Ford Five Hundred/Mercury Montego

frasierdog · October 2004

"... nothing but a nuisance requiring frequent adjustment"

All 3 of my Fords have been great. The idea is you set it at 76 and leave it. Maybe that is the problem, you fiddle too much.

If you get hot and then cold, may I suggest hormone replacement therapy

ANT14 · October 2004

Ok here's an example, which I believe might be a nuisance to some people dealing with Auto A/C. Majority of systems will initially blow the air on high to cool down the vehicle then automatically lower the blower level as it becomes cooler. When reaching the set temperature, it'll continue to blow the cooled air, BUT now mixes a bit of hot air, along with it to reach the set temperature.

This is noticeable on some systems where for a split second you feel (and maybe smell) the hot air being mixed into the cool air as it blows across your face. Unfortunately for many systems, instead of giving you the lowest blower speed, and simply cool it, it'll give you a medium level (which you can still hear) while mixing hot air into the mix.

One example, in my friends Saturn L300 (which all the above is evident). I rather just turn it off Auto mode, then just place the blower at it's lowest level and have it simply blow cool air. If not, then the system goes up a few notches (which can get noisy) and blow mix of hot/cooled air, which is quite noticeable.

Some systems your able to detect that more than others. Which is why some people might simply over-ride and go manual. And in some A/C systems, you can't go fully manual either.

fsmmcsi · October 2004

HUT for a guy? You also have to deal with situations where one side of the vehicle is in the sun (the dual system on my Mountaineer does not have sun sensors on each side, so you have to adjust for this). The fan is too loud, or not strong enough. I would rather have simple knobs or levers, and something less expensive to buy and less likely to break.

zeen · October 2004

How can Ford design a new model that looks five years old as soon as it hits the road? They must have pulled the designer out of a grave. The 500 (and the Montego as well) is one of the ugliest new designs I've seen in a long time. The car may be fine mechanically (even with an outdated engine), but Ford better find some designers or they can fold up now.

explorerx4 · October 2004

the design may be 5 years old, but that doesn't mean ugly. i think it's supposed to be 'inoffensive'(?).
after seeing the '500' in person, it looks ok.
actually, i like it better than the freestyle, which suprised me.
my wife saw a picture of the 500 and said 'i want that'.
what i am wondering is; can you get it with heated seats? living in the northeast, i really enjoy the benefits of heated seats, especially with leather. even my focus has them(heated seats, no leather)!

fsmmcsi · October 2004

explorerx4: If you use Edmunds or the Ford site to configure a vehicle, you will see that the leather seats are heated.

To my wife and me, the 500/Montego looks very good, and better than in photos. While we might have bought a Chrysler 300C if it had a big enough trunk, it is an ugly car, and the excellent open greenhouse of the Five Hundred / Montego will always be better than something with obstructed views in all directions. The side profile with the three windows is especailly well designed. The Mustang, these cars, the Mazda 6, Mazda 3, and upcoming Fusion/Milan/Zephyr prove that Ford with J. Mays is on the right track.

buckwheat · October 2004

The Five Hundred Limited has leather seating surfaces 8-way power heated driver & 4-way power heated passenger with manual lumbar as standard equipment.

samnoe · October 2004

To my taste, the 500 looks beautiful. I just love the style. The Freestyle is more plain, but not bad either.

I sat in one 500, and I noticed a problem with the sun-visors. Most manufacturers stopped offering a "visor extender" which is so useful when the sun is hitting from another angle around the sun visor. They try to make up for that with some black dots on the top of the windshield which is worthless, compared to a real visor extender.

But the real problem is when you move the visor sidewards b/c the sun is at your left side, half of the window will stay uncovered! That's a big problem to me.

I have an '02 Windstar, which I think is the most smart design I've seen. You don't need an extender at all, and it covers the entire side window, and a huge part of the windshield.

This is not a 'minor' thing to me (as unlighted glove box), but can be dangerous at times when the sun is very bright and the road is wet, etc.

