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Ford Freestyle - Taurus X

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Comments

  • northlakesnorthlakes Member Posts: 368
    An excerpt from an October, 2005 J.D. Power survey on 10 Crossover vehicles. :shades:
    ***************
    "...according to a J.D. Power and Associates online survey released Wednesday. Among the 10 crossovers evaluated, the Volkswagen Touareg and the Cadillac SRX rated highest in style, especially among women. The Subaru B9 Tribeca was a styling hit among men but a miss for women. The Ford Freestyle received good marks for functionality but low marks for appearance. Perceptions about a crossover’s image appear to be closely linked to purchase decisions and are key factors in crossover sales — more so than factors such as fuel-efficiency and smaller packaging — Power said"
  • bobw3bobw3 Member Posts: 2,989
    I paid $24K for the Freestyle...how close were the ones listed in JD Powers?
  • freestyalfreestyal Member Posts: 1
    I got mine from a very large ford dealer in CA. Haggled with them for hours. They REALLY wanted to move the few 2005s they had left. It came down to the last $500, but I Decided to take their price; they left me alone in about the seventh sales office I was in and after about ten minutes I turned to the computer in the office and went to KBB.com (Kelly Blue Book) to see how I was doing in the negotiation. I decided to accept their price when KBB stated that it was $2000 less than the average sale price around the nation. Probably could have held out for a few more hundred, but it was getting late...

    ANYHOW, I was thinking of getting a personalized plate either:

    FrestyAL

    of

    SUVagon

    or ???

    What do y'all think?
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    You can compare notes (and please post details about your deal) in the Ford Freestyle: Prices Paid & Buying Experiences discussion.

    btw, the Kelly books you see in the dealer have different prices from what you see online. :blush:

    What is the "Kelley Blue Book" Price? and this salesperson's post may be of interest.

    Definitely FrestyAL - congrats on the new ride!

    Steve, Host
  • northlakesnorthlakes Member Posts: 368
    This survey was an opinion survey. I did not find pricing information. Sorry. :shades:
  • volfangaryvolfangary Member Posts: 105
    Has anyone heard if the Freestyle might be included or next to have a similiar recall? Several have posted paint chipping problems in front of rear wheels and I have this also on my freestyle.
    **********************************************************
    TSB 05-26-8 PAINT DEGRADATION TO BODY SIDE

    Publication Date: December 19, 2005

    FORD: 2005-2006 Five Hundred
    MERCURY: 2005-2006 Montego

    ISSUE:
    Some 2005-2006 Five Hundred/Montego vehicles driven in certain conditions may exhibit abrasion on the paint finish at the dog leg area of the rear quarter panel. The abrasion results from the lack of moldings and wheel cuffs to prevent small debris in the front tires from striking a limited portion of the lower quarter of the vehicle. In severe cases, the abrasion may result in the removal of the paint finish down to the bare metal at the dog leg area (Figure 1).

    ACTION:
    Repair paint on affected areas using standard labor times and procedures, then install door body side moldings and mud spats.

    NOTE: PER THE WARRANTY & POLICY MANUAL, PAINT DAMAGE CAUSED BY CONDITIONS SUCH AS CHIPS, SCRATCHES, DENTS, DINGS, ROAD SALT, STONE CHIPS OR OTHER ACTS OF NATURE, ARE NOT COVERED UNDER THE NEW VEHICLE LIMITED WARRANTY. HOWEVER, PAINT ABRASION AT THE DOG LEG AREA IS A UNIQUE CONDITION ON THE FIVE HUNDRED AND MONTEGO. AS A RESULT, REPAIRS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR BASIC WARRANTY COVERAGE.

    NOTE: PAINT STRIPPING LABOR OPERATIONS ARE NOT TO BE CLAIMED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THIS REPAIR.

    NOTE: PRIOR TO INSTALLING DOOR MOLDINGS, PAINT TO MATCH EXTERIOR VEHICLE BODY COLOR (BASE COLOR COAT/CLEAR COAT).

