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Comments
I don't think you can delete the 3rd row. I'm guessing that the FX concept future vehicle would become the 3rd row alternative. Personally, I'll be waiting for that model. By that time, the "bugs" will be out of the car, and perhaps it could replace my husband's Sport Trac.
FRASIERDOG - The Freestyle will have an auxiliary climate control, like Explorers and Freestars. Whether it's a 3-zone (Freestar Limited, Explorer Eddie & up) or other, remains to be seen. The ordering guides for all 2005s are in http://fordaxz.com/2005orderingguides.htm
I tried the link, and they aren't working. Again. If it persists, I'll e-tell them. Again.
Pricing:
ANT14 - YES!! Now we'll know if they are giving a fair deal, or are trying to steal us blind, deaf & mute. NANCYB must be eager to know.
In other news, I showed the Freestyle ("Freebie" as I call it
Contour started my work-week with no battery juice. Had to use the Sam's Club Car Starter Special to get it back in action. It's OK now. These "three months to Freebie" will be interesting...
Sam
Also, about the climate controls, seems there was an option for extra rear climate controllers that cost extra when we sat down with the guy to order one like we wanted. I'm sure everyone gets ventillation, but if you pay extra the passengers get to adjust their own.
I saw that San Antonio's Jordan Ford is supposed to have a Freestyle there when they have a Mustang show on August 18th. Just a little far for us to drive over and back in a day's time. Wish they'd come to Little Rock! If any of you guys are Texans, you might want to check it out.
I got to play in a 500 at a county fair recently. I was impressed with the interior materials. I would be interested in the Merc once it has the big moonroof and the 3.5. Maybe for '06?
http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=18901 for details
Basic Information
The Tier 2 Vehicle and Gasoline Sulfur Program is the result of a collaborative effort by a wide range of stakeholders. EPA worked closely with auto companies, oil companies, states, public health and environmental organizations, and others to design a stringent but balanced program that all key stakeholders could support.
Compared to Model Year 2003 and earlier, vehicles meeting the Tier 2 emission standards are much cleaner -- 77% to 95% cleaner, depending on the size of the vehicle. The very large health and environmental benefits of the program are estimated to total more than $25 billion at a cost to consumers of between only $70 to $250 per vehicle, and less than 2 cents per gallon of gasoline. With these cleaner vehicles, consumers will not experience any change in the performance or product selection of vehicles and fuels. Over the past few years, auto manufacturers have successfully worked to meet these stringent standards. In fact, for Model Year 2004, more clean vehicles will be sold than the EPA program requires.
The key to meeting the stringent Tier 2 emission standards in such a short time has been the large reduction in sulfur levels in gasoline. Sulfur in the fuel impairs the effectiveness of vehicle emission control systems. By removing most of the sulfur from gasoline, oil refiners are helping the new emission controls work longer and more efficiently. Average national gasoline sulfur levels are already declining, and by 2006 will be 90% lower than before the program. Sulfur in gasoline has no fuel value, in fact it can damage sensitive components such as onboard diagnostics systems and fuel injection systems. As a result, even vehicles manufactured prior to the 2004 Model Year will benefit from using low-sulfur fuel.
http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=18909
"Power door locks with remote keyless entry and door-mounted keyless entry key pad"
Why add the key pad? I really hate that and think it looks tacky. It always look bolted on and never seems to integrate well with the door. No other manufacturer in the world feels the need to put one of this ugly things on their cars do why does Ford?
As to the pricing, the Limited $29,195 + awd ($1,700) plus protection $795 (a little pricy don't you think?) totals $31,690. That seems favorable to the Pacifica.
Now I wonder when I will be able to get X-plan pricing on these?
drive62 "CR-V vs Escape" Aug 6, 2004 11:38am
Lots of folks really like them.
Steve, Host
I have it on my LS, and I've had it in the past in various Ford products and it's a convinient toy to have. Whenever I go to the beach, just stick my wallet and keys in the glovebox, and use the keypad to enter and exit. No need to carry all the bulky keys along with me. Or even when biking where my biking shorts do not have any pockets to carry keys in.
