The Tribute is a Ford Escape

For those that don't know..the Trib is a Ford Escape built on the St. Louis assembly line.

For more answers to your questions...also search our Escape section.

FYI...the retractable cargo cover for the '06 is the same for Tribute and Escape. The beige color is called "pebble" by Ford and fits perfectly. Since AlohaBra said they're the same this should be no surprise, just confirmation.

Mine didn't come with one and Mazda dealers told me it wasn't available, but there are clearly mount points for one and it is shown in the catalog. I don't know why this isn't avail. through Mazda.

Ordered a pebble one from Ford and it's just right.

Most mechanical parts are the same. Such as the coolant reservoir that I replaced for the light staying on but coolant level is OK.

Here is where I get my parts:
http://www.fordpartswebsite.com/escape.html

Can anyone tell me if the exhaust system would be the same for the escape and the tribute? My co-worker got hit a long while back, and it was just recently brought to her attention that the tail pipe got hit, which bent the muffler section just enough to have it hit the bottom of the cabin but not enough that it was noticable from the accident (slow speed rear ended basically). Would this be easy enough to bend back or is it best to just get new? Dealership wants $381 for the part, and the fordpartswebsite has it for $198, but I still don't see telling her to spend that much for everything behind the cat when it's a stock muffler. I'm thinking an exhaust shop could weld in something cheaper than that if it doesn't work to just bend it back.

Along the lines of bending it, anyone have any suggestions on how to do that? It doesn't need much, just enough to keep it off the cabin.

I would say it is the same.

Since the previous posts, however, I now buy Mazda specific parts from:

http://www.mazdawholesaleparts.com/

online.

Keep one thing in mind when using interchangeable parts and this is the actual difference between a escape and a tribute.
The agreemnet between ford and mazda (to protect the mazda reputation) was that any mazda product that is built in a ford plant by ford, must meet the mazda standards, not fords which may be a lower standard. If the ford component lives up to the mazda standard it can be used on the mazda product.You will notice all parts on an escape are ford / motorcraft. But on a mazda some parts are ford / motorcraft and then some are mazda labled. And in the case of a part labeled Mazda meas it quality is greater than the ford component that is identical but was out sourced for a cheaper cost. And we all know that typically cheaper cost = less quality.