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Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan New Owner Reports

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Comments

  • danr2danr2 Member Posts: 5
    I think the lip spoiler makes much more sense....keeps the fingerprints off the paint and chrome trim on the end of the trunk....I put one on my milan...$175 -color matched to my paint...Resin molded plastic....looks good...there is another one out there too...a "lip spoiler" for about $50...have not seen that one....both were avalable on ebay.
  • lostwrenchlostwrench Member Posts: 288
    Oh c'mon people. Rear spoilers on passenger cars are not there to push the rear end of a vehicle down or lift it up. It is there to "spoil" the smooth air flow over the trunk to decrease the air low pressure area immediately behind the moving vehicle.
  • menard53menard53 Member Posts: 1
    I purchased a fully loaded Mercury Milan Premier 4cyl with a 5 speed standard and we love it (well I love it and my wife is now getting the standard part down so it's growing on her). It's very fun to drive, the around town milage isn't what I thought it would be but the trip milage is great, 35+ driving from Iowa to NY (it would have been better with a 6 speed because it dropped off quick around 75 MPH). The car is comfortable, not a single person who has had a ride in it hasn't mentioned how much they like it, my father who's a used cars salesman drove it and couldn't believe how fun it was and how much power it had for a 4 cyl (he saw no reason for a 6 cyl). Driving the other day we had someone pull up behind us, drive beside us and look, drive in front and look, and slow down again to get another look, great feeling to have such a great looking car for thousands less than anything else with the same options. Very happy with this car!
  • oshkosh49oshkosh49 Member Posts: 13
    Congatulations menard53 on your new Milan. Glad to hear that you love it. I love my 2006 Milan Premier V6 as well. But I am curious, the person who slowed down to get a better look at your Milan, what kind of car were they driving?
  • dualfordownerdualfordowner Member Posts: 7
    Just picked up my new Redfire 07 SEL with spoiler and leather - and this car REALLY looks sharp! It drives like a dream and the brakes are the best I've ever had on a car. My only complaints so far deal with the car's fit and finish, mostly with the interior, but also some with the exterior. Here's a list of the F&F items I've noticed:

    Interior:
    1) Front side window defrost vents are VERY poorly fitted in the dash top - not only are they out of flush by at least 1/4" on two sides, the vent itself is warped on one side as well (both issues are on both side window vents).
    2) There's over a half-inch gap between the interior front door panels and the car's center pillar - enough gap that the exterior red paint color from the inside of the door is VERY noticeable all the way up and down the pillar - this bugs me to the point I feel like painting the inside of the door the same color as the interior so I don't have to look at this every time I get into the car.
    3) The lid on the dash storage compartment is nowhere near flush with the dash on two of its three sides - very prominent.
    4) The cowling under the steering wheel does not match up well with the dash panels above it.
    5) The plastic panels that the window up/down switches fit into aren't flush with the top of the arm rests that the panels are inserted in.
    6) The center shift console sides are noticeably separated from the console top piece.

    Exterior:
    1) The rear bumper doesn't match up well against the rear quarter panels, especially on the driver side near the wheel well.
    2) The trunk lid doesn't extend down far enough - too big a gap between it and the bumper.

    I guess I'm surprised with the above since Ford seemed to get most everything else right with this car. And the rest of the fit and finish is quite good. I don't think many of these issues above are just problems with my car since I've seen them on other Fusions on the dealer lot as well. I think Ford has come a long way, and this car's fit and finish is much better than the 04 Taurus I still own, but they still don't have the F&F quality of Honda and Toyota yet (unfortunately). Does anybody else have any issues with the fit and finish of the their Fusion?
  • mschmalmschmal Member Posts: 1,757
    All of the stuff you described seems to be typical of the Fusion/Milan

    Front side defost vents, I've never seen a Fusion/Milan where thease actually DID look right :(.

    I just got in a Ford Edge that a customer factory ordered. There were 2 very noticable paint defects in it. PLUS some transportation damage/scratches to the rear hatch. Ford is paying under warranty almost 2k for what they should have fixed at the factory.

    Incidently, We had a Nissan training class at my dealer recently where they were comparing a Maxima to an Acura TL and they had a TL on hand for us to look at. The car seriously looked like it was screwed together by an 8th grade shop class. The rocker panels didn't even come close to lining up with the body panels they were attached to.

    I challange anyone to find a car at a dealer's lot that is perfect. I love how Consumer Reports always makes note of "sample defects" they find on the vehicles that they test and to date I don't know of a car that hat 0 sample defects.

    Mark.
  • sk8ermaidensk8ermaiden Member Posts: 20
    We just got my new 2007 Fusion V6 SE on Saturday. I have a few nitpicky complaints, but overall am incredibly happy and LOVE the car.

    The only fit problem out of those that I have is the side window defrost vents and the gap between the door panel and the pillar. (I never noticed it until you mentioned it.)
  • dualfordownerdualfordowner Member Posts: 7
    Sorry to bring up the door panel and pillar problem! I actually put some colored tape on the inside of the door to match the interior color and it actually isn't as noticible any more! Anyways, I agree that the Fusion isn't alone in it's fit and finish problems, and I think the US car makers are getting better and some of the Japanese makers are getting worse (Toyota in particular).......
  • dualfordownerdualfordowner Member Posts: 7
    Has anybody installed an aftermarket dash kit on their Fusion? I'm looking at buying a simulated wood dash kit and to put over the piano black trim I have in my SEL, but don't know which manaufacturer's are best and how good these kits look. Also, should I go with a flat dash kit or molded dash kit? Any experience or ideas out there?
  • sk8ermaidensk8ermaiden Member Posts: 20
    I am definitely getting one soon. The cheap plastic on mine takes away from the car. I think Sherwood Dash is good, and I also saw a website called edah I think. I am going to get a flat one, because the molded ones look strange and a bit outdated. (IMO)
  • dualfordownerdualfordowner Member Posts: 7
    I've been doing some searching on the internet and I think I want a molded kit, especially for the 3 plastic pieces that run horizontally along the dash - I think a flat dash kit wouldn't cover these pieces well enough? I called MegaAuto today and they are going to send me two simulated wood samples - American Walnut and English Burl. The manufacturer of the dash kit is Woodview and I believe they are the only ones to make a molded kit for the Fusion, at least from what I've seen. What is it about the molded kits that looks strange? I know they are made differently and have a different finish coating than the flat kits but not sure why they would look much different? Have you seen a molded kit for the Fusion?
  • mschmalmschmal Member Posts: 1,757
    The "Whales Maghogany" kit on the Milan looks good.

    Mark.
  • dualfordownerdualfordowner Member Posts: 7
    Mark, do you know who the kit manufacturer is? Or was this the trim that comes standard on the Milan?
  • brucelincbrucelinc Member Posts: 815
    I installed a kit from a company called Exotic Wood Dash several years ago on my Lincoln LS. It fit and matched perfectly and looks great. You might want to take a look at their website.
  • dualfordownerdualfordowner Member Posts: 7
    Thanks - I checked out their website and they don't carry a molded dash kit for the fusion, only flat ones. I'm anxious to see the samples I ordered since the piano black trim seems to get dirty/dusty very quickly.......
  • scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    I gotta ask... why did you buy this car then? :confuse:
  • danr2danr2 Member Posts: 5
    Amen brother!....go buy the soulless sewing machines they peddle....Never came up with an original idea yet..they even have to hire americans to market for 'em....dxr :lemon:
  • dualfordownerdualfordowner Member Posts: 7
    Bought it because I like the car and wanted to buy American. Just not particularly fond of the black dash.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    And I specifically ordered one WITH the piano black dash and I still love it even though it does get dusty sometimes. Nothing a soft cloth can't fix once or twice a week.
  • urnewsurnews Member Posts: 668
    And I specifically ordered one WITH the piano black dash and I still love it even though it does get dusty sometimes. Nothing a soft cloth can't fix once or twice a week.