Okay, you've convinced me. I cycle a lot and the thought about not having to carry the keys as well is actually quite compelling.
Of course, if I was a thief, I might be thinking that all I have to do is smash the window and look in the glove box to find the keys....
Skrep... thanks for the info on the pricing. I said a big "whew" == they didn't get too outrageous with the prices. Any idea on what the invoice price would be below those retail numbers? Is there a standard percentage that they add to invoice to get retail?
Thanks everyone!
They are as follows; NAME + (what they kinda look like IMO)
Pueblo Gold Clearcoat Metallic (champaine, beige)
Norsea Blue Clearcoat Metallic (Med Wedgewood Blue from 2001MY)
Dark Shadow Grey Clearcoat Metallic (gun metal grey)
Titanium Green Clearcoat Metallic (sea foam green)
Dark Blue Pearl Clearcoat Metallic (dark blue)
Merlot Clearcoat Metallic (dark red)
Redfire Clearcoat Metallic (bright red)
Silver Frost Clearcoat Metallic (bright silver)
Black Clearcoat (black)
Oxford White Clearcoat (bright white)
If you want to see the colors in the paint (so to speak) just go to your local dealer and pick up the little 2005 EXTERIOR COLORS CAR paper. It has all the new colors for the 2005 models including the Five Hundred, Freestyle, Freestar, Focus and Mustang.
IMO the Norsea Blue, Redfire Red and Silver Frost are by far the best looking colors. Of coarse the New Focus Blazing Copper Clearcoat Metallic would look sweet on the Freestyle.
Odie
2)Are the any plans for a large moonroof in either the freestyle of mercury version?
3)Is it likely Ford will offer privacy glass for the 2nd row seating by next year?
1a) From media.ford.com's article, second to last paragraph
- FLEXIBLE MANUFACTURING COMES TO LIFE AT CHICAGO ASSEMBLY WITH THREE NEW VEHICLES -
"... The 2005 Ford Five Hundred, Ford Freestyle and Mercury Montego are the first vehicles produced at Chicago under the new flexible system. A fourth product, a Mercury crossover, will be produced here at a future date... "
2)The closest thing is the full "glass ceiling" (front to back) the Aviator will have. This is a completely different animal (not "Volvo P2" based). I saw a prototype at the NY Auto. It'll will use the Duratec 35. Supposedly, it gets dibs on the engine, then 500/Freebie/Monty. (Credit ANT14 for the tidbit.)
3) The prototype I photographed in the NY Auto Show didn't had it. The ones in ford videos doesn't have it either. Since then, Freebie got classified as a truck. That allows it to get 2nd row tint. Whether it will or not remains to be seen. (Others get credit for this tidbit, but I don't recall whom.)
3a) Post 713 has a link to some pictures. The Freebie with surfboards got my attention. The windshield is tinted. However, if you look close, the third row glass is darker than 1st & 2nd (identical). Hopefully, this is also a prototype, since the picture came before the assembly line celebration pictures shown also in the link. (Can't be certain, as it looks the same as the "first Freebie" out.)
Sam
The fourth one, "charcoal beige", is the one the Blue Freebie has on the edmunds.com future vehicles - ford - freestyle page.
Sam
On the NY Auto show, I saw a clip for the freestyle, showing young sport types going to a gym with those climbing walls to do just that. The surfboard picture I talked about from post 713 is along the same line. All this should hint the cladding's target audience.
* The Outback is a bit cheaper. It's also smaller.
The Limited, with the wood trim and so on, would appeal to the no longer young but want a elegant, yet flexible vehicle. And absolutely no minivan or SUV. Note the 500 and Monterey are monochromatic as well. That's their target, also Magnum's.
* The monochromatic Magnum has the hormone overload levels of a teenager in Playboy mansion. It's priced about the same as Freestyle. (They have a $1K rebate this month to fend off contestants.) It'll AWD or equivalent by calendar 2005, for a "reasonable" fee (if you're selling it, of course
All crossover contestants (including Chevy Equinox) have two rows. Freebie has three. The only matching in flexibility is Magnum.
For the record, I'm in the Limited audience, yet won't discard the mid-point Freebie. My wife really likes several of the latter's color offerings.
