SnowStorm

Saw an SEL, steel roof and quite sure it was white platinum on I66 in VA on May 3rd. We were on the way to the airport for a weeks vacation in Puerto Rico where I kept looking but didn't see any C-Maxs (at least not that I could be sure of). But there are a ton of Fords there.

Thanks Jus, had a really great time in Puerto Rico (big island and Vieques). Kept an eye out for C-Maxs but never saw any down there (at least not that I could be certain of) but there were lots of Fords. However, we did see a C-Max ad for the first time while waiting for a take-out order (generally never watch TV).

AC - what's that? We are having frost for the next two mornings. I generally dislike the auto modes but we'll see - when it gets warm enough.

Just happened across this warning in the manual under ACCESSORIES. "To avoid interference with other vehicle functions, such as anti-lock braking systems, amateur radio users who install radios and antennas onto their vehicle should not locate the amateur radio antennas in the area of the driver’s side hood." Seems like a strange place for an antenna but I'll keep it in mind!

Have been away for a week on vacation (unfortunately without the car!) so here's some catch-up. Rachel, Jus, Adair, ron, et al: My definition of "nut case" on this forum is: "A C-Max owner with extreme driving skill, superior knowledge and unbounded enthusiasm for their cars which leaves the rest of us green with envy! (There are many inaccurate definitions out there on-line!) VR: Myers it is! JAZ: But I would like to see the total and trip together at the bottom of any of the screens. ron: But what makes the clicking sound? I'm curious.

As an engineer it sounds like a cool idea but a big reason for buying the C-Max is over-all long term operating cost. The system would need to be quite cheap to pay for itself. If you top-off once a day with the battery nearly empty (adding about 1200 watt-hours) you might save about $1 per week. Double that if you can charge twice a day (or you get the electricity for free). Would be nice if Ford built in the capability and/or added solar cells for charging at work (although payback is still a question).

Per fotomoto's excellent summary, my guess is that you reset the lifetime number but not the "main MPG meter" normally seen on the left screen. If your trip is at 43 mpg, your car should be fine.

Or Furlongs/Firkin for fuel efficiency?

My better half has done me better - she has best "trip" so far. 60.0 mpg! :wub2: Home from the store. Our little two-door Tercel from years ago would only do 40. Short trips? Who cares. Numbers like this are sure fun!

Sorry, I was referring to some movie by that name (never really saw it) where the guy kept re-living the same day over and over. But with about 6C lows, 20C highs, plenty of sun, green grass, red buds blooming - nope, there's not much complainin' about the weather right now! And I say stick with metric - we're the ones who should do the converting! :headscratch:

Oh yes, it took me awhile to figure out the double beep - hatch needs to be closed firmly. Finally got into the ET (Engineering Test) screens. The analog gage and all lights on tests are cool.

Well, the hybrid wasn't invented for continuous 70 mph + AC. Once the ICE has to run all the time at significant load the hybrid part goes unused. As pointed out, the C-Max has more frontal area than smaller/lower cars and some have a better drag coefficient (although the C-Max is quite good). So you can find non-hybrids that do better at 70+AC but they won't have other features we love in the C-Max. And they will be much less fuel efficient at other driving conditions of course. If all you want is the best mileage at 70+AC, other things equal, you would go with a diesel. But then you're paying more for fuel and, with certain popular diesels, replacing timing belts at 100k miles which adds another $0.45 to each gallon (dealer quoted $1100 for the belt job - that's 1.1 cents per mile). To me it's overall long term cost that counts. That cost factor plus all the features made the C-Max a winner with me.

We have over 150k miles on ours and the overall average the first couple of years was 36 (haven't checked recently). 41 is probably doable at the right speeds. I think I got near 40 on trips under good conditions. It's only 1.5 liters.

Looks like "Groundhog Day" weather in Virginia - highs of 69 or 70 for the next 6 days!

