blakespot

My mother in law just pulled out to leave our house and sideswiped my “new to me” 2013 C-Max hybrid. (No on was hurt, a pick up truck driven by “a maniac” “pushed her into my car” without contacting her car.) ... At any rate, there’s a notable dent and scrape to the left rear quarter panel and I would like to have the car repaired. I see the quarter panel goes for $600 or so and I assume it can still be obtained. I have the sparkly charcoal color, so it would need to be painted to match. Since I (she) is willing to pay whatever it costs, I do want it replaced rather than banged out. Am I better getting a Ford dealer to do this because of parts access, or find a good body shop locally? Thanks. Ugh. Insult to injury, I had spent a few hours washing it for the first time a couple of hours earlier in the day. Thanks. bp

I checked and indeed I have the 225 (non-P) tires. These are the same physical size as the R225 that Ford spec'ed from Micheline for the C-Max, I think. Am I still getting the mileage I would out of the P225 tires -- or close? I seem to get ~40MP/g in the 8 mile drive from DC to northern VA and sometimes just over 50, according to the C-Max console computer. The tires on this used vehicle look in rather good shape. bp

I just purchased a used 2013 C-Max Hybrid - tuxedo black (with metallic flakes). There are a very few places -- edges of metal such as edge between body of car and rear hatch -- that have chipped off paint. I would like to touch this up, more to keep it from spreading than anything. These are so small that metal flakes being in the touch up paint is unimportant. What is the best process here? It would seem that a dab / brush approach would be the way to go vs a spray as these are very small points. Grab some sort of paint from the arts and crafts store, or can someone point to automotive paint that can be applied as such? Thanks. While I'm asking... We have a 2015 Fusion purchased new that we purchased a sealant layer from the dealer that was applied before we left the lot. The C-Max does not have this, so I would presumably need to wax it (whereas the Fusion I do not). Do the seemingly-higher-end drive through car washes (vs. freebie at a gas station) that claim they can apply wax do anything positive for the car, or is that just nonsense? This is a black car, and the notion of waxing the car and cleaning all of the wax off such a contrasting paint color seems daunting -- but perhaps that's the only way to go. Thanks for suggestions. bp

I verified with a web search that the tires on the vehicle are the Ford recommended Michelines. Sorry to inundate with questions, but I notice that the ICE noise level when it kicks in is notably higher at low speeds than that of my 1.5L Fusion's EcoBoost. I imagine this may be due to the engine charging the battery and running at higher RPM than is needed simply to move the vehicle. Does it make sense that the engine would sound notably louder in the C-Max? I am aware it's larger displacement engine (2.0L) and that it is of a different tech. Also, the Fusion probably has more of an isolation for a "serene driving experience" than the C-Max. Thanks. bp

You’re prob right re: my overthinking. I will go synthetic 0W20’next time but not particularly early wrt next change window. Can you tell me if 225/50R17 Michelin’s are then Ford OEM tires made for this vehicle? That’s what I have on the car, a fairly new set it seems. Thanks. bp

My primary concern is getting the most out of this used vehicle with 74K miles on it. I will go full synthetic next oil change, but still can't decide if 0W20 or 5W20 is the way to go -- or if I should do it soon in order to reduce start-up wear in the cold here. There are arguments for staying with 5W and changing to 0W both here, I see. Did Ford change the rec oil for the C-Max at a certain model onward, or thru the whole line at the same time? Thanks. bp

Plus 3 Golfer vs fbov -- what to do. I was all set to go have the oil changed to full synth 0W20 tomorrow... Hmmm. Typically it's not much colder than 25F around here in winter. Summers 100-102 tops. #DC bp

I got the dealer to give me the report of what was done after the car was sold to them a few months ago and I see that X0-5W20-QSP was used - synthetic blend but 5W20. Would it be wise to switch out for 0W20 esp given the unusually cold weather here in DC, now? I could take the $ hit if it's extending the car's life to a degree. bp

Is it likely that the blend was used vs. pure Motorcraft oil? It's quite cold here -- 10F today. I will go full synthetic at next change, maybe even a little early. Thanks. bp

Thanks for the info, Frank. I have purchased a 1,000-point 4 year warranty for the vehicle that would cover the transmission. I suppose that's likely to fail here soon then? Also, odd on the website (see image attached). Information I've been given at the dealer calls this a 2013 C-Max Hybrid SEL. But the VIN tracker on Ford's site is calling it a 2014, and using both the term Energi (all electric??) and Hybrid.

Here she is btw.

Thanks for the input. You have made me feel at ease here. I love the car! It's fun and at high speed at seems to have more pick-up than our 1.5L ecoboost turbo Fusion 2015. Frankly, I like it better than (but I've not told the wife...I don't want her to take to driving it!). Glad to hear powertrain has lots of life left. How about battery life? I hear replacement is ~150,000 at $1,500. My new commute is prob 6,000 miles/year but slow (1hr each way in DC traffic -- just 6.8 miles on the road each way!). Maybe battery replacement isn't even in the future of my use of this vehicle. My main concern re octane fuel is power. I would pay a little more if the engine can adjust and I can get extra power. But I want to do what is best overall for the car. I purchased a 1,000 point 4-year warranty on the vehicle so transmission, etc. is fully covered. I guess that clears things for a while then, it seems. The C-Max has more in-console tech than our SYNC Fusion and I love it. It feels like a advanced cockpit. Driving it is a joy. I just had been feeling I needed to take it easy or something re: 74K miles, but as I said the orig owner hit every maintenance window so prob good to treat it as I desire. Any clue what the know up top is for near sunglasses bay? It's next to the also inexplicable button left of it that looks like a painter's palette that seems to have no effect on anything. I was similarly enthused about my 2002 Neon -- somehow felt like a little fun cart. This feels the same. Cheers. bp

Any thoughts on purchasing the pretty-much-maxed (no rear camera tho sadly) 2013 SEL for ~$9,000 ($31,000 when new apparently) but with 74,000 miles? Questionable decision, or no? (As I said, user hit every Ford maintenance target as CARMAX reveals). No wrecks, looks like a dent was repaired when I went looking for it after seeing it on the CARMAX. (Interestingly Ford dealership purchase of used car form indicated chips in windshield, paint chipped on hood and on rear hatch -- yet no chips are visible whatsoever. Did they repaint it? Obv windshield was replaced. Not sure how Ford does these things.) Also - I have used synthetic oil in my cars since 2003, and do in my 2015 fusion, but this car has never had it surely. Maybe going to synthetic at 74K miles would be a bad thing, given the sure presence of normal engine wear in that time. Thoughts? Thanks.

Thanks. Running through the thread I don't see any indication of how to make the system forget what it's learned (previous driver). Did I miss it? I am thinking this might not be possible, despite the manual for the 2013 model.

[ duplicate - please delete, moderator(s) ]