I am one of the unfortunate people that bought the 2006 Mariner and due to circumstances, I bought it sight unseen. I was told that the Nav system was almost identical to the one in the Mountaineer (First lie) Boy was I disappointed when I saw the piece of $3000. junk in the dashboard. Also the sicker which I still have said Satellite compatible (Lie # 2). It also said Standard 6 CD IN DASH cd player (Lie # 3)....(Its under the seat where I had my 8 track in the 60's). Then the last one, Plays MP3's (Lie # 4). Even the dealer had (and showed me) that this piece of junk was "satellite compatible". After many attempts to talk to Ford directly about it I finally got a call, their response "Your complaint has been documented".
HA....What a joke. Guess what, their loss. I have owned Fords since my first one, a Galaxy 500 in 64. This Mariner is my LAST.
Then to top all that off they (Ford) release within 6 months two model years to compensate for all the mistakes they made in the 06. Boy did my value in that car go down. I am still upside down in it.
I even created a website about this http://www.marinerhybrid.net/

The dealership bought and paid for an aftermarket Sirius Radio for it, but it sounds terrible (FM Modulator). Also, one time I went on a trip to North Carolina and the nav system showed me in cow fields while my laptop using Road atlas and a GPS had me exactly where I belong.

Even the mileage is a joke, 10 below advertised and I drive very light on the foot. Their response, some get good some don't, live with it.

Next car will be a Lexus.

 

So you get 19MPG? That seems really low.

 

No, I get around 21 - 23, 23 with no a/c, and a tail wind.....it has NEVER hit 24, been as low as 20. I live in South FLorida so never experience cold, and do not use the a/c that much, only in summer.

John

 

Considering that many people here get close to the advertised MPG I would think something is wrong with yours.

 

"NEVER NEVER NEVER Buy a vehicle without seeing/driving it first."

I think you hit it on the head...

I can tell you that the 2008 NAV unit and radio is great (even if I didn't get the option of steering wheel mounted controls).

 

If you saw my website then you understand why I bought it. I believed the dealer, and read the info myself, had it all been true then there never would have been an issue. Believe it or not my main concern was the Satellite radio. I am so sick of hearing people screaming commercials, and forcing awful music on you.....So as bad as it sounds, its still better than radio, FM or AM. It was all the LIES that pissed me off more than anything. The ONLY thing I will say about this vehicle, outside of one recall and the nav system being way off, I have had no problems with it, well that is except for owning it.

 

How far are you from Jupitor (spelling?), Florida? There is a Ford Escape Hybrid expert on hypermiling named Gary Gatlin (spelling?) who is listed as GaryG in this forum. Gary can show you how to easily improve your mileage at no cost. Meeting him will be cheaper than springing for a Lexus.

 

I felt the same way about the real-time mileage calculation but got over it real quick after installing an aftermarket nav unit with way better nav functions, iPod controls, better sound etc. Now I calculate mileage when I fill up the tank...

 

Get a scanguage II unit and you will have instant mileage and a host of other features.