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Hello, C-Max members, I just picked up my new C-Max 2014 SEL Ice Storm with 302A package. So far, I love it. I like the color and the power. I have only one question, There is a whine when I startup, depending on whether the Electric or Engine is running. Anyone else notice this? It scared me in traffic yesterday. I have 291 miles and so far it registers 38.8 with 3/4 of a tank of fuel. Any suggestions for the noise? Everything else, I am figuring out by this forum and reading the book. Rex SeaMax

Hi, fellow C-MAX owners! Yesterday I put in my order for an Ice Storm SEL with Charcoal interior and 302A goodies. Ice Storm (nice color name!) must be pretty popular as after much looking we had to order one to get what we wanted in that color. This is only the second US car I have owned, and it's very encouraging to see such a nice car produced nationally again. Sad to see that Ford has been rated second from the bottom of the reliability list by Consumer Reports, but happy to see that the SYNC and MyFord interface is one of the big reasons for that. As an aged software architect I don't think I'll have any problem with it, and it's nice to note that Ford has continually updated it for existing owners: next update Dec 10 and next year for some of us. Interesting to see how variable the MPG achieved is. Some reviews said that the longer-life batteries that can participate up to over 62 MPG did a lot to bump up the EPA rating in their tests and 47 MPG would be pretty hard to get in real life. But some others got pretty respectable MPG in their tests. I'm not going to be working to get 47; I'll just drive and expect that the car will take care of being pretty frugal. I have driven a VW Jetta TDI wagon for a while, and measured an actual 47 MPG highway average on a trip from Connecticut to California, and a normal around town rate of 36 MPG (I record mileage and MPG at every fillup and have done so for about 40 years!). I guess if the C-MAX comes close to that I'll be happy. Sorry to lose a bit of cargo space compared to the VW, glad to get more and nicer rear seat room. A big reason for choosing the C-MAX was the very nice interior and comfortable seating; leather is unavailable in the VW Sportwagen and not optional in our view. The active noise cancellation is brilliant and makes a noticeable difference on the road. BTW, some comments here about leather are wrong in my experience. Hot in the sun, harder to keep nice? We got leather because we had to back in 1982 but were surprised that leather heats up much less than vinyl or plastic in the sun, and it resists scratching, tears, and stains a lot better too, as our two rambunctious boys demonstrated. We would have paid to install leather at an upholstery shop if we had bought the VW. No comparison, in my view. To cloth, the big difference is staining and sweat absorption (with smell coming later). You do have to maintain leather, but you are talking once or twice a year. The 0-60 time for the C-MAX is given as about 8.8 seconds, much quicker than my first sports car, a Triumph TR3. Times have changed! The car feels very capable on the road too though I won't be seeking out twisty mountain roads! I'm looking forward to delivery in what? February? Jerry Mouton