To Sport or Not To Sport (Fusion)....That is the question

[jcartwright99]

A few months back I had been looking at getting a new MKZ 3.0. It's amazing how so much in your life can change so fast. Due to a relationship split with my sons mother, job fluctuations, and my sons illnesses (and medical bills that follow) I have decided that wouldn't be a financially prudent thing to do. However, since I have never been in love with my Escape or CUV's as a whole I am thinking about replacing it with something else. I have no complaints about the Escape, it's basic and does it's job of hauling kids and stuff fine. I am just wanting to get something I like, that will suit me a little better.

 

That brings me to the Fusion. I am looking for an AWD car that isn't too pricey but can haul my son and I, and still be fun to drive a bit. My plan is to keep for at least 8 years (driving it till the wheels fall off). I will be I started looking at Fusions and noticed the Fusion Sport. A plebeian version of the MKZ 3.0 of sorts. I started looking online on youtube and the usual car reviews. Most say it's a disappointment. Now, I kept hearing in the reviews poor mans Audi S4 and maybe that's why their hopes were dashed. Too high of expectations, due to the specs.

 

I can get a nicely optioned SE AWD 2.0 (or base Titanium) or a sparsely optioned Sport. They are blowing out the 2017 Fusions right now in my area, 0% for 72 months and 1000 on the hood. Tack on my Z plan pricing and payments are very livable. Looking at MSRP's between 32 -38. Just wanting to get some thoughts from folks on this. Is the Sport worth it?

 

*note, I haven't driven either the 2.0 or Sport but am tonight.

 

 

 

 

 

[jasonj80]

A few months back I had been looking at getting a new MKZ 3.0. It's amazing how so much in your life can change so fast. Due to a relationship split with my sons mother, job fluctuations, and my sons illnesses (and medical bills that follow) I have decided that wouldn't be a financially prudent thing to do. However, since I have never been in love with my Escape or CUV's as a whole I am thinking about replacing it with something else. I have no complaints about the Escape, it's basic and does it's job of hauling kids and stuff fine. I am just wanting to get something I like, that will suit me a little better.

 

That brings me to the Fusion. I am looking for an AWD car that isn't too pricey but can haul my son and I, and still be fun to drive a bit. My plan is to keep for at least 8 years (driving it till the wheels fall off). I will be I started looking at Fusions and noticed the Fusion Sport. A plebeian version of the MKZ 3.0 of sorts. I started looking online on youtube and the usual car reviews. Most say it's a disappointment. Now, I kept hearing in the reviews poor mans Audi S4 and maybe that's why their hopes were dashed. Too high of expectations, due to the specs.

 

I can get a nicely optioned SE AWD 2.0 (or base Titanium) or a sparsely optioned Sport. They are blowing out the 2017 Fusions right now in my area, 0% for 72 months and 1000 on the hood. Tack on my Z plan pricing and payments are very livable. Looking at MSRP's between 32 -38. Just wanting to get some thoughts from folks on this. Is the Sport worth it?

 

*note, I haven't driven either the 2.0 or Sport but am tonight.

 

 

 

 

 

Check insurance and drive them both, Sport is going to give you the CCD suspension etc. I never take reviews for value anymore, the goal now isn't to be informative, the goal is to inflame people to start discussions to get more clicks on your article. You have to decide if cooled seats and an stop and go cruise control are better than being pinned to the seat when you gun it and doing the quarter mile at 100mph. Also remember that reviewers are comparing it with a car that is $20,000 more expensive.

[akirby]

The 2.0 is surprisingly peppy - lots of torque off the line. You may find it has plenty of power and pocket the difference. You'd just have to drive both and see for yourself.

[blwnsmoke]

I have a 2.0 ordered for my mother with awd. I think the thing that disappointed the reviewers with the Sport is the weight..

 

2.0 with a livernois tune (ecoboost experts) will do that motor very well.

 

Where are you located for the $1,000? All I have is $500 on hood plus 0/72.

[jcartwright99]

I have a 2.0 ordered for my mother with awd. I think the thing that disappointed the reviewers with the Sport is the weight..

 

2.0 with a livernois tune (ecoboost experts) will do that motor very well.

 

Where are you located for the $1,000? All I have is $500 on hood plus 0/72.

 

I am in the greater Chicago area. They have good auto show discounts going on right now till the 15th. I think by taking the 0/72 I may have missed out on another 250 of cash but that is negligible.

 

I have only driven the 2017 hybrid as a loaner. The dial took a little getting used to but after a few times, you get used to it.