Sam
Had a Subaru Outback for about 9 months, until a mouse ate my wiring harness(es) and the parts got back ordered. Did you know a mouse could cause over $2,000 in damages in one night? Anyway, traded the Subaru for an Acura sedan, which I do really love. (although the Subaru drove very nicely).
Don't like the looks of the Magnum at all. I think it looks kind of goofy. We were tempted by the Rainier, but it was a bit too pricy for someone just around the corner from an early retirement... and the gas mileage figures get more important when we're seeing $2.00 per gallon at the pump.
So, Sam... who's going to get their Freestyle first... you in (Florida?), or me in Arkansas? Guess we'll have to rely on ANT who has most of the answers!!!!
PS to Ant... don't suppose you could get them to sneak just one of the dark red Limited's onto a truck bound for Arkadelphia, AR?????
http://www.fordvehicles.com/freestyle/photogallery.asp?name=EXTER- IOR&num=5&bhcp=1
they show a Freestyle SEL in Dark Blue Pearl with Charcoal Beige accent. I like the look of the color on this car, and I notice the the surround for the side windows is color matched blue with the car. I like the look.
However, for all other pictures I have seen the surround of the side windows seems to be black - rubberized I presume. Now is the surround color matched only for certain trim levels (SEL?), or was it just a prototype and all production cars will have black trim around the side windows?
Kerry
As a matter of fact, most of my family is in Florida. My mom, sister & nieces live in the Orlando area, right on the path of Hurricane Charley. This is the second hurricane doing a direct hit on my family in 5 plus years.
My brother in Miami visited them to check how they fared. Thank GOD, they're fine with no "souvenirs".
Is Arkadelphia a southern-style Phily?
Sam
The answer will have to wait until the Dealers have 'em.
BTW, does anyone have info on the dimensions of the Freestyle? IMO it's narrower yet longer than a Freestar. I'm quite curious.
Sam
BTW, I love those huge oversized outside mirrors. Finally, Ford!
About your dimensions question, the most detailed information that I found to date is at:
http://autos.yahoo.com/newcars/ford_freestyle_2005/3997/model_ove- rview.html
The colors in the (brackets) are what I think the colors look like.
Arizona Beige comes from the Explorer's coloring book (Eddie Bauer).
The Arizona Beige is NOT a FreeSTYLE color, it is listed as a FreeSTAR color. As for Charcoal? I didn't list any charcoal color and there isn't any even listed on the color swatch paper.
The fourth one, "charcoal beige", is the one the Blue Freebie has on the edmunds.com future vehicles - ford - freestyle page.
I hope this cleared up any confusion.
Odie
That red Limited Freestyle will be a popular color actually... Shouldn't be too hard to find...
It is NOT just a wagon version of the Five Hundred.
I should know, I have now driven both.
And trust me, there is a HUGE difference in how they handle. Each is very good at WHAT IT IS.
The Freestyle is NOT a sedan/wagon. The Five Hundred is not a minivan. Is the Freestyle a minivan? Not legally, but I would have a hard time telling someone who said it is that they are lead-pipe wrong...
The purpose of the categories at Edmunds is to steer buyers and those interested to the vehicles they may wish to consider. The linkage here, I think, is correct!
Sometimes it's hard to pin it down - we did unlink the PT Cruiser from Vans after a lot of debate.
Steve, Host
My wife is concerned if the quality will be okay giving this being a Ford and an all new model.
Just waiting now for them to hit Milwaukee for us to take a test drive.
Kerry
Sam
Sam
Now back to talking about Freestyle...
It may be good to compare it with cars you tried before. That way, those eager to know can have something to refer to.
Sam
I should add the Freestyle was fine, the Five Hundred was just amazingly limo-smooth and refined by comparison, and by comparison to virtually any car on the market, including, dare I say it, a Lexis 430...
Don't be surprised if you hear some media outlet's mention it's Lexus-like quiet. In fact, with the pre-production batches of 500's made, the cabin's were so airtight from the seals that you had negative pressure upon opening the doors. That was obviously dealt with by increasing the size of the 'fartboxes', to counteract that effect.