BClem Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Yes, I had my FFH taken away from me....I loved the car too and I was heart broken for a while.....My wife now is the primary driver of HER hybrid and is very happy to have taken it from me! She had an '08 Mustang GT convertible.... I was torn up about it, for about ten minutes because I bought a 2011 Cadillac CTS-V! So I went from 36 mpg to 15 mpg in a flash. Now I'm at the other end of the fuel issue - conserving fuel in a CTS-V is a joke! We're still here and I'm just as proud of the FFH as I always was and will attest to the fact that the systems (SYNC) in the FFH are much more user friendly than the 'On Star' from GM. I've lost some functionality that the fusion has such as the ability to download a 'directions' map from Google Maps. GM needs to take a lesson from Ford on that! Only the destination is linked to the car.....so if you change routes to suit a need - TS! Intermediate stops - TS! The Ford 'Sync' system is much better. But I can burn a Corvette or Cobra hands down....burning gas! Thanks, BClem 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lolder Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Why did you buy a hybrid in the first place? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BClem Posted January 11, 2012 Author Share Posted January 11, 2012 (edited) Why did you buy a hybrid in the first place? Now isn't just a sweet little question? Chip on your shoulder? Answer: Because I Can! Edited January 11, 2012 by BClem 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNole2001 Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 I'm trading my 2010 FFH in for a 2012 328i convertible in a few weeks. Just waiting for delivery (Feb 10). I fully intended on replacing my FFH with a next gen FFH, but after an extended warranty tussle with Ford, I told them I would not be buying another Ford, and I'm keeping my promise. Leasing the Bimmer so I don't have to deal with an extended warranty, because I've read that BMWNA is even more obstinate than Ford in this area. I'll do a test drive of the Fusion Energi around when my lease is up, and maybe I'll come back to the Blue Oval at that point. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 I'm trading my 2010 FFH in for a 2012 328i convertible in a few weeks. Just waiting for delivery (Feb 10). I fully intended on replacing my FFH with a next gen FFH, but after an extended warranty tussle with Ford, I told them I would not be buying another Ford, and I'm keeping my promise. Leasing the Bimmer so I don't have to deal with an extended warranty, because I've read that BMWNA is even more obstinate than Ford in this area. I'll do a test drive of the Fusion Energi around when my lease is up, and maybe I'll come back to the Blue Oval at that point. What was the extended warranty tussle? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNole2001 Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 What was the extended warranty tussle? My center dash storage bin cover broke off when I accidentally closed it with a notepad sitting over latching point. Just used normal pressure to try to close it and one of the two arms broke clean off at the spot where the arm and cover come together. I have the highest end extended warranty, which I was told was the same as B2B (first time car buyer mistake to not double check). The warranty company steadfastly refused to pay for it, saying it was a trim. I said it was a defective design. The design of the tray makes it almost a certainty that at least a few times in the life of the car, a user will try to shut the bin with something blocking the latching mechanism and it should not break so easily. I even called Ford corporate and complained on Twitter. It was all to no avail. Ford forced my dealer to offer to replace the part with free labor, but I still had to buy the part ($198). I told Ford that day I would not be buying another Ford, and last month I made good on my promise by ordering a BMW. We'll see in a few years if I decide to go back to the energy efficient side of the road. And yeah, I know that the warranty company and Ford had no responsibility to pay for the part and that I did well to even get the 1 hour of shop time for free, but the complete stonewalling I got from Ford Corporate and also the Warranty company just pissed me off. For want of $300, they lost a customer who was going to buy a $34k+ car. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 I don't understand - you didn't expect Ford to pay for it but you're pissed off they said no? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNole2001 Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 I don't understand - you didn't expect Ford to pay for it but you're pissed off they said no? No, I did expect Ford to pay for it. It is a bad design that is too weak to handle something that is bound to happen more than a few times in the life of the car. Also, I was sold the extended warranty as being "just like the factory bumper-to-bumper" warranty. And all that aside. There is such a thing as a goodwill warranty extension, which Ford refused to do. Here's a link to two pictures of the part after the second arm broke off a few weeks later: http://imgur.com/a/nTaZV You can see the notepad sitting there that blocked the lid. I had just written some information in the notepad and put it back in the bin. When I attempted to shut the lid the arm split from the lid. I was appalled at how flimsy the part is. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BClem Posted January 11, 2012 Author Share Posted January 11, 2012 I'm trading my 2010 FFH in for a 2012 328i convertible in a few weeks. Just waiting for delivery (Feb 10). I fully intended on replacing my FFH with a next gen FFH, but after an extended warranty tussle with Ford, I told them I would not be buying another Ford, and I'm keeping my promise. Leasing the Bimmer so I don't have to deal with an extended warranty, because I've read that BMWNA is even more obstinate than Ford in this area. I'll do a test drive of the Fusion Energi around when my lease is up, and maybe I'll come back to the Blue Oval at that point. You ought to check around for a 'bimmer' (bummer) that someone bought, had trouble with and cannot or will not foot the bill to have it repaired. You can probably get it for what the repair bill is but you would still have a car that is prone to break-downs and very expensive to repair. And my CTS-V would stomp the little thing to bits.... We still have the FFH 502A and don't intend to get rid of it any time soon. We have had no trouble at all with it and it is a joy to drive - just not as much fun to me as the CTS-V. Just a matter of choice.....Trips? - Hard pressed to decide....Probably long trips, the FFH will be the car to drive since it does so well on fuel - and has such good navigation.... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNole2001 Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 You ought to check around for a 'bimmer' (bummer) that someone bought, had trouble with and cannot or will not foot the bill to have it repaired. You can probably get it for what the repair bill is but you would still have a car that is prone to break-downs and very expensive to repair. And my CTS-V would stomp the little thing to bits.... We still have the FFH 502A and don't intend to get rid of it any time soon. We have had no trouble at all with it and it is a joy to drive - just not as much fun to me as the CTS-V. Just a matter of choice.....Trips? - Hard pressed to decide....Probably long trips, the FFH will be the car to drive since it does so well on fuel - and has such good navigation.... Yeah, I'm leasing a 328i Convertible without the sport package. It isn't that much faster than my FFH 502A. I know that Bimmers are not the most reliable cars, but at least I get a loaner BMW or a free rental while the Bimmer is in the shop. My thought process was like this: 1. I want a new car 2. Can't be a Ford 3. I'm young, make great money, and single/no kids, why not get a luxury car and have fun for a few years. 4. Hell, why not get a convertible. 5. Grew up in SC about 15 miles from the BMW US plant (Where Z3, Z4, were built until 2004, and the X3 and X5 are currently built), so I grew up wanting a BMW. 6. Also, the 3 series convertible was just about the only convertible that didn't look like a chick car IMHO. And given the premium I had to pay to get a convertible, I didn't have the budget available to get a Z4 sDrive 35is or a 335is. Also, I have a bit of a heavy foot, so a CTS-V or another really powerful car would just get me in trouble. I test drove the Z4 sDrive 35is and every time I looked down, I was doing 80 in a 45 (with the sales guy yelling FASTER!). Also, I'm leasing the 328, so I only have it for 30 months. It's definitely not a long term commitment. Who knows, I might come back to Ford after this lease is up. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acdii Posted March 23, 2012 Share Posted March 23, 2012 (edited) Whoa, You broke a part in the car and expect it to be covered under warranty? Good luck with that. I can tell you right up front, it was not designed to be closed on a notepad! LMAO, young, and ****. Have fun with your fancy pants car. Edited March 23, 2012 by acdii 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNole2001 Posted March 23, 2012 Share Posted March 23, 2012 Whoa, You broke a part in the car and expect it to be covered under warranty? Good luck with that. I can tell you right up front, it was not designed to be closed on a notepad! LMAO, young, and ****. Have fun with your fancy pants car. Yeah, I guess I should be okay with pieces of trim breaking on a car that's not even three years old. Like the driver's side door handle that broke less than a week before I picked up my new car. Yeah, it's perfectly acceptable for that sort of thing to happen on a $33k car that's practically new. And yes, the design of the dash storage bin is defective. If you design a storage area that can't stop things from sliding in to its latching mechanism, then you sure as hell better make sure it can deal with things blocking the latching mechanism. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acdii Posted March 23, 2012 Share Posted March 23, 2012 I agree on the door handle, poor design, but the bin on the dash? Nope cant agree on that at all. That is just lack of situational awareness. Its a cheap lightweight door, it is just for small storage, and if you put something in it that barely fits, it is on you to make sure that you can close it without interference. IE Common sense, but the younger generation today was taught that everything is given and you dont have to have common sense, so move along folks, nothing to see here. It is not my fault that the latch broke because something didn't fit right, MUST be a poor design! LMBFAO. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNole2001 Posted March 23, 2012 Share Posted March 23, 2012 I agree on the door handle, poor design, but the bin on the dash? Nope cant agree on that at all. That is just lack of situational awareness. Its a cheap lightweight door, it is just for small storage, and if you put something in it that barely fits, it is on you to make sure that you can close it without interference. IE Common sense, but the younger generation today was taught that everything is given and you dont have to have common sense, so move along folks, nothing to see here. It is not my fault that the latch broke because something didn't fit right, MUST be a poor design! LMBFAO. Yep, that 2 inch by 3 inch notepad is SOOOO BIG, however will it fit inside the oh so tiny storage bin. Did you really think I was trying to stuff a 8 1/2 x 11 notebook in there or something? It was a tiny notepad that I wrote down my gas mileage on each time I got gas. One of those little spiral bound memo pads you can buy at the drug store for 45c. It wasn't a problem of anything fitting in there. There's enough room in that bin to fit four or five of those pads sitting side by side. Anyways, I'll be sure to stay off your lawn, since you sound old and obviously know everything. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted March 23, 2012 Share Posted March 23, 2012 Apparently we're old enough to admit when we make a mistake and not try to blame everyone else. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNole2001 Posted March 23, 2012 Share Posted March 23, 2012 Apparently we're old enough to admit when we make a mistake and not try to blame everyone else. I admitted that I made a mistake by buying a $33,000+ car and thinking I would get the quality one expects when spending that much money on a car. I was wrong, I got a car where trim pieces break off in my hand and the door handle snaps broken after less than three years. I figured I'd at least get the quality of the 95 Accord I had before the Fusion which went 14.5 years and 313k miles with no trim breaking. Never had to replace a door handle, either. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted March 23, 2012 Share Posted March 23, 2012 I'm sure recent Accord owners would love to only replace a door handle instead of their transmissions. Stuff happens on all cars. Get over it. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acdii Posted March 23, 2012 Share Posted March 23, 2012 The point I am trying to get acros here is you blame Ford for a supposed design flaw because you closed the door on something and broke a latch, and then whined about it because they didn't want to pay for damages you did, then act like a 6 year old saying I'm never buying a Ford again! I'm sorry I just find that so damned funny that I have to bash you on it. The door handle thing, yes I agree, happened to me too, poor design that SHOULD have been corrected years ago, because as the plastic ages, the spring pressure behind the corner causes the plastic to snap, Poor design, but obviously not enough complaints to do a redesign. But to blame a broken latch on a poor design because it wasn't designed to be closed on a notepad, that is just way too freaking funny, and then to write off Ford, who makes a Very good car, for of all things a BMW, well, sorry, that just tops it. Guess what! Toyota makes crap cars, I owned a Prius, and a Camry Hybrid and the Fusion is a far better car than both of them. Would I go for a BMW over a Ford? Not even if it was given to me, they are too expensive, and just wait until something breaks, because they do, and man are they expensive to repair. My man hood is stable so I don't need a p**** extension. ROFLMAO 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNole2001 Posted March 23, 2012 Share Posted March 23, 2012 The bad design isn't in the latch. It is in the crap quality weak plastic that can't take the slightest twisting torque, and it the design of the bin itself not having a lip to stop things from sliding up and in to the area of the latch. That is a bad design. And then with crap quality plastic that is that likely to break, making it so that the entire dash has to be pulled apart to replace it. Bad design all the way around. Who knows though, maybe the design will be better on the next gen Fusion, since it has more influence from the Mondeo platform. And the door handle thing happens enough that when I called the dealer the parts guy told me they keep them in stock because they break so often. Oh, and as far as repairs on the BMW. I leased for a reason. I'll be under the factory warranty the entire time I own the car. And as far as my manhood, I got the car b/c I wanted something that is fun to drive. Having driven the FFH for 63k miles, I can tell you one thing it isn't, and that is fun to drive. But it wasn't designed for that. It's a midsized family sedan. A 3 series is a sporty car that is fun to drive, and would make a horrible family car, and it burns more than it's share of gas. Having spent a month and half with the Bimmer, I won't be going back to a family sedan Ford or otherwise anytime soon. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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