Ford Freestyle - Taurus X

cmuniz

To avoid windshield glare stay away from the pebble interior. Mine is pebble and there is significant glare. The darker interiors are much better and owners are reporting few glare problems. If it is bothersome, polarized sunglasses are the solution.

The CVT is the best feature of this vehicle. It feels different from a conventional auto so it might take some getting used to. It is very smooth. It holds speed going downhill. It is a very good match to the engine and both work very well together. If there is one downside is that it is not fast off the line. For the initial few seconds it seems that it is going slow, but it picks up speed very quickly and so smooth that it is difficult to tell how fast you are really going. Merges unto freeways fine. Once on the road passing gear is great. If you step down on the accelarator all the way it will really move out.

As far as what model to get, I would make a list of the options that are most important to you and then shop for whatever car is available (or order one) that best suits your needs/wants for the price you are willing to pay. In my case I ended up with a Limited since the price for what I wanted came very close to an equivalent SEL. You may find the same thing.

I am not worried about Ford ending the Freestyle. My take is that we are getting a lot of vehicle for the money. Many parts come from the Volvo and from Europe (chassis & Haldex AWD) so the lower value of the dollar has hurt Ford profit margins. I think they will move the best feaures of the Freestyle to a higher end model. That is only my opinion, but if it is true we are getting a bargain.

Good luck shopping and don't take any BS from the sales guys. Come here to get any questions answered. Contrary to what they say the car and the deal will be there tomorrow.

vrm

"Are you worried that Ford is discontinuing the model? What will that do to resale? "

Folks:
I have seen this question/comment many times on this forum. I feel compelled to put this to rest.

Ford is NOT planning to discontinue the Freestyle. However, Ford is planning to upgrade/change the engine for the 2007 model year. Ford is reacting to the loud criticism received from the automotive press regarding the "lack of engine power".

nitromax

Ford is NOT planning to discontinue the Freestyle. However, Ford is planning to upgrade/change the engine for the 2007 model year. Ford is reacting to the loud criticism received from the automotive press regarding the "lack of engine power".

The only "lack of engine power" that I can see is the "off the line" power. Perhaps an aftermarket chip will come out to tweak a little more torque in the lower rpms?

Although, I wonder what that would do to the variable cones on the CVT. Would too much torque from a dead stop lead to premature wear? That's hard to believe after experience the "kick" that comes during passing maneuvers on the highway.

Either way, I think some mod chip could create a happy medium. Perhaps just a faster ramp-up during accel. from a stop. Ford? Are you listening? A mild tweaking of the CVT software please?
:-)

northlakes

A small point, but I saw two Freestyles in a town about 90 miles from home. One was Merlot Limited, and the other a Redfire SEL. A town of people with good taste, obviously. :shades:

johnclineii

I choose to believe Automotive News when they say the current version of the Freestyle ends...a vehicle with the Freestyle name will be marketed, but the current version will be sold only as a Mercury.

This is wholly separate from the 3.5L engine upgrade, which also will appear in the Five Hundred/Montego, but not til Model Year 2008...

reverend12

The Freestyle has plenty of power for all types of driving. The vehical will fly on the interstate. Excellent machine good economy and well built.

REV

tidester

The vehical will fly on the interstate.

The next thing you know we'll be seeing those blue runway lights deployed on I-15!

tidester, host

indybell

Here is a little gas mileage recap of a recent 1107 mile round trip our family took from the flat lands of Indiana to the mountains of western PA and back. This is in an AWD, three people and (lots of) luggage aboard traveling at the posted interstate speed. Gas prices were $2.05 at the fillup at the start and ended at $2.45 just a week later at the end of the trip. All mileage figures were calculated - miles driven / gallons pumped.

First 165 miles - 21.1 mpg. I was getting a little over 26 according to the info center but hit a major traffic jam due to a tanker truck fire and spent about an hour and a half going roughly 5 miles in 97 degree heat. The vehilce never missed a beat in those conditions. No overheating, etc. and the air conditioner kept the car a very comfortable 72 degrees. Couldn't ask for anything more. All door windows were recently tinted to the legal limits of Indiana.

Next 302 miles - 24.1 mpg. Not a real good test for mpg mileage since we went through a major roadblock on I-70 due to road construction near Columbus, OH shortly after fill-up and again spent another hour or more creaping along for 10 or so miles literally parked on the interstate. This leg of the trip took us up into the mountains of PA north of Somerset if you are familiar with PA.

176 miles of driving around PA for a week - very hilly stop and go stuff in a small city gave us 17.0 mpg. I'm not sure I would opt for this vehicle to be an "everyday-driver" in that area due to those mileage figures.

First 246 miles of return trip - 27.3 mpg! Yeah, it's all downhill from the hills of PA into the flatlands of Ohio, but I was pretty impressed. And, the outside temp was a delightful 70 degrees, no wind, beautiful sunshiny day so the air was not working all that hard, if at all.

Last 220 miles - 23.1 mpg. A 12 mile backup due to road construction at the Indiana - Ohio border that took an hour and 15 minutes to get through messed up my hopes for a real good look at actual mileage figures for the total return trip. And, it got hot in the Midwest again. 90+ degrees so the air was working overtime.

Overall, the vehicle preformed flawlessly and is a truly great people hauler. I used 49.1 gallons to go those 1107.7 mles for and average of 22.55 mpg. (That hilly driving in PA and those traffic jams wil getcha!!!)

bigred13

Hey, Has anyone seen these new Billet Grilles that you can get for the 05 Freestyles for $199? Kinda sharp I think. Was browsing eBay and found them available at the ProStreetLighting store under that identity....Trying to convince my lovely wife that they enhance the vehicles originality. :P

<img src="C:\Documents and Settings\TRhode4223\Desktop\freestylehd.jpeg

volfangary

Road and Driver also states the Freestyle as it is currently will end in 2007. They state that Ford is going to continue with the car under the Mercury division with a new name so that they can raise the price so it will be more profitable. Currently the profit margin is the weakest of all Ford products and they do not want to raise the price under the Ford name for fear of outpricing the typical Ford buyer. That could explain why we don't see it being marketed like other Ford products. Why market your least profitable car? They highly recommend it as a great buy while it's still under Ford at a lower costs. R & D states Ford will be introducing a new car that will be called Freestyle in 2008. Road and Driver state it will most likely be a car taken from Mazda line.

willie19

My wife's Limited AWD currently reads 1200 miles on the odometer with the computer showing the oil life @ 32%. I'm just curious if I did a linear calculation the remaining oil life will reach 0% when the odo hits around 1750 miles.

Is this normal during the early break in , or was the computer not reset properly during the factory fill. For those of you who have had several oil changes what kind of oil life readings would your computer show at the recommended 3000 mile oil change interval or beyond that point.

I intend to follow Ford's maintenance schedule using the Motorcraft 5W-20 say for the next 2 years to stay within warranty, then upgrade to a pure synthetic for an extended OCI (oil change interval) for around 6000 miles or 9 months.

Just wondering how the oil life monitor will respond to the extended period since it cannot distinguish between different quality of oils or is it based on some time/distance algorithm. Is there a way to recalibrate the OLM to give me a fairly accurate reading. :confuse:

verdugo

>My wife's Limited AWD currently reads 1200 miles on the odometer with the >computer showing the oil life @ 32%. I'm just curious if I did a linear calculation >the remaining oil life will reach 0% when the odo hits around 1750 miles.

Maybe the oil % increases rather than decreases? It means how much of the oil life you have used, rather than how much you have remaining? That would put oil at 100% of its life around 3750 miles.

globecanvas

The "oil life" message just counts down in a straight line to some odometer number that the computer thinks is the next scheduled oil change. Ours thought the first scheduled oil change was at 3000 miles. It sounds like maybe yours was set incorrectly at some point. You can reset it (there are numerous posts here on how to do this) but then you'll have to remember the 3000 mile change all by yourself the old fashioned way (gasp). After that, if you reset it again you'll be back on schedule.

dgulino

The "oil life" message just counts down in a straight line to some odometer number that the computer thinks is the next scheduled oil change. Ours thought the first scheduled oil change was at 3000 miles.

This is not true. I've had "oil life" indicators on several of my cars in the last several years, mostly in GM cars. The system takes account of mileage, engine operating temperature, and total revolutions to come up with a formula to predict when oil changes should be made. It is not a linear "countdown," and doesn't depend only on mileage. The idea is to SAVE oil and money by not changing it as often as 3,000 miles. Heck, the owner's manual itself says that oil changes are not needed any more often than at 5,000 mile intervals. It is not a gimmick to try to get you to change your oil more often.

In all of the vehicles I have owned, including my Freestyle, the oil life indicator should be reset to 100% (it counts DOWN from 100, not up from zero, to answer a question in a previous post) after every oil change. If you take the car to a Ford dealer, they should reset it for you as part of the oil change, but they often forget. Resetting it is as simple as holding in the reset button on the speedometer for at least 3 seconds when the oil life is displayed.

I have found that, by the time I reach 3,000 miles, which is when I like to have the oil changed, the indicator will usually be down to about 50 or 60%, and I've never seen it go below about 35% before having the oil changed. I don't think anything "happens" if you let it get to 0%, but the owner's manual warns you to change your oil at least once a year. Based on my own experiences, I would say that, if you did let the oil life indicator reach zero or nearly zero every time before having the oil changed, you'd be having it done, on average, about every six months.

johnclineii

Yes, the GM ones do that. I had one on my Impala, and they function as designed.

The Ford ones on these vehicles merely count off 5,000 miles, regardless of other conditions, and convert the number of miles left into a fraction of oil life, which you to can do by dividing the number of miles left by 50. That is ALL the Ford one does.

When you have 3000 mles exactly left, the oil life indicator should show 60 percent oil life left...if it was properly reset.

globecanvas

Well ... all I can say is that the one time I got the oil life message, I divided the odometer reading by 100 minus the remaining oil life percentage, and got a perfectly round number (which maybe was 5000 and not 3000 as I originally remembered), so I concluded that the oil life warning was just counting down to an odometer reading. Of course, nobody gets their oil changed at precisely 3000 or 5000 miles so after the first oil change, the round-number test doesn't work to test this theory.

I try to change my oil every 3000 miles regardless, so I find the oil life warning pretty useless. To be honest, the only feature in the "information center" I have any use for is the MPG calculation. I think all vehicles should be required to display MPG at all times. It would save a lot of gas.

willie19

" I have found that, by the time I reach 3,000 miles, which is when I like to have the oil changed, the indicator will usually be down to about 50 or 60%, and I've never seen it go below about 35% before having the oil changed. I don't think anything "happens" if you let it get to 0%, but the owner's......."

Since I have said that I was planning for longer OCI's after the break-in period with the pure synthetic I would expect to obtain oil life readings fairly close to what dgulino stated above.I also believe I have a better understanding of GM's OLM which is calibrated to the current GF-4 oil standard , the engine operations, as well as the depletion level of the anti-wear additives.That appears to be a hell of a lot more sophisticated than the OLM (or basic oil counter) on the Freestyle.

I also realize that our OLM is merely a" Reminder" feature and that I can reset my incorrect reading to whatever personal oil life level to suit my next OCI. My only concern is to what limit is the Freestyle's OLM set to for the draw down... is it 3000 mi, 5000 mi, or ?? Wish Ford would have put in something like GM's OLM which not only provides a fairly accurate predicted oil status at the same time allowing for a good safety margin.The GM version is based on using the recommended conventional motor oil and of course if a good synthetic is used the safety margin is even greater.

Still love our Freestyle, it's a great vehicle, but it's also not perfect.

oldgwth

Mine does the 5000 mile draw down, think they are all that way. Know that for sure because when I had my first oil change at 3k it was not reset and I got a reminder at 5K that oil life was 0.

cmuniz

Let me put my 2 cents in!! I believe the manual has both a mileage and time criteria - every 6 months. My Freestyle was manufactured in Jan 05 and I bought it on May 30th. I had driven about 1,750 miles when the monitor told me it was time to change the oil. Coincidently it was 6 months from the time of manufacture when that happened. I therefore concluded (maybe incorrectly) that it used the time criteria to remind me and not the mileage. I couldn't find any other explanation. I reset it when I changed the oil at 3,000 and it has been reading accurately since then.

johnclineii

THAT makes sense, as many of the new ones are going off at very low mileages, and the car definitely has a clock that one would think could also be counting days. Now, if someone had just checked it on the next to last day, it still said 37 percent or whatever, and on the next day it went off and said zero!

Hmmm....

bobw3

I had the oil life indicator go to 0%. It beeps to let you know it's there. I'm still amazed at people getting oil changes at 3000 miles just because the Jiffy Lubes of this country put that little sticker on the inside of your windshield telling you to do so. It seems to me if on the one had you have the manufacturer telling you to change the oil every 5000 miles, and then on the other hand you have the Jiffy Lubes, who make their sole income/profit on the number of times you come in for an oil change, then you'd listen to the manufacturer. I don't know. Maybe I'm missing something. I wonder if any of you older people (before the time of the Jiffy Lubes) could tell me if in the 1970's you were changing you oil every 3000 miles and if so, why? My Cougar is at 120K miles, I had an Escort that went to 180K (until it was totalled in a parking lot by a drunk), my brother had a subaru with over 200K miles and we changed the oil between 5-10K miles if that. I just like to know if there's anything scientific out there for 3000 miles, or just opinions. And if it's just "to be on the safe side" then why not every 2000 miles or 1000 or once a week? Why 3000 miles if it's not because people have been influenced by the Jiffy Lubes and that little sticker inside the windshield.

pnewby

I can remember my dad changing oil at 1,000 miles as recommended by the manufacturer on the 50s and earlier models. Even early 60s had this. Oil and filters have come a long way since then with detergent, variable viscosity based on temp., and synthetics just for the oil. Filters are much improved also. Seems like some models in the late 60s started having 7,500 intervals before the current 5k miles. Saw an ad for Mobil yesterday for 5k, 7.5k and 15k oils. Wonder what this would do to a factory warranty? :confuse: Wonder what the 1st years were where an oil filter was used?

pnewby

The 3,000 miles is also the recommended milage for "severe" usage, and the Jiffy Lubes will try to sell the point of mostly stop and go driving being "severe". :sick:

freestylegal

bobw3: yeah, I just went to Jiffy Lube and there was that little sticker on the windshield. The first thing I do when I get back in the car is take the sticker off and then I reset the oil life to zero. I'm sure someone will direct you to the "oil forums, a slippery subject" thread. Interesting stuff. In any case, the manufacturer's recommendations work for me. I even went longer (out of economic necessity) with my old Escort and it's still going strong (well over 200K, through two college kids and one ex-husband!).

I've got 18,000k on my SEL. I'm seeing more and more of them around -- well, that's relative -- I'll see maybe two in a week or so. That's okay. I think that Ford discounts are making them a little more attractive. Maybe a few more Expeditions and Explorers will be traded in with the recent gas spike. That's what got me into my Freestyle and I couldn't be happier.

willie19

Thanks to all for providing so much feedback to my original thread. I think it confirms my earlier suspicions that the Freestyle's oil life indicator does not work like GM's monitor which does an adequate job of predicting the oil status at any given time.
Since I prefer to do my own oil changes (heaven forbid going to Jiffy Lube),I am even hesitant to let my Ford dealer do this as there is always some element of doubt what the proper viscosity oil they are drawing from the big oil drum. I agree with some other comments about the short 3000 mi. service interval but initially I will stick to that only because of meeting the warranty requirements.

I have a lot of confidence in Ford's Fuels and Lubricants Engineering for specifying the latest WSS-M2C930-A standard using the thinner 5W-20 oil under the strict sequence III G test which not only provides better lubrication but also an improvement in emissions.Both Ford and Honda are leading the way in promoting the 5W-20 oil and hopefully other mfrs will follow so that the product will be more readily available.

I am still not fully sure about the Freestyle message center oil life as my first thought is that there is that linear drawdown reading by distance travelled. This a.m. I drove an extra 100 miles and the before/after reading still stayed at 32%.If we assumed the 5000 mi.setting then the reading would have dropped to 30%?. Perhaps there are other factors included in this obscure software.

I am also not an oil geek .However, I still like to have some small control over the engine's performance by changing my own oil & filters.And the quality of today's motor oils are by far so superior there is no reason not to go beyond the "old" 3000 mi. standard.Way about time to put the screws back on OPEC.

Just a little extra wishful thinking is for Ford to give their lubricants engineers more freedom to develop a true OLM (hint: put some kind of sensor in the oil pan for a periodic realtime reading ) enhanced by improved software rather than this gimmicky beancounter version.That's just a wild idea but then what do I really know? :confuse:

barnstormer64

I change mine every 2500 miles.

dbell1

What a nice ride. My Toyota loving friends were all over it - told me it beat the Highlander in every category. :shades:

I can get a base SEL with no options for $23.9K. I can get a SE with the Convenience Group & Side Air for $23.6K. I don't care much about the 6 disc CD player. Of course I could go all out and get a loaded SEL for $26.7, but I like eating, so that's out.

I have one more dealer stop to make and should be buying on Saturday. Thanks to everyone for their input. You've all been a huge help!

nitromax

In a perfect world, an engine would have fresh oil pouring into/over it constantly. That would be the BEST way to guarantee a long life. Any particulate left to recirculate in an engine could cause some damage.

Of course, we all know that there is no perfect world, and we also know that todays lubricants have ways to lubrucate unlike oils of yesteryear.

My suggestion is change it as often as you like while keeping the manufacturers specs in mind. It WON'T hurt to change it more often, but it MAY hurt it if you change it less often. Just make sure the oil is disposed of properly.

personally, I'm in the "change it every 5000 miles" boat.

passat_2002

Jeepers... all this obsession over oil changes! Why not just follow the owner's manual recommendation. Unless you do a lot of towing or a lot of very short distance driving, you only need to change your oil & filter every 5000 miles. Some vehicle manufacturers have gone to a 7500 or even 10,000 mile interval for normal driving.

nitromax

obsession? nah

We've just run out of stuff to talk about.

For awhile it was what to call the Freestyle...SUV, wagon, etc.

And there doesn't seem to be anything to complain about. No engines blowing, no service bulletin announcements.

My only complaint is that I bought mine before the employee pricing plan. (nitro starts banging his head against the desk again)
.
.
.
ok, a legitimate compaint. Still no factory mudflaps! (yawn)

:-)

jpetruzzo

It's been a month since they started making the 2006s.

Has anyone seen a 2006 at their local dealer yet?

toddk

I am thinking of purchasing a Freestyle and have test driven one, but would like to hear from some current owners about the seat comfort. Some reviews I have read complain of lack of support and comfort in the front seats.

Especially like to hear reviews about the seat comfort from those that have taken long trips in their Freestyles.

passat_2002

I'm 6' 3" 230 lbs. and have the leather seats I certainly have no complaints about seat comfort on either short or long trips. I think it's generally agreed by most that the second-row buckets are more comfortable for adults than the second-row 60/40 bench.

northlakes

I can't give you a full review, but I did take a 1500 mile trip in late April with the Freestyle. 12 hours to my destination. 12 hours back, plus running back and forth while there. I was pleasantly surprised by the seats. I adjusted the driver's lumbar support and seat back angle to my liking. The firm cushioning left my legs less stiff than in my sedans after a similar ride. It is like your body settles into a supportive pocket. I have the cloth seats. No experience with the leather surfaces.

I did fight a bit with the headrest. It tilted my head too far forward in my opinion, until I found a better, lower position for it. I am ready to make the same trip again in a week or so. May have additional feedback after I return. :shades:

tim156

I have an SE with cloth seats and find the drivers seat very comfortable. People who ride in the second row comment how comfortable the seats and ride is. I have a bad back from driving a city bus for 6 years. The seats improved for drivers after I became a supervisor. Based on the way bus drivers are instructed to set their seats, I have mine set high and tilted forward so my thighs slant down and my knees are lower than my hips. I also have the seat back fairly straight up and down and the lumbar support all the way out to help support my tired back. The longest trip I taken so far is 500 miles round trip and I was comfortable the whole way. No fatigue and excellent support. The comfortable seats is only one great feature of the Freestyle. If your basing a decision on seat comfort, go for it! :shades:

bobw3

We have the 2nd row bench and my wife & in-laws have been in the 2nd & 3rd row bench for 10+ hour road trips from Virginia to Ohio to Boston...and we've found all of them to be comfortable. I really don't notice that much difference between the front buckets and the rear bence (both cloth).

jrtexas

I have about 7,000 miles on my Freestyle including a 3,000 mile trip through the mountains and deserts of New Mexico and Arizona. Undoubtably the best riding vehicle I've owned. My last 3 were Buick, Infinity, Buick with the Infinity being the best of those.

My cloth seats are very comfortable. I'm 6' 3" and have no problem with the fit. The ride is steady and level. My wife can read or sleep in comfort as the miles go by.

Front seats are at the perfect height for easy in and out; just swivel your rear end to get in and swivel your legs to get out. Second row bench seats are comfortable according to my wife and daughter who ride there on occasion. Third row bench works fine for my grandchildren - but they don't really care.

I recommend the Freestyle as great value for the money. It's a wonderful trip car.

reverend12

I have the leather in mine and I can say they are very good. Very comferable as well as support.

REV

dzdncnfzd

My local dealer (Orland Park, IL) has had '06s on the lot since about 8/6. I test drove a loaded LTD with navigation right off the truck (Interior still covered in plastic, and styrofoam sticking to the outsides of the doors). I couldn't play with the navigation however because the DVD was not yet unpacked and installed. I was able to use the touchscreen to work the radio controls although I could only hear static because the antenna hadn't been installed yet.

I'm waiting to order one with the options and colors I want but even the dealer isn't sure what the changes are for '06 so he said he would call me when the new brochures come in. Still waiting...

kjnorman

I find the seats confortable but not at all supportive in cornering. They are certainly not buckets (like in my Eclipse or Audi), but overall I like them.

Now my wife has major issues with the head rest/restraint. She complains that it pushes her head too far forward (she has a fairly deep head) and it does not adjust for tilt. If anyone knows of a replacement headrest that works in a Freestyle please let me know!

bruneau1

In general the seats are comfortable because they are chair height. The driver's seat is better than the front passenger because it has full power. The power on the passenger seat does not include tilt which is limiting.
the bottom cushions should be one inch longer, but in general, i am pretty comfortable when driving. The buckets in the 2nd row are superior to the bench which lacks lateral support.

as350b2

My wife had the same complaint about the front seat headrests on her Freestyle. Her and my 13 yr. old daughter removed both headrests and installed the left one on the right seat and vice versa. Basically she flipped the headrests backwards 180* and onto the opposite seat. Very ingenious young ladies, and when I looked at it, it looked factory!!! They tilt slightly back now, not so far forward.

nitromax

hmmm....perhaps it's just because it's Friday....Or maybe it's the fresh cup of coffee I'm drinking but it seems to be coming very clear to me. Women have larger heads then men. LOL

now before you jump all over me ladies....that can be taken as a insult AND a compliment

:-)

Have a great weekend all!

wojo2

I bought a1998 Canadian market Windstar in 1999. It had the DRL's. Then NHTSA recalled all the Canadian market cars imported the US because the DRL's were too bright for the USA!! :shades: What recall :P

These DRL's have the regular headlights on about 1/2 ? strength during the day. Of course
you have to put the regular lights on when it gets dark!!! I have yet to change a headlight.

My advice on oil changes is read the manual and then decide what is best in YOUR
circumstances. I drove 30,000 miles a year on my 1995 for 5 years. I changed it about every
4 months

stever

Jeepers... all this obsession over oil changes!

Yep, check out:

Engine Oil - A slippery subject Part 2

and

Synthetic motor oil

Steve, Host

figueroafamily

We went from NJ (west of NYC) to FL (Orlando) and back in my last CHRISTmas vacations.1600+ miles either way. We stop in the Carolinas in both trips. The first 1/2-way leg I didn't feel as comfy, but I attribute that to bad posture and stress. Throughout the rest, it was a joy to drive for hours on end.

Sam

rbco

http://www.autoweek.com/news.cms?newsId=102793

snippet

" DETROIT -- As it juggles plans for new crossovers and minivan replacements, Ford Motor Co. intends to drop the existing version of its Ford Freestyle sport wagon.

But the Freestyle name will survive, Ford officials say."

tim156

Your point is well made. I agree, if it makes you feel good, change it every 3000 miles. I do and it makes me feel so gooood! I do it myself so I know it's done right. If you like, change it every 5000. Just make sure that if you take your car to the dealer for service and have over 5000 miles, you have changed it at least once, otherwise you may face warranty issues.

frosty5

We've really had some great reviews about mileage here lately. Good gas mileage is a big part of the story, but it struck me today at the pump that the Freestyle saves me quite a lot of money on fuel costs because it runs on regular (87 octane). My previous vehicle didn't like anything but premium. There was more than $0.50 difference in the cost of a gallon of regular vs. premium. With prices sure to stay well above $2.00 a gallon, that savings can add up to some real money over time. Has anyone noticed mileage or performance differences in types of fuel? I have heard that certain brands boast about improved mileage, but have no first hand experience. Anyone have a hands-on account? As an aside, did I hear somewhere recently that one of the auto manufacturers was going to recommend a certain brand of gas for its vehicles? Thanks!

hank5658

hank5658 - final update on the leak - it was the power steering rack. In my last post I mentioned that I found a new puddle and thought that I'd have to go in for a third repair. Well I cleaned the puddle and there was no further evidence of a leak. It's been 2 months so I think we are safe. We are very happy with the car and recommend it to our friends.