Riddley

Excellent Analysis Plus 3!! It is great to have engineers in the forum!!

I've read posts from people complaining that they have been disappointed by the fuel economy results at highway speeds. They cite the 47/47/47 window sticker and complain that they are not getting anything close to that - that they are actually getting mid 30s mpg. Here's a clue: If you want to get 40+ mpg, stop driving 70+ mph. There is ample evidence that you can drive 65-67mph for a very long time and average 40+ mpg. The 65-67 region of the speedometer is like the "twilight zone" for fuel economy in the C-MAX. Some refer to this as the "sweet spot." For this to work, you only need three things: 1) engine warm (see coolant temp gauge in MyView), 2) sufficiently charged battery (¾), sufficiently warm day (50+ degrees). I've driven a commute to work at about this speed and the trip average was 48 mpg. What's more, the car was rarely in EV mode. Out of 32 miles driven, only 8 were in EV mode. The 65-67 mph "sweet spot" is real. A dozen forum members have had this same experience. Nay Sayers will say "driving less than 70 mph isn't safe" on some interstates. If you believe that, then I'm not going to contradict you. I will however, ask you politely to stop complaining about your fuel results. You are expecting the car to do something it was not designed to do. You are being unrealistic, and blaming the car. Be realistic. Drive realistic. Don't blame the car.

Getting the engine temp up and keeping it there is probably the biggest part of it. One thing I should mention is that I almost never use AC, or the seat heater. I turn the fan on to 1 or 2 clicks and set the climate temp to 70-72, but AC is off. Even when I am just running the fan, I have noticed on occasion that the fan alone will cause the ICE to run if the battery is low. I was at a stop light the other day and noticed that the ICE was running. I clicked the fan down from 3 clicks to 1 click, and the ICE shut off. So the fan was drawing just enough electricity (along with anything else - like the radio, etc.) to cause the ICE to run. As an aside, I heard a Ford engineer mention in a video that it is more efficient for the system if the person used the seat heater over the Climate control if you can choose one over the other. In the Puget Sound region we are finally starting to get more summer-like weather more frequently Yea!!.

The C-MAX we love (most of us anyway) will come to be known for being particularly sensitive to temperature. I’ve noted many members comment on this and have seen it myself often enough. I’ve started to notice a pattern on my daily commute. My MPGs vary in almost direct proportion to the ambient air temperature. I’ve used the MAX on the same route with virtually the same traffic patterns, and recorded MPG results that varied from a low of 38 MPG, when ambient temperatures were in the low 40s, to an all-time high of 58 MPG, when the temperatures outside were in the high 60s. This morning for example, in moderate temperatures (54-58), I recorded 48 MPG. The same pattern happens during the return commute, though the values are lower, which I attribute to the pattern of elevation. When I watch the evening weather forecast, I’ve caught myself on occasion doing a mental translation of the temperatures to MPGs for the coming week. The noticeable sensitivity to ambient air temperatures obviously favors those in warmer regions. No grudge here folks :). But what goes unsaid is how this relationship affects a person’s ability to comfortably aspire to the “1000 MPG Challenge”, “600 Mile Club”, “Quest for 47 MPG Average” and other informal contests... until it is summer everywhere in the U.S. :)

I love it!!!

Everyone that drives my car for the first time comments on the "touchy brakes". But as all owners will attest, it just takes a little getting used to, then it becomes normal. I do like the idea that I have brakes that will stop the car on a dime if necessary. :) More often then not I find myself trying to prolong regen as long as possible (to get a better brake score0 and I end up creeping up on the car in front of me too far/fast. It is something I'm working on improving.

On a hot day with the AC set to 68, you are probably going to see MPG suffering. One thing you can experiment with is to set up your MyView so that it shows which accessories are drawing how much power from the system. Then watch what happens when you change your climate control temp and fan settings. Use the full range to get a better sense of the impacts - including turning off the AC and using just the fan.

Thanks al! That helps!

My Yellow "low fuel warning" indicator just came on. Here's a question for some of the members in the 600 club: Q1: Roughly how much gas is left at the point when the Yellow indicator comes on? Q2: Roughly How much gas is left in the tank when the Red indicator comes on? Thanks for any guidance.

I hate to throw cold water on your October party M-M-M, but the folks over on Blue Oval are less optimistic if the Job 1 date is December. I found the following quote here: http://www.blueovalforums.com/forums/index.php?/topic/52941-2014-ford-c-max-dealer-order-or-job-1-date/ "If the MY 2014 C-Max Job 1 Date is Dec, 2013, considering the late December Holiday Shut Down, figure Jan 2014 actual production, with Dealers receiving Inventory in Mar or Apr as a 2014 Model Year Vehicle? Very short Model Year Run or it will be a 2015 MY introduced in the Spring of 2014, that's my guess." If these calculations bear any resemblance to reality, then you could order the first 2014 C-MAX off the assembly line and not see it at your dealer until March or April 2014 given the sequence outlined above. - R

Works for me. Thanks for the reference.

