I test drove a Limited yesterday. I drove it for about 13 miles over smooth and bumpy roads, 2 laners with plenty of asphalt patches. This is a route I drive at a rate of 45 to 65 in my '98 WS. After a stop sign I slowed way down and flooooored it, revs went up but very little drama. It goes quite well, very quiet transmission. I swerved to avoid one chuckhole and we were surprised by how well it handled. By the way the '06s are selling quite well. They need beter advertising.
I am looking for the Weatherguard-type floor mats for my LTD with black interior. They are rubber or plastic mats with the turned-up sides to hold mud and melted snow.
For the second and third row I would like the style that stretches all the way across in one piece. I found two different styles from two different manufacturer for the second row, but none for the third.
We've had our Limited for a couple of weeks and took it on a five hour roat trip yesterday. With the cruise control set to 80 it got 24 mpg. Doing the speed limit (70) it got 25.5. Very pleased. This is the nicest car we've owned but only time will tell if it's the best. It has a ways to go before it can compete with out '95 Aerostar.
I suppose this fits our recent theme of oil, oil, oil.
After draining the Freestyle's oil last night and taking off the old filter (one of the easiest jobs of any vehicle that I have owned), it seemed that the new filter never quite got tight. One turn - one and a half turns - two... It was not adding up. Not cross threaded. I dug the old filter out of the disposal container - no gasket, sooooo, it must still be on the Freebie being compressed by the new gasket - waiting to be displaced by the oil pressure and dump 5W-20 on the highway and putting the engine in peril. Not a good thing.
Remove new filter - remove extra gasket - recheck new filter gasket - tighten. When preparing for a long trip, surprises like this are not welcome. :shades:
After draining the Freestyle's oil last night and taking off the old filter (one of the easiest jobs of any vehicle that I have owned), it seemed that the new filter never quite got tight. One turn - one and a half turns - two... It was not adding up. Not cross threaded. I dug the old filter out of the disposal container - no gasket, sooooo, it must still be on the Freebie being compressed by the new gasket - waiting to be displaced by the oil pressure and dump 5W-20 on the highway and putting the engine in peril. Not a good thing.
Good catch! That happened to me one Friday evening with my old Bronco II. I got about 2 miles from my house before my oil light came on. I had an extra quart (emergency) in my Bronco so I put that in and went straight home to figure out the problem. At the time, I didn't know what was wrong. I limped into my driveway with the engine clacking away. I had new cylinder heads installed a few months earlier (originals cracked) so I wasn't sure what was really causing the problem. When I realized that I had double gaskets on the oil filter I promised myself (well, after calling myself a doofus and some other words I can't mention) never to change my oil under low light conditions again AND to always check to make sure the gasket comes off. That happened 15 years ago and to this day I still check for the gasket. :-)
BTW, I drove that Bronco II and engine for another 6 years with no problems so no serious damage was done.
A friend asked what was the difference between the Ford Freestyle, and the Subaru Tribeca crossovers. Since I didn't know much about the Tribeca, I did some homework. First, the Tribeca users on the Edmunds Forum seem to be complaining that they don't see many on the streets (hmmm....).
What does it all mean? Specs can be dicey to compare, but the Freestyle compares favorably to a vehicle that costs significantly more (plush interior aside). That regular fuel is looking pretty good right about now. Styling? Your call, but I have my preference. :shades:
Who knew that the Freestyle beat the Tribeca in every category (well, except HP) And yet I bet the car reviewers say that the Tribeca has impressive acceleration!
:shades:
And Subaru is marketing the Tribeca as being the SUV to make all others look old and outdated. A new way of looking at SUVs.
ummm....It looks like the Freestyle beat them to it!
The current Freestyle will become a Mercury, and the Freestyle name will be used on a different vehicle. Ford has too many suv type vehicles and I am not sure that they know what they are doing. The CVT will be used in the Freestyle and Five Hundred-Montego sedans through 2007, but I doubt it will continue if they have a new engine. Let's hope there are enough parts and knowledge to repair ours later if they need it. It usually is useless to talk to a salesperson about the future- they don't even understand the present. My apologies to the good ones.
Yeah, not sure how I feel about that. Working in the product liability industry, I could see how this might morph into ways to deny warranty (for not using the mfgr recommeneded fuel) etc... But that is my allornothinglawyersmentality gene working. I suppose I am a bit agnostic, since I always try to fuel at BP anyway. Just a kawinkidink though.
So I thought there already was a Mercury version of the Freestyle? As you can see I am not that well versed on Ford products. As long as the idea takes hold. I think my family is really going to get to like this.
How cheap! Paying tens of thousands of $ to Ford so that they can put someone else's advertising in your face.
In my area BP just went to 10% ethonol across the board on all grades. There probably is some tie in to a variety of groups. With the ethonol subsidies, the label may be paid for with your tax dollars.
What's next, a built in Speedpass that only works at Mobil and does not let you fuel at other stations?
I have approx. 600 miles on my new Freestyle, and chocolate ice cream stains on my Pebble colored cloth seats. Does anyone know what the cloth is composed of (I'm sure it's all synthetic fibers)? Does anyone have any experience cleaning the same? Consumer Reports advises cleaning most synthetics with plain detergents...
I can tell that choosing Pebble instead of Shale was not a practical choice. It is much too light and will show everything. I've decided to get Husky mats, including one for the cargo area (I think, in black). I'd appreciate knowing what others have done.
Is there anyway to disable the horn blasting while engaging the alarm system without deactivating the alarm itself? I understand that when you press the button once, it locks the doors and when you press it again, it engages the alarm and sounds the horn to let you know. That's fine, but it is way too loud. Is it just me? Am I missing something?
Just don't press the button twice. The alarm is also engaged when you press it once, as well as the door locks. And the lights blink. Pressing it twice just gives you the reassurance of the beeping horn, but it doesn't make the car any more secure. It's just to give you an audible signal if you want it.
My Mercury dealer, Jack Demmer LM in Dearborn, MI, was kind enough to include a cleaning kit which had a "Super POLYSHIELD" interior cleaner. It worked well at removing cocolate stains, as well as salt stains on the carpeting. I would imagine any good atomotive interior cleaner or upholstery cleaner should work. As always, first test in an inconspicuous area.
On the road again with my December, 2004 vintage AWD Freestyle. The highway mileage has been 26 mpg - good for an AWD with a full load of college stuff. I parked next to a blue SEL Freestyle with Illinois plates at a Michigan rest stop. Never did see the owners, but the Freebie looked nice.
Regarding seats and stains, I have been happy with Scotchgard on my shale cloth seats. One small feature I never noticed was the small length of rubber on the hood prop rod. It makes it much more pleasant to lift the hot hood prop rod to check the fluids after a few hours of driving. :shades:
" The highway mileage has been 26 mpg - good for an AWD with a full load ..."
Excellent MPG ! Your 26 mpg converts to 31.5 mpg on our Imp. gal. This compares very favourably to our EPA sticker for 23 city/32 hwy. You must be driving like a fuel economy champ.Our Freestyle Limited AWD so far has only gone 1300 mi.and hopefully we'll attain your kind of numbers after the break-in period.
Yep. My new 2006 freestyle has a green BP flower on the gas cap and says, "FORD RECOMMENDS BP FUELS" on it.
This is all well and good, but BP gasoline is NOT available universally across the country. How could Ford possibly ever use the use of non-BP fuels as a reason to deny warrany coverage? Gasoline is gasoline. They might differ a bit around the edges, but any major brand of 87 octane fuel should work just fine in the Freestyle or any other vehicle requiring this grade of fuel.
My kid had a soccer game in Breckenridge today so we saddled up the Freestyle and headed into the mountains. Loaded with people, fuel and supplies, I pulled up the steep Genessee grade at 85 MPH. Down Floyd Hill there was some engine brake with the CVT, but not as much as a conventional tranny.
