fotomoto

You're welcome! I took the tip posted in this thread about the new scissor jack sold at Northern Tool for under $20 but when I got to my local store it was $25. <grrrr> But right next to it was a 2 Ton hydraulic jack that is smaller, easier to store, and only $15. It easily lifted the car which I left it up for a half hour in the garage to see if it would leak down; nope. Edit: jack will NOT fit under car with a completely flat tire. Use a scissor jack instead! See post #79 below. Still room left for other items in the rear storage bin (rag with wrench on left):

I have the Sony system and will say that it is the fastest one to change stations that I've owned.

12M02 is an extended warranty out to 5 years on the sync system.

:)

And I just noticed so are our signature and fuelly info.

Anyone notice this? Doesn't really flow for me now that the name has been placed in the center and top of the post far away from the rest of the personal information in the usual position along the lefthand side. I don't see the point.

Yes. Manufactures typically pay a predetermined flat book rate which are rarely generous with time estimates for getting a job done. So, dealers don't like them for that reason but it's a guaranteed paycheck which they really like.

Check your owners manual: The AdvanceTrac with Roll Stability ControlTM (RSC) system helps you keep control of your vehicle when on a slippery surface. The electronic stability control (ESC) portion of the system helps avoid skids and lateral slides and roll stability control helps avoid a vehicle rollover. The traction control system (TCS) helps avoid drive wheel spin and loss of traction. For details on TCS operation, see the Traction Control chapter. You can download a more convenient digital copy here: http://fordcmaxhybridforum.com/topic/1603-on-line-owners-manual/?p=14268

On a recent road trip with the wife, we had both phones going and I, too, found the CD slot to be a nice spot for my phone since it was paired and thus I didn't need to view it all that much. It didn't slide at all due to the protective rubber case on my phone; however, that spot does get a lot of sun so I won't use it for day to day operations. OTOH, my wife used this: http://www.amazon.com/Bondi-Unique-Flexible-Quality-Silicon/dp/B007650ZNY/ref=sr_1_2?s=wireless&ie=UTF8&qid=1377095548&sr=1-2&keywords=cell+phone+holder+bondi I got it as an office party present and nearly tossed it but gave it to her instead. She LOVES it and now I can see why. The bendable/pliable frame allows it to mount or hang just about anywhere. She rotated the hook 90 degrees sideways and hung it from the center right vent. She could see it and it didn't obstruct any controls. In her car, she hangs it around the shifter for closer access. I also suggest getting a 12DC charge cord for your phone; WAY faster than the USB and there are two up front. I use the one in the center armrest and leave the cord hanging out and it doesn't get it the way much when not in use.

Update: grade assist work VERY well. I rarely needed to touch the brakes and only dropped it into L twice (first time just out of curiosity). The highest rpm I saw with grade assist activated was 4,500. I think folks who drive through steep terrain will see economy gains with the new software update. Since the system wants to burn off a really full battery, the higher EV speeds now available can be put to more use going up the next hill.

I was WELL aware of what I was doing: eco-cruise @ the legal speed limit of 80mph on I-10 west in Texas last week. :) On the return leg, I was averaged 29.x due to a very strong headwind. Oh BTW, you can still get into EV mode at those speeds now! LOL

Well even accessing the front terminals can be problematic when parked head-in and not having long enough jumper cables to reach. They put in a manual release for the transmission so why not the hatch? :headscratch: Apologies for the mini-thread jack.

If that hill is steep enough for regen on the return leg, you should strive to end up at work with a depleted battery and then let inertia fill it back up when leaving.

The Prius has a backup mechanical release on the hatch. Since engineering teams deconstruct and study the competition, I can't believe this oversight. Maybe they just deemed it not important enough to include.

