Oh Yes! Another 2,500-mile road trip, another grab for the keys to our 2009 Ford Flex. Would I like to take something else for a change? Sure. But the continuing emphasis on downsizing in the automotive world means our own test fleet is rather short on large family vehicles these days. The next biggest, the Volvo XC60, is unable to manage the job without a roof pod.
Besides, the Flex just might be with us for a full 100,000 miles--we're waiting for a response from one final decider before giving this plan the green light. It seems likely at this point, so our 2,500-mile trip could not be wasted. My family is not complaining, not one bit.
We'll try to keep things fresh for this third go-around.
Ever wonder what a BMW 745i would look like if attacked with a dozen cans of flat black spray paint? Now you know. Take that, Mr. Bangle!
The Flex's optional fridge/freezer really does the job. It holds four 16.9 oz. bottles like these, but just barely, and only if you invert two of them. Note to self: the "freeze" setting means business.
We're headed west on Highway 46, crossing between Interstate 5 and Highway 101. The intersection in the distance is where James Dean met his end, and we're headed towards it just as he did because our destination for the night is Monterey, too.
Imagine a car turning left in front of you, bound for Fresno, as it approaches from the opposite direction. Now imagine you're in a puny Porsche Spyder with no modern safety principles applied to its design or construction. The intersection was narrower and un-lit back then, but the same scenario could play out again.
I'm also trying out Road Trip, a $4.99 iPhone app, for this trip to Oregon. It does the MPG and cost math in a snap. Today we went 363 miles on 16.65 gallons of unleaded that cost $2.939 per gallon. Our little app says that works out to 21.8 mpg and 13.5 cents per mile.
Dan Edmunds, Director of Vehicle Testing @ 42,468 miles
the_big_al says:
09:49 AM, 12/22/09
Be careful when you get to Southern Oregon. Especially if you're on I-5.... snow on all the passes today when we woke up! Especially the Siskiyous.
misterfusion says:
10:00 AM, 12/22/09
Go Flex! (Sorry, make that "Go, Flex!")
Interesting conundrum about vehicle sizes. A lot of people are pulling for you to add an Equinox to the fleet (I wouldn't mind), but I wonder if it would be big enough for this trip. How about the 2011 Sorrento?
compliance says:
10:07 AM, 12/22/09
You should have taken the Ram!
bodyblue says:
10:11 AM, 12/22/09
Who or what is the lone holdout on the 100,000 mile test?
shaddai says:
10:32 AM, 12/22/09
Please do keep it for 100k miles!
ckk2 says:
10:41 AM, 12/22/09
so the app does what? basic math?
hybris says:
10:47 AM, 12/22/09
I think the 100,000 mile test should be like Oscar or something like that, a award given to a car for best achieving its purpose.
And in the case of the Flex its been a brutally reliable family hauler just as it was sold as.
With the BMW I have to say I like the whole "Stealth Fighter" look they have going.
mercedesfan says:
11:14 AM, 12/22/09
I second the_big_al on that, except Oregon really isn't the problem (a friend just made this same trip last week when travelling to visit a client in Seattle). ODOT has enough money to keep its passes plowed and clear, the big issue for him was Anderson Grade just outside of Yreka because CalDOT has no money. It was one plowed lane for miles plus a mandatory chain-up. Not exactly speedy travelling.
Anyway, I'm happy you guys took the Flex. Unlike just about every other vehicle currently in your fleet (except perhaps the M3) this is the one I don't tire of reading about.
adavis2493 says:
12:30 PM, 12/22/09
You guys should trade it in at 50,000 for a nice Taurus.
throwback says:
12:40 PM, 12/22/09
Dan, I for one love these Oregon road trips. I want to visit the Oregon coast now. Can I stay with your folks?
brian55 says:
02:21 PM, 12/22/09
I've often wondered if James Dean would of 'bought it' if he had had his headlights on that day, or did he?
I always use my headlights whenever I'm driving a 2 lane highway during daylight hours. Whenever I pull out to pass I also flash my high beams. Made good sense 50 years ago, & IMHO, still does today. Yeah, I'm that old, learn to drive in '56/'57. Many drivers today don't know how to properly judge speed and distance when passing on a 2 lane.
wrinklebump says:
02:40 PM, 12/22/09
100k or bust.
ahightower says:
03:11 PM, 12/22/09
Under 4 cents per mile per passenger. Can DINKs in Prii top that?
wrinklebump says:
07:06 PM, 12/22/09
Also, what the hell happened to that poor bimmer.
jaden82 says:
11:06 PM, 12/22/09
Ugh...I just threw up in my mouth a little when I saw that matte black BMW. It doesn't look high quality at all...like it was spray painted with cans bought from Wal-Mart. Matte finish looks great when it's in a showroom. Out there on the road...not so much.
I agree with hybris...the 100,000 miles test should be a reward to any car that performs beyond reasonable expectations. However, I can see the staff abusing that reward...such as to keep a highly desirable car, like the M3, on the fleet longer. So if we were to go ahead with this kind of reward, it should be only awarded once a year or something like that.
yellowmiata says:
06:43 AM, 12/23/09
@ahightower
As a DINK with a Prius in the house (figuratively), I can tell you for any road trip I'd lobby to leave the hybrid at home in favor of something more fun to drive (370Z anyone?). Efficient? No. Passing power & XM radio would help me sway my better half (hopefully).
@IL
Please do keep the Flex for 100,000 miles. This vehicle continues to perform and I really look forward to posts concerning it.
hybris says:
10:26 AM, 12/23/09
@jaden82
I agree it would be easy to abuse. The once a year would be a good choice of solving that problem but I wounder about a formal polling on the LT Blog on what cars have performed at level worth of 100K miles.
Then again we'd very likely have at least one if not more BMW's in the fleet just because that seems to be the car that the majority of this blog seems to like most.
Now I kinda understand what the founding father went through. LOL!
bodyblue says:
10:58 AM, 12/23/09
I think it is really nice to see an American car company produce such a quality product......Oh Dan dont you think you should get some new tires before the trip?
lvranger says:
03:31 PM, 12/23/09
I know the Flex isn't a canyon carver but how could you pass up a trip down the 58? A perfect opportunity to give the family motion sickness and test the durability of the interior materials...
robs249 says:
04:33 PM, 12/23/09
I've only seen like 5 to 10 of these on the road, including one i saw on the beach one time. That made me laugh, who takes a flex off-roading? Really. Anyway, how are these selling compared to other crossovers in its class? I see CX-9's and Pilots everywhere. No Flex's. Guess the boxy/hearse look still doesn't appeal to soccer moms. Maybe the new Explorer will sell better.
paragon2 says:
07:17 AM, 12/28/09
100k!! What about the sunroof gap!?
alfaelan says:
10:36 AM, 01/ 5/10
So you're iphone needs and $5 app to do that. My phone came with an app that does that. It's call Excel.
alfaelan says:
10:42 AM, 01/ 5/10
I see lots of Flex's around here, but then a lot of people commute into Dearborn from here.
I can safely say that unlike a Outlook and most of it's competition canon carving in the Flex would not give my wife carsickness. It is tight for what it is. Better than the SVT Focus is now that it has 6 years and a bad bushing or shock some place. Not as tight as the SVT was when new and almost able to keep up with a Corvette on clover leafs. But then the SVT can't tow the toy cars.