A C-MAX Kind of Day

[ScubaDadMiami]

I finally had a day using my C-MAX for something other than a daily commute, and it made the day a lot of FUN, giving me a chance to use lots of great features to make my life easier and better.

 

First, I went to my mail box facility, picking up a bunch of packages and mail that arrived (including my tire pressure gauge, coin holder and LED bulbs that I ordered.   :))  I found a perfect parking spot right in front of the facility, and that gave me a chance to try out Park Assist while parallel parking.  Worked fantastically!  (See separate post.)

 

Then, when I came walking out with boxes and mail piled up in two arms, no problem.  I just kicked the tailgate open, piled everything in, kicked close, and drove away in EV, feeling so cool in my computer on wheels!

 

Slowpoke, my cocker spaniel, enjoys riding in the back of the C-MAX while I take him to the dog groomer for drop-off.  After that, I swing by Costco, see the low price for high-test gas, and start thinking about whether to go for it for my next fill up.  Of course, getting such great FE, I go right past the fuel pumps.  I am still probably two weeks or so away from having to decide on what to put in the tank for my first fill since my delivery, almost two weeks ago.  :rockon:

 

I come out of Costco, kick open my liftgate, and I add more items to the boxes I already loaded from my mail facility.  Still plenty of room for more items.  Hmmm.  I could stop by the grocery store to pick up more things that I still need.  Nah, it is over 90F outside.  Better not chance ruining the items I already bought.

 

I drive back home, making the last of the trip in EV+.  I open the liftgate, using the remote switch in the cabin, for removal of my vast haul. 

 

On the way to pick up Slowpoke from the groomer, BING!  Notice of incoming text message flashes on my right screen.  I have Maxie read the email.  I use the steering wheel control to call the sender, my friend.

 

I feel like doing some driving, just to test out some other areas and conditions.  My friend wants to hang out.  I decide to drive 25 miles to meet up, going via NAV programed to the Eco-Friendly Route.  I pull the steering paddle, search for the POI where we are to meet, and I am on my way.  NAV picks or agrees with most of the route alternatives that I would have thought to pick for the best FE way to get to the destination.  

 

I'm just chillin', streaming Bluetooth from my phone, and enjoying the ride.  Along the way, I drive manually for part of the trip, and I check to see how that compares to ECO Cruise Control.  When I finally get home that night, I am getting over 50 MPG for the trip. 

 

Yeah, it was a C-MAX kind of day.

 

Oh, there was one little issue that I am glad didn't turn out to be a real problem.  I finally had a chance to take my car to a do-it-yourself, spray gun wand type carwash, now that the big storms of recent have passed.  I almost had a problem with starting due to the water spraying into the engine cabin, despite my attempts to carefully spray to minimize this.  Luckily, after getting a yellow engine icon on the first attempt at start, my C-MAX started right way on a second attempt, just a second later.  (See the separate post.)

[salsaguy]

talk about a real cmax customer experience!

you are a walking or should i say driving endorsement/commercial for Ford.

love posts like this.

[C-Maxgo]

Spoken like a newbie! That sounds like the perfect day. Enjoy the ride ScubaDadMiami!

[fotomoto]

I have to admit, I've driven around just cuz........  :shift:

[C-Maxgo]

I have to admit, I've driven around just cuz........  :shift:

 

I still just drive around even after owning the car 3 months.

[ScubaDadMiami]

A little addition, not worthy of its own separate thread:

 

I finally went through a real car wash (track pushing wheels).  In this carwash, I am able to sit inside while going through the wash.

 

I removed the antennae beforehand, and I shut off the auto wipers.  To keep from losing my FE, I shut down once the C-MAX was on the track and moving.  I turned on Accessory Mode (start button without stepping on gas pedal), and I was still able to get good reception, good enough to still listen to Sirius and FM while going through the wash.  Meanwhile, my phone had only three bars showing out of five, for reception signal.

 

I was a little nervous about having to hit the break to start and pull out of the wash, once I got to the end of the line.  First, given  what happened with the wash using the wand, I was picturing the carwash having to stop (making a rather big ordeal) due to a startup failure.  I was also worried about having to hit the brake pedal for startup, with the track pushing the wheels.

 

Luckily, everything worked out just fine.  The C-MAX started right up, and the momentary tap of the brake for startup was no issue.  I tried to time tapping the pedal for when the car had moved forward on its own enough to have a pause before the track would catch up to the wheels.  Besides, I would imagine that a quick, light tap of the brakes wouldn't make an issue, even if the track were still pushing the wheels.

 

Anyway, all's well in the Chronicles of C-MAX, and the adventure continues.

[zhackwyatt]

A little addition, not worthy of its own separate thread:

 

I finally went through a real car wash (track pushing wheels).  In this carwash, I am able to sit inside while going through the wash.

 

I removed the antennae beforehand, and I shut off the auto wipers.  To keep from losing my FE, I shut down once the C-MAX was on the track and moving.  I turned on Accessory Mode (start button without stepping on gas pedal), and I was still able to get good reception, good enough to still listen to Sirius and FM while going through the wash.  Meanwhile, my phone had only three bars showing out of five, for reception signal.

 

I was a little nervous about having to hit the break to start and pull out of the wash, once I got to the end of the line.  First, given  what happened with the wash using the wand, I was picturing the carwash having to stop (making a rather big ordeal) due to a startup failure.  I was also worried about having to hit the brake pedal for startup, with the track pushing the wheels.

 

Luckily, everything worked out just fine.  The C-MAX started right up, and the momentary tap of the brake for startup was no issue.  I tried to time tapping the pedal for when the car had moved forward on its own enough to have a pause before the track would catch up to the wheels.  Besides, I would imagine that a quick, light tap of the brakes wouldn't make an issue, even if the track were still pushing the wheels.

 

Anyway, all's well in the Chronicles of C-MAX, and the adventure continues.

I'm curious as to your reasoning of going into accessory mode.

 

IIRC, the Hybrid battery powers the accessories when in accessory mode and in normal operation.

 

In either case, the hybrid battery will discharge.  In normal mode, the ICE will turn on to recharge, in accessory mode, the system will shut down (i.e. battery saver).

 

In either case, the use of energy in the battery has to be made up, decreasing FE.

[ScubaDadMiami]

My thinking was that I would have to ramp up to speed after leaving the carwash, anyway.  So, the ICE would only have to run once, compared to possibly starting and stopping several times during however many minutes it would take to leave the carwash.

[roninsd]

As long your engine didn't cool down too much (and I can't see that it would in the short time in the wash), I wouldn't think your ICE would have to come on at all after the wash.

[ScubaDadMiami]

I've had ICE come on when stopped in traffic.  (Did I mention how bad the traffic is in Miami?)  So, I figured that it would turn on and off while going through the carwash.  My recollection is that, by the time I waited in the line of the carwash, and finally got on the track, the battery was already on the lower end of the spectrum.