Good News.
 

The Wife and I have just decided to begin the procedure, process, of buying a NEW 2010 Mercury Mariner. First step is to obtain access, or in the alternative, buy a complete set of Ford factory Shop/Repair manual for the 2010 mariner model.

Might even be a 2011 model before we get through the initial process.

Anyone know for sure if the 2010 manuals are currently available for purchase..?

My subscription to techinfo.toyota.com has given me full and complete access to the entire Toyota-Lexus-Scion product line documentation for some years past, and at a very advantagous fee. Does Ford have an equivalent on-line subscription service..??

The very first mod will be dropping a front halfshaft and "wiring" the rear driveline clutch fully and firmly engaged. Ship the halfshaft off to Remco (remcotowing.com) to get a manually operated clutch couping.

Part-Time 4WD, RWD the majority of time and 4WD "as needed".

Regen will then be at the rear adding a bit of safety factor (rear "drag" "anchor"). Or most important removing the horridly poor safety factor of FWD or F/awd operating in adverse, slippery, roadbed conditions.

I've just purchased, Ebay, a full set of grey leather RX350 seats, heated, electric adjustments, driver side memory to install in the MMH.

Conversion to projector type HID/Bi-xenon headlights and LED bulbs all around is a given.

Re: Good News.
 

As we just bought a '06 MMH for my wife, I'm definately interested on some of the stuff you mention. But as I've been spending a good portion of my life under several cars, I'd be mostly interested in doing all modifications myself.

Firstly the manual override to the transfer case sounds interesting. I've never considered a AWD to be anything more than a FWD with possibility to spin 4 wheels when it gets stuck. Thus manual override would be VERY interesting. Although I wouldn't go as far as RWD for the MMH, as I don't think the MMH's transfercase and rear diff are up to handling full time power. But that being said, we JUST purchased the car and I have not been able to research this enough to have the soled facts on this! But in any case I'd be very interested to hear more about this conversion...

Secondly the install of RX350 seats seems interesting. Do you know about the compatibility of the side airbags on these seats? Are they roughly about the same size and more importantly do they have same electrical characteristics for the ACU to accept them as it's own?

As for LEDs, that's given and going to happen soon. (Dual) HID too, but likely as a aftermarket kit to the stock lights. I haven't seen any projectot headlights for sale for the '06 MMH, at least yet.

Re: Good News.
 

Mr. West has never done any of the projects he rants about. He is not an automobile engineer nor does not belong to any professional automobile engineer associations. He is what many referr to as a troll.:omg:

Re: Good News.
 

Actually it doesn't matter to me if he has done any of the projects he's talking about. All I would be interested in is some resources to find some fact. But if Mr. West is just fantasizing here, then obviously no facts or sources are needed.

But, even though I would consider myself as pretty active car builder, I too fantasize about projects that I'll never even start. Not that most of them wouldn't be possible, or even feasible for me to fulfill, but unfortunately I only have time to complete maximum of 5% of them in my lifetime. I just have way too many crazy ideas, and too little time. Why do have to be limited to about max.100 years? =)

Latest mad idea involving a MMH would be to use the driveline and hybrid components from that to a Chevy Astro. Yes, absolutely crazy! Even though the reason for it is solid. The Astro is about the most useful car for our needs I've ever come by. Possible, maybe. I haven't found enough information about the low speed torque specs of the MMH, nor about the weight of the components. Feasible, not yet at least. The project would take me about 1-2 years active building to finish and we would need to buy a MMH separate for that project. But if somebody wants to donate me a technically sound MMH, I'll happily take it in and start the project. =)

Ok, realistically this will not be on the top of my list of projects to start.

Re: Good News.
 

After seeing the early press releases for the re-styled 2012 Mercury Mariner hybrid I'm willing to place a deposit to get an early one.

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Cool! Do you have a link? I googled it and found nothing... no really google just looked back at me and nothing......:zip:

Re: Good News.
 

There is no link or any official Ford media release on this subject. It does exist in the "make believe world" that is frequently posted on this site.