2009 Flex Limited, AWD, light ice blue metallic, glass roof, all creature comforts. Tows an 18' camper swimmingly. all proper maintenance and 160k miles. Wouldn't trade it for the world. May barter for world peace.
I've got a 2011 and owned it over 5 years. Other than a battery ive had no problems whatsoever. I now have 150k miles and still going strong. best car ive owned.
I have one my self and the flex is absolutely beautiful in style and strength by means if you live in an area with fridges temperatures like -57° aka Alaska. It still turns on like a beast
until the water pump goes out (if you have the 3.5) and if you catch it in time before it destroys your engine by dumping coolant into the engine oil. And if you catch it in time, you have to practically pull the engine to replace it. Ours went out on vacation. 1500 to replace a water pump.
What I'm thinking is, I need a lot more people hating over loving a Ford flex before is say no, that said I love the Mazda 5 but non cheap right now, only a Ford flex 09
Moved to Canada, got a 2010 Ford Flex with 213k, well maintained, 20km in no issues besides regular maintenance. Super comfortable, not too bad on gas. Not sure what this gentleman is talking about but it might be a engineering issue on the script. “Sure let’s buy that off-road driven vehicle that’s not an off road vehicle.”
Interesting video. Working for a Ford service department for 43 years, I can tell you 2 things. Never, ever buy a new model/drivetrain from Ford for the first 2 years. They are almost always trouble prone until they figure out what works and what doesn't. Second, the parts you replaced repeatedly were either inferior parts or installed incorrectly. The Ford Flex was an interesting vehicle, our dealer sold quite a few of them and the owners of them have been very happy with them. Most of the ones that come in for repairs are troubles with the AWD system (not a good design) and the early 3.5 EcoBoost engines (pain in the ass engine). The FWD ones from 2011-2019, very rarely seen any in the service dept. and that was only with minor issues.
Ahh you mean like buying a focus with the power shit transmission that nearly killed me a few times and eneded up parting it out at 97k miles fuck ford
You buy an old vehicle that was falling apart and wonder why it's falling apart. And then put photos of it filthy and off-road (which it is not used to). Do you actually maintain vehicles or just expect them to last 150,000 miles?
Thanks for stopping by, appreciate the comments If you check my other videos you'll see I dumped a lot of Maintenance into the car over the last year. If you noticed in this video I also mentioned my coworkers experience with the flex when it was brand new (Spoiler: it wasn't pretty). But, in general, I have always bought vehicles with 'high miles' and in poor repair and have never experienced the same degree of problems I have with this car. I expect any car I buy to be able to handle a drive down a gravel road in the winter, which is what the picture is from. My opinion is still that this is the worst car ever. I'm always on the lookout for one that's worse than this. If you have any suggestions let me know. I'll try to find one to try for myself and do a review on it
@@GearsAndTech if you always buy “high mileage vehicles in poor repair” it stands to reason that you’re eventually gonna be in over your head. instead of putting hundreds of dollars into a poorly maintained vehicle why not put that cash toward a better example?
Thanks for the comment The short answer is I buy what I can afford, and that usually means the car has higher miles. If I can find one that's inexpensive, but in good condition then that's great. But it's rarely the case I'm having great success with my wife's car. But I usually spend more for her so she can have nice things. I don't mind driving breaking junk if it means she can have something nicer. You can see here car here ruclips.net/video/v07sgP1vh9Y/видео.html Also, I do have a few sweet rides that will be getting unveiled soon on this channel Truth is, my avalanche which was half as much as this flex is still going strong. It was the cheapest one in Canada at the time and has only needed regular oil chain he's so far. This flex was an anomoly that I paid way more than I normally would pay, but was still junk. I really was not impressed then, and am still not impressed now.
I agree. The non eco boost (non turbo) engines are the best. The only flaw is with the water pump being internal. But if you do a pre maintenance and change it before it goes out (say at around 150K give or take) this beast will run forever. Just make sure you do an upgraded pump.
I have a 2009 flex with 250000 miles and it just needs regular maintenance and runs like a champ. Maybe your individual flex has issues also it could be living conditions. I live in California so nice and sunny which means way less rust underneath than someone who lives near snow and ice which can also cause cars to breakdown faster
We own a 2018 Flex Limited and it is the best car we ever owned. We have a family of 6 and our flex has never let us down. They are great cars if maintained properly. We traded a 2015 Nissan Pathfinder for it, because at 65k the pathfinder transmission was starting to get weird. We will be trading our flex for the new Bronco when they come out. Not because the flex was a problem, but because the new Bronco is so stinking cool!
I can't believe the Flex group made me watch this. If you're looking at a Flex, don't listen to this guy. If you replace parts with junky offshore parts, you're gonna have problems. This is filled with bias and ignorance. 😂
I figured there has to be at least one out there that worked without problems! Sad thing is, I have only had mine sold for 1 month and I'm already considering getting another.
@@GearsAndTech My opinion is the first-gen Flex had many issues. My father owned a 2014 and It's gone through our family without many issues. The Flex got better with time but I've heard a lot of issues with the first Gen.
I agree, I hope the newer ones are better. I have debated getting one to see. But for now I still need an SUV that can tow. So it'll have to wait a few more years
First vehicle I ever purchased new from a dealer was my 2014 Ford Flex AWD limited. It's been a fantastic vehicle and the best family road trip car I've had. Currently it has 125k miles on it and going great.
"Your feedback on the Ford Flex is invaluable, shedding light on its performance from a real user's perspective. It's crucial for others to understand both the strengths and weaknesses of a vehicle before making a purchase. Your candid assessment aids fellow car enthusiasts in making informed decisions. By sharing your experience with the Ford Flex, you contribute to a more transparent automotive community. Your input encourages manufacturers to strive for excellence and highlights areas for improvement. Thank you for your honesty, as it serves as a beacon for others navigating the vast landscape of automobile choices."❤
I've watched a few more videos, I read the comments and it seems that this guy got it wrong... extremely wrong. 99% of the people who commented about the car, had great experience with it, and everyone regrets that ford will stop producing them... At least admit it bro, be a man and admit it, you're wrong
what you're seeing is a number of FB ford groups that shared this video around. They all came on here, thumbs downed the video, and put a comment about how wrong I am about the car. Coming up with your opinion based on that info would be the same as going to a Trump Rally and asking Joe Biden should be the president. Your results are skewed. Im not wrong. In my experience, this is the worst car ever BUT I am also sad they are stopping making it. Because I do love the car. Just like in the video. Its the hot chick you know you should ignore and move on, but you just cant.....
Rule number 1 of any car purchase. Never, never NEVER buy a first year anything especially if it's a rollout of a new model. But I wonder...Nissan guy, likes an Avalanche. I question this guy.
I was reading online and people were saying that without decent gas, the car would have a hard time in hot weather + up hills + cargo = low power. As soon as they put 91 grade fuel, it didn’t have an issue. Also apparently before you go around towing anything it’s wise to make sure you use the boost option because otherwise there is a part that can get stuck. There’s another guy on yt that covered some of these issues. You never know with people lol
I have had two Flexs. The one I have now is the Eco Boost Twins, AWD and love it. Great to drive, fast for what it is and just eats up freeways. Done many a 20 hour drive with it.
2011 here with 257k on the clock. Best running vehicle I’ve ever had. Changed my whole view on automobiles and I’m a lead auto tech. Me and my wife are prepping to buy a 2019 to add to the collection so we have have 2 ecoboost flexes and chances are we will probably buy another one so we can both have 19s and keep the 11 as a spare. We love the flex that much. I will never forgive ford for discontinuing this vehicle.
Anyone I ride in my car makes the comment is "Wow, this is a very spacious vehicle!" My Millennial kids love it. I am sold on the Ford Flex and like you, What is wrong with you, #Ford?
I'm confused. Is this supposed to be a bad comedy routine? I've heard people complain about the looks of the Flex, but never about the design. And from the feedback here, clearly the vast majority of Flex owners are very happy with their vehicles. It sounds like (a) you bought an abused and poorly maintained used vehicle, and (b) you were expecting it to perform like a tuck - ignoring the fact that it's built on a Ford Taurus platform. As for no resale market, I regularly get called by my local Ford dealer asking if I'd be interested in selling my low mileage, but now 9 year old Flex.
@@GearsAndTech Unless it was competing with a more profitable line, which it was. As a "car", the Flex didn't have as big a markup as the SUV's, and Ford viewed every Flex as a lost SUV sale.
Bought one flex…loved it so much I bought a second. Love them and will be looking for a third when I need. Best family hauler on the road. I get roughly 12km/litre and I don’t drive easy. To bad they aren’t making them anymore
I was a car detailer at an auction. Chevy, Nissan and Pontiac are the worst brands ever made. I've done thousands of cars and in that order, they are terrible.
I just bought a flex immediately starting overheating fans not working and need new water pump which is in the engine so it was so expensive drove it home when I got to my road it started over heating again !! I can’t afford to do anything else to it and I need a car for myself and kids but I’m still stranded,, God help us!
Man that's unfortunate that you've had trouble with it. I have a 2018 Flex Limited EB that just turned 100K miles and I haven't had to do anything to it except regular maintenance. I also put a 91 octane tune on it from 5 Star Tuning and went from 6.4 seconds 0-60 to 5.7 seconds 0-60. My wife and I absolutely love it. I call it my AWD Mustang :D
Buy a used vehicle with questionable maintenance, “rebuild” the front end with cheap parts, and blame the car... My 2014 has been incredible. 90k miles and have only had to replace the rear wheel bearings. Excellent vehicle.
It's positive to hear others have had good experiences with these cars. Honestly, I am pretty sure I'll end up in a newer one at some point. Even though my last one is gone, I still do love them. Just like you go crawling back to yiru girlfriend that beats you. Absence makes the heart grow fonder!
Ford is known for fragile frond ends. They do handle well when everything is working properly. Wheel bearing can get pressed in off just enough to wear excessively fast FYI; that is for any vehicle with pressed bearings.
I think you're misinformed. I bought this car in need of repair and repaired everything it needed then. And also fixed other things as they broke Maybe I got a neglected car, I don't know. But it's still the worst car I have ever owned
Hey thanks for stopping by. I appreciate the comment. I loved my flex too for what it represented. Its possible I had a lemon..... But it really was painful owning it the entire time. As much as I really wanted to love it longer.
