dalesky

Can't a guy with black leather get some love? My mommy says I'm special!

Fantastic. Glad the trip went well. Maybe August we will head to Florida for an 8 hour trip.

51mpg on a short trip back home from friends late last night. Love this car. Still absolutely trouble/glitch free. Just had the windows tinted, and will post a couple of pics soon. Thinking about the 3M film for the door sills, handle areas, trunk 'lid' and door edges.

We have a lot of what are know as banana spiders, AKA Golden Orb. Very large but not poisonous to humans, just frightening.

I like them toasted with fava beans!

For some unknown reason, when my car was built, it was sent for quality control testing. It delayed my getting the car by at least a month. Perhaps it was then that any issues of earlier builds were resolved with software upgrades. I don't know, but my car has been 100% as far as build quality, and mileage is what I expected. I have been able to top 50MPG a number of times on trips under 10 miles, and under 65mph, so nothing to complain about. The transition from ICE only or EM only to ICE and EM is seamless, and feels powerful.

I test drove one, and I must say the transtion from hybrid to ICE is not so good. Also, at over 125mpg it floats a lot (kidding)

Just got back from Minne snow ta about a week ago, and I have to say the driving in the metro of Mpls/St. Paul is horrendous. Almost any direction at any time and the traffic may back up to a crawl. I was driving the Chevy Cruze which got hybid like mileage, but still. And then there is the 2 season issue: Winter and Road Repair. The roads take such a beating that it is impossible to maintain them well. Here in SC, in my area they simply don't usually have any money for road repair or building.

It has been raining so much here that I am looking to outfit my Fusion with waterwings. 12 inches in June, and so far in july almost 4 inches more. Good thing we are at such high elevation! My lot is a whopping 37 feet above sea level. Luckily, I have a wetland behind and a large pond alongside, all of which drain into the rivers. Hope I don't have to "ford" any streams nearby. MPG is consistent at just under 40, which I am very pleased with.

Unfortunately, or fortunately, I can always find enough at Amazon to meet their $25 free shipping threshold. It's like an addiction at times. I love tech items, and between them and Woot I go crazy at times.

I have just ordered some 303 for the convertible top and the detailing spray. I have been very happy with the Meguiar's Quik Detailer also. I have used it for years on my Mustang between washes, after dusting the the CA Duster. If sprayed directly on a spot, like a bug or bird poop it takes it off quite well. I love detailer sprays, and so far the Meguiars is my favorite. Got some sprinkler water spots on the hood of the Mustang recently. My street was being seal coated and I had to park it outside near a neighbor's house. Those water spots take a lot of work to get out!

Here's a quote from Tire Rack: Disadvantages of Overinflation An overinflated tire is stiff and unyielding and the size of its footprint in contact with the road is reduced. If a vehicle's tires are overinflated by 6 psi, they could be damaged more easily when running over potholes or debris in the road. Higher inflated tires cannot isolate road irregularities well, causing them to ride harsher. However, higher inflation pressures usually provide an improvement in steering response and cornering stability up to a point. This is why participants who use street tires in autocrosses, track events and road races run higher than normal inflation pressures. The pressure must be checked with a quality air gauge as the inflation pressure cannot be accurately estimated through visual inspection. And from the Rubber Association of Canada: Over-inflationOver-inflation can be a problem too. An over-inflated tire rides on just the centre portion of the tread. The smaller contact area means reduced grip on the road, leading to a harsh ride, handling issues (such as steering and stopping problems) and increased wear on tires and suspension components. I inflate all my tires at very close to the door sticker, maybe 1 or 2 lbs over at most.

Saw a news article recently (don't know which show) that talked about losing your hearing, and not just baby boomers. Actually, more younger people are having issues because of ear buds, which 'seal' the ear more. I am not worried about my hearing being affected since I rarely use a lot of volume. The ones I wonder about are the real boomers that go by and have their vehicle literally vibrating the metal parts! Got to wonder if much of that will have a permanent effect. All that said, the Sony system does sound impressive. I prefer CD for quality sound vs MP3, but some tracks do sound good even in MP3 format. Now, if we could play a real record, that would be a test. Maybe one of those players that have a USB output?

When I use auto start with the AC on, it uses the ICE, but runs the air at less than the speed it could. When I get in and "start" the car prior to shifting into drive the AC picks up speed. I have no idea of how much electric power is needed, but has anyone noticed that if you really step on the accelerator and get both the ICE and EM to go the car can really take off? More noticeable because I (we) are always trying to drive in a manner that saves gas. Some time I may try driving it hard, and see how much of a hit the mileage takes.

Oh, that's funny. You know FIAT stands for Failure In Automotive Technology, according to an Italian friend.

Forgot about the active noise cancellation. I think I will stick with the factory sub, but may consult an audio expert just to see if it's possible to increase the low end. I really have no complaints tho, and probably won't modify it at all.

I think you should be proud, not apologetic. Many people I know don't ever clean their own car, and the inside is not a pretty sight. When I got my first car, after getting out of the Navy, I actually asked some people to take their shoes off before getting in! Now, that's anal!

Welcome. Living in the sunny state of SC I did not want a dark car, the they sure look great when clean. Last time I washed (in the shade) I used an electric blower to get most of the water off. REally helped when it came to the final dry. By the way, anyone else know about the armrest thing? First I hear of it. Too much to learn for an old fart I guess.

Whoa! So glad to hear that you were able to continue driving. I bet it wouldn't be good to get that big electrical conduit wet for long.

I suppose as we get closer to the 4th, prices will do their usual dance upwards, then back down again. Hmmm, wonder why that is? Good to be back in SC now, after a nice visit to Minnesnowta and nodakota. Gas prices here still low, around $3.15 to $3.20 tops. And, we have about the lowest cig taxes too! MN is increasing those by $1.60 a pack I heard.

Hey!, Lets be careful out there!

Still looks OK. I did get the blue, and was surprised at how close it came to the car's color

very nice report! I have yet to take a road trip, but am looking forward to it. I am in North Dakota now, heading back to Mpls Monday. Driving a rental Chevy Cruze, which gets 39mpg under 70mph. The cruise control is a lot like our eco cruise. Not much else is reminiscent of a Fusion, so can't wait to get home on the 25th. Saw a lot of Fusions in Mpls area.

Went from Mpls MN to Bismarck ND, where the prices went from $3.50 to $3.80. ND is rich and getting richer from crude, and is building TWO refineries. The first in the U.S. since 1976. Maybe when they are online prices will reflect reality more closely.

Besides GrySql, it keeps u out of the street, which is always a good thing. my top is tan, so do you think it will be OK to use the 303 on it?