ANT14 · October 2004

I agree, I have this black out peelable/reappliable removable static cling type of vinyl that I bought at a chain auto parts store, which I usually use when I must travel on the turnpike on the late afternoon and have the sun hitting me on the left. And it does allow a certain amount of light in, it looks like what's left over of the dot-matrix applique when they pulled it off the windshield, but blocks a good 95% of it.

A bit annoying to have to take out and apply as you drive but considering a few hours need to be killed, why not.

exalteddragon1 · October 2004

I saw a new add for the 500,

It showed a dark street (i think) and an intersection, and it was wet. Cars were sliding and skating along sidways and in circles, and then the 500 shows up and goes normaly. It had its headlights on, and was really cool. I never liked the design too much, but the was they shot the car was with all the right angles. And it looked good on screen. The 45 degree above view about 20 feet above is especially appealing.

Man, at the prices they are offering, Ford should sell quite a few of em. The ad was very good for any recent ford add IMO.

samnoe · October 2004

And BTW, my Windstar's top of windshield is lightly tinted, to further reduce any extreme sun shine. They also stopped this one. And those pesky black dots should replace them all!

Just too bad and upsetting. I can't figure out why car manufacturers should get worse from year to year. Yeah, I know, it's cost cutting... blah blah blah.......

ANT14 · October 2004

Here's the link to the new Ford commercials...

http://www.fordvehicles.com/nextgeneration/commercials/

There's 2 varieties for the 500.

fsmmcsi · October 2004

Samnoe - the Five Hundred / Montego / freestyle visors do extend! Simply turn it sideways (parallel to the side window) then slide it back on the support rod. It is the same idea as on our Mercedes. I agree that visors which do not extend are a problem, especially for taller drivers who sit back further.

hvan · October 2004

I like the new design of the 500. It reminds me of the current Avalon/LS430 design. The tail light is somewhat similar to the previous generation of MB S class. Knockoffs?

By the way, the front grill is hideous looking!!! As with any car (Escalade, 300, MB, Lexus), the front grill is what gives the car its identity! What was Ford thinking?

buckwheat · October 2004

how does Ford's upcoming "three bar grille" grab you!

http://home.carolina.rr.com/watchdevil/500.htm

http://www.detnews.com/2004/autosinsider/0409/21/c01-279950.htm

acklarry · October 2004

I decided to give the Ford 500 a test drive to see if I would like it.

It's not a bad vehicle, but there were three items that caught my attention.

1. The Rear View Mirror is obstructed by the Sunglass/Map Light while driving. You can see the image of the Map Light as you drive. I noticed this in the Freestyle as well, but I did not test drive the Freestyle.

2. The Side Mirrors are extremely boxy. They also don't bend in. This was a style flaw in my opinion.

3. The drive was good, but the Engine was extremely loud.

badgerfan · October 2004

Ford web site says outside mirrors are foldable.

My guess on the rear view mirror is that it was just raised up too close to the headliner. Rear view mirrors are mounted on an arm with swivels on both ends of the arm and may have been raised too high.

Noisy engine? I've got the Duratech V-6 in my Taurus and do not find it particularly noisy. Maybe not dead quiet on acceleration, but not objectionably loud. Maybe the Duratech winds out more on the Five Hundred than my Taurus during hard acceleration, especially if you drove a CVT equipped model, however I would expect it to be quite quiet at steady speeds as the engine is going to turn at slower rpm than my Taurus does.

I haven't driven a Five Hundred however, so the noise issue is just speculation on my part. Any early owners want to comment?

ederzawiec · October 2004

The Mirrors definitely fold in. I folded them in so the dealer could drive the beast out of the showroom. I find them a bit large/trucklike, but can get use to them.

I found the 6 Speed quite loud as it would kick down and race. The CVT seemed much quieter. The only thing that would keep me from choosing 6 speed over CVT is the newness of the latter technology.

I did not notice any rear view mirror obstruction.

explorerx4 · October 2004

...and buckwheat. thanks for the info. i was looking at the 'sticker', which did not indicate the seats were heated.

