Felix

After having this vehicle for a couple months now, I pleasantly pleased w/ it. Very nicely thought out & assembled. It serves my wife & I great. I really never thought we'd have a vehicle like this as always having Mustangs/Camaro's for the most part as well as a couple trucks. Really a great vehicle to drive in inclement/cruddy weather, very similar to my wife's '98 sts which she bought in late '97. Would be nice if the steering column telescoped out a little bit more out as well as the seat cushion had a tad bit more length or a thigh extender. And it doesn't like to be hustled in corners, but I knew that going in. Rides super smooth, very quiet, no rattles, & the 35 pulls it along great w/ decent mileage. As far as the brakes go, yea it does weight some, but it stops good for the most part for 12.6'' front rotors w/ single piston calipers. Could it stop better, yea but its better then other vehicles I've had before I installed BBK's to. I figured I'd just throw quality rotors/pads at it. SS brake hoses as well as flushing the brake fluid would help vs the old fluid & hoses. Yea Stoptech does make a BBK, 13'' two piece rotors w/ 4 piston calipers, but then your at $2000. of which I've spent that & more on Baer BBK's. Anyhow, I'm really pleased w/ this vehicle. Yea it took me a bit to come to the conclusion that this is the right vehicle for us. My wife likes the higher H-point as it took me a bit to get use to a non truck height vs the lowered cars I've had before.

Lexuswiz

iTrader: (1)

There's a reason millions of them sold worldwide, it might not be the perfect car but it's a perfect middle ground for the majority.

Broc

I agree 100% on the steering wheel. It does need to come out about an inch further. But I guess I'll just use a different hold and adapt ... You thoughts on braking parallel mine. But just easier to back off and slow down first. Don't need to spend that kind of $$ just to stop a bit faster ...

My wife really liked one we drove while shopping (FWD). I was a bit less impressed, but OK as a family hauler. Love the back seats. A car company that actually treats back seat passengers with respect.

We will definitely get one (or two) in the next few months. I'm convinced it's a the best all around compromise for many kinds of uses. I think we'll end up with his and hers. Maybe a Gen I AWD for me to mod for mild off-road, and a super clean 07~09 for her. Hers could be FWD as long as one of us has AWD in another vehicle.

Felix

I used the bottom of the s/w for the most part. As far my thought's on the braking, yea it does stop pretty good for the weight using the oem brakes, but the weight doesn't help. So to recoup the bbk price, you'd need to throw quite a few brake jobs at it. Swapping out pads, I'd be swapping out the rotors as well, for sure not turning them as your taking needed meat off them. You'll also find the fwd & awd pricing is so close or same in some cases, why not go w/ a awd? Drive a fwd in rainy, icy conditions to give you a idea. These awd vehicles are pretty reliable vs other vehicles....My brother thinks the same as far as rear seat comfort goes.

Broc

Now my wife is looking at a Lincoln MKX in the same year range. It's an aesthetic thing, not a traction thing ... She loved the first RX she drove 09 FWD (silver w/ gray interior). She hated the second one AWD (white w/ tan interior). She has crossed refrigerator white off the list. Cream might make it ... But likely silver or bamboo or something...

FWD would work for her. No snow, no mud to speak of, 63 year old lady going shopping. Just needs 4 comfortable seats for friends and family, easy ingress/egress, room for pic-nic stuff etc., small enough to park in modern spaces, and a bit of pep

I'm the one trading in semi-serious V8 Lo Range 4x4 w/ Posi for AWD, and more comfort on the highway en route

Felix

Yea the MKX is cool, main thing to think about is the internal w/p on all the east/west positioned 3.5's vs the external w/p's on the F-150's. First one my wife & I liked was the '10+ SRX's. My wife & I also don't like white either. We have a Breakwater blue one which I found. Black, Mica flint, silver or blue is what I was looking for. Saw a few of the bambo colored ones at first thou.

Broc

Sorry, w/p ??

Felix

Water pump, which is internal driven by the timing chain. Yea there are two gen's of them, but the gen 2 pump uses the same seal which wasn't upgraded. Only thing, I'd do is to flush the coolant out every couple yrs w/ new coolant, pay attention to the weep hole which drains right next to the alternator, so need to pay attention to any coolant on the garage floor or where ever you park it. Swapping it out involves dropping the cradle w/ the engine/drivetrain. Figure on changing out the chain, tensioner, idler & guilds. btw its tighter in the MKX/Edge vs the Flex, Taurus. On the '10+ SRX's, you'll want a '12+ for the 3.6 vs the 3.0 of the '10-'11 ones. Really need to pay attention to the sunroof drains, possibly extent them. The rear ones if you don't pay attention will take out the rear hatch module, as it doesn't do to good when its flooded w/ water. The sunroof is super cool & I like the seats & the handling. Oh & the crank position sensor is a real hasel to get to btw. For my wife & I, the 3.5 powered gen 2 does the job. Yea I did look at a few '10-'13 gen3's, really couldn't see paying more for doing the same thing, yea they do have a additional gear & the rear suspension is changed/upgraded.

Broc

Thanks for the head's up

Felix

No problem, glad to help, hate to see ppl go down that way & then they got to figure if they want to repair it or get rid of it for cheap & they're out the cash they originally they paid for it.

Broc

Thanks for the PM. I passed it on to my wife.

When we buy, we don't "pass along". Once we have found a chassis and interior we like, we keep it going until there is a reason (outside of cost) to let it go. Couple of pick-up's ago one lasted for 44 years in the family (with three engines, going close to 1/2 M miles). My Big Bronco has been in the family for 32 years.

But it's leaving for the RX because I want to be able to park in modern urban spaces, have 4 doors and actual comfortable seats for family and friends, and better gas mileage

Felix

Just to add, as you know, When the w/p goes out in a Ford 3.5 placed east/west & its not catched in time, it'll take out the motor, meaning coolant isn't a good lubricant........

Felix

To the top for more reads for some looking for ideas/thoughts....

Keeling54

We bought one after our Merc failed, my wife was very sceptical, didn't like the shape, thought it was too large and would be too thirsty.

Low and behold she loves it. Great driving position, memory seats so she just has to push a button to get the perfect position. Plenty of power when needed, starts everytime, smooth and comfortable and returns 30mpg.

Our kids love the space in the back and the fact the rear seats can recline.

Wish we had bought one sooner.

matts6887

how in the heck are u getting 30mpg out of a rx? Im lucky if i get 23 on the highway out of mine. Are u sure thats not a mistake?