Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan Hybrid

11718202223

Comments

  • dmathews3dmathews3 Member Posts: 1,739
    Yes and unfortunately it also screws up someone poluting your gas. Isn't that a bummer. :P
  • bdymentbdyment Member Posts: 573
    I think it would be more expensive to engineer and produce the Easy Fill system than to provide a gas cap.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    If you have people polluting your gas then you have other issues. And I don't see how you can get dirt in it if you keep the door closed.
  • limiteddriverlimiteddriver Member Posts: 234
    Vandalism and wind and rain. Why didn't Ford add a locking fuel door? Since they make the plug someone must think owners will want it.
  • limiteddriverlimiteddriver Member Posts: 234
    Was Easy Fuel a solution to a problem that didn't exist? A locking fuel door would have been cheap too.
  • limiteddriverlimiteddriver Member Posts: 234
    People have had cars for years with locking caps and fuel doors. Just the same as locking hoods, an added bit of security.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    I'd say it's a very small percentage of users that want or need a locking fuel door or cap. I know I don't. And for the majority of buyers who don't they get the convenience of not having to mess with a cap every time.

    The biggest reason for a locking cap or door was to prevent fuel theft, which isn't an issue any more with the anti-syphon filler necks.
  • bigtbigt Member Posts: 412
    I vote for the locked fuel door. Press a button inside pop the door and put in your fuel. I am not worried about the syphon person but what about the kids who like to go around pouring sand or something else down your fuel tank. All other entries into the interior of your car are locked (door, hood, trunk), why not have the fuel cap locked!
  • rogerinvermontrogerinvermont Member Posts: 10
    Ah! One of those issues that I put in the category of a "debate between equal and opposite PhDs". That is, for any issue you can find an imminently qualified PhD who will take prove "X" -- and another imminently qualified PhD who will prove "Not X".

    X: Keeps crud out.
    Not X: But only if you remember to put it back on. People loose them all the time and then ride without one at all.

    X: Those are just a few people. A greater number need to worry about gasoline theft.
    Not X: But there are anti-siphon designs.

    X: We worry about children dumping crud into an unlocked system.
    Not X: A child can get into Fort Knox if he wants to. No locking gas cap, where the child knows where the key is, is going to keep the bugger out.

    X: Locking gas caps cause problems in the winter -- locks freeze up. Now you are in trouble -- you need gasoline to stay warm.
    Not X: It's not a problem.

    X: If you are worried about crud in the gas, then you also get crud in the lock.
    Not X: But's that's not a big problem, and rarely happens.

    X: Blah....
    Not X: Not Blah.

    What fun.

    Rog
  • dmathews3dmathews3 Member Posts: 1,739
    Ok to answer your questions: Why not put the rubber like rope on it like most cars have now and had for years. I added these to my motorhome as it has a cap on both sides to pump diesel twice as fast.
    The bull about the Fort Knox is just that. Where is my key, on my key ring with my others. God why didn't I think of that.
    I have had locking gas caps for over 20 years and I live in Mich. where it rains, snows, ice and tons and tons of salt on the streets and I have never ever had one freeze up. Will I add one to my FFH when we get it, I doubt it as I'm now retired and my car is in the garage and doesn't sit out at night nor does it sit in a parking lot for 10 or 12 hours.
  • lilengineerboylilengineerboy Member Posts: 4,116
    This keeps dirt out of the opening. I believe the purpose of EF is to keep Ford from having to provide gas caps.

    I think it was done because most people are idiots and can't put the cap back on right..then they get a Federally Mandated Check Engine Light and then they go to the dealer...then the dealer charges Ford Motor Company for warranty to investigate the CEL.
  • I have been buying cars for a long time, and it always turns me off to see high end Fords or other US makes with the thumb indent on the gas cap door--when even the cheapest foreign makes usually offer a locking door as standard equipment. I live in the tundra too, and have never had one I couldn't open in the winter. Ford has come a long long way, but cheap non-locking gas doors and hood props still scream cost cutting, no matter how many other innovations the vehicle has.
  • lilengineerboylilengineerboy Member Posts: 4,116
    hood props still scream cost cutting, no matter how many other innovations the vehicle has.

    In the last 20 years, the only car I have owned that didn't have a prop-rod was a '76 Nova that just used spring tension. Every Honda, Hyudai, Chrysler, and Ford used a prop rod. Especially in a mainstream class like the Fusion.