Have had my 2013 Ford Flex for 8 years now. I has been reliable and a great all around family vehicle (including towing my 4000lb travel trailer). I plan to drive it another 10 years. I love it.
Couldn't bring myself to watch this all the way through. I'm 65 and have owned over 40 cars in my life. Without question, my 2014 Flex has been the best vehicle I'm ever owned. Period.
That's impressive. It's also impressive how I've owned about the same amount of vehicles and have arrived at the totally opposite conclusion. It makes me curious what the other 39 vehicles have been
@@GearsAndTech I was a (successful) realtor in my life, and realtors and nice cars go together. I've always needed larger cars and I had Buicks, Fords, Lincolns, BMW's, Volvo's, Mercedes, as well as Subaru, Honda and Mazda. Ford Flex was the most reliable one by far. The worst? A Mercedes E class (bought brand new!). The second worst - a Subaru Outback, also bought new. Both of those cars had way more trouble than they should have. Things really can be different from the popular beliefs when it comes to cars . . .
I don't think your other 2 cars listed as the worst a surprise to anyone. Subaru was a horrible decision The Mercedes should have been given back when the warranty expired. My Ford flex cost me more in 9 months than my Mercedes ml550 has cost me in 3 years.
@@GearsAndTech It seems you get lucky with some, and with others you don't. One of the best cars I ever owned, bought early when I was younger and without much in the way of bucks, was a 1993 Dodge Spirit. Bought new, loaded with options, cost next to nothing . . . yet ran forever without any problems or repairs. Then I sold it a few years later with 100,000 miles for a great price. I didn't expect anything much from it, but it was truly a reliable, well built car. Well . . . then you go buy an import, pay 5 times as much, and it's just no good. Go figure . . . From now on, it's Ford, or Toyota, for me.
If you’re 65 you really should question why you’d get so emotional over a car (and hardly a dream car or object of passion) that you didn’t even finish the video and had to instead complain in the comments. All because your anecdotal experience was good…..
2010 Flex Limited AWD Naturally Aspirated with tow package. Love my Flex. I bought it used from a dealer in early 2012 with about 20,000 miles and remaining warranty. I loved the Flex. Room for 7 people and cargo and it just fit into my small two-car garage. I gotta tell you that I drove about 10 different Flex's before settling on the one I purchased. It drove smoothly. The other 9 Flex's all drove differently and some just didn't "feel right". As far as handling in the snow, I equip my Flex with all-weather Nokian Tyres. They are way better than all season tires which constantly scared the hell out of me... bad traction. The Nokians fixed that. Need great traction here in Wisconsin. My only real problem I've had was that my water pump failed at 100,000 miles. If yours fails, its a good idea to replace timing belt while you're in there. Driving my Flex on the freeway is a dream. It cruises so nice, I have to go light on the pedal. Feels like I'm going 65 mph when I'm actually doing 80+ mph. Just so comfortable! Flex's were made in Canada. I think they are great vehicles!
Im in wi too. I just purchased a 2018 flex and it is the awd model. Was nervous as I don't usually buy vehicles in summer. Prefer to buy in snow to see how they handle honestly but time and car breaking down did not allow for that. Where do you buy said tires from?
Maybe watch the video. I explained this already. Its one of the lowest km cars I have ever owned, but its the most broken and junk one too Your excuse doesn't make sense
I have 500k on my EcoBoost 2010. Nothing wrong with it besides a cat is bad. Have a blow off valve and I do oil changes with full amz oil every 3500 and a new amz oil filter every 10k.
I've got a 2009 Flex and after about 22 various vehicles I find it is quite good. Mine is the naturally aspirated one. I like it much better than my 1992 Infiniti Q45. Mine is the front wheel drive only, at 270,000 Km bought used about 7 years ago. Rear toe link replaced under warranty, but almost had an accident on a snowy mountain pass before it got done. Planning to do my water pump soon.
I don’t get it, My Dad owns a Ford Flex, and it works fine, he has no problems with it, and he f**king loves it! It’s actually reliable, it was only your first flex that had problems, Just buy it Brand new and never used, you just bought a terrible bad condition Ford Flex!
We have had 2 2014 Flex’s. The first was a turbo and we had it 3 weeks before my wife flipped it with 2 of our kids onboard. Everybody was fine thanks to the ridiculous bouncy house air bags. Our replacement is an SEL non-turbo. We had to replace a front wheel bearing, but used a Timken premium bearing (made in OHIO). No further issues. We bought it with 88k and it’s up to 118k (miles) and all we do is change oil and add gas. We did replace the tires but that’s commensurate with the miles we pile on it. It’s been fantastic and I expect it to last well past 200,000 miles without much trouble. I wouldn’t buy a 2009. They were kinda weird, as you have experienced.
Thanks for stopping by. I'm glad to hear many users success experiences with this car. I really do love them for what they are. With how many views my repair videos get for the flex it seems like a lot of people have had similar experiences to me. Come by again any time!
as someone that has bought ebay/amazon parts vs the parts store. Its 100% worth the extra money to get them at least from Autozone or someone that offers a warranty. On my cobalt I replaced the alternator 3 x in a year, once with cheap one off amazon, and then 2nd time from Autozone. That one gave out after several months of working fine, and it was super easy to get a new Alternator and pop it back in with just my time wasted. The gold standard is OEM, but dealer prices on some parts are logical, others are not. Also Ive replaced front suspensions on older cars, its a pain to get in there and torque them to spec without a lift or garage. Honestly get a Toyota if you can afford one if you dont want any issues, but yeah, replacing front end suspension on a domestic car around those miles seems standard on a car/truck that was actually used as a daily duty. Avalanche is fine, as long as it has the Vortex.
Getting a 16 soon. Ecoboost and awd? Bro this thing is the biggest sleeper in fords line up. Its a SHO with more utility. Planning on a mild lower and tune. Even considered chopping the top and doing a woody style wrap on it.
100% agree. In fact, I would take that combo in a heartbeat. BUT, you just need to know that it may take a lot of maintenance to keep it on the road and sleeping from light to light, instead of sleeping in your driveway waiting for new parts to arrive
@@GearsAndTech hahaha absolutely. Thank you for the info, I'm not all too experienced in vehicle mods as it stand. Id hate to have it parked all the time. Defeats the point.
My 2009 Flex just rolled over 300k miles. Had same problem with lower ball joints. Finally got a good pair and they work good. At 290k the left front cv shaft went out but it did still get me to work. Replaced it with a Motorcraft part and haven't had a problem. I do have the front end Rattle and I've kind of gotten used to it. Other than that I haven't had any problems with this car. I've drove it to Texas Minnesota and Florida I drive it over 100 miles a day it always runs it never leaves me stranded. I think the key is replacing your parts with Motorcraft parts and not the Chinese stuff. RockAuto has a lot of options unlike the brick and mortar stores. I think if this car ever quits running I will probably go out and buy another Ford Flex
I'm not a Ford guy but own a 2008 Taurus X. Bought it with 100k miles and now it has 220k after 8 years. It's not perfect but I've had very few issues. It fires up everytime and gets me where I need to go.
Bought my 2013 @ 91000km, it has cost me more than 6 grand in repairs since I’ve owned it. No end in sight for stupid problems, last Ford for me thanks.
Best vehicle I’ve ever had, bought a 2009 for work, drove it 390,000km without issues, sold it for 2000$ with a transmission issue (guy fixed it for 200$, it’s up to 430,000km now) replace it with a 2018..going strong
I bet that's fast, but I think your forgetting about a few chevies when you make that statement Unless youre saying your modified car is faster than any stock chevies. Someone is always faster my friend. With only 500hp you're not at the top of the food chain I bet your quick in your town. But expand your circle and you'll see.
I bought a 2009 Flex 5 years ago and I love it. I want another Flex when I am ready to trade. To me, it is simply Ford's way of jazzing up their mini van.
Toaster lover here have a 2004 Scion xb 1st gen i ended up with a 2018 ford flex sel Blacked Out Edition 2nd gen im so in love with mine never had any issues i think your car didn’t like you lmao 🤣 I’m a toaster girl all the way till the wheels fall off ❤ maybe the car just wasn’t for you 😂
If You get bad wheel bearings, bad lower ball joint one month after changing same one (should be changed in pairs) more than likely your aftermarket bearings require a different aftermarket CV axle. Either do that or buy used OEM bearings.
being here in Michigan and having a lot of my friends working in and around ford plants, always buy the 3rd party USA suppliers. Parts made by ford are always cheaper and break faster, while the contracted out parts are sturdier and last longer because they have higher quality control. Ford contracts out alot of parts that they cant make or cant make enough of and those contracts are worth a lot of money so those companies don't want their parts being blamed if recalls happen and risk losing their contract. Meanwhile the ford plants with union worker, who almost cant get fired, don't have hold themselves to the same standards and thus have lower QC so let "cheaper" parts come off the line.
I've owned 11 cars, and my wife (in our time together) has owened 8. The 2010 Flex Ecoboost is by far the best I've owned, and I've owned Fords, GMs, Jeeps, Audis, and Lincolns. Fast, flexible, comfortable and reliable. My only beef with it is it could have used a bigger gas tank for long haul drives.
@@Area_man115 I don’t know. Since a drive to Calgary and back to Vancouver island last year I haven’t had it on a real highway run. My comment relates to it having a 60 litre or 16 gallon tank.
My Flex is my favorite car I have ever hated. I love how it looks, I have had SO many complimets. I love the space and comfort I have, I love how it drives...but I have had nothing but problems with it since I bought it in 2014. I have put so much money into this thing I can't even recall. My family can't wait for me to get rid of it but I just...can't. Maybe another year of repairs will change my mind.
Can tell you that the issue is a cv axle, which is wearing your wheel bearing and ball joint. Aswell as causing your swerving. We had one for 15 years till my brother flipped it. We had problems with door alarm (which would shut off the vehicle), fuel relay, cv axle, and fan control module. But all in all, engine and transmission wise, it was our most reliable vehicle with 240,000 miles on it.
13' Limited NA FWD with 111k miles bought it about close to 3 years ago ago used from the original owner with 97k miles. As soon as I bought it, the infamous water pump blew. Replaced the water pump, timing chains, and a bunch of other things. Last year I got all new Motorcraft shocks/struts with H&R springs, Motorcraft front LCAs, inner tie rods, Moog front end links and outer tie rods. Zero issues as of now. I'm not a Ford guy by any means, I'm actually a Honda & Toyota guy I would say, but I love my Flex.
