Why is the ford flex so disliked?

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TypicalJeepDriver@reddit

They’re not the most attractive vehicles. They’re a box on wheels. But they’re reliable and full of features.

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iamnotcreativeDET@reddit

laughs in timing chain driven water pump failure

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Thank God I haven't had those issues. My 2019 ecoboost has been problem free and I mean I definitely do take care of it very well like I do with all my cars and also my wife’s cars. But yeah zero issues. It’s got a ton of power and space and it handles better than any other suv I’ve driven.

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iamnotcreativeDET@reddit

Your 3.5L Ecoboost suffers from this same issue.

~100K miles I would start checking the oil every day for water contamination, its a $.40 rubber seal that fails in the water pump and starts dumping water into the crankcase. No 3.5L Duratec is immune to this insane design fault.

I have heard of some making it over 150K miles, but those are usually cases where. "The owner had no idea this problem existed and they are being quoted a replacement long block"

I would even just schedule timing chains and a water pump on it if you are anywhere near that magic 100K area, hell, I have heard they fail even earlier than that.

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Wonkaburgh@reddit

So speaking in Canadian here, in another 99,000kms I might need to worry about a seal that I have on my list for things I would get checked in my engine anyway? I mean I know about that issue, I post actively on a Ford Flex forum as well, where a lot of other owners haven't had that issue but I get it, enough did so it's definitely something to keep an eye out on.

Right now, owning this Flex since 2019, the last year of the model and it being a 2019 Eco, I am only at 69k kms. Thanks though, I am sure it was a PITA when you had to deal with it and warning others is never a bad thing!

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macaddictr@reddit

As an owner, my number one complaint is having to tear down the whole engine because of a failed water pump.

I initially checked to see if the engine had a timing chain or belt, and found it had a chain, so I planned to run it until it died. When I learned the water pump was attached to the timing chain, I couldn't believe it.

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DaysofThundr46@reddit

Is every model years engine designed like this?

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Puzzleheaded-Feed-18@reddit

$2800

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iamnotcreativeDET@reddit

significantly more if you have no idea its an issue, which most owners dont.

Happened to my co-worker with his 2011 Explorer, ~110K miles the pump failed and dumped coolant into the sump.

$7000 later....

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Puzzleheaded-Feed-18@reddit

I knew what to watch for and caught it just in time. I check fluid levels once a week out of habit and noticed coolant levels dropping slightly over a two week period and immediately took it in for repair. Really hurt my ego that I couldn’t replace a water pump after 45 years of DIY mechanic work.

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Admirable_Addendum99@reddit

I wouldn't worry. Mechanics find these engines to be extremely challenging

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iamnotcreativeDET@reddit

Good you caught it, those are good engines otherwise, but I’m bummed ford didn’t stick with the 3.0L variant for a longer period of time, those damned things were nearly the perfect V6

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1989toy4wd@reddit

Transmissions too

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dustyoldbones@reddit

Yep I had all of those issues around 125,000 miles. Not reliable at all. But for Ford people say they made it 100,000 miles with no problems like that is some sort of accomplishment 😆

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1989toy4wd@reddit

That’s when I see them too, don’t forget abs module failure too. I have had a couple of those

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dustyoldbones@reddit

Luckily I didn’t have that!

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justin_memer@reddit

So idiotic, like the pump would never give out or leak.

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Tahlkewl1@reddit

Yup.. thats what claimed our engine at 85K miles..

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tractorcrusher@reddit

Plus some of them have a 3.5L TT and AWD like the SHO

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r0k0v@reddit

I knew a guy who had one with the 3.5TT that he did many things to, upgraded turbos, intercooler, meth injection. Thing was over 550hp if I recall correctly and ran I think about an 11 in the quarter mile.

That thing is the coolest sleeper I have witnessed IRL.

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LouieGrimm@reddit

Right!?

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puskunk@reddit

Yep. There's a video of one like that taking a hellcat powered TRX on in the quarter and winning.

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bentheruler@reddit

Didn’t know they ever made those! So sick. I always liked the normal ones look since it came out.

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yabo1975@reddit

They're pretty cool. Had a SHO. Considered a Flex Ecoboost. But really the SHO wouldn't die, so, I just never replaced it until my dream sedan came along.

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deleted_by_reddit@reddit

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unicyclegamer@reddit

they’re a box on wheels

Aren’t all cars like that?

-a motorcyclist

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krispru1@reddit

I live them

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rudbri93@reddit

who dislikes them?

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Boeing-B-47stratojet@reddit (OP)

A lot of people I know personally don’t like them that much.

