CmelChappy

I'm an editor for Parents magazine, looking for an owner of a 2008-to-present Ford Fusion Hybrid to quote in an upcoming story. We need someone with one or more young kids to tell us how the Fusion functions as a family car. If you're interested email me at emily.johnson3@meredith.com.

 

Thanks!

I have a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid that is a wonderful car in all respects except one, it is the worst riding car ever. I wouldn't consider putting anyone in the rear seat, big or little. I start out driving it in a good mood, but after a number of stiff, harsh jolts, I start gritting my teeth. The dealer tells me that it is designed that way because of the 250 lb battery pack behind the rear seat. The Ford Fusion Form is full of people who experience the same hard riding characteristics, but most of them accept it as the norm nowadays. I am going to check with several other Ford Dealers and if they agree with my local dealer, guess I am stuck with it. Started up a dirt road with some washboard surface and the suspension is so stiff that it jolted and hammered so hard that I had to stop, turn around and leave. This is really sad as the car is as good as any made when going down a smooth highway, but driving on bad road or in town where the recession has caused many bad spots in need of repair to get worse, it is awful. Tar strips, manhole covers and minor potholes must be avoided as well as rough road surfaces. I would buy a 2011 model if Ford would get their act together and soften the suspension a bit, but never another like the 2009. The Fusion Hybrid is a high mileage family car and why in heaven's name is Ford putting a stiff, racing suspension on it. PHOOEY!

I think the low tire pressure alarm may activate at 25% below recommended pressure. That would be about 25 psi.

Do you think the lower pressure could lead to possible rim damage. I have read of 17" and larger rims having to be replaced due to severe bumps bending them.

Gotta ask, have you tried 28 psi in the tires and remove pounds from your trunk? The newer one you drove may not have had a full tank of fuel or tires pumped up beyond the factory psi..

 

Your dealership is your best hope for resolution. When you call the Ford customer assistance center, they forward your concern back to the dealer for handling. I don't recall if Job 2 or Job 3 had any suspension changes. Perhaps someone can check it out? Ask your service advisor to run an OASIS on your vin and code ride harshness (NVH). If there are any areas that can be checked for you, the OASIS report will identify them.

I would be afraid to drop my tires much under the recommended 33 lbs. as it would seem that with sidewalls with such little room to flex, it would be easy to damage the aluminum rims on sharp bumps. When I purchased my Hybrid, the salesman told me a customer with a car with 17" tires and aluminum wheels hit a patch of bad road at highway speeds and came in for four new rims and tires. I never carry anything in my trunk except for an extension cord. The later production model I tried was dealer serviced to 33lbs tire pressure and an empty trunk. I don't think the dealer wants to start replacing rear shocks or coil springs unless they had no choice. I am going to drop by some other Ford dealers within 150 miles and get their opinions. h

Maybe you forgot about complaining about the dashboard lights or don't understand how the internet works.

 

cmelchappy complaining about the dashboard lights

 

There is one like you on every forum also. A whiner.

 

And you seem to be the viscious one with the potty mouth. I just didn't want everyone to waste their time giving you suggestions when it is pretty obvious that you don't like the car and are trying to find a reason to get rid of it. Just the fact that you mention the lemon law when the car works exactly as designed and exactly the same as it did on your test drive makes that point obvious even to me with my kindergarten edjucation.

Also, I like coolaid!!

 

I mean the title of your thread is "How to complain!"

You are not only a stupid, nasty person but a world class liar!

OP - Aren't you the same guy who wanted to sell his FFH because the dashboard lights were to bright?

 

Now you are threatening the dealer with the lemon law because the suspension is too sporty. Of course the dealer pushed you out the door, you probably complain about something new every week and they are tired of hearing from you. Next you will complain that you can't hear the engine when you are at a complete stop.

 

Take the hit and trade the car in for something else that you can complain about. At 83 years old, what are you saving your money for?

BLAH, BLAH, BLAH........there is one like you in every forum, offensive, viscious and ignorant. It is obvious that you turn off what little brains you have when you open your big mouth. I have never complained about anything but the ride quality. Quit drinking the coolaid and get a life.

OP - Aren't you the same guy who wanted to sell his FFH because the dashboard lights were to bright?

 

Now you are threatening the dealer with the lemon law because the suspension is too sporty. Of course the dealer pushed you out the door, you probably complain about something new every week and they are tired of hearing from you. Next you will complain that you can't hear the engine when you are at a complete stop.

