Got a new toad

[Laura & Charles]

Like many of you, I came into driving age when VW beetles and microbuses were plentiful. My first cars were those, along with two-seater (mostly British) sports cars, and American muscle cars. My era's biggest revolt to our fathers was growing our hair and beards out and driving manual transmission cars.

I ended up appreciating most foreign cars over American rust buckets. Detroit really lost a lot of ground in that time (at least with me) and I became pretty loyal to Toyota/Lexus and Honda.

Fast forward to 2016 when we got our first RV. A class A that needed a toad. I got rid of my beloved Lexus LS 430 and we set Laura's Saturn Vue up to dinghy tow. After a couple of years, we traded the Vue for a Honda CR-X and pulled it around the country for a while. When it came time to replace it, we wanted something newer, a bit bigger, and more luxurious. I'd seen some Lincolns flat towed so started there. Found the MKX (now Nautilus) was flat towable with the 2.7 V6, but most review comparisons favored Ford's sister model, the Edge.

If anybody told me a year or two ago that I'd own a Ford, I would've lost serious money betting against that.

Different Edge trim lines over different years are available with the 2.7 V6. In 22, only the ST trim line had that engine. We found a 2022 Edge ST with a little over 6K miles on the clock and pulled the trigger. I've owned Saabs and muscle cars and I haven't had anything I would call a quick car in a long time. This V6 twin turbo will do 0-60 in 5.7. It Scoots 40-75 in the blink of an eye. It pushes my butt back in the seat like I haven't felt in a long time... and without any torque steer. (I know there's a lot faster out there; but I've grown very used to 4 cylinders, so let me have my moment. Besides, it's just a CUV.)

It rides smooth, just stiff enough that I feel in total control. It goes precisely where I point it and it's got all the bells and whistles that I could ever want. (Loving the adaptive cruise control! And that ridonculous interface screen the size of laptop in portrait position!) My only real complaint is road/wind noise. I'd be very willing to pay for effective aftermarket sound dampening but, as it is, it's not so bad.

I'm still in awe that I'm SO taken with this FORD?!?... I'm SO glad I stayed open minded enough to give it a chance.

 

[edjunior]

I have a 2016 Ford Edge, the Titanium version (one step down from the ST). I've had it about a year now. It has been a great car (SUV, CUV, ABC, whatever). So far. I've never been a foreign car fanatic, but have owned a couple. I have owned many American cars though, even through the rust bucket years. I drove an old 1978 Ford station wagon from Omaha to Baltimore. Pieces of rust would fall off now an then, but it kept on chuggin. It did finally die while I was out there, and a local junkyard gave me $50 for it. I only paid $400 for it, so I got my money's worth out of it and more. Anyway, congrats on the new Toad, and hope you have my good years with it.

 

[8Muddypaws]

We've towed ours for a few thousand miles. I have a disconnect switch on the battery because it kept going dead. Someone else towing an Edge advised me to do that. Other than that it's been great.

We have the V6. It's plenty powerful.

 

[Skookum]

The ST is a nice car. Ford did a great job with it. My folks have an older Edge that's been good to them for the 10 years they've had it. The Edge makes for a very versatile toad, too.

 

[TonyL]

Welcome to the Ford camp.

 

[Ex-Calif]

Fast forward to 2016 when we got our first RV. A class A that needed a toad. I got rid of my beloved Lexus LS 430 and we set Laura's Saturn Vue up to dinghy tow. After a couple of years, we traded the Vue for a Honda CR-X and pulled it around the country for a while. When it came time to replace it, we wanted something newer, a bit bigger, and more luxurious. I'd seen some Lincolns flat towed so started there. Found the MKX (now Nautilus) was flat towable with the 2.7 V6, but most review comparisons favored Ford's sister model, the Edge.

The most questionable choice in this history is the Saturn - LOL... For some reason when they came out I decided I would never own one.

For us boomers that grew up in the muscle car era it takes forever to be recalibrated - no replacement for displacement, right?

I am noodling trading my truck in for an SUV. The top 3 SUVs in terms of towing are V6s. The Dodge Durango 5.7 V8 comes in at #4. My Ram has the 5.7.

The hybrid Sequoia is 3.7L V6 with 437hp and 583 ft/lb of torque. It's dropped to #3 but I am still hankering for the Expedition.

My dad was an OG hot rodder in the late 30's - Of course it was the flathead Ford. My high school car was a Chevelle - Dad didn't disown me or anything like that. I never got into the "Ford guy" vs. "Chevy guy" thing. The Chevelle is what I could get and what I could afford.

Glad you are lovin' your new ride!

 

[Laura & Charles]

The most questionable choice in this history is the Saturn - LOL... For some reason when they came out I decided I would never own one.

For us boomers that grew up in the muscle car era it takes forever to be recalibrated - no replacement for displacement, right?

I am noodling trading my truck in for an SUV. The top 3 SUVs in terms of towing are V6s. The Dodge Durango 5.7 V8 comes in at #4. My Ram has the 5.7.

The hybrid Sequoia is 3.7L V6 with 437hp and 583 ft/lb of torque. It's dropped to #3 but I am still hankering for the Expedition.