Call them Fugly, which I have to disagree with.

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Wonkaburgh@reddit

I have the ecoboost 2019, it's a blast to drive.

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Weazzul@reddit

I've gotten a lot of compliments on mine. Like a surprising amount. Random people will come up to me and tell me they like it. Ime, people seem to like it, I do.

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cmcz450@reddit

I literally came here to say it’s fugly. 😂 it truly is an eyesore, but that doesn’t make it a bad car though.

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pinnr@reddit

It was basically a minivan without sliding doors and a lot of people dislike minivans for whatever reason. Adding regular doors didn't help disguise it much.

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rudbri93@reddit

well there's no accounting for taste. personally im a fan of the boxy style.

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19seb96@reddit

Yeah the last gen is so cool looking imo

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jones1337@reddit

I worked for Ford for awhile. It’s a Ford statistic they claim that majority of customers did not like the flex so they removed the vehicle from their lineup. I personally don’t understand it myself. A way better full size suv that’s lower to the ground than the expedition for a fraction of the price. Plus I personally liked the style of the car more than any other.

Never sat right with me that they got rid of it. Same with the focus ST/RS lineup. They were great affordable vehicles

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terela8@reddit

I love mine! I have a 2014 version. After seeing an influencer do a tour of a Road Ranger I realised my car is very similar aesthetically. Just maybe not a luxurious lol.

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Graywulff@reddit

Yeah I’d get an ST if they had them. I don’t want an SUV and I have snow in the winter so the mustang is a no go unless they add a front electric engine and make it some kind of hybrid.

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drifts180@reddit

They didn't have a ST but they did offer them with with AWD and the same TT V6 that was in the Taurus SHO. That's 350 hp stock.

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Graywulff@reddit

They had a Focus ST and a Focus RS. I thought it was a 2.3L ecoboost. 230 in the st and 300 in the rs.

Explorer and fusion have a V6 TT.

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drifts180@reddit

Maybe I jumped in without reading previous posts. I thought you were referring to the Flex never coming in a ST.

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Graywulff@reddit

Oh I don’t really like suvs.

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jones1337@reddit

I got an ST before I left and absolutely love it. Stick shift front wheel drive for under 25k all fees included is a steal. Would be my car of choice if they were still around

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felixgolden@reddit

The Flex always struck me as a modern, larger version of the old Volvo wagons. It wasn't about the looks, it was the practicality, though I have no problem with quirky looks.

My parents moved to a senior community a couple of years ago. The community has a fleet of Flexes (Flex's, Flexi ?) to shuttle residents who don't drive around the property or to take them to doctors/shopping/bank, etc. It's low enough that it makes it easy for them to get in to, but not too low that it's difficult for them to get out. And the large cargo area is perfect for walkers and packages. They are trying to keep them running as long as possible because they haven't really found anything that is so perfectly suited to their needs. They have some vans and electric vehicles, but they aren't quite as well suited.

Before they had moved there, I was actually looking for a used Flex for similar reasons, but the only ones I found were black (wanted a light color) and had very high mileage. Those were obviously used for car service. The others are probably serving out their life as the extra family utility car or as a stealthy alternative to a work van for people who can't park work vehicle where they live.

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EsKetchup@reddit

They have those here in Longmont Colorado too.

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professorfunkenpunk@reddit

I really wish wagons were still more of a thing. It’s an extremely practical style for a lot of people. Although I guess a lot of crossovers are really just tall station wagons

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WhoopDareIs@reddit

They didn’t stop selling it because it was popular and made a lot of money.

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FleshlightModel@reddit

Me. They're ugly, they're shitty. They're ford

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RetiredFromRealWork@reddit

Downvoted for having an opinion that doesn't fall in line with the OP. This place can Fuck Right Off

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FleshlightModel@reddit

I don't ever stress about it.

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Plenty_Painting_3815@reddit

IKR? I always stare in admiration when I see the ford flex. Fast and tons of room and low to the ground. I could go on about the design. Beautiful SUV.

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Skimjw12@reddit

There all pos and suck 1 of the ugliest worst ford's ever F that pos.

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Captain_brightside@reddit

Yeah! They suck! They’re so ugly who would ever buy one?

(I want the price to go down I want one so bad)

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inaccurateTempedesc@reddit

I don't hate them, but they have the same problem as the Taurus where it's massive but really small on the inside. Also, PTU failure.

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StolenLampy@reddit

Slanderous, it's huge on the inside! 3 rows, you could be 7ft tall and fit, and kids so far back they can't kick your seat until they're old enough to know better. If it weren't for the 16MPG it'd be the perfect vehicle!

