Rodeo

Hey guys, a little advice please? I was stuck in a quandry about whether to order a FF with either FWD or AWD and while I see virtues to both, I also see potential problems too. I thought of a third option. I could order the car with FWD and then take the money I would have spent on AWD and buy a set (4) of Snow tires and wheels. So, here are my questions: 1. How fast can I expect snow tires to wear out? Assuming I run them 3 months a year, say roughly 4000 miles a season on the car. 2. I plan to buy the Sport Handling with 18" wheels on an SEL model. Do I need 18" replacement wheels or can / should I look at a different size? Is one size more common and economical to buy? P.S. I just thought that I could use the stock wheels (which I'm not crazy about) and mount the snow tires on those and use the new wheels I pick out for the 9 month daily driver tires. Sound logical? Or are 18" snows not practical? What size is the stock 18" wheels? 7.5" or 8" wide? 3. Any specific recommendations as far as brand etc? Should I look to internet order them (Tire Rack etc?) 4. Does this sound like a logical approach that I will realize does work or am I just "spinning my wheels" here. 5. Are snow / performance tires going to work to satisfaction or should I forgo the performance aspect and get regular snows? 6. Are there any brands of wheels that are known to be problematic or should be avoided because of low quality? Thanks and this Forum is a great place for info isn't it?

I'll check the website out, thanks for posting it. As for the wheels, I was hoping they were more like $200-$250 each $1,950 is a bit too rich for my blood. Guess I'll stick with the stock 18" in the "Appearance Pkg" then.

The 18" chromed wheels shown as accessory items in the back of the FF brochure, anyone know what those would cost to buy? I like them and they would really dress the car up in my opinion. (I realize mounting and balancing would be extra) Also, are there any accessory items or pages on line to view anywhere? I saw a youtube video of a new 2010 FF with a 4 or 6 " racing stripe across the bottom of the door panels. In the center it said Fusion. (It kind of lined up with the center hub of the wheels.) I don't care about the Fusion writing part but the white stripe looked really good!

Well that really stinks and needs to be corrected. What good is a cabin "air filter" if the dust is leaking in by the bucketful through the doors because of inferior seals?

Not to beat this topic to death but I wanted to say that if the built in NAV was a stand alone option, I would probably be inclined to "buy" it in my new car. It is the requirement to also buy the electronics, the BLIS, Back up Camera, cross traffic alert etc that I really object to. That requirement effectively "doubles" the price of the NAV, if like me that's all you want. Again, I don't mean to belabor this further but just wanted to clarify my objections. I just wish they didn't package it that way. Thanks! The same thing applies to the "Sport" model and I would be inclined to get one except to get the stuff I feel should be 'standard" (heated outside mirrors, heated seats, power passenger seat, auto headlamps, ambient lighting and keyless entry) requires that I purchase those items bundled with BLIS, the Back up Camera, and cross traffic alert, 3 costly items I don't want and am not really willing to pay for. Thus it forces me to move down to the SEL model where the things I want ARE STANDARD. Anyway, enough bitch'in about it because I can't change it.

Well that is a good feature, but not enough to sway me to pay thousands extra for it. But hey, that's just me.

How can that possibly be. Both function the same way, as GPS from sattelites in space and when the signal is covered up, its lost. Both have built in maps. I don't see how the built in screen could perform better in that regard at all. You'd have to prove that one to me by documenting it. besides, that ford screen is likely made by one of the major manufacturers anyway.

On a portable their is simple fixed computer type memory inside that stores your saved addresses and preferences. It would be nice if you could download that data to save as necessary but unless new units are different, you cant back it up. On the built in NAV there is likely a "hard drive" yes, that stores that data and maybe you can back that up somehow so that would be a plus for the built in system (if possible) but then again a hard drive is more succeptible to crashing then fixed memory is to crash. The bottom line is that yes, naturally there are some differences between the systems but it comes down to what are the important differences to you the buyer that help you make your buying decision. For me, that aspect along with having control of the HVAC or Radio via the Nav screen are not nearly important because they are redundant to the manual controls on board the car. Plus it's less to worry about failing too.

Always inspect the car in good daylight, go around it and look for scratches, repairs, bad paint, anything that later on the dealer will try to blame you for. Don't pick up your new vehicle at night, for the same obvious reasons. if the vehicle is backed in somewhere or hard to access, make the dealer move it. (Had that happen years ago because the dealer was hiding a flaw in the paint so he tried to make it hard to see as well.) You really should test drive the car you are taking delivery of too but the inspection is paramount before you sign anything. Make sure you get all of the manuals, owners manual, SYNC, NAV (if purchased) etc. if anything is spotted, get it in writing that it will be taken care of by your dealer. Never do anything by word of mouth or hand shake.

No doubt I'd love to have the built in NAV of the Fusion but I find the price to obtain it to be obnoxiously high, since I myself don't see the need or desire for the electronics either. If it all were "half" the price, then maybe. Anyway I have owned and used a garmin 660 for many years now and have come to rely on it. The biggest downside I see is that it will not allow you to "back up" and save your stored destinations and addresses so if it ever goes bad or I replace it, all those addresses need to be reprogrammed into it. When I get the new FF I will likely upgrade to a new Garmin such as the 1690 to get the interactive features such as Traffic and Weather plus the "Birds eye view" and lane assist feature too. I'll be glad to report back about a quick review after I've used it but I expect it to perform as advertised and do trust the Garmin name as one of the very top GPS suppliers. By the way, I wasn't trying to talk anyone into this new Garmin so much as I was pointing out the reasons why I myself see the value of it as compared to buying the FORD built in Nav screen. If it came off wrong, please understand that is not what was intended. The way that FORD has built their packages has forced me to rethink my purchase and I even decided to downgrade to the SEL model because of the way stuff is packaged. There are certain things I definitely want and certain things I definitely find way too high or unnecessary and having lived with a portable Garmin for years tells me I can continue to do so, knowing it will closely rival the features of the built in FORD screen.

I am - and I agree.

For a $500 versus $3000 price differential, when it comes time to adjust the HVAC, I'll simply use the HVAC controls that are inches away on the dashboard and when I want to adjust the audio system, I''ll likewise just do the same on the audio controls right there in front of you (or on the steering wheel too) and as far as the "rear view" the Ford NAV does not accomplish that alone and needs an approximate $1200 electronics package that includes the back up camera which you also cannot purchase stand alone but must include the "moon & tune" so thats closer to $2700 more really, so lets not give credit to the Ford Nav screen for that one either, unless you plan to include the extra $$$ to add the electronics that make it work. And on the FORD screen, you can't take it with you to use in another car, so that is different then a portable, yes. But like I said, you get all the same features and even more on the Garmin such as features like "EcoRoute", a function that optimizes route guidance to aid fuel economy and provides a trip log with driving speeds and acceleration data to help the driver develop a more efficient technique. Then there's the matter of subscription services like Serius and Travellink, both required to maintain the service and costing between $10 and $15 a month at bare minimum (after 6 months only) whereas on the Garmin, the subscription service after the first free two years is only $5 a month total. So yes, in fact you are right there are some differences and it is apples to oranges but both round and both fruit but not enough nearly to make me spend the extra $2500 for the Ford system because to ge the FORD system costs roughly $3000 ($1800 NAV screen and required $1200 Electronics) versus the Garmin at $500. And should my Garmin ever get stolen, there's plenty of cash left over to replace it several times over too. By the way, comprehensive insurance covers your broken window and I dont window mount my GPS anyway, so no rings on my windshield ever to see.

I recently decided that I do not need (nor will order) the electronics package. I was considering the NAV screen also but you are required to buy the electronics package to get the NAV, so my thought is that it's way too much to pay just to get the NAV. So, I will not order either, thus savings thousands of dollar$. On a side note, that aspect also played into me deciding to not look at the FF Sport model any longer and to downgrade to the SEL V6 instead. Why? because on the Sport, the electronics pakage also includes a power passenger seat, heated outside mirrors and heated seats, all things I'd definitely like to have but again don't want to pay for the electronics pakage to get them. On the SEL however, those necessary options are standard and not tied to the electronics package. I will order the "reverse sensing system" for roughly $300 and I do plan to buy the new Garmin 1690 GPS that does everything the Ford NAV screen does (and more!) for roughly $500 or less and I will be more then happy. I've had a drivers license for over 35 years now and I have lived without BLIS or "cross traffic alert" thank you very much, so I dont think i need it now. I am looking forward to that new model Garmin though to replace my older Garmin 660. Check the NEW interactive Garmin 1690 out here: http://www.fordfusionforum.com/index.php?s...ic=2424&hl=

Has anyone tried or used one of those mounts that clips into the a/c vent? I hate the air blowing straight on me anyway so covering one with a GPS for me is no big deal as the air still will easily circulate. I wonder how sturdy they are or if it will damage the vent louveres. Seems like a good place to mount it though, keeps it off the top of the dash and if you use the right side vent, allows the cord to hang straight down towards the accy port. I just now ordered one of these and will try it out in my Escape to see how it works. Looks good to me though. This is a Garmin made mount and I got it for less then $20 shipped.

