ls973800

I had auto-retracting side mirrors on my Audi A6 and to be honest, they were only useful on a car ferry where there is only a foot between the cars.

 

Another thing to break, in my opinion.

I have had them on several different cars and SUV's, and find them very useful.  Much easier to fit into the single car garage at my old house and still be able to walk on each side of the car,  great when parking in a public lot and the mirrors allow extra room for people and shopping carts to walk by, and less of a potential impact area when parked on city streets. 

I don't think they are any more prone to break than the electric motors used to adjust the mirror glass. 

Sell price $29,157 including required window tint, paint and fabric protection, glass VIN etch.

Wondering who requires those items?  The state, the insurance company, or the dealership for a huge add on?  Window tint I can understand in your climate, but curious why the other items and their cost.

My 2015 C-Max Energi came with a a 6 month trial of Sirius XM radio which included the all access package.  It also came with 5 years of Travel Link and Traffic.  Those features allow me to check weather, fuel prices, traffic conditions, and other features.  Once my 6 month trial of the radio service is up, I will still have the other services for another  54 months at no charge.  I don't have to subscribe to the music services once that is up in order to keep the Travel Link and Traffic services.

Register on the SiriusXM.com site in order to see your vehicle benefits.  You will need your radio ID number, which the web site tells you how to obtain it.  I think you tune to channel 0 or 1, I don't remember right now.

I believe you have to be a sponsor on the forum in order to sell items commercially as a business.  I have reported this post to the mods for them to check if you meet the requirements of advertising these items.

Obviously, the thieves can start a keyless entry vehicle and drive from San Francisco to the East Bay

Was the vehicle locked AND the IA Key Fob removed from the vehicle?  Thieves can start any vehicle, regardless if it is keyless or if it needs a key.  Makes it much easier for them if the key is in it.

So it will have the updated SYNC system, but still not have a direct read of the tire pressure?  Only the low tire monitor light.

I don't consider the tires on the C-Max any differently than tires on any of my other cars.  10000 miles before rotation is too many miles in my opinion.  The cupping mentioned could have been noticed earlier, or even could have been "evened out" with proper tire rotation.

I will rotate mine using the time proven front to back, and back to front after they are crossed.  In other words, LF becomes LR, LR becomes RF, RF becomes RR, and RR becomes LF.  Have had no problems following this rotation pattern for the last 15 years or so.   I think 6000 miles or at the very most 7500 miles would be OK, but again, 10000 miles is too much.

LS, I'm not knocking your work, and thanks for the review of the product, but personally I've never understood the appeal of shiny tires (obviously there IS one, I just don't get it). To me, rubber shouldn't shine. I like a clean tire as much as the next guy, also prefer to see white walls and white letters on tires be WHITE, but the shiny rubber look is just lost on me.  

That must be one of those 'to each his own' things.

:)

No, you are not knocking my work at all.  I don't care much for a high gloss or shine on tires either.  That's why I posted the picture of the high shine right after applying the second coat.  I also posted a picture of the same tire once it dried and back on the car.  It was a lot less of a shine, more of how I like it.

The brake fluid tip sounds interesting, but I would think it would allow dust and dirt to stick to it. 

For the first time since April when I first got my C-Max, I have finally been able to wash it and clean the tires.  I just hit 1900 miles and it hadn't been cleaned since it left the showroom floor!  Leasing a condo with a one car garage, and rain about every other day just made it too difficult until now.

I read about some tire shine product made by Turtle Wax, and decided to give it a try after reading excellent reviews about it.  I have in the past tried the spray on and wipe on products, but they don't last long, and many of them sling off the tire and make a mess on the fenders.

Several years ago I found a product called Tuf-Shine, which is a very liquid dye type fluid.  The tires had to be scrubbed almost immaculately, or the product wouldn't coat correctly.  It may bleed brown, or it may crack.  On my Edge I scrubbed each tire 6 times using their cleaner, and still had to use some mineral spirits in order to get the tire clean enough for the product.  It was a bit expensive, I think around  $40.00 for the kit.  It worked well, but too expensive and not easy to use.

The Turtle Wax kit cost around $13.00 and was VERY easy to use.  I washed the car, cleaned the tires once with my Bleche-Wite, and then once with the included Turtle Wax tire cleaner.  I still had some brown showing on the tires which would have been a complete no-no if I was using Tuf-Shine.  The Turtle Wax product didn't make a big deal about removing it all, so I tried it the way it was.

I then removed the tires in order to be able to apply the shine product in a uniform circle and not worry about having part of the tire on the ground.  It takes about 120 minutes for each coat to dry, and I applied two coats.