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scooter1265@reddit

Nah I'll cosign. The drivers compartment is crammed, and there's not a lot of room for head, shoulders, hips, or legs.

The doors are thick, the center console is thicker than it seemingly needs to be, and the dashboard is shaped weird.

I have a 2014 Taurus, and I've sat in smaller cars and had more room for myself. Part of the reason I'm looking at a truck or SUV for my next vehicle.

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iBuildExotics@reddit

Im 6’6 295 pounds and have plenty of room in my 14’ Flex 💪🏼

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scooter1265@reddit

I upgraded to a 22 Maverick, I still have enough room but people tell me I look a bit goofy in my small truck.

Also, watch out for the water pump on your Flex if you have the V6. That's what made me sell my Taurus, sold it to a buddy that had the knowledge, tools, and interest in that big of a job. Mine went out around 150k miles last year.

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StolenLampy@reddit

I have a Flex... And work at a Ford store when we sold the Taurus. The Taurus is cramped for sure, the Flex isn't at all. The box shape gives a ton of room.

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scooter1265@reddit

I missed that part, my bad. I'm a bit shocked at how little room the Taurus has, my old Buick Regal was much roomier.

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hanwookie@reddit

PTU failure?

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Fit_Equivalent3610@reddit

Some Ferd power transfer units (for awd) models are known to be garbage

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look_ima_frog@reddit

They were all bad because they were designed incorrectly. They had MAYBE one quart of fluid in them and are right next to the catalytic converters. They get hot on their own, get hotter next to the cats. The tiny volume of fluid gets nuked in the heat and turns to sludge. PTU fails and replacement is a massive pain in the ass.

Furthermore, they were originally designed as sealed units; that is, they had no drain/fill plugs. If you wanted to service it, you had to drill and tap a hole for a drain plug. Later, it was updated to have fill/drain holes, but they never had a specified a service interval, so nobody even knew to do anything to them.

If you're ever in the market to buy a ford/lincoln AWD product that isn't truck based, get that PTU checked and ideally fluid changed before you buy it. They also went into some Mazdas too (cx-9). Probably others that I"m forgetting.

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hanwookie@reddit

Oh ok, thank you.

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inaccurateTempedesc@reddit

And the fluid change is expensive to do and a complete PITA

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dustyoldbones@reddit

It’s Ford for Transfer Case

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Drzhivago138@reddit

They've got more room than the related Explorer, which is wider outside but shorter in the third row.

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EGGRANDMA@reddit

I bought my flex new to travel with my mother. Its like sitting in easy chairs. great vision all around. easy to get in and out for her arthritis. Now the 2016 is getting old and my mother died and I am using it to tow a small camper. I am trying to find the best tow tires for this Flex. I am in Minnesota so I need a good in ice and snow tire plus I love pulling the camper and i use a weight distribution hitch. Flex calls for a 235/60R18 102T . So I was going to look for a tire with the higher load rating to get a stiffer tire. Like a 104 ? H ? I am getting a bit confused on the numbers and letters for the load and a good match for the Flex

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boxxy_babe@reddit

To me it’s not that they were so horrible, but more that they priced them into a category they can’t compete in. A lot of dealerships had the higher end models up over $50k lol. That’s now Lexus/Audi money. Who’s picking an ugly, unreliable Ford over a Lexus?

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Admirable_Addendum99@reddit

Yeah but do you have Audi maintenance money

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MassiveFarm7426@reddit

A person that’s not shallow, or a “monkey see, monkey do” kind of person. 🤷🏽‍♂️

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BlurryRogue@reddit

They're just like Explorers from the same era, just uglier. I believe they're even the same platform, with the same paowertrain and everything

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That_One_Guy_Flare@reddit

I think it was based more on the Expedition

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BlurryRogue@reddit

Nope. Same powertrain, same suspension as Explorers. If they were based on Expedtions, their motors wouldn't be transverse.

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That_One_Guy_Flare@reddit

oh, huh. the more you know

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BlurryRogue@reddit

Yeah, not useful information at all, but I work in a Ford dealer, so I know these things

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That_One_Guy_Flare@reddit

cool

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immanut_67@reddit

The Flex is not the prettiest vehicle on the road for sure. As a Ford salesman, many customers' first impression was 'ewwwww, no thanks'. But every single person that test drove one bought it. The ride is second to none, it is roomy, and it is an absolute BEAST in snow and ice.

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That_One_Guy_Flare@reddit

Not to mention the fuel consumption is pretty damn reasonable

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deleted_by_reddit@reddit

[removed]

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LouieGrimm@reddit

My 2011 was my dream car. Bring them back! Bring them back! With a block engine, a supercharger, manual transmission and a Hurst shifter. Please. And steel smoothy rims. Thanks in advance.

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Interesting-Air3258@reddit

Love my Flex, except it’s been an absolute money pit. Every known problem despite being dealer maintained and also shady Ford service department. My parent had a 40 plus history of buying from this dealership and we still have three Ford SUV that the teens will get but we no longer use that dealership.

After those Fords go moving on to Toyota. We bought a Sienna and Flex on the same day and the Sienna was also dealer maintained. The difference in maintenance cost cannot be overstated. I wish we had bought 2 Sienna’s.

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Dependent-Ad-9799@reddit

I owned 3 Flex’s and never once went to a mechanic for any of them. They need to bring them back

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Material-File9906@reddit

Have u seen a Honda element dream car— ford flex is tinny and pathetic and love to scrape itself against anything maybe itchy Honda element 10 years 0 accidents no scratches Ford flex ( yes from carvana)😢 2 years this boat is a nightmare

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nickflipdry@reddit

After owning a used 2011 Flex for 2 years, there are multiple engineering design flaws with the flex, the rear toe link was designed incorrectly and recalled, if you don't get it replaced with the newer part by Ford expect to replace most of the rear suspension (a few thousand dollars), the engine has the water pump mounted in the middle of the V inside the engine and is driven by the timing chain, when the pump starts to fail/leak you won't know it till the coolant is mixed with oil and the engine over heats suddenly ($3000-5000 repair), and finally ford blower actuator motors have a design flaw that plagues every variant where the motor won't grip the teeth anymore so the blower doors don't move as much as they should and the AC starts to not work as well (few hundred job each time it fails). Also sync sucks and will not reconnect to any Bluetooth device after a while so you have to pulled a fuse under the drivers side dash then replace it to reset the system.

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Itchy-Studio2465@reddit

I’ve owned two over the years and I love them. My current one has over 170,000 miles on it. It’s a great car for a family, an absolute beast in the snow and really comfortable to use for road trips.

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SkyHookofKsp@reddit

Ford Flex hater here. It's simplistic in a bad way, impossibly boxy, and just seems like it gets 5 mpg.

Subjectively, I think it's hideous and oversized.

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Top_Contribution4298@reddit

hey, hey... I was getting 24mpg before the tune.. now I get about 10 so... be nice haha

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SkyHookofKsp@reddit

Haha more power to you!

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_WhataNick2_@reddit

From my experience, a certain type of people drive them. And those types seem to always be in a serious rush to be somewhere. If you're in front of them on the hwy and not going at least 15-20 mph over the posted speed limit then you're wrong and they'll be right on your tail to let you know.

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Top_Contribution4298@reddit

thats because we have a faster vehicle and would like to use that faster vehicle to get ahead of the slower vehicles - owner of a heavily upgraded ford flex that cannot stand people driving slow

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JustinGJ@reddit

Our 18 is the slowest car we've ever owned, and the Ford turbo motor isn't reliable enough for me to ever own. Uncomfortable too, I can't find a decent seating position, and I'm as average size and height as they come. Awful touch screen system as well. We both miss our 11 Edge that we owned prior, but we needed a third row and I wasn't getting an explorer.

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MassiveFarm7426@reddit

Without the Ecoboost, it’s a waste of time. Wouldn’t get my attention at all. I think the owners that settle for the N/A’s always wanted the Ecoboost but tried to save some bucks. Nobody picks a N/A or Ecoboost as a better choice. 🤣

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rei_0@reddit

I’ve driven one and I hate it. It was just all around physically uncomfortable for me. All of the actual driving things were fine, aside from the power steering

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puskunk@reddit

What did you not like about the power steering? I don't like it either but I want to hear what others think.

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rei_0@reddit

Oh it keep cutting out and repeated trips to the mechanic has not resolved the issue

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MassiveFarm7426@reddit

Quit capping.

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SoilEnvironmental840@reddit

I LOVE my Flex! I rented a car & the Flex was what I had the pleasure of driving & fell in love with it. It's a quite, smooth driving vehicle. I don't why people don't like them, but to each is own.

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TMC_61@reddit

Black with a white top is sweet

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chedykrueger@reddit

Always loved those. I believe that trim was the platinum?

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puskunk@reddit

Flex trims are SE, SEL, and Limitsd.

