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Comments
Thanks!
Your post was articulately put! Thanks.
Could I have gotten the same deal without being a member of EAA and using the S-plan? Maybe, but it was worth the $40 membership for the ease of making the deal alone. At the very least, that $40 fee entitles the member to a painless 'No Haggle' purchasing experience, and it's worth it.
Thanks, Jim.
marybeth@nothinbut.net
http://velocityjrnl.com/jrnl/2001/v2kmdl1023ovw.html
Can I get some feedback from those who have test driven those cars also?!
Thanks!
Does anyone know if Ford has identified this problem and if so do they have a fix?
Thanks
Mckinley1
marybeth@nothinbut.net
But the owners manual for '01 model calls for the 5W-20 weight instead of the usual 5W-30 for '00 model.
The 5W-20 weight oil is slightly thinner when engine reaches the normal operating temperature range - thus providing a slightly better fuel economy. This is the only difference between these two oils.
Also , I can not direct the Ac ducts blowing any where else other than straight to the face
.I have the standard single CD 6 +1 subwoofer speaker stereo , which is very good for its price. All in all a good vehicle.
reliability; excellent customer satisfaction; all-wheel drive from most experienced manufacturer, along with a viscous limited slip rear differential; highest HP & torque 4-cylinder engine; best-of-class crash rating; best-rated handling and ride; larger cargo space; and 60 month/60,000 mile major components warranty. Key features that were also important to us but pretty much comparable to its competition were the 4-wheel ABS & disc brakes, side impact door beams, side airbags (except the RAV-4), moonroof (except for the CR-V, which doesn't offer one and can't have one installed -- Honda says they have to remove a roof beam, which would negatively affect the structure of the car body) and leather interior, gas mileage, price, heated seats, ability to use regular gas, a full-size spare, heated power mirrors, loaner cars for overnight service while under warranty and door-to-door shuttle service thereafter . Although I have to admit even the little things -- like the de-icing front wiper, integrated window antenna, multiple storage compartments, a rubber cargo area tray, subfloor storage, a dimming rear view mirro with electronic compass, and the easiest-to-open rear door (especially when compared to the CR-V) -- were advantages over the competition as well. I never would have bought the Ford Escape or Mazda Tribute -- neither companies have good reliability records overall, and these products are in their first year of production. The President of Mazda happens to be an old friend of mine, so I knew if I wanted the Tribute I could get a great deal. It
wouldn't have been worth it.
I'll also tell you we considered a few wagons -- with the Subaru Outback and Volkswagen Passat coming out on top. Here, my wife and I simply preferred the SUV-style over the Outback wagon. And while the Passat wagon is a highly-rated vehicle, to get what we got with the Forester would have meant spending an additional $4,000 to get all-wheel drive, forcing us into the 6-cylinder model with much poorer gas mileage and a requirement to use much more expensive premium gas. All in all, I can't get over the outstanding combination the Subaru Forester offers in terms of reliability, safety, features and value.
With all this, I still had just a bit of hesitation before making the final buying decision because neither my wife or I had ever owned a Subaru. This is where Al Rowe, our salesman, came in. His professionalism, knowledge and straightforwardness in dealing with both of us made the difference. In sales myself -- 20 years with IBM as a salesman, sales manager and now sales executive -- I've learned a thing or two about salesmanship and the right way to earn a customer's business. Al Rowe represented Subaru very well. We expect this to be just the start of a long-term, positive relationship with Subaru of Morristown, New Jersey as we need to service our Forester along the way -- and look for our next car!
Thanks for sharing your recent purchase experience of your Subaru Forester. It is always a very happy occasion to purchase a new vehicle, but was it necessary to post this same exact message in 5+ different forums? The Forester topic certainly would have sufficed.
My parents recently researched a variety of SUVs to replace their '97 Explorer that was coming off lease. They gave serious consideration to the Subaru Outback, but could not get past the lack of a 6-cylinder engine (Subaru has since introduced a 6-cylinder Outback; it is over-priced and still does not provide a significant enough performance advantage over the 4-cylinder model). The 4-cylinder certainly has the gas mileage advantage, but the first time the vehicle is loaded down with cargo, with the air conditioning on, ascending a hill would be a tedious affair. This situation would also negate the fuel savings of having the 4-cylinder.