@@GearsAndTech yeah I can’t get behind that statement as well. It’s just when they need major work, it can be very expensive. I’m able to do my own maintenance and simple DIY. But not the big jobs like the water pump.
I enjoy my 2014. With around 50-60 thousand miles on it. My only concern is about the ride. It's been back in the shop many times. It feels like you're driving with 80 pounds of air in the tires. You can feel every little crack. Through the steering wheel and seat. Three brands of tires changed with in the first year. New shocks and struts. Still have the car and the problem. But 23+ mpg.Plenty of headroom for a six-footer 255.And his Stetson hat. Plenty of room for three adults on a one-week vacation from Illinois to Michigan U.P. Down to Memphis. Back to Illinois. I still have it probably always will. But I sure would like to get the ride smoother.
I don't know what he's talking about. I still own my 2014 Flex SEL with the appearance package. I have almost 86000 miles on it and no repairs. I've had it serviced regularly including oil changes at every 5000 miles (Mobil One after the first 20k). The car has the standard 3.5 engine and has plenty of passing power, front wheel drive. LOTS of room for four adults with luggage and with the back row seats down. I always keep the last seats down and I've installed Weathertech floor mat including a cargo mat. Sounds like he got a bad example of the Flex. I love mine. It's the second one we've owned.
I believe it is the Ecoboost version with the worse problems. But that is MY experience. I had a 2013 bought with 70K. The rear view camera was dead when we got it (dealer turned it off and hid it when we bought it), front axles went out 80K, water pump at 102K motor and tranny mounts at 120K, ALL the blend doors at 140K, brake booster a 145K, one turbo at 150K (probably earlier. we do not drive it hard), oil pump at 145K, power steering at 160K, and AC compressor at 182K. Also "minor" issues like the window and lock actuators in most doors, the evap solenoid, charcoal canister, rear seat motors, a few more I can't remember. Our family LOVED this car for 3 years and was solid. tons of room and power. Then the whole thing just started to fall apart as I am stating.
I'm a Ford guy and there's no hate here. Sometimes you have bad luck with a brand. I used to love Nissans having owned an XTerra and then I bought a high mileage Pathfinder. The Pathie was hot garbage. I sunk a fortune into it because I loved the ride but there was always a new problem that cost thousands to fix and most of the time mechanics would just look at me and shrug because nobody could figure out why it would do what it was doing. I will never own another Nissan. I think that, like I did, you got a lemon. Even if it had been in perfect mechanical condition, I think you were asking a little too much from a glorified grocery getter. The towing capacity on that thing for a weight carrying hitch is 2000lbs and 200lbs on the tongue, not 4500. It will pull 4500 with a weight distributing hitch but I wouldn't want to try it. Like you said, it's a station wagon not a truck. I also wouldn't be going off road or trying to drift in a 10 year old, 100k+ mile car. Sounds to me like you were trying to break it. The repeated failures in the front end shouldn't have happened but unless there's some forum out there with a thousand other Flex owners complaining of the same issue then the problem was probably with your specific Flex and not the model in general. To sum up, don't buy a ten year old, high mileage, over computerized urban people mover and expect it to do the job of a no frills pickup.
Thanks for stopping by I made videos of all the work I did to the front end. They are getting thousands of views. When you read the comments you find out that many people are suffering from the same experience I had.
Hum....my son bought a 2009 Ford Flex with 220k miles on it (high, I know) but he only paid $1500 for it. So far other than a crack in his muffler it's all good that was found on inspection. He has one tire that is balding and was told to replace all 4. N0ow, I am thinking why is one tire wearing more than the other 3? I hope nothing more goes wrong.
Sorry about that,my friend has a 2012 & is going on 260K ,,but he finally had a hose break & 50 buck's later he's towing HD trailer up & down cross country & I'm amazed,, hope l have his kinda ride,,l know l wouldn't want to work on one !!
I have had a Flex for going on 9 years now. There was 2 major issues in that time: the water pump went, common issue. The other issue was when the turbo pipe blew off. Simple issue. I think there was one other but can’t remember what it was. Other than that, only batteries (somewhat frequently because my dad’s a cheap person) and oil changes. It’s spent all of its time in our possession in three sun, and only after 8 years did the seats start to rip.
Seems to me the damage was done by the prior owner of the Flex, and possibly a sub-par mechanic, using sub-par parts. Sounds like you should shop for a new mechanic and make sure quality parts are being used, no matter what you're driving. I wouldn't blame it on the Flex. Seems like most everyone else is having a good experience with them, as long as they're being savvy about maintenance.
I bought a 2013 flex with 83k miles on it. The ONLY issues I have at 138k is wiper tube and exhaust manifold. I love it so much I bought another 2016 with 85k miles on it.
I think you just got a bad Flex and it can happen with any vehicle purchase. I own a white Ford Flex with 182,000 miles and it runs excellent! I've had very little repairs and I would take it across America with confidence. Absolutely NO PROBLEMS with the front end.
Funny! I love my 2013 so much I bought another 2016. Best vehicles I have ever owned. The 2013 has 148k miles. Here is what I changed so far: tires brake pads battery alternator wiper spray hose cabin air filter oil(amsoil(strongly recommended)) oil filter (WIX or K&N(strongly recommended)) That's it! Now, with that said, the alternator was a pain in the ass. Took 4 hours on my first experience) Whereas, on my Lincoln Mark 8 or 97 thunderbird or Cougar, it took 15 minutes. Other than that, I absolutely love the Ford Flexes. It towed a maximum, loaded, 6x12' Uhaul trailer through the mountains in California/Nevada/Wyoming at 60-70MPH without breaking a sweat. The interior is very comfortable. I fold the seats down in back and put in a mat for my dogs. The Flex is wide, sits low so the handling is like a sports car. It will get up to 27mpg on the open road.
Best car I've owned. 09 se purchased with 22k miles, and now has 237k miles. Only replaced wear parts (suspension and front end parts) I did as precautionary replace waterpump at 110k miles,and had to replace the cooling fan that failed. Other than that just regular maintenance.
Only issue I've had with my wife's Flex is the power steering went out at a couple hundred thousand miles. I worked as a mechanic for a decade so I do all my own repairs for the most part. Rack and pinion and power steering in the Flex are a bit of a pain in the ass to replace but I've done more difficult repairs in my life. Most power steering systems are just easier to get to than the Flex.
I bought a 2013 ford flex in March of 2021, with 130k. I made an 1800 mile round trip from south florida to Nags Head, NC, with no provlems... A year later, the electric power steering unit went out. The dealer wanted 4 grand, but i found a mechanic who is familiar wirh this problem, he fixed it for $1400...to date, this has been the only issue. I'm keeping an eye on the water pump, I've heard that this is a $1000 repair bill..
I guess folks need to title their videos with dramatic hyperbole to get clicks. If you know anything about the Flex you know this is a gross exaggeration of a rare experience. To most people it should be obvious that buying a used version of a first model year of any car is a risk. The Flex isn't for everyone, but those that "get it" love them with good reason.
I Love my Ford Flex. No problems, other than the overflowing rain gutter into the cabin filter all over the passenger footwell problem. But it can be fixed with a screwdriver and 30 minutes.
Hopefully I get feedback from flex owners . Im in the market for a flex just to use for work I came across one thats the color ,trim and everything I'm looking for only thing is a 2014 Flex limited awd ecoboost with 250K miles. What yall recommend ? Or what issues arise from these
The weakness of that engine is the water pump. It's internally driven by the timing chain. If it fails it will leak coolant into the oil, if this doesn't get caught right away it will take out the engine. I've had mine for ten years, it's a 2011 naturally aspirated AWD that had 48k miles when we bought it. I've only used full synthetic oil and mobil1 or napa platinum oil filters every 3-5k miles. It has 223k miles right now and the engine runs like the day we test drove it. I've heard that the key to the water pump issue is being religious about oil changes and using quality oil. That can be said about preventing so many issues in modern cars regardless of manufacturer, 10k oil change intervals are insanity. Manufacturers recommend it in order to get you through the warranty period, not because it's what's best, but once that warranty expires is when the effects of doing 10k oil changes start to manifest. If it already has a lot of miles it can mean the previous owners were diligent with maintenance or they got lucky with questionable maintenance and your buying it on its last leg.
Whenever someone try to blame Ford. If you listen to them long enough. You will find the problem was them. I install a reman caliper on my 2016 F150 from Autozone. My pedal was soft. I went to the dealer and bought a new caliper for $15 more and my pedal was firm.
@@GearsAndTech Nope the caliper was not rebuilt tight. I also found out you have to buy Motorcraft brake pads if you want your car to stop like new. Autozone elite pads are $80. In normal driving, they are fine. When I drive fast. They fade unlike the slightly higher Motorcraft pads.
@@GearsAndTech Some cheap parts you can get away with. At 69k miles, my cylinder head temp sensor went bad. The computer thought the engine was overheating. The engine ran on 3 cylinders and would only go 35 mph. It was on a Sunday so I bought the sensor at Autozone for $20. I'm at 103k miles now.
It's been a popular topic. Most the comments and dislikes came from a few disgruntled Facebook groups that are dedicated to their love of all things flex. So I take it with a grain of salt.
I bought a 2018 Flex new four years ago. I haven't had any serious mechanical issues, but heck, it's only got 35,000 miles on the clock. What surprises me most is the poor fit and finish. For a vehicle Ford had been making for ten model years, why do so many of the exterior body panels not line up? People criticize Tesla for poor fit and finish but my Flex takes the cake! And the mileage is poor and you hear lots of road noise inside.
I am an auto mechanic in mechanic shop and I own two of flexes never had any trouble with them me and my wife's looking to buy another car we're probably going to get another flex or explorer
I’m on my second Flex. First one was having issues that no one could figure out I was stupid enough to get a second one because it’s design was just so beautiful. Eco boost engine. Got it with 0 miles and now just had to get the entire engine replaced. Initially they only replaced the top part of the engine and now the entire thing. My car has been in the shop for a total 5-6 months this year. And now the AC is no longer working. Seat warmers are also not working. And now I’m scared every time my car lets out the slightest bit of smoke. It’s going back period!
