There was a Lincoln Mercury dealer in Little Rock, Arkansas that kept two Lincoln LS's with landau roofs in stock at all times. According to the GM, they moved faster than the ones without and grossed more. Go figure.
A magazine reporter is hoping to talk with some Fusion owners. Please respond to jfallon@edmunds.com no later than Wednesday, March 29, 2006 containing your daytime contact information and a few words about your experience with the vehicle.
The average age for Fusion buyers is much higher than I expected. The Fusion brochure and marketing appear to me to be aimed at a much younger demographic, mid-20s to early 30s.
Cars like this tend to appeal to a wide age range and for every 65 year old that buys one there could be a 25 year old and that would make the average age 45. Even Scion, which markets almost exclusively to the younger crowd, has an average age of 35. Low 40's for the Fusion would be very good, but I don't think they care much right now as long as someone is buying them.
Even Scion, which markets almost exclusively to the younger crowd, has an average age of 35.
One thing driving the age of Scion buyers up is the fact that many of them are bought by parents for high school and college aged children who are the primary drivers.
It's vitally important to the health of Ford Motor Co that Milan and Zephyr both be offered with Landau roofs. This portrays an image of "youth and independence".
I'm wondering if any Fusion owners are actually experiencing any service / quality problems. Now that your cars have been on the road for awhile (and gone through a winter) are there any sqeaks, rattles, parts breakdowns? I have not been able to find anything negative coming out of the usually 'not so friendly' press.
I am considering purchasing a Milan and would also like to know if there have been any problems. What do present owners think of the vehicle. Recommend-highly recommend??
I purchased the 1st Fusion in NYS(so the dealer says) back in September! I live in the "lake effect snow region" and drive 30+ minutes one way almost daily and have absolutely NO complaints about this car! It did take me a little while to get used to the way it handles in the snow! It is everything that it is supposed to be! Quick, stylish, fun...I purchased the V6 model and am very surprised at the speed capabilities! It also has very little road noise compared to other new cars, specifically the Acura! I have approx. 7800 miles on the car now!
Apparently the "sporty" option for the 2007 Fusion won't include any power upgrades and will be limited to appearances only. Power upgrades will have to wait a year.
My 23 year old sun is seriously thinking of purchasing the Milan/Fusion, but likes the 2007 Camry. He thinks, however, the Camry is not worth the extra money.
How do the above 24/25 year olds like the car? ANy thoughts would be appreciated.
I don't see how a 23 year old would prefer the Camry over the Fusion, just from a styling standpoint. Have him drive the Fusion and I think he'll be sold.
25 year old who OWNS a fusion here, not an owner of a 25 year old car. Just got mine two weeks ago as well.
I drove fusion, camry and accord. In my opinion, the fusion has a much younger and sportier look than the other two, which look more like baby boomer cars to me. In addition, it has a nimbler feel that I think people in their mid-20's appreciate. With all incentives factored in, I was able to get a V6 SEL for under $19k. There's no way I could get anywhere close to this much car for the same money if I bought Japanese. Of course, I don't have ABS and side curtain air bags (which I believe are standard on camry and accord) but the extra "safety" bells and whistles are less important to me than feel, looks, power, etc. I'm not sure if this opinion is shared by other twentysomethings, but it's the way I feel.
My son likes the more compact interior of the 2007 Camry, but he cannot justify the additional price. Dollar for dollar there is a lot to the Fusion/Milan, but reliability is still a big unknown at 100,000 miles.
Is the turning radius an issue as was commented in a cosumer magazine; saying it was rather wide?????
I suspect the Milan/Fusion will appeal to a wide range age wise.
He is going to add an after market navigation system.
Spelling error in post #3379 SON not sun!! My typo error.
If you don't mind, what was the "sticker" price - the factory sticker, that is - this was regular incentive pricing, not Ford employee pricing? If Ford can make money at that price, they are a MUCH better buy than a Camcord....
I was 23 once. Now I'm close to 30, but I would've chosen the Fusion then, and still would now. Why? Easy. Fusion is much more involving and fun to drive, end of story. Your son may not put a priority in that, and if that's the case, he may like the Camry.
From what I've read, the '07 Camry has improved it's handling and feel, but not by much, and the stability control system is VERY intrusive, and can't be completely turned off, a big no-no in my book. The Fusion/Milan, IMO, is more for a person that LOVES to drive, and I mean DRIVE, not just cruise. The road feel, handling, and stability at speed is great, with next to no body roll in corners. I felt nothing but confidence when I test-drove the Fusion, taking corners on a dime, and driving at speed. IMO, the only thing better at this in it's class is the Mazda 6 (which I bought in '04 and still love to drive everyday).
Both the Camry and Fusion has their good and bad points, and your son should fully explore each car before he buys. Test-drive each of them multiple times, back-to-back if possible. Take one home for the night if possible. Make sure he tries out a few others as well, such as the 6, Honda Accord, and Subaru Legacy. There are lots of good choices out there, it's just a matter of what he likes and values the most. Good luck!
If he likes a car with a more compact interior, then he should drive the Mazda6. Plus it offers a hatchback, which can be very useful for a young single or a small family.
Reliability so far seems to be above average with no reason to expect it to decline much. I certainly don't expect any engine sludge problems like Toyota had with the Camry and tried to deny.
Yes, the turning radius is big - 38.7 compared to 36.1 in Camry and Accord. Once you get used to it it's not bad - you might have to back up to get into a tight parking space every now and then. But I wouldn't call it a deal breaker. The steering and suspension more than make up for it.
MSRP was $22,360 I believe. Went to a one price dealer who was asking $20,750. Add in $1000 for Perfect Match and $500 cash back brings it down $19,250. Then, since I am a graduate student, another $500 off through Ford's college student program bought me the car at $18,750. Never thought I could get that much car for that price.
The turning radius feels a bit wider than my old Contour. Of course, the Fusion's wheel base is a bit longer. It hasn't really bothered me, and in fact, I suspect the only reason I've noticed it is because I had previously read it in reviews.
I'd agree that this is a small minus for a car with a lot of pluses.
drive.. are the Chevy Impala, Pontiac G6, Nissan Altima.. Hey.. test driving is free. And I notice when your upfront with the salesperson they 99 percent of the time are pretty tame and let you test drive with pushy sales pitch.. Starting to see more Fusion/Milan in my area. I did not see any for the longest time after they went on sale.. Under 20K for an SEL V6@! Wow... Honda/Toyota will have a heck of a time matching that...
But nothing stops you from financing with Ford Credit, then refinancing with your own loan a month or two later. The dealership said I had to make 3 payments on the Ford Credit loan but it didn't say that anywhere on my paperwork.
That's a trick used by dealerships for other brands too. There may be a condition that the dealer/salesperson doesn't get their full take if fewer than 3 payments are made. But with few exceptions, loans like these can be paid off anytime with no penalty--just check the contract.
I'd read the rebate paperwork too. The loan can undoubtedly be paid off anytime - but how does that affect the rebate? That would be covered in the rebate paperwork, not in the loan paperwork. For what its worth, I have NEVER seen written details of any rebate I have received, although I am always asked to sign a piece of paper assigning the rebate to the dealer.
Our credit union lets you get the new car loan rate on cars with less than 6 months of ownership and less than 6,000 (?) miles on them - they call in the "second chance" loan. I'd see if you can find one and wait out the 3 months on your Ford loan.
Any other financing rebate like this that I have heard about only cares about whether you qualify for the loan, and actually take delivery of the car. The number of payments you make on the loan is immaterial--you "got the money" already. Some states, however, permit prepayment penalties in finance contracts like this--so it pays to check the contract before paying off early.
If the dealer says that a minimum of X payments are required in order to get the rebate, ask to see the paperwork that says that. Very simple.
I'd read the rebate paperwork too. The loan can undoubtedly be paid off anytime - but how does that affect the rebate? That would be covered in the rebate paperwork, not in the loan paperwork.
Yes, I was concerned about that, too, since I have a great relationship with my salesman and he gave me X plan pricing. But again I never saw any paperwork, rebate or otherwise, that said I had to keep it 3 months. Normally that would be spelled out clearly and you would have to sign something acknowledging it.
I think the 3 month thing is just something that Ford Credit wants them to tell you in hopes you'll forget about the refinancing. But you should double check to be safe - or just wait 3 months.
That's reasonable, if the dealership was up-front about the reason for making at least three payments and was good to deal with overall. But if they lied to me about why 3 payments were important, I'd pay off that loan as quickly as possible.
I have paid for 2 cars through Ford credit and they are very easy to deal with. There is always someone there and they have full account access online.
As long as they got the rebate - that's all I'm worried about. If they lost a loan kickback then they're no worse off than if I'd financed it elsewhere to begin with.
The Milan looks nice, alot nicer to me, however Ford Canada in their 'wisdom' decided they wouldn't sell it up here. Just the Fusion and the Zephyr.
Yes its true, the sun bleached aluminum foil rear light ricer design on its own is a deal breaker for me. It already happened 3 years ago when a V6 Altima was at the top of my list, and I ended up buying something normal instead.
is not really appropriate for this car in my opinion - the name doesn't really conjure images of speed, strength, or agility. It always makes me think of Asian fusion cuisine. I'm going to rename it "Falcon" by trying to order a Falcon badge from Ford Australia or removing the U,S,I from the Fusion badge and replacing them with a C from the Focus badge, an A from the Taurus badge and an L from a Taurus LX. "Falcon" is a traditional Ford name, is better sounding, and is more appropriate for this car.
