[marste]

Hi all:
We just purchased a 2005 Escape XLT V6 FWD last week(52,000), lease buy back. I have a few questions, hope I am posting in the correct area of this site.

Is it too late to get undercoating done, this vehicle doesn't have undercoating? I have been told for undercoating to be effective it has to done from the first year. Any opinions. We live in an area that gets lots of snow and plenty of salt on the roads.

We have power everything and remote entry with theft deterrent. We want to add remote start for the winter, the dealer told us that if we didn't have the remote start done through Ford, that the remote start would disable the anti theft/immobilzer protection? Have any of you added remote start after the fact and not through a Ford dealer? Any problems?

We are getting window vent visors this weekend, probably going to add some splashguards this winter when buy our winter tires. Any preferences to splashguards.

I'd appreciate hearing all your opinions, I did a search here looking for info on these items but couldn't find much.

Thanks for your help.

 

[jpark]

Welcome to E-C!

I've installed one of Ford's remote start modules (remote start only) in a 2006 Escape that had factory remote keyless entry and alarm. It worked perfectly. The only thing that the owner complains about is the extra key fob. If you buy one of these, I can post a wiring diagram if you have any trouble.

As for rustproofing, it's never too late to do it, as long as the surfaces are clean and free from flaking rust. You don't even need to take it to a rustproofer. If you have some free time, and you'd rather not have someone drilling holes in your car, you can use Spectracide Pruning Sealer. This stuff sticks very well to even rusted metal, and it's thinner than the spray "rustproofing" that auto parts stores always sell. It's a lot like the Ziebart spray that Ziebart sold several years ago. Skip the auto-parts-store rustproofing; this stuff really is better. You can find it at Lowe's and Home Depot, and I think I saw it at one of the larger Canadian Tire stores.

Remove the spare tire, mask the exhaust system, all rubber parts, and the wheels and tires, and spray this stuff on all exposed metal under the car.

You can also remove each interior door panel and spray inside the lower parts of each door (and the liftgate, after removing the liftgate panel).

Finally, spray inside the lower front edge of the hood.

For splash guards, I liked the molded Husky splash guards for the Escape. They're longer than Ford's factory molded splash guards, and they're more square-shaped. They're available for models with or without the factory wheel-opening moldings, and now they're available for 2008 models as well.

 

[Squishy]

If you have running boards, you may want to get mudflaps that are wide enough to cover the boards. Slush tends to build up on those running boards and will rub against your pant legs as you step down.

If you have access to an electrical outlet at home and at work, I would forego the remote start. Your block heater will get you warm air much faster, plus it's not all that good to warm up (idle) a fuel-injected engine.

 

[Sidewinder117]

Welcome to the city!

 

[marste]

Thank you for the welcomes and for the replies.

We aren't very mechanical, so we would pay to have these things done.
I don't think our Escape has a block heater, and we don't have a socket near the driveway. We weren't planning on idling too long just long enough to warm up the truck and also make removing snow and ice a little quicker. Hubby works in contruction and most times during the winter these buildings have little or no heat. So to spend a whole workday in the cold and then be able to get in a truck thats already heated would be great, plus it makes it quicker to remove snow that fell during the day.

Nice to hear the remote start didn't interfere with the theft protection, having an addtional key fob would be fine.
Did you install one you bought from Ford dealer or did you buy it elsewhere?

We don't have sidebars but oversized rigid splashguards sound like a very good idea.

Glad to hear it's not too late for a bit of undercoating, there are suppose to be some places around that use a thinner coating and don't drill holes, I'll have to verify this first though. We were just thinking about the underneath.

I was surprised when i phoned around and looked online at the difference in price for the window vent visors. We are getting ours done at Apple Auto Glass for $ 80.00+tax installed, Canadian tire 80.00+tax uninstalled, Ford $125.00+tax unistalled.

We owned a Mazda 626 til we traded towards the Escape last week, I really liked the Mazda and was skeptical about the Escape as I was use to a car not a truck. That's over now, I love the Escape.

This is a great site, lots of great info shared by members who know their stuff.

Thanks again

 

[Squishy]

Even though it sounds like you won't get much use out of it, you should have a block heater installed unless the Escape was imported from the States. All Canadian Escapes, in fact all Canadian Fords as far as I know, come with a block heater as standard dealer-installed equipment. If you can't find the plug, ask your dealer the next time you are in for service.

Hmm, a Canadian that still trusts Canadian Tire for service? :lol:

 

[jpark]

I'm an American that regularly trusts Canadian Tire for sales.

I bought a Coffee Crisp there in February. I had no trouble with it, but it didn't last long.

:lol:

 

[Squishy]

Canadian Tire is great for sales - almost anything you want will go on sale for at least 30% off within the next year, usually sooner. But most associate stores have horrible service in the auto department. Without their techs, I wouldn't have had the motivation to be half the weekend mechanic I am now. I even mount, dismount, and balance my own tires now.