Through the S-curves in the rain by Idaho Springs the Perelli tires held the road extremely well. The vehicle never leaned, hydroplaned or or felt loose at all. During the long steep pull from Georgetown to the top of the Continental Divide, I still cruised at 85. It felt like 55. No road noise, no engine noise, just smooth and quiet.
The kids were enjoying the DVD all the way. The second and third row could see well with the stadium seating. When we made it to the game, it was sprinkling rain. I backed in and opened the rear door and flipped the third row seats backward where my wife and I sat and enjoyed the game. On the way back as on the way up we passed every vehicle on the road. Anyone we passed on I-70 probably has doubts about the automotive press saying the Freestyle is underpowered when a loaded-down Freebie at 9 thousand feet can still pass anything on the road with really no effort.
We listened Matt Kenseth (number 17) win the NASCAR race at Bristol on the way back in his Taurus. The CVT is a great performer in the mountains and very smooth.
I daily see Freebies around here (Northern NJ, directly west from NYC). Mostly LIM AWDs, and some SELs. They're getting popular. Yipee!!
Today I stopped at the local IHOP, and saw a Pueblo Gold LIM AWD. The second row had a kiddie seat on the 40 side while the trunk & folded 60 side had Home Depot stuff. Way practical.
I love our Freebie, even though it's my wife's vehicle. It lets me place her in a vehicle that I won't worry about driving safely and prepared should there be an accident. It breezes through going uphill in nasty snowstorms.
I gave up a 1992 Explorer that I dearly loved. Still have postpartum depression. I was looking at the Escape and a friend told me to try the Freestyle. I had passed on it before as I had a bad first year experience with a Mercury Monarch years ago. Anyway, loved the Freestyle - took it the 30 miles home overnight and was very impressed. :surprise: It was topped out with everything inc. leather. I am having to adjust to its being a car and not a truck - ground out in my own driveway the first day home. I asked the salesman about the rumors that it was being discontinued and he said he thought they would be reconsidering. He also said he didn't think there was any difference in gasolines - but to try to use the same thing. I went to Mineral Wells (a desolate, depressed town to buy). The 4 Escapes they had are still there and of the 7 Freestyles they had, only two were there the other day. I am having SUV withdrawal but as I am 56 I think I made a good choice. I was glad to read the post about how it handled in the rain and on hills. What bothers me is that other than in the dealerships, I haven't seen another one anywhere. Granted, Weatherford, Texas - Cutting Horse Capital of the World - is truck and SUV deranged. I would love some feedback from people who are happy with their Freestyles. Two of my six dogs got to try it out the other day. Seats down are not as dog friendly as the Explorer. Poor Herman looked more like a mountain goat than a standard longhaired dachshund but Peterbilt was impressed that he had zoned air, his own speakers and cup holder. Has anyone sorted out how to fill the gaps between the seats so dogs don't disappear down on the floor?Any ideas how to reduce the dashboard reflection glare? :shades: The other thing I miss is the hatch not having a window only open option like the Explorer. But if that is all, life is good. Ya'll all sound like Canadians and Northerners. I did go to school in Montreal but I wish I knew why there were so few Freestyles in the South. :confuse: :
My wife was borned in Weatherford and we'll be visiting there after labor day so look for a Merlot Limited on the road then. The only way to reduce the glare that I have found is to wear polarized sunglasses. My prescription sunglasses are not polarized, but I got polarized clip-ons for around $20 that I keep in the Freestyle. It helps a lot. The glare is worse on the pebble interior than on the darker ones. I don't carry dogs in the car so I have no idea on how to solve your other problem.
Manasota (message 4307): I had a similar experience on my trip back from Florida. I was on the 25 MPG range until I pushed past 80. Looks the "best/fast cruising speed" for Freebies is in the 70s. Perhaps if Freebies do get Duratec 35s (codename: Cyclone), we can raise that .
428cj (meesage 4333): Perfect example of the flexibility and capability of our Freebies. It still amazes me. I recall way back a member of the room went "mano a mano" (English equivalent is "hand-to-hand", as in combat). with a Crown Vic/G. Marquis, if my memory doesn't fail. They were humming along at 110 MPH! :surprise:
I believe the key on both situations is the CVT. In "n-gear" transmissions, you could torque up to near redline territory, and then upshift. Freebie's CVT doesn't and thus can provide the right power for your situation, whether speed or load or both. Also recall that CVTs squeeze more power into the wheels than what you'll expect from a meager 200 horse engine. * I won't be surprised that 428cj's MPG didn't drop dramatically at all. In fact, it may be in the 23-24 range (like we had). * My return trip from Florida had a trunkful of stuff, and had the same MPG readings as Manasota.
Looks like the CVT can keep the same MPG in different speed & cargo loads. To it, it's just moving the pulley a couple of centimeters up/down :confuse: to adjust for the extra power needed. That lets you get what you want without asking the engine to oblige.
If the engine does the same work, then it does the same MPG.
Try that on an "n-gear" transmission. (Although to their defense, the 6-speed supposedly has close performance to the CVT's.) In my objectively biased opinion , CVTs are the NUKE (bomb's too little for it). :shades:
Had my SEL radio replaced last week by the dealer because of random skipping etc with mp3s. When I picked up the car, they told me I'd have to set the clock myself, which at the time seemed normal to me.
However, I can't set the clock because the clock is no longer displayed on the radio readout.
When I cycle through the "menu" button per the manual, there are no options there for anything related to the clock or setting the time (bass, treble, lr, fb, etc are all there).
Did I get a dud replacement radio with a broken clock? Should the dealer have picked up on this before pawning it off on me to solve? Or is there some simple undocumented button combo that activates/adjusts the clock?
I'm calling the dealer tomorrow to find out what's going on unless someone here can offer some advice.
I have owned a Freestyle for one week now. I researched this vehicle on this board and review sites and so I knew about the glare problem. I stopped at the local department store and bought a black bathtowel and folded it in half and laid it over the dashboard. It doesn't cover the vents and although it does cover the storage bin it is easy to lift up to open with the towel there. It may not be a good solution if you like having both windows down while driving on the highway, as it will probably fly out of the window, but city driving and with windows up on the hwy it is fine.
I also have 6 dogs...ranging from 200 lb mastiff to an 18 lb dachshund. We never take all of them all at once, so space for 2 is enough. In our Windstar we always had a captain's chair removed from the 2nd row to allow room for the dogs. If we secure the 2nd row seats forward somehow (a belt or a strap around the front seats??) we think the bigs dogs can lie on the floor like in the Windstar. The folded third seats may work but it will require a ramp and may be a tight squeeze for those 34" dogs if they try to stand up. Pillows in the holes, maybe rolled towels for the openings?
We only have 400 miles on this so far and after 4 Windstars (all of which were problem free for us, I understand that we were fortunate) we are so impressed with this Freestyle. It really is Ford's best kept secret this year.
Check out message #2797 in this forum for the complete TSB...here is a portion of that post:
Replace CD player with latest service level through your facing audio service center. When replacing the audio unit (radio) on 2005 Freestyle, Five Hundred, Montego and Mustang vehicles it is necessary to perform programmable module installation (PMI) prior to removal of the old audio unit. This information must be uploaded into the new audio unit once installed. Failure to perform PMI on the new audio unit may result in inoperative backlighting and/or diagnostic trouble code (DTC) B2477. If communication cannot be established with old audio unit to download this information, as built data will need to be used. As built data can be obtained at the Professional Technician Society (PTS) website or at www.motorcraft.com. For additional information, refer Workshop Manual Section 415-01 and 418-01
Be sure to check to see if your dealer followed the complete TSB.
Thanks for the feedback, I'll specifically question my dealer on if they followed these instructions or not when replacing the radio.
When you go to change the time on the radio, can you cycle through the menu button and does a time change option appear?
The manual says it is supposed to appear after the speed adjusted volume option, but on mine it just cycles back to the first menu option (autoprogram or whatever it is).
I have put over 3,000 wonderful miles on our black SE – FWD in our first two weeks of ownership driving in south Florida and Atlanta. Traction was exceptional in torrential rainstorms on the Florida turnpike and I was able to pass many bigger SUV’s without a single loss of traction or control. Even my big Expedition has to slow down (for traction) in these 2-3” rainstorms. For those who are concerned about issues such as glare, tight doors etc. I invite you to visit some of the other car model forums which are fraught with complaining, dissatisfied new car owners. The Freestyle is truly an amazing vehicle exceptional in almost all ratable categories. If Ford has chosen to discontinue it after only several (poorly promoted) months I think that is a shame. This is just the type of vehicle based on quality, value and style which could become a crown jewel in their stable of cars. As I read these forums it seems apparent to me that there is a deep loyalty building amongst Freestyle owners in a most passionate way, somewhat akin to the loyalty that Volvo or VW owners display. It would be a real pity to displace this loyalty. I don’t see how Ford could give up this model especially considering how the 27 mpg EPA estimate can only help their overall fleet fuel numbers. I drive over 35,000 miles a year so if you want to keep track of my cars progress don’t hesitate to ask any questions you may have. Happy motoring!
I agree that the gas mileage on the highway is great. I get 25 - 27 on highway. However, in the city it is lousy. With the air on I have been getting 15 - 16 by running short errands and driving kids. I have not seen any improvement since I got the car and have 5,000 miles on it. I don't believe there is any such thing as a break-in period.
We just got to 12500 miles after a 2500 mile road trip on our AWD SEL, and I think that the highway mileage may have improved by maybe 1 - 1.5 mile/gallon since we got it, it now seems we're getting about 26.5-27 on the highway. However, I agree that mileage drops a lot if you have to stop very much. That isn't really surprising--it is a pretty heavy vehicle. It seems noticibly better if you try not to rev much over 2000 rpm when you are accelerating from a stop, but sometimes that isn't what you want to do.
I rarely drive it in the city (thank goodness for commuter rail) so this isn't a problem for me. I don't know what would be a better choice if you need a car this size. The Escape Hybrid would probably be a good choice if that were big enough.
I was part of a Freestyle convention today. At the college move-in location, I was parked nose-to-nose with a silver SEL Freestyle. When I walked across the street, there was a blue one parked. Obviously, people with good taste. :shades:
What we did to fill the void was use the center divider that came with our dog's crate. It fits perfect in the void in the middle. We just use a bunjee cord to keep it in place. Works perfect.
I'm asking for some feedback from those of you that have had your CD Players replaced because of the skipping and 'bad disk' issues.
How is your new player after replacement? Any issues or concerns?
I have an appointment to have ours looked at and I was a bit surprised that the service dept said that they would have to check it first before ordering a new one. Then have me come back again to have it replaced. If the dealers are supposed to know about this problem, I would think that they would have some backups on the shelf.
MY SEL has only 2995 miles on it and my radio and 6 CD Player stopped working today. When power is turned on it will show an FM radio station, but will not allow you to change station and has no sound. None of the controls work to change or access any functions. Prior to this, I had the skipping problem with cd's and some cd's would not play. Is this how yours was acting? Have appointment to take to shop in morning. Will let you know what happens. Love the car except for this small problem. :confuse:
Comments
I WANT ONE, PERIOD
For the second and third row I would like the style that stretches all the way across in one piece. I found two different styles from two different manufacturer for the second row, but none for the third.
Does anyone know of such a mat for the third row?
After draining the Freestyle's oil last night and taking off the old filter (one of the easiest jobs of any vehicle that I have owned), it seemed that the new filter never quite got tight. One turn - one and a half turns - two... It was not adding up. Not cross threaded. I dug the old filter out of the disposal container - no gasket, sooooo, it must still be on the Freebie being compressed by the new gasket - waiting to be displaced by the oil pressure and dump 5W-20 on the highway and putting the engine in peril. Not a good thing.
