Mr Man's musings

[Mr. Man]

I'm going to do my reviews of new and maybe used cars here in this thread instead of the Makeshift shoutbox.

Let start off by saying I am not a professional reviewer and this is my opinion.

So.. as some of you know from the Makeshift Shoutbox that I occasionally transfer cars for my local Ford dealer. They also have a Chrysler,Jeep, Dodge,Ram dealership but as of today I have only swapped for Ford.

Today they needed a 2011 Focus to go to Pa and in return I brought back a 2001 Fiesta.

My thoughts are as follows in no particular order.

2011 Ford Focus SE 2.0l engine, 4 sp auto.

Wasn't expecting much here as it was your basic commuter car but I must admit I was pleasantly surprised with the Focus. I had forgotten how much fun a front wheel drive car could be in the snow (we had snow today 2-3 in). The engine was plenty peppy and I needed to remind myself that this was not my car and mashing the gas to pull out of a slush induced drift could result in damages. The 4sp auto was adequate but if optioned I'd have gone for a 5-sp manual.
The car started out a suede white color and was handed over to the Pa dealer a slush brown. Hope they have lots of soap.
The general appearance of the car is pleasing if not a bit nondescript. It's a commuter car.
The interior was roomier than I expected. Let me also preface here that I am not a small person 6'2" in the morning and over 300#. I found there to be more than enough head room and getting in and out was uneventful. Leg room to the pedals was short for me but if you are under 6' and of a more normal body size I think it would be acceptable for commuting. Room for 5 is a pipe dream and I want what ever the advertising team for Ford is smoking. Realistically 2 adults in the front and 2 pre-teens in the back for anything over a 10 minute ride.
All the controls were easy to get to and all the buttons, knobs and levers that I played with all worked. Materials seemed to be of a good quality for the Focus' price point. Sirius radio was installed and made the ride though the Pa Dutch country enjoyable. The ambient noise with the radio off was also quite acceptable.
Car handled quite well and I found myself thinking that with a beefier engine and a manual I could imagine naming the car "Ripper". :lol:

Gas mileage was climbing as I drove (mid 20's) and if I remember the sticker said mid-thirties Hwy. Empty snow covered roads, figure less:D

Out of 5 thumbs up :up: I'd give it 4 :up: faulting the lack of adequate leg room and more to the point thigh spread, typical gearbox console interference. For another 2 inches I might have given it 5 :up:

Now for the disappointment. 2011 Fiesta 1.6l ( if memory serves) 4 sp auto.

Color was a steel blue metallic grey and about the only thing I liked about this car.
Engine was nondescript and ran fine though I believe there was a loose heat shield under there somewhere. 4 sp auto shifted so quickly I was in 3rd gear at 15mph. Must be a gas mileage thing (which by the by was good) I was getting over 32mpg when I got back and it was still climbing. On the hwy I was doing about 70mph in both cars.
The Fiesta is ugly, weird little triangular windows all over the place and I kept thinking it would fit nicely next to the Pontiac Aztec someday in the Ugly Car Museum.
The interior was extra tight and the gas and brake pedals were so close I seriously thought I might need to take my sneaker off so I wouldn't ride the brake all the way back to NJ. Leg room is non-existent for anyone over 5' 8". Head room was barely there and ingress and egress was bothersome with my 6'2" frame, wanna count the bumps on my head? The ride was harsh and noisy. It did come with Sirius but the speakers were so tinny it just sounded horrible. Seats were unsupportive and uncomfortable but for all of the shortest of trips. The materials used on the interior were cheap and looked it. Mind you this is a fairly inexpensive car and it shows. My advice is unless you are less than 5'8" tall and weigh under 150# save your money and upgrade to the Focus. My score for the 2011 Fiesta 1.6l 2 :up: and that is primarily for the exceptional fuel economy:)

[Pat]

Good reporting of your impressions Mr. Man. Keep them coming as you transport models cause our family members or friends may be interested in such cars. They could benefit because of your driving experiences.

Regards,

[SC Cheesehead]

Good info.

Agree on the Focus. The couple I've driven or ridden in were nice cars, quite roomy for their class.

Also agree on the Fiesta. I don't one in either of our futures, bubba. ;)

[Mr. Man]

Good info.

Agree on the Focus. The couple I've driven or ridden in were nice cars, quite roomy for their class.

Also agree on the Fiesta. I don't one in either of our futures, bubba. ;)
Actually Rex it might not be to bad for you as your a little shorter than me. I would venture with the side window down there would be plenty of room. I had the same issue with the 2011 Mustang GT I moved this past fall. So far the roomiest was the 2011 King Ranch F250 SuperDuty but it was also the most costly, over 50,000 dollars.:)

[SC Cheesehead]

Actually Rex it might not be to bad for you as your a little shorter than me. I would venture with the side window down there would be plenty of room. I had the same issue with the 2011 Mustang GT I moved this past fall. So far the roomiest was the 2011 King Ranch F250 SuperDuty but it was also the most costly, over 50,000 dollars.:)

I love 'em! Buddy has one a couple years old, and it's definitely got room.

[Blackened300a]

Any pictures of you in the Fiesta? :lol:

[Mr. Man]

Any pictures of you in the Fiesta? :lol:
Kinda felt like Bubba Smith in the Mini. I also forgot in my Fiesta review and one of the really annoying things was no center arm rest. Just two cup holders and an E-brake handle. :mad2:

[RF Overlord]

Any pictures of the tow truck getting you out of the Fiesta?Fixed it for ya...

When Ford built the Fiesta last time, it got the nickname "Fiasco"...wonder if this one is any different?

[SC Cheesehead]

Kinda felt like Bubba Smith in the Mini. I also forgot in my Fiesta review and one of the really annoying things was no center arm rest. Just two cup holders and an E-brake handle. :mad2:

http://www.google.com/url?source=imgres&ct=img&q=http://www.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/225629_fat_guy_in_car.jpg&sa=X&ei=w9coTcTgEIqr8AasoLDQDQ&ved=0CAQQ8wc4BA&usg=AFQjCNEUhMrfao7w7WynMSmz4D 8ju2rJCA

[Mr. Man]

http://www.google.com/url?source=imgres&ct=img&q=http://www.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/225629_fat_guy_in_car.jpg&sa=X&ei=w9coTcTgEIqr8AasoLDQDQ&ved=0CAQQ8wc4BA&usg=AFQjCNEUhMrfao7w7WynMSmz4D 8ju2rJCA
:lol: Well not quite that bad.

[Krytin]

Don't take it personal Eric - Paul used that same picture for me some time back!
You and I may have to thump a few people the next time we see them! LOL

[Red91LX]

http://www.google.com/url?source=imgres&ct=img&q=http://www.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/225629_fat_guy_in_car.jpg&sa=X&ei=w9coTcTgEIqr8AasoLDQDQ&ved=0CAQQ8wc4BA&usg=AFQjCNEUhMrfao7w7WynMSmz4D 8ju2rJCA


That's just so WRONG! (I like it) :stooges:

[Blackened300a]

Don't take it personal Eric - Paul used that same picture for me some time back!
You and I may have to thump a few people the next time we see them! LOL

You remember that huh? lol

Mr Man's musings reminds me of "You know what grinds my gears?"
http://joeysgymclass.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/grinds-my-gears11.jpg

[Krytin]

You remember that huh? lol

Mr Man's musings reminds me of "You know what grinds my gears?"
http://joeysgymclass.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/grinds-my-gears11.jpg

Yes and Yes!!

[RF Overlord]

http://www.google.com/url?source=imgres&ct=img&q=http://www.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/225629_fat_guy_in_car.jpg&sa=X&ei=w9coTcTgEIqr8AasoLDQDQ&ved=0CAQQ8wc4BA&usg=AFQjCNEUhMrfao7w7WynMSmz4D 8ju2rJCAEric's beard isn't that long...

[SC Cheesehead]

I've had a couple rental cars over the past six months that were pretty close to that.

http://images2.cpcache.com/nocache/product/427578322v2147483647_480x480_F ront.jpg = NOT! :mad2:

[Mr. Man]

Dealer trade today: 2011 Ford Focus SE for a 2011 Ford Escape AWD ??(didn't catch the letters).

Focus was similar to the one I reviewed earlier. It handled well in the snow. This car was a basic bare bones commuter car with an automatic. As before car was roomy enough for it's size. Still wish there was more foot well room, both for width and length. If your tall you will wish you had more leg room. Head room was good and shoulder room would be good for most. A bit tight for me but I'm not average sized.:cool:
Didn't play with to many of the knobs or buttons but those that I did play with all worked. Heat worked well and I was toasty in no time at all.
Mr. Mans score for this car :up::up::up::up: out of 5. Points off for tight leg room. Wish auto makers would make the seat slide back further.

Escape is Fords small SUV. I liked this SUV. It was a four banger with an automatic (5 speed I think). It had plenty of head and shoulder room, again a bit tight in the foot well area. Heat worked well and all the buttons and knobs I played with worked. Fit and finish were good. It was amazingly quiet for a basic SUV. Aside for the initial 4 banger engine noise getting up to speed, (which was leisurely,) it quieted right down at speed and I was able to enjoy the Sirius radio(B.B.Kings Bluesville). The transmission would hunt for the gear it wanted going up steep hills but once it found the one it wanted it would hold the gear until a shift was necessary.
Seating position was good as far as seeing the road. I felt as though I had a commanding view of the road in front of me. Be aware though this is one of those vehicles that doesn't give you a feel for how fast you are going and I was surprised to see higher speeds on the speedo than I thought I was traveling. Seats were adequate as far as comfort goes but I didn't have this car for a long haul so I'll reserve the right to critique further if I get to drive one for a longer distance. One flaw though I think easily fixed is the rear seat center head rest. It blocks the rearview mirror making it effectively useless. I think the headrest pops out easily and that would fix the problem. It's not needed anyway as only the smallest of humans could sit in the center. Ford markets this SUV as a 5 seater but realistically it seats 4.
Ford says mid 20's for MPG's and I was nearing 16 and it was still climbing so they might be accurate. I understand there is a V-6 available and I'd probably go for that along with the auto.
Overall I thought this was a pretty good SUV. It has as more room than Paula's Aviator and would make a good commuter SUV for people under 6 feet tall but for short distances 6 footers can manage.
My score for this Escape is :up::up::up::up: out of 5. Points off for lack of leg room and leisurely 4 cyl engine.

[CBT]

Interesting Escape review, you and I are about the same height, keep them coming :beer:

Oh, what year is it, a new one?

[SC Cheesehead]

The wife has an '06 Escape Hybrid. Nice vehicle, and suprisingly peppy for a 4 cyl. Running +/- 70 mph it'll pull down 32 mpg all day long.

From what I've heard the new Escape models have been refined and are prolly even more enjoyable to drive.

[Mr. Man]

Interesting Escape review, you and I are about the same height, keep them coming :beer:

Oh, what year is it, a new one?
Both were 2011's. Fixed it in the review.:)

[Mr. Man]

Today was 2011 Taurus day.. I had high hopes for the Taurus and the one I was getting was a 3.5l V-6 w/6 Sp auto. Limited Edition. Car was some sort of innocuous Silver w/ tan leather interior. List $ was over 40K:eek:

Well IMO Ford swung for the bleachers and came up short. What you get is a mixed bag of really good and not so good. Not really bad but stupid things that the engineers at Ford should have thought through.

The good included a peppy engine and transmission that seemed well matched. There was a slight clunk while traveling in stop and go but the transmission was smooth as silk on the highway. Mileage was surprising as the sticker claimed 27 hwy and I saw 28.3 and climbing on I-95. Combined was about 25 mpg which I thought was pretty good. The ride was smooth and the suspension soaked up all but the biggest NJ bumps. If Ford could fix the problem issues I found it would make for an excellent cruiser.

The car is extremely quiet in the cabin, so much so I kept checking the tach to make sure the motor was running. Only time I noticed the engine noise at all was in a spirited romp while getting onto I-95.