ANT14 · October 2004

My guess as to why the engine noise, and non-foldable mirrors were an issue might have been the SE model being tested. It has a bit less noise insulation. But competitive with other vehicles.

alpha01 · October 2004

MT this month tested the Five Hundred against the LaCrosse, the 300 Touring, and the Avalon XLS.

The Five Hundred finished second behind the 300, a very good showing, IMO.

However, in terms of acceleration- the Five Hundred battled the 5 year old Avalon for the worst numbers posted. The 8.6 seconds that MT got is a far cry from the 7.5 that Ford published in its brochures, even allowing for vehicle to vehicle variences.

~alpha

samnoe · October 2004

Side mirrors BOXY?

That's a plus in my book. It gives you good visibility. It's big and boxy.

Do you like the mirrors of the new Chevy Malibu? I can't look at them!

fsmmcsi · October 2004

The MT article confirms what I felt this weekend. The Montego felt slow struggling up the hills going out of the Mission Viejo mall and Home Depot (the route they picked). I realized that my previous drives have all started on level ground. I also think that the narrow foot well would become more and more of an irritation over time.

Too bad, Ford, but I am back to the the Damiler-Chrysler products - Chrysler 300C, Dodge Magnum RT, and Dodge Charger. I just will not pay $30,000 for something that slow.

alpha01 · October 2004

That was my point from the beginning. 8.6 to 60 from a $20,990 Accord LX 4 cylinder(with side curtain airbags) and 34 MPG on the highway is acceptable. At 9 grand more and losing 5 MPG.... not so much.

Toyota has also let time pass the Avalon by, but we all know a new one will debut in Jan.

~alpha

ANT14 · October 2004

Let's keep in mind, one instrumented doesn't tell the whole story.

johnclineii · October 2004

And you must not hesitate to give the CVT equipped Five Hundred gas. I used to own a 2000 Impala LS. The Five Hundred DOES outaccelerate that car, even though it has less horsepower, less torque and weighs more.

Those who would rather buy a 300 should do so. But rest assured, you won't be buying any Hemi equipped 300's for a comparable price. Nope. I also have SERIOUS issues with visibility in that, what is for me, garish and outlandish car.

mschmal · October 2004

The inside review mirror was definately positioned wrong. The factory seems to be doing this for some reason.

I had someone raise same issue on a test drive until i grabbed that dang thing and pulled it down.

Mark

zeen · October 2004

Excellent links. It's nice to know Ford knows how bad its design is.

fsmmcsi · October 2004

I agree with alpha01 - the Five Hundred / Montego / Freestyle need to be priced lower. $30,000 is too high for what they have.

However, the 300C with everything except the navigation, sunroof, and four wheel drive is $36,000, and is a very good value at that price. Even the fuel mileage is comparable.

The LX cars (300, 300C, Magnum, and Charger) are rear wheel drive vehicles. Unlike the Ford products, where AWD is needed to offset front drive limitations and problems, it is not needed on the LX cars, but it is available for those who want the untimate in winter traction.

Too bad Ford did not make the new cars like the Mustang - front engine, rear drive. Even the new design solid rear axle in the Mustang feels better than I thought possible.

alpha01 · October 2004

I didnt say these vehicles should be priced lower-my contention is simply that most buyers in this price range will appreciate more engine, since they can get more engine from practically every other automaker who competes in this range.

~alpha

explorerx4 · October 2004

at 30k with the five hundred you get the power moonroof and awd.
i will be interested to see how 300 sales go once the winter arrives. personally, i feel the fwd 'advantage' over rwd in snow disappeared once the power levels started rising.

johnclineii · October 2004

http://www.detnews.com/2004/autosinsider/0410/28/b01-318232.htm

badgerfan · October 2004

Where are you getting the $9K from? MSRP on the base model Five Hundred SE including shipping is $22,795. Add in the safety package, which gets you side curtain airbags along with a few other features, adds $795 for a total MSRP of $23,590

MSRP on the Accord LX 4 cylinder automatic including shipping is $20,990.