Remove new filter - remove extra gasket - recheck new filter gasket - tighten. When preparing for a long trip, surprises like this are not welcome. :shades:
Good catch!
That happened to me one Friday evening with my old Bronco II. I got about 2 miles from my house before my oil light came on. I had an extra quart (emergency) in my Bronco so I put that in and went straight home to figure out the problem. At the time, I didn't know what was wrong.
I limped into my driveway with the engine clacking away. I had new cylinder heads installed a few months earlier (originals cracked) so I wasn't sure what was really causing the problem.
When I realized that I had double gaskets on the oil filter I promised myself (well, after calling myself a doofus and some other words I can't mention) never to change my oil under low light conditions again AND to always check to make sure the gasket comes off. That happened 15 years ago and to this day I still check for the gasket.
:-)
BTW, I drove that Bronco II and engine for another 6 years with no problems so no serious damage was done.
Oooh, I can make good use that excuse - thanks Bob!
btw, you can now win money for not taking care of your car.
Revenge of the Rust Buckets (Inside Line)
Steve, Host
Regarding major features:
base MSRP Price: Freestyle - $25.7K - $31K / Tribeca - $30.7K - $38K
Seating: Freestyle - 6 or 7 seats / 5 or 7 seats
Curb Weight: Freestyle AWD - 4100 lbs. / Tribeca - 4300 lbs.
Engine: Freestyle - 3.0 L V6 / Tribeca - 3.0 L V6
Horsepower: Freestyle - 203 BHP / Tribeca - 250 BHP
Fuel: Freestyle - 87 octane regular / Tribeca - 91 octane premium
Fuel Economy: Freestyle AWD - 19/24 mpg / Tribeca - 18/23 mpg
Acceleration: Freestyle - 0 - 60 @ 8.65 sec / Tribeca - 0 - 60 @ 9.5 secs
1/4 mile Acceleration: Freestyle - 16.59 secs @ 84.73 mph / Tribeca - 16.99 secs @ 76.77 mph
Max Cargo Volume: Freestyle - 91.7 cu. ft. / Tribeca - 74.4 cu. ft.
What does it all mean? Specs can be dicey to compare, but the Freestyle compares favorably to a vehicle that costs significantly more (plush interior aside). That regular fuel is looking pretty good right about now. Styling? Your call, but I have my preference. :shades:
Or do like my sister did...add oil to the automatic transmission instead of the engine...ugh
Who knew that the Freestyle beat the Tribeca in every category (well, except HP)
And yet I bet the car reviewers say that the Tribeca has impressive acceleration!
:shades:
And Subaru is marketing the Tribeca as being the SUV to make all others look old and outdated. A new way of looking at SUVs.
ummm....It looks like the Freestyle beat them to it!
:P
Seems a shame. A little more legroom for the driver and some better marketing could really make it this a winner for Ford.
THat's okay. I like BP (well Amoco...) anyway.
So I thought there already was a Mercury version of the Freestyle? As you can see I am not that well versed on Ford products. As long as the idea takes hold. I think my family is really going to get to like this.
In my area BP just went to 10% ethonol across the board on all grades. There probably is some tie in to a variety of groups. With the ethonol subsidies, the label may be paid for with your tax dollars.
What's next, a built in Speedpass that only works at Mobil and does not let you fuel at other stations?
I can tell that choosing Pebble instead of Shale was not a practical choice. It is much too light and will show everything. I've decided to get Husky mats, including one for the cargo area (I think, in black). I'd appreciate knowing what others have done.
I totally agree!
Regarding seats and stains, I have been happy with Scotchgard on my shale cloth seats. One small feature I never noticed was the small length of rubber on the hood prop rod. It makes it much more pleasant to lift the hot hood prop rod to check the fluids after a few hours of driving. :shades:
Excellent MPG ! Your 26 mpg converts to 31.5 mpg on our Imp. gal. This compares very favourably to our EPA sticker for 23 city/32 hwy. You must be driving like a fuel economy champ.Our Freestyle Limited AWD so far has only gone 1300 mi.and hopefully we'll attain your kind of numbers after the break-in period.
This is all well and good, but BP gasoline is NOT available universally across the country. How could Ford possibly ever use the use of non-BP fuels as a reason to deny warrany coverage? Gasoline is gasoline. They might differ a bit around the edges, but any major brand of 87 octane fuel should work just fine in the Freestyle or any other vehicle requiring this grade of fuel.
Through the S-curves in the rain by Idaho Springs the Perelli tires held the road extremely well. The vehicle never leaned, hydroplaned or or felt loose at all. During the long steep pull from Georgetown to the top of the Continental Divide, I still cruised at 85. It felt like 55. No road noise, no engine noise, just smooth and quiet.
The kids were enjoying the DVD all the way. The second and third row could see well with the stadium seating. When we made it to the game, it was sprinkling rain. I backed in and opened the rear door and flipped the third row seats backward where my wife and I sat and enjoyed the game.
On the way back as on the way up we passed every vehicle on the road. Anyone we passed on I-70 probably has doubts about the automotive press saying the Freestyle is underpowered when a loaded-down Freebie at 9 thousand feet can still pass anything on the road with really no effort.
We listened Matt Kenseth (number 17) win the NASCAR race at Bristol on the way back in his Taurus. The CVT is a great performer in the mountains and very smooth.
Today I stopped at the local IHOP, and saw a Pueblo Gold LIM AWD. The second row had a kiddie seat on the 40 side while the trunk & folded 60 side had Home Depot stuff. Way practical.
I love our Freebie, even though it's my wife's vehicle.
I drive the Windstar.
Sam
I asked the salesman about the rumors that it was being discontinued and he said he thought they would be reconsidering. He also said he didn't think there was any difference in gasolines - but to try to use the same thing. I went to Mineral Wells (a desolate, depressed town to buy). The 4 Escapes they had are still there and of the 7 Freestyles they had, only two were there the other day.
I am having SUV withdrawal but as I am 56 I think I made a good choice. I was glad to read the post about how it handled in the rain and on hills. What bothers me is that other than in the dealerships, I haven't seen another one anywhere. Granted, Weatherford, Texas - Cutting Horse Capital of the World - is truck and SUV deranged. I would love some feedback from people who are happy with their Freestyles. Two of my six dogs got to try it out the other day. Seats down are not as dog friendly as the Explorer. Poor Herman looked more like a mountain goat than a standard longhaired dachshund but Peterbilt
I had a similar experience on my trip back from Florida. I was on the 25 MPG range until I pushed past 80. Looks the "best/fast cruising speed" for Freebies is in the 70s. Perhaps if Freebies do get Duratec 35s (codename: Cyclone), we can raise that
428cj (meesage 4333):
Perfect example of the flexibility and capability of our Freebies. It still amazes me. I recall way back a member of the room went "mano a mano" (English equivalent is "hand-to-hand", as in combat). with a Crown Vic/G. Marquis, if my memory doesn't fail. They were humming along at 110 MPH! :surprise:
I believe the key on both situations is the CVT. In "n-gear" transmissions, you could torque up to near redline territory, and then upshift. Freebie's CVT doesn't and thus can provide the right power for your situation, whether speed or load or both. Also recall that CVTs squeeze more power into the wheels than what you'll expect from a
meager200 horse engine.* I won't be surprised that 428cj's MPG didn't drop dramatically at all. In fact, it may be in the 23-24 range (like we had).
* My return trip from Florida had a trunkful of stuff, and had the same MPG readings as Manasota.
Looks like the CVT can keep the same MPG in different speed & cargo loads. To it, it's just moving the pulley a couple of centimeters up/down :confuse: to adjust for the extra power needed. That lets you get what you want without asking the engine to oblige.
If the engine does the same work, then it does the same MPG.