It is also important to note that while Subaru historically has above average reliability, they tend to place low in the JD Powers Initial Quality Study. Last I checked, SUVs such as the CRV, RAV4, Explorer, and Mountaineer rated much higher in the study than Subaru's products.
Ford products have come a very long way in the past 10 years or so. In the 3 years my parents leased their Explorer it required only scheduled trips to the dealer for routine maintenance. After looking at a variety of SUVs, they finally chose to replace the Explorer with a Mercury Mountaineer Monterey Edition. Same vehicle, but somewhat of an upgrade from their Explorer XLT. They are very happy with the Mercury.
I recently shopped for an SUV and looked at both the Escape and the Explorer. The Escape is a very nice vehicle and provides considerable bang for the buck. However, when Ford offered 0.9% financing on leftover 2000 Explorers I jumped on the chance and bought the Explorer. It is a wonderful truck. Despite the Escape's six recalls since introduction, I would have not hesitated to purchase one. Any newly introduced vehicle is bound to have teething problems, and it is to be expected when purchasing a first year vehicle.
The treatment you received from your salesperson does not sound any different than what any other salesperson is hired to do. You had reservations and the salesperson stepped in and swayed your decision in the direction he wanted it to go (to Subaru and the dealership). He did his job. He probably used the same tactics you use in your job as a sales executive. For example, I am sure he talked about the all-wheel drive system, but did he also explain that it may not offer the same overall versatility as a dedicated 4-wheel drive system (inability to lock the differential for moderate snow (4WD High setting); total lack of a low-range for deep mud or snow, etc.)? AWD is good for rain and light snowfall, but get a heavy snow and it is not going to give the full benefit of a true 4x4.
It sounds like you did your research and bought the vehicle that is best suited to your needs. However, to make statements that the Subaru is superior to a particular vehicle is stretching it a bit. Each vehicle has a particular advantage over another but in this day there will never be a "superior" vehicle. The Escape would have offered just as much utility, more spirited performance, and more rugged styling for about the same price. On top of that Ford offers a larger dealer network in the event your wonderful dealer turns out to have a not-so-wonderful service department.
I have been reading a lot of problems with the Escape,but fortunately have had none. Our's has 3000miles now and it has just been ZOOM ZOOM.Wher else are you going to get a vehicle for less than 25000 with CD Cruise 200hp and all wheel drive and 20mpg
day).Never had so much fun with a vehicle
since my Model B with rumble seat,Mustang
Conv.& T'bird days! I'm a kid again! {78
going on 18}. Just completed a 2832 mile
jaunt across country {Santa Barbara,CA to
Key Largo,FL} in my Escape XLS 4X2 V6 and
with the Cruise Control set at 80+ most of
the way, averaged 22.57 MPG. Starting out
with 116 miles on the Odometer was a
calculated act of faith on my part and I'm
glad to say there was nary a problem the
whole way. Many thanks to Bryce,Keven,Dee
& Marge at Mel Clayton Ford of Santa
Barbara,CA for helping me out with my
registration and all. Particular thanks to
Bryce,a young man of scruples and a
pleasure to deal with. To all you
gripers{in the parlance of our armed
forces}let me punch your TS card.
I ordered the vehicle September 19. It was delivered to the dealer January 3. I was able to pick it up on the 6th. 15 weeks. I was told at the time I ordered it would take 8 - 10 weeks to have a manual transmission model delivered. If I had ordered an automatic the dealer claimed e.t.a. would have been 6 - 8 weeks. I must admit I'm glad the delivery was delayed. The vehicle didn't come off the line until after the recalls, so those issues had been resolved.
When I picked up the vehicle there were 96 miles on the odometer. I pointed this out to the sales rep who promptly quipped, "that's 9 POINT 6". Nope, not so. I discovered this by the time I got the car home. Tenths of a mile do not show on the odometer, you have to press the trip odometer button to see tenths. While I was fussing over the car later that day I found a notice in the glove box explaining that the vehicle had been selected for test driving at the plant and that 89 miles were on the odometer as a result. I informed the sales rep about his mistake when he called to check my customer satisfaction levels a couple days after delivery.
I ordered the convenience group that included speed control, upgraded security, cargo cover and floor mats. I was mostly interested in the first two items. I must say that the floor mats are very cheesy. I checked with the service/parts department before leaving the dealership on getting replacements. $76, and not in stock. Just as well, they were probably just as cheesy as the originals. I bought better quality mats for a much lower price later on.
