deo1929

JJay, I don't know if you're still looking at another set of tires, but check this out ..... http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Fusion-Tpms-Tire-Air-Pressure-Sensors-2010-Valve-Stems-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem2eac4ab853QQitemZ200459073619QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

My 2010 Fusion must have missed that change.

Worthless things..... - The center dash storage bin. Never use it. And the one time I put mints in it, I could hear them moving around inside on turns. - Trunk hooks. Not enough of them to make it useful for grocery bags. - No Outside Temp gauge on SE (included with SEL) It's not officially a worthless thing, but it's worthless not to have, especially when driving in cold weather to detect freezing conditions. - Compass--I never use it, but my wife likes it. - The goofy "void" to the right of the glove box opening. Even the salesperson and service adviser have no idea what it's there for. - Beverage holder in the doors--clumsy to get to while driving and then you can't use it for maps cuz the maps get wet from bottle condensation. - TWO SET BUTTONS for the cruise control. A toggle for +/- is more intuitive. Then there would be room to have a "menu" button for the dash display (i.e. MPG, Trip odo., etc....) instead of reaching down by the headlight switch and accidentally hitting the "reset" button.

I am making slow progress on the Milan wheels I bought from "DJE" (AKA "Desert Fusion") a couple of months ago. I have FINALLY stripped all 4 wheels of clear coat. There are a couple of spots on one wheel I have to go back and clean up. They look really good in a "raw" state. I then took one wheel and polished the flat surface. It has taken about 3 hours using 4 different cutting and buffing compounds to finish it up. I posted a picture of the one completed wheel. I hope to spend some time polishing the others this weekend...maybe Sunday while listening to the Indy 500 (it's blacked out on TV in our area.) Now I'm wondering if I want to take a chance on the clear coat. It will be difficult to spray in between the spokes of the wheels and I'm afraid that the coverage will not be uniform. I could do the one wheel and see what happens. I guess the worst that could happen is I'd have to strip it again :finger: Eastwood sells a coating designed to protect aluminum from corrosion. It's expensive, but may be a better alternative than the clear coat. Another advantage is that if my wife (bless her heart) happens to scuff a wheel on a curb, I can buff it out and reapply the Eastwood coating. Otherwise, I'd have to strip the wheel again to buff out the marks. Decisions...decisions....

One thing to remember is that the 17"s on the Fusion are a 50 series tire. The sidewall is relatively narrow compared to, say, a 60 or 65 series tire. That means you will sacrifice some ride quality with a narrower and stiffer sidewall than with a tire that has a "taller" sidewall which will have more flex. The upside is handling is improved. FWIW....

I took it to the dealer this morning. They had to do a software update. It took about 40 minutes from start to finish. Everything is back as it was except I had to pair my phone again and Sync had to re-index the iPod. Other than that, it's back to normal. Next time, I'll try the fuse pull and see if it works. I guess I need to keep up with the software updates on syncmyride.com. :finger:

We have the Sun n Sync package on our 2010 SE. Yesterday, everything worked fine on a day trip to Cincinnati. This morning, my wife couldn't get the "media" button on the steering wheel to do anything. Also when she pushed the "menu" button on the radio, which usually brings up "media menu" in the radio window, it goes to some sort of system check. She also can't get Sync to recognize her phone. I haven't been able to see or try it myself since my wife drives the car to work. She turned everything off, unplugged the ipod, opened the car door to be sure everything with the radio was shut off. She tried using Sync on restart with the same results. The AM, FM, and Sirius all work. I can't find anything on the Syncmyride website. Anyone have any ideas??? Thanks.