How long do you want it to be perfect. The f150s have the same engine and tow well seems like you have unrealistic expectations you own some stuff it appears you aren't poor buy a certified pre owned and sell it when the warranty is up
F150's have ecoboost. This had the NA turd. Possibly my expectations where unrealistic, but I think having a suspension that doesn't eat itself would be normal to expect
I will agree, it did well in the snow. I was disappointed that it has a fwd bias when it slips. So it's hard to kick the back end out. That makes you end up under steering on ice, which is a problem.
Only 62K ,the Eco Boost Twin turbos were a NIGHTMARE! 3700.00 for repairs from FORD technicians because of a failed defective oil separator( no recall, but new part was completely redesigned), THEN 2100.00 because some A$$hole designed an internal water pump that requires removing the front of the engine to replace. I dumped this turd and purchased a Hyundai with a real warranty
Wow I'm sorry to hear you've had so much problem with your flex we have a flex it's a 2019 two-wheel drive na engine. I'm a Toyota man It was Mark's idea to get a flex so far I have no complaints it's been one of the best vehicles we've had right up there with with any Toyota I've owned. There's really been no major issues at all the front end spine I have her sometimes along the line you will have to replace the water pump at timing chains but I expect that to come up at some point. But all in all I have just so pleased with the car and I'm not one to tolerate even a minor deficiency in my vehicle
I have a 2014 and just got done putting almost 70k miles on it just last year alone. It has almost 200k miles and I've never had any issues with it aside from one of my catalytic converters recently going out. It's flawless otherwise. You're attributing your hate for a car based on autozone parts instead of oem. You're free to have an opinion but you don't seem to have a very educated one.
Thanks for stopping by. I totally understand that this is my experience alone I have a video that documents how to replace all the parts that I replaced while owning it. Those videos are getting a log of views. If I was alone I would think nobody would be looking up the videos. So my opinion is also based on that And the part about my work buddy that had 3 of them when they were brand new and eventually swapped for a different car because even Ford couldn't fix the problems. So, I don't think my opinion is based totally on ignorance.
@@GearsAndTech so you're basing your entire opinion about a car through faulty cheap ass parts that you bought and views from your videos from cheap ass people who can't do basic car maintenance and want to play RUclips mechanics. There is a right way and a wrong way of doing things. If you're constantly doing backyard mechanics with cheap ass unreliable parts then you're obviously doing it the wrong way. Owning a flex isn't cheap or for the cheap asses. And there's plenty of backyard RUclips mechanics out here in the world right now and they, including you, seem to always have the worst experiences with cars. I'll tell you right now, nothing on the flex is cheap to replace. Maybe a light bulb is probably the cheapest fix you'll ever get on this car. It isn't a very demanding car price wise and for it's size and weight it gets great gas mileage. You're paying for the quality of the part when you need to replace something on a flex. Not just the part itself. If I want something important in the car to last then I'm not gonna go running to autozone with Chinese outsourced parts for an American made vehicle. If you keep up with general maintenance on ANY car then you're more likely to enjoy it more and for longer. Bolting on cheap shit and slapping it on there and calling it fixed is not the right way to do things. I can can confidently say that I don't care if you had 100 friends come help you with your Chinese parts. They're not built to last. Which is why any parts department stores are so successful in their business. I can go buy a Chinese cat converter for my flex for 600 bucks right now or I can spend the 1k and it last for another 200k miles or more. It going out was my fault for not getting the plugs, wires and coils changed out sooner than I would have liked and it ended up having repeated misfires that just dumped fuel into the converter. But life happens and ultimately I'm paying the price for it as a result. I've literally only ever needed to get the oil changed, alignment, rear shocks replaced since I tow with it a lot, transmission fluid change and brakes and rotors changed. That's it. That is all that has ever been done with my flex for its entire life. Everything is bone stock oem and replaced with oem every time. Like I said before, you can hate on the flex all day long. It doesn't make your opinions on it anymore valid just because cheap asses want to save some money on labor costs. For all you know, these people watching your videos have bought the FoMoCo oem part and just don't want to pay labor of 100+ an hour. It doesn't mean that the people watching the video hate the car. Especially with today's economic climate since the outbreak of the virus. Not everyone can afford to pay labor costs. If they keep buying those cheap ass Chinese parts, it's gonna cost them more in the long run and they'll think it's the car that's the problem. Kinda like what happened to you. 💁♂️
I appreciate the conversation and the feedback I have approached Maintenance of all my vehicles the same way. I have never had the cheap Chinese parts fail within 1 month of replacing them. This is a first for me. My opinion has not changed.
I bought my wife a 2017 Ford Flex Limited Addition AWD. We drove it on our vacation from Colorado to California and Arizona completing a 2,520 mile round trip. The Flex accommodated Five passengers with luggage very comfortable. With the on board computer information, GPS, Fuel information and much more made our trip worry free. "Best vehicle we've owned"
I have a 2014 eco boost flex and it's a great vehicle. It does eat batteries but other than that it's fast as hell, comfortable as hell, great sound system (coming from a musician) and big for my 6'6" frame.
We bought a 2017 Flex Limited in 2019 and didn’t have any problems with it. I think you bought an old car just when it was starting to wear out! 9 years old and high mileage. 🤦♀️
I appreciate your videos for working on my flex but it's true lol we do love our cars and will probably never sell it. Lol dramatic ending to your video lol
It's like the thing that makes you hate it so much is also what makes you not be able to get rid of it. A true love / hate thing. Glad you're enjoying the content. Make sure to subscribe and share our videos with your friends
You MUST buy OEM Ford Motorcraft parts. Don’t bash Ford if you’re replacing problems with Chinese knock-off parts. You get what you pay for. Owned my ‘14 Flex for 7 years and it’s got 158,000 miles now. A few minor issues, but otherwise, it’s been super reliable and great. Front end suspension and steering parts did wear out, but replace with quality OEM parts and you’ll be satisfied too. Skip the cheap stuff.
You may have missed the part where I said that Ive been buying the SAME quality 'Off Brand' Parts for all of my vehicles, and have NEVER had these problems. Its not a replacement part issue, its an engineering issue.
I've had my Ford Flex for almost 3 years. It's a 2013. I bought used and had taken it four times traveling down to Mexico and will travel again in September of this year. As of this date I haven't had a mayor problem with it but replace tires. I'm very happy with it and would buy a newer model to take it to mexico and keep it down there but the problem would be that parts are not available, otherwise I would keep it down there.
Only person on youtube that says ford flex is dreadful. Every other reviewer and driver (according to comments) loves the Ford Flex. Going to assume this guy's videos are just clickbait for the ads.
This video was out long before I was monetized. It was not made to be click bait The problem is, most other reviewers are getting paid by Ford, or their sponsers to say nice things. It's really hard to get an objective review of anything these days. Also, the comments in this video come from a few Ford forums that flooded the video, thumbs downed it and put comments about how much they love their Ford. Forming your own opinion from the comments here would be like going to a trump rally to form your opinion on Biden This is just my experience with 1 Ford vehicle. You can watch it, and see if you agree or disagree I knew the flex was a junk vehicle when I bought it. But I didn't care, because I loved how they look
Never buy a first year car. U bought it with 100k miles? That's when I sell my cars. Did U test drive or have the car inspected on a lift b4 u bought it? U made 3 mistakes. I LOVE MY FLEX!!
You made a few assumptions here about how much due diligence I put into this before I Bought it. I may play an idiot on youtube sometimes, but I assure you the car was looked over prior to purchase. You are right about 1 thing, and that is NEVER buy a first year ford. See, ford lovers know this already because they learned the hard way. Coming from great experiences with first year cars from other brands, this concept is new to me. I will be mindful of this if I ever look at buying a ford again.
2009 Flex Limited, AWD, light ice blue metallic, glass roof, all creature comforts. Tows an 18' camper swimmingly. all proper maintenance and 160k miles. Wouldn't trade it for the world. May barter for world peace.
I've got a 2011 and owned it over 5 years. Other than a battery ive had no problems whatsoever. I now have 150k miles and still going strong. best car ive owned.
Thanks for stopping by. I'm happy to hear your experience has been different than mine.
Which engine did you get?
I have one my self and the flex is absolutely beautiful in style and strength by means if you live in an area with fridges temperatures like -57° aka Alaska. It still turns on like a beast
until the water pump goes out (if you have the 3.5) and if you catch it in time before it destroys your engine by dumping coolant into the engine oil. And if you catch it in time, you have to practically pull the engine to replace it. Ours went out on vacation. 1500 to replace a water pump.
What I'm thinking is, I need a lot more people hating over loving a Ford flex before is say no, that said I love the Mazda 5 but non cheap right now, only a Ford flex 09
Moved to Canada, got a 2010 Ford Flex with 213k, well maintained, 20km in no issues besides regular maintenance. Super comfortable, not too bad on gas. Not sure what this gentleman is talking about but it might be a engineering issue on the script. “Sure let’s buy that off-road driven vehicle that’s not an off road vehicle.”
how much were you paying for gas?
Interesting video. Working for a Ford service department for 43 years, I can tell you 2 things. Never, ever buy a new model/drivetrain from Ford for the first 2 years. They are almost always trouble prone until they figure out what works and what doesn't. Second, the parts you replaced repeatedly were either inferior parts or installed incorrectly. The Ford Flex was an interesting vehicle, our dealer sold quite a few of them and the owners of them have been very happy with them. Most of the ones that come in for repairs are troubles with the AWD system (not a good design) and the early 3.5 EcoBoost engines (pain in the ass engine). The FWD ones from 2011-2019, very rarely seen any in the service dept. and that was only with minor issues.
So long as you drain and fill the PTU fluid for the AWD system you will be good to go
Ahh you mean like buying a focus with the power shit transmission that nearly killed me a few times and eneded up parting it out at 97k miles fuck ford
Thank you for your input
Thank you!
I was thinking the same thing.
I worked at a Ford dealership for a year and the flexs never had an issue.
Toaster for life!!! 2019 Ford Flex owner here..Love my Flex!!!! Your Flex didn’t like you!😂
Yiure probably right
You buy an old vehicle that was falling apart and wonder why it's falling apart. And then put photos of it filthy and off-road (which it is not used to). Do you actually maintain vehicles or just expect them to last 150,000 miles?
Thanks for stopping by, appreciate the comments
If you check my other videos you'll see I dumped a lot of Maintenance into the car over the last year.