    I'm with you Allen. We didn't order the piano black, our Fusion was on the lot that way. Neither my wife nor I care for plastic wood (plood).
  • mschmalmschmal Member Posts: 1,757
    Don't you know that that is from the rare and valuable laminite tree?

    Mark.
  • scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    I have a Fusion SEL V6 with leather and the plastic piano black. Wow, does it get dusty quick. What I did was get a car duster and use this about once a week. Fast and easy..
  • urnewsurnews Member Posts: 668
    Mark,
    LOL.
    Boz

    P.S. By offering the "piano black" plastic trim option the Fusion may be the only mid-size sedan to offer a "non-plood" alternative. That, in and of itself, is a positive attribute from our vantage point. :)
  • longtall1longtall1 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2006 Merc Milan Premier V-6, bought Oct. 2006. The in town mileage is horrible! 14-17 mpg. I get 25 mpg highway. The dealer tells me it is because I take short trips. I've never had a car with this bad mileage. I don't lead foot it and drive reasonably. Anyone else with this issue?
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    Depending on your driving, yes - that can be normal. Short trips, stop-n-go and idling is terrible on fuel mileage.
  • urnewsurnews Member Posts: 668
    I have a 2006 Merc Milan Premier V-6, bought Oct. 2006. The in town mileage is horrible! 14-17 mpg. I get 25 mpg highway. The dealer tells me it is because I take short trips. I've never had a car with this bad mileage. I don't lead foot it and drive reasonably. Anyone else with this issue?

    Our 2007 SEL AWD V-6 Fusion, bought Dec. 4, 2006, only get 14.8 mpg in all-city driving. We have 3,400 miles on it. For the first 2,000 miles it only got 13 mpg.

    Our terrain is as flat as a pool table. The climate is mild. The tire pressure is 36 psi (3 psi higher than normal for better mileage). My wife and I are both conservative, gentle drivers.

    The dealer checked out the car with a portable computer at 1,500 miles and pronounced everything to be AOK. On highway trips the Fusion will deliver 24-26 mpg. Unfortunately, 95 percent of our driving is in-city, stop-and-go.

    Dealer says the car will not be broken in until it reaches 5,000 or more miles. The revised EPA estimate for the AWD V-6 6-speed automatic transmission is 17 mpg city, 24 mpg highway. Without the AWD, the EPA estimate is 19 mpg city, 26 mpg highway.

    Of course, very few cars actually deliver the EPA estimate, yet I have seen some pretty decent numbers for the V-6 from people who post on the four forums where I participate, but no one with AWD is getting good numbers, that I have found.

    In retrospect, I wish we had bought an I-4. We don't need either the V-6 or the AWD. We have a bit of buyer's remorse at this point but really like almost everything else about the car.

    Guess we are just going to have to live with a bad initial decision. But, our next car will definitely be a four cylinder, maybe a four-cylinder diesel, just for the mileage.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    Now how did we all know that was coming? :blush:
  • jeffyscottjeffyscott Member Posts: 3,855
    By offering the "piano black" plastic trim option the Fusion may be the only mid-size sedan to offer a "non-plood" alternative. That, in and of itself, is a positive attribute from our vantage point.

    Well, it's not the only one, but agree that no "plood" or even actual real wood is a positive in my book as well.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    The Fusion interior in medium light stone or charcoal with the piano black trim is awesome. The camel and plood versions are somewhat more pedestrian.
  • urnewsurnews Member Posts: 668
    We have the dark charcoal interior (and black leather) interior with the piano trim and like it a lot, but it's a scorcher now that summer is about to arrive.

    It also attracts dust like a magnet but it's still preferable to plastic wood, which my wife and I really dislike.

    "Plood" just looks so, well, phony.
  • jeffyscottjeffyscott Member Posts: 3,855
    I'm a fan of comfort, so would never choose leather over cloth.

    The wood in interiors is usually just an appearance thing, that I don't care for the appearance of. If they make the steering wheel partly wood then it can be comfort as well as appearance...I don't think a wood wheel is as comfortable to hold.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    I'm a fan of comfort, so would never choose leather over cloth.

    This is a common misperception - that leather is hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It is - for about 3 minutes. Leather quickly adjusts to your body temp and stays there. And it doesn't absorb spills and sweat like fabric seats.
  • bdymentbdyment Member Posts: 573
    It depends on the quality of the leather. We had two cars with perforated leather and they were very comfortable--summer or winter. The other two had regular smooth leather and were very hot and sticky in the summer OK in the winter due to heated seats.
  • jeffyscottjeffyscott Member Posts: 3,855
    I've sat on enough leather and cloth to know which I find to be more comfortable.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    I didn't say one was more comfortable than the other, just that some people make assumptions about leather that may not be true.
  • mmcar2mmcar2 Member Posts: 6
    Hi All,
    Sorry, but I'm confused about the spoiler. I am thinking of getting one since it was mentioned here that it will improve visibility as it removes the brake light in the rear window.

    Other than that, would the spoiler on a FWD Milan serve any purpose? I was reading about spoilers and it was mentioned that they might improve fuel economy.

    Is it a good idea to get one?
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    Outside of the race track or Autobahn they're cosmetic only.
  • urnewsurnews Member Posts: 668
    Sorry, but I'm confused about the spoiler. I am thinking of getting one since it was mentioned here that it will improve visibility as it removes the brake light in the rear window.

    If you are ordering a new Milan a spoiler might (should?) improve rear visibility since the rear window brake light would not be installed. The brake light would be in the spoiler.

    If you already own the Milan an add-on spoiler might not help since dealers do not ordinarily remove the rear window brake light, they just add the spoiler.

    As you have already deduced, the spoiler is a cosmetic item, they provide nothing but looks. Some folks like them, some don't. I wish our car had come from the factory with one, to help with the rear visibility, but it is something that I am not going to add after the fact (about $500 cost).
  • jeffyscottjeffyscott Member Posts: 3,855
    I don't like spoilers myself, but I did notice when I had a Contour that had one that this does help with being aware of where the rear end of your car is when backing up. With the high rear deck of the Milan/Fusion, I can understand how this might be helpful.

    I have the similar Mazda6, with no spoiler and have no problems with backing up, but this has a much lower rear deck that the Fusion/Milan.
  • kehrlichkehrlich Member Posts: 3
    Bought a 2007 Milan yesterday. Basic model black with 4 cyl and manual transmission. I was going for cost.

    The price was just too good to pass up
  • theumptheump Member Posts: 13
    :shades: congrats!!.The 4/5sp.is a blast to drive :)
  • bizarroronjbizarroronj Member Posts: 27
    It's been 3 days since we received our Fusion SE I4/5 speed with the Sport Appearance package.

    Black with tinted windows.

    We also have a leased Freestyle which we're returning in March 08 and to be frank, I really don't think we're going to be putting too many more miles on it until then.

    The Fusion is fun to drive; European feel, stylish, no-nonsense interior, tons of space, economical.

    We do a lot of city driving and love driving manual. The smaller engine is perfect. On the highway, it's effortless.

    We're a young family and we want to stay away from "family"-type cars. The Fusion fits in perfectly with our lifestyle. The kids love it. My 3-year loves it because it's the same cars as those used in Nascar.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    My 3-year loves it because it's the same cars as those used in Nascar.

    So how long will you wait before you tell him the truth? ;)
  • bizarroronjbizarroronj Member Posts: 27
    Waitaminute...that's what the salesguy told me...

    You mean it's not true?! ;)
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    Would a salesperson lie? :confuse:
  • mschmalmschmal Member Posts: 1,757
    Now will be available on SEL and V6 and will include 18 inch wheel. Still only in 4 colors. ORDER MINE NOW.

    Mark.
  • batbearbatbear Member Posts: 2
    I took delivery of a Black on Black, cloth seats 2007 Milan with auto trans on August 8, 2007. In the under two months that I have owned this vehicle I have both positive and negative attributes to report. As a benchmark I am using a 2007 Honda Accord SE which a relative owns. I am not certain it is fair to compare the vehicles, however they are in a similar class, even though the Accord costs $1,000 to $2,000 more, depending on the deal you get.

    I was in the market myself for an 07 Accord SE and would have purchased one, even though the car costs more, but I could not find a dealer that would give me zero percent financing over three years as I got with the Mercury. More Importantly I wanted to buy American, more on that later.

    The Milan's engine, the 4 cylinder, 160 hp, 2.3 liter Duratec version is underpowered. I should have gone with a six but wanted to save on the high cost of fuel. I am reading that the six has comparable mileage and much more power to boot so the decision to go with the four might have been a mistake, however it was more economical from an initial purchase point of view.

    Don't get me wrong, the engine is a proven design and is used in the Mazda as well, and is ok, but is noisy when pushed hard. The Accord has a 2.4 liter VTEC (both engines are 16 valve) with 166 hp and is quieter, smoother, and has more low end power.

    Once over 35-40 mph with the Mercury there is plenty of power and smooth sailing at a comfortable 80 mph. Ford should be able to make a 4 banger that is as smooth and refined as the Accord and does not have the low end power issues and noise as exhibited in the Milan.

    I have somewhat of a lead foot and with the AC on I am experiencing terrible mileage. The vehicle came with a full tank of gas, but since then I have filled up three times at a cost of $117 ($3.00-$3.50 per gallon in the NYC area)
    There are approximately 875 miles on the odometer. Mileage is improving as mileage increases and hopefully as things get cooler in NYC, no AC will be needed and mileage will improve further.

    The vehicle I took delivery of was the last one of its kind that the dealer had and black is a nice color, however it shows every speck of dirt/dust. Gray/Charcoal is better at disguising dust. Unfortunately there are some minor scratches on the vehicle already, due to careless, lackluster parking lot attendants, who suggest that the vehicle was not scratched by them and get angry at you for implying that the scratches were caused by them. I guess the scratches can be buffed out. What can you do, I guess.

    The LED tail lamps are cool. However, the segments of the tail lights that are on the trunk lid that meet up with the segments that are part of the body of the car do not line up properly and are off by 1/5 of an inch. Fit and Finish issue there.

    The overall design is very nice and striking. Rear view vision is hampered by a high aerodynamic tail end and the rear stop lamp that would have been better incorporated into the trunk lid as in the Accord. Leg room in front is great, a few more inches over the Accord. The Accord is wider and it would be prudent for Ford to widen the vehicle by four inches or so in future iterations to improve on hip room and have wider bucket seats as well.

    No fog lamps in the base model, but can be added. Dash design is elegant,and has a digital information center, however outdated nineties era styling is apparent with and the headlamp switch is mounted to low. The factory CD radio sounds great however the only rear speakers are in the doors and there are three empty spaces below the rear deck for speakers that would be part of the premium audio which is found in higher trim levels. On occasion there is some static that crops up through the speakers.

    The included mats are of low quality and I could see that they will not protect the carpet below as time passes, so I suggest replacing them with a weathertech branded set. Weathertech mats are expensive, but they will protect your vehicle and keep the underlying carpet in good shape for years to come and this will help you when it comes time to sell/trade in the vehicle.

    The dealer tried to sell me on a security system for $500.00, or $600.00 with a remote start feature. I asked for a better price, but they would not budge. I went after market. I see though that the system was already installed and then removed due to excess black electrical tape that is wrapped around wires in the trunk, under dash and behind the grill area.

    The vehicle handles very well at all speeds and the anti-lock brakes really work. I found that out due to a couple of near take-outs of reckless bicyclists. Potholes and poor roads in NYC cause this vehicle to shake and thump all over. Highway travel is smooth sailing as long as the road is smooth.

    I am currently looking for ways to better improve the performance of the vehicle. Perhaps with a different exhaust system. The car has twin tailpipes, but they are plain dark metal, bland looking, and not chrome tipped as in the six cylinder models.

    Now as far as the Mercury being an American car and the Honda being a foreign/Japanese vehicle;

    Only six percent of the Honda dollars land up going back to Japan. The Honda is made in Marysville, Ohio, by American workers, unfortunately non-union but still American. Fifty-nine percent of the Accord parts are made in the U.S.A. Kudos to Honda.

