Bugblndr Posted January 7, 2015 Report Share Posted January 7, 2015 I've been looking at the C-Max since it was released and have always thought it'd be a perfect daily driver for me. Currently I drive a company provided vehicle, a 2011 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Limited. It's lease is up March 1st and my work has cancelled company vehicles so a shopping I must go. The C-Max, Prius-V and Golf TDI wagon were the only cars really in the running. I only really need seating for 2, but I need cargo capacity and fuel economy and "all the toys". Weekend cottage trips with the Mrs, our dog and her cage, golf clubs, bicycles, etc eliminated most other vehicles like the Fusion Hybrid. I do 25,000+ miles per year so fuel economy is very important to me. Gas isn't going to stay cheap forever! The hardest part was what year C-Max to get. I originally planned on getting a used one, could save a bundle on a low mileage car, but they seem to have dried up around here. The rental fleets were all returned a few months ago and there are few around. Then I looked at a new 2014, with incentives of $7500 off MSRP (Ontario Canada) the deal looked great and I almost pulled the deal today on one. There aren't many in the province so I would have to settle for something that wasn't exactly what I wanted. Luckily enough for me, my wife has been working for a large local Ford dealer for 6 months or so now and they came up with what I think is a very fair price for a 2015. So my plan tomorrow is to order a 2015 SEL, White Platinum, 302A, Remote Starter. I'll get the dealership to get the windows tinted before I take it home. Thanks to this forum, I'll be ordering a hitch from Torklift for my bike rack. Will also be ordering some mats from somewhere real quick. I've had sunroofs on my last 5 cars but this time I'm going to skip the pano roof. I figure having the glass panel would prevent me from having an aftermarket roof installed down the road if I decide I can't live without one.Anyhow folks, thanks for the forum and the knowledge I've gained the past few months from all the members. I look forward to learning more and sharing more as time goes on. C-MaxSea and ScubaDadMiami 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockwallRick Posted January 7, 2015 Report Share Posted January 7, 2015 Welcome to the Forum! You would think living in Florida that it would have been easy to find one with a Sunroof! Not!!! We had to go about 200 miles North to find ours! ( Actually our local Ford dealer found it ) My Wife would have prefered an opening Sunroof but other than that she gotall the options that she wanted ( 303A package ) and she absolutely loves her C-Max!!! :love_shower: C-MaxSea 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hybridbear Posted January 7, 2015 Report Share Posted January 7, 2015 (edited) The hardest part was what year C-Max to get. I originally planned on getting a used one, could save a bundle on a low mileage car, but they seem to have dried up around here. The rental fleets were all returned a few months ago and there are few around. Then I looked at a new 2014, with incentives of $7500 off MSRP (Ontario Canada) the deal looked great and I almost pulled the deal today on one. There aren't many in the province so I would have to settle for something that wasn't exactly what I wanted.Have you looked at the Energi? Ontario has one of the best EV incentive programs in North America! You get a $5808 incentive to buy one from the provincial government!! The nice thing is that the Ontario program doesn't appear to be tax based, so unlike the USA incentives you don't have to meet certain tax requirements to qualify for the entire rebate. http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dandv/vehicle/electric/index.shtml I would definitely get the Energi. You can likely get one for less than the hybrid after the Ontario incentives. The federal government doesn't offer incentives in Canada but different provinces do. Edited January 7, 2015 by hybridbear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugblndr Posted January 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2015 (edited) Have you looked at the Energi? Ontario has one of the best EV incentive programs in North America! You get a $5808 incentive to buy one from the provincial government!! The nice thing is that the Ontario program doesn't appear to be tax based, so unlike the USA incentives you don't have to meet certain tax requirements to qualify for the entire rebate. http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dandv/vehicle/electric/index.shtml I would definitely get the Energi. You can likely get one for less than the hybrid after the Ontario incentives. The federal government doesn't offer incentives in Canada but different provinces do.I looked at the Energi the first time it appeared at the Toronto Auto Show. My commute is 25 miles each way for work and I'm sure that my boss would let me plug in at the office. Unfortunately the battery pack reduces the cargo capacity too much to make it a suitable vehicle for me. I also frequently do trips of 80-200 miles so there really wouldn't be any savings in fuel and electricity costs. Thanks for the suggestion though. Edited January 7, 2015 by Bugblndr C-MaxSea 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hybridbear