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Comments
I have already called the dealer and they confirmed that the unit cannot be purchased from them as it is strictly a factory option. Anyone have any insight?
The Garmin 2730 I have prevents you from doing that when you're following a route. Though, it does give you the option to disable this "safe mode" if you wish.
I really haven't heard of many (if any at all) issues with the AWD. Mine's been working fine (on the Freestyle and the Five Hundred).
Funny, I do fine on foot or a bike; just don't ask me where North is.
Steve, Host
What facts are you referring to? I was at my dealer and I asked the Service Manager about service issues for the Freestyle. I asked him specifically about the CVT and drive train and he stated that they have seen no major mechanical issues with the Freestyle. He added he owned one and loves it. I have owned my FWD SE for 1 year and 1 day and have had no issues with it, mechanical or otherwise. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to family and friends because of its reliability.
I will note that. unsurprisingly, our mileage has been lower during the winter. Shorter trips, longer warmup times, and more all-wheel engagement I would guess. We are getting 21-22 mpg over the last couple of months. I expect it will go back up to 25-26 with the spring.
On the other hand, it is a great winter car, so it's hard to complain.
Huh? I just read the CR 2006 car review, and only the AWD transmission was rated with a black circle.
I just received Consumer Reports and the rating on the Freestyle w/AWD is well below average. Not sure how many respondents provided that info to them but I, for one, have been extremely pleased with my 2005 AWD/Limited. Absolutely no issues in nearly 11 months and over 16K miles. A gem of a vehicle that I plan to keep for some time to come. Of course if FORD makes the 3.5 engine available I may upgrade although FORD may not make the CVT available with that engine.
NAVIGATION: My other vehicle (2002 Lexus ES300) has navigation and I have only used it twice. I really didn't want it but since Lexus bundles their options I had to take it to get the Mark Levinson Premium Audio System. I have always felt that the driver is the navigator and planning a trip to an unfamiliar location can be done via the internet in advance. Even though I rarely use my navigation system, the audio system I wanted has certainly been worth the price - and it is used every time I use the car.
Regards -
M.J. McCloskey - 2005 AWD/Limited - Titanium
The Freebie is getting a 9.1 out of 10.
The Consumer Reports reviews always raise some good points. It does make one think, however, since the same AWD is used in the 500 and Freestyle, yet they are rated very differently. That doesn't add up to me. More explanation is needed. I like the fact that Consumer Reports buy test vehicles of the lot, and it is possible to get one out of spec for a test - but it is a limited sample set. It is possible to take too narrow a view.
Our experiences reported on this Forum are valid, aren't they? They should count as an indicator of the quality and reliability of the vehicle. We own this vehicle. We are not just a focus group. If you slide over the Honda, Lexus, or Toyota forums on Edmunds.com, it might be eye opening that these marques have issues too. If a Pontiac Aztek gets a higher rating than a Freebie, I am still not buying an Aztek. Perhaps the Freestyle has a case of "acne" - a few zits, but it doesn't have "asthma".
I applaud Ford for putting more new technology into the Freebie than it traditionally would and taking the risk. I would not hesitate to let a friend in on one of Ford's best kept secrets. :shades:
The comment about the AWD reliability was stated as for the first year Freebie, not the 2006 (Perhaps reflashing the firmware for the transmission mattered). Since I have a first year AWD and it has been fine, they must not be referring to long term reliability as much as infant quality concerns. :shades:
Much like a few yahoos saying that they have issues with theirs is no evidence, I'd say. :P
In order for this years CR car review to get published, the report card had to be mailed out last year. The respondants to that report card would have been people that bought an early model 2005 Freestyle....which, we all know, had issues with the AWD programming and minor flaws with early production vehicles.
Is it running the A/C or my driving style or what?
Thanks to anyone who can give me some helpful advice.
If he can be so dismissive of those who post that they've had no issues with their freestyles, then I can be just as dismissive of those who post that they have had issues.
You say I'm wrong to do what I did, right? That's the whole point. I'm only as wrong as he is.
I think you missed tim156's point. The word "yahoo" is demeaning, unless you also use the term to refer to yourself and those who post positive reviews of the FS.
Is it running the A/C or my driving style or what?
Thanks to anyone who can give me some helpful advice."
Congrats on your new FS!
1.If you have AWD, your mileage will be somewhat worse.
2. You can't use the info center to determine mileage. You have to use miles driven / gallons used, and that can't be done until at least the 2nd fill up - the dealer may not have filled the tank completely.
3. The engine needs to break in for best MPG.
I have about 2000 miles on mine, and I am seeing about 19.5 for all city, about 24 MPG highway (75 MPH), and generally 22 for the driving you describe.
I have been using the Info center and I'm still on the first tank of gas.
We did not get the AWD.
How funny it takes breaking in to get the best mpg.
I'll look forward to getting your same gas mileage soon!
I like this car so much- I wonder why more people have bought it.
Do you guys know what a smiley face with it's tounge sticking out means?
