Rok

MDB, I'm interested in where you eventually land with this tire replacement discussion. I've found some pretty respectable deals on General Tires, very similar or identical to the Altimax RTs that're on the car now. My major disadvantage is that I've only owned this car for 9 months and approx. 10k miles; thereby have no idea how long the tires have been on and how they've lasted for the time they've been on. I -do- know that wet and dry traction performance is everything I would expect from a semi-performance touring tire and that these tires are fairly quiet on the road. Snow performance, even w/AWD, was pretty disgraceful but I can excuse that simply because we don't have much snow here. On ice, nothing but studs will be worth much anyhow. Please let us know how you do, especially if you up-size to the 225/55R17s. Thanks! Rok

I have this same problem and it's making me crazy. I bought my 2012 used and it looks like the windshield may have been replaced before I bought it. I noticed the shaking right away and wedged a small piece of brass shim stock in it to minimize the problem. It worked ok but after recently cleaning the interior glass, the problem is back, bad as it ever was. 1. Does anyone know where to obtain the removal tool? 2. Anyone happen to know the part number for the spring steel clip which fits between the mount and the mirror base? Thanks.

Nice job, LFSoccer! IMO not every car looks good monochrome; black pulls the look off very nicely, every time. Somebody does nice work! My '12 is Sterling Gray. When I got it, it had a bunch of miles on it. The "chrome" grill was pitted badly from road debris. I want/like chrome on this car so I've ordered all the bars new to replace it with. Adding the LED halos (chrome face) will only add to the look. I already have those here. My real quandary now is the lower grillwork. I -really- like the look of the Sport grille. The "honeycomb" pattern matches the same pattern around the foglamps. Would you or anyone else happen to know if the standard SEL and Sport lower grills will interchange? The front fascia on my car has been replaced. Every gray Fusion I've seen with a replacement fascia has the same problem; the color doesn't quite match the rest of the car. I wouldn't mind having a re-paint done on the front end and am considering also having the foglamp pieces and the lower insert painted to match the rest of the car, keeping all the framework chrome. Opinions? TIA.

I can vouch for the painted ($104) to match window spoiler sold by ace.motor. It's the blue one pictured in the link above. The sterling gray paint matched my car perfectly and installation took about a half hour. Just a note on the installation: Measure and fit twice before removing the 3M tape cover. I had to stretch the spoiler a little to get uniform fitment across the window. Overall, VERY pleased with what it did for the look of my car! Recommended upgrade for sure. Rok

Thanks, indifferent. I tried the link but it applied to the 3.5L and up. This one should work for the 3.0, plus it's about $65 less coin:

I traded off a much loved and well-used '83 Bronco Custom w/300-6, 3-spd OD manual trans, 31" AT's and lock-rite rear end. New ride is a '12 SEL AWD. What I miss; Going on dirt roads and wheeling through almost anything. Not having car payments. Not worrying about getting my car dirty. Inexpensive car insurance :-( What I don't miss: road/mechanical noise, body rot repairs, freezing my butt off in the winter, oil leaks on my driveway, pondering the next major repair I needed to do. Unable to have a conversation while driving due to noise(s). What I can't live without now (that I'm spoilt): Sync, TUNES, comfort, economy, leather, traction control, ABS. Comparatively, these two vehicles are about as different as two vehicles can be. I'd forgotten what it was like to take a road trip and not be concerned about whether or not I might not make it there or back. I should've done this YEARS ago. Viva la Difference'! Rok

There is a HUGE difference in the power-to-weight ratio between the Corvette and the Fusion. It takes less power to propel the 'Vette than it does to move the approx. 1000 lb heavier car. My Dad commonly sees 29+ MPG in his Z06, driving it conservatively. Jekyll/Hyde personality when you hammer it :-)

M1 5W-20 also meets or exceeds FoMoCo's WSS-M2C945-A Spec, if anyone's interested. Rok

ZS, Thanks for the link above. Some good info on LED replacement TS bulbs that I'd been looking for. While I'm still shocked at some of the prices for aftermarket Fusion parts, there was some good info there. Not the least of which was a video of how to remove the entire front fascia on my 2012 to replace the headlamp housings. :-) Thanks.

