ScubaDadMiami

Looking forward to hearing how it goes. Congratulations! :)

I had Sirius on a previous vehicle, and it was right for the time. I have since moved on, and I am not missing it at all. As stated, I find that it sounds terrible. I never had this poor sound with the prior vehicle, but it is so bad that I couldn't deal with it in the C-MAX, even with the upgraded sound system. Also, when you are on the road for long stretches, even Sirius gets to a point where they replay the shows. Instead of Sirius, I stream from my cellphone for a lot of my listening. If I am in a news or information mood, I listen to Stitcher (app) or a podcast for free. For music, I elected to pay the fee ($9.99) for Spotify (there is a free version with lesser features), because you can pick a specific song or artist to play, you can play a specific genre, or you can use it like a radio (where the "station" plays based upon your thumbs up or down of music), and you can skip tracks at any time, which means no listening to the same songs over and over again. I also like that I am the one who controls the start and stop of everything. I do miss a couple of the shows that I used to listen to on Sirius. However, when they have the free weekends and such, I've re-listened, and what I hear only serves to confirm that I should not go back.

I got a wired phone cradle/charger installed, which places the phone out of the way but easily used. I throw my keys and wallet in the cup holders. I put the coin holder on the shelf that is inside of the arm rest. I carry my small folding umbrella in the tray that is at the side of the seat. I leave a set of my Rx glasses in the holder above the mirror. I added seat covers that have compartments not only for behind the seat but also on the side of the front seats that face the armrest, and I use this to hold my sunglasses, a seatbelt cutter/window breaker and an emergency light. I carry a few other things in the glove box and armrest, but I try not to jam them with junk. This still leaves the space in the door. There could always be more, but I don't think that the C-MAX is that bad for storage.

If "plate holder" means frame, I have one on my rear plate. I never bothered to check under it to see if the C-MAX has something under it. Any pics?

I have all of the same concerns that you express. Yes, those things can dry out and oxidize, which makes the car look older. I decided that I am just going to take my car to a body shop for occasional touch ups and dings. Also, I chose a color without the tricoat paint, so that little fixes will not cost much, and so that the repairs match up well with the vehicle paint.

I vote for 67-68 MPH. How do you have your A/C set? Turn off Auto, use recirculate, keep the temperature between 73-75F, maintain fan speed between 3-5 bars. If you use Cruise Control, make sure to use Eco. Other than wind, with everything set as above, you should get between 40-43 MPG during a good outside temperature range.

No regrets. About the only thing I wish for is even more room. If there would have been an Escape Hybrid that gets around the same fuel efficiency, that's about the only thing that would have moved me from the C-MAX.

I bought a coin holder from an auto parts store. I store it on the little shelf inside the armrest.

I also have the all weather mats from Ford. I have no problem with them, but I do not purposely wade in chest deep mud before entering my car.

I remember seeing posts about this before. From what I recall, the sound in the posts had to do with acceleration, and it only happened when ICE was running. However, maybe that is a good place to start your search. I have that noise, but only as above, and almost only when doing a higher rate of acceleration. It does not happen when I am doing a lesser burn.

It makes sense that many people would want to stretch the battery as they arrive at home or work, and that an initial charge at start up would average out pretty well for them. I guess that this is probably why Ford developed the idea of EV+. On the other hand, once you know what's what, you can manipulate to give even better numbers for your personal situation. Everybody from :noobie: to :superhero: wins.

Welcome aboard! Though I have no experience in cold conditions, my understanding is that it is better to use the heated seats than it is to use the heater, as far as fuel economy goes. Be careful; I am told that the seats can get quite hot on the highest setting.

I do the same sort of thing. If I don't have enough charge when I approach my home EV+ zone, I'll intentionally do a 2 bar burn to force one last charge that will get me inside of my parking garage, to my spot, and then still have enough juice for my exit to the roadway on my next departure. When ICE first turns on, it will stay on long enough to warm up. I plan for that to be the time when I get my first charge of the departure. Since the first start up will actually draw down juice from the HVB while the initial ICE warm up phase is going on (you'll see the arrow for the battery pointing down even though you have ICE running), when I am exiting the building and pulling out onto the roadway, I try to feather the pedal enough to EV slowly to about 25 to 30 MPH, having the HVB meter down to the lowest possible state before ICE makes its initial start. On most days, this makes the first half mile from my building's driveway exit all EV, making the timing of my first charge cost very little in fuel while getting the most charge on the HVB. BTW, even when it is 96F outside, ICE still goes through a brief warm up phase during the initial start. So, ICE will initially run for a while no matter how warm it is. You might think it would just be a good idea to turn off EV+. However, I leave it on to keep more choices available. There are times where things just don't work out, and I get home with less than an optimal charge. It happens.

The delay setting on the wipers adapts to changing speeds. Also, there has been mention about the engine adapting to the fuel.

Not sure about being able to look up any vehicle versus your owned/leased vehicle. When I log in, my service history shows on the Ford Owner's Web Site.

Too much work.

+1, with a few things that I do differently. 1. I strongly agree: always leave recirculate on. It makes a big difference. I have never had recirculate turn off. If you have the A/C to set to Auto, that could be the reason. I never use Auto. Auto is not your friend. Especially at this time of year, I have A/C running 100 percent of the time, so I don't bother turning it off and on for vehicle shut downs. That way, it is still with recirc turned on when I start up. About the only thing I ever do is to change the fan speed, and perhaps move the temperature setting up or down a degree from 74F. 2. Regarding the fan, absolutely agreed. At least in the short run, you get way more bang for the buck by using a higher fan speed than you do by reducing the temperature with a lower fan speed, especially when initially cooling off the cabin. I think that after five or six bars of fan speed, there is a slight tick up on how fast you drain the HVB, but it is not a big deal, and it is a better alternative to lowering the temperature, at least in the shorter run. 3. Agreed about temperature setting, especially in the short run. If you are traveling over great distances, it matters less, so long as you set within a reasonable comfort zone, such as 72-75F. 4. I have never tried closing vents. I almost always have the dog with me. Also, admittedly, I am a bit of an air conditioner-aholic. I distribute the cool air equally but while also keeping myself comfortable. 5. As said, whenever possible, park in the shade. I got my windows tinted. If you have to let your car sit out in the sun, when you approach your car, hold down the unlock button on the key fob until the windows open. Pull out of your destination with windows open, allowing the breeze to remove hot cabin air. Close the windows. I have done a great deal of testing (using only My View, not some sophisticated equipment) on air conditioner use with my C-MAX. What I will add to what SnowStorm brings up are the following observations: When A/C first starts, it spikes in draw from the battery. During this period, it really doesn't matter how you have set the A/C, and I have not found a combination of temperature/fan that draws less during that first kick-on time. However, if you have set a very low temperature for your start-up, that spike will last for a bit longer while the cabin gets its initial cooling. So, initially setting a somewhat higher temperature will give you a slight benefit to your fuel economy. After that, things settle down, and you will see a lower and consistent draw. Playing around with temperature and fan speed at that point really doesn't change the draw very much. However, I only say this after playing around with reasonable temperature settings, which for me usually run about 73-75F. If you turn it all the way down to LO, I can't say whether that is still true or not. First, we are talking about the left hand side smaller screen. Using the arrow/OK button on the left side of the steering wheel, scroll until you get to My View, and then OK that. Now, again using the left side of your steering wheel, press on the right arrow to change My View. You can change either the left side of the screen or the right. However, not all things are available to each side. The power use that involves Climate is for the right half of that left hand side screen. Scroll to that and OK it. It looks like three white horizontal bars.

Thanks.

I don't think that it will happen by 2018, but it could be well on the way, I hope. Maybe a little nip here and a little tuck there, that sort of thing, but I don't see making a smaller C-MAX as the next step, and I hope that they don't go that route. I am not looking to drive a smaller car to get fuel efficiency, which is why I picked the C-MAX in the first place. If the C-MAX were any smaller, I probably would not be driving one. My guess, and this is just a total guess, is that improvements that you mention--vehicle design and materials--will combine with things like improvements in battery technology and use of alternative fuels, allowing larger vehicles to perform pretty well, especially when compared to today. By then, Ford might have larger gas/hybrid/plug-in/electric/Hydrogen versions of a Focus that gets really great (such as hybrid = 55+ MPG) fuel economy while also releasing a new Escape that gets something like 40+ MPG. (Hey, I am allowed to dream.) At that point, will there be a big enough niche for people that would be looking for about 50 MPG in a vehicle that would be just a tad smaller than the Escape? Maybe, especially if it sells enough to bring Ford's fleet fuel efficiency ratings up to required government standards. However, if Ford is well on the way to meeting government standards, they may not need the C-MAX in the fleet anymore. With the bigger Focus and the more fuel efficient Escape customers nipping away at the audience, I can understand why there would not be enough of a niche to justify its continued run. Still, I am surprised that this great concept vehicle would disappear from the market. I figured that Ford was gearing up to release a domestic Grand C-MAX Hybrid/Energi/plug-in for customers that don't want the SUV type appearance of the Escape, and that the Grand would carry the smaller version enough to justify its continued existence.

That's a tough break. From the way it sounds, even I'd give thought to pursuing a Lemon Law claim. Maybe Ford can move you into a new C-MAX rather than monetary compensation.

This was the scene where I volunteer at an assisted living facility. Mine is parked on the right--notice the Pano Roof.[/url]

"The C-Max Hybrid and C-Max Energi will be replaced by hybrid and PHEV versions of the Escape (to compete with Prius V), while the Focus will get hybrid and Energi models to take on the Prius and Prius Plug-In Hybrid." I wouldn't call this bad news. I had a Mazda Tribute, a joint venture vehicle between Ford and Mazda, and it was almost identical to the Escape. I had no problems with that car, but I was getting less than 20 MPG. When I purchased my C-MAX, my original goal was to find something like an Escape but with 40+ MPG. I am willing to bet that a good portion of the people that bought C-MAXes would have gone for a Hybrid/Plug-in Escape (with pretty close to the same fuel economy) over the C-MAX, if such a thing had still existed and were reasonably priced. Maybe, by the time that they come out with that Escape, they will have figured out how to make it get great FE while handling like what we are driving today, just in a bigger version.

Check this thread.

+1.

I live in Miami Beach. I do mostly city driving. In winter, I get 60+ MPG around town without air conditioning, during that little window of a year where it gets cool enough not to have to run the A/C. In summer, I am getting about 52+ with A/C on. I have done my share of highway driving, too. I just got back from a 5,400+ mile trip from Miami Beach to New England, where I had pretty good numbers, considering highway driving plus A/C. My full post on the trip shows my numbers.