2013 Fusion

[CometFlash]

All good advice.

 

My 2009 F-150 is completely paid off, and not quite 2 years old yet. Trade value of 31k.

 

If I traded for a loaded FFH, it would cost me 2-3k out-of-pocket.

If I traded for a loaded MKZH, it would cost me prob 9-10k out-of-pocket.

 

In 1 year I would save 2k or more in fuel driving either vehicle compared to my truck.

 

That would make the FFH start paying for itself after 1 year of ownership.

Obviously it would take 5 years for the MKZH to start paying for itself.

 

Of course, this is all assuming gas prices stay where they are, which looks doubtful.

The higher fuel goes, the more expensive it is to operate the truck compared to the hybrids. I use half a tank of fuel every week with my truck, with a 36 gallon tank. That's over $200+ a month on fuel.

 

Even though the FFH makes a lot more sense financially right away, I'm worried I might regret not buying the MKZH since I'm used to always having the top-of-line fully loaded version of whatever I buy. I learned back in 1996 not to save a few bucks and then always regret not getting everything you wanted for just a few bucks more a month. Don't want to go years on end with those thoughts again like I did back then, making payments for 5 years wondering why I didn't just pony up the few extra bucks and get everything so there were no regrets for all those years.

 

Then again, perhaps I'll hang onto the truck another year and see what's in store for the next all-new Fusion/MKZH. I have a strong suspicion the exterior will have more sculpting/character to it than the current models do now, as they are rather bland from the sides. Plus they'll use the new batteries for longer life/better MPG. Of course, waiting for the newest thing means always waiting forever and not saving on fuel costs right now, so there's that.

 

It sucks that chevy has a nice-looking(exterior) car for their volt plug-in hybrid or however they are happy classifying it; while Ford's first plug-in hybrid is the boring-@$$ c-max mini-minivan thing. The volt could drive me to and from work each day and never use any gas at all. Now that's a sweet deal. But... it's chevy. No Sync. No other Ford tech. Dunno if I could do that or not. Plus it uses premium fuel when you do use gas (which isn't a big deal since I'd hardly ever use fuel driving a volt). Hmmm.

Edited January 18, 2011 by CometFlash

[AptosDriver]

All good advice.

 

My 2009 F-150 is completely paid off, and not quite 2 years old yet. Trade value of 31k.

 

 

You're assuming you can actually get $31K in trade for your truck. Dealers will always try to low-ball you on a trade-in, so watch out! One word of advice: Consumer Reports and any other car-buying-advice site I've ever visited all say to negotiate the price for your new car before you ever start to talk about a trade. But you probably know this already. :camera:

Edited January 18, 2011 by AptosDriver

[DaveBerry13]

If you really want to look at cost, forget monthly payments.

 

Take your current vehicle and figure out what it will cost over the next 5 years including any remaining payments and maintenance items like tires and brakes. You can even put in estimated repair costs but don't overestimate. Add it up and take the total.

 

Now take the cost of the new car plus interest (if applicable). Compare the totals. Let's say the difference is $20K.

 

The other way I like to think about it is would you rather have your current vehicle with $20K sitting in the front seat or the new vehicle? When you think about it in those terms (and when you think about all the things you can do with the extra $20K) then you won't be so quick to jump on that new vehicle.

 

You can do the same thing with a new vehicle and 2-3 yr old vehicle.

 

That doesn't mean you shouldn't buy the new one - just understand the true cost.

 

I'll take this one step further. When the initial excitement wears off and he is sitting in the MKZ, and sees the new models debuting months later he is going to say why did I buy this thing? He is going to wish he still had his $31k F150 and $20k sitting in the front seat. There will be big time buyer's remorse. Even more so because Ford is dropping the MK-whatever names....

 

Right now, Lincoln is stacked with too many lightly disguised corporate clones. Mulally says the brand has some breathtaking designs in the works that will raise the level of the brand. And names like MKX, MKS and MKZ that confuse buyers and dealers alike may be on the way out. That's the MKZ hybrid pictured above, a virtual corporate clone of the Ford Fusion hybrid.

 

He said he was told that the confusing names made sense because it forced everyone to say "Lincoln" before they said the letters. But now he sounds unconvinced and making name changes is "one thing we're thinking about going forward."

Jan 11, 2011

Ford's Alan Mulally wants Lincoln on par with BMW, Lexus

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2011/01/fords-alan-mullaly-wants-lincoln-on-par-with-bmw-lexus-/1

 

You see a lot of guys on the F150 forums say they bought a 2010 but wish they had waited for a 2011. Don't be one of those guys.

 

If you are buying new and keeping it for 10 years, like Orman says, it makes more sense to wait just a little bit more for the vastly improved models.

Edited January 18, 2011 by DaveBerry13

[akirby]

It sucks that chevy has a nice-looking(exterior) car for their volt plug-in hybrid or however they are happy classifying it; while Ford's first plug-in hybrid is the boring-@$$ c-max mini-minivan thing. The volt could drive me to and from work each day and never use any gas at all. Now that's a sweet deal. But... it's chevy. No Sync. No other Ford tech. Dunno if I could do that or not. Plus it uses premium fuel when you do use gas (which isn't a big deal since I'd hardly ever use fuel driving a volt). Hmmm.

 

What's wrong with a Focus plug-in hybrid?

[Waldo]

What's wrong with a Focus plug-in hybrid?

 

IWell the fact that it will have to be home-made, since Ford isn't planning on making one.

[rfruth]

The Focus EV looks good to me, its no GT500 thats for sure

[akirby]

IWell the fact that it will have to be home-made, since Ford isn't planning on making one.