Toyota was the same way with my daughter and son-in-law. They wanted a new Camry when the '07 model was released. They couldn't find one in Lexington, KY. But Andy Mohr Toyota opened a new dealership here in Indy and got a huge shipment of new Camry's. The sales manager treated them like crap and threatened to sell the car if they didn't send the money, etc. I went the the dealer to pick up the car. I decided it was time to play the "preacher" card and wore my clerical collar when I went to get it. I asked to see the manager who came to the showroom floor. I then began to tell him how dissatisfied I was with the way he treated my family. I was QUICKLY ushered off the showroom into his office where his demeaner with me was much different than with my son-in-law. When I went looking for a mid-sized sedan, I had Camry and Fusion on my list. (We've owned Honda's and Toyotas for 20 years). I went to Andy Mohr and asked about getting a 6 speed manual Camry LE. The sales associate didn't know. So we go to the manager's desk and the same guy is there. (I'm in "street" clothes" this time). He wasn't interested in ordering the car, said I'd have to put a deposit on the car, and then I had to commit to buy it or forfeit my deposit! That was the last time I've been to the dealership....and I now drive a Fusion SE with 6 speed manual....for about $1600 less than a comparably equipped Camry. Sorry for the long story, but Ford dealers don't have a market on having dealers that are "jerks". My best luck was buying from a smaller family owned dealer where they live and die by their customer service. Maybe you can find another dealer that cares about your business. If you get treated like this during the purchase process, what is service going to be like if you encounter a problem after the sale? It's worth a thought.

You can get an idea by checking out the various wheels at tirerack.com. They list the bolt pattern and offset for each wheel they sell. Just shop for wheels for the 2010 Fusion SE and it will bring up what will fit the car. Hope this helps.

Hi JJay, Unfortunately, when it comes to the TPMS sensors, you will have to install a set in your winter wheels, unless you want to see that idiot light on your dash all winter. Check out some of the other threads in this section. Some people have purchased a package through Tirerack.com with the sensors and have had no problems and saved some money. The advantage to the 2010 Fusion is that the TPMS sensors are valve stem mounted vs band type mounted. That is a big difference in cost. Hope this helps.

I'll tell you Dave, I'd rather shovel a foot of snow than put up with 110 degrees. You made a wise move! Plus, I'd miss the 4 seasons...and green grass too.

I have a set of used TPMS sensors I removed from a set of Milan wheels. I have not tested them yet. There are no attachment bands, but I understand people have used a couple of long stainless steel hose clamps to attach them to the rims. A set of bands is on eBay at the following link.... http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Ford-Lincoln-Mecury-TPMS-Tire-Sensor-Band-Strap-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem3cac432cabQQitemZ260588121259QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories If anyone is interested in them, I'll sell the set of 4 for $25 plus $8 USPS priority shipping to anywhere in the continental US. Paypal works for me. I have a 100% eBay seller/buyer feedback. Contact me through the message system if you're interested.

I'm back in town. If you're interested in the caps, send a message to me through the forum. I'll probably put them on eBay the first week of May along with the Milan wheel center caps. So there's still time.

Here are some pix of the Milan wheel clear coat stripping in progress. I would say the luster is pretty stunning...and I haven't done the polish and buff yet before the clear coat reapplication. Note the reflection difference with the stereo plug sitting on the spoke. I'm pleased so far with the progress. I have about 3 hours so far in them. I suspect the polish and buff will take at least 2 hours per wheel. But where could you buy a set of wheels like this with near chrome spoke finish. I've even thought about spraying the matte surface between the spokes black ala a Magnum 500. So Dave....whatcha think??? And NO...you can't have them back :hysterical: I'm leaving to go on vacation for several days. I'll start tackling the other 2 wheels when I get back.

Do you know the diameter of the caps? I have 4 I bought for Milan wheels but can't use them. I'd sell all 4 for $10 plus shipping. I paid $5 each on eBay. The listing is as follows. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200373374545&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT I'll check my email tomorrow am around 8 am if you're interested. I'm going on vacation through Monday and could send them out by Wed. $8 flat rate USPS priority mail. Let me know by tomorrow at 8 AM If you want them fine. If not, that's ok too.

I don't know Dave. You may end up kicking yourself in the buns by the time I get done. I have 1 wheel completely stripped and a 2nd one about 90 % there. You would not believe the sheen on the spokes! It's about 1.5 hours per wheel and a can of stripper so far. I picked up the buffing stick and will play around with the buffing. My hope is that the spokes and rim will look chrome on the face and will contrast with the rough casting between the spokes. I'll try and get some pictures up tomorrow as a before/after.