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TheNerdNamedChuck@reddit

older ones also had platinum

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puskunk@reddit

They did not. All Flexes were offered in the three trim options I mentioned

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TheNerdNamedChuck@reddit

my bad, I meant titanium. early flexes were offered with a titanium trim, above the limited

https://www.truecar.com/used-cars-for-sale/listing/2FMHK6DT9CBD11199/2012-ford-flex/?zipcode=19018

https://www.cars.com/research/ford-flex-2011/

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puskunk@reddit

Those are mistakes.

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TheNerdNamedChuck@reddit

my brother in christ

https://imgur.com/a/BqmSrQW

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puskunk@reddit

Interesting. So they were only a 2011/2012 and it was a sub level of the limited.

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TheNerdNamedChuck@reddit

It was a trim above the limited

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wje100@reddit

On the flex platinum is a package not a trim level.

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oaklamd@reddit

Copsucker rides is what we call those.

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ParadoxPope@reddit

Flexes are sick. Can even be had with a twin turbo V6 and AWD. Throw that suckered on bags and 20s, then get a personal plate that says FLXNTS.

Achieve my dream!

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Awkward_Parking640@reddit

I think it was ahead of its time people didn’t like them when it was new but they grew on the general public.

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Capt-Clueless@reddit

One of the ugliest vehicles ever to exist IMO. I would rather drive a mini-van. And that's saying something.

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No-Caramel-4417@reddit

it's a ford so it's probably a pos like most fords

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lunarc@reddit

I think they are cool, but when we looked at them they were unexpectedly expensive

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HelpfulDescription12@reddit

That's the case for every car now. My buddy just got an Explorer for 55k, I told him he could have got a Mercedes GLC suv for the same price.

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mrford86@reddit

Now look up maintnence costs between the 2.

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dustyoldbones@reddit

The shape is very polarizing. Love it or hate it. The reason I dislike the Flex is the reliability is trash. I bought a used one and had it for about 6 months before I gave up on it. Engine had already been replaced due to the water pump issues, which was good for me. However they didn’t replace the turbos which were leaking oil. Then the AC went out and multiple shops couldn’t fix it. Turns out the little dehumidifying beads or whatever they are broke free and clogged up all of the lines. Transmission was on its way out too so I cut my losses.

I wanted to like it because it was the perfect car in theory. I loved the space and the fact that it didn’t feel like a massive car to drive. It was super fast with the twin turbo eco boost. I still wish it worked out

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dspreemtmp@reddit

I liked the look and thought would be cool. My wife hates it and all wagons. Purely style thing. Now she gets to ride passenger in a super duty instead

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tharussianphil@reddit

I have a stupid dream about manual + coyote swapping a flex one day.

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the_kerouac_kid@reddit

Oh man thanks for putting that in my head. With air lockers.

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subpar_cardiologist@reddit

With locking diffs?

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ThisCryptographer311@reddit

Welded brother. Welded.

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subpar_cardiologist@reddit

Lol

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ThisCryptographer311@reddit

Similar but I wanna do a diesel rat rod build. Love it

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StolenLampy@reddit

It's like we share one mind, this is my dream. Comfort, utility, power, and fun!

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tharussianphil@reddit

You need a car that's reasonably low to the ground but also tall inside for hauling around lots of big dogs you know?

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ohnomoto450@reddit

I have found my people

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atthwsm@reddit

I like them, wife needed a new car and I found a flex in our price range, she flat out refused. Blew me away.

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peaseabee@reddit

Would love to have the one with the big engine. Everyone who has driven that loves it

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Aezetyr@reddit

They're under-powered for their size. I like the mid 2000s design aesthetic though. It's boxy and sort of rounded without being a boring raindrop-bubble shape like we have in cars today. Plus they aren't super tall so it's easier for physically incapable people to deal with.

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WhoopDareIs@reddit

It’s ugly on the outside

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thescrapplekid@reddit

From what I remember they were well liked. Just pricey. The Ford Edge wasn't liked

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Last_Day1997@reddit

I like boxy, but the "igloo cooler" moniker is not wrong either.

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ThatGuyBran_don@reddit

Ford seems to enjoy ruining the vehicles they make that are actually cool.. Lol. Look what they did to the “Mustang”

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jaymansi@reddit

Because it looks like a tissue box rolling down the road.

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MechDev9@reddit

Internal water pump, meaning you have to do your timing chains as well if you have a water pump failure,

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txmail@reddit

I can see some not liking the retro styling, but I would not hesitate to get one that is in good shape. The later models even had that twin turbo V6 rocket under the hood.

