catsailor

A C Max in the hands of a non hybrid enthusiast can be very damaging because at 188 hp combined its got plenty of power to seduce you to do bad things FE-wise. I get the +45 in Spring Summer and Fall.... no problem at all. Ford introducing this car late Sept 2011 did not help their own cause without a BOLD weather disclaimer :) Is the suit going to hold up....I bet not.

I know that the 2013 was re-tested with the FE mods but given the history of this car and the claimed mods Ford has done I think this is a good PR move on Ford's end to do another final test to verify once and for all what they can advertise this car at. I don't think they will ever get to 47/47/47 although guys like Jus and Matt would disagree :) I think improving highway FE maybe hard give the lack of an aerodynamic shape of the car but in the end I think final testing will put the consumer at peace with the FE numbers...2013 numbers which you bet EPA triple checked were 40 hwy and 45 city for 43 MPG combined...... I doubt they will do much better but I would like to see me proved wrong...NO WAY 47 combined because that is way too large a leap forward.

I must disagree with you here, I ordered mine in July 2011 and picked it up Sept 24 th 2011 YES it was the first delivery into the state of Maryland. Aside from the tweaks Ford did along the way for the tail gate and NAV system and my sync I have had ZERO issues with my first to ship car. I have 22,000 miles right now and 43.7 MPG lifetime through 2 winters and one summer. Next IF I could drive a hard bargin for a 2013 I certainly would do that because I don't think Ford is going to get much more out of the C Max on the highway due to its shape. I don't think anybody is complaining about its City MPG's. The lower the first cost of the Max the faster the payback for the FE savings.

Bet you end up with the C Max is just that much more refined of a hybrid and over all car.

NO DOUBT I would purchase the same car again, after my 600 mile one way trip and back from INDY I was sold on how comfortable the seating and visability in my C Max is. Additionally if I could average 39.7 MPG round trip doing 65-70 MPH and lifetime at 21200 miles at 43.7 is tough to beat real world FE figures all with 188 HP under the hood. At NO time climbing mountains of Western MD did I ever feel under powered. I am glad I bought this car and happy to buy another one because frankly a new car that averages 25 MPG is BORING anymore :)

Am I feeling that 39-40 MPG seems to be the norm for speeds at 65-70 MPH

return leg and FULL trip report speeds of 65-70 MPH all HWY 1192.7 miles at 39.7 MPG.

I think my return trip will be from Indy to Wheeling and to Washington PA and take the PA turnpike back to Breezewood to Hagerstown and home.

LEG #1 Washington DC to Indianapolis IN 595 miles driven at 65-70 MPG with 50% of the trip in a rain storm, lights on as well defroster on. 37.1 MPG . car was set on ECO cruise the whole time too. I did not even attempt to stay in the slow lane....it was pedal to the metal because I had to be in Inday by a certain time. Basically the car spent very and I mean very little time in EV mode and I need to also add a STIFF NW head wind at 20 knots from Wheeling WVA through to Columbus to Indy.

I am gassing up tonight for a 600 mile one way and then return trip from Washington DC to Indianapolis IN via Cumberland MD, Morgantown WVA then Wheeling WVA and past Columbus OH. MapQuest says 597 miles one way. It will be a hilly climb to Cumberland and then Morgantown, then you descend to Wheeling on the river and from there its fairly flat to Indy. What's on your docket plan? I will track all my miles although I don't think I will get to Indy in one tank, my full round trip should be +2 tanks easily. Please lets tell what we are driving this week.....catsailor

what is the new sticker MPG rating for the 2014 C max Ashley as it has not been posted on Ford.com yet