 

Take the hit and trade the car in for something else that you can complain about. At 83 years old, what are you saving your money for?

No, I'm not the guy complaining about dashboard lights. You sir, are an ignorant, garbage mouth lout that sounds as though you dropped out of kindergarten and never went back! It's clowns like you that stink up forums. You should quit drinking the coolaide and get a life.

I was considering the Mustang six, but most of the reviews of the 2010 were uncomplimentary, citing low horsepower and rather poor gas mileage for a six cylinder of around 21 miles per gallon average, not much better than the GT. I often wonder if the testers were wrong or biased against sixes. Actually, I am in a quandry as I find that in my many years of driving, my Fusion Hybrid is the greatest of all except for the harsh ride. Was thinking about getting a set of Fusion 16 inch wheels and tires and moving them to my next Fusion Hybrid. I understand that there are 17 inch tires that would fit my Fusion that have bigger sidewalls, but might rub on some part of the car.

Ford had a solution to the ride problem in the old days, offering an optional heavy duty suspension for a few dollars more for the performance lovers. My '71 T-Bird that my dad purchased new came that way and is not a floater, but feels like a garbage barge after driving my Hybrid. I still marvel at how tight and quiet the hybrid is and in town, I can corner with the best of them.

Wonder what my insurance company would charge me if I bought a 2011 Mustang 5.0. I read where the front bumper of the Ford Hybrid costs $2,245 to replace, so I really keep my distance. Thanks for your input!

Goodness, didn't realize you were so old!

 

My dad just recently traded in his old Crown Victoria for a brand new 2010 Fusion S, which is supposed to arrive anyday now. He has rode in my hybrid a few times and was so impressed by it that he wanted one as well. He went with the S because of fuel economy, and because it is likely one of the best automotive deals on the market when you consider all the standard features you get for that price. He too thought my hybrid rode firmer than he expected, but then again he drives a Crown Victoria.

 

Either way, I really hope you will like the new Mustang. I am a huge Mustang fan and am so glad that Ford is stepping up the power on that new 5.0. Even that new V6 is going to be amazing as i'm finally glad that Ford is also getting serious about stepping that up as well. I suspect that if the upcoming 2011 Mustang is going to be like the way Mustangs currently are, the V6 will likely have a much more forgiving ride. I have rented a V6 current gen Mustang and was surprised by how soft the ride actually was. The difference is that this new V6 is going to be pretty badass as you will get upto 30mpg, and still have as much horsepower as the original SVT Cobra's had.

 

Radical styling is becoming a problem unfortunately, as I am not too much of a fan of some of these new age designs that look wierd.

Out of curiosity, have you ever owned a Mustang or sporty car in general? They typically will have a very firm ride. I have owned one before, and the Fusion has a ride quality about on par. I think it is like the Lincoln MKS owners that you hear on the internet who continue to complain about their car riding too stiff. For most of us, this car has been exactly as we would have expected from a performance tuned suspension combined with low profile tires. I pulled an emergency move just a few minutes ago coming home at night as there was a bumper in the middle of the highway. The car handled exactly as I would have expected it to. I even had a blast on the sharp curve along the Ronald Reagan highway where I zinged by a Nissan Maxima along the sharp curve. He clearly felt threatened as he floored it, and pulled ahead of me.

 

The point of my ramble is that handling seems to be one of the strongest points of this car. This car doesn't handle like every other hybrid on the market, as it really handles well. It rides about what I expected, but handles far better and more predictably than I would have ever imagined. If the newer hybrids have a softer suspension as you concluded on your test drive, it is likely going to be at the expense of handling. I suspose that if you do not like the stiff ride, an alternative would be to try looking at finding a set of 16 inch alloys from a Fusion S which will likely have a more forgiving ride. I think Ford engineers clearly realized that they will never be able to make everyone happy, and they have done a good job in trying to make most of us happy.

 

If you are interested in a new Mustang, I hope you enjoy it as there is nothing to hate about the new 5.0 that is coming out! However, with Mustang GT's coming with 18 and 19 inch rims these days, you are likely going to encounter a ride quality that is much more unforgiving than your Hybrid.