    Figure 1 - Article 05-26-8

    INSTALLATION PROCEDURE

    FRONT MUD SPAT INSTALLATION

    Raise vehicle on hoist. Refer to Workshop Manual, Section 100-02.
    Remove front wheel. Refer to Workshop Manual, Section 204-04.
    Remove the two (2) push pins that attach the splash shield to the fender.
    Remove the scrivet (screw/rivet) that attaches the splash shield to the rocker molding.
    Align new mud spat to fender/rocker molding using wheel spat holes (Figure 2).

    Figure 2 - Article 05-26-8

    Insert two (2) scrivets through holes to attach mud spat to fender.
    NOTE: ONE (1) HOLE, LOWER OUTBOARD CORNER OF WHEEL SPAT, IS BLOCKED AND REQUIRES A HOLE TO BE DRILLED THROUGH THE SPLASH SHIELD AND ROCKER.

    Drill a 19/64" (7.5 mm) hole through the splash shield and rocker at the lower corner of the wheel spat.
    NOTE: THE SIZE OF THE LOWER INBOARD HOLE NEEDS TO BE INCREASED.

    Use the same 19/64" (7.5 mm) drill to increase the size of the lower inboard hole.
    Insert two (2) scrivets through drilled holes.
    Install front wheel.
    Repeat process for other side of vehicle.
    REAR MUD SPAT INSTALLATION

    Remove rear wheel.
    Remove the two (2) lower screws that attach the rear fascia to the rear splash shield.
    Temporarily attach new mud spat with screws at the rear fascia by aligning the mud spat to rear fascia holes (Figure 3).

    Figure 3 - Article 05-26-8

    NOTE: A HOLE IS NEEDED IN THE REAR FASCIA BETWEEN THE TWO (2) ATTACHED SCREWS.

    Drill a 15/64" (6 mm) hole through the rear fascia and splash shield.
    Remove the mud spat.
    Was vehicle built before 9/29/2005?
    On vehicles built before 9/29/2005, remove and discard the rear splash shield by removing the screw and scrivets/rivets that attach the rear splash shield to the rear fascia and rear member. Install a new rear splash shield by attaching the shield to the rear member using scrivets and to the upper most hole in the rear fascia using a screw.
    On vehicles built 9/29/2005 or later add new J-Clip to existing hole in splash shield.
    Reinstall mud spat by aligning the holes in the rear fascia to the wheel spat and rear splash shield. Three (3) screws will attach the mud spat, rear fascia, and splash shield. One (1) screw will attach the mud spat and the splash shield.
    Install rear wheel.
    Repeat process for other side of vehicle.
    FRONT DOOR LOWER BODY SIDE MOLDING INSTALLATION

    Clean door surface from bottom edge approximately 6" (15 cm) up with a alcohol wipe.
    Remove upper tape strip cover using pull-tab provided.
    Align lower (thin) edge of molding to lower edge of door (Figure 4).

    Figure 4 - Article 05-26-8

    Align rear edge of molding to the edge of door (Figure 5).

    Figure 5 - Article 05-26-8

    Roll the molding upward and run your hands along the full length of the molding while applying steady pressure toward the vehicle to ensure good adhesion of the tape.
    Locate lower tape pull-tab and remove.
    Attach lower molding to vehicle and run your hands along the full length of the molding while applying steady pressure toward the vehicle to ensure good adhesion of the tape.
    Repeat process for other side of vehicle.
    REAR DOOR LOWER BODY SIDE MOLDING INSTALLATION

    Clean door surface from bottom edge approximately 6" (15 cm) up with a alcohol wipe.
    Remove upper tape strip cover using pull-tab provide.
    Align lower (thin) edge of molding to lower edge of door (Figure 4).
    Align rear edge of molding to rear edge of door (Figure 5).
    Roll the molding upward and run your hands along the full length of the molding while applying steady pressure toward the vehicle to ensure good adhesion of the tape.
    Locate lower tape pull-tab and remove.
    Attach lower molding to vehicle and run your hands along the full length of the molding while applying steady pressure toward the vehicle to ensure good adhesion of the tape.
    Repeat process for other side of vehicle.
    Lower vehicle off hoist.