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YogurtclosetDull2380@reddit

Ecoboost engines have been an option through the entire run.

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txmail@reddit

I had no idea they were available that long. I actually looked at them when they first came out and it was not offered on the first year models. 2010 and onward offered the TT.

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YogurtclosetDull2380@reddit

I've owned 2 Limited Ecoboost models, and would buy a third if sub 30k mile examples exist, in a few years.

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Jebgogh@reddit

Had as a company car and loved it. Could get ladder in back with 3rd row down (folding ladder) Drove well and no major problems.

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ScrotumNipples@reddit

Ford Flex are cool. Never heard anyone hate on them.

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ABobby077@reddit

Why did they have those ugly parallel creases/lines on the sides of the Flex?? It just really ruined it for me. Other than that it was much like a lowered Explorer.

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Traquer@reddit

Because it's not sexy, the same way a mini van isn't. They're more practical than a Tahoe or escalade. Life is full of trade offs.

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SSG_Vegeta@reddit

Always wanted one. Probably the same reason as the hate for the Honda Crosstour (which was my favorite family car ever) or the Pontiac Aztec, I guess people just didn’t like the aesthetics.

The Flex was the perfect vehicle to me and if they still made them, I’d have got one instead of my Ridgeline.

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tritonx@reddit

I dunno but I'd want one... are they still in production ?

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puskunk@reddit

Nope.

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Ill_Arachnid2386@reddit

My buddies mom had one 10 years ago and it was always effing broken

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LexaproPro891@reddit

They are so ugly - what is it with the lines on the side?

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downtownDRT@reddit

i love them, but they are heavy to drive

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Beautiful_Climate_18@reddit

Personally I don't have any issues against the Flex, but I think they were in a middle ground that made them undesirable.

If you want something that size to haul the family, you'd want sliding doors for convenience. So you're better off with a minivan.

If you want something that can go off road, you'd buy an SUV (Explorer) with more ground clearance or for better visibility on the road.

Hence, the Flex ended up kinda stuck in between..

I'd say the same thing about wagons. I love wagons, but the reality is if you've owned a wagon and a CUV/SUV, you'll find the SUV to be superior.

ie. Subaru Forester, vs. Impreza wagon

Or RAV4, is basically a Camry wagon with even more space.

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Jess_S13@reddit

Can't speak for others but my opinion is it's the fact it's a mini-van thats trying not to be one so it feels like a solution looking for a problem, if you want a mini van get a mini van, if you want a SUV get a SUV, if you want a sporty wagon get a sporty wagon.

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Dinolord05@reddit

I like them. Just wish they got better gas mileage.

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youcanrunnaked@reddit

Aside from the typical FORD quality issues, I think the Flex failed because no one could describe it in one or two words. Is it a station wagon? An SUV? A minivan? People like to pigeonhole. It’s our nature. The Flex defies catagorization, which, ironically, was supposed to be its strength.

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nachowifey205@reddit

Because they look like toasters. Next question.

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RicksterA2@reddit

A Ford pickup converted into 'station wagon'.

Miserable gas mileage, so so handling (top heavy).

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GarbageRoutine9698@reddit

Reliability? Looked at getting one used (3.5L TT, obviously). Couldn't justify the fact that I could get the same space and seating in a Honda or Toyota minivan.

I do know of house in SC, that has 3 in the driveway so someone loves them.

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Internal-Pie-7265@reddit

Same reason people dont like any strange looking vehicle. Personal taste.

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Caqtus95@reddit

I didn't know people thought about these let alone hated them.

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TheeDynamikOne@reddit

Family friend of ours had a Flex, she was driving on the highway with 2 kids and had a seizure. She went off the highway and the car started to barrel roll and she hit a tree at speed, tree impacted the roof. Everyone survived with no major injuries. The pictures of the car look awful, the car partially wrapped around the tree. Amazing safety and engineering for that to happen.

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horsepower82@reddit

I was given a murdered out AWD Flex rental, when I booked a compact. I really enjoyed it! Very comfortable for a long drive and tons of space, too much as it was my partner and I. Throttle response was there when I needed it, but it was a bit of a pig to handle. But that’s not its use case anyway. I can see why it’s not well liked as it’s basically a lowered SUV, and people like riding high these days.

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Longest_Inch@reddit

I loved it but it was just out of my price range.

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OkTale8@reddit

Because they look like giant station wagons and no one likes station wagons. Well I like station wagons, but most people don’t.

