a lifted suspension and 12"W X 33"H mud/snow tires and my C-Max really impressed me with its handling during that trip. BTW, my wife says I'm an idiot...