Preview: Garmin Nuvi 1690 GPS gets connected The fast-moving portable navigation device (PND) market has seen the rapid deployment of new innovations, and connectivity is the technology driving the latest revolution. Today, Garmin has introduced its latest take on connected information with the Nuvi 1690, a navigator that provides information like that currently available through the subscription-based MSN Direct service on uplevel units and adds a location-based social networking layer. On sale by year’s end, the Nuvi 1690 will be retail priced at $500 and include two-year NuLink service. Subscription renewal for data services will be priced at $5 a month. The connectivity enables Google local search, and it can provide traffic, weather, fuel prices, movie listings, flight status, local events, and white-pages telephone listings. As with other connected devices, the Nuvi 1690 allows points of interest (POI) to be searched online, ensuring the latest information. A POI database can also be used, providing an alternative resource when traveling through a coverage dead zone. (See the Nulink coverage map.) The Garmin social-networking platform Ciao! aggregates information from other networks, such as GyPSii and uLocate’s Buddy Beacon. With this ability, Ciao! allows users to share their location with friends, effectively redefining “POI” to also mean people of interest. The participating networks and capabilities are expected to evolve over time. Like other recent, midlevel Garmin navigators, the Nuvi 1690 includes reality view and lane assist features to aid in selecting the correct lane and exit on major roadways. It also features EcoRoute, a function that optimizes route guidance to aid fuel economy and provides a trip log with driving speeds and acceleration data to help the driver develop a more efficient technique. The Nuvi 1690 also includes Bluetooth connectivity to pair cell phones for hands-free operation. Maps of North America are included. Bottom line A full-featured unit, the Nuvi 1690 moves further into the connected arena than current devices, like the TomTom Go 740 Live. At least at launch, it commands a premium price, though including two-years of service with purchase should aid sales and encourage social-network participation. The $5 a month fee after two years (free) is notably less than the charges for subscription-based traffic information alone or MSN Direct services on other devices. We will test the Nuvi 1690 soon as we can purchase one and report on how it works, with an eye toward potential distraction that may be caused by the social aspects. Courtesy of Consumer reports http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/2009...-connected.html (With the money left over, I'm going to buy All Wheel Drive - That's allot of savings here and I save even more because Garmin is not forcing me to also purchase BLIS and the Electronic package that I really don't want nor feel I need.) HA!

In NJ it is illegal to tint (at all beyond factory glass) the front side windows or windshield but as far as back side and rear window, you can go as dark as you like.

I can agree with your quest. I don't know why the Car Companies don't start to build in accessory plugs on top of the dash somewhere near the center, or at least near the top of the center console instead of the bottom to allow us to plug in our Radar detectors and GPS units. The cord hanging down is getting old. Ford's answer is to offer a nice NAV screen for $1800 but to get it you need to also buy the electronics package of BS and the total cost to get the GPS goes up significantly if that's all you wanted. By the time they start building plugs in to the top, our electronic devices will probably be obsolete. Anyone know of a cord routing system made to clean up that dangling cord?? Anyone have a good way to mount a GPS in a new 2010 FF? I myself will not spend $3K to get Fords screen.

I'd be curious to know how this ends so please do post after you've found out or had it back to the dealer. What you described would not be tolerable to me in a 2010 FF as I'm sure many others would object too.

Thanks for your input however I think you'll find that everyone will have their own preference for "Bass, Treble, Fader, Balance, Mode etc etc." That stuff is all tweakable but you can't tweak the hardware that they gave you beyond it's capabilities or quality either. Unfortunately it is what it is and I for one say it is just adequate (for me) but certainly nothing to write home about. it's just OK in my opinion, barely but livable.

Besides, if wheels really made that big of a difference to fuel mileage, then it would naturally become a "sales gimmick" and wheel manufacturers would be boasting how their wheel will gain you so much more MPG. I am sure what the guy from Ford said is true, but keep it in perspective that it's likely very small of a difference. His point was that you make a whole bunch of such small changes and that adds up to a few more MPG.

I watched that video too and if you recall that Engineer said that many changes were small, saving them TENTHS of an MPG so you really don't know what impact changing wheels will really have. He did say that less air flow was needed and that's why parts of the lower grill were closed over. I think if you look for similar wheels without allot of opening that your mileage impact will be very small, if noticed at all. Just my 2 cents.

THANKS for posting that link.

In the summertime, I take those exterior readings with a grain of salt. If it's off by a degree or two, no big deal and like others have said, the temperature varies outside anyway, sun, shade, elevation etc. etc. What I really like the outside thermometer for is when it's cold outside and the roads are wet. I like to know when the temperature is hovering near 32 (freezing) and I don't wait for it to say exactly 32 before I drive more carefully. Right now I dont have that option in my Escape but I am looking forward to owning another new car that does have it bacause I do miss it. (That and a compass too.)

NICE! But I still really like it in Black too. I can tell that is going to be a hard decision for me to make. The black is gorgeous in it's own right.

Well you're better then a "car guy" now because you're a Fusion Guy! Welcome to the Forum bro.