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Mercury Mariner Hybrid

2

Comments

  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    If you are a long-term hybrid owner, our Senior Editor, John O'Dell, would love to hear from you! A short email with your maintenance experiences and concerns would be great. Please send to John at jodell@edmunds.com by close of business Wednesday, August 22, 2007. Be sure and include your Forums username.
  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    Be sure to check out Senior Editor John O'Dell's newest addition to our lineup, the Green Car Advisor for news and commentary on environmental automotive trends and technologies.

    Looking forward to all your comments!
  • johndix60johndix60 Member Posts: 21
    Having decided to give up my Wrangler in favor of a Mercury Mariner Hybrid, I armed myself with a X-Plan PIN number and arrived at my local Stuart, Florida Mercury Dealer. Surprise: they don't sell or maintain Mariner Hybrids.

    Went across the street to the Ford Dealer. There were zero Escape Hybrids there, but the sales rep said that I could order one and wait two months for delivery. The sales manager said that 1% of Escape production is the hybrid model.

    And one wonders why Ford stock is in the tank?
  • beartraprrbeartraprr Member Posts: 11
    There is someone watching over you, thats whey there were none in stock. Despite I have had no problems with mine except for a recall that took two days to accomplish and the blatant lies from Ford from the get-go. And when I told them I was only getting 20 MPH they told me I was lucky.....

    Go here, this is what happened with me (My Website)

    http://www.marinerhybrid.net/

    Go buy something that does not start with F...
  • johndix60johndix60 Member Posts: 21
    May I update this posting with some very encouraging news.

    Frustrated at not finding the local Stuart Florida Mercury Dealership in the hybrid business, I sent a note to Ford President Alan Mulally. He not only replied but issued some instructions that resulted in my being able to test drive a Mariner Hybrid this morning. Glad I pursued this, because the car was better than expectations and a tribute to the Ford design and engineering team. I will be a Mariner Hybrid owner as soon as delivery is possible.

    John Dixson
  • beartraprrbeartraprr Member Posts: 11
    Hi...

    Best of luck.....Can you post where one can write to this person so I can share my Ford frustrations, maybe he can finally make me want to own another Ford product when I am ready to trade. They really did me wrong.

    Thanks....

    John
  • johndix60johndix60 Member Posts: 21
    Having ordered a Mariner Hybrid, I am looking for door sill protectors and have not found them in the usual sites. Any ideas?

    Thanks,
    John Dixson
  • moparbadmoparbad Member Posts: 3,870
    Ford dealers are independent franchises. Your problems are with the dealer, not with Ford Motor Co..

    You stated that the product (Mariner Hybrid) was not the problem.

    Sorry about your bad luck, however, it neither adds nor subtracts from the positive and negative aspects of the Mariner Hybrid.
  • beartraprrbeartraprr Member Posts: 11
    Hello

    I agree some of the issues were with the dealer, HOWEVER, everything they (the dealer) had said that the Stereo system WAS satellite compatible. I have nothing that says that, HOWEVER, I have in my hand the original sticker from the vehicle which says "Standard Equipment includes AM/FM IN-Dash 6 disk CD/W MP3 and 4 speakers."

    Now.....I spent an additional $3795. for the Premium package and only quoting the audio part it says, "NAV/FUEL ECON/ENERGY FLOW/6CD ENERGY AUDIOPHILE & NAV SYSTEM".

    It does NOT say that the 6CD player is now under the passenger seat not in the dash, nor does it mention that it does not play MP3's. And all of that for only $3795.00 extra. I saw with my own two eyes what the dealer had paperwork wise on that vehicle and it said that the radio WAS Satellite compatible.

    I doubt any of this was intentional but who paid for their screw up....I DID.

    So it WAS FORDS Fault, not the dealer.

    Then to add insult to injury, they within one year released TWO Model years which took my vehicles value so I was upside down in my loan with them. ALSO they not only fixed the satellite thing but included 6 months free satellite service in the new vehicle...Sounds like admission of guilt to me.

    What did they say/do for me......NADA...ZIP.....So, needless to say, I will never again buy another Ford product. They are just like 90% of the politicians, they LIE.....and we as consumers PAY......

    If you would like a copy of the original sticker to prove all this I would be happy to scan and send it to you.

    John
  • jerricjerric Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2008 Mercury Mariner hybrid, loaded, have not had any problems get good gas mileage 32 to 35 depending on hurry.

    Here is my problem it is winter here in michigan and my mileage went to crap. Even though the car will go on electric the engine stays idleing.
    Anyone know why, I think there may be some thermostat associated with the motor to keep it warm. any thoughts.

    Also for those out there wonder why they are hard to find, I am guess that since the IRS said they were only giving for 65,000 tax credits they will not make more than that
  • stevedebistevedebi Member Posts: 4,098
    "Anyone know why, I think there may be some thermostat associated with the motor to keep it warm. any thoughts. "

    This is a common issue with hybrids. The batteries are less efficient in cold weather, and the engine has to keep the catalytic converter heated up. The combination causes the hybrid to perform less efficiently in cold conditions.

    "Also for those out there wonder why they are hard to find, I am guess that since the IRS said they were only giving for 65,000 tax credits they will not make more than that"

    Not quite. Everyone gets the tax credit until 6 months after Ford sells 60K total hybrids. That means that tens of thousands of people could get the credit. I'm sure Toyota had over 150K people get the credit. The credit goes down after the six months, then further down for another six months, and expires one year after Ford reaches a total of 65K hybrids.
  • weibelweibel Member Posts: 4
    Can sombody tell me why Ford didn't include a water temperature and oil pressure indicator on a $30K automobile? :(
  • mumsiesmumsies Member Posts: 1
    Sitting after 9 hours since last use. A total loss. Beware!! Well maintained, no warning lights, drove fine 9 hrs before. Fire started in cargo area and flames began out of the battery vent! Beware!!! I loved this car but no more hybrids for us until they have safer battery types! Same as Ford Escapes. Beware!!
  • beartraprrbeartraprr Member Posts: 11
    I hate mine. Wish it would explode. There was a recall on the battery wiring harness, did you have that done? They kept the car for two days on me while doing that.

    Consider yourself lucky no one was hurt and go buy a Toyota.

    Loved the rental they gave me, a brand new F-150. Would have kept that in a heartbeat.
  • jdixsonjdixson Member Posts: 10
    Drove a new MMH home yesterday and got 40.2 mpg according to the onboard computer, which was reset and zeroed out prior to the drive. Perfect conditions for good mileage: temperature at 80F and traffic flow at 40-45 mph for the most part. 25 mile trip.
  • mel352mel352 Member Posts: 1
    I'm buying a Mercury Mariner Hybrid and Ford/Mercury has this Premium Maintenance Plan. It's Basically 5 or 6 years of prepaid maintenance that saves you about 35%. I know someone else that has it and loves it. Is anyone else familiar with it or have any thoughts about it? Thanks,
  • adampaul7adampaul7 Member Posts: 2
    Hi, I read your post.The dealer even looked it up and said it is Satellite capable....Beware if you want Satellite. Also, the navigation system is very awkward and difficult to use, unlike the system in say their Mountaineer which is great. FORD BLEW IT ON THIS.Have a nice day.. :lemon:

    www.protoolshed.com">Auto Body
  • rgheerergheere Member Posts: 3
    i have a 2008 mercury mariner hybrid 2 wheel drive and the last 4 weeks i have only averaged 21-22 mpg in town which is a BIG drop from the 29-31 mpg i was getting since july. does anyone know why, except the batteries.
    the local ford dealership told me i just have to except it during the cold weather???