If you noticed in this video I also mentioned my coworkers experience with the flex when it was brand new (Spoiler: it wasn't pretty).
But, in general, I have always bought vehicles with 'high miles' and in poor repair and have never experienced the same degree of problems I have with this car.
I expect any car I buy to be able to handle a drive down a gravel road in the winter, which is what the picture is from.
My opinion is still that this is the worst car ever.
I'm always on the lookout for one that's worse than this. If you have any suggestions let me know. I'll try to find one to try for myself and do a review on it
@@GearsAndTech if you always buy “high mileage vehicles in poor repair” it stands to reason that you’re eventually gonna be in over your head. instead of putting hundreds of dollars into a poorly maintained vehicle why not put that cash toward a better example?
Thanks for the comment
The short answer is I buy what I can afford, and that usually means the car has higher miles.
If I can find one that's inexpensive, but in good condition then that's great. But it's rarely the case
I'm having great success with my wife's car. But I usually spend more for her so she can have nice things. I don't mind driving breaking junk if it means she can have something nicer.
You can see here car here
ruclips.net/video/v07sgP1vh9Y/видео.html
Also, I do have a few sweet rides that will be getting unveiled soon on this channel
Truth is, my avalanche which was half as much as this flex is still going strong. It was the cheapest one in Canada at the time and has only needed regular oil chain he's so far.
This flex was an anomoly that I paid way more than I normally would pay, but was still junk.
I really was not impressed then, and am still not impressed now.
Exactly!!🤣
But if you buy 20 years old Toyota you want have these problems
I think Ford have poor made cars in most cases
Or maybe am like him don’t like Ford 😂
I love my flex, best vehicle I've purchased
Which engine do you have in your Flex?
I agree. The non eco boost (non turbo) engines are the best. The only flaw is with the water pump being internal. But if you do a pre maintenance and change it before it goes out (say at around 150K give or take) this beast will run forever. Just make sure you do an upgraded pump.
I totally agree with you dehende07
No but how can you say that after watching this video! 😂 This video is enough proof and evidence that they truly suck ass!
I have a 2009 flex with 250000 miles and it just needs regular maintenance and runs like a champ. Maybe your individual flex has issues also it could be living conditions.
I live in California so nice and sunny which means way less rust underneath than someone who lives near snow and ice which can also cause cars to breakdown faster
We own a 2018 Flex Limited and it is the best car we ever owned. We have a family of 6 and our flex has never let us down. They are great cars if maintained properly. We traded a 2015 Nissan Pathfinder for it, because at 65k the pathfinder transmission was starting to get weird. We will be trading our flex for the new Bronco when they come out. Not because the flex was a problem, but because the new Bronco is so stinking cool!
Oof those new broncos are UGLY.
Watch the crash texts 👀
I can't believe the Flex group made me watch this. If you're looking at a Flex, don't listen to this guy. If you replace parts with junky offshore parts, you're gonna have problems. This is filled with bias and ignorance. 😂
Thanks for stopping by
I actually do love the Ford flex, and wish it was better than it was. But, it really was the worst car i have ever owned
Absolutely love my Flex. Drove 2 for work and now own my own. Never seen any problems.
I figured there has to be at least one out there that worked without problems!
Sad thing is, I have only had mine sold for 1 month and I'm already considering getting another.
Same here. Bought my 2018 brand new and it’s still a trooper
Mine has been running good and It's still going strong no problems whatsoever
@@GearsAndTech My opinion is the first-gen Flex had many issues. My father owned a 2014 and It's gone through our family without many issues. The Flex got better with time but I've heard a lot of issues with the first Gen.
I agree, I hope the newer ones are better. I have debated getting one to see. But for now I still need an SUV that can tow. So it'll have to wait a few more years
Maybe you got a lemon. Ive had a flex for 10 years and had zero problems. I honestly still LOVE it!!
First vehicle I ever purchased new from a dealer was my 2014 Ford Flex AWD limited. It's been a fantastic vehicle and the best family road trip car I've had. Currently it has 125k miles on it and going great.
Right on!
I love my 2014 limited EcoBoost. 150k and no problems whatsoever. Still runs and drives like new
"Your feedback on the Ford Flex is invaluable, shedding light on its performance from a real user's perspective. It's crucial for others to understand both the strengths and weaknesses of a vehicle before making a purchase. Your candid assessment aids fellow car enthusiasts in making informed decisions. By sharing your experience with the Ford Flex, you contribute to a more transparent automotive community. Your input encourages manufacturers to strive for excellence and highlights areas for improvement. Thank you for your honesty, as it serves as a beacon for others navigating the vast landscape of automobile choices."❤
Thank you for your kind words
I've watched a few more videos, I read the comments and it seems that this guy got it wrong... extremely wrong. 99% of the people who commented about the car, had great experience with it, and everyone regrets that ford will stop producing them...
At least admit it bro, be a man and admit it, you're wrong
what you're seeing is a number of FB ford groups that shared this video around. They all came on here, thumbs downed the video, and put a comment about how wrong I am about the car.
Coming up with your opinion based on that info would be the same as going to a Trump Rally and asking Joe Biden should be the president.
Your results are skewed.
Im not wrong.
In my experience, this is the worst car ever
BUT
I am also sad they are stopping making it. Because I do love the car. Just like in the video. Its the hot chick you know you should ignore and move on, but you just cant.....
I agree. He's full of crap.
Your correct.He’s not the brightest bulb.😂
You were not flexing hard enough for your flex
Rule number 1 of any car purchase. Never, never NEVER buy a first year anything especially if it's a rollout of a new model. But I wonder...Nissan guy, likes an Avalanche. I question this guy.
I know what you mean. I totally broke that rule.
I think it's ok for a nissan guy to like my avalanche though
I was reading online and people were saying that without decent gas, the car would have a hard time in hot weather + up hills + cargo = low power. As soon as they put 91 grade fuel, it didn’t have an issue. Also apparently before you go around towing anything it’s wise to make sure you use the boost option because otherwise there is a part that can get stuck. There’s another guy on yt that covered some of these issues. You never know with people lol
I have had two Flexs. The one I have now is the Eco Boost Twins, AWD and love it. Great to drive, fast for what it is and just eats up freeways. Done many a 20 hour drive with it.
What year do you have?
2011 here with 257k on the clock. Best running vehicle I’ve ever had. Changed my whole view on automobiles and I’m a lead auto tech. Me and my wife are prepping to buy a 2019 to add to the collection so we have have 2 ecoboost flexes and chances are we will probably buy another one so we can both have 19s and keep the 11 as a spare. We love the flex that much. I will never forgive ford for discontinuing this vehicle.
Anyone I ride in my car makes the comment is "Wow, this is a very spacious vehicle!" My Millennial kids love it. I am sold on the Ford Flex and like you, What is wrong with you, #Ford?
I'm confused. Is this supposed to be a bad comedy routine? I've heard people complain about the looks of the Flex, but never about the design. And from the feedback here, clearly the vast majority of Flex owners are very happy with their vehicles. It sounds like (a) you bought an abused and poorly maintained used vehicle, and (b) you were expecting it to perform like a tuck - ignoring the fact that it's built on a Ford Taurus platform. As for no resale market, I regularly get called by my local Ford dealer asking if I'd be interested in selling my low mileage, but now 9 year old Flex.
If there was a market Ford wouldn't have stopped making them
@@GearsAndTech Unless it was competing with a more profitable line, which it was. As a "car", the Flex didn't have as big a markup as the SUV's, and Ford viewed every Flex as a lost SUV sale.
Bought one flex…loved it so much I bought a second. Love them and will be looking for a third when I need. Best family hauler on the road. I get roughly 12km/litre and I don’t drive easy. To bad they aren’t making them anymore
I was sad when I heard they weren't gonna make any more too.
I still like them
Just are the worst car I have ever owned
I was a car detailer at an auction. Chevy, Nissan and Pontiac are the worst brands ever made. I've done thousands of cars and in that order, they are terrible.
I was a detailer too and have seen thousands of cars.....
I disagree
Pontiac best cars iv had
I just bought a flex immediately starting overheating fans not working and need new water pump which is in the engine so it was so expensive drove it home when I got to my road it started over heating again !! I can’t afford to do anything else to it and I need a car for myself and kids but I’m still stranded,, God help us!
Man that's unfortunate that you've had trouble with it. I have a 2018 Flex Limited EB that just turned 100K miles and I haven't had to do anything to it except regular maintenance. I also put a 91 octane tune on it from 5 Star Tuning and went from 6.4 seconds 0-60 to 5.7 seconds 0-60. My wife and I absolutely love it. I call it my AWD Mustang :D
My 2014 Ford Flex Echo Boost was one of the best cars I've had. Never had a problem with it.
I wish mine was an ecoboost.
Buy a used vehicle with questionable maintenance, “rebuild” the front end with cheap parts, and blame the car...
My 2014 has been incredible. 90k miles and have only had to replace the rear wheel bearings. Excellent vehicle.
It's positive to hear others have had good experiences with these cars.
Honestly, I am pretty sure I'll end up in a newer one at some point. Even though my last one is gone, I still do love them.
Just like you go crawling back to yiru girlfriend that beats you. Absence makes the heart grow fonder!
Ford is known for fragile frond ends. They do handle well when everything is working properly. Wheel bearing can get pressed in off just enough to wear excessively fast FYI; that is for any vehicle with pressed bearings.
@@GearsAndTech worst car ever and....you’re gonna buy another one?
@@MacLaw3084 I'm not buying another one right now. But, at some point when I can afford a 2014 with ecoboost, I'll probbaly buy one.
I think you're misinformed. I bought this car in need of repair and repaired everything it needed then. And also fixed other things as they broke
Maybe I got a neglected car, I don't know. But it's still the worst car I have ever owned
It is not I absolutely love my ford flex
Hey thanks for stopping by. I appreciate the comment. I loved my flex too for what it represented. Its possible I had a lemon..... But it really was painful owning it the entire time. As much as I really wanted to love it longer.
Have had my 2013 Ford Flex for 8 years now. I has been reliable and a great all around family vehicle (including towing my 4000lb travel trailer). I plan to drive it another 10 years. I love it.
Couldn't bring myself to watch this all the way through. I'm 65 and have owned over 40 cars in my life. Without question, my 2014 Flex has been the best vehicle I'm ever owned. Period.
That's impressive.
It's also impressive how I've owned about the same amount of vehicles and have arrived at the totally opposite conclusion.
