Thinking of buying a used 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid - Page 3 - GreenHybrid

Mark E Smith · #21 (**permalink**) 08-16-2007, 08:21 AM

My service table says 5000 mi (alldata), but they may make no distinction for the FEH. IIRC my manual for the 07 says 10,000 mi If you go 10,000 mi you really need to use synthetic.

glennb · #22 (**permalink**) 08-16-2007, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark E Smith

My service table says 5000 mi (alldata), but they may make no distinction for the FEH. IIRC my manual for the 07 says 10,000 mi If you go 10,000 mi you really need to use synthetic.

Correct, the Ford service manuals say 5,000 mi between changes for the 2.3L all-gas Escapes and 10,000 mi for the 2.3L in the Hybrids. I agree, if someone is going to wait 10,000 mi I would go with FULL synthetic 5w-20 (both Mobil and AMSOil sell a version). I have looked closely at my dealer and I have yet to see a Motocraft (Ford) 5w-20 oil that is not labeled as a synthetic BLEND. [its anyones guess the ratio of synthetic to oil-based hydrocarbons are in what they call a "blend"?]

Mark E Smith · #23 (**permalink**) 08-16-2007, 10:41 AM

Synthetic blends, the worst of both worlds. Cost almost as much as full synthetics and drain intervals are the same as conventional motor oil.

dwmiller438 · #24 (**permalink**) 08-17-2007, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lia0821

Thanks everyone,
I decided to go with the Ford. I put a deposit on it and it will be in my hands tonight. Sticker price was $19995 and I got them down to $18750. They wouldn't go beyond that but it's still a better price than any HOnda I looked at. I think I will look into the extended warranties someone showed me the site for earlier. My original warranty is good up until April, but I may get it after that. I got it at a Toyota dealer and the salesman said you dont' have to use Synthetic oil in hybrids, you just have to change it more often. Is there a real difference between the two?

The Toyota salesman just doesn't know Fords, and specifically your hybrid.
The Ford-specified oil is a synthetic-fossil mix.
[FYI I own an '05 FEH all wheel drive]
I am on the normal service interval, which is 10K miles for both oil changes and tire rotation.
41K miles since October 2004 and all is well. No problems whatsoever.
Even the brakes are good.

TeeSter · #25 (**permalink**) 08-20-2007, 06:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lia0821

Thanks everyone,
I decided to go with the Ford. I put a deposit on it and it will be in my hands tonight. Sticker price was $19995 and I got them down to $18750. They wouldn't go beyond that but it's still a better price than any HOnda I looked at. I think I will look into the extended warranties someone showed me the site for earlier. My original warranty is good up until April, but I may get it after that. I got it at a Toyota dealer and the salesman said you dont' have to use Synthetic oil in hybrids, you just have to change it more often. Is there a real difference between the two?

He doesn't understand Fords or hybrids either... the engine is designed to re-start often, it is always a warm restart and thus oil is always in the engine. The engine rarely even idles. The typical engine with 3,000 miles on it has actually been running for a significant number of hours that are not reflected on the odometer because it wasn't moving and was idling. A hybrid reflects almost all of its running time on the odometer.

What that all adds up to is that the engine ends up with a synthetic blend (Its possible thats just because Ford only wants to carry one 5W30 oil, not because the hybrid NEEDS it more). Of course having a synthetic or synthetic blend is always good for the engine. The service interval is actually LONGER than a standard car because the engine does not idle. Its 10,000 miles between oil changes. Changing it more often won't hurt anything of course.