I purchased a '65 Mustang hatchback that was great riding and handling at 3200 lbs. It was not sprung like the modern GT's, but most pleasing to drive. I have learned a lesson about buying cars after finding that companies like Ford are taking family sedans and giving them rock hard suspensions. If that was my preference I would have purchased a Mustang to start with. At age 83, I enjoy a more pleasant ride like the Toyota Avalon, which ranks #1 for full sized family sedans, and does not have a super firm suspension. It comes down to a matter of choice!

I will drive the 2011 5.0 Mustang and if it is worse riding than what I've got, I'll walk away talking to myself. Anyway, the styling of most new cars is so radical that I'll probably go to a car show/auction and buy a fully restored auto from the sixties and seventees.

Thanks for your imput, especially about the 16 inch Fusion S tires.

My Ford Fusion Hybrid is really super in all respects but one. I waited six months for my local dealer to get another so that I could compare it to mine. It has a softer ride and no severe jolting like mine. My hybrid was manufactured in June of '09 and the new one, this January, so it appears that Ford has made some changes to the suspension, or else I have a problem with my rear suspension. The new car was more pleasant to drive as all the bumps and surface imperfections could be felt, but less severely.

When I drive over a repair running across the road that has sunk down a bit, my rear suspension bounces and when coming down, feels as though the chasis is hitting the road. I tried driving up a washboard dirt road and had to stop and turn around because the shaking and jolting was terrible. Manhole coverers, sometimes three or four to a block are very disagreeable and tar strips almost the same.

I am sure that something went amiss when they put my hybrid together. I was told the suspension would loosen up after a few thousand miles, but it hasn't, it has gotten worse. My tires are at 33 lbs. My mileage is 3,500 miles.

My problem is how to complain! The local service department pushed me out the door with "don't call us, we'll call you," and FOMOCO's custormer satisfaction department told me, "better luck next time! I doubt if I could qualify under the "Lemon Law" and am in doubt as to whether Ford can make mid season changes without correcting earlier production models. I really enjoy driving my hybrid but weary of having to avoid a number of streets that have surface imperfections. The January '10 Hybid has the same Michelans as mine, so it must not be the tires.

As of now, my only recourse is to grit my teeth and buy a 2011 5.0 Mustang this spring, it couldn't possibly ride any harder and would be a lot more fun to drive. Sure would appreciate any and all imput. The new Fusion Hybrid I drove is really great and with a very comfortable ride.

I've driven all the new Ford four doors and the Fustion Sport and have reached a final decision. The best call around car bar none is the Fusion Hybrid. The Fusion Hybrid isn't best at everything it does, but is better at most of what it does. None of the other Fords and competitors do so many things, so good. The Taurus rides a little softer, but not that much and can't come close to the Hybrid for quick handling, especially in town driving. The gas mileage doesn't come close and it can't keep up with my hybrid in town. The acceleration below fifty or so isn't all that great. The SHO model burns a lot of gas, rides no better than a hybrid and sure doesn't handle as good around town and the insurance costs are something else. The Lincoln MKZ is just an upgraded Fusion, a gas burner, not anywhere near as good handling as the hybrid and not that great a performer. The Big Lincoln is a barge that couldn't get twenty miles per gallon except downhill, and isn't in the same league as the hybrid, whether in town or on the road. My hybrid will cruise silently at any reasonable speed and gives me great confidence in the corners plus I can push it pretty hard and still get mileage in the upper thirties. Finally, the Taurus and the Lincoln's are so high in back that I can't see over them and to me, look ungainly. Parked along side my ice blue hybrid, they look like barges. OK, so I'm biased, but I really love my hard riding Fusion Hybrid, particularly knowing that I can soften the ride a little by going to sixteen inch wheels. Note: what will they ride like with nineteen and twenty inch " rubber band tires? I did notice that the 2010 Taurus has a higher sidewall eighteen inch tire, higher than the hybrid, a concession to comfort.

Why not simply try changing to a better set of tires for your car first? Get away from those "LRR" low rolling resistance type tires and get something else. I agree with allot of the comments here that your tires are probably the number one item to look at, even before doing shocks or struts. Yea it'll cost you a few $ and a few MPG too, but not many. You mind find the trade off to be well worth it. Go to tire rack and plug in your stock size and then read the reviews for road noise and comfort levels. Each tire there has those ratings given by other purchasers. I myself also look closely at a tires "wear rating" too and I always look for tires rated at least 700 when possible. Anyway, I think changing tires would definitely change your ride quality.

