45 Day Owner Review of Maverick XLT

[GregS]

[QUOTE

* I do find the bluetooth and Apple Carplay a bit clunky. It takes it a bit to recognize the presence of my phone each time, and the music quality is far superior via the Carplay link vs. bluetooth (to be expected, but still a notable difference in quality). FM radio does seem to have a weak signal, but I prefer listening to my own music, so not a big concern for me. Sounds system seems good to me, but I'm 50+, so take that under advisement if you have young ears.

QUOTE]

In case you were not aware, the best audio quality in any vehicle is achieved by connecting a USB thumb drive loaded with .mp3 files. The reason is that it uses the vehicle's digital audio controller (DAC) instead of the phones tiny DAC. I've confirmed the superior audio quality in several vehicles using USB, after reading an article about this many years ago. Plus, you can still use voice commands to play your music from the USB drive, according to Ford.

It's a bit more of a hassle, but the improved sound quality is worth it in my opinion.

-Bernie

Good to know -- thanks for the tip! I just to do my thumb drive music, but now I'm more Apple Music dependent and I don't actually own the files and can't download it all the USB drive. That's my one big issue with Apple Music, but I understand the limitation.

Sponsored

 

[GregS]

Thanks. Can you share some pictures how does the truck look with the kayaks loaded?

I hope to get you a picture today, time permitting. Definitely an easier setup that the one you posted with your Fiesta. I suspect you'll feel safer on the road, too. In advance, this is the extension I ordered -- not so smart on links, but you should be able to copy and paste this into google or Amazon:
JMTAAT Foldable Pick Up Truck Bed Hitch Extender Extension Rack Canoe Boat Kayak Lumber w/Flag 400-Pound Capacity

I may play with how the two kayaks sit in the bed to ensure they shift the least, but there's just so many places for straps -- it's easy to get them snug and maintain visibility, etc.

 

[GregS]

Thanks. Can you share some pictures how does the truck look with the kayaks loaded?

I may play with how the two kayaks sit in the bed to ensure they shift the least, but there's just so many places for straps -- it's easy to get them snug and maintain visibility, etc.

 

[zBernie]

Good to know -- thanks for the tip! I just to do my thumb drive music, but now I'm more Apple Music dependent and I don't actually own the files and can't download it all the USB drive. That's my one big issue with Apple Music, but I understand the limitation.

I was in the Apple ecosystem for about 5 years but switched back to Windows because of Apples closed proprietary antics.

 

[Steve CAK]

Thanks for sharing. My Maverick is to be built this week.

 

[Hagzfilmz]

Appreciate the time on this review! Yours is a great preview af mine. The XLT color, pkgs, moonroof are all the same except in a hybrid model. Enjoy!

 

[Benson]

Really good review. Appreciate hearing it from someone who's been driving their Mav around a little while! Happy Turkey Day!

 

[Benson]

I definitely believe the Ridgeline was quieter, but cabin noise has never been something I'm too picky about. Of course, I also play music virtually every moment I'm in the vehicle, so I rarely notice the cabin noise! I've owned several Hondas and like you, I know they are reliable. But I figured I was pushing my luck with a 14-year-old model -- sooner or later, I was going to have to sink deep money into repairs. Now I have a 3-year, 36,000 bumper to bumper warranty; if I don't like the reliability I see in that window of time, I'll probably trade it . . . if all goes well, I'll keep it for a good, long while. But I've certainly given some thought to buying a first-year model of a new launch. If the Ecoboost engine and platform hadn't been used in multiple models, I doubt I would have purchased one this quickly. We'll see how things go -- so far, so good!

I hear ya!.....I have same reservations as you do and will take same action as you if I am dissatisfied during the 3 yr. Warranty period.

 

[Decayed]

I may play with how the two kayaks sit in the bed to ensure they shift the least, but there's just so many places for straps -- it's easy to get them snug and maintain visibility, etc.

Where did you get the hitch mounted bar?

 

[GregS]

Where did you get the hitch mounted bar?

I ordered this from Amazon (sorry for no link): JMTAAT Foldable Pick Up Truck Bed Hitch Extender Extension Rack Canoe Boat Kayak Lumber w/Flag 400-Pound Capacity

Sponsored