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Need to know about Ford MyTouch and Sync with iPhone (1 Viewer)

Ronald Epstein

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Hey Guys!


Been a Cadillac owner for the past 9 years. Yesterday, I leased a new 2016 Lincoln MKX.


Unfortunately, it comes with Ford MyTouch Sync 2. I say that, because I understand there is a new Sync 3 that just came out. It baffles the mind that the Sync 3 was not put into Lincoln's top-of-the-line model.


So, I kind of feel like I bought a loaded, premium vehicle but fell short on a really cool interactive dashboard system.


Perhaps I am wrong.


I haven't taken delivery of the vehicle yet. So, I am coming to those of you that have the MyTouch Sync 2 in your vehicle.


How is the system overall? Any problems you have with it?

I know it's a Microsoft designed system (or so I hear), and I am wondering how well it works with the iPhone and what things don't work because of compatibility issues.


Thanks in advance
 

Clinton McClure

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I had the original Sync system in two different cars I rented: a Fusion (horrid, horrid car) and an Edge SUV. I wasn't a fan of Sync. Bluetooth was spotty at best and kept dropping the connection with my iphone so I had to use a USB cable to connect it. After that, it would randomly show the wrong artist or song name for what was playing and would sometimes stop in the middle of a song and the only way to start playing again was to disconnect and reconnect the iphone. Then it was fine for a couple hours. The touch screen was also very slow to respond and sometimes took multiple touches to navigate through the controls. Ford may have improved it in the last couple of years, I don't know.
 

DaveF

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I've had brief experiences with Ford Sync in rental cars this year, in a Ford Escape and Ford Fusion. For me the Sync system is as good as anything else I've seen in that class of car like the Toyota Camry, Hyundai Sonata, Kia ?, and VW Passat. I've had no notable problems with Sync. But nor does it wow me and make me want to buy a Ford specifically.


They all reinforce my (likely impractical) desire for Apple CarPlay.
 

Ronald Epstein

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I just ordered a 2016 MKX, loaded. Unfortunately, their top-of-the-line car still has Ford MyTouch.


...well, it's not totally unfortunate. Those who have seen Sync 3 feels that it has been dumbed down and actually prefer MyTouch.


This is not the same MyTouch from years ago. Ford has fixed the bugs and made its response must faster, from what I hear. It works with iPhones.
 

schan1269

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I used My Touch in my cousins new Fiesta(Ford engineer on fuel systems, but graduated in computer science. Buys a car every two years). Aside from the normal "it ain't wired, so it is going to be buggy" issues...

Worked for me. Makes me tempted to put Alpine's new head unit in my Miata that has "essentially the same stuff". Alpine voice command pairs up with every Bluetooth headset, so I could use one with a boom Mic(state no longer allows hand held devices to be...hand held while driving).
 

Ronald Epstein

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DaveF said:
What's the good word on Ford MyTouch, and your new car in general?

Thanks for following up, Dave.


Got my new 2016 MKX a week ago. Love the Vehicle.


MyFord Touch is another matter. Having used it for a week now, it's not as bad as I had anticipated.


However, it does seem sort of primitive compared to newer systems available in other vehicles.


It's not Apple friendly. For instance, having a photo of your contact show up when a phone call arrives, does not happen. It won't read text messages off the iPhone either. Not surprising, since this system is allegedly made by Microsoft.


I love the vehicle so much that I can just about overlook the problems with this system. However, it's hard to believe that Ford didn't put Sync 3 into their flagship model.
 

schan1269

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DaveF said:
Cool. I'm probably buying a new car this fall, so we'll compare notes on a few months :)
Supposedly...

All model year 2016 Ford will get sync 3...by January.

Lincoln aren't getting it till March(which is not set in stone)...cause Ford spends more time designing Lincoln interiors. So, Lincoln interiors were finalized before Sync 3 was finalized...

