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Old 12-12-2017, 01:42 AM   #1
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New toad for Christmas

Replaced our 2014 Fiat 500L 6speed with a 2017 MKZ hybrid. Guess I get to rip apart the front end of a new car and put on the baseplate. I have all the parts coming and will take pictures of the process.
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Old 12-12-2017, 01:46 AM   #2
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Did you trade your Fiat in? Cuz between here and IRV2 there are always people looking for toads.
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Old 12-12-2017, 12:59 PM   #3
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I thought about that too, but in the end we ended up trading it in. Just easier.
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Old 12-12-2017, 01:00 PM   #4
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Congratulations! Ir seems that Santa dropped off an early gift for you...
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Old 12-14-2017, 11:06 PM   #5
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A person has to be pretty dedicated to Rv'ing (or nuts) to do this to there 5 day old Lincoln. My wife would probably go with the latter. It took about 2.5 hrs to get it this far. Baseplate is supposed to be here by end of day.
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Old 12-14-2017, 11:21 PM   #6
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You are a VERY brave man...
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Old 12-15-2017, 05:28 PM   #7
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Baseplate is on, it's hard to see.
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Old 12-15-2017, 06:49 PM   #8
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Congratulations!

(I admit that I was holding my breath a bit...)
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Old 12-15-2017, 11:01 PM   #9
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Pictures of the car done. Everything but the taillights are done. Wire is to the back but still waiting on LED light strips for the lights. Will show pictures of them when I get them on. The car has all LED lights so you can't just drill in a bulb socket.

Was a pain in the A, but saved about $1,500 doing it myself compared to letting local RV shop do it.
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Old 12-15-2017, 11:13 PM   #10
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A $1500 savings??


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Old 12-16-2017, 01:09 AM   #11
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The local RV shop wanted (around) $2,000 to do it, I bought all the parts online for $600. I worked on it 4 hrs yesterday, 10 hrs today. That's $100 an hour. Plus I enjoy tinkering anyway.
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Old 12-16-2017, 04:48 PM   #12
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Replaced our 2014 Fiat 500L 6speed with a 2017 MKZ hybrid. Guess I get to rip apart the front end of a new car and put on the baseplate. I have all the parts coming and will take pictures of the process.


Thinking of a Fiat. How was quality? Easy to get tow equipment?

Thanks
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Old 12-16-2017, 10:17 PM   #13
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You're going to love the MkZ. I've got a 2012, gas engine and it's been a great car. A lot of people don't know that the MkZ was introduced when Ford owned Jaguar and the first MkZ was designed by a combination of Jaguar people and Ford people. You can still feel that Jaguar influence in the way the car handles.
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Old 12-17-2017, 01:07 PM   #14
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Quality of the Fiat was good. They are very easy to tow with the 6speed, there is no steering lock so all you do is put in neutral and release the parking brake. My problem with 500L was the seats were like sitting in a dinning room chair. They were flat, hard and unsupportive. Otherwise the car was a hoot to drive, peppy engine nice handling.

When we go Rv'ing we tend to take 1-2 hr drives around where we are set up so I wanted something nicer. We went with the Lincoln since we've had several of them before and always liked the comfort. After only a week of driving it, I love it already.

Yeah you are right, the Jaguar X Type was the same as the MKZ. Back in 2004 we bought a Lincoln LS, which was based on the Jaguar S Type,. That was still probably one of the best cars we ever had yet. I will see if this one measures up, I hope so. As an aside we will be in Kissimmee next month. My wife's sister lives there.
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Old 12-20-2017, 12:52 AM   #15
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Final part of installation, LED strip lights.
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Old 12-20-2017, 01:57 AM   #16
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Final part of installation, LED strip lights.
Nicely done, Sir! Hats off to you! Are the led strips on the inside of the window? It's kinda hard to tell in the pic. They must be, huh. Otherwise they would out in the elements.
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Old 12-20-2017, 02:03 AM   #17
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They are on the outside, they are ones that are made for motorcycles. They go on like trim with 3m tape.
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Old 12-20-2017, 02:27 AM   #18
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OK, so water proof. BTW, beautiful car!
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Old 01-23-2018, 03:15 PM   #19
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Replaced our 2014 Fiat 500L 6speed with a 2017 MKZ hybrid. Guess I get to rip apart the front end of a new car and put on the baseplate. I have all the parts coming and will take pictures of the process.


I have a 14 MKZ hybrid but are going with a car dolly with surge brakes . Have heard pros and cons of 4 down or dolly .
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Old 01-23-2018, 05:11 PM   #20
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It is really personal choice between dolly or 4down towing. We chose 4down because it seems simpler. You don't have the dolly to deal with when at the campground and I see others climbing under the car to put straps on the tires. But you can pretty much change cars whenever you want. With 4down once you put the rack on front you are committed to the car for a time. I can at least put the baseplates on myself so I don't have that $2,000 investment each time, it costs me about $600 a time to do it.
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