lrymal Report post Posted August 19, 2009 The only contribution I have would be by comparisons of several vehicles I either have or can drive (neighbors).My FFH rides smoother than our 1/2 ton full-sized pickup which we traded. Now THAT is a harsh riding truck.My neighbor's 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix rides harsher and just isn't fun to ride in with expansion joint highways.My older 1999 Pontiac Grand Am with a V-6 rode about the same...And the older 1996 Pontiac Grand Am with an I-4 rode a lot rougher than all of these but cornered like it was on rails. I have a 2008 Chevy Colorado pickup which honestly rides good, but would only be able to ride smoother than my FFH if I had a load in the back. Other than that, it isn't too bad. I don't have any huge cars to compare with. Personally, I look at the FFH as driving closer to that of a sports sedan than that of a standard sedan. Purchased a FFH the end of June this year and love the car with the exception of the harsh, jolting ride over any but the smoothest road surface! This feature has ruined the car for me as I have been driving a 1971 T-Bird that was purchased new by my late father in late 1970, that is a super riding car. The harsh jolts over tar strips and man hole covers are severe enough to cause whiplash! My dealer has no new Fusions in stock that I can compare my car to and won't have for another month. Either I am an old geezer completly out of sync with today's automotive world, used to the great ride of the old Chrome barges of the sixties and seventies, or else my FFH has a problem with ride control. Could it be that the consumer of today accepts such harsh, jolting ride as the norm? This doesn't have to be.....my '65 mustang was lighter and smaller, but a much smoother riding car! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CmelChappy Report post Posted August 19, 2009 Hi CmelChappy. I am simply trying to help you address your problem. If you would like assistance, it would help to listen to the advice given and answer the relevant questions asked. My replies have made no value judgment concerning what you or anyone else likes or dislikes in the ride of a car. In fact, I made it clear how much my wife and I miss my Fathers Lincoln Town Car, which I am sure rode very similar to your T-Bird. So there is no need to get defensive about the T-Bird's ride. That being said, you have now been asked several times by several different people whether you have checked your tires for the proper PSI. And if you have checked the tires, what is the current PSI/pressure set at? You have still not answered those questions. And if the tires are inflated properly (checked with a proper and good quality tire pressure gauge), then bring your car in for service and express your concerns to the Service Department for diagnosis and repair (if necessary). If you want assistance, please address the tire pressure questions. Otherwise I and others will assume that you do not want help and that you just want to vent your complaints. You certainly have the right to vent, but if that is all you want to do, then those of us honestly trying to help can stop wasting our time giving advice that is being ignored. I hope you can find a satisfactory resolution to your concerns (either with or without our help). Good luck.This past Monday I took my FFH to the tire, lube and alignment shop of my local Town Ford dealership and received a free wash job, at which time the manager of the department informed me that he had checked all the tires and that they were set at the recommended thirty-three pounds per! I do not have a trustworthy tire gauge but am getting one, but my tires are set at what the Ford dealer considers the correct pressure. The weather here has been real hot, but last night things cooled quite a bit and I took my FFH out for a ride about midnight to avoid the usual daytime and evening congestion and immediately noticed that the cool weather appeared to soften the riding qualities considerably, to my surprise. The right or outside lane on our highways is required unless passing and is quite a bit rougher than the inner lane, probably due to heavy equipment using it exclusively. Most all of the newer cars drive the inner lane due to it's much better road surface, to the consternation of our state troopers. Last night I drove the rougher outer lane and found it a pleasant experience. When I got back to town, I drove the worst street in town and found that it didn't seem all that bad. My front suspension has loosened a bit and is softer hot or cold, but the rear is still pretty stiff, but hopefully, will loosen up a little as I put more miles on it. I have sixteen hundred miles on it so far.The shop manager ventured the opinion that due to the 250+ lb battery pack behind the rear seat, Ford may have purposely stiffened the suspension a bit. I admit that the hybrid corners like it is on rails and I have had problems because it is so responsive to steering wheel commands, not a bit like my floating T-Bird, that I have turned too quickly and scraped curbs. It is a fact that due to it's great electric motor's instant torque, I can pull away from most all gas rigs from a start. pedal response is awesome after driving gas only rigs. I have never floored the pedal and see no need to. At fifty and sixty miles per, about half a pedal gives great acceleration and for a guy that has owned a number of performance vehicles in the past, the acceleration of my hybrid is exhilarating!When the gas engine cuts in upon brisk accelation, the engine has the old ford "growl" that we used to so dearly love back when chevy's were all grease covered six cylinders. Have wondered about test articles that downplay the hybrids acceleration and gas mileage. One article advised Ford Hybrid owners not to be the first in line at stop lights so they wouldn't get run over on the green light. Another questioned the hybrid's ability to merge into traffic moving seventy miles per hour. My hybrid still has a lot of healthy acceleration at seventy per. I probably put too much faith in the test articles I read before purchasing my FFH. At least I'm honest. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites