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Five Hundred Experiences?

Time to replace my daily driver (only 121,000 miles but it's 12 years old - getting nervous about it)..

Seems there are a lot of Five-Hundreds available now.....coming off lease, and some with low miles.....just wonder if there are any satisfied (or dissatisfied) owners here.

In particular, wonder about:

is the 3.0 engine as wimpy as the magazine "experts" painted it? not looking for a speed machine - but want to cruise on the highway without fuss.

how about the AWD with continuously variable tranny? I guess it's basically a Volvo set-up.......any problems with it?

any comments welcome!

Reply to
IM punone
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I just looked at

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and it does zero to 60 mph in 7.61 seconds. How ANYONE can claim it's not got enough power is beyond me. Maybe they just can't "feel" it due to the CVT?

Reply to
Ashton Crusher

My Mother has a 2005 Freestyle with the 3.0L V-6, CVT and AWD. I have driven it extensively (took it to Baltimore last year). It is a great car. The only people who think it is underpowered are the people who listen to the "more power" crowd and who think banzi 0-60 runs are a normal driving styles. Out in the real world, in traffic, it never seemed slow to me. I am sure a supercharged hemi Cuda with 4:55 gears could blow it away at a drag strip - but why would I care? Compared to the last Toyota I drove (4 cylinder RAV4) the Freestyle seemed to rocket away from stop lights. Of course if you go by published specs, it is not all that fast, but it never seemed slow to me in real world driving. The ZF CVT is really good. Too bad they discontinued it for the new "Taurus." On the other hand, the new Taurus gets a really good

6 speed and much more power, if you really think you need it.

Ed White

Reply to
C. E. White

My mom has one that now has about 40K miles on it. Not a bit of problems except for the dealership service manager who wants everything under the sun done to it. Anyway, she has had no repairs at all with it and loves it better than the Taurus she traded in. I read a few months ago that there was a recall on the tranny and some other item on the car, but she has yet to get the notice and the service manager has not mentioned it when he does the OASIS on it. The CVT tranny works wonderful so far.

Reply to
Kruse

thanks for the comments guys.....and I agree. I liked the Five Hundred as soon as I sat in one at the car show in 2005 (all that room) and looked at the size the the trunk.

seems like the only negatives are the "experts" in the car mags (underpowered and "bland" styling).........if the same car said Nissan or Audi on it and cost $15,000 more, they'd think it's the greatest thing on wheels.

Glad to hear there aren't any horror stories about them in the real world!

Jim

Reply to
IM punone

I had a 2005 and it's a good car...I got a Ford 06 Freestyle Ltd now...But for lots of info on them go to this site and read all the good points about this fine Ford Car...You may get a lead on a good deal buying one as well...I did not like the tires it came with...but that's me...

You will have no problem with the 3.0 L motor and its 203 horse power to get you up and down a hill ok...I'm getting a new 08 Taurus X LTD next month...So that means I'm pleased with Fords...

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Lansing

To e-mail me remove the X from my E - address...

Reply to
Lansing Small

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