Impressions and Questions

[EGFP]

I have owned a 2011 Mercury Milan Hybrid (black with all the options except remote start) for three weeks now. Our family has owned many different cars in the past, including a near-top-end Volvo, a Toyota Camry and a Toyota Corolla, a Honda Civic, a Ford Ranger, a Ford Escort station wagon and even a Geo Metro (yikes to the Escort and Metro, although we put 100K on them before they basically fell apart).

 

The MMH is by far the best car I have owned in pretty much every respect.

 

I am getting usually 42-47 mpg (according to the trip end readings) on a 12-mile commute that is on rural roads with 40 mph speed limits and a tiny stretch of highway with a 65 mph speed limit. I go the speed limit and drive conservatively but don't hypermile, although I am trending in that direction. The lifetime average for the car, including times when I have taken it out and passed BMWs and such is 41 mpg. I have filled it up only once so far, and the mileage was just a half mpg below the onboard comp. average (so just a rounding error :) ).

 

So it's a thrill to have a really nice, near-luxury car with that kind of mileage.

 

About the only thing that bugs me, when I think too much about it, is what others have pointed out. The MMH taillights on the side don't exactly align with the portion on the trunk - about 1/8" higher on the trunk. This was a thing in the 2010 Milans as well, so I think it was probably an engineer's calculation error that Ford didn't correct even for the 2011s (they obviously were thinking of killing Merc a while back and didn't even bother to correct it). It's symmetrical, though, and nobody notices until I point it out. Apart from this minor thing, it looks great. I think it's a beaut, and I like the idea of owning a brand in its last year of production - just to be different.

 

So it's 99.9% good and only 0.1% bad or ugly. So I am very happy with it.

 

I have a question, though, about remote start. I didn't get it with remote start, but I have thought about getting it installed aftermarket. However, is it of any use on a hybrid? Does it start up just the EV? Would it just start up the seat warmers? Does it start up the ICE to warm the car at all to get some convective heat in the car?

 

Also, what about security? Do you still need to put the key in manually to put the car in gear? Or can you just drive off without the key in the ignition?

 

It seems like it wouldn't be of much use on a hybrid, but I may be wrong. I'd appreciate information from people who have remote start on their hybrid.

 

Thanks for the info. Also thanks to the FF Forum. Without having read about the car before hand on here - the good and the bad - I would not have made this purchase. And I am very glad I did!

[Kelly Trusz Urban]

it may be different but on my FFH remote start, yes it starts the EV so its nice to have the car cooling off for a minute before you get in. however, when its "on" by remote it also locks the doors so you have to click unlock on the FOB. then opening the door shuts it off again. maybe i'm doing it wrong but the manual did state the same. i dont use it much but it was only $300

[kb9ilt]

I have the remote start on my Fusion Hybrid, but haven't used it yet. I will once winter arrives. Much information can be found in this post.

Remote Start

[Buster1]

We have remote start on one of our other vehicles. It wont let you remote start it unless the car is locked...so then while it's running, no one can enter and drive off. It also pre-heats or pre-cools the car depending on temperature outside. Pretty nice really.

 

Not sure how it would work on the EV/ICE and if ot would heat or cool the car either.

[EGFP]

Thanks for the responses. One other quick security question. In addition to the doors locking on remote startup, when you get in the car, do you still need to put the key in the ignition to put the car in gear?

[Buster1]

Yes, in our other car with remote start.

[runutzzzzz]

The tail lights on the MMH is one of the big reasons I did not purchase the Mercury! Bothers me too much and I would stare at it everytime I went out to the car. I did look at it and I think you can get the tail lights to line up BUT the gap between the top on the light and the indent of the truck will be larger on the top.

 

Depending on what brand remote start you get, they don't all lock the doors when remote started, they don't all shut the car off when the door is unlocked.

 

On a Viper system, you can remote start it with doors unlocked, locked, doors opened or closed and it doesn't matter. When you remote start you will do a "key take over" meaning you put the key in the ignition and turn it to the run position. Then when you press the foot brake the remote start system will shut down.

 

As others have posted, the remote start will act just like if you put the key in the ignition and started the car. The it will stay in EV for a bit then the ICE will run. If it's in the winter and the heater is on it will run the ICE most of the time.

[randylb]

Thanks for the responses. One other quick security question. In addition to the doors locking on remote startup, when you get in the car, do you still need to put the key in the ignition to put the car in gear?

 

 

Yes, you need to put the key in the ignition and turn it to run otherwise as soon as you depress the brake pedal to put the car in gear it will shut off.... one other thing is it will not preheat/precool the interior unless you have the climate control system turned on when you leave the car....

[mirak]

That's a funny issue with the taillights! I chose the Fusion because I liked the price and the exterior styling better (including the honeycomb taillights, which I think look really cool), but I never sat in a Milan, so I don't know how the interior quality compares. Is the cabin supposed to be more luxurious? Less noise?

[lolder]

I don't think the heated seats will come on with the remote either.