You MUST use gloves with this product, as it is a very black dye type watery liquid.  The kit includes one pair of plastic gloves, but get yourself some similar to what I have pictured.  The pad that comes with the kit is nice, but tears apart quickly from the different textures on the tires.  This one was used twice on a total of 8 tires, so 16 times around.  Comments on some of the posts I have read suggest you get the foam type paint pads and try those.

I also put my pad in a ziplock bag, and it stayed moist since I had last used it two weeks ago.  Others have said you can wash it, but I think the bag works well.  I had to use a small drill bit to unclog the nozzle on the bottle since it had been last used two week ago. I used only two coats on each tire, and the shine dries to a nice matte finish.  Others have done 5 or 6 coats to get as much of a shine as they can.  The shine does not sling off, rub off, or wash off.  It is suppsed to last 3-4 months before needing a touch up.

If you get any on the rims while applying like I did, you just use a rag with some of the tire cleaner on it.  I found the Bleche-Wite to work very well at getting it off the wheels.    Here are the results.

NOTE  Turtle Wax makes a similar product, but it has received very poor reviews.  Make sure if you try this you get the exact product and kit that I have shown.  I think you will be very pleased.

So, the C-Max has "...problems of unexpected stops related to software."? 

Actually, just the opposite.  Some engines do not shut off even if the ignition switch or button has been shut off.  Related to software.

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1098994_ford-c-max-hybrids-recalled-to-fix-engine-shut-off-problem

You've skirted THIS question several times now, so we can assume you have lied to FoMoCo. for free parts and labor.

You are not speaking for anyone else on this forum as far as I know, so don't say WE can assume.  You are the only one that seems to be disturbed by what he has posted.  If so, use the "I" word instead.

What YOU said is that YOU found it too difficult to check/change the fluid-and there was ZERO mention of an Advisor telling you to not do so.

If you take the time to read the owner's manual, it says that the fluid should be checked by a dealer ONLY!

If you notice signs of fluid leakage

If the OP really had lied and did so to get warranty work and parts and labor done for free, why in the world would he come on a public forum and brag about doing such a thing? Surly he would know that there might be a mis-content or two out there who would try to drag his feet through the fire. I don't think he lied about anything and am glad that Ford covered his transmission failure. 

Not sure why you are taking such a personal interest in his transmission problems, and how he has tried to correct the fluid temperature.  You have stated your concerns several times, but will not let it go.  This is the first comment I have made about your antagonistic posts on this topic, and hope that you can get over it and move on.  Your posts here are starting to remind me of this.

http://i.imgur.com/IwK5sDa.gif

You do know your C-Max engine is made in Mexico, right?

I doubt if there is any mass produced car or truck made today in the US or Canada that doesn't have foreign content in it.  I believe at one time the country of origin used to be stated on the window sticker as to where the engine and transmission were made.  I think some also stated the percentage of foreign parts used.

Engines, transmission, fabrics, electronics, wires, plastics, steel, tires, etc are all common items which may be foreign supplied.

I consider a car or truck to be US/Canadian made if the VIN starts with a number 1 (US) or 2 (Canada) or if the final assembly plant on the window sticker is noted as being in one of those two countries.  My C-Max starts with a number 1 and is noted as final assembly in Michigan.

That Kobalt looks really good especially the battery and 30 minute charger. Didnt see the weight though.

 

Jim

44 pounds according to this top 10 review.  I have been studying these 10 reviewed mowers for the last day or two.

http://electric-lawn-mowers-review.toptenreviews.com/kobalt-40-volt-cordless-mower-review.html

Thanks.  The Lowe's one sounds like it would do the job.  I'll check their site and see what other yard equipment they have that would use the same batteries and chargers.  I've seen two other models I like also.  Looks like I may forget about the self propelled since I also have read reviews that they are not that difficult to push.

People need to watch "Roger & Me" by Michael Moore and see the damage the automotive companies do when they shut down plants and/or move production out of the country.  I'm not sure when it really started, but by the 1980's it was a big problem, and continues to this day. 

No FEAR and UNCERTAINTY to manipulate here! 

I've stated before, I will continue to buy only American or Canadian built vehicles as long as I can.  I don't care if they are UAW built or not, as long as they are built here or in Canada.

I see not one single person has brought up the factor of it being their UAW Contract time with Ford, and an alleged/threatened "move" to Mexico is ALL that Ford has right now to hold over their heads. It's mostly theater; Michigan is building EXCELLENT product in high demand, priced to go head-to-head with 'Yota and the Volt BS isn't even close to it in any fashion.

How is it mostly "theater" when the lay offs have begun, and the announcement about moving the production has been made?  Here is a copy of another link in the original post about the plant moving.  It doesn't appear to be "theater" or a "this too shall pass" type of deal to me when I read through the list and see some of the planned or on going loss of AMERICAN and CANADIAN jobs.