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unpolire@reddit

If you search, you will find huge groups of families in communities that only drive Ford Flexs and some families with multiple versions. The alternative to a van.

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puskunk@reddit

I've got one. For carrying 4 people, even full size adults, it's great. I had to upgrade to one when my children got to be the same size as the parents. Luckily one of my kids is agile enough to get the rear row.

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rockerspsl@reddit

I liked the size, shape and power of the vehicle for the most part. The only thing that dissuaded me was the design of the doors. They wrapped under the body instead of being on a vertical plane. This means any scrapping or scuffs from anything under the vehicle when driving would directly impact the door's ability to shut or seal. Otherwise, I thought it was a brilliant wagon/suv.

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Tahlkewl1@reddit

People typically hate them until they get in one. We had one for years that my wife just loved..

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TexianUSA@reddit

People think it’s too low to be an SUV & too big to be a wagon, and it looks like it rides like crap

Those people are wrong though SHO Flexes are a blast to drive
But shhh keep resale value low, I want one

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Drzhivago138@reddit

Unfortunately there was no Flex SHO. The 3.5 EB models used the same engine as the Taurus SHO, but none of the other components.

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TexianUSA@reddit

…don’t they both have the 6F55 too?
Different PTU but at what point are they not functionally equivalent / is the distinction not just pedantry?

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Drzhivago138@reddit

Good point, they did have the same transmission, and even the paddle shifters. I don't believe they modified the suspension for the Flex EB like they did with the Taurus SHO.

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WeCanIf@reddit

My wife had 2, one fwd which was replaced with an ecoboost awd. Only negative in the latter was the fuel economy which is why we ultimately had to get rid of it. She was starting clinicals and would need to drive 80 miles one way. She loved it and talks about getting another now that she’s not doing all that driving.

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cpl1979@reddit

It's a love it or hate it style, no in between.

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CautiousTuna@reddit

I've been looking at the AWD exoboosts for the last 3 years but the prices just seem too steep currently. The Flex is actually a pretty sick ride

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Sickmont@reddit

I work for a Ford dealership. Most of the commentary I’ve heard about them is people do not really care about the utilitarian nature of them and dislike the boxy style, they want something that’s either swoopy like a Mustang or somewhat swoopy like an Edge SUV or massive like a Super Duty truck. I personally like the big boxy things like the Flex and I even like the MKT also.

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spicyhog96@reddit

Wife had one, simple to work on, had 360000km when sold, had to replace the rad fan assembly to the tune of $400 but other then that regular maintenance and couple sets of tires that car never let us down. And was a billy goat in the winter with all season tires. I personally think it looked like a Kleenex box but whatever it worked fantastic

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Phatigus@reddit

I always thought it was a pretty cool looking vehicle. To each their own I suppose.

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ohnomoto450@reddit

I love them. Unfortunately they were really expensive.

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nod9@reddit

In my experience, because it's essentially a ford version of the chevy suburban, but low, and without a V8. People like to sit up high, it makes them feel secure. The flex feels like a minivan.

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ohnomoto450@reddit

It's basically a station wagon. Which unfortunately no one buys.

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Drzhivago138@reddit

I wish they had been as long and wide as a Suburban.

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72corvids@reddit

Funnily enough that's exactly why I'd drive one. I don't like the height of an SUV. Too tippy feeling in the corners.

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Valade_Gang@reddit

They’re like the Honda Element. Not very attractive from the outside but once you’re inside you’ll love it.

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Elite-Speed@reddit

They were solid. Ford is notorious for killing liked vehicles.

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Electronic-Ad-6608@reddit

GM does the killing of good vehicles way netter than Ford

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Leafy0@reddit

Except gm kills them before they’re born. Chevy SS would have been a huge success if they didn’t give it a confusing name and limited option package. Volt would have been a massive success if the name didn’t sound too much like Bolt and they didn’t put the world’s most uncomfortable asymmetrical seats in it.

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Drzhivago138@reddit

Volt would have been a massive success if the name didn’t sound too much like Bolt

The Volt came before the Bolt, though.

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Leafy0@reddit

See. Even I mixed them up. The full electric one would have been a huge success. It’s a better car than the model 3 (Besides the terrible seats), and it was available on the dealer floor when the model 3 had like a year backlog and it was cheaper. It wasn’t as fast though but still quicker than most gas cars.

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Drzhivago138@reddit

And then in typical GM fashion, they applied the name "Spark" to a non-EV.

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titanicx@reddit

Some people just hate the box on wheels look?

