MPG Happy Talk

[hybridbear]

Just based on fuelly number your story is like 99% of us, if you look at fueleconomy.gov its 75% of us, if you check the facebook page for the fusion hybrid its filled with ranting of same thing. Why anyone would create a thread just to chart how wonderful their mpg is but cant say anything bad is bizarre and suspicious. Their either working for Ford or one of their social networking cronies.

 

I wish I could work for Ford, I would have paid less for the car then!! :hysterical3:

[acdii]

Shouldn't you be outside, wiping down the dash?

eh, too cold outside, my dustcloth is frozen to the bucket. :worship:

[GreenAussie]

Turned in my 2010 C Class in today. Trip up to drop it off 20.5 MPG, trip back (girlfriend) driving the fusion 49.1 MPG. The fusion is bigger and roomer, the interior is about 90% of the MB, the fusion has more technology, seats are much more comfortable, its quieter, costs $10K less and a pretty sure the 40k mile routine service won’t be $1400. Boy I love this car!!! :worship: :happy feet: :victory:

Edited February 23, 2013 by GreenAussie

[elle]

What? Mine was positive! Ford finally contacted me, thats all I asked for, 100% positive! See Smiley? :) ;) :wub: :headspin:

 

Yours wasn't the comment I was talking about. I don't see it now. Maybe it was deleted or maybe I am on crack. Or was yesterday. So since I don't see it, I'm back here. Anyway, I'm glad they contacted you. That truly is some happy talk. Hope you can get some answers.

[ace8726872]

Ok, I was tailgating a gasoline tanker truck yesterday. Those tanker trucks and container trucks are great as they often drive below the speed limit and provide drafting opportunity. More importantly, I don't have to be the "bad" driver that holds up everyone behind me on the freeway. Anyway, following the tanker around,I got 53.3 MPG over the 28 mile commute which I normally get 47 MPG.

 

I saw someone else mention this on another topic and I have to agree that my driving experience has been great in my FFH. I enjoy great music in a whisper quiet car that gets great MPG and looks real nice. I am way less stress on the road. I think I might even live longer because of my FFH.

[jeff_h]

I think I might even live longer because of my FFH.

 

Well let's hope so, but drafting behind the big trucks may not be such a good idea... I used to do it, figured I could always stop much sooner than they could once I saw brakes go on, but still had some close calls and their rear ends would always fare better than my front end and it would be my fault, so no more of that. And that part aside, they also tend to kick up more rocks than cars and lead to dings on your car or rock chips on your windshield. I had to replace the windshield twice on my 2010 thanks to rocks being kicked up on the interstate, and that was with trying to keep back further, but the rocks tend to come out of nowhere!

[ace8726872]

Well let's hope so, but drafting behind the big trucks may not be such a good idea... I used to do it, figured I could always stop much sooner than they could once I saw brakes go on, but still had some close calls and their rear ends would always fare better than my front end and it would be my fault, so no more of that. And that part aside, they also tend to kick up more rocks than cars and lead to dings on your car or rock chips on your windshield. I had to replace the windshield twice on my 2010 thanks to rocks being kicked up on the interstate, and that was with trying to keep back further, but the rocks tend to come out of nowhere!

 

Good points! Since I never used to draft behind the big trucks, I didn't realize about the rocks. Too bad since it does seem to produce better MPG.

[elle]

I used to do the drafting thing back in the 70's during the gas crisis. Didn't realize back then how dangerous it is, but it is. I probably wouldn't do it now unless I was in a very adventurous mood.

[Toz]

I used to do the drafting thing back in the 70's during the gas crisis. Didn't realize back then how dangerous it is, but it is. I probably wouldn't do it now unless I was in a very adventurous mood.

I thought that is what the ACC and collision alert was for. Automatic drafting. :banvictory: :banvictory:

[murphy]

There is a very old rule for following distance behind a truck.

If you can't see the side mirror on the truck cab, the truck driver can't see you.

[hybridbear]

I thought that is what the ACC and collision alert was for. Automatic drafting. :banvictory: :banvictory:

 

Drafting is dangerous, and a friend of mine who is a semi driver says that the semi drivers don't like it because they're 1) worried about you running into them and 2) if they're carrying expensive cargo they might be worried that you're part of a plan to attack and steal their cargo.

 

About ACC - I have thought that too...we didn't spend the money for ACC so I don't know a lot about how it works. I know that you can set your following distance to be less than 3 seconds. What will ACC do if the person in front of you slams on the brakes? How close will ACC allow you to follow?

 

Thanks

[elle]

Drafting is dangerous, and a friend of mine who is a semi driver says that the semi drivers don't like it because they're 1) worried about you running into them and 2) if they're carrying expensive cargo they might be worried that you're part of a plan to attack and steal their cargo.

 

About ACC - I have thought that too...we didn't spend the money for ACC so I don't know a lot about how it works. I know that you can set your following distance to be less than 3 seconds. What will ACC do if the person in front of you slams on the brakes? How close will ACC allow you to follow?

 

Thanks

 

There's a collision warning system that will alarm when you get too close to the car in front of you that has slowed down suddenly. It will also go off if the car in front of you slows to make a right turn and you stay close to get around it. I've had it go off a couple of times.

[ace8726872]

There's a collision warning system that will alarm when you get too close to the car in front of you that has slowed down suddenly. It will also go off if the car in front of you slows to make a right turn and you stay close to get around it. I've had it go off a couple of times.

 

Is the collision warning system a part of the adaptive cruise control? If so, my car doesn't have that option. I didn't think that I needed that option but I could see great uses now. All the neat toys and technology! All it takes is money. Too bad I don't have much! Sigh!!!

[elle]

I think it is part of the adaptive cruise package. Here's a brochure on it: http://media.ford.com/images/10031/Adaptive_Cruise.pdf

[ace8726872]

Thanks for te info elle. I would have loved to get that option over the moonroof that I have.

[hybridbear]

I think it is part of the adaptive cruise package. Here's a brochure on it: http://media.ford.com/images/10031/Adaptive_Cruise.pdf

 

There's a collision warning system that will alarm when you get too close to the car in front of you that has slowed down suddenly. It will also go off if the car in front of you slows to make a right turn and you stay close to get around it. I've had it go off a couple of times.

 

So, from reading that info, it sounds like drafting could still be dangerous because if the semi slammed on the brakes, even with the warning and this system there's still the potential to hit the truck

 

Thanks for te info elle. I would have loved to get that option over the moonroof that I have.

 

It would have been a nice feature to have, but I believe it required getting MFT which we didn't want. When we test drove a C-Max with MFT and a Fusion with the conventional buttons we decided that we just wanted the conventional buttons. Mainly because we did not want a back up camera. We both found it to be distracting and hard to use. So to get ACC we would have been required to spend $900 for MFT which we didn't want and then another $2k or something like that for the Tech Pkg with BLIS and ACC...oh well, maybe on our next car in 10 years...

[elle]

So, from reading that info, it sounds like drafting could still be dangerous because if the semi slammed on the brakes, even with the warning and this system there's still the potential to hit the truck

 

Yes, it's just a warning. The ACC gives you all sorts of disclaimers and warnings in the manual about continuing to remain attentive, because it will shut off if your speed goes below a certain point, and the system expects you to be there to take over!

[fusionTX]

Drafting is dangerous, and a friend of mine who is a semi driver says that the semi drivers don't like it because they're 1) worried about you running into them and 2) if they're carrying expensive cargo they might be worried that you're part of a plan to attack and steal their cargo.

I couldn't agree more. Drafting is just plain stupid in my mind. it goes against everything you are taught in defensive driving. A few pennies saved Is not worth risking my life or that of my loved ones.

[acdii]

The ACC will apply brakes and alert you to collision, and pump up the brake pressure so when you apply the brakes, the force is greater for a panic stop than if you just slam them on normally. What I found that works well is setting the bars to 3 on ACC, and follow a flat bed. It keeps you at the recommended 2 second mark, yet still provides just enough slipstream to draft from.

 

In regards to drafting, you do not need to be right on the back end of a truck to benefit from it, if you ever notice, when behind a truck, there is a buffet zone, it is usually about 2.5 seconds behind, when you get to 1.75 to 2 seconds behind, it disappears, and you are right in the zone. Flat beds work the best because the air flow is linear off the back, and not turbulent like off a box. These are where I got the best MPG out of any car. Using ACC set at the right distance keeps you in that zone yet far enough back in the even of the truck slamming on his brakes.

[hermans]

I couldn't agree more. Drafting is just plain stupid in my mind. it goes against everything you are taught in defensive driving. A few pennies saved Is not worth risking my life or that of my loved ones.

That and the cost of a ticket.

[B25Nut]

Drafting: you will never see me traveling the same speed as trucks.

[Code_Warrior]

I have owned many cars since the EPA started requiring MPG estimates.

I find it ironic that I have never achieved the published numbers until this car.

The reason has to be that I am getting real-time feedback on how economical I am driving. That plus I don't live in a cold place. It may all go to pot when the A/C season is here.

[hybridbear]

I have owned many cars since the EPA started requiring MPG estimates.

I find it ironic that I have never achieved the published numbers until this car.

The reason has to be that I am getting real-time feedback on how economical I am driving. That plus I don't live in a cold place. It may all go to pot when the A/C season is here.

 

Glad to hear that you're getting such good gas mileage. Hopefully the A/C demands won't be so high as to lower the gas mileage too much. And the ruby red color is very nice. We almost decided to spend the extra money to get that color

Edited February 25, 2013 by hybridbear

[hybridbear]

Here is a very balanced article about the fuel economy in the Ford Hybrids

 

http://blogs.wsj.com/drivers-seat/2013/02/21/are-we-becoming-a-society-of-fuel-economy-whiners/?mod=google_news_blog

[Code_Warrior]

Glad to hear that you're getting such good gas mileage. Hopefully the A/C demands won't be so high as to lower the gas mileage too much. And the ruby red color is very nice. We almost decided to spend the extra money to get that color

I got the 'poor mans' model. Just a base car with only two options: Outrageously expensive floor mats and the red paint. I bought it off the dealers lot. If I had ordered it, I would probably not have paid the extra for the red paint. But every comment I get about the car is about the great paint job.

 

I am getting fond of the Sirius satellite radio. Hope I can get a good price when it expires. I also love that I put all my favorite music on a USB memory stick and shuffle play it. The Sync hands off Bluetooth phone support works pretty good also. This base model car has a lot of good features included.