I don't really care if the auto manufacturing jobs lost are UAW workers or not, they are American and Canadian jobs LOST!  No job loss is good for either country.

Key Mexican automotive investments:

Will just have to wait and see. 

The encouraging thing is "new generation" C-Max, so it sounds like it's going to stay around. The big question is, what will it look like...

Won't matter to me even though I really like the 2015 C-Max Energi I am now driving.  NO WAY will I buy a car or truck made in Mexico!  There may be limited options, but I will buy US or Canadian built as long as I can!

Thanks for all of the suggestions and information posted so far!  I am just a little leery of buying a mower that isn't self propelled at this stage of my life.  I have read how light and easy the electric mowers are to push so I might seriously reconsider those.

The lead batteries are a concern for me that are on the self-propelled models available now, and that is another reason I am going to reconsider the push mowers.  Not sure why different batteries aren't being used, unless it's just older technology that the manufacturers haven't seen a need to update yet?

I wondered why there were some small cutting paths for many of these mowers, as small as 14" from what I remember.  I guess the fact that the electric mowers just aren't as powerful as a gasoline mower (yet) does make sense for the smaller cutting paths.

I am thinking I will need about 40 minutes or so of running time to cut the entire yard.  Something with a duel battery is appearing to be necessary for my requirements, as I was a bit surprised to read about only 20 minutes of running time on some of the mowers.

I had "hi-jacked" a different post, so wanted to carry on the discussion in an area where it belongs.

We are moving into a house at the beginning of August, and I have to buy a lawn mower, edger, weed eater, etc.   This is only the second time in 42 years of marriage that we have been in a condo, both times while waiting for a house.

I have had plenty of gas powered lawn equipment over those years, and never even thought about considering electric operated ones.  We made a move that required us to really downsize and therefore I sold all of my lawn equipment, knowing I would not need it for at least one year. 

Having just leased a C-Max Energi in April, I am ready to try going "green" in other areas also.  The little bit of reviews I have read on the web have mostly been positive, but there are a few negatives as can be expected.  I will have about 1/3 of an acre in a subdivision, and the yard is mostly flat.  I usually cut at least once a week, and I mulch the clippings.

I am 63 years old, and have always used a self propelled mower and they have always been at least 21 inch cutting width.  There are only two, maybe three, self propelled electric cordless mowers I have been able to find so far.  They ALL use the older lead battery which adds about 30-35 lbs to the machine, and they have special charging requirements.  One requires the battery always be connected to the charger when not in use.

Any suggestions, comments, etc?  It's been so long since I had to push a mower, I don't know if I can give up the self propelled feature.  With the limited selection right now, perhaps I will just buy a used gas mower and see what happens in the market by next spring.

Also, what ever brand mower I buy, I will also more than likely buy the edger and trimmer since the same brand can share batteries.  More convenient having only one charger that can handle all of the batteries, and having extra batteries if needed.

Thanks, Steve

Sorry to have "hi-jacked" this post.  I am going to start a new topic in order to continue this discussion about electric lawn mowers and tools.  I appreciate the additional information here, and hope to see more on the correct post.

Steve

Just posted "Electric Lawn Mower"  under the Off Topic group

Glad to see you were able to get something that works for you.  Nice job!

Moving into a house next month, and just started looking at some lawn equipment I will have to buy.  I have done a little looking on line at the cordless electric mowers but the choice is limited right now for self propelled ones. 

The two or three I have found so far use the older lead batteries which add weight, don't provide as much power, and have a different charging routine than the newer batteries.  The cutting width is usually smaller also.  I think the largest I have seen is 20"

I may just buy a used gas mower for the rest of this season, and see what comes out next spring.

Until I started driving a C-Max Energi in April, I wouldn't have even thought about an electric mower, edge trimmer, weed eater, etc!  :)

Won't the glue or silicone sealant that is holding those in place be a poor conductor of heat?

yet less than 3 years later C-MAX is the best "Wagon" out there???

As the article notes, this is for the best AMERICAN built cars and trucks.  Not too many remaining in that class.

Here is a link I found on one of the other auto forums I follow and the top selling American made cars and trucks.  It was surprising to see that the new Ford F150 no longer makes the list because of contents NOT made in America!

http://www.mlive.com/auto/index.ssf/2015/06/these_are_the_7_most_american.html#0

Not all qualified cars made the list (such as the C-Max) because these represent the highest selling vehicles.

Well, I made it

 

11.7 galons used (by the pump) over the last 12 months., and averaging a usage rate of less than a tank a year over the last 18 months.

Cool!  How many miles did you drive for the last 12 months.