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Umikaloo@reddit

The ford flex was always good looking

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FlobiusHole@reddit

I kind of feel like they’re ugly but I still kind of like them. The older ones remind me of a modern station wagon. I also loved my 97 Buick Park Avenue and I thought that was one of the ugliest cars ever made even for the time.

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JoeysTrickLand@reddit

I was on the fence about their looks until I got one for a rental. Fell in love with it.

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NitroHandler@reddit

The ecoboost flex is fast as shit for a crossover

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jeremiahishere@reddit

The looks are polarizing. You like it or you don't. I thought it did a good job calling back to wagons of the 60s and 70s. The square shape lead to great head room and cargo room in the back of the vehicle.

It would have been a lot better with sliding doors. Building this on the Explorer chassis lead to compromises with interior room, especially compared to minivan alternatives. That being said, first and second row room was some of the best in any reasonable sized car or SUV. If the SUV buyers bought an Explorer and the Minivan buyers bought an Odyssey/Sienna/Pacifica, who was left to buy this in between vehicle?

350hp was awesome in this vehicle even though it was heavy. It effortlessly accelerated up to 90mph without thinking about it. On the other hand, the transverse 3.5 ecoboost had all sorts of weird problems. The PTU was known to explode ($2500), the transmission had issues ($2500), traditional ecoboost cam phaser rattle problems ($2500), water pump failure pumping coolant into the pistons ($2500-10000).

You couldn't really modify the car because 400 ft/lbs was all the drivetrain could take. I am all for a slammed minivan, spitting fire, and winning drag races. The Flex would do it about twice before the PTU exploded.

Ours was a daily driver for about 4 years. We towed a trailer all over the country with it. At 77k miles, it developed a turbo line oil leak that we didn't catch right away. $4000 later, it returned home with a cam phaser rattle. Even though it only had 77k miles, shifts were starting to get rougher. We traded it in to Carvana soon after and got pandemic pricing for it. We miss it but the minivan and truck that replaced it do its job better: https://i.imgur.com/sgjDquc.jpg

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Sankaba@reddit

Show me who dislikes them, ill wreck 'em

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ozzy_thedog@reddit

I had one for a bit. It was like a big massive comfy couch inside. Like driving from a lazy boy.

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Initial-Relation-696@reddit

Went from east coast to west coast recently. Days in California before we saw one. We had lots of people look and comment on ours. Comfortable, huge interior. A lady driving a Porsche 4 door called it a limo.

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iiCUBED@reddit

If everyone hated them they wouldnt be the most selling vehicle now would they

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Electrical-Pea-3662@reddit

In Poland we say "Ford gówno wart" which means "Ford shit worth" and i think it's beautiful

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BavarianBanshee@reddit

I like the Flex, tbh. I'm a big fan of boxy styling, and when I took one on a test drive a few years ago, I quite enjoyed it.

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daily_traffic@reddit

i have nothing against them except personal opinions. i think they look like toasters and i personally have bad experiences with the 3.5 v6 that came in them

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ajm3232@reddit

If you get the limited it's AWD with 365hp. It's basically a discount reliable version of a Land Rover. Anyone who dislikes em can eat a bag of dicks. They basically make the perfect football/soccer Dad sleeper.

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koolguy765@reddit

Dude I hate Ford's and I don't like American cars I'd whip a flex

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PwnCall@reddit

I feel like they are a minivan in disguise. Not as function but certainly a lot better looking.

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ColinD1@reddit

Yeah, but what minivan has 385hp and AWD? If I ever end up going the van route, a Flex Limited Ecoboost will be my first choice.

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PsionLion2K1L@reddit

I mean, with the right engine and transmission the Ford Supervan 3 was what you described. Granted though there aren’t many of them.

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PsionLion2K1L@reddit

They’re good SUV’s the boxy style is probably what’s making people not like them, but honestly they’re reliable and comfy. Hell I even thought about turning one into a truck like the older Ford lightning’s before that EV hunk of scrap came out.

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Complex-Scarcity@reddit

Fuck I wish it had a frame so I could solid axle swap it and wheel that son of a bitch

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Quake_Guy@reddit

I think they are cool, but most people don't like them. Again there is a reason most SUVs look the same. Being different is easy, being different and successful is hard.

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TheCrudMan@reddit

Most car people I know liked the Flex

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BiffBeltsander@reddit

People are fools. I'd hear "looks like a school bus" or "looks like a hearse" when they were new. The Flex was a great vehicle for what they were in terms of usable space while being capable and decent to drive. People didn't appreciate them because of some imagined stigma with owning a minivan.

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