This makes MSRP difference $2600,not "9 grand".

The Five Hundred SE has 17" alloy wheels with four wheel disc brakes while the Accord has 15" steel wheels, rear drums, and is a much smaller car with 2/3 the trunk space and much smaller interior room as well.

I wish people would research a little before posting wild claims about price differences. At least compare models that are comparably equipped.

Sure you can buy a $30K top of the line Five Hundred, but it will be loaded up and include AWD. Likewise you can load up an Accord to the $30K range as well, but don't compare a loaded Five Hundred to a moderately equipped Accord and come up with a wild $9K price difference claim as that is faulty logic.

alpha01 · October 2004

Its not faulty logic. Can you not get a 30,000 Montego/Five Hundred? You state you can, which is true. Note I didnt say anything about the models' ability to compete at the low range of the price spectrum. What I did say is that at around $30,000, performance that can't match a 4 cylinder Accord's is hardly impressive. What makes that an invalid comparison?

But, for your satisfaction, I'll take the 240 horse Accord EX V6 ($27,215) vs. a non AWD Montego with moonroof and side curtain package ($28,685). In terms of acceleration, which is really the only aspect of the vehicle that I am arguing, the Accord will blow the doors off the Fords. There- using your logic, this is a valid comparison.

To reiterate: My POINT in making this argument is simply that in the upper price ranges in which these Fords compete, consumers have an expectation of more power than the Fords offer, or will offer for sometime.

My sentiment was echoed by several who are actually looking at these sedans, which seem to indeed be fine automobiles.

That said, only the current, 5 year old Toyota Avalon offers a similarly poor power proposition at the 30K price level.

~alpha

badgerfan · October 2004

Yes you can buy a $30K Five Hundred, but you can also buy a $23K Five Hundred. My only point was, when comparing cars you've got to try to compare comparably equipped cars, and comparing a loaded Five Hundred to a moderately equipped Accord is unfair from the get go.

Taken to the extreme, you could probably soup up a go-kart and go 0-60 in 5 seconds and do it for $4-5K, which is a lot cheaper than any Accord, but is this a valid comparison?

Whether it accelerates 0-60 in 7.5 vs 8.5 seconds is not the biggest issue for the demographics this car is intended for. If you really want better 0-60 performance, sure you likely have to go elsewhere, at least until the 3.5 Duratech comes along.

If the Five Hundred is a 8.5 second 0-60 car, this is very adequate for 95% of prospective buyers. The other 5% will go elsewhere, but no car is going to satisfy everyone.

I think the jury is still a bit out about actual 0-60 times, considering there are three versions out there: CVT, six speed automatic, and CVT with AWD. Which version did Motor Trend test, anyhow?

nedc2 · October 2004

Motor Trend tested the FWD 6 speed. Which, by my own "seat of the pants" estimation after test driving both CVT and 6 speed models, is a bit slower, but it certainly has acceptable acceleration abilities, I never felt hesitant about merging with it.

mschmal · October 2004

Customers for these vehicles couldn't care less about Horse Power. Not one person I've talked to about these cars has had any reaction to the horsepower figure one way or the other.

The good fuel economy figures has had a good reaction.

All this people want to know is whether it it is a 4 cyl. or a 6 cyl. what kind of fuel economy does it get and how does it feel when you drive it.

Every person I've testdriven so far has liked these vehicles.

Mark

alpha01 · October 2004

Reference post 1677.

Looks to me like thats a customer who is turing away from the Five Hundred because of its acceleration, or lack thereof.

I think this will is a fine automobile and will be successful for Ford, but class leading, No.

For me, this vehicle speaks well to what Ford can provide in a smaller version- the upcoming Fusion, for example.

~alpha

alpha01 · October 2004

ray h "2006 Hyundai Sonata" Oct 28, 2004 1:49pm

post 169. prospective Five Hundred buyer turned off by lack of power.