Try that on an "n-gear" transmission. (Although to their defense, the 6-speed supposedly has close performance to the CVT's.) In my objectively biased opinion
Sam
For the third, maybe pillows, as it isn't that much.
Just an idea.
Sam
For the record, I did.
Sam
Had my SEL radio replaced last week by the dealer because of random skipping etc with mp3s. When I picked up the car, they told me I'd have to set the clock myself, which at the time seemed normal to me.
However, I can't set the clock because the clock is no longer displayed on the radio readout.
When I cycle through the "menu" button per the manual, there are no options there for anything related to the clock or setting the time (bass, treble, lr, fb, etc are all there).
Did I get a dud replacement radio with a broken clock? Should the dealer have picked up on this before pawning it off on me to solve? Or is there some simple undocumented button combo that activates/adjusts the clock?
I'm calling the dealer tomorrow to find out what's going on unless someone here can offer some advice.
Thanks for any help!
/Brian
I also have 6 dogs...ranging from 200 lb mastiff to an 18 lb dachshund. We never take all of them all at once, so space for 2 is enough. In our Windstar we always had a captain's chair removed from the 2nd row to allow room for the dogs. If we secure the 2nd row seats forward somehow (a belt or a strap around the front seats??) we think the bigs dogs can lie on the floor like in the Windstar. The folded third seats may work but it will require a ramp and may be a tight squeeze for those 34" dogs if they try to stand up. Pillows in the holes, maybe rolled towels for the openings?
We only have 400 miles on this so far and after 4 Windstars (all of which were problem free for us, I understand that we were fortunate) we are so impressed with this Freestyle. It really is Ford's best kept secret this year.
Check out message #2797 in this forum for the complete TSB...here is a portion of that post:
Replace CD player with latest service level through your facing audio service center. When replacing the audio unit (radio) on 2005 Freestyle, Five Hundred, Montego and Mustang vehicles it is necessary to perform programmable module installation (PMI) prior to removal of the old audio unit. This information must be uploaded into the new audio unit once installed. Failure to perform PMI on the new audio unit may result in inoperative backlighting and/or diagnostic trouble code (DTC) B2477. If communication cannot be established with old audio unit to download this information, as built data will need to be used. As built data can be obtained at the Professional Technician Society (PTS) website or at www.motorcraft.com. For additional information, refer Workshop Manual Section 415-01 and 418-01
Be sure to check to see if your dealer followed the complete TSB.
Jethro
When you go to change the time on the radio, can you cycle through the menu button and does a time change option appear?
The manual says it is supposed to appear after the speed adjusted volume option, but on mine it just cycles back to the first menu option (autoprogram or whatever it is).
Thanks!
/Brian
The Freestyle is truly an amazing vehicle exceptional in almost all ratable categories. If Ford has chosen to discontinue it after only several (poorly promoted) months I think that is a shame. This is just the type of vehicle based on quality, value and style which could become a crown jewel in their stable of cars. As I read these forums it seems apparent to me that there is a deep loyalty building amongst Freestyle owners in a most passionate way, somewhat akin to the loyalty that Volvo or VW owners display. It would be a real pity to displace this loyalty.
I don’t see how Ford could give up this model especially considering how the 27 mpg EPA estimate can only help their overall fleet fuel numbers. I drive over 35,000 miles a year so if you want to keep track of my cars progress don’t hesitate to ask any questions you may have. Happy motoring!
I rarely drive it in the city (thank goodness for commuter rail) so this isn't a problem for me. I don't know what would be a better choice if you need a car this size. The Escape Hybrid would probably be a good choice if that were big enough.
Just pull cord 2. It'll let the back rest lay on the trunk door opening.
Sam
How is your new player after replacement? Any issues or concerns?
I have an appointment to have ours looked at and I was a bit surprised that the service dept said that they would have to check it first before ordering a new one. Then have me come back again to have it replaced. If the dealers are supposed to know about this problem, I would think that they would have some backups on the shelf.