A few more details. No Nav - brought our "old" one over from the Fit. The weekend trip was almost all on ECO cruise - set and go. No real hypermiling except some care in getting off the gas early for upcoming stops and gentle braking. No AC and almost no heat. Kept forgetting to complete an odometer check - either against mile posts or GPS. A few quick thoughts on things we like: - Great mileage of course - and it's not yet broken in.- No "down-shifting" on hills. We hated the way an automatic / small engine combo would kick out of lock-up or down-shift on hills. This may be the first car that will stop me wishing for a manual again!- ECO cruise that returns gently to set speed without "stomping" on it.- Flawless way the car transitions in and out of EV mode. My hat is off to the engineers that designed and programmed that system! There is just no way to tell from driving feel that the engine starts or stops. You might hear it at low car speed but there is just no surge or lag or need to adjust throttle position. Amazing! I hope there is an engineering article some day about the design.- Love the way you can move the car around a parking lot or in/out of the garage without starting the engine - and of course sit at lights. The eerie quiet at low speed in EV is just too cool. (Side note - filled up the Lexus this week, reset the Avg MPG meter, drove a few miles, stopped at a light and watched the meter loose about 3 mpg just sitting there!)- All those display options. (But as someone noted, there could be more "data" options for the right screen.)- Wipers are very nice - both swing "out" together so you don't have the right wiper stopping and reversing in front of the driver.- Drivers seat that adjusts really high - and there is still lots of headroom.- Great headroom in both front and back seats.- Built-in "blind spot" mirrors. - Inside mirror that has a double pivot so you can adjust vertical position - needed when you jack up the seat. - Panoramic roof - oh the roof! We really like the "dorky" roof (as someone called it!). Great view from back seats, great when "street shopping" houses, lets in light - check it out when there are overhead lights, like the gas station.- Room to haul stuff. Picked up a dryer at ReStore and the guy helping load asked, with some incredulity, if I was going to "put it in that white car over there?" It went right in, even on its side. You have a 27+" high by 34" wide rectangle through the hatch. Yes, I had plenty of cardboard to keep it off the white platinum!- Ventilation buttons that allow any combination of floor-vent-defrost, plus the OFF button.- The wheels - I like lots of spokes.- The tires - genuine Michelin.- White Platinum paint - wife is crazy about it.- I forget what all else! On the negative side (any prospective buyers should know that these items would have no bearing on buying the car again!):- I think I've noticed the "twitchy" steering- Ventilation buttons are too low and a bit hard to "feel"- A fairly loud "clicking" sound heard occasionally when opening the door (also once when my wife pulled in). Lasts for maybe 5 or 10 seconds. Sounds like it comes from under the hood. I think I've only heard it in our garage. - No trip odometer beside the total - there is plenty of room. - No spare tire - intend to get one, at least for certain routes. Still have tons to learn and set up. Really cool car - and still haven't "drunk the kool-aid" (haven't found it yet!).

So folks, time goes on - things change. I guess Waiting In The Shenandoah no longer means "waiting for the car", but rather, "waiting for the next time I can drive her"! :waiting: Don't quite know where to start but I'm understanding more why there are so many "nut case" posters on here! :stirpot: My wife had the car out when I got home from work and, horror of horrors, I start in with "separation anxiety" - it wasn't there! :runaway: It was sad, maybe even SAD (separation anxiety disorder)! Anybody else have this problem? OK, maybe I'm exaggerating a bit (just a bit!). Please understand, we had done some 500+ miles over the weekend. Then she got home and I felt better. My wife had a funny story - stopped at a light and for a split second thought, "oh no, what's wrong with our new car - the engine just stopped"! And, since getting the car, she had already driven it for several hours. A bit more in order now. Picked up our baby on Thursday, reset lifetime summary, and brought her home. First "trip" was 28.0 miles, 13.2 EV, 0.8 regen, 41.9 mpg! and 95% brake score. Topped off the tank next day and left on a weekend trip - 3 adults and maybe 150 lbs of "stuff". First half was Interstate at (mostly) 65 mph but with an overall elevation drop of about 1400 feet. MPG average was about 43 when starting second half at (mostly) 55 mph and nearly flat. I thought mpg would climb but it continued to hover around 43. Maybe the elevation drop offset the higher speed. Temperatures, whole trip, were above 50F and mostly 60 to 70F. Almost completed the whole trip on one tank but "chickened out" at 8 MTE with 522 miles on the tank. Gage was having a fit changing colors. Stopped and got 1 gallon of junk gas (10% corn), made another stop to pick up the Fit and continued on to our favorite station with "real" gas and filled up. That last segment was on a back road after dark, no traffic, by myself so I turned on Empower and tried to hold EV mode as long as possible. Boy is that hard! Also tried to synch hill climbs with battery charging but couldn't really do it. When the battery is gone the engine has to run! Anyway, that segment came out at 8.8 miles, 6.1 EV, 0.6 Regen, 99% brake and 52.4 mpg! And I think it was an elevation gain. Full Trip 1 distance (including the extra gallon) was 533 miles and 41.4 mpg using pump gallons. Lifetime is now 42.1 with total 673 miles and 188 EV. :) We love the car, the color (wife really loves it) and the roof! More on early impressions later.

Yes, 7 weeks and 3 days - and that included some train problem ("Conveyance Mechanical Failure") which caused some unknown amount of delay. Our dealer had said 6 to 8 weeks.

Thanks all! Baby is home and we love her! First trip 28 miles and 41.9 mpg. Pics later.

Ye-ha! Our baby is here! :happy feet: Pick it up TODAY at 4 pm. So if SnowStorm melts away and vanishes from the forum for awhile ..... its because we're out :seein' the USA in our - oops: "Out makin' tracks in a Ford C-Max!" :shift:

Glad to see you really can get 47 mpg even with a big portion of miles at 65 mph. Hope everything keeps going well!

T-2, T-1... Just talked to the dealer today - its on the truck and could arrive Thu or Fri. Told them we would love to have it for this weekend and they said it should only take half a day to get ready - and glad when customers are excited! Goodness! Do some people order new cars without getting excited about its arrival? How boring!

See this article about life. http://www.eetimes.com/design/automotive-design/4405032/Behind-Ford-s-lithium-ion-decision I think the left axis is 0 to 120% (saw it somewhere but can't find it now). This graph shows about 20% loss in capacity after 300,000 miles and Ford believes actual loss will be less. That small amount of loss isn't going to make a lot of difference in a hybrid. Of course this isn't a warranty but many drive trains go 3 times their warranty as well.