And the Volt is rated at 38 miles now. Also, the annual costs chart is very hard to read. I'd suggest labeling the vehicles in the order they end up ranking on the right side of the chart (gas guzzler at the top, leaf/BEV at the bottom). You'd probably need to draw arrows to the tight group around the $1500 zone or.......... just make the chart much larger for better spacing. Nice blog! Payback cost is a slippery slope. How soon will the handsfree lift gate pay back? I wanted the backup camera and smart key access. To get those, I had to go up to an SEL which costs me about as much as going from the SEL hybrid to an Energi (with tax incentives). I don't think anyone will ever question me on the length of payback for those features even though the SEL has no FE advantage over an SE. :) The point of a plug-in is reducing one's oil usage while using more domestically produced energy (electricity). Lower running costs are just icing on the cake. Actually the silent, powerful torque of a strong EV powertrain is the icing on the cake :happy feet: but that's another thread.......

Toyota performs separate tests on each version of the Prius. That's why the V, which has the same drivetrain as the liftback but is heavier and longer, has a lower rating. Even the new Camry hybrid has a different sticker for the upscale XLE with larger wheels yet same drivetrain as base LE.

Well it wasn't today but a couple of days ago:

spammer.

Only partially. The camera has enough angle to see around and over the cargo. I wished I would have taken a picture of the center display with the car in reverse. The rear warning tone beeps constantly with the carrier installed but the CMax does allow you to cancel the warning via the left steering wheel controller which I quickly became accustomed to doing immediately after putting it into reverse. Actually I did "drift off road" a few times into some foot high stuff but only the right side wheel track (I may be crazy but I'm not stupid!) Hmmm, I haven't tried to kick it open with the carrier installed. The hitch is not certified by the manufacture (Curt) as kick compatible but I found it does work if I kick (touch) the actual hitch itself. With the carrier installed and position as far rearward as possible, as seen in pictures 3 & 4, one does have enough room to get in between it and the rear bumper (which we do anytime we needed to access the hatch) but I don't know if there is enough room to make a kicking motion. I'll have to try and report back. On the trip, we used the hatch button(s) and/or remote. Thanks. Actually the jet plasma is the campfire smoke above but it sure does look like it's coming out of the CMax! LOL Yup, chilly but it felt so gooooooood. Bingo we have a winner! We went to New Mexico and those are the gypsum sands at White Sands Monument next to the missile range and are subject to military closure. We were about 7 miles in but the road is only paved for the first mile. Park personnel keep the unpaved sections maintained very well with heavy equipment.

My personal best, long distance run. :happy feet: Had a little help from mother nature via some downhill mountain grades and low highway speeds. :shift:

So I took the wife and kids on our annual summer "vay-kay": seven days, two states, and 2,000+ miles. Temps ranged from a low of 49f at 9k feet to a high of 104f near sea level. Speeds ranged from 10mph to 85mph with some 90mph passing, a good amount of mountain driving and a lot of long interstate legs to get out and back into Texas. The CMax, carrying four passengers, a completely loaded hatch, and a full cargo carrier handle it all without so much as breaking a sweat. :happy feet: Mini-spare is laying flat underneath right suitcase. Longest day was 12hrs/800+miles and I felt fine afterwards with plenty of energy to set up camp afterwards (in the dark....ugh).Base camp at 9k feet in the mountains: Playing in soft desert sands: Off-roading up in the high country to a very secluded spot for a picnic. We used the hatch floor as seats and the cargo carrier as a makeshift table, worked great! Loaded up to leave with even more "stuff" (souvenirs) gathered through the week for long drive home: Trip MPG's ranged from a low of 29 (80mph with a 30mph headwind) to 66mpg on long downhill run. Overall mpg for the week: 37.5mpg I didn't hear one car related complaint the whole week! :rockon:

Went 4-wheel in'!

I'm leaving tomorrow morning and will report back what I find. I'll use hill assist and if the grade gets really steep I'll put it in L. I want to see how well the car handles things with as little brake pedal as possible. Should be a welcome diversion from traveling the straights around here! Thanks.

I wrapped them up in a large shop towel and stored them in the rear hatch compartment. The towel will come in handy for cleanup afterwards.

I feel your pain. :banghead: You can remove the paint marks yourself. First try some soap and water and A LOT of elbow grease. If that doesn't get all or any of it off, get some automotive paint polishing compound (turtle wax, meguiars, etc). This is gritty and usually take all paint scrapes off. If that doesn't get it all, you'll need power tools and re-apply. You'll also need to apply a wax afterwards. This will make the ding much less noticeable. GOOD LUCK!