It means that his comment is not to be taken literally...c'mon, lighten up!
oh, and
Just out of curiosity, how does a tongue sticking out refer to "tongue in cheek? :P
:shades: :P
Steve, Host
My FS gas guage is exactly accurate. Now that's amazing!
Actually, I've wondered if it wasn't somehow connected via the info center (trip computer), but that wouldn't account for the SE model, which doesn't have the info center, I believe.
And, yes, there's no good emoticon for tongue-in-cheek, but :P can sometimes mean that.
The point is, they are equally INvalid statical samples.
I, for one, have *never* responded to any of CRs requests for info on vehicles I've owned. Not once. So, those GOOD results don't get factored in.
People who have problems are certainly more likely to post on message boards to complain than those who have few issues at all. I think the same is largely true for CRs type of surveys, as well.
A very good point, indeed.
In the past, the difference between red dots and black dots was fairly substantial. Now, these differences are usually very minor. Yet few people realize this.
I think I saw once that the best cars had something like 0.5 defects per vehicle, and the worst had maybe 1.5 defects per vehicle. The numbers aren't exact. This was for initial quality, as I recall. Either one of those values is VERY good.
That is correct, as cars from all makes have improved over the last 20 years. It used to be the norm to go to the dealership for warranty repairs far more than the average now. This has improved for all makes. However, the Japanese still lead. The Americans and Germans have not caught up, but everybody has improved.
Ordinary? I think not. If you subscribe to CR you get a survey. If you don't subscribe, you don't get one. Their supposedly "objective" survey results are therefore based on data gleaned from people who happen to subscribe to a magazine called Consumer Reports and who are motivated enough to actually fill it out and send it in. This just doesn't even begin to represent an accurate sampling of Freestyle owners. It is only representative of Consumer Reports subscribers who bother to fill out and send in a survey that they paid money to get in the first place.
That was a long time ago and there were not very many Freestyles in owners' hands then, they been in production for well under a year, and many of you will recall that production ramped up very slowly. I am not sure that they send the survey to everyone at the same time, but I think that they do. If so, I think they would have had a very small sample composed primarily of the earliest Freestyles.
When you combine a small sample with the very low level of defects in less-than-one-year-old cars, each reported defect takes on huge significance. That is not to say that their opinions are necessarily wrong, but certainly there is reason to doubt that the ratings will be representative of people's experiences with the Freestyle in general.
Presumably, they will have lots more data next year, and we will see if that makes any difference.
2 The Dodge Caliber is a CUV to replace the Neon. It is due out soon. The only automatic offered is a CVT transmission. It reportedly provides 6-8% better mileage than a standard 4-speed automatic. The R/T model also comes with Chrysler's first all-electronically controlled AWD. Sound familiar?
:shades:
And I argue that the important part of that sentence is the last part, and the unsaid part, which is that the differences now are TINY where they used to be a lot larger.
For example, if Fords used to have 15 defects per car, and Toyotas only 3, but now it's down to 1.5 for Ford and 0.5 for Toyota (made up numbers), the IMPORTANT part is that today BOTH brands have improved to the point that the practical difference between them is zero.
The fact that CR uses a black dot for 1.5 now with Ford, but it used to represent 15 is not really discussed much, and certainly doesn't show itself in the charts.
People are largely mislead and ignorant of the important facts, IMO. It's the only way to explain why people still think that Toyotas are soooooooooo much better than Fords.
While the Freestyle seems like a great vehicle and would be a better, more appropriate choice for 90% of Expedition/Tahoe buyers, I think i know what the problem is.
It is totally devoid of styling. It is a black-hole of attractiveness. It is not ugly, it is simply so lacking in any design or style, that is is completely invisible.
It could have been introduced 10-15 years ago and not caused a ripple. If it was produced in 1989 as a freshening of the original 85 Taurus it would have fit right in.
I pointed out a new FS to my wife and said "what do you think of that" She said "Do they still make those?"
Ford -- Step into the 90's. If you have fresh, new, excellent products, make them look fresh, new and excellent.
"Ford announced sales figures for January of 2006 as compared to the same month on 2005.
* Freestyle: 13.7%
* Escape: -14.4%
* Explorer: -22.5%
* Freestar: 4.1%
* F-Series: 7.0%
The Freestyle sales volume is one tenth that of the F-Series pickups, but growing twice as fast (this month)." :shades:
Are we talking about Camry's or the Freestyle? Maybe you mean the Accord instead. No? Hmmmnn... Then perhaps you mean the Highlander?
Toyota and Honda figured out a long time ago that mundane looks sell as long as the content is there otherwise. When's the last time you saw a Camry on the road and said.. "Wow! Just look at that styling on that baby!"
You should remind your wife that beauty is only skin deep. Then you should tell her about the Freestyle's Volvo P2 architecture, it's 5-star all around crash ratings, it's best in class room and it's best in class fuel economy. Looks aren't everything scooter. It's content that matters. At least to me it does.