Chapinsky84

I have a 2010 Fusion SEL AWD that came standard with Michelin P225/50/P/17/93/V and because I lean towards a softer, cushier ride, I traded the 17's for Perelli 16's size 215/60/16. I at first thought that the riding qualities had improved, but after the newness wore off, it seems to me that they don't ride any softer than the 17's. I park along side a big Ford with P225/75/16 tires and those sidewalls look twice as thick as the Perelli's! In fact, the sidewalls on the Perelli's aren't all that much thicker than the 17's I took off. Are there P225/16 tires that have sidewalls like the big Ford (225/75/16) or have they gone the way of the big barges? I feel as though Discount Tires did me wrong by not installing the wider, fatter tires, if they are available. I told the folks at Discount Tires that I wasn't interested in performance tires, but wanted that fattest, best riding (softest riding) available that would fit my car. It appears they put a narrower tire back on with little increase in thickness. I am angry and confused!

Own the above mentioned auto and it is a world class rig with one exception.....if you don't like feeling every manhole cover, tar strip and minor surface irregularity, it is the wrong one to buy. I dumped a 2010 FF Hybrid because of the stiff, jolting ride and then made a second mistake, I drove a new SEL AWD and felt that it was better riding, but after a few thousand miles, it appears that I was delusional at the time. As a last resort, I traded in the skinny 17" tires for a new set of 16" Pirelli's and should have saved my money. The suspension is like most of the rest of late model cars, so stiff that fatter tires can't do much for it. When I go over bad spots, the wheels don't follow the road surface leaving the body level, but the whole car moves up and down....so much for the exotic five link rear suspension. I know I will be hated for saying it, but I can drive my 1971 T-Bird down bad washboard and severe potholed roads at highway speeds that I couldn't go over five or ten miles per hour in my Fusion. As far as the rest of the car is concerned, it's all GREAT!

Have a 2010 SEL AWD that shows an indicated average of a consistent 23.5. I have never checked the computer for accuracy. I can fill the tank and keep the cruise control on fifty miles per for a sixty miles round trip with patches of 40 then 35 then 25 mph zones and believe it or not, have seen 42 mpg on the computer. That was with real easy driving. The same trip at sixty mph and a little rough house takes me back to 23.5 to 24.00. I use the suggested regular (87?) and the only time I can tell if the engine is running is when sticking my foot in it. I dearly love the sound of the V6 when going full bore...reminds me of the old flatheads I drove back in the forties, fifties and early sixties. Must mention that the AWD makes the SEL into a different rig. The extra gears and stuff lower the center of gravity plus adds some weight and the cornering is really great!

I traded a 2010 FFH that was so stiff in back that it was unpleasant to drive and didn't loosen up as promised. Dealership claimed back springs and shocks were extremely stiff due to 400 pound battery pack behind rear seat. I dumped it for a new 2010 Fusion SEL V6 AWD with 17" wheels and tires that gave a better ride but was still choppy over manhole covers, tar strips and chuck holes. I just traded for a new set of Pirelli 16 inch tires and aluminum rims for $602.00 installed. The ride quality improved a bit, but anyone that is used to a smooth, non-jarring ride would be advised to try a Camry or Avalon, the so called dreaded "floaters" of years ago. I read postings last year where our new age crowd love stiff suspensions and look down their noses at my '71 T-Bird with the factory HD suspension, but I have a wash board road that they can't follow me more than a few feet before they bounce off the road. I tried driving up this road in both of my 2010 Fusions and they both started skittering all over the road. The suspensions are too stiff to absorb the wash board..other than that, they are both great cars. I don't care much for the electric steering, preferring the usual power steering units.