It makes me curious what the other 39 vehicles have been
@@GearsAndTech I was a (successful) realtor in my life, and realtors and nice cars go together. I've always needed larger cars and I had Buicks, Fords, Lincolns, BMW's, Volvo's, Mercedes, as well as Subaru, Honda and Mazda. Ford Flex was the most reliable one by far. The worst? A Mercedes E class (bought brand new!). The second worst - a Subaru Outback, also bought new. Both of those cars had way more trouble than they should have. Things really can be different from the popular beliefs when it comes to cars . . .
I don't think your other 2 cars listed as the worst a surprise to anyone.
Subaru was a horrible decision
The Mercedes should have been given back when the warranty expired.
My Ford flex cost me more in 9 months than my Mercedes ml550 has cost me in 3 years.
@@GearsAndTech It seems you get lucky with some, and with others you don't. One of the best cars I ever owned, bought early when I was younger and without much in the way of bucks, was a 1993 Dodge Spirit. Bought new, loaded with options, cost next to nothing . . . yet ran forever without any problems or repairs. Then I sold it a few years later with 100,000 miles for a great price. I didn't expect anything much from it, but it was truly a reliable, well built car. Well . . . then you go buy an import, pay 5 times as much, and it's just no good. Go figure . . . From now on, it's Ford, or Toyota, for me.
If you’re 65 you really should question why you’d get so emotional over a car (and hardly a dream car or object of passion) that you didn’t even finish the video and had to instead complain in the comments. All because your anecdotal experience was good…..
I bought my Flex used 5 years ago. One of the best cars I’ve owned.
2010 Flex Limited AWD Naturally Aspirated with tow package. Love my Flex. I bought it used from a dealer in early 2012 with about 20,000 miles and remaining warranty. I loved the Flex. Room for 7 people and cargo and it just fit into my small two-car garage. I gotta tell you that I drove about 10 different Flex's before settling on the one I purchased. It drove smoothly. The other 9 Flex's all drove differently and some just didn't "feel right". As far as handling in the snow, I equip my Flex with all-weather Nokian Tyres. They are way better than all season tires which constantly scared the hell out of me... bad traction. The Nokians fixed that. Need great traction here in Wisconsin. My only real problem I've had was that my water pump failed at 100,000 miles. If yours fails, its a good idea to replace timing belt while you're in there. Driving my Flex on the freeway is a dream. It cruises so nice, I have to go light on the pedal. Feels like I'm going 65 mph when I'm actually doing 80+ mph. Just so comfortable! Flex's were made in Canada. I think they are great vehicles!
Im in wi too. I just purchased a 2018 flex and it is the awd model. Was nervous as I don't usually buy vehicles in summer. Prefer to buy in snow to see how they handle honestly but time and car breaking down did not allow for that. Where do you buy said tires from?
THIS BOZO BOUGHT SUCH A HEAVILY USED CAR AND WAS LIKE "hey why is it in such a poor condition I just got it?" MAYBE BUY I LIGHTLY USED OR NEW FLEX
Maybe watch the video. I explained this already. Its one of the lowest km cars I have ever owned, but its the most broken and junk one too
Your excuse doesn't make sense
I have 500k on my EcoBoost 2010. Nothing wrong with it besides a cat is bad. Have a blow off valve and I do oil changes with full amz oil every 3500 and a new amz oil filter every 10k.
I've got a 2009 Flex and after about 22 various vehicles I find it is quite good. Mine is the naturally aspirated one.
I like it much better than my 1992 Infiniti Q45.
Mine is the front wheel drive only, at 270,000 Km bought used about 7 years ago.
Rear toe link replaced under warranty, but almost had an accident on a snowy mountain pass before it got done.
Planning to do my water pump soon.
Replace the timing belt when you replace the water pump. It's right there and minimal additional cost. You'll thank me for this advice.
I don’t get it, My Dad owns a Ford Flex, and it works fine, he has no problems with it, and he f**king loves it! It’s actually reliable, it was only your first flex that had problems, Just buy it Brand new and never used, you just bought a terrible bad condition Ford Flex!
We have had 2 2014 Flex’s. The first was a turbo and we had it 3 weeks before my wife flipped it with 2 of our kids onboard. Everybody was fine thanks to the ridiculous bouncy house air bags. Our replacement is an SEL non-turbo. We had to replace a front wheel bearing, but used a Timken premium bearing (made in OHIO). No further issues. We bought it with 88k and it’s up to 118k (miles) and all we do is change oil and add gas. We did replace the tires but that’s commensurate with the miles we pile on it. It’s been fantastic and I expect it to last well past 200,000 miles without much trouble.
I wouldn’t buy a 2009. They were kinda weird, as you have experienced.
Thanks for stopping by. I'm glad to hear many users success experiences with this car. I really do love them for what they are.
With how many views my repair videos get for the flex it seems like a lot of people have had similar experiences to me.
Come by again any time!
Could your Flex have been damaged in the front prior to you buying it? Would explain it chewing up the parts you listed.
It's possible.
Carfax showed no reported accidents. But that doesn't mean a whole lot
as someone that has bought ebay/amazon parts vs the parts store. Its 100% worth the extra money to get them at least from Autozone or someone that offers a warranty. On my cobalt I replaced the alternator 3 x in a year, once with cheap one off amazon, and then 2nd time from Autozone. That one gave out after several months of working fine, and it was super easy to get a new Alternator and pop it back in with just my time wasted. The gold standard is OEM, but dealer prices on some parts are logical, others are not. Also Ive replaced front suspensions on older cars, its a pain to get in there and torque them to spec without a lift or garage. Honestly get a Toyota if you can afford one if you dont want any issues, but yeah, replacing front end suspension on a domestic car around those miles seems standard on a car/truck that was actually used as a daily duty. Avalanche is fine, as long as it has the Vortex.
I had my 2012 Flex till 2019. No fault apart from regular servicing, battery replacement and brake pads.
thats great to hear!
Getting a 16 soon.
Ecoboost and awd? Bro this thing is the biggest sleeper in fords line up.
Its a SHO with more utility.
Planning on a mild lower and tune.
Even considered chopping the top and doing a woody style wrap on it.
100% agree. In fact, I would take that combo in a heartbeat.
BUT, you just need to know that it may take a lot of maintenance to keep it on the road and sleeping from light to light, instead of sleeping in your driveway waiting for new parts to arrive
@@GearsAndTech hahaha absolutely. Thank you for the info, I'm not all too experienced in vehicle mods as it stand.
Id hate to have it parked all the time. Defeats the point.
My 2009 Flex just rolled over 300k miles. Had same problem with lower ball joints. Finally got a good pair and they work good. At 290k the left front cv shaft went out but it did still get me to work. Replaced it with a Motorcraft part and haven't had a problem. I do have the front end Rattle and I've kind of gotten used to it. Other than that I haven't had any problems with this car. I've drove it to Texas Minnesota and Florida I drive it over 100 miles a day it always runs it never leaves me stranded. I think the key is replacing your parts with Motorcraft parts and not the Chinese stuff. RockAuto has a lot of options unlike the brick and mortar stores. I think if this car ever quits running I will probably go out and buy another Ford Flex
I'm not a Ford guy but own a 2008 Taurus X. Bought it with 100k miles and now it has 220k after 8 years. It's not perfect but I've had very few issues. It fires up everytime and gets me where I need to go.
Bought my 2013 @ 91000km, it has cost me more than 6 grand in repairs since I’ve owned it. No end in sight for stupid problems, last Ford for me thanks.
Best vehicle I’ve ever had, bought a 2009 for work, drove it 390,000km without issues, sold it for 2000$ with a transmission issue (guy fixed it for 200$, it’s up to 430,000km now) replace it with a 2018..going strong
do you know how he fixed the transmission issue? In case I buy one and need to do the same haha!
My 2013 Ford Flex Limited AWD TwinTurbo 500hp after a tune i own it since 2015 ZERO issue and fastest than any SUV Chevy
I bet that's fast, but I think your forgetting about a few chevies when you make that statement
Unless youre saying your modified car is faster than any stock chevies.
Someone is always faster my friend. With only 500hp you're not at the top of the food chain
I bet your quick in your town. But expand your circle and you'll see.
I bought a 2009 Flex 5 years ago and I love it. I want another Flex when I am ready to trade. To me, it is simply Ford's way of jazzing up their mini van.
Toaster lover here have a 2004 Scion xb 1st gen i ended up with a 2018 ford flex sel Blacked Out Edition 2nd gen im so in love with mine never had any issues i think your car didn’t like you lmao 🤣 I’m a toaster girl all the way till the wheels fall off ❤ maybe the car just wasn’t for you 😂
I still love the flex. Just had a bad experience
Both catalytic converters went bad in my 2019 flex and Werner covered by warranty. Repair was going to be 4K. Ended up trading it.
If You get bad wheel bearings, bad lower ball joint one month after changing same one (should be changed in pairs) more than likely your aftermarket bearings require a different aftermarket CV axle. Either do that or buy used OEM bearings.
being here in Michigan and having a lot of my friends working in and around ford plants, always buy the 3rd party USA suppliers. Parts made by ford are always cheaper and break faster, while the contracted out parts are sturdier and last longer because they have higher quality control. Ford contracts out alot of parts that they cant make or cant make enough of and those contracts are worth a lot of money so those companies don't want their parts being blamed if recalls happen and risk losing their contract. Meanwhile the ford plants with union worker, who almost cant get fired, don't have hold themselves to the same standards and thus have lower QC so let "cheaper" parts come off the line.
Thank you for jumping on here and sharing your first hand experience.
If only the author had followed your common sense advice.
Yea, you prob got a lemon, got my 2013 on 2014 and never had an issue besides battery, brakes and tires…(97.500 miles today)
I've owned 11 cars, and my wife (in our time together) has owened 8. The 2010 Flex Ecoboost is by far the best I've owned, and I've owned Fords, GMs, Jeeps, Audis, and Lincolns. Fast, flexible, comfortable and reliable. My only beef with it is it could have used a bigger gas tank for long haul drives.
What MPG did uou get highway?
@@Area_man115 I don’t know. Since a drive to Calgary and back to Vancouver island last year I haven’t had it on a real highway run. My comment relates to it having a 60 litre or 16 gallon tank.
My Flex is my favorite car I have ever hated. I love how it looks, I have had SO many complimets. I love the space and comfort I have, I love how it drives...but I have had nothing but problems with it since I bought it in 2014. I have put so much money into this thing I can't even recall. My family can't wait for me to get rid of it but I just...can't. Maybe another year of repairs will change my mind.
at last, someone that gets where Im coming from!
2019 Non-eco boost Flex and love it. There are a few bad apples in every product, you just got a bad one.
Possibly
Can tell you that the issue is a cv axle, which is wearing your wheel bearing and ball joint. Aswell as causing your swerving.
We had one for 15 years till my brother flipped it. We had problems with door alarm (which would shut off the vehicle), fuel relay, cv axle, and fan control module.
But all in all, engine and transmission wise, it was our most reliable vehicle with 240,000 miles on it.
2011 SEL AWD here....150,000 problem-free miles. LOVE my Flex...best vehicle I've ever owned.
13' Limited NA FWD with 111k miles bought it about close to 3 years ago ago used from the original owner with 97k miles. As soon as I bought it, the infamous water pump blew. Replaced the water pump, timing chains, and a bunch of other things. Last year I got all new Motorcraft shocks/struts with H&R springs, Motorcraft front LCAs, inner tie rods, Moog front end links and outer tie rods. Zero issues as of now. I'm not a Ford guy by any means, I'm actually a Honda & Toyota guy I would say, but I love my Flex.
I still love the flex. It's a complicated relationship
@@GearsAndTech yeah I can’t get behind that statement as well. It’s just when they need major work, it can be very expensive. I’m able to do my own maintenance and simple DIY. But not the big jobs like the water pump.
I enjoy my 2014. With around 50-60 thousand miles on it. My only concern is about the ride. It's been back in the shop many times. It feels like you're driving with 80 pounds of air in the tires. You can feel every little crack. Through the steering wheel and seat. Three brands of tires changed with in the first year. New shocks and struts. Still have the car and the problem. But 23+ mpg.Plenty of headroom for a six-footer 255.And his Stetson hat. Plenty of room for three adults on a one-week vacation from Illinois to Michigan U.P. Down to Memphis. Back to Illinois. I still have it probably always will. But I sure would like to get the ride smoother.
I don't know what he's talking about. I still own my 2014 Flex SEL with the appearance package. I have almost 86000 miles on it and no repairs. I've had it serviced regularly including oil changes at every 5000 miles (Mobil One after the first 20k). The car has the standard 3.5 engine and has plenty of passing power, front wheel drive. LOTS of room for four adults with luggage and with the back row seats down. I always keep the last seats down and I've installed Weathertech floor mat including a cargo mat. Sounds like he got a bad example of the Flex. I love mine. It's the second one we've owned.
I believe it is the Ecoboost version with the worse problems. But that is MY experience. I had a 2013 bought with 70K. The rear view camera was dead when we got it (dealer turned it off and hid it when we bought it), front axles went out 80K, water pump at 102K motor and tranny mounts at 120K, ALL the blend doors at 140K, brake booster a 145K, one turbo at 150K (probably earlier. we do not drive it hard), oil pump at 145K, power steering at 160K, and AC compressor at 182K. Also "minor" issues like the window and lock actuators in most doors, the evap solenoid, charcoal canister, rear seat motors, a few more I can't remember. Our family LOVED this car for 3 years and was solid. tons of room and power. Then the whole thing just started to fall apart as I am stating.
That sounds dreadful.
I'm a Ford guy and there's no hate here. Sometimes you have bad luck with a brand. I used to love Nissans having owned an XTerra and then I bought a high mileage Pathfinder. The Pathie was hot garbage. I sunk a fortune into it because I loved the ride but there was always a new problem that cost thousands to fix and most of the time mechanics would just look at me and shrug because nobody could figure out why it would do what it was doing. I will never own another Nissan.
I think that, like I did, you got a lemon. Even if it had been in perfect mechanical condition, I think you were asking a little too much from a glorified grocery getter. The towing capacity on that thing for a weight carrying hitch is 2000lbs and 200lbs on the tongue, not 4500. It will pull 4500 with a weight distributing hitch but I wouldn't want to try it. Like you said, it's a station wagon not a truck. I also wouldn't be going off road or trying to drift in a 10 year old, 100k+ mile car. Sounds to me like you were trying to break it. The repeated failures in the front end shouldn't have happened but unless there's some forum out there with a thousand other Flex owners complaining of the same issue then the problem was probably with your specific Flex and not the model in general. To sum up, don't buy a ten year old, high mileage, over computerized urban people mover and expect it to do the job of a no frills pickup.
Thanks for stopping by
I made videos of all the work I did to the front end. They are getting thousands of views.
When you read the comments you find out that many people are suffering from the same experience I had.
Hum....my son bought a 2009 Ford Flex with 220k miles on it (high, I know) but he only paid $1500 for it. So far other than a crack in his muffler it's all good that was found on inspection. He has one tire that is balding and was told to replace all 4. N0ow, I am thinking why is one tire wearing more than the other 3? I hope nothing more goes wrong.
I love how you compared buying this car to dating a supermodel! 😎😊👌🏻😂
Im happy you watched this far to see that.
Its too bad not everyone makes it that far to see how funny I think I am
Sorry about that,my friend has a 2012 & is going on 260K ,,but he finally had a hose break & 50 buck's later he's towing HD trailer up & down cross country & I'm amazed,, hope l have his kinda ride,,l know l wouldn't want to work on one !!
I have had a Flex for going on 9 years now. There was 2 major issues in that time: the water pump went, common issue. The other issue was when the turbo pipe blew off. Simple issue. I think there was one other but can’t remember what it was. Other than that, only batteries (somewhat frequently because my dad’s a cheap person) and oil changes. It’s spent all of its time in our possession in three sun, and only after 8 years did the seats start to rip.
Good to hear
Seems to me the damage was done by the prior owner of the Flex, and possibly a sub-par mechanic, using sub-par parts. Sounds like you should shop for a new mechanic and make sure quality parts are being used, no matter what you're driving. I wouldn't blame it on the Flex. Seems like most everyone else is having a good experience with them, as long as they're being savvy about maintenance.
I bought a 2013 flex with 83k miles on it. The ONLY issues I have at 138k is wiper tube and exhaust manifold. I love it so much I bought another 2016 with 85k miles on it.
Buy crap parts, do the work multiple tines.
That's just not true though. I spoke about this in the video
Same quality parts on other vehicles held up jusy fine
I think you just got a bad Flex and it can happen with any vehicle purchase. I own a white Ford Flex with 182,000 miles and it runs excellent! I've had very little repairs and I would take it across America with confidence. Absolutely NO PROBLEMS with the front end.
Still have my 2009 Ford Flex. Possibly my favorite car ever.
Funny! I love my 2013 so much I bought another 2016. Best vehicles I have ever owned. The 2013 has 148k miles. Here is what I changed so far:
tires
brake pads
battery
alternator
wiper spray hose
cabin air filter
oil(amsoil(strongly recommended))
oil filter (WIX or K&N(strongly recommended))
That's it!
Now, with that said, the alternator was a pain in the ass. Took 4 hours on my first experience) Whereas, on my Lincoln Mark 8 or 97 thunderbird or Cougar, it took 15 minutes. Other than that, I absolutely love the Ford Flexes. It towed a maximum, loaded, 6x12' Uhaul trailer through the mountains in California/Nevada/Wyoming at 60-70MPH without breaking a sweat.
The interior is very comfortable. I fold the seats down in back and put in a mat for my dogs. The Flex is wide, sits low so the handling is like a sports car. It will get up to 27mpg on the open road.
Best car I've owned. 09 se purchased with 22k miles, and now has 237k miles. Only replaced wear parts (suspension and front end parts) I did as precautionary replace waterpump at 110k miles,and had to replace the cooling fan that failed. Other than that just regular maintenance.
Only issue I've had with my wife's Flex is the power steering went out at a couple hundred thousand miles. I worked as a mechanic for a decade so I do all my own repairs for the most part. Rack and pinion and power steering in the Flex are a bit of a pain in the ass to replace but I've done more difficult repairs in my life. Most power steering systems are just easier to get to than the Flex.
I bought a 2013 ford flex in March of 2021, with 130k. I made an 1800 mile round trip from south florida to Nags Head, NC, with no provlems...
A year later, the electric power steering unit went out. The dealer wanted 4 grand, but i found a mechanic who is familiar wirh this problem, he fixed it for $1400...to date, this has been the only issue. I'm keeping an eye on the water pump, I've heard that this is a $1000 repair bill..
Glad to hear it's working for you
I guess folks need to title their videos with dramatic hyperbole to get clicks. If you know anything about the Flex you know this is a gross exaggeration of a rare experience. To most people it should be obvious that buying a used version of a first model year of any car is a risk. The Flex isn't for everyone, but those that "get it" love them with good reason.
I Love my Ford Flex. No problems, other than the overflowing rain gutter into the cabin filter all over the passenger footwell problem. But it can be fixed with a screwdriver and 30 minutes.
Aaaw...sorry to hear that. My 2013 is holding it's own...so far...so good.
I’m cross shipping between ford flex and the honda odyssey
Which one do you guys recommend and why
I prefer the Odyssey
Flex is for guys that want a minivan that doesn't look like a minivan
Hopefully I get feedback from flex owners . Im in the market for a flex just to use for work I came across one thats the color ,trim and everything I'm looking for only thing is a 2014 Flex limited awd ecoboost with 250K miles. What yall recommend ? Or what issues arise from these
Hopefully it's cheap. That's a lot of miles for an ecoboost
The weakness of that engine is the water pump. It's internally driven by the timing chain. If it fails it will leak coolant into the oil, if this doesn't get caught right away it will take out the engine. I've had mine for ten years, it's a 2011 naturally aspirated AWD that had 48k miles when we bought it. I've only used full synthetic oil and mobil1 or napa platinum oil filters every 3-5k miles. It has 223k miles right now and the engine runs like the day we test drove it. I've heard that the key to the water pump issue is being religious about oil changes and using quality oil. That can be said about preventing so many issues in modern cars regardless of manufacturer, 10k oil change intervals are insanity. Manufacturers recommend it in order to get you through the warranty period, not because it's what's best, but once that warranty expires is when the effects of doing 10k oil changes start to manifest. If it already has a lot of miles it can mean the previous owners were diligent with maintenance or they got lucky with questionable maintenance and your buying it on its last leg.
Whenever someone try to blame Ford. If you listen to them long enough. You will find the problem was them. I install a reman caliper on my 2016 F150 from Autozone. My pedal was soft. I went to the dealer and bought a new caliper for $15 more and my pedal was firm.
Sounds more like air in the line
@@GearsAndTech Nope the caliper was not rebuilt tight. I also found out you have to buy Motorcraft brake pads if you want your car to stop like new. Autozone elite pads are $80. In normal driving, they are fine. When I drive fast. They fade unlike the slightly higher Motorcraft pads.
@@GearsAndTech Some cheap parts you can get away with. At 69k miles, my cylinder head temp sensor went bad. The computer thought the engine was overheating. The engine ran on 3 cylinders and would only go 35 mph. It was on a Sunday so I bought the sensor at Autozone for $20. I'm at 103k miles now.
@@GearsAndTech I want to thank you. After watching your whole video. I now have a subject to make a video about.
I see the viewers are really with you on this one.
It's been a popular topic.
Most the comments and dislikes came from a few disgruntled Facebook groups that are dedicated to their love of all things flex.
So I take it with a grain of salt.
I bought a 2018 Flex new four years ago. I haven't had any serious mechanical issues, but heck, it's only got 35,000 miles on the clock. What surprises me most is the poor fit and finish. For a vehicle Ford had been making for ten model years, why do so many of the exterior body panels not line up? People criticize Tesla for poor fit and finish but my Flex takes the cake! And the mileage is poor and you hear lots of road noise inside.
How many accidents has it been in?
I am an auto mechanic in mechanic shop and I own two of flexes never had any trouble with them me and my wife's looking to buy another car we're probably going to get another flex or explorer
I’m on my second Flex. First one was having issues that no one could figure out I was stupid enough to get a second one because it’s design was just so beautiful. Eco boost engine. Got it with 0 miles and now just had to get the entire engine replaced. Initially they only replaced the top part of the engine and now the entire thing. My car has been in the shop for a total 5-6 months this year. And now the AC is no longer working. Seat warmers are also not working. And now I’m scared every time my car lets out the slightest bit of smoke. It’s going back period!
What year?
Bought mine new in 2012 as a 2013 model. As of July 2024, I do not have any issues. It’s getting old but I love all aspects of the Ford Flex.
I have a 2019 flex love it
How long do you want it to be perfect. The f150s have the same engine and tow well seems like you have unrealistic expectations you own some stuff it appears you aren't poor buy a certified pre owned and sell it when the warranty is up
F150's have ecoboost. This had the NA turd.
Possibly my expectations where unrealistic, but I think having a suspension that doesn't eat itself would be normal to expect
@@GearsAndTech I have the NA 3.5 in my Flex and I have no issues with it. It's far from a turd.
4 years with my Ford Flex and no issues. I bought it new
I have a Ford Flex with over 150000 miles and have not had one problem. The car handles fantastic in snow.
I will agree, it did well in the snow.
I was disappointed that it has a fwd bias when it slips. So it's hard to kick the back end out. That makes you end up under steering on ice, which is a problem.
#bringbackfordflex
Only 62K ,the Eco Boost Twin turbos were a NIGHTMARE! 3700.00 for repairs from FORD technicians because of a failed defective oil separator( no recall, but new part was completely redesigned), THEN 2100.00 because some A$$hole designed an internal water pump that requires removing the front of the engine to replace. I dumped this turd and purchased a Hyundai with a real warranty
Wow I'm sorry to hear you've had so much problem with your flex we have a flex it's a 2019 two-wheel drive na engine. I'm a Toyota man It was Mark's idea to get a flex so far I have no complaints it's been one of the best vehicles we've had right up there with with any Toyota I've owned.
There's really been no major issues at all the front end spine I have her sometimes along the line you will have to replace the water pump at timing chains but I expect that to come up at some point.
But all in all I have just so pleased with the car and I'm not one to tolerate even a minor deficiency in my vehicle
I have a 2014 and just got done putting almost 70k miles on it just last year alone. It has almost 200k miles and I've never had any issues with it aside from one of my catalytic converters recently going out. It's flawless otherwise. You're attributing your hate for a car based on autozone parts instead of oem. You're free to have an opinion but you don't seem to have a very educated one.
Thanks for stopping by.
I totally understand that this is my experience alone
I have a video that documents how to replace all the parts that I replaced while owning it. Those videos are getting a log of views. If I was alone I would think nobody would be looking up the videos.
So my opinion is also based on that
And the part about my work buddy that had 3 of them when they were brand new and eventually swapped for a different car because even Ford couldn't fix the problems.
So, I don't think my opinion is based totally on ignorance.
@@GearsAndTech so you're basing your entire opinion about a car through faulty cheap ass parts that you bought and views from your videos from cheap ass people who can't do basic car maintenance and want to play RUclips mechanics. There is a right way and a wrong way of doing things. If you're constantly doing backyard mechanics with cheap ass unreliable parts then you're obviously doing it the wrong way. Owning a flex isn't cheap or for the cheap asses. And there's plenty of backyard RUclips mechanics out here in the world right now and they, including you, seem to always have the worst experiences with cars. I'll tell you right now, nothing on the flex is cheap to replace. Maybe a light bulb is probably the cheapest fix you'll ever get on this car. It isn't a very demanding car price wise and for it's size and weight it gets great gas mileage. You're paying for the quality of the part when you need to replace something on a flex. Not just the part itself. If I want something important in the car to last then I'm not gonna go running to autozone with Chinese outsourced parts for an American made vehicle.
If you keep up with general maintenance on ANY car then you're more likely to enjoy it more and for longer. Bolting on cheap shit and slapping it on there and calling it fixed is not the right way to do things. I can can confidently say that I don't care if you had 100 friends come help you with your Chinese parts. They're not built to last. Which is why any parts department stores are so successful in their business. I can go buy a Chinese cat converter for my flex for 600 bucks right now or I can spend the 1k and it last for another 200k miles or more. It going out was my fault for not getting the plugs, wires and coils changed out sooner than I would have liked and it ended up having repeated misfires that just dumped fuel into the converter. But life happens and ultimately I'm paying the price for it as a result. I've literally only ever needed to get the oil changed, alignment, rear shocks replaced since I tow with it a lot, transmission fluid change and brakes and rotors changed. That's it. That is all that has ever been done with my flex for its entire life. Everything is bone stock oem and replaced with oem every time.
Like I said before, you can hate on the flex all day long. It doesn't make your opinions on it anymore valid just because cheap asses want to save some money on labor costs. For all you know, these people watching your videos have bought the FoMoCo oem part and just don't want to pay labor of 100+ an hour. It doesn't mean that the people watching the video hate the car. Especially with today's economic climate since the outbreak of the virus. Not everyone can afford to pay labor costs. If they keep buying those cheap ass Chinese parts, it's gonna cost them more in the long run and they'll think it's the car that's the problem. Kinda like what happened to you. 💁♂️
I appreciate the conversation and the feedback
I have approached Maintenance of all my vehicles the same way. I have never had the cheap Chinese parts fail within 1 month of replacing them. This is a first for me.
My opinion has not changed.
I bought my wife a 2017 Ford Flex Limited Addition AWD. We drove it on our vacation from Colorado to California and Arizona completing a 2,520 mile round trip. The Flex accommodated Five passengers with luggage very comfortable. With the on board computer information, GPS, Fuel information and much more made our trip worry free. "Best vehicle we've owned"
Cool
I have a 2014 eco boost flex and it's a great vehicle. It does eat batteries but other than that it's fast as hell, comfortable as hell, great sound system (coming from a musician) and big for my 6'6" frame.
We bought a 2017 Flex Limited in 2019 and didn’t have any problems with it. I think you bought an old car just when it was starting to wear out! 9 years old and high mileage. 🤦♀️
I appreciate your videos for working on my flex but it's true lol we do love our cars and will probably never sell it. Lol dramatic ending to your video lol
It's like the thing that makes you hate it so much is also what makes you not be able to get rid of it.
A true love / hate thing.
Glad you're enjoying the content. Make sure to subscribe and share our videos with your friends
You MUST buy OEM Ford Motorcraft parts. Don’t bash Ford if you’re replacing problems with Chinese knock-off parts. You get what you pay for. Owned my ‘14 Flex for 7 years and it’s got 158,000 miles now. A few minor issues, but otherwise, it’s been super reliable and great. Front end suspension and steering parts did wear out, but replace with quality OEM parts and you’ll be satisfied too. Skip the cheap stuff.
You may have missed the part where I said that Ive been buying the SAME quality 'Off Brand' Parts for all of my vehicles, and have NEVER had these problems. Its not a replacement part issue, its an engineering issue.
I've had my Ford Flex for almost 3 years. It's a 2013. I bought used and had taken it four times traveling down to Mexico and will travel again in September of this year. As of this date I haven't had a mayor problem with it but replace tires. I'm very happy with it and would buy a newer model to take it to mexico and keep it down there but the problem would be that parts are not available, otherwise I would keep it down there.
Only person on youtube that says ford flex is dreadful. Every other reviewer and driver (according to comments) loves the Ford Flex. Going to assume this guy's videos are just clickbait for the ads.
This video was out long before I was monetized. It was not made to be click bait
The problem is, most other reviewers are getting paid by Ford, or their sponsers to say nice things. It's really hard to get an objective review of anything these days.
Also, the comments in this video come from a few Ford forums that flooded the video, thumbs downed it and put comments about how much they love their Ford.
Forming your own opinion from the comments here would be like going to a trump rally to form your opinion on Biden
This is just my experience with 1 Ford vehicle. You can watch it, and see if you agree or disagree
I knew the flex was a junk vehicle when I bought it. But I didn't care, because I loved how they look
Never buy a first year car. U bought it with 100k miles? That's when I sell my cars. Did U test drive or have the car inspected on a lift b4 u bought it? U made 3 mistakes. I LOVE MY FLEX!!
You made a few assumptions here about how much due diligence I put into this before I Bought it.
I may play an idiot on youtube sometimes, but I assure you the car was looked over prior to purchase.
You are right about 1 thing, and that is NEVER buy a first year ford.
See, ford lovers know this already because they learned the hard way. Coming from great experiences with first year cars from other brands, this concept is new to me.
I will be mindful of this if I ever look at buying a ford again.