Shopping for a mini CUV that can tow my 2000 lbs boat and trailer brought me to a Mitsubishi dealership. Guy sees me pulling up in my C Max and proceeds to ask me if I am not happy with it and trading her in ...... I tell jack ass that on the contrary its the best car I have had, besides won't give up on +45 MPG all around with 43.1 MPG lifetime (20,000 miles). Now the fun starts when sales manager chimes in and tells me how useless Hybrids are since you need to own them for a long time to see a payback which I proceed to tell him yeah 100,000 miles is my break even point with $4 gas. As if I never did the math. Now I tell jack ass one and two that I own my cars until they rot off the vine. I hate the new car buying experience and my C max is one if not the most comfortable cars for its size I have owned. Factoid I told them its got more power than anything in 4 cylinders on their lot. Now the real reason I went there today and I may give up on my quest to find wifey a new ride since we own a 2001 Ford Escape with a 200 hp V6 set up for towing (hitch and oil cooler) and this car easily tows our small sailboat everywhere and the 4 WD helps pull her on slippery ramps. I may end up keeping the Escape (55,000 miles in 13 years) cause its simple and works like a champ and tell wifey to go out and buy anything she wants. I really liked the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport for fuel efficiency and 4WD but I hate the plastics they use inside and frankly their NAV package does not come close to the Ford Sync and my touch system BTW jack ass seems to feel my car with be worth SQUAT at 60,000 miles because ...well its a hybrid and these cars implode at 80,000 miles. Anybody have any suggestions on a small efficient CUV that tows 2000 lbs. I really hate going to a Turbo Boost engine to do this with anew escape besides they have had their share of problems with the 1.6 Eco Boost engine right now and that was the engine that appealed to me the most.

WHY on earth would you not take a bigger discount on a 2013. I saw the Ford website and to my eye the cars look identical so my guess is they are probably going to stick with the revise MPG's but I have averaged the 47 during Spring/Fall and times of Summer on my 2013. BTW I even saw where car max had some low mileage used ones on their lots too.

about 40F at sea level of close to it and 31F atop the mountains. The salt trucks were doing their thing in Somerset PA. I could hardly get warm air in the car because the engine was off and on de[pending on if I was climbing or descending. One heck of a car for sure. I used the electric seats when it got really cold out. Did I also say we had wind too :)

480 miles, 41.4 MPG on the cars computer (got to Fredrick MD on Yellow and filled up 30 miles shy of DC, did not want to chance it even though I took 12.4 gallons of fuel. Car was set at ECCO cruise the whole time at 65 mph. Any locals know that this trip goes through mountains we have here in the mid Atlantic and I was really happy with the power that the car displayed. Forgot to add it was raining/drizzling and lights were on all the time due to heavy fog on the mountain tops. Windy and cold added to the formula. Everything a hybrid does not like :) Gas Pods installed, and I was the only occupant with light luggage. Nearing 20,000 miles on the car now

Yes, Susanne asked me to remove my Pods and give her some baseline testing without them installed. I obliged her request. My 2011 miles driven since end of September averaged 47 MPG on my cars computer so I started a new trip without the Pods. I can't wait to re-install them because something in my head tells me I will gain 1-2 MPG over all when they are installed.

Here is a copy of my note to Susanne about my 2000 mile experiment with Gas Pods, I never intended to do extreme testing or add tell tales and video them to confirm streamlines. I mounted these Sept. 28 th and completed 2011 miles Nov. 9 th and averaged 47 MPG combined. Loaded, Highway, city, congested traffic, etc. Did not change how I drive and the weather here is only getting cooler. Take the test program and make you own conclusions but for me I want to run these for one whole year. To be frank I am afraid to remove them now :) My picture of my gauge is also included so you can see the amount of hours and fuel consumed. "Susanne, You can confirm on my Fuelly account “Road Warrior” my 2000 mile Gas Pods test. I am very happy and these will REMAIN on my C Max forever. It’s extremely difficult to hold any conditions constant on my Hybrid since shit changes with vehicle loading, terrain, wind and outside temperature as well ancillary power used such as night lighting, heating or air-conditioning. My FEEL for the car which I have owned since Sept 2012 and my mileage FE feel tells me that these WORK. Based on isolated highway readings off my gas gauges I think +2-4 mpg and all around +1-2 MPG. You can look at my Fuelly Logs and confirm and advise me if you think differently. Please feel free to continue to monitor what I am doing. Many thanks for your fine product. Pictured is a snap shot of +2000 miles off my car gauges with gas pods, this will differ from Fuelly since I top off with every tank and I can guarantee what the actual fuel pumped is based on fuel temps and vapor pressures at each pump J THANKS Catsailor"