I think its going to happen more than most assume...

~alpha

nvbanker · October 2004

Well, Driving by my Ford dealer late last night, I spied a new Mustang on the corner of the immense lot, and screeched to a stop to check it out. Also noted a 500, a Freestyle on the patio. But it was past closing, and they wanted to go home. I got to sit in the 500 and the Mustang, not in the Freestyle. I thought the Freestyle looked great. Hated the interior of the Mustang. Really cheap black plastic. Liked the inside of the 500. Gotta drive it though.

frasierdog · October 2004

I drove both the 500 Limited and the Montego Prem. I like the vehicles very well. I currently drive a Grand Marquis.

Both vehicles have deal breakers for me.
1 - The engine was adequate, nothing more. My current 4.6 engine has a more lively feel. I tend to push the car hard on a daily basis.

2 - The front foot well is cramped. I can not stretch out on a long drive. BIG minus for comfort. Personal opinion - the 500 does not have a relaxed driving position for a long trip. The higher hip point was not a comfort benefit.

3 - Backseat is just not comfortable. I can not take people with me at lunch and expect that they will be comfortable in the backseat. If only a child will be comfortable (ANT14), then what is the point of the added legroom. Utility should not be pushed over comfort in a sedan.

Picky little things.
- Vanity mirrors and lights are small and cheap.
- Car does not offer 8 way seats for both driver and passenger.
- Center console arm rest is too high compared to seat.
- No glove box light. No open door edge light. No gas struts on hood.

It is a good car with some compromises. At this point, I would buy another Grand Marquis over this car. I am also looking forward to seeing the 2006 Sonata and the next gen Avalon.

avenger1 · October 2004

While subscribed to both the freestyle and 500 forums, I have also been following the Sonata forum.

Although it is a great looking car outside, I'm not so pleased with the interior. The dash design pales to the accord (or even the 500). It looks like a Suzuki XL-7 dash.

Although it has grown some, it is plainly an accord fighter, right down to the v6 hp rating. This means that the truck and rear room won't match the 500.

Lastly, there have been talks by the hyundai dealers on the forum that corp headquarters have received such high praise from pre-release surveys, they have considered a price increase above the standard rate they had quoted earlier. This will put it in the $22K-27K arena, with everyone else (no longer the low price alternative).

I have been eagerly awaiting the new sonata and xg380 (2006?) as direct competitors to the cam/cord and larger cars. Knowing that the sonata has grown some in size, and the xg will grow as well, plus the 100K warranty makes them an attractive alternative.

Both the new XG, the Sonata and the 500 will all share the popular "passat" look that some call dated, but many love.

Things will get interesting...

GregC

alpha01 · October 2004

It looks like you havent been paying that close attention to the Sonata forum. There was recently a big debate- and most posters recognized that pricing would likely top out about 24-25K, starting in the high 18s for a well equipped 4, not the range you cite.

Also, your take on the dash design is just that- yours. Quality of materials is a big factor, and nobody can speak to the tactile qualities of the new Sonatas appointments. I personally like the layout very much- everything looks to fall easily at hand, while still being stylish and avoiding looking date, a la the Five Hundred's center stack. The one thing about the Sonata that I am not fond of is the silver style instrumentation on the top tier model. Yuck. The Camcord electroluminescent displays are far more attractive. (Ironically, the Five Hundred also has ugly silver speedo/tach/fuel/temp on the Limited).

~alpha

buckwheat · October 2004

a paragraph from an article in the Detroit News;

Second, Ford's hybrid strategy isn't limited to the Escape, its Mercury-brand cousin and the coming Ford Fusion midsize car. With Toyota poised to launch a hybrid-powered Lexus RX 400h and Toyota Highlander and with Honda offering a hybrid Accord, "Ford is seriously examining the possibility of responding with hybrid versions of its new Five Hundred sedan and Freestyle wagon".

http://www.detnews.com/2004/insiders/0410/31/b01-320296.htm

fsmmcsi · October 2004

We spent most of the day at the show on Saturday and observed that almost all of the people looking at the Five Hundred appeared to be 60 plus years old, except for the 40 year olds helping their parents.