    If that's your biggest beef, I feel confident in my Ford stock purchase.
  • hoyafanhoyafan Member Posts: 48
    By the way, Easy Fuel is a global system and I believe was first deployed on the Focus and Fiesta in Europe. This is a great benefit as it is not possible to put the wrong fuel type in the engine. This is a particular problem with people who sometimes put gas (smaller nozzle) into a diesel engine. (Problem doesn't work in reverse because a diesel nozzle won't fit into a gas filler.)

    As you probably know, with today's modern diesels, if you do that and then turn over the engine, you've just incurred a costly repair (I believe all injectors need to be replaced). If you notice, never turn over the engine and it can be solved by just draining the fuel tank.

    Back to my reason for writing: Ford invented as a solution to a problem that didn't exist. Not true - mis-fueling is a very real problem in Europe that this solution solves completely.
  • It's not a big beef, lilboy. It's an observation. If you go out and look at most mid-size cars today, you will not find prop rods on many at all. VW hasn't used them on even its cheapest models in nearly 20 years. After having cars with hood struts for many years, I hate prop rods, but wouldn't necessarily reject a car because of one. And Ford stock has been a good bet this past year.
  • limiteddriverlimiteddriver Member Posts: 234
    My car came with the black plastic front protectors ,but none for the back door sills. I bought one protector Part # 6E5Z-5413208-A ($18.67), cut it in half because the rear flat area isn't as long as the front area. It comes with adhesive on the back. Works fine.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    I went from 2 Ford Rangers (prop rods) to a Lincoln LS (struts) and to a Ford Fusion (prop rods). Prop rods don't bother me at all. I actually like the simplicity.
  • Well, well, Allen, so you prefer the simplicity of raising a hood that does not feel like it wants to go up, and then thread a prop rod into the right hole in the upper inner hood edge, without scratching the inner hood paint--and further put the prop rod back into its clip, only then closing (with a slam if not cautious) the hood with gravity...because that is SO much easier than just opening and closing a hood with struts.

    To each his own. I have owned three Rangers, and didn't find the prop rods to be a big deal, because most competitive machines offered nothing better. But tonight I noticed driving home in my now quite old and well-used VW Golf that my windshield washer reservoir was empty. Realizing that due to my advanced age (and lack of Aricept) that I would probably not remember to fill it tomorrow, I went back out and took care of it. In the dark, the prop rod would have been a problem. Raising the hood to any one of an infinite number of levels within its range is reality when you have struts, and there is no squinting in dim light for where to put the prop rod, much less locating it and disengaging it from its clip. The underhood light did provide enough illumination to locate the reservoir cap and allow me to add fluid. Easy. But I would not have bothered to even try it under those conditions with a prop rod. And if the cheapest VW available several years ago had this as standard equipment, why is anyone even discussing the pros and cons of a car as expensive as the FFH having one? It's a great car, but this is an omission that should not have been made.
  • dmathews3dmathews3 Member Posts: 1,739
    I'm sure the FFH has a whole lot of things yours doesn't have. Building a car is a give and take process. They decide on a price point and at that price point they then decide on what items to put on the car. Maybe it came down to a couple things and just for example the auto dimming rear view mirror or a prop rod. Now I lift my hood maybe once a month after the first few months on a new car because I'm checking to make sure everything is ok. So now I use the prop rod like I said, maybe once a month but I use the auto dimming mirror many times a day.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    I'm not saying I prefer the prop rod - it just doesn't bother me to have it instead of struts. And I don't agree that it screams "cheap" which is the main complaint.

    However, I would like to see it replaced with struts - just so I don't have to keep hearing the "OMG it has prop rods how cheap" comment over and over and over.......
  • acdiiacdii Member Posts: 753
    Last night I said goodbye to my 2009 Camry Hybrid, and when I showed the dealer how clean the oil was, I noticed, wow no prop rod. I now have a Ford Fusion Sport, it has a prop rod. Big deal, the car is superior to the Camry in every other aspect, I wont miss the hood struts. The Prius didn't have struts, it had a prop rod too.

    As far as the car itself, wow, er I mean WOW I didn't know what I have been missing driving that lame [non-permissible content removed] Camry. The fit and finish of the interior is so much better, the design (with the exception of some buttons) is far better, and I wont need to worry about back glare from that dash anymore when its foggy out. This car MOVES, and handles like a sports car, curves are flat, very little body roll. No more floating over bumps, car remains firm and stays glued to the road. The seats are more comfortable, and I have more leg room both in length and width, my knee is no longer smacking against the door. When opening and closing the sunroof, it doesn't make a sound, the one in the Camry whined like my 2 YO. The trunk is huge, and with all the seats folded flat, there is tons of room for things.

    Ford, keep up the good work, so what if you put in a hood prop, the rest of the car is great!
  • larsblarsb Member Posts: 8,204
    So you traded a hybrid in for a non-hybrid? Really? You know the resale value of that FFS will suck, right? You'll be lucky if it's worth half what you paid for it in two years. Which is not a problem if you intend to pay it off.

    I'll never go back to a regular gasoline car after owning two hybrids. Diesel, maybe. Diesel hybrid, maybe. Electric car, maybe. PHEV, maybe.

    A regular gasoline car? Never.
  • dmathews3dmathews3 Member Posts: 1,739
    The resale is subjective as with the Camry Hybrid you no doubt will pay sticker or maybe even a little more with most dealers. I ordered a FFH at invoice. So I paid about $3000 less than the Camry. That money is still in the bank and with the Dow going up almost daily I'm sure when I sell the FFH I can then see the difference. I just went to the NADA site and checked out the 06 Camry and 06 Fusion. The price on the Camry 14350 trade vs. Fusion 11800 trade with same options. $2550 more for the Camry on trade but I saved $3000 so I guess I'm ahead of the game over a Camry. Some people don't look past the first page in a book before jumping to conclusions. :P
  • bigtbigt Member Posts: 412
    Well it is not so bad. I am driving the car I just got for my son. It is a 1994 Nissan with 25k miles on it. Bought it from my 92 year old mother. Drive that for awhile and you will really appreciate the Fords. Saw a black Fusion Hybrid. It really looked sharp! :shades:

    Can't wait to get my Milian HB back from my son who borrowed it this weekend! I recently got 46.9 on a 22 mile trip around DC on Saturday night. Lots of cops out on rolling roadblocks so I just took it easy and my pay back was fantastic mileage. I now have 7.5k miles on it and all of a sudden the mileage is really improving.
  • dmathews3dmathews3 Member Posts: 1,739
    No wonder mine hasn't showed up at the dealers yet, someone else is driving it. ;)
  • done37done37 Member Posts: 64
    I have worked in auto parts it seems like most of my life and most every time I sale hood struts to a customer, they always ask me "why don't they use prop rods anymore"?

    Think in the middle of the night with no light having to open up the hood of your car with hood struts that have failed. Thats when the top of your head comes in handy, unless you can find a broom stick
  • bigtbigt Member Posts: 412
    LOL, I actually remember using my head because of that exact issue. The struts would not hold the hood up. Now that brings back a memory. I have no issue with the prop rods as long as I have a light I am good. Lets face it, how many times do you really go under the hood! Most of my buddies who have been married 20+ years told me that none of their wives have never been under the hood and would have no ideal how to even pop the hood on their cars! LOL, most of them would demand a new car if there was a circumstance where they had to go under the hood!
  • cary28cary28 Member Posts: 53
    I would like to order the stone leather interior on a FFH. Does anyone know if that comes with the wood trim or the silver trim on the center stack, and can I choose? I've seen both and prefer the wood tone trim, so any insight would be appreciated. Thanks.
  • jeff_hjeff_h Member Posts: 20
    I just looked at mine, there is no woodgrain interior anywhere with my light stone leather -- the frame around the stereo and nav and also the panel under the parking brake is all silver. I don't believe one can choose when ordering, as the only choices I saw were the light stone or dark charcoal leather interior.
  • dmathews3dmathews3 Member Posts: 1,739
    I just looked through the sales booklet and none of the Fusions that showed the dash area had any wood. Only difference I could see was in the Sport which has color trim I believe to match the outside or the seat insert. Maybe it was a previous year or someone added wood trim cause I just did a quick google and there are a number of companies making kits for the 2010 Fusion and they looked pretty good too.
  • It's not important of course, just preference. I have owned a lot of cars, but have never had a hood strut fail (is there an investigation needed here??? are some hood struts substandard products????). However, I have actually (years ago) had a prop rod fail. Anyway, I emphasize this is NOT an important thing. I just don't want a prop rod on any car I buy that costs $30K or more. I find the very thought ludicrous.But that is just me. And I am sure Ford will have struts on this model the next time it is redesigned. (This is kind of like the discussion of foldaway mirrors and their omission on some other threads...I say those models that don't have folding mirrors are the result of bean counters determining that by saving a couple bucks on that feature, they actually might get more customers than they lose by omitting it...not that I know that to be true).
  • cary28cary28 Member Posts: 53
    I checked with the sales manager, and the stone leather doesn't have any option for trim color on the Hybrid. It looks like its only available in silver, but available as an option on the SEL and Sport models. I must have test driven so many cars recently that I thought the wood trim on the NAH was available on the FHH :blush:

    I would have prefer to have the keyless start on the Fusion, as most other Hybrids have that feature. Its not a show stopper, just my preference if available. I'll consider aftermarket wood trim and tinting after I get the car. Thanks.
  • dmathews3dmathews3 Member Posts: 1,739
    Some aftermarket wood trim looks better than the factory. Some even use real wood and the quick look I got for the FFH is there a a couple different kits. One has a lot more pieces than the other. Of course there is nothing saying you have to use all the pieces. Too much looks like it.
  • cary28cary28 Member Posts: 53
    My concerns about the silver trim is that over time, it will look dull and degraded, as compared to a wood trim. I'm also somewhat bothered by the hard plastic material along the shift column and the center stack trim. The wood trim on my Town & Country Ltd held up very well in 6 yrs, and the real wood trim on my MB is really nice. I had the same hard plastic material on my old Corvette' shift column, and the surface appearance gets dull over time.

    Its not a big deal, but its one aspect of the trim which looks "cheap" as compared to the rest of the interior. I really like the quality and design, as well as the feel of the leather seats. Its quite upscale, on par with the T&C Ltd, much better than the Camry, and just a step below that of the MB.
  • skiposwaldskiposwald Member Posts: 1
    I have only driven about 800 miles on my Fusion Hybrid, but there is something that I don't like. The EV battery usually only charges up to about 55%, or at the very top the battery logo. For example, I have never seen it get as high battery pictured here:
    http://www.automotiveaddicts.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/2010FordFusionHybrid- InstrumentCluster01small.jpg Because it is never charged very high, I can't go very far in EV mode without it needing to start the engine to recharge the battery. Right now I am at 37 mpg on average, with about half my miles on the highway and half in the city.

    My simple question is, how high does your battery charge?
  • WyattNicholsWyattNichols Member Posts: 55
    skiposwald,

    Sounds like your EV battery meter is working correctly. There are other guys on the forum who can give you the technical info behind recharging the EV battery, but most of the time the battery's charge will fluctuate between the points you mentioned. Whenever the charge decreases, you are using the electric motor to assist the ICE.

    I have close to 10k on my FFH. The only times I can remember the EV battery charge being above 75% is when I've gone down an extended decline, like a large hill or small mountain that required considerable braking. If you have the a/c on it will drain the EV battery.

    The car will go into EV mode without the EV battery being charged at a high rate.

    Your car will not go into EV mode unless the ICE is warmed up.

    Hope that helps.
  • acdiiacdii Member Posts: 753
    Hybrid batteries are computer controlled, they will never charge over 80%, or deplete under 30%. This is to extend the life of the cells. Usually you can get a full charge on the highway, at least I did in the Camry, and if you play the brakes just right, you can get a nearly full charge in under 40MPH traffic. I rarely ever got over 70% charge on the Camry, and only once did I get a full charge on the display, and I dont even remember how I did it. After about 10K on the clock, you will start to see an increase on economy as everything loosens up. 37 isnt bad, not what the EPA claims, but rarely do they ever get it right. The ratings on the Camry were 33/34, lifetime average was 35. I got rid of the TCH last week for a Fusion Sport, and lost 10 MPG, but gained a REAL car! I wanted to get the Hybrid, but they are just too expensive with regular financing, and with the 0% for 60, I actually am paying less for the Ford than I did for the Camry, which was less expensive than the Ford.

    Two Thumbs up for Ford, they built a car that is BETTER than the toyota, Much better.
  • cary28cary28 Member Posts: 53
    I just ordered an Ice Blue w/stone leather and 502A option on 9/18, but my accountant had a problem with delivery after the Oct 1st deadline qualifying for the $1700 tax credit. Can someone provide references or a link to what documents I need to keep for the record in order to claim the full $1700, even if I take delivery in Nov? Perhaps someone who have placed their order prior to Apr 1st to claim the full $3400 tax credit, but took delivery after that deadline. I tried to search the IRS gov sites but could not find any specific reference on order vs delivery(maybe I didn't look in the right place).

    I understand I need to verified the order from the factory, have the dealer purchase order, and possibly a cancelled check or credit card receipt as proof of the order. But it would be helpful to have an IRS document which confirms ordering the vehicle by Oct 1st will qualify. Thanks.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    The date of purchase determines the amount of the credit available for a vehicle, i.e. whether a vehicle is eligible for the full credit or whether a portion of the credit is phased-out. The placed in service date determines the taxable year in which the credit may be claimed.

    For example, if consumer A purchases a Prius on Sept. 30, 2006, and takes possession in February 2007, consumer A can claim the full credit for 2007, the year in which the vehicle is placed in service. On the other hand, if consumer B purchases a Prius on Oct. 1, 2006, and takes possession of the vehicle in February 2007, Consumer B can claim 50% of the credit in 2007, the year in which the vehicle is placed in service.


    Based on the wording and examples from the IRS document above, you would be eligible for the $1700 credit because you purchased (ordered) before the cutoff and took delivery in 2009.

    Note that the IRS considers purchase date and delivery date separately and their example shows 5 months between the purchase and delivery date - which could only really happen if the vehicle was ordered.

    Here is the official document:

    http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=157557,00.html
  • cary28cary28 Member Posts: 53
    Thanks for the link. I've asked my accountant to do some more research and get her interpretation of this IRS publication. Her initial reaction was that form 8910 only asked for in-service date, which may or may not be used to determine the tax credit amount.

    I guess I'll keep as much documentation from the dealer as possible to validate the claim, and cross my fingers that the IRS won't challenge this when I file the return next April ;)
  • acdiiacdii Member Posts: 753
    In addition to the Hybrid tax credit, there is the stimulus tax credit for buying a new car.

    Stimulus Tax credit for Cars

    Basically if you make less than $250K you deduct what you paid in taxes right off your AGI even if you don't itemize. Its good for up to $49500.

    I just bought a Fusion Sport, so I get to deduct ~$500 off my Gross. Previous years I have been deducting my state a local taxes paid, but only a percentage of it is actually deducted from the gross, in this case though, the entire taxes paid are deducted.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    The form is confusing, but what I described is also Ford's interpretation. Speculation is the 2009 form will be updated to clarify the 2 dates.
  • cary28cary28 Member Posts: 53
    Thanks for all the help. I guess there are quite a few buyers who ordered the FFH before the Oct 1st deadline, but will take delivery after Oct. We are all in the same boat so hopefully we all keep proper documentations to substantiate our claims come tax time next year.

    On another question, what does a DORA look like? I have a computer printout the day I order the vehicle (9/18), and it says "Vehicle Order Confirmation" at the top. It has details of the car I'm ordering, including Order #, Priority, Order type, and Price level. It also has the MSRP & dealer invoice, along with A/Z/D/X Plan pricing at the bottom. I just want to ensure I have the correct document along with my dated receipt as backup. Thanks.
  • bella16bella16 Member Posts: 2
    I see on line that you can buy gas-spring lift kits for the Fusion and many others from RedLine Tuning for about $85 US. This looks like an easy installation (if you are careful).
  • acdiiacdii Member Posts: 753
    Got a link? The prop rod is an annoyance, and since I do my own maintenance, not having it would be a plus.
  • dmathews3dmathews3 Member Posts: 1,739
    http://www.redlinetuning.com/QL-FORD-FUSION-06+.html
    All I did is google redline tunning and proprod came up with it and I just clicked on it. They got instructions (pdf) you can download to check out to see if you're up to the job. They also got a better kit for $119 stainless and better warranty so let us know how you like it after you install yours.
  • bella16bella16 Member Posts: 2
    www.redlinetuning.com I ordered one. $85 or $120 for stainless etc. kit version.
    You can view the install instructions on the site as well.
  • irwins0001irwins0001 Member Posts: 4
    After about 5,000 miles my lifetime gas milage reset! Has anyone else had this happen? I assume it was a computer glich. Is there anything I can do? Both the lifetime and current gas milage reset.
  • acdiiacdii Member Posts: 753
    OOH Excellent. Added it to my wish list, haven't decided if it will be the AW mats or this first now.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    Known problem. Check with the dealer - not sure if there is a fix yet or not.
Sign In or Register to comment.