Posted January 7, 2015 Report Share Posted January 7, 2015 I also frequently do trips of 80-200 miles so there really wouldn't be any savings fuel and electricity costs. There is a savings. On trips of 120 miles that I do regularly the Energi nets about 5-7 MPGe better than the MPG of the hybrid. On trips of 200 miles that we've done the Energi has netted about 3-4 MPGe better than the MPG of the hybrid. There's always a savings when you can use wall electricity. And the Ontario incentive program makes the Energi cheaper than the hybrid. Unfortunately the battery pack reduces the cargo capacity too much to make it a suitable vehicle for me.That is really unfortunate. We felt the same way about the Fusion Energi but we've been able to make it work just fine. My parents initially had this concern before they bought their C-Max Energi. I convinced them that it would be fine and they've had their C-Max Energi for 18 months now without a single instance where the larger battery pack created an issue for cargo space. They feared initially that the larger battery pack would be a constant cargo space issue. I'd encourage you to really analyze that again to see if you couldn't make the Energi work because you could save even more money with the Energi. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugblndr Posted January 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2015 I hear what you're saying hybridbear and I've looked at the Energi several times and took one out for a test drive too. The lack of a fold flat rear seat really hurts me for the utility aspect of the vehicle. My daily drivers over the past 10 years have been a Toyota Highlander Hybrid, a Ford Edge and a Mitsu Endeavor. I've had many weekend trips to the cottage where those vehicles were full. While I can downsize somewhat, I'm not a magician :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugblndr Posted January 9, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2015 Well the deal has been signed, now to wait forever until they build it and ship it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff_h Posted January 9, 2015 Report Share Posted January 9, 2015 Well the deal has been signed, now to wait forever until they build it and ship it. Sounds like you spend a lot of time in the car (same here), so yeah it may seem like a long wait now but you'll have one with exactly the color and options that you wanted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian_L Posted January 9, 2015 Report Share Posted January 9, 2015 That is really unfortunate. We felt the same way about the Fusion Energi but we've been able to make it work just fine. My parents initially had this concern before they bought their C-Max Energi. I convinced them that it would be fine and they've had their C-Max Energi for 18 months now without a single instance where the larger battery pack created an issue for cargo space. Unfortunate? Why? No amount of reasurance from my relatives would have convinced me to buy a car that can barely hold two "stewardess" suitcases in the trunk. Everyone's needs are different Kelleytoons 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugblndr Posted March 26, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2015 It took 76 days from when I ordered it to when I picked it up, but I guess I officially belong here now. The car arrived at the dealer yesterday, they sent it out for tint this morning and I picked it up tonight. I've only put about 25 miles on it or so, but am really loving driving a car for a daily driver instead of a SUV. Below are a couple of pics of it, it looks just like every other 2013-2015 White Platinum C-Max. That said, it's the only one I've ever seen in person. :) I decided to add on the roof a week or so after originally ordering it, I'm glad I did. ScubaDadMiami 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelleytoons Posted March 26, 2015 Report Share Posted March 26, 2015 (edited) Unfortunate? Why? No amount of reasurance from my relatives would have convinced me to buy a car that can barely hold two "stewardess" suitcases in the trunk. Everyone's needs are different Right, I'm not sure why you (hybridbear) find the buyer's reasoning "unfortunate" -- his needs are more space and your parents (and, I guess, yours) aren't. I never realized how little space there was back there until I saw someone posting pictures here. And after driving our C-Max now for seven months it clearly would have been A DISASTER for us to get the Energi. As it is there are times I wish we had more space back there (we took several trips where we used every single inch back there and then some. And with another couple there was absolutely no way short of a roof rack we could have done it). Even driving around by myself I often fill the back space to the very top just mailing my boxes off -- would be a real PITA to have to stuff stuff in the back seat. I'm sure the Energi is a fine vehicle for those it suits -- but just like the OP who came from an SUV those of us who have had experience with a much larger vehicle already have to downsize our expectations and going down any further just isn't possible. Edited March 26, 2015 by Kelleytoons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevedebi Posted March 26, 2015 Report Share Posted