I sat in it again several times throughout the day, and in the Volvo S80. The narrow front foot well is almost identical to the Volvo S80 - the same hump in the floor to the left of the dead pedal, and my right leg hit the center console in exactly the same place.

I really wanted to give the Five Hunded / Montego a second chance, but the narrow footwell is an issue. An article in the local paper stated that Americans have become taller and heavier, and that the average height of men is 5 feet, 9.5 inches, and of women 5 feet 4 inches, so at 6' 1", and 193, maybe it is just not for me or other taller people.

By the way, we also finally rejected the Chrysler 300 and Dodge Magnum. They are mechanically excellent, but the view out the front is horrible (you would have to bend down just to see traffic lights), the view to the sides is poor, the 300 has a small trunk due to a silly decision to keep the car less than 5 meters long, they really are ugly, and the Magnum, as a wagon, has the same shortcomings for my needs as my current SUV. The baggy pants / earings everywhere / DUB magazine crowd was prominent, but we also saw many families with children looking at the Magnum.

Now, we will concentrate on the upcoming Honda car-truck.

samnoe · October 2004

Do the 500 or Freestyle have a lamp under the hood to illuminate the area when the hood is open?

avenger1 · October 2004

I actually follow several sonata forums (I'm really interested in it), and there's lots of debate over the pricing.

And yes, the dash opinion is just that...an opinion, not gospel. To me, It has a weird dash design, with the air vents at the level of the ignition, instead of up above as on most cars. Then again, the 500/freestyle has that compartment in the top-middle of the dash for cell phones, etc. I can see that squeeking over time. And is it felt lines, or will anything you put in there rattle around? Every design element will appeal to some and not others, which is great about a free country.

But sticking on topic...do we have some real world MPG readings yet? How about squeeks and rattles?

GregC

tincup47 · November 2004

My wife's Subaru Forester has the same compartment on the top of the dash. Over 110,000 miles there have been no sqeeks or rattles from it.
We test drove both the 500 and the Freestyle on Saturday and were impressed by both vehicles. Both were quicker than they felt. I first noticed this phenomonon of acceleration "feel" with my Wife's Automatic Forester and the Mazda Protege5 5 speed I used to own. The Mazda felt much quicker, but her Forester would beat it quite handily to 60 MPH.

avenger1 · November 2004

I have heard various opinions on the quality of the seats. How are these seats compared to their PAG cousins? I always thought Volvo had the best seats in the industry, and was curious if ford would just use the s60/s80 seats in the 500 to save costs.

How do they compare to the latest version of the taurus (I have one - OK leather seats)?

Lastly, how well do you think the perf leather in the Montego will hold up over time? My newest car has perf leather and it's a pain to clean...I have infants and if they spill formula on perf leather, you can't get into the little holes to clean them out.

Any thoughts?

GregC

frizz2112 · November 2004

My father has been anxiously awaiting the arrival of the 500 to replace his 1998 Crown Vic. He's 62, a lifelong Ford guy, and knows his cars pretty well. We had discussed the potential of the car to be sluggish due to it's weight and the relatively paltry output for the Duratech 30. He and my mother test drove a 500 with CVT/AWD the other day, and his first comment to me was "we were amazed at how quick it was." My mother, who NEVER speeds, was going 75 on a two lane road before she realized how fast she was going. I think this is a pretty good indicator of how the target customer is going to react to the 500. If they actually drive one, and it suits their needs in the other areas, the power issue will likely be a non issue. It looks like Ford has done a good job ringing every last bit of potential out of that 200 HP. Sure, I wish they had the Duratech 3.5 ready, but it seems for the people likely to buy these cars, they are in good shape. Now if they can just get something on the road to lure back people like me who jumped ship to a VW Passat...

Ford Five Hundred/Mercury Montego

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles