Jump to content

The Outrage

Edge Member
  • Posts

    67
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Posts posted by The Outrage

  1. While discussing the increasing number if issues I've been experiencing with the Edge I had one of the technicians at my local dealership tell me that all the Ford Edge headliners are like this. If this is true is there anyone on this forum which has a flush mounted headliner? Is the proper fitting only by chance? It seems odd that Ford authorized the headliner's replacement if it was already known to be a common and impossible to solve issue.

  2. My 2012 Ford Edge Sport has a non-metallic black grille. The grille was not painted Tuxedo Black by the factory. While Ford specified that the Sport model was equipped with a Tuxedo Black grile, it would seem that some (or all) 2012 Sport models did not come so equipped. What color is your Sport model's grille and what model year is your Edge?

  3. With the 2013 Lincoln MKZ is coming with an available 3.7 liter V6 you can be all but assured that the MKX will be using a non-weezey engine.

     

    While I can see the Edge using a variant of an existing turbo I4, I'd think it would be a bad idea to equip it with the same engine from the 2013 Ford Escape (2.0 turbo I4), at least in high trim levels. Perhaps a larger displacement version of that engine is in store.

  4. The new headliner was installed in my Edge. Unfortunately, the new headliner still has a gap in the leading edge. It's a slightly smaller gap, but it's still there.

     

    While the warranty work was being performed I was provided a 2013 Lincoln MKX to use. I noticed that its headliner did not have a large gap, however, it was not equipped with the Vista Roof option so its headliner is of a different design. Perhaps this issue is unique to the Vista Roof equipped models.

  5. Let's do the math:

     

    3.5 liter V6:

    15,000 miles / 22 MPG = 682 gallons

    682 gallons * $4.00 = $2,728 per year

    682 gallons * $5.00 = $3,410 per year

    682 gallons * $8.00 = $5,456 per year

     

    2.0 liter turbo I4:

    15,000 miles / 24 MPG = 625 gallons

    625 gallons * $4.00 = $2,500 per year

    625 gallons * $5.00 = $3,125 per year

    625 gallons * $8.00 = $5,000 per year

     

    Assuming the 2.0 turbo I4 has a $1,000 price premium:

    @ $4.00 per gallon: $2,728 - $2,500 = $228 per year (break even @ 4.39 years)

    @ $5.00 per gallon: $3,410 - $3,125 = $285 per year (break even @ 3.51 years)

    @ $8.00 per gallon: $5,456 - $5,000 = $456 per year (break even @ 2.19 years)

     

    The fuel cost savings of the EcoBoost engine is greatly offset by its higher premium price. Even at $8.00 a gallon it would take over two years just to break even. It would only be from that point to the vehicle's sale that any savings would be realized.

  6. I installed some Polarg J-62 LED bulbs in place of the 168 sized incandescent bulbs used in the licence plate lights. The Polarg J-62 uses 1 Watt 6000K LEDs. The J-62 uses a compact wedge base. This makes them suitable for other applications beyond 168 sized locations.

     

     

    6934390402_fd28bf7b2b.jpg

    Polarg J-62 LED Bulbs by The Outrage, on Flickr

     

    These bulbs are produced in Japan by Polarg. Most aftermarket automotive LED bulbs are Chinese in origin and sold without a brand name (many companies rebrand the same Chinese bulbs). I have found that Chinese bulbs have poor build quality (exposed electronics) and inconsistent LED colors (poor color matching). The Polarg LED bulbs have a proprietary design which incorporates a lens to refract the light (which is otherwise directional). Small venting holes in the enclosure to allow heat the escape from behind the LEDs.

     

     

    6934390612_fc15eae23e.jpg

    Polarg J-62 LED Bulb (Front) by The Outrage, on Flickr

     

     

    6934390732_c92c61ea9d.jpg

    Polarg J-62 LED Bulb (Side) by The Outrage, on Flickr

     

    This shows the difference between a Sylvania SilverStar 168 sized incandescent bulb and the Polarg J-62 LED bulb.

     

     

    7080464071_a5a4b1a7ce.jpg

    Polarg J-62 LED Bulb Color Comparsion by The Outrage, on Flickr

     

    The light spread is decent, at around 180 degrees, but is not as comprehensive as a real incandescent. For the purposes of the licence plate fixtures, which do not incorporate real reflectors and use lens diffusers, this proves adequate. The 6000K color matches the front OEM LED arrays fairly well. The actual illumination levels once installed mimic the stock level of lighting provided.

  7. I saw a 2013 Edge SEL with the SEL Appearance Package at a local Ford dealership today. It was even painted Ruby Red; which is a close to Candy Red (my Edge's color) as it gets for 2013. The SEL Appearance Package includes body colored grille inserts. I still prefer my Sport's black grille inserts.

  8. The additional illumination from higher wattage lighting causes your pupils to constrict to compensate for the increased incoming light. The side effect of this constriction is that areas outside the direct illumination zone will be more difficult to see (think beyond the range of the headlights, the sides of the road, the view out of the side windows, and visibility out of the rear). The increase in forward illumination will come at the expense of visibility every other direction due the way the human eye works. It is too slow to respond the constantly varying light levels it is subjected to during night time driving. Stock levels of illumination attempt to strike a balance between sufficient forward illumination and sufficient visibility in other directions.

  9. 30 yellow LEDs at 2 lumens each... It's 3 times less then stock turm signals, that produce approximately 180 lumens. Are you sure your turn signals are visible at daytime?

     

    The 3457 bulb is a higher lumen variant of the 3157. It produces ~38 lumens when using the lower wattage filament and ~500 lumens when using the higher wattage filament. I noticed a difference when switching to 3157 bulbs on the Edge (~38 / ~400). I swapped the stock bulbs back in place to provide sufficient lighting of the rather large reflector. Even compared to the 3157 incandescent bulbs these LEDs seem much dimmer in the posted videos.

     

    3457 specifications:

     

    http://genet.gelight...ODUCTCODE=22525

     

    3157 specifications:

     

    http://genet.gelight...ODUCTCODE=17172

  10. Per the manual:

     

     

    LEATHER SEATS (IF EQUIPPED)

     

    • Remove dust and loose dirt with a vacuum cleaner.

    • Clean spills and stains as quickly as possible.

    • For routine cleaning, wipe the surface with a soft, damp cloth. For more thorough cleaning, wipe the surface with a mild soap and water solution. In Canada, use Motorcraft Vinyl Cleaner (CXC-93). Dry the area with a soft cloth.

    • If the leather cannot be completely cleaned using a mild soap and water solution, the leather may be cleaned using a commercially available leather cleaning product designed for automotive interiors.

    • To check for compatibility, first test any cleaner or stain remover on an inconspicuous part of the leather.

    • Do not use household cleaning products, alcohol solutions, solvents or cleaners intended for rubber, vinyl and plastics, or oil/petroleum-based leather conditioners. These products may cause premature wearing or damage to the leather.

  11. The higher spring rates of the aftermarket springs would be better matched with shocks with increased dampening control. The stock shocks are matched for use with the stock springs. Higher spring rates require higher rebound dampening. Without a matching shock you can end up with worse body control motion after a wheel impact. This can lead to a "bouncing" motion.

     

    With that said, it's matter of what the driver considers acceptable suspension performance. If the decreased dampening control is less of a concern than the higher spring rates (less pitch and roll) or the lowering of the vehicle's center of gravity, then those trade offs are acceptable. Under ideal circumstances the springs and shocks would be matched. Unfortunately, the Edge does not have a large selection of aftermarket suspension parts.

×
×
  • Create New...