[timb]

Non tbird related but I have been car shopping and was wondering if anyone knows much about the new CVT Ford is using. Any reliability issues cropping up yet? What kind of service life can you expect out of the belt?

 

[SplitPortBird]

isnt ford offering 100K mile warranties now? I personally think the CVT is cool however dont think its worth the hassle it doesnt really get any better Performance or Gas mileage and the Sched Maintence is expensive (fluid).

I think the CVT would be great with a turbo!! talking about always being on the curve.. but for a N/A vehicle that has a pretty flat torque curve I dont think its needed.

I'll take a 6spd auto!

 

[timb]

Yeah but I am looking at one with AWD and it only comes with a CVT in front of it

 

[SplitPortBird]

I say as long as you get the good warranty go for it.. should be fun

You looking into the fusion AWD?

 

[timb]

Trying to decide between a new fusion or a used 500. I located an 05 500 limited AWD for $14500

 

[IcemanV8]

I'd say it's like riding my Polaris ATV, lol. I, too, wonder what a CVT would feel like while driving vs a regular automatic.

 

[timb]

It's kind of strange. The engine RPM stays pretty constant but the car keeps pulling

 

[thabulldog]

The Fusion I have has a 6 speed auto.. it seems like its almost always shifiting and I only average like 20 mpg so theres not much benefit

 

[Hobohuey]

Internal vorking of a CVT

http://videos.streetfire.net/search/cvt/0/b99f4c8a-5110-45f9-afd2-984800d611a6.htm

 

[timb]

Internal vorking of a CVT

http://videos.streetfire.net/search/cvt/0/b99f4c8a-5110-45f9-afd2-984800d611a6.htm

Very cool. Kind of reminds me of the old centrifical clutches on a go-cart

I ended up buying one with a 6 speed auto instead of the AWD CVT

 

[icantdrive55]

Remember the Subaru Justy? That cvt was considered non-rebuildable by the dealer. Replacements cost triple the value of the car- lol.

They did launch well for an engine with no power. The only noticable shift was when the converter locked up. If you didn't know better you would swear the tranny was slipping. The rpm's will just hang at whatever rpm the throttle position dictates while the car accelerates.

 

[Red96Bird]

i dont know how well ford is building them, however saturn decided to scrap their cvt because of issues. all i know is that they run really really hot compaired to a normal trans.

and i personally hate driving one, it feels like it should be shifting but never does. just stays at a constant rpm.

another thing i have learned is that they are having problems because they have a very low torque capacity, so any sort of hard driving or towing plays hell on them.

i just dont see the reliabilty with 2 steel shieves (pulleys) and a steel belt?

i guess on the good part, usually they are not serviceable, and the fluid is supposed to last 100K miles,

i remember on the saturn one, the trans had to be removed from the vehicles and split the case in 1/2 to change the fluid.

i dunno, sometimes i dont think they are worth it quite yet.

 

[timb]

I noticed on my 6 speed auto their is no trans dipstick either. I guess it forces you to go get a flush at the dealer

 

[Bangster]

A lot of the newer cars with autos are lifetime fluid (I can name a number of them since late 90s, Isuzu Rodeo is one), and even the 4R75E is lifetime fluid but still have a dipstick on most vehicles. They do that with magic programming mainly.

I will have to drive Fords version of CVT, I don't really seem to like it, and not just because I like whiplash from 1-2 and 2-3 shifts.

 

[guy1138]

I have yet to drive a car w/ a CVT, but the idea just sounds neat. However, if you're considering a car with a Borg Warner CVT unit, buy it! (um, yeah, I own the stock, so?)

Seriously though, my bro is looking at a bunch of 5 door hatch backs, and some of them have a CVT, as much as I think the tech is neat, it makes me nervous.

 

[SilverFox]

I hate polaris ATV's, and I have not driven a CVT in a car....but my thoughts are on the thumb down for now.

 

[BLittle500]

I work at a ford dealer, and the only trouble I have seen with them was in an Escape Hybrid, which is technically a "E-CVT". We ended up putting a unit in it, but it was due to the fact that it fried one of the internal modules that cannot be replaced. If I remember correctly, it was only like the 7-8th escape Hybrid that for has had big trouble like that, and it was only a few months ago. The only thing I did not like about the trans that I found from doing PDI's and used cars, It will allow the engine to bounce off the revlimiter which is like 7000rpm on a 500, and it only had about 12 miles on it and scared the chit out of me. Other than that, I really like it. Very smooth, and its something "different" instead of the same old same old.

Just my $0.02


BTW Silver Fox, before I got my bike, I had an '05 Polaris Predator 500, , just pickin on ya.

 

[conversion02]

I had a Murano that had a 6 speed CVT and it was awful. My mom bought it off me and she loves it. Guess her Grand Marques doesn't really knock change out of your pockets from 1-2 like the Tbird does.

 

[timb]

How do you have a 6speed CVT??? Do you mean 6 speed AWD maybe. CVT's don't have any "speeds" or gears they are continuously variable