ctrcbob

A friend of mine with an 05 Jaguar XJR had a large dent in one of his beautiful alloy wheels. He had "Alloy Wheel Repair Specialists" fix it and it came out beautiful. We stood and watched. They came to us with a special trailer loaded with the special tools needed. Did the job while we waited. Their web site is www.awrswheelrepair.com Check their website to see if there is a location near you. We had it done in Orlando, but there are other sites. My buddy is VERY HAPPY.

I've talked with a few guys up in Snow Country, with AWD Fusions. They all say that the AWD is GREAT in ice and snow (and slush). As for me, I try not to go to my Penfield address in the winter, however I have driven my AWD in bad rainstorms while here in my Mount Dora address, and it handles like a dream in those bad conditions.

I purchased under the X-Plan. Don't know if the rules are the same for the A, D or Z plans, but with the X-Plan, the dealer had to show me the X-Plan price on his Ford paperwork. Dealer did try to get me for some extra fees, but Ford rules are that you pay nothing extra. (I pointed this out to dealer but I can't fault him for trying). Dealer also tried to tell me that the registration fee and Title fee to the state was something like $180 and that dealer would refund to me whatever was left from the true cost from that $180. After two weeks, I called the DMV to find out exactly how much it cost for registration and Title, then I "gently" emailed dealer saying that "I know you forgot to mail me my refund check from the registration and Title fee". Dealer phoned me the very next day and said "the refund check was just mailed this morning" and I did receive it the next day. BTW, I also got a Rebate on the car. (X-Plan plus rebate). I figure Ford had rebates because the 06 Zephyr sold so poorly that they carried it over for the 07 MKZ when they first came out. I've been told that I could probably do better in price if I negotiate directly with dealer, and that may be so, but I purchased at the very start of the model year when dealers don't normally "discount". It was great not having to negotiate, because you are never going to beat the dealer, and I did not want the hassle of the salesperson going back and forth between me and the Sales Manager. I may be purchasing another (additional) Ford product later this year, an 08, and not sure if I will use the X-Plan or try to negotiate with a second dealer. We shall see what we shall see!

Honda's can also have their problems. The very worse modern day car I ever had was a Honda Accord EX. Too many problems to even list here, but the worse thing was the attitude of the dealers who made me feel that I was the only one with these problems, and that nothing ever goes wrong with a Honda. Most problems did get fixed on first try. One took me to tell them where the problem was and what needed to be done for the fix, and that one took three visits. The worse one, dealer always told me that "We cant duplicate the problem" and they would never fix it until one day while talking to the District Service Rep about another problem, I mentioned this worse problem. The Rep said, "oh, we have a fix for that now". Dealers knew about the problems but never wanted to fix it until the Rep had another dealer order the parts, and got it fixed. Traded it when I started to have even more problems and have never owned a Honda car since.

"Could not duplicate customer concern". Should be banned from the language. I once had a Honda Accord EX, (the best one they made) that was manufactured on a Monday or Friday in Marysville Ohio. Had so many problems with that car, but the one big problem I had, whenever I would take it in, I got the same story. "COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM". Dealer will not take customers word for it. One day while talking with District Service Rep about another problem, I mentioned this one big problem. He said to me, "oh, we have a fix for that now"! District Rep got me an appointment at another dealer, ordered part, and got it fixed. That Accord EX had so many problems, after a couple more, I just went to my friendly Toyota dealer and traded for a Camry which I kept for 100,000 miles and it never had any problems whatsoever. Have not purchased a Honda car to this day.

Per the deals getting better when you let the service expire! Before it expired, (at six months plus a week) I got letters saying that if I extended now, I would get an additional six months service for $51.80. If I let the service expire, then change my mind, the price would go up to $77.70. (Maybe it was $72.00 - can't remember) OK, I let it expire. I then get a letter (after it expired) saying that "Renew now - get 3 months for the price of 1" "3 months for a total of $12.95* - thats two months FREE". OK, thinking that may not be a bad deal, but then I notice the "*" so I then read the mouse print. It says "You must take a quarterly or longer subscription plan". WTF? so I call them to find out what that means. It means that you pay $12.95 the first month, nothing the second and third months, $12.95 the fourth, fifth and sixth months, which you must take. (Thats a total of $51.80 for six months). In addition, unless you call in to cancel, they automaticly subscribe you after that six months, for the higher fee. I don't like playing word games, and I was not listening to the Serious that much as I don't live in the car, so I passed it up again.

I was thinking the same thing when I had my dealer change oil and filter on my MKZ (Same engine as MKX/Edge). Tech had no problems removing the filter. I.E., it was not put on by an 800 pound gorilla. HOWEVER, tech found that the oil drain plug was only on FINGER TIGHT, and he could remove it without a wrench. Dealer allows owners to stand and watch, so I stood and talked with tech while he was doing the job. Dealership did not object to having me in shop. Tech went out of his way to make me happy. Not my selling dealer, but of the L-M dealers within 35 miles, I use this one 25 miles away, because all the others will not allow me to watch. Took it to this L-M dealer because my local Ford dealer could not give me the free oil changes Lincoln will give me in the first year. I do take my Continental to my local Ford dealer as he also allows me to watch, although from not as close up.

What is a "break" rattle? Could you mean a "Brake" rattle?

That reminds me of the time many years ago, when I lived up there in "Cold Country" full time. Temperature outside was around -12F (-25C). I was getting ready to go to work, and was shaving when I heard a horn blowing outside. My first thought was, "who the heck is the jerk blowing his horn at this time of the morning". Horn kept blowing, so I looked outside and saw that it was my 83 Buick LeSabre that was causing all the noise. Went outside, fiddled with the horn ring on the steering wheel, but nothing would make it stop. Did only thing I could do. Lifted the hood and disconnected the horn wires. (lucky I could get to them). Went to work no problem. When I got home that night, I reconnected the horn wires, and everything worked as it should. I figure that the cold had contracted the horn contacts in the car, which caused the horns to blow. Never happened again.

Because the Fusion was introduced MORE than a year ago, and the Edge was just introduced a couple months ago. Your bound to see more Fusions then Edges. That being said, I have seen a lot of Edges and MKXs considering how they were only just introduced. Takes so long to get because they can't make them fast enough assuming you want to order, however if you want to buy from dealer stock, dealers around here have them.

Geraldine is the girl in my Navi unit. Only one thing missing from my Navi unit that I want. I want the altitude readout! My Roadmate 760 has it, but not my stock unit. Oh well -----

Have not heard it in any other Edge? How many Edge's have you driven?

ogie, Yes they are manditory in Canada, but you don't see it in the EU. Just a Canadian thing. As for adding it to the Edge, don't know how, but when I had a Sebring Convertible, I got crazy and decided that I wanted DRL. I special ordered the modual (sp) from the dealer, (cost about $65) and it was a simple plug in at the fuse panel. Again, this was with a Sebring. Don't know how to do it on an Edge. Don't matter, I no longer want it.

Question. Is MERCON Automatic Transmission Fluid the same stuff as MOTORCRAFT Premium Automatic Transmission Fluid, Part Number XT-8-QAW, that meets Ford Spec WSS-M2C924-A?

When you special order a vehicle, the manufacturer always has an "out" as somewhere, it will say something like "the manufacturer has the right to make production changes at any time". May not be those exact words, but that is what can happens when you special order. This is why I no longer special order. I've been burned twice with special orders. Once when the car was not equiped the way the ads said, and the second time when the car had a two "imperfections" when delivered and the dealer saying, "oh, we can fix that". (they could not). If the dealer don't have it, I don't buy it.