 

I would keep the 17s for now and try new tires first. If you really want to trade your 17s for 16s, try posting that in the buy/sell or swap sections of this forum and the other larger one too:

 

http://www.fordfusionclub.com/index.php

 

I'll bet someone will gladly take your offer.

I've tried finding used 16" rims for my Fusion and have come up empty. I have been searching for Fusion rims with no results, perhaps I should search by rim size...perhaps there are a number of older ford rims that would fit. I am going to purchase a 2011 Ford Hybrid and will insist on the dealer involved ordering me 16" wheels and tires or else give me full credit for the 17" that come with the car. The local Avalon dealer refuses to special order 16" for the top of the line model. It's confusing, all he would have to do is pull the new 17" off and install a set of 16", but he can't figure it out! Have decided to do nothing and wait for the next model FFH to come out and then try to find a dealer willing to accomodate me. If the economy continues on or gets worse, there should be a few hungry Ford Dealers around! I understand the new model year should start by this coming April. I purchased my FFH the end of June and it had been on the market for a few months before then.

I've noticed that cars tend to ride stiffer in the winter, which may be due to the tires hardening under the colder temperatures. The Fusion rides exactly as I expect. It is kind of like the numerous Lincoln MKS owners that keep complaining about how their car rides way too stiff. As Dave mentioned, cars for the most part do not ride floaty anymore. An overly soft suspension is going to cause vehicle control issues, especially at speed. These tires are also low profile, which likely the largest source of the stiffer ride.

 

I live in Cincinnati and we frequently have some of the worst roads in the US behind Detroit. I find the ride to be pleasant and confident, but you are also talking to a person who has owned a few performance vehicles in the past. I find that the ride quality of my Fusion is more comfortable than the ride i've had in some other vehicles like my SVT Lightning, Land Rover Discovery, or Land Rover Freelander. I tend to prefer a stiffer ride as I enjoy having the extra level of control.

 

What we are finding is that more and more vehicles are going towards larger rims with lower profile tires, which means that the soft ride you are looking for may be a thing of the past.

We have a number of old state highway sections that are still maintained, are in excellent repair, but narrow as old highways used to be. My Fusion Hybrid goes around the many sharp corners like it is on rails. I never had as much confidence when driving my '71 T-Bird with heavy duty suspension as I do with the Fusion, it couldn't stay within miles of the Hybrid. Guess one can't have it all in one car. I read about all the six's hitting 0-60 in 6 secs, but wonder where they're at. I can more than hold my own in town and out on the highway up to seventy plus. Love the torque of the electric motor and hope for it ups it's horsepower in 2011. The secret to quick starts with the hybrid is not to floor the go pedal...start out with about half pedal for a few yards and then get on it. Thanks for your input.

I think the Hybrid is a geat smooth riding car. But I'm 63 not 83 and have driven/owned a number of sports cars performance cars and like that type of ride. Before losing a lot of money getting rid of it why not talk to some aftermarket auto places and have them put softer shocks/struts on it. Would be a lot cheaper in the long run.

A lot of it is you were brought up in the time when everyone thought a car should ride like a boat and float down the road. Now people realize this can be dangerous and you just don't have the control over a big old boat floating down the road.

I decided to change the factory shocks to softer riding aftermarkets and the best mechanics in Wenathcee, WA stated they had never done it on a late model fusion, particularly a 2010 Hybrid and didn't know how. One seasoned mechanic put my car up on his lift and attempted to remove a rear shock and claimed that he could not get the top shock nut without removing other vehicle parts in the way and that would be most expensive. Les Schwab claims they can replace the rear shocks and coils if needed, but will not install any competitor equipment. I can't ask the Ford dealer to do it as it would probably kill my warrantee, which is worth quite a bit to me. I can sell the 17" wheels and tires and go to 16" for a softer ride. I ran an add locally to sell the wheels and tires or swap with a Fusion with 16" wheels, but not a single reply. I am running a 38 mpg average and in the winter yet, and I like to get on it once in awhile. My dealer tells me he might have a hybrid coming in next week and that he will compare to mine to decide if I have a suspension problem or just an old geezer with a soft bottom.