Now that I've delivered the bad news, here's the good news: this vehicle is a blast! Keep in mind that my previous vehicle was a '92 Explorer XLT, automatic. Compared to the Exploder, the Escape is a joy to drive. It corners without drifting, delivering a much better feel for the road (should I mention here that I went for the upgraded tires and wheels?). The visibility from the front seat is excellent, the controls are well placed (who knew you could load so many functions on one little wiper control wand?) and the manual transmission has been a pleasure to operate. One added bonus that puts a smile on my face is knowing I don't have to jump out into space to get out of the car. Even at 5'9", for me, it was a climb up or down from the Explorer, the Escape is sized much more comfortably.
I know that four days of ownership hardly adds up to extensive experience, but I am really enjoying the Escape right now and hope to continue to enjoy it for years to come.
Has anyone any experience using studded tires on TribScape? Any binding of the drive line?
Has anyone any experience towing 3000 lbs with TribScape? Uphill acceleration? Emergency braking?
Question, in the Escape brochure it mentions the No Boundaries Roof Rack System. What a cool and in my opinion "must have" feature. Not to mention the added bonus of the "look" it will make toting of bikes a lot easier. The dealer I went to didn't know about this option or when it would be available. The brochure says after Feb 2001. Does anyone have any information on this option?
I drove one today and the only thing I didnt like was that the xls had no center console. After 10 years of resting my right arm on one, it drove me absolutely crazy. The salesman thought the xlt came with one, but he didn't exactly exude confidence. They haven't had many to look at!
Thanks,
chris
Where did you find out the Tribute and Escape have the different suspension and steering?
The absence of the center console in the lesser Triscapes would seem to be directly correlated with the column mounted shifter 'international' sales potential of the vehicle. If you check out the Tributes that are sold in Japan, in addition to not having the center console, they *do* have integral seat armrests which look like they came straight out of the MPV minivan. I would imagine the logic is that the Tribute sold internationally doubles as a sort of minivan with the ability to walk through the front seats to get to the rear, precluding the use of the US version's center console.
Alas, I'm certain market research showed that Americans 'must' have a central storage console in their up-level SUVs, hence the rather out-of-place combination of having a column shifter and center console (sans Japanese version seat-armrests) in the US Escape XLT and Tribute LX/ES.
The odd thing about this is that there's a useless 'mini' console installed on the XLS and DX, which negates any of the benefit of being able to access the rear seats from the front that having a column instead of console shifter offered.
Difference in suspension and steering is mentioned in the Pop Sci article as well as numerous posts on the various bulletin boards. I also managed to get in touch with the author of the Pop Sci article to get further clarification. Tribute is purported to be more car like and the Escape more truck like. I suspect that you would immediately get used to either one.
Do you know which one have a stronger suspension to handle the snow day?
Thanks!
I've been wondering if I should get the leather comfort group vs. the cloth seats. The only reason for wanting the leather comfort group is because of the driver side power and the console . Does anyone out there have the leather and do you like it??? Please email me your comments at gatorc@olg.com Any comments on the leather comfort group vs. the cloth seats would be appreciated.
My guess is that either suspension will be fine in snow. My personal experience with snow country makes me believe 2 wheel drive with studs is superior to 4 wheel drive with no studs. 4 wheel drive with studs would be the optimum, but I don't know yet if Triscape can handle that. I put studs on a 4 wheel drive truck with lockable hubs and blew out the hubs. 4 wheel drive gets you going in the snow, studs keep you on the road when you brake or go around corners.
Anybody put studs on a Triscape yet?
Still having the fuel smell on a hot start too...
I know there have been scattered mentions of gas mileage, but I'm considering buying and Escape XLS, 4WD, Automatic, and gas mileage is a big consideration. Can anyone who has this model tell me what type of mpg you're getting, and how long it took you to get to that point (is it true that it takes a couple thousand miles to get going?) Any other thoughts on whether the Escape is the way to go or not would be appreciated!
Thanks!
http://www.thecarplace.com/01escape.htm
It has been super.
Absolutely no problems, just adventures and happy memories of journeys so far.
The review of the Escape at:
http://www.thecarplace.com/01escape.htm
is right on.
Catch the passion.
Gary