Hey all, I bought the set of Milan wheels from DJE (previously known as "Desert Fusion") and wondered if the clear on the wheels was a clear coat or powder coat. The stripper seems to take quite a while to penetrate the clear, but it does eventually all come off. it's taking 2 coats of aircraft foaming stripper sitting for 20-30 minutes before it starts to lift. I'm just curious. A local media stripping company said it would be $25 a wheel if clear and $75 a wheel if it was powder coat!!!! I think I'll probably make another trip to O'Reilley's and get some more cans of the aircraft stripper. It may take a longer time to strip the clear, but for even $25 a wheel, I can buy a lot of stripper. When I get the clear removed, I'm going to polish and buff the machined surface of the spokes and outside rim. That should really make them pop. Plus I found a set of Ford Five Hundred center caps on eBay and got them for under $20 with shipping. It will look great when I get them done BTW... anyone interested in my old SE steel wheels and wheel covers, let me know. We can work something out. it will probably be another couple of weeks before I can get them on the car, barring any unforeseen circumstances

Check this link out for Mother's all wheel and tire cleaner. http://www.mothers.com/02_products/05924.html

An easy way to deal with the wheels is go to a good car wash every week and pay for the extra wheel cleaning service. It doesn't get any simpler than that. FYI....The alloys and tires on the S were designed to get that extra 3 MPG EPA rating over the SE/SEL 4 cylinders. I wouldn't change them. I actually thought of getting a set of S wheels and tires for my SE. Wait a minute. Hey oldfolks, lets to a swap. I'll send you my SE wheels/tires/wheel covers and you send me yours. We can put our cars up on blocks for a week while we wait for them to ship....or maybe 3 weeks if we use the USPS! LOL :hysterical2:

You can strip the wheel of the clear with a clearcoat stripper available at Autozone and O'Reilley auto parts so you could repaint the wheel. Then you can purchase a clear coat designed for wheels to reclear the wheels when you're done with the paint. I personally would not use any filler of any type on the wheel as the bond could break from the centrifugal force of the wheel spinning, sending fragments of filler everywhere possibly damaging the car and anyone and anything around it when it breaks loose. Plus, the wheel would be out of balance after the filler broke loose. The best way to fix the chips in the spokes is to have the chips filled up with TIG welding and then grind and file the surface smooth. If you don't want to go that route, using files to smooth the edge of the chips out would be an option, depending upon how deep the chips were. Hope this helps.

I just purchased a set of 4 Milan wheels for my '10 Fusion (thanks to Desert Fusion). They have the band mount TPMS sensors. Does anyone know if these can be programmed for use in the 2010 Fusion? If not, I hope my Fusion stem mounted sensors will work on the Milan wheels. One would think the sensors would be compatible, but that's not necessarily the case. Your comments are welcome.

That's what makes this forum so great. Many good ideas from which to choose. When you decide how to go about it, post some before and after pictures and the process or kit you used. :shift:

That is ridiculous!!! I'm still waiting for the Milan wheels to arrive. I guess they went pony express from Dallas to Indy. :hysterical2: BTW...is your Fuse lowered or did the wheels give that impression? It's a killer stance!

What Noreast and Desert Fusion suggest is a good DIY way to fix the chip. Definitely use a toothpick to control the buildup. To elaborate on the sanding... If you're going to sand the "bump" down to the rest of the paint, start with a 600 grit paper with a block behind it and use water. A bucket with a cloth to wring the water above the surface you're sanding will keep the area nice and wet. DO NOT USE TOO MUCH PRESSURE as you can cut right through the paint. Use a "cross-hatch" pattern--for example lower left to upper right for a dozen strokes and then upper left to lower right. When the "bump" is almost level, switch to 1000 or even 1500 grit paper and repeat the process. For the final leveling you may need to remove the masking tape to make the bump level with the rest of the surrounding surface. A word of caution. You can sand the clearcoat of the factory finish, but GENTLY. It's very thin and you can go through it quickly. Also, keep the area you're sanding around the bump to the size of a nickel. When it's level, switch to the buffing compound--a 1500 and then 3000 grit. Again, use caution on the clear coat. The whole process is labor intensive, but the results can be very good. Color wet sanding can bring nice results. Just go slow...use light pressure...check your progress often...and keep it wet. If you are successful, the average person will not see the repair, even though you know where it is. I've painted my own cars including hot rods and daily drivers and have had great success with the process above. I hope it works well for you.

Ridiculous is GOOD! That's what I've learned from having a bunch of teen motorhead wannabe's in my garage when I work on my 68 fastback. :party2: