MacGyver

When I was 18 my second car was a 1955 Cadillac. I used to take 2 spaces minimum, sometimes 4 spaces if I could do so without inspiring animosity, and would usually park at the farthest out section of the lot since that can be interpreted as kiiiinda jerky, but understandable given the classic nature of the car... One time I took 6 spaces at the farthest end of a huge lot parked basically sideways, went in with a date, saw a movie, came back out, and 6 people had parked all around me... I just about had steam coming outta my ears... even tried to PUSH a couple cars out of their spaces with the caddy! They both had auto transmissions, and so the "Park" locking pin in the drivetrain kept that ploy from succeeding- though the caddy was game, and pushed those cars until we were both at about a 20-25 degree angle... So I settled down to wait for some foolish/brave idiot to come and get into one of the cars blocking me, with what must have been such an absolutely murderous expression on my face that I think it convinced at least one guy to walk right past his car and wait until after I left to leave himself... Finally a woman came and was unlocking one of the cars blocking me in.... there was.... a confrontation. No one was hurt, but she did leave at a high rate of speed when I told her what I was about to do to her car... I'm not real proud of this, but I thought it would be worth a laugh 25 years later...

Armoredsaint, you should not have to SLAM your door to get it to close all the way- depending on your definition of slam- I've noticed it doesn't take much force for it to SOUND like a slam, and have to restrain myself from complaining when the wife closes her door because of that- but your doors may be misaligned enough to prevent easy latching, check with your dealer if you think that may be the case... or there may be a missing plastic shim that is necessary to push the latching mechanism far enough for it to "catch". This was the case with a toyota celica I had, I kept wrapping the metal bar with electrical tape to substitute for the plastic shim that I didn't even know should be there. When I found out, it was a Doh! moment. I have noticed my rear doors require a bit more force than the fronts to securely latch, nowhere near a slam, just a tad more. And there is this very low level squeakiness of my weatherstripping rubbing the frame as the doors flex around when going through a large dip, or transitioning up or down a short "driveway". Annoying, but I am still pondering a solution for this, perhaps a light coating of oil to alleviate the rubber noise? No, that will annoy me if I touch it, maybe talc instead? I just googled the problem, and the answer I like best is a clear teflon tape, I guess I'll have to track that down tomorrow... Re; WD-40 NO NO NO NO NO!!!! WD-40 is a PENETRANT that acts like ACID, it IS good for one thing, freeing up rusty nuts and bolts (and that one thing ONLY). You can see the effect of WD-40 use over years, smaller gyms will spray it on the chromed guide rails on their weight machines, and after a while, that chrome is GONE, eaten away by the acids in WD-40, leaving a brownish-black pitted metal finish that is more susceptible to rust. Or ask a locksmith or mechanic you trust (the dishonest one will WANT you to use the WD-40 so you will need them sooner) about the effects of WD-40. Or just Google it. Use a neutral lube instead, lithium or regular grease, or even silicon spray, though that's a little light for that application. The auto-rain sensors are neat, but yes, you need to turn them off for carwashes, and for driving past refineries so you don't wind up having them triggered such that they smear gooey crud all over your windshield... the on/off is in the left ok/arrow control menus on the left of the steering wheel; (from memory, so I think this is right) Left, down to 2nd menu (driver or car settings?) then right 3x past "light settings" until you reach on/off menu. The clips on the bottom of the center console I put 3 business cards in, which enables one or both to snugly hold the handle(s) of a plastic grocery bag, creating a hidden trash compartment, which can still be used as storage, just push the bag out of the way to reach the ledge, cig power outlet, hidden shelf, etc. My wife much prefers this solution to my old one of having a bag full of trash hanging visible from the back of that center console... and it's easier to remove from those clips than my old method. The A/C vents (literally a cool hidden feature!) under the front seats will be getting the MacGyver treatment; a formed rubber join that will feed a long plastic tube that will help keep my cooler even colder as it winds around the plastic inner liner between that and the outer insulating fabric cover it rests inside ($20 from Target and matches the black upholstery perfectly. Sadly had to retire my old dirty blue plug in cooler as I couldn't stand to have it in the nice new car). This probably seems like a lot of trouble to go to, when it would be easier and more effective to use frozen gel packs to achieve an even lower temp, but it is kind of a hobbyist geek thing, and also a proof of concept that if it works well enough will see a further application when I install it around/invisibly inside the cupholders in the center console, in concert with a re-purposed metal plate from one of those plug-in self-cooling coolers... Frrrrrosty!

A sticky "How To post pictures" would be nice, took me like an hour to figure it out one time, now I can't remember what worked I had to try so many things, does google drive sharing just not work (it seems) with this site? Unless you're trying to discourage people from posting pics, then it makes sense not to have a "how to". Otherwise, it's waaay too difficult if it takes a techie like me that long to figure it out.

[media]https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B_0HkVXu8lXNQmNnR3gwUXB5VlE/edit?usp=sharing[/media]https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B_0HkVXu8lXNQmNnR3gwUXB5VlE/edit?usp=sharing Keep trying to post a pic, is there a tutorial on that or something, it should not be this hard... I've got a question; my math, depending on which numbers I use for the trip mileage, would indicate MPG of like 66/75/123.333 here, but I'm baffled as to how it's showing 56mpg? Am I not using the right #s or ... how is it arriving at 56 mpg? Anyways, my numbers are; distance, 19.8, 14.2 EV, and 3.0 regen. Can someone please explain this?

Well, there's less weight from the fuel, but I think it's mostly a nonlinear fuel indicator, i.e., first half is less than half, that sort of thing.

Wow, what's your driving style recumpence? Level route? Tips please please please

Cheating a little bit, I reset while already on the freeway, and in stop and go traffic had an AVERAGE 70mpg for a while there, creeping forward in EV, regenerating all the power in the braking, over and over again. Of course that average got obliterated eventually, but it was nice to see just how amazing this car can be. Also nice that it makes me happy to see traffic

I took a video getting 55mpg at 75mph. Unfortunately the sd card died, not sure if that video got recovered.

MOD updated - lets cut out the personal attacks. Argue the issue but no personal please. Lets all keep it cool.

I've heard that idling for a long period of time can cause acidity in the oil, but I read that a looong time ago, pretty sure they weren't talking about synthetic oil which is what is in our cars, or an atkinson engine. Like Rachel said; Sounds like good questions for the Michigan gathering. I'd google / research those issues if you're going to do it a lot, (a lot=more than once a week, more than an hour at a time) but I'd agree you're probably not doing anything terrible to it.

Well you've got a C-max, it would only cost you like $20-30 to drive somewhere warm, even if that's hundreds of miles away.... One of the great moments was when I realized how little it would cost me to drive up to San Francisco to see family and friends... It's more a question of being able to make time...

I've had this, but only when I'm in a hurry and shifted into reverse quickly. Take a second.

I'm pretty sure you meant 55/51mpG?

A. first time I've seen that. it would have been helpful before I bought. Now, not so much. I've seen videos that make it seem that if you have sync, you have applink. The fact that they're so vague about it is no accident. B. Ford is intentionally vague about what features you LOSE when buying the highest level package. C. My salesman told me I would be able to use applink. D. I AM able to use my phone as a USB-connected media device, which I'm not supposed to be able to according to this grid, which leads me to believe that ALL of the OS code is the SAME regardless of what level package you select and pay for, and so applink will be enabled as soon as someone finds the hack for it. Which pisses me off, because it's basically Ford screwing with us. We shouldn't get less for paying more. And logically, the only reason to do that is either a hardware limitation or greed. Since some have reported being able to use applink despite their package technically not including it, I see that as evidence that it is a feature that has been disabled, but which sometimes despite that, will work intermittently until the cpu catches up to the line of code prohibiting it and shuts it down. We're here on this forum to figure stuff out, if anyone has knowledge of why this is not so or why it can't be so, I'm glad to hear it, means I can stop working to find the answer, even if the answer is not one I like. E. You still didn't explain what benefit I might see by being polite to those who steal from me. I wasn't rude to the lady, I just called it exactly as I saw it, and gave her every opportunity to defend ford or explain when we might actually see this feature. F. You act as if it is my fault for not finding this grid before I bought. Maybe it didn't exist then? Am I supposed to play twenty questions and assume they're hiding information from me? Why would I ever assume that getting the more expensive package would have LESS features? Any reasonable person would expect to get MORE.

Do we know for sure it's vinyl? The urethane used in those cell phone covers would be MUCH more durable. Of course, a protector that never gets scuffed/scratched would never be replaced, so I wouldn't put it past a car dealer to prefer to use the vinyl...

Looks to me like you did a better job than that ebay photo- that one seems to be peeling up at the front corners, I see a bit of shadow there...

If it's that zag shield stuff they use on cellphones, it should be plenty tough.

yeah, mine too, sounds like the doors are moving enough to make the rubber weatherstripping move and squeak, or it could be those plastic panels at the rearward end of the side window, it sounds like those when I go to close the doors, that cheapo squeeeak they make causes me to wonder who at ford signed off on that crap. One of the reasons I didn't buy the buick hybrid is because of the door handles- they were so loose that when you pulled them out, they would wiggle LOOSELY off center 20-30 DEGREES (or more, I put 20-30 because any more might seem like exaggeration). I had the feel of something made quick in china. That would have bugged me for YEARS every time I opened the door, the FIRST thing you do, and those shiny black plastic deals on the door are the same for me. It's not a big deal function-wise, but psychologically, every time I touch one and it FLEXES and makes the car sound like it was snapped together from plastic parts, it bugs me.

Maybe you could elucidate the benefit of speaking professionally with the rep of a company that baldfacedly lied straight to my face in order to steal my money?

No time, that was a straight cut-and-paste. Missing O? What do you mean?

I was under the understanding as well that if you bought the top of the line MFT package, you were rewarded by applink being disabled, possibly as a result of some backroom deal with Sirius. Anyone with an android phone ever get applink working? If yours works, great for you, but that may be an anomaly- if it stops working after an update, please post that...(EDIT; went to Fords live chat and verified "Mobile Apps" SHOULD NOT be available for MFT with voice, obviously the code is in the OS that enables it, since you're able to sometimes access it, and equally obviously, this reveals Ford is LYING when they say "The feature has not been developed for MyFord Touch." <--as long as you have MFT. Do you? 2ND EDIT; I see you have the SE, which I believe means you don't have MFT with voice. I'm somewhat jealous- in retrospect, I would have been much better off getting your version, saving $5000 and just mounting a $200 android tablet on the dash.) I've tried plugging in my Samsung Galaxy S2 in the usb, previously, it would say "unsupported device", (and that message, annoyingly, would repeatedly pop up on the screen, blocking everything) now it will play music directly from it, but navigating that is not worth the hassle/time, and I prefer to just play it over bluetooth. Cannot find or command applink or get it to work on any of the apps that are listed on Fords website. Tested; Kaliki, Pandora, Stitcher, Iheartradio, tunein radio. No go on any. It's frustrating that Ford insists on their system controlling everything, wish they would take the more sensible path and let android be the brains, it's far more advanced. While the MFT / Voice control is an amazing technological achievement, using it feels like going backwards in time 10-20 years vs. android or iphone. I feel for the tech geeks at ford, who probably are looked down upon by the "real men" car guys at ford, they probably are the red-headed stepchild department. But that doesn't change the fact that they're NEVER going to surpass Google or Apple at creating a usable OS for the car that compares favorably against those giants. It's WELL PAST time for Ford to realize they are a CAR company, not a COMPUTER company. BTW, just for the record and in the interest of developing accurate info / troubleshooting / diagnostics, my phone is "Rooted" (jailbroken in apple/iphone parlance) but with a stock OS, so that SHOULDN'T make a difference in how it interacts with Sync, but of course, there are always problems / idioSYNCrasies... Cut and paste of my chat with live support at Fords website; #22 MacGyver Posted Today, 02:59 PMPlease wait for a SYNC Agent to respond. Chauntay says: Hello Eric. My name is Chauntay how can I help you? Eric says: is applink disabled on My Ford Touch with voice control? Eric says: I cannot get my Samsung Galaxy S2 to work with it Chauntay says: I can assist you with SYNC. Chauntay says: I apologize, Applink is not available for this radio system. Eric says: why not? Chauntay says: The feature has not been developed for MyFord Touch. Eric says: So what you're saying is that because I u bought the top of the line MFT package, Ford screwed me by disabling applink Eric says: in order to force me to use sirius or whatever Eric says: why is it available on the lesser package systems? Chauntay says: I apologize that the feature is not available for this system at this time. Our engineers are working to develop this for the MyFord Touch system. Eric says: yeah right. do they provide any kind of ETA of when they will turn this feature on? Eric says: silence Eric says: silence Eric says: silence Eric says: long pregnant pause Eric says: dramatic pause Eric says: looong dramatic pause Eric says: hellooo Chauntay says: Would you prefer to call into our center for assistance. Eric says: anybody there? Eric says: no, I'd just like an answer, but I think I read it in between the lines; basically go F myself you already got my money, right? Eric says: if they're "working on it" there must be some kind of ETA Chauntay says: I apologize, again, for your frustration. We support the functionality of the system. Chauntay says: This feature is not available for the system. Eric says: like maybe 2014 Chauntay says: We have no additional information on the future availability at this time. Eric says: ah, I see you're reverted to generic non-answers Chauntay says: Is there anything I can assist you with? Eric says: I get it, I'll stop wasting time here then

Congratulations, you've also had the iphone maps experience! So I guess you can cross that off your bucket list

Please wait for a SYNC Agent to respond. Chauntay says: Hello Eric. My name is Chauntay how can I help you? Eric says: is applink disabled on My Ford Touch with voice control? Eric says: I cannot get my Samsung Galaxy S2 to work with it Chauntay says: I can assist you with SYNC. Chauntay says: I apologize, Applink is not available for this radio system. Eric says: why not? Chauntay says: The feature has not been developed for MyFord Touch. Eric says: So what you're saying is that because I u bought the top of the line MFT package, Ford screwed me by disabling applink Eric says: in order to force me to use sirius or whatever Eric says: why is it available on the lesser package systems? Chauntay says: I apologize that the feature is not available for this system at this time. Our engineers are working to develop this for the MyFord Touch system. Eric says: yeah right. do they provide any kind of ETA of when they will turn this feature on? Eric says: silence Eric says: silence Eric says: silence Eric says: long pregnant pause Eric says: dramatic pause Eric says: looong dramatic pause Eric says: hellooo Chauntay says: Would you prefer to call into our center for assistance. Eric says: anybody there? Eric says: no, I'd just like an answer, but I think I read it in between the lines; basically go F myself you already got my money, right? Eric says: if they're "working on it" there must be some kind of ETA Chauntay says: I apologize, again, for your frustration. We support the functionality of the system. Chauntay says: This feature is not available for the system. Eric says: like maybe 2014 Chauntay says: We have no additional information on the future availability at this time. Eric says: ah, I see you're reverted to generic non-answers Chauntay says: Is there anything I can assist you with? Eric says: I get it, I'll stop wasting time here then

I was under the understanding as well that if you bought the top of the line MFT package, you were rewarded by applink being disabled, possibly as a result of some backroom deal with Sirius. Anyone with an android phone ever get applink working? I want to say I've seen an official Ford checklist / spreadsheet that verifies no applink on MFT, but I may just be mis-remembering this based on other forums all agreeing they cannot get applink working on MFT. If yours works, great for you, but that may be an anomaly- if it stops working after an update, please post that... I've tried plugging in my Samsung Galaxy S2 in the usb, previously, it would say "unsupported device", (and that message, annoyingly, would repeatedly pop up on the screen, blocking everything) now it will play music directly from it, but navigating that is not worth the hassle/time, and I prefer to just play it over bluetooth. Cannot find or command applink or get it to work on any of the apps that are listed on Fords website. Tested; Kaliki, Pandora, Stitcher, Iheartradio. No go on any. It's frustrating that Ford insists on their system controlling everything, wish they would take the more sensible path and let android be the brains, it's far more advanced. While the MFT / Voice control is an amazing technological achievement, using it feels like going backwards in time 10-20 years vs. android or iphone. I feel for the tech geeks at ford, who probably are looked down upon by the "real men" car guys at ford, they probably are the red-headed stepchild department. But that doesn't change the fact that they're NEVER going to surpass Google or Apple at creating a usable OS for the car that compares favorably against those giants. It's WELL PAST time for Ford to realize they are a CAR company, not a COMPUTER company. BTW, just for the record and in the interest of developing accurate info / troubleshooting / diagnostics, my phone is "Rooted" (jailbroken in apple/iphone parlance) but with a stock OS, so that SHOULDN'T make a difference in how it interacts with Sync, but of course, there are always problems / idioSYNCrasies...

The s2 DOES do text to speech. Did you mean sync is not compatible with it?