So I just refueled my Ford...

[PlasmaBomb]

Originally posted by: alphatarget1
Does it use the electric motor on highway cruising speeds? If not, is there sound from the engine? I have always wondered.

Fusion Hybrid

The electric mode is only good up to 47 mph.

 

[TraumaRN]

Originally posted by: alphatarget1
Does it use the electric motor on highway cruising speeds? If not, is there sound from the engine? I have always wondered.

It uses the electric motor as an assist at highway speeds though.

 

[alkalinetaupehat]

Originally posted by: SparkyJJO
What is this "pulse and glide" thing? Is that the annoying type of driving where you speed up and slow down constantly?

People like that on the highway annoy me. Just keep an even speed please

 

[Arkaign]

Originally posted by: foghorn67

Originally posted by: halik

Originally posted by: Skoorb
50 mph is nice and it's not a tiny car.

Very impressive, though for me it's still more financial sound to drive an 8 year old audi that gets 22-24mpg. The incremental cost of a new car + hybrid premium+ high insurance premium is far more than 100% improvement in gas milage.

Not just you but everybody, from a financial perspective I think OP paid mid high 20's for his car vs scoobmaster who got a 2008 with hardly any miles for something like 10.5k, but still this is pretty good mileage. Hybrid is coming along decently, it would be nice to see more used cars in coming years.

I think in 5-10 years it will make sense to buy used hybrids, till then I stick to my used german cars. People scared of maintenance costs = value for halik

I agree to a point. I would love something like a used Audi. But my bosses Audi has a CEL that won't go away...even after hundreds of dollars being spent on it.
Also, you are doing a classic oranges vs apples comparison. Compare new cars to new cars. Otherwise, arguments will just go in circles.

Taking a ~decade-old BMW/Merc/Audi to a dealer to fix the minutiae of issues that crop up over time will just make you broke. If, like Halik, you can and will do a lot of the work yourself, it's not so bad.

 

[KIAman]

Nice MPG! I wonder how it will fare with my driving habits? My BMW returns an average of 26.5 mpg doing about 50/50 city/hwy and I've been told I've got a lead foot.

My aunt has a 08 Camry Hybrid and gets an average of 33 mpg and it has less power and interior room than the Fusion. Good job Ford.

 

[Uhtrinity]

Originally posted by: PlasmaBomb

Originally posted by: alphatarget1
Does it use the electric motor on highway cruising speeds? If not, is there sound from the engine? I have always wondered.

Fusion Hybrid

The electric mode is only good up to 47 mph.

Pure EV upto 47 mph just like the prius, but it can still assist and regen at higher speeds.

 

[halik]

Originally posted by: foghorn67

Originally posted by: halik

Originally posted by: Skoorb
50 mph is nice and it's not a tiny car.

Very impressive, though for me it's still more financial sound to drive an 8 year old audi that gets 22-24mpg. The incremental cost of a new car + hybrid premium+ high insurance premium is far more than 100% improvement in gas milage.

Not just you but everybody, from a financial perspective I think OP paid mid high 20's for his car vs scoobmaster who got a 2008 with hardly any miles for something like 10.5k, but still this is pretty good mileage. Hybrid is coming along decently, it would be nice to see more used cars in coming years.

I think in 5-10 years it will make sense to buy used hybrids, till then I stick to my used german cars. People scared of maintenance costs = value for halik

I agree to a point. I would love something like a used Audi. But my bosses Audi has a CEL that won't go away...even after hundreds of dollars being spent on it.
Also, you are doing a classic oranges vs apples comparison. Compare new cars to new cars. Otherwise, arguments will just go in circles.

Skoorb did that comparison, but even new fusion vs new fusion hybrid you'll be tough to make up the additional cost of the hybrid system.

In the end it's not exactly apples vs oranges either, it's a financial decision enumerated in dollars. Buy a used car with worse milage vs brand new hybrid. Your monthly dollar outflow for gas,insurance,car payments, maintenance is the benchmark for both of those courses of action.

I bought my used Audi with a CEL and fixed it myself; as soon as you buy a used german car and PAY someone else to maintain it, you're doing it wrong. That's exactly why the resale value drops - it's due to the expected value of maintenance costs in the future.

My 2.7T A6 with 120K and stock turbos runs great, no CEL and I still get like 28mpg when I baby it. Couple weeks ago I did the valve cover/combi valve/cam seals job for $150 in parts costs, if I had that done at a shop the bill would be nearing $2G

 

[foghorn67]

Originally posted by: halik

Originally posted by: foghorn67

Originally posted by: halik

Originally posted by: Skoorb
50 mph is nice and it's not a tiny car.

Very impressive, though for me it's still more financial sound to drive an 8 year old audi that gets 22-24mpg. The incremental cost of a new car + hybrid premium+ high insurance premium is far more than 100% improvement in gas milage.

Not just you but everybody, from a financial perspective I think OP paid mid high 20's for his car vs scoobmaster who got a 2008 with hardly any miles for something like 10.5k, but still this is pretty good mileage. Hybrid is coming along decently, it would be nice to see more used cars in coming years.

I think in 5-10 years it will make sense to buy used hybrids, till then I stick to my used german cars. People scared of maintenance costs = value for halik

I agree to a point. I would love something like a used Audi. But my bosses Audi has a CEL that won't go away...even after hundreds of dollars being spent on it.
Also, you are doing a classic oranges vs apples comparison. Compare new cars to new cars. Otherwise, arguments will just go in circles.

Skoorb did that comparison, but even new fusion vs new fusion hybrid you'll be tough to make up the additional cost of the hybrid system.

In the end it's not exactly apples vs oranges either, it's a financial decision enumerated in dollars. Buy a used car with worse milage vs brand new hybrid. Your monthly dollar outflow for gas,insurance,car payments, maintenance is the benchmark for both of those courses of action.

I bought my used Audi with a CEL and fixed it myself; as soon as you buy a used german car and PAY someone else to maintain it, you're doing it wrong. That's exactly why the resale value drops - it's due to the expected value of maintenance costs in the future.

My 2.7T A6 with 120K and stock turbos runs great, no CEL and I still get like 28mpg when I baby it. Couple weeks ago I did the valve cover/combi valve/cam seals job for $150 in parts costs, if I had that done at a shop the bill would be nearing $2G

I still don't see how a used German car is a win. This assumes you have time to dick around with it when problems come up. And you know they happen when it's the worst timing.

I'm all for keeping cars on the road. But if a 5 year old car has more issues than my 42 year old rust bucket, I don't see how that's practical.

 

[halik]

Originally posted by: foghorn67

I still don't see how a used German car is a win. This assumes you have time to dick around with it when problems come up. And you know they happen when it's the worst timing.

I'm all for keeping cars on the road. But if a 5 year old car has more issues than my 42 year old rust bucket, I don't see how that's practical.

If you know what your doing then you won't have random problems popping up randomly. Audis have couple typical issues around 100K that need to be taken care of (control arms, CV joints, trans fluid etc.), but outside of that there aren't any more or less reliable than anything else I've owned. Also I tend to stick with cars that I can pull up maintenance history for (my car has all the records since like 15K miles from Audi N.A.)


The main reason why used German is win is because of the depreciation factor. Labor on luxury cars is mad expensive, so used resale tends to drop quite a bit. That's what makes it a great value for me.

Edit: Actually I take it back, german cars are more reliable than the Range Rover I had. I don't think anyone could figure out the electrical problems on that thing.

 

[PricklyPete]

Originally posted by: rh71
impressive but boring to drive a car like you describe... unless you're having fun... then have at it.

I would agree...but I know quite a few people who find it is fun to "work" at maximizing your mileage...so in a way that is their "fun to drive" aspect.

I'm on your side that a car like this is boring...but I see where it has its place/following.

 

[TraumaRN]

As far as the hybrid cost thing, I figure that for one I've got the 3,400 hybrid tax credit for the car(I paid 28,100 for the car, after the tax credit is 24700. plus lower gas costs and for me since I drive city more than highway, my mileage smokes the hell out of the normal Fusion. I got particularly lucky today with red light timing coming home from work today and managed 74.2 mpg over the 8.1 miles from work to home. Thats more than 3 times the mileage a normal gas Fusion gets for a city drive.

It made sense to me long term to have a hybrid.

EDIT: And I have fun trying to maximize my mileage, and the car has good enough handling and acceleration for a hybrid that I can still have 'fun' in the leadfoot way too.

 

[PricklyPete]

Very impressive MPG numbers. Ford really made a great product with the Fusion Hybrid.

 

[Thump553]

Originally posted by: DeathBUA
As far as the hybrid cost thing, I figure that for one I've got the 3,400 hybrid tax credit for the car(I paid 28,100 for the car, after the tax credit is 24700. plus lower gas costs and for me since I drive city more than highway, my mileage smokes the hell out of the normal Fusion. I got particularly lucky today with red light timing coming home from work today and managed 74.2 mpg over the 8.1 miles from work to home. Thats more than 3 times the mileage a normal gas Fusion gets for a city drive.

It made sense to me long term to have a hybrid.

EDIT: And I have fun trying to maximize my mileage, and the car has good enough handling and acceleration for a hybrid that I can still have 'fun' in the leadfoot way too.

Odds are your insurance company gives you a substantial discount because the car is a hybrid as well-it was 10-20% for us, as I recall.

 

[ViviTheMage]

pfft, i'd rather have a german TDI.

 

[43st]

Originally posted by: halik

Skoorb did that comparison, but even new fusion vs new fusion hybrid you'll be tough to make up the additional cost of the hybrid system.

In the end it's not exactly apples vs oranges either, it's a financial decision enumerated in dollars. Buy a used car with worse milage vs brand new hybrid. Your monthly dollar outflow for gas,insurance,car payments, maintenance is the benchmark for both of those courses of action.

I bought my used Audi with a CEL and fixed it myself; as soon as you buy a used german car and PAY someone else to maintain it, you're doing it wrong. That's exactly why the resale value drops - it's due to the expected value of maintenance costs in the future.

My 2.7T A6 with 120K and stock turbos runs great, no CEL and I still get like 28mpg when I baby it. Couple weeks ago I did the valve cover/combi valve/cam seals job for $150 in parts costs, if I had that done at a shop the bill would be nearing $2G

Thankfully people purchase vehicles for a wide variety of reasons.. if it was only cost per mile then there would be one car company and they would make Geo metros. I think the Soviet Union tried that.

 

[krunchykrome]

Originally posted by: ViviTheMage
pfft, i'd rather have a german TDI.

VW: "dees baybee haulz.........vroooooom vrooooom vrooooom. Vhat duz yourh highbrid sownd like?"

Hybrid: "Hoooooooooooooooh"

 

[BW86]

Those are some nice numbers.

 

[PingSpike]

Originally posted by: Jumpem
I wish they would make an AWD wagon variant.

Yeah, me too. They make an AWD sedan but I don't think its hybrid.

I've seen a ton of fusions and their mercury counterparts around lately.

 

[TraumaRN]

Originally posted by: krunchykrome

Originally posted by: ViviTheMage
pfft, i'd rather have a german TDI.

VW: "dees baybee haulz.........vroooooom vrooooom vrooooom. Vhat duz yourh highbrid sownd like?"

Hybrid: "Hoooooooooooooooh"

It does make that Hooooooooooohhhhh noise

But usually when I'm travelling at 35-40mph in electric mode the only noise I can hear are other cars and the hum from the tires. If there aren't other cars around, just a hum from the tires.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: halik
I think in 5-10 years it will make sense to buy used hybrids, till then I stick to my used german cars. People scared of maintenance costs = value for halik

:thumbsup:

Can't beat older European cars for fun value. A buddy of mine just bought a CLK 430 for just barely over $10,000. Fun car, good-looking, and, well, German. Makes him smile to drive it.

ZV

 

[roguerower]

Originally posted by: ViviTheMage
pfft, i'd rather have a german TDI.

I'm driving my roommates 01 Jetta T1.9 and it's a blast to drive. The turbo on that thing is crazy and it accelerates like a rocket. I can feel myself being pushed back in the seat as it spools up.

I went on VW's website and the TDI Jetta is somewhere in the mid-20s fitted out. If only we could get the hybrid-tdi that they're supposed to be making for Europe and gets 70-80mpg. That would be kickass.

 

[halik]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: halik
I think in 5-10 years it will make sense to buy used hybrids, till then I stick to my used german cars. People scared of maintenance costs = value for halik

:thumbsup:

Can't beat older European cars for fun value. A buddy of mine just bought a CLK 430 for just barely over $10,000. Fun car, good-looking, and, well, German. Makes him smile to drive it.

ZV

Hah that's the same car I had before the Audi and it gets phenomenal gas milage. I made 29 mpg going from detroit to nyc while speeding profusely. Probably the most reliable german car I've had; it made that trip about 10 times w/o issue.

 

[AllGoodNamesAreTaken]

How far can you go on the motor alone? I keep reading about going up to 47-ish mph but never anything about how long or far.

 

[TraumaRN]

I can go about 47Mph on electric but for maximizing driving time in electric about 35 mph is a sweet spot. At 35 mph and a high state of battery charge I can go anywhere from 1 to 2 miles before the gas kicks back in. However the gas motor will recharge the battery very quickly(so will the regen braking) but for my everyday drive to work I can keep it in electric for at least 75% of the 8 mile one way trip to work.

Another as well is that up to 62 mph the car has a 'secret' electric mode with a light touch it will use electric only, but keep in mind to that whenever the gas engine isn't needed it shuts off completely even at like 70 mph.