I have driven my Ford Fusion Hybrid for six months and 3,400 miles and although the local service department assured me that the riding qualities would increase and the stiff suspension would loosen up a bit, the ride has actually stiffened up noticeably, especially since the weather has dropped into the low thirties. I would like as much imput from other Fusion Hybrid owners as possible so that I can determine if it is just my Hybrid or if all share the same harsh ride. My local dealer hasn't had another hybrid in since I bought mine, six months ago. According to FOMOCO, there are only two new Ford Fusion Hybrids in the state of Washington, both across the mountains on the coast. In all other respects, my Hybrid is the greatest Ford I've driven in my 83 years, but the rough ride is causing me to consider going to a Toyota Avalon which is noted for being smooth. There is no doubt in my mind that in all other respects other than the cushy ride, the Avalon can't come close to the Ford Fusion Hybrid. I would like to hear from other Fusion Hybrid owners as to their expericiences. I started up a dirt road with a strip of "washboard" road and my card bounced and shuddered so bad, I had to stop and return to the highway. On smooth highway and crooked roads, it is the greatest. On tar strips, manhole coveres and other surface irregularities it is real unpleasant, one whack after another. The service department won't do anything until they get another like mine in for comparison, as they have only had four in all last year and not too familiar with them. HELP! My tires are all at 33 lbs per square inch!

One more thing that will effect the price of a used FFH is the tax credit that could be I think $3400 at one time, I got the $1700 on mine and has now dropped to $850 I think. Just because you paid way to much doesn't mean it is really worth this much. Just think of the guy who paid $29.5 - 3400 tax credit. He only has about 26 into it and dealers know all this. Thats why rebates on cars can be a huge deal for some but a bitch for those who brought when the car first came out and paid sticker or more like you did. Sorry to sound so negitive but just stating the facts for you.

I'm confused.....do you mean that a car dealer bases his trade in allowance on the amount of Federal Tax Credit the owner received. I always understood that trade in allowances were based on the condition of the trade in and what it is being traded on. I don't believe I paid way too much.....I paid the going price in my locality!

If you're trading yearly then you must not be too concerned with resale value. Seriously - you should be leasing. Or just roll down the window and throw your money out as you drive.

Have the funds to purchase a new car each year out of interest income. I'd rather spend it than let it push me into an increasingly higher tax bracket for Obama to wallow in. I haven't made car payments for years. When I purchased my FFH, I was informed that the interest would be well over three thousand dollars and that is what I call throwing my money out the window as I drive.

But the trade off is they will handle "less" then the other tires would have. The higher profile will generally equate to a slight reduction in how well the tires handle. You may not appreciate that if say you are in those potholes only 5% of your time and on the highway 70% of your time and on good streets 25% of your time.

Would swapping my FFH 17" aluminum wheels and tires for 16" have an adverse effect on the used value of my car. It would be quite obvious to most buyers and perhaps have a negative impact at selling time. I will be trading yearly and a small improvement in riding quality isn't worth a serious loss in resale value.

You shouldn't expect to get anything over 29k. I have the black with 502a + powercode and paid 29.5. The dealer actually threw in a 500.00 for credit for college graduates which made it just shy of 29k (somehow I qualified even though it was just over 2 years ago when I graduated)

 

p.s. just for fun I checked on KBB and Nada... still no option for 2010 so no luck getting a used estimate

Would you supply me with the name and location of the dealer that dropped his "local area adjustment" and gave you a $500.00 school discount on the purchase of an extremely had to get FFH. I mentioned this to my local Ford Dealer, Town Ford, and he started laughing. This amounts to a total discount of $1500.00 on a car that he will only get four or five all year long, if he's lucky.

I too paid invoice on order of Aug. 27th. Didn't get any credits as I didn't fit any of them. Basically you got a used car, and all you can hope would be gas goes up a dollar very soon which isn't going to happen.

Would you supply me with the name and location of the dealer that gave you the equivalent of $1500.00 off on an extremely hard to get FFH? It would appear that the dealer not only gave you $500.00 off for school but also did not add on the universal "local area price adjustment" of around $1000.00 which is really unusual.

The $32000.00 I paid for my FFH the 29th of June was the same price as every test and review article posted on the internet.

I have read a number of comments in this forum and others of the long wait, usually several months, to get a new FFH and then often not in your color or equipment choice. Another comment on this page mentioned that you got the $3400.00 Federal Tax credit, but it is my understanding that credit expired long before the first FFH hit the dealers lot. Was he wrong? I purchased my FFH in June just before the $1700.00 Federal Tax Credit expired.

One more thing that will effect the price of a used FFH is the tax credit that could be I think $3400 at one time, I got the $1700 on mine and has now dropped to $850 I think. Just because you paid way to much doesn't mean it is really worth this much. Just think of the guy who paid $29.5 - 3400 tax credit. He only has about 26 into it and dealers know all this. Thats why rebates on cars can be a huge deal for some but a bitch for those who brought when the car first came out and paid sticker or more like you did. Sorry to sound so negitive but just stating the facts for you.

Not to disagree, but I purchased my FFH the 29th of June, no state sales tax and a Federal Tax Credit of $1700.00. My dealer told me that no one, nowhere, took delivery of a FFH early enough to get the $3400.00 tax credit. Town Ford didn't get their first FFH until well into the month of June, long after the $3400.00 tax credit and just prior to the end of the $1700.00 tax credit.

My local dealer laughed at me when I asked that he drop the Local Area Adjustment of $936.00. Since he had only received three (3) FFH's all year long and with the fourth two months in the future, there was absolutely no hope of talking down the price. FOMOCO offered free financing and rebates on every product except hybrids. As the old saying goes, supply and demand determines the price.

The person that got a reduced price on his FFH (the dealer obviously knocked of the local area adjustment) and $500.00 school discount must have found a really hungry dealer.

My FFH became used the minute I gave the dealer a check for $32,200.00, but theoretically should be worth more than usual used due to the lack of availability. If I wanted a FFH and learned that I would have to wait a matter of months for a new one, I would probably consider purchasing an almost new one for thousands of dollars less.

I have read literally hundreds of complaints of dealers adding on local area adustment prices, some most unreasonable.

thanks for this but it makes me wonder why the car isn't even quicker off the line, don't electric motors have all their torque at 0 RPM ?

I've found that my FFH accellerates more quickly from a dead start by not flooring the pedal, which causes a momenetary bog. I start out in electric mode and then after ten or so miles per hour, I then put the pedal to the metal for really great accelleration.

Have never checked the 0-60 times, but as my FFH will pull away from most gas rigs in town!

I learned this with my '71 high perf T-Bird. While others sit still smoking tires, I was fifty or sixty yards down the road and when I floored the pedal and 452 lbs. of pure torque kicked in, it would take nitrous to pass me.

Have a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid with 2,500 miles, ice blue, fully equiped except GPS with grey leather, Sony 6 disc, moon roof and clear title. I paid $32,200.00 before taxes, which included the unavoidable dealer markup of almost $1,000.00. Ford gave nothing off because they are real slow in coming. My dealer has only received three this year!

Ford offers no rebates or free interest...the only Ford product without them!

Have no idea of what to ask for this car but have been told that I should get a fairly good price due to a very short supply. Have no idea of how to sell this car. Would welcome any helpful comments.

This car has exceptional torque and accelleration up to and above legal speeds, especially in town and on crooked roads, up or down hill. Other than a stiff ride, it is a really exceptional vehicle. My average mileage so far is 41.2 mpg, combined city and highway miles, mostly highway with a rather heavy foot on the pedal.

I have had cataracts removed from both eyes with resulting 20/20 vision, but my near vision is terrible without lenses and the instrument panel and console drive me nuts with all the lights, little pictures and stuff. Am too old for all the above.

But the trade off is they will handle "less" then the other tires would have. The higher profile will generally equate to a slight reduction in how well the tires handle. You may not appreciate that if say you are in those potholes only 5% of your time and on the highway 70% of your time and on good streets 25% of your time.

About 50% of my driving is city driving and our streets are littered with manhole covers and other imperfections that cause two or three jolts a block which get to me after a few miles. On the highway, the ride is really great including going around corners and I can live with a few stiff jolts. I had hopes that fatter tires would absorb some of the smaller bumps in town.

If I traded for smaller rims, are all late model Focus and Fusion rims interchangeable?

Am considering swapping my 2010 Fusion 17" wheels and tires for the standard 16." Has anyone done this either way, from 16" to 17" or visa versa. Have seen adds for new foreign cars that offer the standard 16" for the "comfort minded." Want to know how the change in size affects softness of the ride. Should be able to get an even trade as I understand the aluminum 17" wheels are more desireable. I live in a town with the worst streets ever and little hope for improvement.