Stellar mileage, PH! I expect I'll be seeing considerably less with my SEL AWD. In fact, last check of combination city and highway driving netted me about 8 MPG less than you've gotten. Some of the most excellent fuel mileage might be attributed to elevation, as the O2 sensor would tend to trim fuel as air density decreases. And yes, this would also tend to trim net HP. I've ridden motorcycles all over Colorado and the western states. While their EFI systems lack an 02 sensor they compensate or trim fuel at elevation via their MAP (Manifold Absolute Pressure) sensors, as well as intake air Temperature. Where I normally get close to 38 MPG on the bikes at or around Sea Level, it jumps to 42-3 MPG at elevations over 3500' as gauged with a GPS. Certainly not trying to rain on your parade here or minimize your excellent results, PH, simply throwing out my own personal experience, FWIW. I intend to drive to CO this year in the car. If anyone's interested (and even if you aren't-HA!) I'll post results once I get back. Drive safely, Randy

I agree with you. I'm currently using regular E90 87 Octane in my recently-purchased 2012 SEL. That said, I have access to ethanol-free 87 and 92 Octane fuels very close to my home. I'm considering driving the car there once the fuel is down and try a tank of the non-ethanol fuel, just to see if there's any change in mileage or performance. I can state emphatically that the ethanol-free midgrade causes my motorcycles to run a lot better/stronger and mileage per tank increases, plus I don't have to worry about the level of corrosion in my fuel system that ethanol fuels inspire in some vehicles. The good availability of non-ethanol fuels here has been primarily due to the outcry of people who frequently use chainsaws and boat engines, where using E90 created expensive problems with neoprene seals and gaskets, plus corrosion on metal parts due to moisture saturation of fuel. After experiencing some issues with my 2-stroke leaf blower (needing a new carb after 3 years-weekly usage) I went and filled a 2 gallon fuel container with 0% ethanol and added my oil to it, dedicating it to use only with saws and leaf blowers that require 50:1 mix ratio. Then I did the same thing for the 40:1 devices I have. Internal combustion engines designed for gasoline should use gasoline. There's simply more energy in a gallon of gasoline than there is in a gallon of corn alcohol. My humble opinion, also my own experience. YMMV. Randy

If it's going off on high head in the driveway, perhaps out on the road with air moving across the condenser, it'd correct some of the problem? I believe if my Fusion's A/C ever were to have a similar problem, I'd not hesitate to evac and re-charge using R-12, labeling it appropriately. Isn't the rule that you can re-charge using 134A once or twice on a system with known leakage but then have to completely evac and re-charge the full refrigerant charge of 134A beyond that? I've heard that the different compounds could leak at different rates and repeated "topping off" of the charge creates a less effective compound in the system. I already have the R-12 here. Like some of you, I did HVAC professionally for almost 30 years before retiring. Auto A/C is definitely a different animal. Rok

Hi All, Just about a week and a half ago I acquired a new-to-me Fusion SEL, Gray Sterling color. So far I love this car! It appears to be well-built has amenities every place you look and being a Ford, is quiet on the road beyond belief! I went to my Dealership in Vancouver, WA to test drive an '08 Chev Impala, which I did. The salesman said "you need to drive THAT one", pointing out this car. Well, of course I did and the Fusion out-classed the Chevy literally everywhere. Power between the two was similar to the Chevy's 3.5 but that's where the similarities ended. I traded off a loyal and reliable (albeit dated) 1983 Bronco XL and the deal was right so here we are. Among my hobbies is collecting Blues Music and the interface between car and phone was relatively seamless. Now I have my tunes with me wherever I go. I bought Ford's extended warranty as this car now has 67k miles on it and being so electronically and mechanically complex, I thought it prudent to have it. Future plans include 18-19" wheels and tires, fender well trim which I have now but need a tolerable day to install it and probably a rear spoiler and upgraded rear facia. A new exhaust system isn't out of the question either, along with a possible cold air intake (k&n). We get a number of days of snow and freezing rain in this area of the Pacific NW, which can make driving treacherous. The AWD will certainly be a useable & welcome feature for those kind of days. A little about me: I'm a retired A/C technician and motorcyclist. I'll typically do my own work on vehicles, right up to the major mechanicals. Struts, brakes, CV joints/boots are no problem, as are of course tire rotations, coolant and oil changes. My wife is still working and without a doubt on inclement weather days, the Fusion and I will be taking her the 30 miles to get her to work safely, leaving her 2013 Jeep Compass parked. Nice to be here and I'm looking forward to learning more about this new ride and sharing info where I can. Rok