March 26, 2015 Right, I'm not sure why you (hybridbear) find the buyer's reasoning "unfortunate" -- his needs are more space and your parents (and, I guess, yours) aren't. I never realized how little space there was back there until I saw someone posting pictures here. And after driving our C-Max now for seven months it clearly would have been A DISASTER for us to get the Energi. As it is there are times I wish we had more space back there (we took several trips where we used every single inch back there and then some. And with another couple there was absolutely no way short of a roof rack we could have done it). Even driving around by myself I often fill the back space to the very top just mailing my boxes off -- would be a real PITA to have to stuff stuff in the back seat. I'm sure the Energi is a fine vehicle for those it suits -- but just like the OP who came from an SUV those of us who have had experience with a much larger vehicle already have to downsize our expectations and going down any further just isn't possible.I have to agree with you - and I own the Energi. We have a larger diesel car for longer trips. However for my daily commute the Energi means I could theoretically run for 2-3 months without adding gas. (I don't - I've been going 200 miles twice a month to visit a sick friend). I always suggest that folks look at the Energi before buying the hybrid - but especially look at the cargo area as well! Each car has its advantages and disadvantages. Smiling Jack and Adrian_L 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelleytoons Posted March 26, 2015 Report Share Posted March 26, 2015 Yeah, that's the great thing about having choices -- there's something for everyone! I'm not sure I'll live long enough to ever have a total electric car, but then again I never thought I'd own a hybrid either, so you never know (the one thing I'm sure of is I won't live long enough to have a self-driving car. Heck, my computer reboots itself often enough that I can't even imagine how that would work on the highway <g>). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian_L Posted March 26, 2015 Report Share Posted March 26, 2015 (edited) Self-driving cars with OS from Microsoft?: For no reason whatsoever, your car would crash twice a day. Every time they repainted the lines on the road, you would have to buy a new car. Occasionally, your car would die on the freeway for no reason, and you would just accept this, restart, and drive on. Occasionally, executing a manner such as a left turn would cause your car to shut down and refuse to restart in which case you would have to reinstall the engine. Macintosh would make a car that was powered by the sun, reliable, five times as fast, and twice as easy to drive, but would only run on five percent of the roads. The oil, water, temperature, and alternator warning lights would be replaced by a single "general car default" warning light. Occasionally for no reason whatsoever, your car would lock you out and refuse to let you in until you simultaneously lifted the door handle, turned the key, and grabbed hold of the radio antenna. The airbag system would say "Are you sure?" before going off. You would press the "start" button to shut off the engine. (from an old GM press release responding to complaints from Bill Gates that if "GM had kept up with technology like the computer industry has, we would all be driving twenty-five dollar cars that got one-thousand miles to the gallon") Edited March 26, 2015 by Adrian_L Jus-A-CMax 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelleytoons Posted March 27, 2015 Report Share Posted March 27, 2015 Yeah, and just to be fair (and I own both PC and Apple products) if our C-Max was built by Apple it would cost $200K (but would be worth it because the finish would be, like, really white and clean), have a gas port that didn't fit any gas station out there except for the ones run by Apple, and be obsoleted every year with a much better car (and I mean MUCH better) that actually did the things right it tried to do the first time around. Good thing computer makers don't make cars... yet. Adrian_L and Jus-A-CMax 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jus-A-CMax Posted March 27, 2015 Report Share Posted March 27, 2015 Apple vs Micro$oft...it NEVER gets old, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FordService Posted March 27, 2015 Report Share Posted March 27, 2015 (edited) It took 76 days from when I ordered it to when I picked it up, but I guess I officially belong here now. The car arrived at the dealer yesterday, they sent it out for tint this morning and I picked it up tonight. I've only put about 25 miles on it or so, but am really loving driving a car for a daily driver instead of a SUV...Congrats, and thanks for sharing the awesome pics, Bugblndr! If you have any questions or concerns in the future, please contact my FordServiceCA colleagues here: http://fordcmaxhybridforum.com/user/1861-fordserviceca/. Enjoy your new ride, and have a great weekend! :) Tricia Edited March 27, 2015 by FordService Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugblndr Posted March 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2015 Thanks Tricia! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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