Tell me about the Ford Flex...

[azcycle]

Originally Posted by Dukeryder

I had one as a rental for a week a couple years ago and I absolutely hated driving that thing, the seating position was really low and awkward, the visibility out of an normal mid-size SUV is so much better. Being so low and long, parallel parking it was a bitch but no more so than a Full Size SUV. I also think it's super ugly. It really amazes me that they dropped the Freestyle/Taurus-X in favor of this the Flex. If you're used to driving a regular SUV I think it'll take some getting used to. At the time my personal vehicle was a 4th Gen 4runner and I was so happy to be back in that thing after returning the Flex.

If I were in the Market for a new family hauler type vehicle. I'd rather one of the new Escapes over the Flex. have no clue what the $ difference is between the 2 though.

I'd love an Escape but they're in the same size-range as my Jeep Patriot, which now is too small. We've got to move up in size a bit and out of all the larger "crossover" SUV's the Edge just seems to fit. Kinda like a station wagon of old on steriods without the stigma of a huge SUV or soccer-mom mini-van.

I do appreciate your "other side of the coin" opinion.

I got the official "I actually like them... Let's do it!" from the wife last night. Looks like we'll be selling her Volvo C30 (anyone interested ha!) and trading in my Patriot in January, and going down to one main vehicle with the Flex. We've done the one-car thing before and can handle it. Plus with my old Mustang, the motorcycle, 5 bicycles, and living along a main bus line straight to work, I think we'll make it work until we can unload some debt.

[cbolling]

I test drove one a couple of years ago. The thing was awesome!

[PMC]

I'm piling on the EcoBoost bandwagon
I have one in my truck and it's freaking fantastic. Fairly good MPG and goes like a bat out of hell when you step on it. 365 hp and 420 tq out of a 3.5l is crazy.
The Flex with the 365hp motor used in the SHO would be a gas to drive.

If I have anything to say about it (and I will) my wife's next car will have some variant of the EcoBoost in it.

[azcycle]

Update!

We spent last week doing some research and found a 2012 Flex SEL in white with "light stone" interior. We test drove it, as well as an Edge, because my wife liked the look of the Edge better. But after both of us driving the Edge, we didn't like it much. It was fine, I guess. While it was bigger than my Patriot, the rear cargo room wasn't. Plus, it just felt cheaper. So a big "no" there.

Then we drove the Flex. My wife got in, her eyes widened and she looked at me and said: "I REALLY like this!" She also loved driving it, as she will be driving it 80% of the time. I was pretty much sold before I walked into the dealer. But the test drive cemented it.

So we sold this on Craigslist for $6500 cash. Sold in about 8 hours:


And we traded this in at the dealer. They basically just paid off the loan for us, which was fine, I suppose:



And this is what we drove away in. A 2012 Ford Flex SEL with about 24k on the clock. Stone leather interior, a lot of bells and whistles, and tons of room to grow into. Rather unfortunate, but it isn't the EcoBoost. They're hard to find, and the dealer told us they're having a problem buying them because they're typically going for MORE than they're worth at auction. They can't get a good profit margin out of 'em.



It drives incredibly well, and even with the non-EcoBoost engine, the 3.5 V6 does pretty well. My wife now loves it.

We've gone to being a one (one being used loosely) car family. Being only 6-miles from work, on a main bus line, with plenty of bicycles, motorcycles, and my 65 Mustang, I won't have any problems commuting.

[DriveShaft]

Originally Posted by azcycle

Update!

We spent last week doing some research and found a 2012 Flex SEL in white with "light stone" interior. We test drove it, as well as an Edge, because my wife liked the look of the Edge better. But after both of us driving the Edge, we didn't like it much. It was fine, I guess. While it was bigger than my Patriot, the rear cargo room wasn't. Plus, it just felt cheaper. So a big "no" there.

Then we drove the Flex. My wife got in, her eyes widened and she looked at me and said: "I REALLY like this!" She also loved driving it, as she will be driving it 80% of the time. I was pretty much sold before I walked into the dealer. But the test drive cemented it.

So we sold this on Craigslist for $6500 cash. Sold in about 8 hours:


And we traded this in at the dealer. They basically just paid off the loan for us, which was fine, I suppose:



And this is what we drove away in. A 2012 Ford Flex SEL with about 24k on the clock. Stone leather interior, a lot of bells and whistles, and tons of room to grow into. Rather unfortunate, but it isn't the EcoBoost. They're hard to find, and the dealer told us they're having a problem buying them because they're typically going for MORE than they're worth at auction. They can't get a good profit margin out of 'em.



It drives incredibly well, and even with the non-EcoBoost engine, the 3.5 V6 does pretty well. My wife now loves it.

We've gone to being a one (one being used loosely) car family. Being only 6-miles from work, on a main bus line, with plenty of bicycles, motorcycles, and my 65 Mustang, I won't have any problems commuting.

Cool! What seating arrangement do you guys get w/ that, the 3-across or the double-bucket?

[azcycle]

Originally Posted by DriveShaft

Cool! What seating arrangement do you guys get w/ that, the 3-across or the double-bucket?

Didn't have any choice, being used. But front is two buckets. Second row is a split-folding bench. Which is good as we can put Max's car seat smack in the middle.

[AtlantaViking]

And good choice, that 2012 front end is soooo much nicer looking than the new 2013 style. I really like everything about the Flex, but I just am not liking that new front end style...so in my opinion - you did good.