MomsHugs

Thank you Steve! I've not been lurking on this forum since posting that question & appreciate you taking the time to reply. Had an oil change at a little over 3000 miles so will take this up with the service dept. separately.

25 degrees in Georgia! Glad I no longer live in upper Midwest where it's 10 degrees plus snow. My heart goes out to old friends raising cattle in Nebraska, who are really suffering with -2 degrees... breaking up ice so their cattle can get water or they'll die. The Blizzard of 1949 began like this early in November of 1948 & by January 1949 the Army's WWII bombers were used to drop bales of hay. My parents lost their entire herd that winter - frozen where they stood in 4 ft. of iced snow. So I am very thankful for what I have, including a car that gets 40 MPG on average in this cold. Paul ~ Thank you for recommending just using the heated seats when needed until I can afford to add Grill Covers. Glad I can choose when to go out now that I'm retired & living in Georgia or I would have no choice but to buy the Block & Oil Pan Heater, too. Kelly ~ Like you, I am finding that driving a bit slower is more pleasant by a long shot. I still get to my destination on time & no longer worry about a 'sting operation' like the one that nailed me for $158 last spring. Still hurts to think about that fine! <ouch> C-MaxSea ~ I've found a huge difference in MPG when driving north vs south... accelerating due to even slight degrees of rise. Old railroad engineers would know all about that 3 degrees of slope they had to account for in laying routes. It doesn't seem like much, but makes a huge difference in fuel use, especially when pulling unit trains full of coal. Any railroad buffs here?

Hey, A2Gemini, way to go! I finally was able to replicate the 81 MPG I got awhile back the other day on a short trip & wasn't even trying. I reset Trip 1 every time I leave the house. Most of the time I get 43-50 MPG now on my 2nd tank, trying to achieve 600 Miles on it now that the engine is broken in. However... temps dropped to low 30's the other day causing me to turn on the heat. The flowchart said the heater requires the gas engine to run. Anyone here know why?

Hey BoomerGer ~ You need to move to Nebraska where you needn't worry about the next Big One. Of course, you will need sheepskin-lined coat, hat & boots to survive, but they don't weigh much nor take any gas to wear. No need to chopshop your C-Max. There is that one little threat that occurs once in awhile... a supercell tornado... but just hit the ditch & hover there for a few minutes while it passes overhead. Since Nebraska is relatively flat & traffic quite light, your MPG will be much higher than in So Cal.

Help please! I was told because my build date was early June of this year, my C-Max SEL qualifies for the MPG refund, which would be mailed out the end of September. No check, no letter, no email... nothing. So where do I start to process my claim? Thank you! Cheers ~ MomsHugs/Eve

Ford didn't need a government bailout like GM & overpaid taxes to boot, the refund of which the government refuses to pay interest. Hummmm... makes me wonder if GM underpaid taxes & had to pay interest on taxes owed. Also makes me wonder if Congressional oversight committee needs another investigation of the IRS. Fishy doesn't even begin to describe this kettle of fish!

Wow... just WOW ~ I'm jus striving to make 600 as a :noobie: SOoooo... take a DEEP BOW, Brother Jus!! :worship: You just set the 'pace car' bar rather high & we all love you for it!! :love_shower: :love_shower: :love_shower: :love_shower: Hope it's okay that I copied your post to a Word doc to add to the C-Max Club Proposal (see my post in the South Atlantic Region). Putting my thinking cap on how to get you here for a Tips, Tricks & Technical presentation/demonstration & MPG Challenge Rally ~ probably next Spring.

Brother Jus ~ Can you PM me a summary of stats for each 600, 700 & 800 Clubs? I would like to add it to my Proposal to Organize a C-Max Club. Thank you, Bro! ~~ Moms/Eve

Brother Gus... errr, Jus ~ You crack me up!! ~~ "Keep on Maxing" sounds like one of the 60s' songs about surfing. Hey, maybe we're really "surfing" our pedals.... :rockon: ~ We need Kelleytoons to write a song & animate it. Where is that boy who shivers in mildly cold weather? :arrive_alive:

Hmmm... owner going through burned out car, taking out articles. Wonder if that was before or after the insurance adjuster was there. Wnuk ~ I agree. There is more to this story than meets the eye.

I compared Publix to Kroger item-by-item since I buy the same stuff over & over again. Publix is no more nor less than Kroger over time. I like Publix better mainly because their aisles are wider & cleaner (don't pack stuff in aisles). Kroger is crowded & hard to get through. I like Publix's frozen fish with each filet individually wrapped in a package. I also like their produce layout. Then there's the fact that Publix is employee owned & by George, their employees care about the customers as a result... IMHO. That's my 2 cents worth.

