Spiffster

I see what you are saying and I agree mostly but there should have been a cap on the Colorado tax credit for EVs. 40k is insane... 850 that is correct, not sure where I got 750 from, the information is not very fresh in my mind. Thanks for the responses guys.

Thanks for the quick reply. In my case things are really simple, the order date was the delivery date. Just walked into the dealership, laughed when the sales person told me it would get the full credit, and purchased the car anyway knowing that I should get the 750 credit. Took delivery that same day. From my research in this forum, it looks like many used turbo tax. I cant believe that I made a typo, I attempted to fill out the credit at least 5 times to my disbelief that I was not eligible. Also, what's this I read about deducting the sales tax? I saw no such form in turbo tax... Im going to see an actual professional to do my taxes this year... Already got screwed out of the 8k new home buyer credit, I am not losing this one!

I was doing my taxes LAST YEAR using Turbo Tax Online and could not get the system to accept my 750 dollar tax credit for the FFH that I took delivery of on the 9th of December 2009. Wasnt sure why it kept giving me an error on that portion of the program. Kept saying that I was not eligible for that particular tax credit. At the time I assumed that I had missed the cutoff so I just went about my business and completed filing. After further research I am positive that I was indeed supposed to get this credit. I understand that I can apply to receive this credit for this tax season, is that correct? Also, I am finding a lot of conflicting information for tax credits on Hybrids in Colorado. Some sites say Colorado has a tax credit for "HEVs, PHEVs and EVs" while others say "PHEVs and EVs". Why the hell would they give a 40k tax credit to a Tesla owner and 0 to a middle class (more like lower middle class) Fusion Hybrid owner... wtf? Anyone have any more information on this? Thanks!

I have a question about the re-gen breaks. I have read elsewhere that the regenerative brake system is engaged when the brake pedal is less than half depressed. About 95% of the time that is all that is really needed to come to a complete stop when driving conservatively. As I understand that in a typical car it is best not to ride brakes to a stop because it tends to cause conventional brakes to wear faster, right? So in the case of the Fusion Hybrid's regenerative brakes, is it ok to ride the brakes to a stop? I have put 6k on this fine machine and have noticed nearly no brake dust on the wheels, where as in my last car (Bimmer 325i) I was cleaning brake dust off the damn wheels every week. Its almost like the conventional brakes are hardly ever being used. Is that a valid assumption?

Dang! I didnt notice that they had Motorcraft there or I would have bought that. I just have always used Mobil 1 in both our cars an my Duc. I am only changing the oil at 5k because of break-in. I know that's probably no longer necessary but I'm not going to take any chances on a $33,000 car. That's just me...

Thanks for the quick response! It looks like I will be fine using Mobil 1 5w-20: http://www.fordfusionforum.com/index.php?/topic/1503-conventional-vs-synthetic/ I get this stuff at Walmart for just over 22$ a gallon...

Just about to hit 5k on this fine machine and I just have a few questions about oil changes. First, what do you folks recommend as far as getting the car off the ground? Ramps or a floor jack and some jack stands? If you have used either, please recommend a model. I know this car is a bit of a porker on the scales, so I really should steer clear of anything with less the 2 ton capacity, correct? I would also like to use this equipment to change the oil on my wife's Kia Sorento and i know that thing is no feather-weight. And one last question, and im sure this is in the manual somewhere but I have misplaced it... how much oil does the 2.5 i4 hold? Im going to be using mobil 1 full synth 5w-20. Responses are much appreciated, thanks! -Jeremy

Good to know. Thanks for the quick response!

When heading back down to Denver from Keystone the trip is just almost completely downhill. In my last car I would use a lot of engine breaking on the way back to the city to avoid excessive break heat and wear. I read elsewhere on this forum that the car uses regen breaks when the brake pedal is depressed less than half distance. My question is this: When the battery is fully charged and the brake pedal is less than half depressed does the car then utilize the hydraulic breaks instead?

The manual states that the car will run in EV mode, as long as the battery supplies power, if you run out of fuel. This feature is most likely meant for emergencies only and I would question the intelligence of those who would put it to the test.

Hmmm, I was hoping I would see something here about ICE modifications like cold air intakes or modified headers. These could potentially increase gas mileage and performance to some degree.

I agree 100%, but to clarify, I was referring to its supposed shortcoming as a plug-in hybrid as stated in the quote. I am not an engineer by any means and Im sure the conversion would be easier said than done. A bigger battery would have to be charged from the grid. This is how how the Prius plug-in conversion works right? So why did ford decide to use such a powerful traction motor at 106hp (im talking potential output here)? I would not be surprised if this is the motor to be used in the all electric Focus due out in 2011.

The electric, im sorry, traction motor in the FFH is capable of producing 106HP and therefore has potentially enough power to accelerate the car at reasonable speed. The traction motor's output is limited to 35hp by the battery. A battery upgrade could, in theory, allow greater acceleration and top speed in ev mode. That is not to say that the software (and possibly hardware) would need to be altered to handle the larger battery. Source: http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/alternative/112_0901_2010_ford_fusion_hybrid_2009_toyota_camry_hybrid/powertrain_differences.html