    i want to hear from other hybrid owners and see what you are getting mpg, i live in lawrence kansas and it has been cold here the last 2 weeks. but average highs are in the 30s normally.
  • rgheerergheere Member Posts: 3
    yes i just started dealing with the local mercury dealer about my MPG and the general manager for the dealership told me i just have to except the MPG in the winter time. i got up and told him Bull Crap, i can see a drop of a mile or two during the winter time, but not 8-9 mph??
  • transpowertranspower Member Posts: 213
    Most of the year I obtain 26-32 mpg with my 2008 AWD Mariner Hybrid. However in January the mileage has dropped below 26 to 25 mpg. Your mileage of 21-22 seems very low. I understand the loss in battery efficiency due to cold weather, but your drop is too much. There may be something else going on...
  • beartraprrbeartraprr Member Posts: 11
    I live in South Florida where it does not ever drop below 50 degrees. The highest I have EVER gotten is around 25, it usually sits around 21 - 23 MPH, and this time of year I do not use the a/c and am light on the foot. Its all part of my disappointment with this vehicle. Then Ford says "Oh Well, some do good some don't". I have driven Fords all my life, this Mariner is my last because of their attitude more than anything else. They wonder why they are losing money, its things like this and he original problems when I bought the vehicle. See http://www.marinerhybrid.net/ for that whole story.

    John
  • rgheerergheere Member Posts: 3
    How did you get the address to contact Alan Mulally?
    i have a 2008 mariner hybrid and the last 4 weeks my mpg has dropped from 29-31 to 22-23. the dealership just wants us to except it due to the cold weather, i can see some drop with the weather but not this much.
  • bigtbigt Member Posts: 412
    Someone said something about gasoline reformation during the winter. My Licoln MKZ has dropped about 3-5 mpg since the winter started.

    BTW: Sorry to hear about the Navigation system in the MHH because the Nav in the MKZ is first-rate. You would think they would have shared this across the vehicles since it cost about the same.
  • baysailorbaysailor Member Posts: 15
    All gas in the Mid-Atlantic gets reformulated (not reformation) during the winter months to reduce the amount of pollutants, which don't get dispelled as quickly during the cold of winter with standard gasoline. This is required by the EPA. They blend in varying amounts of ethanol, which burns cleaner but reduces you gas milage. Since we just bought our MMH last month, I'm waiting to see how well it does in the spring when things warm up and they change the gas back to a normal formulation, which I think happens in April.

    I never saw the Nav system in the MMH 06/07 variants, but it was supposed to be pretty clunky. The Nav system in the 2008's is first rate, except for the annoying fact that the information entry is pretty restricted when you're underway. You can't enter a destination address once you're in drive. What an irritating big-brother kind of restriction!
    JRG
  • cracoviancracovian Member Posts: 337
    I don't pay attention to "American" cars too often but I thought I'd give this Mercury (or its Ford equivalent) a look. I saw a couple of them on the road but they're nowhere to be found as far as dealer stocks go. I recall they couldn't give the last model away. Are they this hot now or did Ford just go GM's way where they produce a very limited number of alternatives, so they can advertise their other hogs in the green context?

    Is my only realistic choice a Toyota which sells a ton but it also seems to keep their dealers well-supplied?
  • fomoconafomocona Member Posts: 19
    I don't think it's a form of big brother watching. Ford and other manufacturers must consider government guidelines in many design decisions. This is particularly true for navigation system features that may be distracting to drivers while the vehicle is in motion. That's why most if not all the vehicles sold in the US with a factory installed navigation system will not allow destination input while the vehicle is moving. Often pro-active, voluntary compliance avoids even stricter government mandates.
  • beartraprrbeartraprr Member Posts: 11
    I disagree...I think they do it to avoid a lawsuit in case one has an accident while trying to program it. ESPECIALLY if they have the awful 2006 system that I have. That very navigation system is the reason I will NEVER AGAIN EVER own another Ford Product. In addition to not putting a piece of junk into the vehicle, they should make it programmable for the passenger if there is one there, after all they already have a sensor in the seat that deactivates the airbag.

    In case its so far back in the strong read this website (Mine) about my Mariner experience. Also I have never gotten over 23 mph in this vehicle and as a 59 year old driver I am very light on the Gas/electric.

    http://www.marinerhybrid.net/

    I have owned Fords exclusively since I started driving back in the 60's. Their Loss, my next car will be a Lexus.
  • johndix60johndix60 Member Posts: 21
    It sounds like you did not evaluate the Nav system as part of your test drive checklist on the 2006 mariner Hybrid. Tough to complain about an option whose performance attributes ( negative though they may be ) were in front of you prior to purchase.
  • weibelweibel Member Posts: 4
    :) I purchased a 2008 Mariner Hybrid and I couldn't be more satisfied with the sat radio and navigation system. Agreed it would be nice if the passenger could program while in motion but to me that is no big deal! i guess you really shouldn't blame anyone but yourself for not taking greater care in choosing before purchasing the vehicle.

    Anyway, i love mine!!!
  • baysailorbaysailor Member Posts: 15
    I also gotta add my vote, and say that the system installed in the 2008 models is very good indeed. My point of comparison is the factory installed model in my 00 BMW, which uses CD (8 for the US & Canada) and isn't nearly as fast in recomputing your position, or as complete in offerings. Only downside of the Ford model is the data-entry lockout when you're underway, which seems to be consistent across several brands, which forces you to pull over. It's not a big deal.
    Cheers,
    JRG
  • beartraprrbeartraprr Member Posts: 11
    Ok, I guess I was not real clear on my problems, I'll try and keep it simple and to the point. I bought this car sight unseen because while 300 miles from home the computer in my Lincoln LS fried. Although under warantee they said it would take weeks to get it, then I would have to drive back with the rental they had already given me. I was told by the dealer that the Nav system was the same as in the Mountaineer (First Lie) then 2nd the STICKER on the vehicle which I still have said SATELLITE COMPATIBLE, plus PLAYS MP3's, (LIES BY FORD) I waited hours for the dealship to obtain this vehicle then found out days later after already being disappointed by the AWFUL nav system, that it was indeed NOT SATELLITE compatible (Ford told me this was a printing error). They did buy me an aftermarket sattelite radio but it sounds terrible. Also, this same window sticker said IN DASH 6 CD Player. ANOTHER LIE, the 6 CD player is under the passenger seat.

    THEN, the WORST thing they did was to release within 6 months TWO model years of this vehicle correcting all the problems but refusing to do anything for me. They could have put a 2008 nav/sat system in my dash and I would have been happy.

    In fairness to Ford, I have not had one problem per se with the vehicle outside of the fact it gets nowhere near the advertised mileage. Their response to that was "Some get good mileage, some do not".

    I HATE the vehicle, not because its a bad one, because of the LIES by Ford and the unwillingness to correct some very big screw ups. I would have waited for my Lincolns part had I known I was going to go through all of this. SHAME ON FORD, and they wonder why they are losing customers to foreign vehicles.
  • jlovelacejlovelace Member Posts: 1
    I dropped by a Ford dealer today to ask about their Escape Hybrid as a poss. replacement for my wife's '01 minivan. A manager told me the one (1) Hybrid on his entire lot was "the last Ford Escape Hybrid in the entire state of Florida". I repeated his answer like I do to my 6 year old after telling an obvious lie... He said that after California's problems (I did not have time to further qualify the "problems" he mentioned), the entire country was shipping Hybrids west. He continued that Toyota had started it and Ford followed suit to protect market share (ever the follower). I still find it hard to believe, hence the reason I'm doing research on them now, and cannot seem to find any dealers with hybrid stock locally. I agree w/ many of the other folks' comments... I'd prefer a Lexus or Toyota, but cannot swing additional $15K to $20K.
  • beartraprrbeartraprr Member Posts: 11
    Ford or a dealer Lie? Nah Never happen.....He must have just overlooked the several that are on the lot at the local Ford Dealer here in Fort Lauderdale (Found them on the net) or the dealer in Delray....Hmmmmm, and a friend of mine that just bought a Toyota Hybrid, bet he got the last Toyota in the state of Florida.

    Lawyers, Car Salesmen, Politicians, all of the same cloth. I don't understand WHY they think they have to lie to make a sale.