It might have been vandals tossing a homemade bomb. Could be evidence in an attempted murder of someone targeted in a love triangle or a foreigner that looks Middle Eastern. Could be evidence the owner simply wanted insurance proceeds to replace it with a Ford C-Max! In case you haven't looked real close at my avatar... it represents thinking creatively inside the box.

I have found it very hard to max SOC at all & in/out of EV has returned higher MPG. But I'm still a newbie in hybrid school. :noobie:

I really like the design of my 2014 C-Max SEL as it is. IMHO, the sole improvement would be a rubber gasket to keep dirt/dust from accumulating on the rear bumper. Okay... maybe a little nip & tuck in front would be nice for aerodynamic improvement of MPG. However, I'm willing to wait 5 yr. for a redesign. Meanwhile, my '14 is getting a lot of attention for its looks & questions about how it drives from people who are curious or don't care for the Prius. Anyone who asks gets my standard reply - "I LOVE this C-Max!"

I bought the extended b-2-b warranty (7Y-84k) for $1800 because it extended the PowerTrain by 2 yr to match the hybrid battery & CVT. It then covers everything else by 4 yr. I looked at it as paying expensive repairs upfront rather than later after inflation is factored in. I also bought Dings & Dents, as well as PPlate Exterior/Interior, warranty in case I want to sell & get the latest hybrid/tech car available in 5 yr. Having said that, however, I do understand that it is expensive insurance after all.

Thanks for the 3M brochure, Rob. Now to ask the dealer who is the best installer around here. The salesman said they come out to my place to install. Is that best?

Wow ~ Thanks everyone for sorting through this topic & providing good info & links as well as photos. Really appreciate your advice because my state is very hot & I usually have Silki with me in back so tinting is imperative. I'll return & post photos when it's done. Hugs ~ Moms/Eve

Mike ~ I looked at your photo again & frankly, the silvery-grey screws look good. I wouldn't change them since they're a good match with the Ice Storm color as well as hidden under the overhanging piece with Ford's blue oval. JusMHO ;)

Brother Mike ~ Me, too... hot by nature & suffered heat exhaustion playing tennis & golf in my younger years! Temps/humidity here in the SE = 100 heat index = constant A/C ~ 70 for Silki & I to be comfortable in the car. Brother Jus ~ Experienced that kind of pressure driving to dealership during noon hour & then license tag office at 4:30pm. Both bad traffic times you working stiffs deal with daily. I tried to maintain high MPG using your tips/tricks, but it was a challenge! Especially surrounded by BIG pickups & SUVs leaving work, in a big hurry to get somewhere else.

Odometer read 1015 when I refueled today, With a new tank loaded, I am going after the Holy Grail... the 600 MPB Club. So wish me luck! ~ Moms/Eve

Well, color me the same, Mike, because today I tried to put my plate on the back using the black holder that came with the car, which has those black-headed screws you want. It finally dawned on me the holder is shaped to fit the front grill, but I don't need one there.

This discussion reminds me of how people responded to the first ATMs. Some people were afraid of them or very skeptical about using them - others welcomed them with open arms. Same happened with budget billing of utilities & using ETF to pay. First ETF required the amount be the same every month, but major thefts at credit card processing centers caused them to change their tune so the balance could be paid by ETF automatically every month. The latest new bank services tool is person-to-person (p2p) to facilitate parents sending college kids monthly payments without mailing checks. People adapt rather quickly when change brings easy & efficiency to their lives.

This is an expensive alternative, but would work with velcro attachments. http://www.customcraftworks.com/store/Table-Accessories/Premium-Salon-Head-Support-Pillow-Only-P276C66.aspx Custom Craftworks makes/sells round/half-round bolsters & these sidearm extensions for massage tables. http://www.customcraftworks.com/store/Bolsters/Premium-Bolster-Side-Arm-Extensions-P130C129.aspx

This 18x5 in. pillow would support elbows & the strap could be placed around the console. From dogbonepillow.com or Amazon. Fleece Car Neck Support Pillow,18 in., With Headrest Strap From Care Apparel Industries Price: $18.15 & eligible for FREE Shipping on orders over $35. Supportive neck pillow maintains shape - will not flatten out over time. Pillow dimensions: 18" long x 5" diameter. Strap size: 16.5" long x 2.25" wide x 0.25" thick. Machine washable. Made In USA.

I think my bone-shaped pillow will do the trick as an arm rest extension in my C-Max. Photo of one on Amazon -- http://www.amazon.com/Healthy-Living-Bone-Shaped-Pillow/dp/B008J7PH90