Escape

[bill2011]

Originally Posted by The Shadow

They didn't want $2200 labour to install - they wanted $1400. List in Canada (given the usual screwing factor add on) is $4,000 and the dealer said he'd charge us $3200. Then add sales tax and that got it to $5200. So, my comment to Ford - stuff it. If we keep towing it and it goes - then you shell out a lot more Ford.

I may be in to the dealer tomorrow to dicker on a trade for an Edge. I want to include baseplate installation (I'll supply the plates) but they will probably gulp and say "we can't do it."

Don

Shadow,
We are in Houlton Maine presently finishing the transmission replacement and the Remco pump install. No cost for transmission (warranty) buut they quoted us $5,500 installed tax in for the pump. I guess we are lucky ( as if any of this is lucky) it happened after we crossed the border into the US and not before.

[walt2137]

Don you will have to watch which Edge you get the Eco boost cannot be towed and the ones with adaptive cruse will add 4 inches to the bracket height to 25 inches verses the ones with at 21 inches, I just removed one off of a 2011 edge 4408-1 the one without adaptive cruse and if you are handy with tools its really not a hard job the only thing you will need a extra hand to set the front cap off ( be sure to set it on a quilt or old sheet not on the bare cement) it took me about 1 1/2 to 2 hrs to install including wiring and and the air lines for a brakemaster w/ breakaway another way to make it easier is to remove the bottom grill instead of cutting holes in it it will look as good and I think better than a chopped up grill, it easy to pop it out and to pop it back in when its time to trade. It took 45 minutes to remove and you could not tell it had had a bracket installed ready for trade in. I used blue loctite on all bolts, if I can be of help contact me through private message,

[bennettau]

Originally Posted by newmar10

the pump did fail but the pressure switch did its job and warned me. if I did not like the escape it would have been gone but of course I have all the base plate and wiring already done. Installing the pump was not that tough took about 4 hours. The wiring for the Mh is a little tougher if you can not find any wires running to the back, You used to be able to buy the kit from remco for 999.00. Ford added some custom stuff to make it look like a factory install with steel lines but in the long run it should not have been my problem

So, are you saying that the pressure switch warning caused you to stop and by stopping to investigate is really what may have saved the transmission? Or what were your actions when the alarm activated?

[The Shadow]

Originally Posted by bill2011

Shadow,
We are in Houlton Maine presently finishing the transmission replacement and the Remco pump install. No cost for transmission (warranty) buut they quoted us $5,500 installed tax in for the pump. I guess we are lucky ( as if any of this is lucky) it happened after we crossed the border into the US and not before.

Sounds like yours cost $300 more than they quoted us plus the FX difference of a couple of %.

We will tow ours one more time it appears (to Petoskey) and then it will be replaced by one of (1) a new Edge (DW test drove it this evening and was fairly impressed and felt it was MUCH nicer than her Escape [of course, I tried to convince her to go with an Edge in Sept 2010], (2) a used Liberty and (3) a long on shot is the new Cherokee. If we get the Liberty she gets to keep her Escape for a couple more years.

Don

[The Shadow]

Originally Posted by walt2137

Don you will have to watch which Edge you get the Eco boost cannot be towed and the ones with adaptive cruse will add 4 inches to the bracket height to 25 inches verses the ones with at 21 inches, I just removed one off of a 2011 edge 4408-1 the one without adaptive cruse and if you are handy with tools its really not a hard job the only thing you will need a extra hand to set the front cap off ( be sure to set it on a quilt or old sheet not on the bare cement) it took me about 1 1/2 to 2 hrs to install including wiring and and the air lines for a brakemaster w/ breakaway another way to make it easier is to remove the bottom grill instead of cutting holes in it it will look as good and I think better than a chopped up grill, it easy to pop it out and to pop it back in when its time to trade. It took 45 minutes to remove and you could not tell it had had a bracket installed ready for trade in. I used blue loctite on all bolts, if I can be of help contact me through private message,

Walt, your advice on this will be very valuable. My son did the baseplates for the Escape. He is not crazy about the idea of doing the Edge after he saw the Blue Ox instructions. I will PM you with my email address and would sure like you to stress that it was easy and why so I can pass it on to him. I'm going to see if the dealer will agree to install the BP's (we use mag lights now and don't need anything else since we have a brake buddy and there is no permanent wiring and I only have to rig up the break away device) but I have a feeling they will not even want to try.

BTW, removing that black honeycomb rather than cutting was is a great idea.

If we go for the new Cherokee we won't get it until Sept likely and we will then have to either wait until spring for the Bps or see if we can be the first at Blue Ox and then they go in free and we get a new tow bar for our effort driving there from the Windsor/Detroit area. If we aren't first and have to buy and install them, at this time we have no idea what that will be like since no one has seen the front end.

The Liberty should be much easier I think (famous last words).

Thanks

Don

[BobThompson]

Forgive my ignorance, please. Have you all been talking about an automatic in reference to the Ford Escape? I was thinking of getting a manual transmission model. I like the idea of the fuel milage and the space within the vehicle itself in the eco-boost version (newer models) as well as (I thought) the ease of towing. Thanks, Bob T

[The Shadow]

Originally Posted by BobThompson

Forgive my ignorance, please. Have you all been talking about an automatic in reference to the Ford Escape? I was thinking of getting a manual transmission model. I like the idea of the fuel milage and the space within the vehicle itself in the eco-boost version (newer models) as well as (I thought) the ease of towing. Thanks, Bob T

Can you get a manual transmission with the Escape?

Ford - Cars, SUVs, Trucks & Crossovers | Ford Vehicles | The Official Site of Ford Vehicles | Ford.com

[jamesrxx951]

Originally Posted by BobThompson

Forgive my ignorance, please. Have you all been talking about an automatic in reference to the Ford Escape? I was thinking of getting a manual transmission model. I like the idea of the fuel milage and the space within the vehicle itself in the eco-boost version (newer models) as well as (I thought) the ease of towing. Thanks, Bob T

A manual transmission is not available in the US for a 2013 and up Escape. Will have to try and find an older version for that.

The Fiesta, Focus, and Fusion is available in a manual transmission version.

[The Shadow]

Signed the contract for the 2014 Jeep Cherokee Limited today with almost all options except for extra speakers and a CD player (we have 6400 tunes on our iPod so don't need the CD player). Should get it in September I hope. DW is really going to like the tech options such as the lane departure warning, forward collision warning, advanced brake assist, blind sport and cross path detection, parallel and perpendicular park assist with stop, etc. If she doesn't like them, I know that I will.

I like the Active Drive II with the driving mode selection (auto, sport, snow, sand/mud) and the transfer case with neutral. Also like the fact that when in 2WD it completely disconnects the rear axle so that there is no drive line drag and that will help fuel economy.

Came within two minutes of signing for a 2013 Edge Limited when I realized it was a few thousand more than a 2014 Cherokee that I had spec'd out and it had more options and some that were not available on the Edge.

I also like the tow group as with it you can tow 4500 lbs. It includes a Class III receiver, aux trans oil cooler,7 and 4 pin wiring harness, full size spare, 180 amp alternator and heavy duty engine cooling. We anticipate moving to a small trailer in a few years and the Cherokee should be fine to tow it.

Just hope base plates are available soon. If no one takes a Cherokee in to Blue Ox in Nebraska before we take delivery we are going to drive there and be their giunea pig.

[bill2011]

Well, we paid the $3,500 and had the Remco pump plus the monitor installed. Have travelled 1,200 miles. So far so good.