Aerohance.com the koolaid for geeks looking for FE :)

Four (4) Adults, full rear cargo storage space with luggage and all for a weekend trip to St Michaels MD. Return trip home at 45.4 mpg at +95 miles driven. YEAH THE PODS WERE INSTALLED and I held to all posted speed limits 55 on back roads and 65 on Rt 50 and 495. This was a first for me having the payload and luggage so quite happy being over 45 MPG. The overall tank is +46.6 so far and I am getting ready to fill up again. Can't tell you that the pods were the difference because I have never had such a payload.

Like u I have decided that they work for me too. I told Susanne I am keeping mine on. Screw the exacting science as I see the performance on the highway. Too many variables to a hybrid to fix the same conditions is what I told Susanne but ur results speak very well to performance. Catsailor

Cooler weather and a bit of rain and night driving plus more short around town trips to drop off and pick up my wife at Metro amongst other things. 509.3 miles with computer on car registering 46 MPG and topped off (really beyond one or two clicks at the pump) at 11.56 gallons of fuel. Car still delivering better than advertised performance..........Gas Pods when I hit the right highway and the right road are very encouraging BUT you can never factor in road surfaces, inclines and HEAD WINDS. I am 50% of the pilot test program and cooler weather is upon us. I am at the point that Susanne won't take my Pods away from me because the fact that I am driving on the highway at 60-65 mph and still delivering good overall results have me scared to change a thing on my set up. Next I am thinking of trying some aero wheel covers, Matt when will you and PTJones collaborate on this venture :)

My night-time driving is always lower efficiency output then my daytime driving. Makes no difference if its a round trip where I left late afternoon to have dinner with friends and returned at night, a round trip. Seems that having lights on is a drag on my battery's ability to get the charging attention it needs :) Anyway else see a drop off on FE mpg's at night time. Over all my lifetime (no reset on computer) is now 44 mpg and 96% brake score, +16,000 miles on the odometer to date.

mine are an inch back of the spoiler end as you know the spoiler has a curve to its so the pods lie just before the bend of the curve. Will try and post later today. Catsailor the eternal optimist, engineer and physicist too :)

Tough crowd we have here, I paid a big premium to buy a C Max over a 38/40 MPG car, figured I needed to drive 100,000 miles to break even at $4/gallon gas. I also installed solar panels on my home with the knowledge that it would take 6-7 years to return the payback on my investment after all the rebates were applied. The point is not every decision I make is about a 1-2 month payback and I like to think I take a LONG view on what investments I make. Gas Pods fall into that category. If they help improve my mileage (which I believe they will and have done) then I am happy with my purchase. PTJones was hyping gill covers and I was a skeptic until Ford validated his theories, he was onto something. Ford will be changing the rear spoiler on the 2014 C Max, tells me they know something could be made better. Do Gas Pods make this better? Soon enough I will find out, I know that I have been heavy afoot lately since I have been late for my appointments so driving faster but still posting +46 mpg's. I am very optimistic and don't think the Pods are a placebo at all.

Thanks Susanne, We use CFD analysis everywhere now. I am real happy with your product, it looks very stylish too and makes my Max stand out from the crowd. I would wonder what Ford's new rear spoiler for the 2014 Max will look like and their design could and should validate your product theory completely. I doubt it will be as sophisticated as yours cause it still must be stamped from sheet metal and to make Pods like in the spoiler would be a fairly expensive if not an impossible mold.