Remember, it was going to be called the "Futura" until Ford ran into a trademark infringement problem. To me that sounds like a certain animated TV comedy about the 31st century...
Comments
2007 Fusion will offer a performance version - no other details except it won't be a full blown SVT or ST version.
2007 Fusion will offer a new purplish pearlescent color plus additional red color options - inside and outside.
37% of Fusion sales are conquests from non Ford brands. The top 5 are Camry, Altima, Accord, Pasat and Civic.
Average age of Fusion buyers is 46, segment average is 47. Camry is between 52 and 55.
Fusion has met sales and market share goals every month.
Thanks,
Jeannine Fallon
Corporate Communications
Edmunds.com
~alpha
One thing driving the age of Scion buyers up is the fact that many of them are bought by parents for high school and college aged children who are the primary drivers.
thanks
I was concerned that it might inherit this problem from the Mazda 6. It's good to hear that it's been addressed.
You own a 24 year old Fusion?
Sorry I couldn't resist.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
How do the above 24/25 year olds like the car? ANy thoughts would be appreciated.
I drove fusion, camry and accord. In my opinion, the fusion has a much younger and sportier look than the other two, which look more like baby boomer cars to me. In addition, it has a nimbler feel that I think people in their mid-20's appreciate. With all incentives factored in, I was able to get a V6 SEL for under $19k. There's no way I could get anywhere close to this much car for the same money if I bought Japanese. Of course, I don't have ABS and side curtain air bags (which I believe are standard on camry and accord) but the extra "safety" bells and whistles are less important to me than feel, looks, power, etc. I'm not sure if this opinion is shared by other twentysomethings, but it's the way I feel.
Is the turning radius an issue as was commented in a cosumer magazine; saying it was rather wide?????
I suspect the Milan/Fusion will appeal to a wide range age wise.
He is going to add an after market navigation system.
Spelling error in post #3379 SON not sun!! My typo error.
From what I've read, the '07 Camry has improved it's handling and feel, but not by much, and the stability control system is VERY intrusive, and can't be completely turned off, a big no-no in my book. The Fusion/Milan, IMO, is more for a person that LOVES to drive, and I mean DRIVE, not just cruise. The road feel, handling, and stability at speed is great, with next to no body roll in corners. I felt nothing but confidence when I test-drove the Fusion, taking corners on a dime, and driving at speed. IMO, the only thing better at this in it's class is the Mazda 6 (which I bought in '04 and still love to drive everyday).
Both the Camry and Fusion has their good and bad points, and your son should fully explore each car before he buys. Test-drive each of them multiple times, back-to-back if possible. Take one home for the night if possible. Make sure he tries out a few others as well, such as the 6, Honda Accord, and Subaru Legacy. There are lots of good choices out there, it's just a matter of what he likes and values the most. Good luck!
Yes, the turning radius is big - 38.7 compared to 36.1 in Camry and Accord. Once you get used to it it's not bad - you might have to back up to get into a tight parking space every now and then. But I wouldn't call it a deal breaker. The steering and suspension more than make up for it.
I'd agree that this is a small minus for a car with a lot of pluses.
Starting to see more Fusion/Milan in my area. I did not see any for the longest time after they went on sale..
Under 20K for an SEL V6@! Wow... Honda/Toyota will have a heck of a time matching that...
The good news is that Ford considers the regular rebate to be a downpayment if you take the rebate instead of the rate.
You can still get the "Matching Down Rebate" even with no money out of your pocket.
The catch is that you have to finance through Ford Credit which may not offer the lowest rates you qualify for.
Mark.
Our credit union lets you get the new car loan rate on cars with less than 6 months of ownership and less than 6,000 (?) miles on them - they call in the "second chance" loan. I'd see if you can find one and wait out the 3 months on your Ford loan.
If the dealer says that a minimum of X payments are required in order to get the rebate, ask to see the paperwork that says that. Very simple.
Yes, I was concerned about that, too, since I have a great relationship with my salesman and he gave me X plan pricing. But again I never saw any paperwork, rebate or otherwise, that said I had to keep it 3 months. Normally that would be spelled out clearly and you would have to sign something acknowledging it.
I think the 3 month thing is just something that Ford Credit wants them to tell you in hopes you'll forget about the refinancing. But you should double check to be safe - or just wait 3 months.
If I were you, I'd let it go the 3 months. The dealership basically earned little off the deal - toss 'em a bone.
Mark.
Yes its true, the sun bleached aluminum foil rear light ricer design on its own is a deal breaker for me. It already happened 3 years ago when a V6 Altima was at the top of my list, and I ended up buying something normal instead.
Mark.