    PART NUMBER PART NAME
    6G1Z-5425556-APTM Rear Door Molding - Right/Passenger Side
    6G1Z-5425557-APTM Rear Door Molding - Left/Driver Side
    6G1Z-5420878-APTM Front Door Molding - Right/Passenger Side
    6G1Z-5420879-APTM Front Door Molding - Left/Driver Side
    6G1Z-16A586-AA Front Mud Spat - Right/Passenger Side
    6G1Z-16A586-AB Front Mud Spat - Left/Driver Side
    6G1Z-16A550-AA Rear Mud Spat - Right/Passenger Side
    6G1Z-16A550-AB Rear Mud Spat - Left/Driver Side
    6G1Z-5428370-A Rear Splash Shield- Right/Passenger Side
    6G1Z-5428371-A Rear Splash Shield - Left/Driver Side
    N811283-S Scrivet
    W706805-S901 Screw
    W704277-S438 J-Clip

    WARRANTY STATUS:
    Eligible Under Provisions Of New Vehicle Limited Warranty Coverage

    OPERATION DESCRIPTION TIME
    052608A 2005-2006 Five Hundred, Montego: Paint 4 Door Moldings From Kit (Not To Be Used With P101) 1.1 Hrs.
    052608B 2005-2006 Five Hundred, Montego: Install Door Moldings And Mud Spats 1.0 Hr.

    DEALER CODING
    BASIC PART NO. CONDITION CODE
    5427840 D4

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    NOTE: The information in Technical Service Bulletins is intended for use by trained, professional technicians with the knowledge, tools, and equipment to do the job properly and safely. It informs these technicians of conditions that may occur on some vehicles, or provides information that could assist in proper vehicle servic
  • nitromaxnitromax Member Posts: 640
    What's a mud spat?
  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 19,255
    the tech is supposed to do all that in an hour?
    2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • heddenhedden Member Posts: 28
    Going from memory here, but I believe the car manual lists three proper places for child seats: behind the driver seat, behind the front passanger seat, and on the right side of the 3rd row bench. All these locations are those with LATCH connectors. The insinuation here is that if you have a 2nd row bench seat, do not put a child seat in the middle since the LATCH connectors are not properly situated for it. I'll have the check the manual to be sure and get back to you with a page number.

    Typically, behind the front passanger seat is considered safer than behind the driver's seat -- due to accident data, I believe. The 3rd row position may be even safer since there's no front seat to fall back on it -- but this is just my speculation.
  • vwcarcrazyvwcarcrazy Member Posts: 52
    Ford has designed (and recently made available) a set of 4 "mud spat" for the 500, et al. They are short rubber mud flaps that hang below the rocker panel level, slightly behind each wheel by a few inches. They look like crap and do not extend up into the wheel well or along the fender line. Ford does not plan to make these available for the Freestyle. Ford has recently revised their accessory list for the Freestyle and now recommends the following splash guards: F6AZ-16A550-AA (Front and Rear). I ordered these from my local dealer and installed last week. They are not molded, but do fit (with a little finese) and look OK.
  • volfangaryvolfangary Member Posts: 105
    Thanks for the information. Were the guards hard to install and did you need to drill into metal fender to fasten? Any chance of posting a picture or two?
    Thanks!
  • volfangaryvolfangary Member Posts: 105
    Found a pick by searching with part number. Appears they were made for the 500. Still wondering how you fastened them on?
    Thanks!