My dad was an OG hot rodder in the late 30's - Of course it was the flathead Ford. My high school car was a Chevelle - Dad didn't disown me or anything like that. I never got into the "Ford guy" vs. "Chevy guy" thing. The Chevelle is what I could get and what I could afford.

Glad you are lovin' your new ride!

The Saturn came with the wife. It wouldn’t have been my choice, either. But in fairness, it made a pretty good toad and what we already had that could be towed four down. We were >< this close to keeping the Lexus and getting a dolly. But dolly manufacturers don’t recommend towing backwards and the LS was rear wheel drive. (I know you and I don’t see eye to eye on dinghy vs dolly, but BOY am I glad we weren’t able to go dolly back then.)

 

[Ex-Calif]

(I know you and I don’t see eye to eye on dinghy vs dolly, but BOY am I glad we weren’t able to go dolly back then.)

Dirty little secret is that if I decided to continue FT in a Class A long term I would likely have made the switch to dinghy. I try to think I am never "hard coded" into one way blindly.

I mess around with cars enough that I needed a dolly anyway. TBH I only every really towed my motorcycle trailer behind my rig.

 

[Wasillaguy]

We've towed ours for a few thousand miles. I have a disconnect switch on the battery because it kept going dead. Someone else towing an Edge advised me to do that. Other than that it's been great.

We have the V6. It's plenty powerful.

I think a lot of cars drain the battery these days. We have a 2016 Forester that drains. Traced it to the Navstar/GPS gear. Have to pull a 30A fuse to end the transmit burst that go out every 45 seconds or so.
Of course they tied the computer interface to the same power source so you lose all presets too.

 

[8Muddypaws]

The edge doesn't seem to care if all power is removed. All the presets are fine, GPS works.

We previously had a Honda CRV. It totally spazzed out if the battery was disconnected. Radio and GPS required that codes be entered. I learned that the hard way.

I power my aux brake from a JNC booster battery.

 

[Laura & Charles]

Our ‘22 Edge has an electronic park. Apparently, if you don’t completely disconnect the battery and the park system senses the car moving over some (low) speed and engine not running, it’ll set park to on. Not desirable when in toad mode.

I don’t yet know the impact on the presets.. But we’re relocating anyway.. radio and GPS presets don’t much matter. Seat and mirror presets are about it… (Meh, first world problems don’t get me much concerned these days.)

 

[Ex-Calif]

don’t yet know the impact on the presets.. But we’re relocating anyway.. radio and GPS presets don’t much matter. Seat and mirror presets are about it… (Meh, first world problems don’t get me much concerned these days.)

My kid moved my truck two days ago. Started fine for him and he only moved it across the property. I went out to go somewhere and the battery was dead. 10.2 volts. I put it on charge for 20 minutes, hit the engine start/boost function and it started.

Disconnected the charger and no start - 10.8V. Pretty much sure a cell died. So a quick trip and a new battery. All is well. battery was OEM 65k miles and 4+ years old.

So the point is only the clock and date needed setting. The radio, apparently, has NVM and held all the presets and BT device info. I am guessing all modern cars will be like that.

(For the curious I bought my goto WM Everstart Maxx - 800CCA vs. OEM 700CCA. 3 year 100% unconditional warranty - no prorating.)

 

[jackiemac]

Welcome to the Ford camp.

I just knew you'd be right in there!!

 

[Wasillaguy]

I think a lot of cars drain the battery these days. We have a 2016 Forester that drains. Traced it to the Navstar/GPS gear. Have to pull a 30A fuse to end the transmit burst that go out every 45 seconds or so.
Of course they tied the computer interface to the same power source so you lose all presets too.

Got a letter from Subaru that they are extending my warranty to include the cost of a software update. Apparently the "data communications module" is constantly trying to send out data regarding where/how I drive, but it's trying to do it over the 3G cellular network which hasn't been active since early 2022. It never gives up trying, transmitting over and over to nowhere.
I'd bet many other makes/models are the same problem, because they all want that data.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Well, it's not actually "transmitting to nowhere" cause it can't ever get a connection to even start transmitting. But it's wasting time shouting 3G "hello"s that are never answered. I agree - Subaru would love to have the usage data in addition to updating the onboard software. Mazda is another that relied heavily on wireless internet and the 3g tech on older models no longer works. I think older Hundai/Kia too.

 

[Wasillaguy]

Well, it's not actually "transmitting to nowhere" cause it can't ever get a connection to even start transmitting. But it's wasting time shouting 3G "hello"s that are never answered. I agree - Subaru would love to have the usage data in addition to updating the onboard software. Mazda is another that relied heavily on wireless internet and the 3g tech on older models no longer works. I think older Hundai/Kia too.

Mincing words now. Of course no data actually goes out other than the ping itself if it never gets an acknowledge back from a network.
System is too stupid to give up trying after a certain period of time or at a set voltage so the user doesn't end up with a dead battery.
Even if 3G were still active, same crap would happen if you stored the vehicle in a metal building, or a location without cell coverage.
It's really poor engineering.