 

Right - I guess the hybrid and plug-in hybrid C-class vehicle is the C-max now rather than the Focus as we originally thought. Seems strange not to offer a Focus hybrid and PHEV to go along with the battery electric version especially with the C-max styling. Although I guess the Prius proves that when it comes to green cars uniqueness is more important than beauty.

[CometFlash]

Yeah, I was dissapointed with that too. The Focus is a decent looking car, but the c-max ( :barf: ) does nothing for me. Why they chose it to get the PHEV rather than the Focus is beyond me.

[akirby]

Yeah, I was dissapointed with that too. The Focus is a decent looking car, but the c-max ( :barf: ) does nothing for me. Why they chose it to get the PHEV rather than the Focus is beyond me.

 

What sells better - the Prius or the Fusion/Camry hybrid?

[CometFlash]

What sells better - the Prius or the Fusion/Camry hybrid?

 

No idea, never looked at those stats. I'd assume the prius sells way better, but I have absolute zero interest in it, or the camry. I heard nothing but great things about the Fusion, and nothing good about the prius except its fantastic MPG (everything else I've read baout it is very econo, boring and uncomfortable). The camry holds below zero interest for me, so I haven't even looked at any info about it at all. In terms of hybrids, it seems almost a forgotten one in any articles or discussions on the subject. I'd take a volt over the camry or prius for sure.

 

My guess is your point being the weird looking prius sells great, so why not the c-max? Eh, perhaps so, guess we'll see as they roll out of the factories. Only thing is, the prius is more of a weird-looking car, where the c-max is a weird-looking minivan thing. Far as I can remember my life, minivan's have had a horrid stigma attached to them. Perhaps that time has passed and they are socially acceptable now? Wait & see is all we can do at this point. :waiting:

[dogo88]

No idea, never looked at those stats. I'd assume the prius sells way better, but I have absolute zero interest in it, or the camry. I heard nothing but great things about the Fusion, and nothing good about the prius except its fantastic MPG (everything else I've read baout it is very econo, boring and uncomfortable). The camry holds below zero interest for me, so I haven't even looked at any info about it at all. In terms of hybrids, it seems almost a forgotten one in any articles or discussions on the subject. I'd take a volt over the camry or prius for sure.

 

My guess is your point being the weird looking prius sells great, so why not the c-max? Eh, perhaps so, guess we'll see as they roll out of the factories. Only thing is, the prius is more of a weird-looking car, where the c-max is a weird-looking minivan thing. Far as I can remember my life, minivan's have had a horrid stigma attached to them. Perhaps that time has passed and they are socially acceptable now? Wait & see is all we can do at this point. :waiting:

 

You're being very generous on the Prius' look. I found it almost amusing that when Pontiac came out with their Azetek the media all said it looked horrible. Yet the early editions of the Prius look similarly ugly. But it is a Toyota and they get a bye.

 

Dan

[akirby]

You're being very generous on the Prius' look. I found it almost amusing that when Pontiac came out with their Azetek the media all said it looked horrible. Yet the early editions of the Prius look similarly ugly. But it is a Toyota and they get a bye.

 

Dan

 

Yes, that was my point. The reason is simple - a lot of people who are looking to be "green" wanted a Prius because it was immediately recognizable as a hybrid vehicle so everybody knows you're driving a hybrid. With a Fusion or Camry it's almost a stealth thing. People who buy Fusion or Camry hybrids are buying the vehicle first, then getting the hybrid option as the most fuel efficient version. They just want a great car with great fuel economy.

 

But for the people out there who need to make a statement a vehicle that stands out and is different is better, even if it's homely. That's my theory anyway. It will be interesting to see how the Focus electric vehicle sells since it looks almost the same as the regular Focus.

[rfruth]

I guess it goes without saying but the Prius is shaped like a teardrop not to make a statement but because of aerodynamics, the C-Max is a multipurpose people mover not a minivan

[akirby]

I guess it goes without saying but the Prius is shaped like a teardrop not to make a statement but because of aerodynamics, the C-Max is a multipurpose people mover not a minivan

 

I didn't mean to imply that it was done on purpose - just that it helped with marketing.

[Waldo]

Yes, that was my point. The reason is simple - a lot of people who are looking to be "green" wanted a Prius because it was immediately recognizable as a hybrid vehicle so everybody knows you're driving a hybrid. With a Fusion or Camry it's almost a stealth thing. People who buy Fusion or Camry hybrids are buying the vehicle first, then getting the hybrid option as the most fuel efficient version. They just want a great car with great fuel economy.

 

But for the people out there who need to make a statement a vehicle that stands out and is different is better, even if it's homely. That's my theory anyway. It will be interesting to see how the Focus electric vehicle sells since it looks almost the same as the regular Focus.

 

Ford doesn't really care how many electric Focuses are sold, especially since they will all lose money. As long as 1 is sold, Ford gets to keep the DOE loan money for retooling the entire Focus plant.

[akirby]

Ford doesn't really care how many electric Focuses are sold, especially since they will all lose money. As long as 1 is sold, Ford gets to keep the DOE loan money for retooling the entire Focus plant.

 

Excellent point.

[CometFlash]

Peronally, my big issue with the EV Focus is that you're out of luck when your battery is dry. I like the safety of knowing I have a gas engine to kick in if I need to travel further (hence my interest in the volt, albeit a chevy). If I was retired, or rich, I wouldn't care. But I've got many many years ahead of me in the working life of the average joe, and I couldn't take that chance with random meetings in faraway places and such every year for my job.

 

(By the way, whoever runs this site, I have to say I LOVE all the smiley emoticons there are to choose from. I always want to use a different one if I can!)

 

For example, here's my job, aka The Man, pushing me off the cliff driving me insane with massive sales pressure tactics --> :devil2:

[Dclifford110910]

I'd get rid of the F150 what you'll save on gas will off set your payments towards your new fusion