    PIC: http://ford.autowebaccessories.com/store/prod831_963_9050.php
  • vwcarcrazyvwcarcrazy Member Posts: 52
    Ford recently revised their recommendations and now has a slash guard listed for the Freestyle (and 500). It is Ford PN F6AZ-16A550-AA (Front and Rear). The package with installation instructions I received from Ford stated they are for 500, Freestyle and Focus - Front and Rear. Note that these are not molded flaps. According to an e-mail reply from Ford and my local dealer, Ford has no plans to offer molded flaps for the Freestyle. I ordered these from my local Ford dealer. They price-matched the Internet site you noted, did not charge delivery and I got them the next day. They are a bit of a bugger to install due to the lack of any sheetmetal to attach to and the uneveness of the inner wheel well both front and rear on the Freestyle, but I got them to work. I mounted the fronts 6" off the ground, and the rears 8" off the ground. This places the outside edge of the guard even with the outside edge of the tire. I marked and predrilled the flaps, but did NOT predrill the plastic inner fender so I could get as much grip for the factory supplied threads as possible. Note that I attached to the black inner fender, not into the body colored wheel flare (these are made of a hard plastic material that looks like it could crack in low temps and there is not much there to attach to anyway). There is very little, if any, metal in the lower wheelwell area to attach to. I also picked up some plastic universal "speednuts" and installed them behind the plastic inner fender on the lowest screw on all 4 flaps (you can reach up inside and behind the inner fender to do this, but only the lower few inches are accessible), although the screws appear to be gripping the inner fender plastic fairly well. I did remove the rear wheels to install the rear guards, as they would have been difficult to install otherwise. These flaps have a nice appearance with a stylized finished edge and a subtle Ford logo. Sorry, no pictures at this time. I still hope the weather clears sometime soon that I can wash the Freestyle and take pictures of the mud flaps and the painted bodyside molding I had installed a few weeks ago (see separate posting).
  • volfangaryvolfangary Member Posts: 105
    Thanks for the great information! I'll be getting a set.
  • stmssstmss Member Posts: 206
    Actually, half an hour - takes half an hour to read it. ;) May have it down to an hour after the first 1000 units or so.

    I think this may be part of the reason many dealers are reluctant to do warranty work.
  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 19,255
    when i see a job that the tech is going to get taken advantage of, i try to have them do another job too, just to help them make it up.
    2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • tim156tim156 Member Posts: 308
    I've been waiting for these for a long time, some questions I have are: I checked out the autowebaccessories site and their sets are rear only for $18.95. Did the splash guards from your Ford dealer come with front and rear in one set, and for how much? Are both front and rear the same shape and size and what size "speednuts" did you use? Thanks for the installation suggestions.
  • vwcarcrazyvwcarcrazy Member Posts: 52
    Ford has amended their recommendation (and the actual package says) "front and rear". There is one pair in a package, and they can be used on the front or rear - so you will need to order 2 sets. I am sure your local dealer would price match if you asked (bring along a copy of the lower price web page printout) and since they will not charge you delivery, the total cost will be less. The Ford dealer price is $21.39/pair. I got the plastic "speednuts" at a local ACE hardware store in the section where they have all the drawer units with unique fastner parts. I brought along one of the screw to mate it up. Since the screw will "cut" its own thread as it turns into the plastic, I just made sure I got ones that were slightly smaller ID than the screw. They also have metal speed nuts, but with the winter salt on the roads here I did not want to have to worry about the parts rusting. I have also see these type of parts at Checker Auto, Pep Boys, etc in the section where they have the rotating racks of misc automotive fastners. Good luck.
  • tim156tim156 Member Posts: 308
    I'm calling the dealer today to order two sets. Thanks again for the great tips.
  • simonsnanisimonsnani Member Posts: 6
    just installed a cabin air filter on my 1 year old freestyle $22,00 parts and 25 mins labor. easy job,hardest part was cutting out the new door. 14000 miles and no problems.I have the plans if any one wants them free.
  • volfangaryvolfangary Member Posts: 105
    I would like to see them. Anyway to post on line?
  • figueroafamilyfigueroafamily Member Posts: 223
    I've been out for a while.

    I also finished my Master's degree. Now I can post more often :) .

    Questions:
    * Is Freebie as-we-know-it still slated to oblivion in 2007?
    * Will it ever receive the Duratec 35, aka Cyclone? (Some estimates put it as I estimated, about equal horse & torque. Only that it could be 250 vs. 200 now. I didn't guess the number though.)

    I believe Ford is putting itself on a corner by concentrating so much into SUVs. Katrina changed a lot of perceptions, making MPG a bigger factor. Also, I don't think investing on a brand new "Pathfinder-size" SUV (Edge) makes sense for a company seen as troubled in the investment world. It's far cheaper (and keeps market diversity) to put Cyclones on Freebies.

    Just two cents.

    Sam ;)
  • simonsnanisimonsnani Member Posts: 6
    if you want the plans you have to e mail me.there are free.I paid for but the are free to any one who wants them.my email is public on this site.right click my post name and click open.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Congrats Sam!

    The news from the Detroit Show is all about the Edge; I suppose that's understandable since Detroit loves to preview new models.

    The glow from Detroit (Inside Line)

    Steve, Host
  • freestylegalfreestylegal Member Posts: 70
    Just a quick note to say congrats on finshing up your Master's. I finished mine 5 years ago and would you believe it? I'm heading back for yet another teaching credential, so more school.

    The San Francisco Bay Area is being innundated with Fusion ads. They look pretty cute--I'm just not ready to start driving a high chair. Got a second grandchild coming in July, so I get to figure out how to put 2 carseats in my Freestyle. I've put 30,000 miles on it since I purchased in Jan. 05. I always get a new car in a couple of years, but with the excess mileage I have on this one, and the fact that they probably won't be around much longer, I'm sure hoping I can get lotsa more trouble-free miles on this one. I won't go back to Explorers or Expeditions--feels like a step backward for me.

    I can't figure out what Ford is doing, actually. They've got such a great car in the Freestyle, yet no ads--it's like they don't even exist. I know that Explorers are licenses to print money for them so I guess that's what they have to do, but why put money in developing a new model if you're aren't going to try and sell it? Oh well. I guess that's why I'm in public education and not the automotive industry.

    Happy New Year everybody,
    Andrea (Freestylegal, not to be confused with FrestyAL ;)
  • rbcorbco Member Posts: 13
    Thanks to this board, I just got my crossbars and Yakima ski rack installed. thanks everyone.

    as i was waiting for the installation, I spoke with a service manager and a technician. they both are under the impression that discontinuing the freebie is happening.

    They said some of their ford suppliers and such told them.

    I agree with what many have written. i love my freebie (so far , i have 8K miles and yet to drive in snow). I have had an Acura, lexus and jeep as my last 3 cars. I have to say that my favorite so far is my Freebie. i think that ford needs to look deep into this.

    What does freebie offer.

    1. plenty of space
    2. real decent gas mileage
    3. nice ride
    4. versatility
    5. nice looking
    6. nice trunk space, even with last row of seats.
    7. comfy seat in the back row.
  • willie19willie19 Member Posts: 139
    Welcome back Sam and congrats on the Masters thingy. As part of the avant garde group of Freebie owners I followed a lot of your early posts to give me the confidence to purchase the Ltd AWD for wifey and she loves it very much, much to my chagrin which leaves me with little opportunity to drive it.
    Good read in our local paper today which states the Freestyle is underrated and not to overlook this Cinderella when considering your next auto purchase.Ford seems to have given upon its new crossover,the Freestyle,even before the end of its first season.Too bad, because one could argue the Freestyle is essentially a half-price version of Volvo's highly regarded XC90, based on the same Volvo platform,same optional Haldex AWD system. More 3rd row room than Honda's Pilot, Yota's Highlander and Ford's own Explorer.

    After some consultation with a psychic to determine what lies ahead in the auto world in 2006, her crystal ball predictions: ;)
    Ford is stymied in carrying out its ongoing mission in using the letters F & E in all its SUVs, which could result in extremely dubious names, eg, Ford Fiasco, Ford Ex-Wife. Furthermore, pony car enthusiasts will be outraged if Ford changes the Mustang name to Funstang to maintain brand consistency.
    *Daimler Chrysler is alarmed to discover more than 50% of Dodge Chargers sold south of the Mason-Dixon line are spray-painted orange . As well,owners will also affix a "01" to the vehicle's front door.
    *Best new option of 2006: as gridlock continues unabated, several auto mfrs begin offering vehicles with in-dash microwave ovens so breakfast can be zapped on the way to work, while dinner can be warmed up on the way home.
    * Worst option of 2006: scratch n' sniff dashboards to do away with those little pine tree air fresheners.
    * Failing yet to unionize workers at Ontario's Honda and Yota car assembly plants, the CAW attempts to organize the crash test dummies instead. In a close vote ,the dummies turn down the CAW.
    * Chrysler announces the postponement of its latest retro car,the 2007 Cordoba as pitchman Ricardo Montalban holds out for more money.Complicating matters, it's later discovered there is a global shortage of Corinthian leather.
    * And lastly, in a bid to lower the average mean age of Buick buyers, GM will no longer accommodate landau roofs.The strategy pays off as the average Buick driver age plunges from "six feet under" to merely "one foot in the grave"

    Happy New Year to all. :)
  • tim156tim156 Member Posts: 308
    I picked up two sets from my dealer this morning. The price ended up to be almost the same with tax versus shipping, $21.79 a set. One additional question. How far out from the wheel well cladding did you install yours? I'm thinking of running a guide from the side of the tire towards the flap and using that line as the minimum distance to extend out from the wheel well. I was talking to a service tech about installing the flap to the cladding or the inner wheel well. He said it will be OK to install to the cladding and that the plastic is plenty strong. I also live in a cold and salt filled northern climate. I did a dry fit and will make that decision when I install. Pics to follow.
  • northlakesnorthlakes Member Posts: 368
    If one can tap into your psychic, it is possible that:

    * The Freestyle follow-on, the Ford Edge, gets renamed the "Restyle".
    * To provide a comparable driving experience to the CVT transmission, Ford and GM in 2006 begin development of the 1000 speed automatic transmission.
    * A Freestyle customizing industry rises in 2006 to satisfy the demand for 20" rims, convertible top Freestyles with targa bars, iPod docks, and 3.5L V-6 installations.
    * In 2006, the Dearborn Organization for the Hopeless (DOH!) is formed to refresh and hone the skills of those in need of solid marketing and promotional strategies for innovative vehicles.
    :shades:
  • willie19willie19 Member Posts: 139
    Hehehe! ;)
  • tim156tim156 Member Posts: 308
    It took me about two and a half hours but I was very careful not to mess up. I choose to screw into the cladding because I wasn't sure if I could get a good connection anywhere else. Be very very careful. It's a narrow strip to drill into. I used a failed speaker stand project to rest the bottom of the flap on at 6" off the ground in front and 8" in back. Then I marked around the outside of the cladding on the flap. I drilled the flap and checked the location of the hole on the 1/2" piece of cladding in the wheel well using an awl. I bought nylon washers to add to the screw heads for more holding surface. There tight, look good and will solve the splash issue. I would like to add a fourth screw though. There is a little pressure on the inner most screw head.
    I tried to attach photos by pasting from a word document. It doesn't look like they transferred. LITTLE HELP!
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    You have to have a place to host the photos since you can't just upload them in a message. Flickr.com is one such place. Check the Help link on the left for more info, and other suggested hosting sites.

    Steve, Host
  • fivenot2manyfivenot2many Member Posts: 3
    Hello all... My dh and I just purchased our first Freestyle. We have driven a Suburban for almost 10 years and I was very interested in getting something which was not quite such a gas guzzling behmoth...viola I found the freestyle and I was thrilled...we got a fully loaded limited. Now as I read these forums i see 2 potential problems....is the car underpowered??? is it about to be discontinued??? Yikes...I mean we did lease it so I'm not worried about resale but i also don't want to be driving an underpowered, forgotten by all vehicle...
  • barnstormer64barnstormer64 Member Posts: 1,106
    I mean we did lease it so I'm not worried about resale but i also don't want to be driving an underpowered, forgotten by all vehicle...

    Didn't you DRIVE it before you leased it? That should answer your question about it being underpowered or not. It's only going to feel underpowered if you need to TOW something, really.

    I wouldn't worry about whether or not it becomes "forgotten" or not. What matters is whether you LIKE it or not . . right?
  • tim156tim156 Member Posts: 308
    imageimageimageimageimage
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    I think the "Maximum photo size is 100kb per photo" requirement has bitten your photos (I can see them fine if I go to Flickr, but don't see them here). Maybe try the small size there, like so:

    image

    Steve, Host
  • tourist1234tourist1234 Member Posts: 30
    :D:D:D :P
    thanks!!
  • tim156tim156 Member Posts: 308
    Thanks for the advice Steve. It's easy when you know how to do it. I will paint the white washers when it warms up. I chose to extend the guards 5/8" beyond the cladding to insure protection. ">imageimageimageimage<img src="http://static.flickr.com/43/83627498_fb78d07240_m.jpg
  • vwcarcrazyvwcarcrazy Member Posts: 52
    Sorry, I was not online earlier today. Your installation looks great. I also spaced mine about 1/2" off the cladding to make sure I covered the entire wheel area. Yours look just like mine, except I attached to the black inner fender instead of the cladding. I would not bother painting the white nylon washers, the paint would just peel and chip off. You can get the washers in black plastic, annodized black steel or stainless steel at Home Depot, Menards, Lowes or ACE. I did not use washers on mine, because the factory screws that came with the flaps had a large head and they worked fine. Looks like you need to get some bodyside molding. I know a source for custom molded and factory painted moldings in Roseville, MN for $150 installed if you are interested. They did a great job on mine. Glad the flaps worked out, look nice.
  • fivenot2manyfivenot2many Member Posts: 3
    Thanks for your reply. Yes, I did drive it but i don't think your basic drive around town with a brief foray onto the highway really tells you how powerful it is...of course it had pick up and such but it has 8 miles on it and no load...it better be sprightly...but upon furthur review it DOES seem like the HP is a little low and so I wonder...
  • scootertrashscootertrash Member Posts: 698
    You are asking us if we think your car is underpowered?
  • freealfasfreealfas Member Posts: 652
    It's not...
  • tim156tim156 Member Posts: 308
    Thanks, I was all jazzed up to install and the Ace near my house didn't have suitable black plastic washers so I bought white. I added washers because once upon a time on a car long ago a screw head pulled through a flap, also I didn't use a metal washer because of the salt factor. Until I installed the guards I didn't realize that the edge of the cladding angled out so far. On the front I attached the inner most screw to the wheel well plastic. I'm going to leave them because I don't want to remove the screws and possibly compromise the grip of the screw. I'll think about the side molding. The molding looked good on black paint (from an earlier post), I'd like to see a picture of a different color than black with molding installed. Thanks again for info on the splash guards and the install tips.
  • bruneau1bruneau1 Member Posts: 468
    The Freestyle will become the Mercury Magellan for the 2008 model. I am sure they will use the new 3.5 engine and no CVT. What happens to the CVT is anybody's guess.
  • willie19willie19 Member Posts: 139
    If I'm faced with this hypothetical scenario:
    Ford abruptly halts production of Freestyles with the CVT and suddenly pushes the availability of the new Ford Edge with the 3.5 eng. and the new 6-speed tranny.Now someone who REALLY wants a CVT (with a lot of difficulty)is willing to buy me the new Edge as a straight swap for my almost new Freestyle Ltd AWD. Should I go for it?
    Probably NOT !

    My reason: Am I nuts? No ! I'm a practical guy and happy with our current Freestyle. The Edge looks good on paper but it's smaller and built on a cheaper CD3 platform. The new powertrain, with more planned power, is new yet unproven in real world use for full reliability. I would expect a good number of modifications over time before this is achieved just as the Duratec 3.0 L went through to become bulletproof.

    It can also be argued about the CVT as being new in NA, but successfully used in other countries and suited for smaller engines.As well, the Nissan Murano owners appear to be a happy bunch.Maybe the CVT looks like it's a little ahead of it's time here and I'm willing to bet Ford has a trump card to be played in the near future and market the CVT as a premium product in limited production models as demand warrants.Ford is now the dominant auto mfr with CVTs.

    Ford has built over 200K of the Chicago D3 cars to date and I would hazard to guess well over 50% come with the CVT. This is the critical mass of units on the road today that Ford can distill real world performance info to further develop the technology and then unleash it as the new improved Generation II product.
    The key to all this is to FULLY support current owners and as new important TSBs are discovered, to notify owners under warranty, and or beyond this with just a nominal charge for this service to bring everything up to speed and maintain a growing base of satisfied customers and regain some credibility.You regain market share with better service.
    Can't remember what I drank last night to think so crazy. Now flame away.
    :P
  • barnstormer64barnstormer64 Member Posts: 1,106
    "but upon furthur review it DOES seem like the HP is a little low and so I wonder..."

    Well, it's not meant to be a Corvette, nor a Chrysler 300C with the Hemi.

    But it's got enough "get up and go" to keep you out of trouble.

    Now, you'll have to endure some high revs and some noise when you REALLY want to "haul a**" . . . but the vehicle is quite capable of merging safely, etc.

    You won't win any drag races with it if your opponent is determined to win (in a 300C/Hemi, Corvette, etc). But you'll be surprised just how often you can beat even a Corvette . . . because most of those drivers aren't really pushing the car to begin with.
  • barnstormer64barnstormer64 Member Posts: 1,106
    I'm a practical guy and happy with our current Freestyle. The Edge looks good on paper but it's smaller and built on a cheaper CD3 platform.

    I agree completely. And you'll have to pry my cold dead fingers off my CVT to get it. :blush:

    I wouldn't worry too much, though, about the new 3.5 in terms of reliability.

    Wasn't '96 the first year for the Duratec 3.0? I had that in my '96 Taurus wagon (and my '02 Taurus sedan), and had no problems at all with them.

    I think the CVT is definitely here to stay (though perhaps not the one in the Freesylte). Why do I say this? Because hybrids are probably the wave of the future, and those require a transmission like a CVT in order to work. They've got to work in reverse as a generator.
  • willie19willie19 Member Posts: 139
    "Wasn't '96 the first year for the Duratec 3.0? I had that in my '96 Taurus wagon (and my '02 Taurus sedan), and had no problems at all with them."

    You're right, and there are so many variants of this engine.Ford had spent a lot of time tinkering with this engine.
    Pulled this info from Wikipedia..

    Duratec 30
    __________

    The 3.0 L Duratec 30 or Mazda AJ was introduced in 1996 as a replacement for the 232 in³ (3.8 L) Essex V6 in the Taurus/Sable. It has 2967 cc of displacement and produces between 200 and 240 horsepower (150 and 180 kW). The same basic engine is used in the Jaguar S-Type, Lincoln LS, Mazda MPV, Mazda6, Mondeo ST220 and many other Ford vehicles. It is essentially a bored-out (to 88.9 mm) Duratec 25 and is built in Ford's Cleveland, OH #2 plant. A slightly modified version for the Ford Five Hundred entered production at the Cleveland, OH #1 plant in 2004.

    There are two key versions of the Duratec 30:

    * DAMB - The Lincoln LS and Jaguar AJ30 versions have direct-acting mechanical bucket (DAMB) tappets. Output is 232 hp (173 kW) at 6750 RPM with 220 ft·lbf (298 N·m) of torque at 4500 rpm.
    * RFF - The Taurus/Sable/Escape version uses roller finger followers (RFF) instead and produces 201 hp (150 kW) at 5900 RPM with 207 ft·lbf (281 N·m) of torque at 4400 rpm.

    The 2006 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, and Lincoln Zephyr will feature a version of the Duratec 30 utilizing variable valve timing. The engine will have an output of 221 horsepower (165 kW) at 6250 rpm, and 205 ft·lbf (278 N·m) of torque at 4800 rpm.

    Mazda's MZI version adds variable valve timing, as does Jaguar's AJ30. Note that the MZI name is also used in Europe on Mazda's version of the Ford Sigma I4. The 3.0 L, 226 hp V6 used in the Mondeo ST220 is called Duratec ST. The 3.0 L, 204 hp V6 in the Mondeo Titanium is called Duratec SE.
  • vwcarcrazyvwcarcrazy Member Posts: 52
    I was actually able to get the Freestyle washed today, and then it started to snow again. Here are some shots of the custom molded and painted bodyside molding from Dawn's, and the Ford factory mudflaps. Sorry, I had to take the pictures inside since it was snowing outside. Freestyle 013 (2)Freestyle 012 (2)Freestyle 011 (2)Freestyle 010 (2)freestyle 007 (2)Freestyle 006 (2)
  • tim156tim156 Member Posts: 308
    Your molding looks nice. The factory color blends in nicely. I think I'll do it. What are the details other than Dawn's in Roseville? I was driving in the snow this evening. Not a spec on the cladding or behind the rear wheels. The guards work great.
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