[rfruth]

Wish there were LED taillights but honeycomb looks good

[runutzzzzz]

That's a funny issue with the taillights! I chose the Fusion because I liked the price and the exterior styling better (including the honeycomb taillights, which I think look really cool), but I never sat in a Milan, so I don't know how the interior quality compares. Is the cabin supposed to be more luxurious? Less noise?

 

The interior quality is the same. Only one thing stood out on the Milan, the center console and the little bar above the glove box has a different finish! No biggie tho...

 

When i was shopping, the Milan was actually cheaper.

 

 

I don't think the heated seats will come on with the remote either.

 

You can have them turned on when you remote start. It just would require a good installer.

[EGFP]

The tail lights on the MMH is one of the big reasons I did not purchase the Mercury! Bothers me too much and I would stare at it everytime I went out to the car. I did look at it and I think you can get the tail lights to line up BUT the gap between the top on the light and the indent of the truck will be larger on the top.

 

Depending on what brand remote start you get, they don't all lock the doors when remote started, they don't all shut the car off when the door is unlocked.

 

On a Viper system, you can remote start it with doors unlocked, locked, doors opened or closed and it doesn't matter. When you remote start you will do a "key take over" meaning you put the key in the ignition and turn it to the run position. Then when you press the foot brake the remote start system will shut down.

 

As others have posted, the remote start will act just like if you put the key in the ignition and started the car. The it will stay in EV for a bit then the ICE will run. If it's in the winter and the heater is on it will run the ICE most of the time.

 

Here's a bit on it:

 

http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2008/11/mercury-milan-u.html

 

No, I pushed it down, and everything lines up perfectly, rear and trunk lights and the groove on the sheet metal into which they are placed.

 

It's a 2010 and 2011 Milan (not just hybrid) thing. When I release the pressure, it moves up a bit. I think it has to do with the length of the two bottom rubber conelike "stops" on the bottom of the trunk that press against the rear body. They are a bit long and in compression when you push them down so when you remove the tension, the trunk moves back up a bit. So it's not a major trunk v. body misalignment thing. So replacing the rubber stops with slightly shorter ones or shaving them down and/or realigning the latch a bit would fix this. I have heard of people taking the Milan back to the dealer and having them fix it successfully, although I don't know if I'd trust a dealer in general. It's really minor, though, and not noticeable unless you are really looking for it. I have not decided whether to leave it be or to take it into the dealer to be fixed, but, again, I am afraid the dealer's people may just do more damage than good. Gotta weigh being super-anal against the possibility that the person fixing the thing is not super-anal. What do you guy's think?

 

Apart from that, the car is awesome, inside and out. I prefer the Mercury look, frankly. The inside is definitely more luxurious by far than the 501A optioned FFH I initially test drove. But with the 502A option, I think you've got something on a par with the fully optioned MMH, except that the leather is not two-tone, as it is in the MMH, which I personally like but some may not.

 

In terms of price, an MMH with all the options was somewhat less expensive than an FFH with all the options, and more so now that there's a $1,500 rebate on the MMH. Besides liking the looks of the MMH a bit better - to me it does look and feel more luxury-esque - and having something a bit "different," since I wanted all the options, the 2011 MMH was quite a bit less expensive than a 2011 FFH with all the options.

 

The Lincoln MKZ is also nice, but not worth the extra money. I test drove a non-hybrid one. It's still based on the same Mazda6 platform and feels much the same, just a bit more luxurious inside. I don't like the baleen front that much, though. I wonder if now that Ford is just concentrating on Ford proper and Lincoln as a luxury brand, we might see new Lincolns on very different platforms than any Ford.

 

Thanks for all the responses about the remote start system, the one option I didn't go for. I think I'll see how bad the winter is and then decide. If so, would you go with Ford uni- or bidirectional or a third-party?

[runutzzzzz]

Here's a bit on it:

 

http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2008/11/mercury-milan-u.html

 

No, I pushed it down, and everything lines up perfectly, rear and trunk lights and the groove on the sheet metal into which they are placed.

 

It's a 2010 and 2011 Milan (not just hybrid) thing. When I release the pressure, it moves up a bit. I think it has to do with the length of the two bottom rubber conelike "stops" on the bottom of the trunk that press against the rear body. They are a bit long and in compression when you push them down so when you remove the tension, the trunk moves back up a bit. So it's not a major trunk v. body misalignment thing. So replacing the rubber stops with slightly shorter ones or shaving them down and/or realigning the latch a bit would fix this. I have heard of people taking the Milan back to the dealer and having them fix it successfully, although I don't know if I'd trust a dealer in general. It's really minor, though, and not noticeable unless you are really looking for it. I have not decided whether to leave it be or to take it into the dealer to be fixed, but, again, I am afraid the dealer's people may just do more damage than good. Gotta weigh being super-anal against the possibility that the person fixing the thing is not super-anal. What do you guy's think?

 

Apart from that, the car is awesome, inside and out. I prefer the Mercury look, frankly. The inside is definitely more luxurious by far than the 501A optioned FFH I initially test drove. But with the 502A option, I think you've got something on a par with the fully optioned MMH, except that the leather is not two-tone, as it is in the MMH, which I personally like but some may not.

 

In terms of price, an MMH with all the options was somewhat less expensive than an FFH with all the options, and more so now that there's a $1,500 rebate on the MMH. Besides liking the looks of the MMH a bit better - to me it does look and feel more luxury-esque - and having something a bit "different," since I wanted all the options, the 2011 MMH was quite a bit less expensive than a 2011 FFH with all the options.

 

The Lincoln MKZ is also nice, but not worth the extra money. I test drove a non-hybrid one. It's still based on the same Mazda6 platform and feels much the same, just a bit more luxurious inside. I don't like the baleen front that much, though. I wonder if now that Ford is just concentrating on Ford proper and Lincoln as a luxury brand, we might see new Lincolns on very different platforms than any Ford.

 

Thanks for all the responses about the remote start system, the one option I didn't go for. I think I'll see how bad the winter is and then decide. If so, would you go with Ford uni- or bidirectional or a third-party?

 

I pushed down on the trunk of a Milan and when the tail lights lined up the trunk was lower than the 1/4 panel. I'd just leave it unless it really bothers you.

 

Go with a aftermarket remote start. I myself prefer Viper alarms/ remote start. Make sure you have a good installer.

[kirkster57]

Yes you do. If you try and put the car in gear without having the key in the ignition, it will shut off. It will alos shut off it you wait too long after getting in the car that was remote started. Another handy anti-theft feature.

 

Thanks for the responses. One other quick security question. In addition to the doors locking on remote startup, when you get in the car, do you still need to put the key in the ignition to put the car in gear?

[EGFP]

I pushed down on the trunk of a Milan and when the tail lights lined up the trunk was lower than the 1/4 panel. I'd just leave it unless it really bothers you.

 

Go with a aftermarket remote start. I myself prefer Viper alarms/ remote start. Make sure you have a good installer.

 

I have a 2011 in my garage. When I push down, everything is in perfect alignment: lights and sheet metal grooves, trunk and 1/4 panel. So it seems to me a trivial issue. Don't know if they "partly" corrected the thing from the 2010, but this is what I see with my own eyes.

 

Ford called asking about my experience today. I said thumbs up except for this little thing. If their people call back, I will take it in. If they F it up, they are liable. If they don't call, it's like a mole on your butt. Ain't nobody gonna notice unless you pull your pants down and say look!

 

Thanks for the tip on the remote start! Viper, baby! Yeah!

[runutzzzzz]

I have a 2011 in my garage. When I push down, everything is in perfect alignment: lights and sheet metal grooves, trunk and 1/4 panel. So it seems to me a trivial issue. Don't know if they "partly" corrected the thing from the 2010, but this is what I see with my own eyes.

 

Ford called asking about my experience today. I said thumbs up except for this little thing. If their people call back, I will take it in. If they F it up, they are liable. If they don't call, it's like a mole on your butt. Ain't nobody gonna notice unless you pull your pants down and say look!

 

Thanks for the tip on the remote start! Viper, baby! Yeah!

 

So you're saying as your car sits now your trunk sits higher than the 1/4 panels? If so all they need to do is adjust the trunk catch.

[EGFP]

So you're saying as your car sits now your trunk sits higher than the 1/4 panels? If so all they need to do is adjust the trunk catch.

 

Yeah, if I push it down, everything comes into alignment. The sheet metal grooves and the lights - perfect, but only when you apply pressure to the trunk. It's the rubber stoppers at the bottom which are fairly rigid or the trunk catch, as you suggest. BTW, Ford called me back and said they have contacted their body shop about this. I am awaiting a call from them.

[EGFP]

Ford seems to have a congenital problem with trunk alignment, obviously visible with models that have side tail and trunk/brake lights. Look at this:

 

http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2011-ford-grand-c-max-first-drive#3439003

 

Ford is doing so well, but it's the little things that matter. Even Hyundai and Kia get this right. The European imports get it right. Most of the Japanese cars get this right, although the Avalon, which has smaller trunk lights than side tail lights on top suffer from frequent misalignment on bottom. But Ford should get this right. Why don't they?

[EGFP]

Of course, it's cheaper not to have any lights on the trunk, which is why most cars don't. Brake lights on the trunk that flow into side/tail lights may connote a higher sense of luxury and engineering. But it's not like alignment is an insoluble problem. Things can get out of alignment because of wear, but this doesn't seem a problem with most European or Asian vehicles, with a few exceptions. And, straight from the factory, things should be perfect. It's the little things that matter in a potential buyer's perception and, if these things are off, they signal, consciously or not, that other things you may be off too. Symmetry and alignment are hardwired into our brains as desirable. Ford has a general problem with this little thing, despite everything else being so strong. It's like their engineers are on the ball except when it come to the rear of a car, which they design when they are tired and had a couple of drinks. Not a big deal, but It is strange.

Edited October 10, 2010 by EGFP

[EGFP]

Porsche has its problems too:

 

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/10/08/video-wild-turkeys-attack-hapless-porsche-driver/#continued

Edited October 10, 2010 by EGFP