I saw a reference to this study in another forum. UCLA Study - June 2012 Lifecycle Analysis Comparison of a Battery Electric Vehicle and a Conventional Gasoline Vehicle (PDF) Good read - but technical!

Scratches mostly. Pull it off in a few years and your screen is like new. Good idea. ... another thing to add to the list. :)

Check this thread out: http://www.blueovalforums.com/forums/index.php?/topic/53402-any-unofficial-rumors-of-2014-c-max-changes-in-content-or-paint-colors/ Interesting discussion about CAFE considerations, some speculation about Titanium, etc.

Excellent write up Plus 3! I found an interesting thread over on the Blue Oval forum: http://www.blueovalforums.com/forums/index.php?/topic/52221-read-me-before-requesting-an-x-plan-pin/ It touches on rules and specifies the range of plan types.

I saw a response on that a few weeks ago - I think it was in a marketing video. The response was that the batteries are going to be good for the life of the car. I don't know if that means that they are warranteed for the life of the car, or what exactly. Aside from that, my wife drives a 2005 Escape Hybrid that we purchased new in 2005. She has 160,000 miles on it, and it is 8 years old. So far, no battery issues. While the technology is not Lithium Ion (so it is not an apples-to-apples analogy) I take comfort in the fact that battery technology has progressed significantly in the last 8 years. Lastly, In thinking about my wife's car. I have recently started to wonder what the symptoms of a failing Hybrid battery would be like. What I concluded was that it would manifest as failure to go into EV mode for any length of time. Other than that, I'm not sure if there would be many other symptoms until absolute battery death.

I've been looking for interviews from Ford engineers that discuss the mechanics, design, and programming of the hybrid system. What I'm specifically looking for is some explanations about the way designers intend the system to work most efficiently. Videos would be great, but technical papers or whitepapers would be great as well. I've begun to spin some theories based on what other forum members have reported, but would it would be excellent to have the engineers explain how the system is designed, so that we can take full advantage of it. Otherwise, it is all trial and error. I have watched a lot of marketing videos, "walk around" videos, test drive videos, and review videos. What I really want is technical discussions. Topics that would be interesting include "efficiency islands" and efficiency curves specific to the Ford Hybrid platform. Since the C-MAX shares the same powertrain with Fusion, and possibly others, I'd happily watch or read a technical discussion on Fusion design if it is so categorized. If you know of any, please share the links here. Thanks!

I do not know if it has been rated yet ... Good to see these after shots.

I concur. I qualified for X-Plan and they asked me for all the documentation. In the end I found that the Costco Auto Club price came in at $160 below X-Plan. FWIW, at the time, the Costco Auto Club price was = Invoice. If you have Costco Auto Club, and if the dealer is a participating dealer, and if the C-MAX is still in the plan (these are all three big IFs that cannot be assumed), please check that out.

I don't want that to go unacknowledged Dave. You get the riposte award for today. :worship:

My C-MAX was acting up on me the other day. Happily, this happens rarely. Nevertheless, I found these videos to be strangely therapeutic: C-MAX Pole Crash Test (NHTSA) C-MAX Side Crash Test (NHTSA) C-MAX Frontal Crash Test (NHTSA) All the other C-MAX Crash Tests on YouTube.Beep! Beep! :)

Regarding where to park - I agree with what everyone else has already said. Regarding the dent(s) you have, I agree with lowbar. They have techniques for taking out small dents that are paintless, quick, and probably quite affordable. True Story: When I went to pick up my new C-Max. It had less than 10 miles on it. I did the visual inspection and noticed a pronounced dent on the driver's door above the door handle. It was about the size of a gold ball. No paint damage. I mentioned it to the sales person who had the service folks look at it. They said they had a guy on site who specialized in taking small dings out of doors and body panels. He came over and took a look and said he would have it fixed in 20 minutes. He asked if he could take the car to another part of the complex. I was so curious about how he was going to do this, that I WANTED TO GO WITH HIM. He wouldn't go for that. So anyway, I wandered over to the lounge and got a cup of coffee. 20 minutes later the car was ready. There was and remains absolutely no way to tell that the door every had a ding in it. I was simply amazed. Take it to a pro, and it shouldn't take long, and shouldn't cost too much money. I would be surprised if it costs more than $100-$200.

Drive the car to the dealer and have it looked at. I know your car is not a 2004, but even if you got the very first C-MAX they ever made in this country, It is still under warrantee for another 2+ years. Don't spend money on a locksmith for this.

I'm really sorry about Hippie and Petey. With all the texting, DUI drivers and other such foolery going on these days, its a good thing the C is such a safe car. I'm glad you were not in it to find out just how safe. Also glad your neighbors were not in the mix. Best of luck to you and Hippie and Petey!

Since you own (or are interested in) a green car... Earth Day: http://www.earthday.org/ Green Car Institute: http://greencarinstitute.org/ Greenercars.org: http://www.greenercars.org/ Bullitt Foundation: http://bullitt.org/