    He should have pointed out the good points about it, such as it dosen't have the crappy Nav system that the 2006 did, and that it now is indeed Satellite compatible.
  • cracoviancracovian Member Posts: 337
    What I don't understand is why they won't make more of it if it sells so well? Isn't that a foundation of capitalism? Ford Sr. would have been upset :-)
  • Karen_SKaren_S Member Posts: 5,092
    A reporter hopes to speak with consumers who want to buy hybrid SUVs that are having a hard time finding them at dealerships and/or are frustrated by dealers marking up the prices on the hybrids. If you are a consumer looking to purchase a hybrid SUV, please respond to ctalati@edmunds.com with your daytime contact information no later than Tuesday, March 25, 2008.
  • testestestes Member Posts: 13
    Does the 08 have the same problem as the 06? If the defroster is turned on (control in red) then the ICE will not turn off... I still get 32 in MA with 27000 miles on the Sprout. I have to manually manage the defroster needs.
  • bdymentbdyment Member Posts: 573
    I think it is the same as the 06. However, I suggest you post your concern in the Ford Escape Hybrid area. Probably more respondents there.
  • gwmortgwmort Member Posts: 22
    Hello, I just bought a 2008 FWD Mercury Mariner. We're very pleased with the car. Dealer stock was very limited here in Delaware, ended up going to a dealership an hour away, which only had one. We traded in a Chrysler Pacifica, losing the third row seats but gaining about 12 mpg in efficiency. Over the first 150 miles our AVERAGE is 31.2 mpg (rural suburban driving).
  • stevedebistevedebi Member Posts: 4,098
    "Does the 08 have the same problem as the 06? If the defroster is turned on (control in red) then the ICE will not turn off... I still get 32 in MA with 27000 miles on the Sprout. I have to manually manage the defroster needs."

    That is not a problem, that is the way the FEH / MMH are designed. The A/C compressor has to run when the defrost is selected, and the compressor requires the ICE to operate. Using either of the two "orange" HVAC selections is the same as turning on A/C without ECON.
  • darvv1ndarvv1n Member Posts: 5
    Car salesmen do not lie near as much as buyers do. There is a saying in the car business, "buyers are liars" 95 percent of the time they are trying to bite off more than they can choose. Oh i have to go talk to the wife, oh we will be back, here is my phone number (oops they gave us the wrong number), I will do business today at those numbers, then they leave!! the list is countless. I have been doing this for 5 years and there is no need to lie to sell a car. the truth will find its way out in the end. if you are honest to them and treat them right they will come back and buy more and more cars. which my customer's do. but for the ones i don't sell. its because they have lied or try to purchase a vehicle thats not in their budget and are insecure to say that they can't afford it. Or they say they have perfect credit and have a 393 beacon score. who are the liars now? :P
  • cracoviancracovian Member Posts: 337
    I tend to buy new cars (and most recently the '08 Sienna) from honest sellers which is relatively easy to detect for a person who does their homework and knows a bit about cars. The guy who sold us the car wasn't pushy, was patient, was aware of the limitations in his knowledge, and backed the sale up with an attractive price on the first try.

    To stay on topic though, how come these Mariners are so hard to come by? I would have probably bought one instead of my Sienna if there had been any in stock... Is Mercury losing money on these or does it have limited electric powertrain production capacity or something? There are plenty of regular versions in stock, so what's stopping them from switching over to the hybrids that everyone wants? Does anyone have any insight?
  • transpowertranspower Member Posts: 213
    I understand that the scarcity is due to lack of hybrid battery supplies. I got my 2008 MMH in March of 2007, when they first came out, so I lucked out.
  • cracoviancracovian Member Posts: 337
    There's a good article on thecarconnection.com covering the scarcity of hybrids in general. Aside from capacity and battery shortage challenges, Ford doesn't want to increase its production numbers (they're at the same level as last year) since the SUV is apparently not economically justified (meaning they lose $$$ on each sale.)
  • dmbfloridadmbflorida Member Posts: 38
    When I had my 2004 Prius, the Forums I belonged to frequently gave the names of salespersons at dealerships who would sell the Prius extended maintenance/warranty contracts at greatly reduced prices. These contracts were totally honored at dealerships in the U.S. Has anyone found a similar reference for buying a Ford hybrid Escape extended maintenance/warranty at a discounted price?.
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    Simple.

    Don't buy the extended warranty from the selling dealer.

    Go to a finance person at a different dealer, even different marque, and negotiate a deal for an extended warranty. I have often bought Toyota warranties for Fords and vice versa often at half the price quoted by the selling dealer.
  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    Ford REALLY needs to move some iron and offers employee pricing and 0% financing combined on 9 models and does NOT include the 2009 Mariner hybrid in that group.
    Kind of makes you wonder what direction they want to move in :confuse:
  • dgr124dgr124 Member Posts: 9
    Have been very interested in FEH and MMH for several years, but the costs kept me away, although I realize in many cases they don't make a lot of sense financially anyway. I know someone who is a rural mail carrier that bought a used one (not sure the year) and loves it. New ones are nowhere to be found in the region. An area dealer has '08 Mariner on his lot. 7900 miles, not top of the line with few options, 4WD/AWD. Asking $25100. Does that price seem about right? We are talking about at $5K difference. Salesperson said it was traded in because the people couldn't afford payments on it, and bought a Focus. Of course I have no idea if he is lying or not (Sorry sales people). Seems like a lot especially now with the reg. FE and MM with special current incentives in low $20s new comparably equiped.
    What should I look for OR look out for in a used one? I have read a lot here about problems in winter. I am in WI. It is in garage at night and when not used. I have 2 vehicles. Also, how long (days) can it sit without being run? I use my Ranger mostly in winter. Are some quirks showing up in the '08s? Any years to avoid or look out for? Should I ask for a CARFAX report? Contact previous owner? Escape VS. Mariner. Any important differences good or bad I should be aware of?
    Would appreciate advice or info that might help me get a good vehicle at a good price.
    Maybe it would be better to wait for the new Fusion and Milan hybrids. But any idea of the projected price of them? I understand their will be significant differences in the hybrid system. Salesperson said they should start to show up in first quarter of '09.
    Thanks anyone/everyone!
  • baysailorbaysailor Member Posts: 15
    I have an 08 MMH with 20 kmi and love it. We paid ~33K and thought we got the best deal we could back in Feb when gas prices were $3.30/gal, and dealers were selling all they could get before the came off the truck. The price seems a bit high, but since its used, and the dealer has had it a while, he might be willing to negotiate since gas prices are way down. I don't know the current Blue Book value, but the math sez that a $5K difference will take >150 kmi to recoup. I expect that the sale of hybrids has slacked off somewhat (maybe not as much as all cars in general.) On the coasts the demand is still high. We have had no problems with the car (zero) in 11 months, and the mileage (when warmer) has been better than advertised

    There have been few problems with winter weather and hybrids other than the change in gas mileage. Hybrid mileage is affected by cold weather, more so than regular cars, just browse thru the message boards and you'll see why. The gas engine spends more time on charging the battery and warming the driver, and the gas that is uses (if has more ethanol) gets worse mileage - our mileage varied by ~20% between summer and winter. If you do short runs where the battery never kicks in, the mileage is really affected. For the vehicle you're looking at, your discharge rate should be relatively slow, and keep in mind the high voltage battery and the standard 12 V battery are connected, so the battery should take a long to discharge. I would think if you drove it once every other week you won't have a problem.

    There a virtually no differences between FEH and MMH except for trim. Exactly the same powerplant and drive train, and same options on the inside. I would certainly ask for a Carfax report and if you're serious, set up an appointment at another dealer who has a hybrid-trained technician and give it a once over.

    In my opinion, It's hard to make a case for a hybrid with gas prices 12 years. But I think that in 18 months, gas prices will be back over $2.50 a gallon and you can make the case for using a hybrid. A really good case when the price goes over $3.50/gallon.

    I personally would wait. A lot of really good technology should be out in 2 years - much better batteries, extending the range, and better, more efficient engines that can extend the basic mileage.

    Cheers
  • dgr124dgr124 Member Posts: 9
    thanks for the info. Might be best to wait a couple years and look for a used '09 Mariner Hybrid which I understand has some improved features over the '08. The dealership seems very firm on the used '08 mariner at $25K. Being so cold here in winter a Hybird might not be the best choice.
    Thanks again.
  • n130kn130k Member Posts: 1
    I bought a Mariner Hybrid in August unwillingly talked into it by my wife and son and had to trade in my Chevy Trailblazer in favour of better fuel efficiency.
    Well my new Mariner is crap. Poorly appointed for all the money spent on it and since the day I got it it has some sort of transmission problem that cant be rectified. This vehicle sucks the big one I hate it = piece of crap so dont buy one. I wish I had never agreed to stop at the dealership. I should divorce my wife out of spite for making me buy this P.O.S.
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