By 2017(July 2016) Sync 3 will be everywhere(rumor has it with the reverse camera becoming a necessary federal mandate, it will cost Ford less money to just make Sync 3 standard...and "base prices" will go up...just like, mentioned below, when everything got PW/PDL, curtain air bags...ABS, traction control...).

Same reason power windows and locks have become standard features. It simply costs less to design 1 door panel...and it doesn't matter where the switches go...unlike having to put in a hand crank.
 

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Ronald Epstein said:
Whatcha looking at, Dave?

Probably the 2016 Honda Accord. This is a redesign year, and the EX trimline includes Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. (I've posted some links in the 'iOS in the car' thread.) My current car is an Accord, which I've liked. I test drove a 2015 Accord and Crosstour a month ago and really liked it. But to make sure I'm not buying solely on past performance, I intend to test drive the Hyundai Sonata, and VW Passat (both of which include CarPlay) and maybe a Ford Fusion (which gets good reviews, and I've liked it as a rental).


I had a 2014-ish BMW X3 this week as a rental, and it was very nice. But BMW is more than I want to spend and they're even more expensive to maintain.
 

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DaveF said:
Probably the 2016 Honda Accord. This is a redesign year, and the EX trimline includes Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. (I've posted some links in the 'iOS in the car' thread.) My current car is an Accord, which I've liked. I test drove a 2015 Accord and Crosstour a month ago and really liked it. But to make sure I'm not buying solely on past performance, I intend to test drive the Hyundai Sonata, and VW Passat (both of which include CarPlay) and maybe a Ford Fusion (which gets good reviews, and I've liked it as a rental).

I had a 2014-ish BMW X3 this week as a rental, and it was very nice. But BMW is more than I want to spend and they're even more expensive to maintain.
How long do you keep a car?

One of my cousins(a doctor) leases on a 3 year.

It actually(based on depreciation) costs less to lease a BMW*/Merc*/Audi* every 3 years...

Than it costs to buy domestic, even with a 6yr no interest. (assuming you re-up on another 6yr NI...).

That is based on 12 years...constant car payment(many German leases are set up for brake pads and tires, assuming you aren't racing the car...he leased a 911** this time).

6yr NI isn't covering anything after the 3rd year.

*you can pre-buy miles at 1/3 the rate of "excessive". He bought 40,000 miles, lease covered 30,000. So if he drives over 30k, under 70k...he's covered. And whatever he doesn't use, that money is returned. Residual value remains the same if the car is returned at 30k...or 70k.

**the dealership he went through offers car exchange when yours needs service. You can opt...drive/drive or flatbed/flatbed(assuming the service yours needs hasn't rendered the car immobile). Even offers "no cost" exchange if for a short term you would a 4 seat car(Panamera) or Cayenne.
 

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schan1269 said:
How long do you keep a car?

10 Years :)

I had a '93 Honda from 1993 to 2003. Now I'm driving an '04 Accord that I bought new Fall of 2003. This next car I expect to drive at five least years. And possible ten, if past behavior holds.


In the past, leasing was not recommended from a financial standpoint (vs the fun and simplicity standpoint, which I think Ron prefers).


I'll probably start a buying-a-car thread in AHL to talk about these things, as I'm not current on leasing financing.
 

schan1269

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DaveF said:
10 Years :)
I had a '93 Honda from 1993 to 2003. Now I'm driving an '04 Accord that I bought new Fall of 2003. This next car I expect to drive at least years. And possible ten, if past behavior holds.

In the past, leasing was not recommended from a financial standpoint (vs the fun and simplicity standpoint, which I think Ron prefers).

I'll probably start a buying-a-car thread in AHL to talk about these things, as I'm not current on leasing financing.
The Germans(notably, VW does not do this) have stepped this up big time.

If you lease a "bare" BMW X3 for 4 years with a "first option buy"(notable on leases is you are not necessarily given first right to buy. They can force a return...)...

It can typically only cost 5% more over 8 years than the cost paying for it in 5. (Mainly in the fact during the entire lease time, oil, brakes and tires are covered. Then when you buy, those are covered again...2 more years. So, for 6 of the 8 years....you have nothing extra out of pocket)

(for what it is worth, I could never lease. Our 2015 Forester[took possession in December] already has 40k. Although. If I keep my 95 Miata, I could be persuaded to do a low mileage, single payment lease, on a 2016 Miata. Maybe. She wants a newer convertible...with an automatic. With her in Spain, and only here 2 total months a year, for the next 3...it would sit. A lot. I have till March, the earliest I would do such a thing)
 

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Ron

Ronald Epstein said:
Got my new 2016 MKX a week ago. Love the Vehicle.
What prompted the change from Cadillac to Lincoln? (I've never owned either brand, and only know them from 30+ years ago when they were old-folks cars :) )
 

schan1269

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DaveF said:
Ron

What prompted the change from Cadillac to Lincoln? (I've never owned either brand, and only know them from 30+ years ago when they were old-folks cars :) )
Stereotype...

Lauren Ambrose and Ethan Embry were in that Jennifer Love Hewitt flic with a 70 something Caddy. "The Corey's" were in that flic with one...

I got a 70 Sedan de'Ville for my 17th b-day.

Took a graduation road trip to Alabama(gulf) with 12 stuffed in it(the stuff you could get away with in 1988...)
 

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schan1269 said:
The Germans(notably, VW does not do this) have stepped this up big time.

If you lease a "bare" BMW X3 for 4 years with a "first option buy"(notable on leases is you are not necessarily given first right to buy. They can force a return...)...

It can typically only cost 5% more over 8 years than the cost paying for it in 5. (Mainly in the fact during the entire lease time, oil, brakes and tires are covered. Then when you buy, those are covered again...2 more years. So, for 6 of the 8 years....you have nothing extra out of pocket)

(for what it is worth, I could never lease. Our 2015 Forester[took possession in December] already has 40k. Although. If I keep my 95 Miata, I could be persuaded to do a low mileage, single payment lease, on a 2016 Miata. Maybe. She wants a newer convertible...with an automatic. With her in Spain, and only here 2 total months a year, for the next 3...it would sit. A lot. I have till March, the earliest I would do such a thing)
I'll take a look at current leasing options. I've driven about 12k miles in the past 12 months, so the mileage limits could be acceptable. And with car electronics changing so much over the next decade (I anticipate), I'm not sure I want to drive a first-gen CarPlay-compatible car for a decade. But, I am somewhat frugal on cars -- I buy new, but I drive for a decade.
 

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schan1269 said:
Stereotype...

Lauren Ambrose and Ethan Embry were in that Jennifer Love Hewitt flick with a 70 something Caddy. "The Corey's" were in that flic with one...

I got a 70 Sedan de'Ville for my 17th b-day.

Took a graduation road trip to Alabama(gulf) with 12 stuffed in it(the stuff you could get away with in 1988...)
I understand it's a stereotype. At the same time, the only people I knew with a Lincoln and a Caddie were senior citizens :)


But I remember Cadillac targeting younger population even in the early '90s. And they've clearly changed marketing and styling in the past ten years to target younger and middle age drivers.


But my only experiences are of the '80s stereotypes.
 

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DaveF said:
I'll take a look at current leasing options. I've driven about 12k miles in the past 12 months, so the mileage limits could be acceptable. And with car electronics changing so much over the next decade (I anticipate), I'm not sure I want to drive a first-gen CarPlay-compatible car for a decade. But, I am somewhat frugal on cars -- I buy new, but I drive for a decade.
Carplay has been in aftermarket for a year now.

Buy a car with an easily replaceable head unit.

That is my only rub with "infotainment" from the factory. You have, essentially...no options.

I hate how on the 2015 Forester...I have zero options the day it tanks...
 

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