The stereo cranked and I was glad to have my BB King Bluesville to listen to on the way down and back. By the way I had a bare bones Focus sedan for the trip down and my opinion still hasn't changed on those cars (see previous reviews for the Focus). This Taurus had Nav and Sync but I left my computer degree at home. From what I've read once you get used to it it works well.

Now for the not so good, and by that I don't mean terrible like the Fiesta just dopey things Ford could have done better.

The interior is were most of the faults lie except for the ridiculously high rear boot. The truck is very spacious but the opening is small, so large items might be a challenge to get in. The high rear end styling (think Chrysler 300) makes the rearview mirror... I can only explain it as a joke. The DS rearview constantly had a reflection of the interior in it. The PS rearview was fine but both were smallish.

The seats were good and supportive once you managed to shoehorn yourself through the door. I had the seat all the way back and down and found my left shoulder jambed up against the B-pillar and Ford considers this a full sized car, I beg to differ. If you are over 5-10" you will hit your head on the top of the door opening and if you are over 200 lbs and taller than 6' the seating area will begin to feel tight and if you are over 300lb and taller than 6'(me) you will feel like you are squeezing into a Fiesta. Head room was getting tight but my head had about 3/4" to the roof which had a power sunroof. Without a sunroof I think there would have been more head room. I had plenty of leg room but the center console is so wide my right leg was not able to "man-splay" and the top of the console was at the same height as the seam on my jeans so that was a constant source of irritation. The gas pedal has a light feel to it, I prefer a bit of back pressure on my pedals and as I'm a left foot braker I found the pedals a bit to far to the right. Vision out the front and sides was good and the rear as stated before is a joke.

The buttons knobs and gizmo's were a mixed bag of good quality but to small to use effectively if you were wearing gloves. I also found with the seat back the reach for all the buttons, knobs and gizmo's was to much of a stretch and made for changing things around to much of a distraction. If the seat is forward I could see this as less of a problem. The trunk release is on the PS of the console right within a child's reach and there was no lock out when the car was in gear. This I imagine could make for some interesting drives home from the grocery store:lol: The steering wheel was beefy which I like but small hands might find it a minus. Things not covered in vinyl or leather were of a cheap plastic and don't even get me started on the faux plastic wood accents:shake:

The car comes with a proximity key fob, no metal key. As long as the fob is w/in X-feet of the starter button you are good to go. Push button to start and push same said button to turn car off. This car also came with paddle shifters which I didn't use and basically thought were ridiculous. It's a Taurus not a Ferrari and you are not going to fool anyone into thinking its a Ferrari either.
The fit and finish inside and out was good. Lots of cubby storage places and drink holders galore. I didn't sit in the back but it looked roomy but I imagine egress/ingress would mirror the front seat contortion act.

So as you can see I found it a mixed bag of good and not so good. I give it :up::up::up: 1/2 thumbs up out of 5. I know Ford can do better.

[RoyLPita]

I've done my fair share of dealer trades, too.

[Bigdogjim]

Mr. Man while I feel for the lack of room and troubles getting in and out of most cars you need to remember todays car were not made for guys our size:):):)

[Blackened300a]

Mr. Man while I feel for the lack of room and troubles getting in and out of most cars you need to remember todays car were not made for guys our size:):):)

Theres a solution. :D
PRBomSKGiAA

[Bluerauder]

Today was 2011 Taurus day..

.... except for the ridiculously high rear boot.... The high rear end styling (think Chrysler 300) makes the rearview mirror... I can only explain it as a joke. The DS rearview constantly had a reflection of the interior in it.

While browsing one day, the wife and I checked out one of the new Taurus'. The rear end and the view out the rearview mirror was one of the things that I noticed as well. The position of the rear high-brakelight further restricts the view. I think we are somewhat spoiled by the excellent all-round visibility from the driver's seat of the Marauder. Seems that many new cars are built for the people who check their rear view about once every other week and use the mirror to keep an eye on the kids in the back seat.

I really didn't have any problems with space and had no problem getting in or out of the Taurus. Maybe one day we'll take an extended "test drive" to get a better feel for the car.

[Krytin]

I had the same problem when I drove a Charger - rear view is minimal at best but these are all the new "world" cars of the future!