    The Milan although considered an American/Domestic vehicle as is the Ford Fusion sister car, is made in Hermosillo, Mexico, by Mexican workers with parts also made there. And those vehicles also have to be shipped from Mexico into the U.S. We all know about the troubles Ford has and the Mercury division is rumored to shutter within the next few years due to poor sales, just as GM discontinued the Oldsmobile brand.

    It seems that Ford is supporting the Mexican economy rather than the U.S. economy in which it markets and sells vehicles too. Despite cheap labor and vehicles that cost less to produce vs the Japanese brands, Ford is still deep in the red, in part due to pension and health care costs for their current and prior employees.

    I will report back on the Milan periodically. Would I buy a Milan again? Yes, but only a six cylinder and if they widen the vehicle and modernize the dash to bring it up to the year 2000+. That and start producing more vehicles on American soil.
  • urnewsurnews Member Posts: 668
    The Milan's engine, the 4 cylinder, 160 hp, 2.3 liter Duratec version is underpowered. I should have gone with a six but wanted to save on the high cost of fuel. I am reading that the six has comparable mileage and much more power to boot so the decision to go with the four might have been a mistake, however it was more economical from an initial purchase point of view.

    Batbear, I read your report on your Milan with great interest. We purchased a loaded ($27,105 MSRP) 2007 3.0-liter V6 AWD SEL Fusion on Dec. 4, 2006 and now have 4,700 miles on it after nearly 10 months.

    We get horrific in-city gas mileage, a constant 14.8 but it does deliver 24-26 mpg on highway travel. I wish we had ordered an I4 instead of taking the V6 model that was on the lot.

    For about the first 1,500 miles the car was stuck at 13 mpg. The 14.8 we are getting now is an improvement. The revised EPA estimate for this power train is 17 mpg city and 24 mpg highway.

    The fit and finish on our Fusion is perfect and we have zero complaints about the car except for the crummy mileage. I could put up with a little engine noise for 20 mpg in-city mileage.

    Some people deride the Duratec 3.0 as an "old" engine, one that does not deliver much in the way of performance. It is totally adequate for us and is quite peppy in my book.

    I think the AWD feature is the fly in the ointment when it comes to mileage. We don't really need AWD in our climate. Again, the car came equipped this way. It's not a feature I would order nor one I would recommend, except to someone who lived in the snow belt and who didn't care about mileage.

    People on the four forums that I visit generally report decent mileage for the V6 without AWD. The reason that we wanted a V6 was because of a bad experience with a four cylinder Mustang in the 1980s. It was a nice enough car but terribly underpowered. I should have known that today's I4s are much better. The difference is horsepower is not all that great, 160 versus 221.
  • mschmalmschmal Member Posts: 1,757
    My partner mainly drives our 2006 Fusion SE. We purchased in Aug of 06 and now have 15k.

    Things I like:
    Problem free. Seating Comfort. Roominess. quality of fit-n-finish for the price. Camel seats stayed clean, Surprise!. Design is striking to me from just about every angle. Standard Equipment was impressive for price. t disc CD has good sound but the bass can rattle the door panels even after the TSB was done. Controls are easy to operate. Love the audio controls on the wheel.

    Things I don't like:
    Auto trans could be smoother. I really hate autos so I might be overly critical. I do feel that the 6F in the EDGE/Taurus shifts much smoother. I dislike the noise of the engine under acceleration. Car is quiet at speed and road/tire noise is very subduded. Noise is no greater than the Nissan Altima which I also sell at my dealership.

    Main complaint is that the stock tires on the SE are very easy to push and make squeal. The car corners flat and you are squeling the tires before you feel any body roll.

    Mark
  • urnewsurnews Member Posts: 668
    Mark,
    You didn't mention if your 2006 SE Fusion was an I4 2.3 or a V6 3.0. The reference to the transmission leads me to believe it might be the five-speed automatic, meaning the car has the four-banger engine. We have a 2007 AWD SEL with the 3.0-liter V6 and a six-speed automatic, which is very smooth-shifting.
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