 

If the need for speed/power grows, whichever car I get, Livernois will be the place I go. They seem to understand the tuning of the ecoboost engines and the traction management systems very well. Their tuning of SHO's are incredible

Edited March 7, 2017 by jcartwright99

[silvrsvt]

If the need for speed/power grows, whichever car I get, Livernois will be the place I go. They seem to understand the tuning of the ecoboost engines and the traction management systems very well. Their tuning of SHO's are incredible

 

Some more thoughts...

 

Keep in mind that Ford conservativity tunes their cars...I think the Fusion Sport isn't tuned as a balls out Sports Sedan, its tuned more as a Touring Sedan. Its also downright stupid to compare it to a car that is smaller and costs 20K more than a Fusion Sport. A tune will really wake the car up and make it that Sports Sedan.

 

I went Livernois with my SHO after 8 months of having it (now have over 62K on it) with zero issues with the tune. I have the Performance Package, so if I turn off advancetrac the car really moves...to the point that I can gun it and my wife's stomach sinks and she almost got sick on me LOL I actually think the car is quicker off the line then the 2006 Mustang GT I have (which is bone stock)...but overall the car is very practical for every day driving.

 

The 2.0L Ecoboost in the Escape has impressed me so far...I know in my parents Escape my dad can spin wheels with FWD. My wife's Escape isn't broken in yet, but I feel its a bit more engaging to drive then my SHO...it feels more like a Focus (well its platform mate) and weighs considerably less. I have to see how it is on a long highway drive, where my SHO excels at.

[jasonj80]

If you live in Chicago and have to deal with heavy traffic driving the Stop and Go adaptive cruise is a must have, makes driving in bumper to bumper traffic much more manageable.

[akirby]

My 2.0eb Fusion has way better acceleration than our 3.7L NA MKX. I know the MKX is heavier but you have to get the 3.7L up to around 4K for the torque to kick in whereas the Fusion it's available almost immediately off idle.

 

It does run out of guts above 4000 rpm though. The 2.7L must be a rocketship by comparison but will probably also run out of steam a bit at higher rpm.

[jcartwright99]

Thanks for comments! This is why I come here...perspective and a great source of information.

 

A little worried after jumping on a Fusion Sport board and everyone was complaining about battery and PTU issues. Everyone is an overstatement but there seems to be a lot of little first year issues with this one. We will see tonight. I just have to drive the 2.0 first and make sure I take note BEFORE I drive the sport. I will keep you all posted on how it goes.

[351cid]

I own a 2.0 SE Fusion. It's been a good car for my wife and she has enjoyed having it.

[chromehorn]

Not sure if this is an option for you, but....

 

A lightly used MKZ with the 3.7 in FWD is a pretty fun ride. I know mine is plenty quick for my needs and handles pretty well in Sport mode. Could I use more HP, sure. Who couldn't? I haven't officially tested it, but I believe the FWD is faster than the AWD version. My guess is it's capable of just under 6 seconds to 60, and somewhere in the mid to upper 14's in the 1/4 mile. For about $20k you can pick up a 2013 model around where I live.

[brucelinc]

I follow some specific Fusion Sport forums and I think the issues (battery, ptu, etc.) are overblown. I see no reason why the Sport would have any more issues than the 2.0 if driven and maintained similarly.

 

The choice really comes down to how important acceleration is to you and what you are willing to give up to get it. A 2.0 with more luxury options may be the more compelling choice. As others have said, for $600, a Livernois tune can make the 2.0 perform similarly to the stock Sport.

[probowler]

For that same price you could get an AWD Challenger GT with the V6...

 

 

If you want something sporty and comfortable, that would be my choice

[fuzzymoomoo]

For that same price you could get an AWD Challenger GT with the V6...

 

 

If you want something sporty and comfortable, that would be my choice

Not entirely practical for someone with a family though.

[30 OTT 6]

In my opinion AWD is a waste of money on any Fusion but the Sport. The Sport has way too much power for a FWD drivetrain so I can see why it is only offered in AWD. On the other Fusions though, AWD costs more on purchase price and then continue to cost more on fuel costs. Go FWD and get a winter tire package.

[jcartwright99]

Wow! Las night was such a goat rodeo. I forget how much of a pain buying a new car can be. It's like I block it out only to start having PTSD flashbacks once I am in the dealership.

 

I was in a different part of town last night, and a dealer within a 20 minute drive had a nice Ruby Red Sport and a nicely equipped Blue SE (both AWD). I had called within an hour of my arrival to verify these cars were in stock. I spoke to a guy named "Eric" and he said he would be there to assist me when I got there (in 45 minutes). Upon arrival, I noticed that the dealership was absolutely dead (small red flag). 1 other potential customer and that's it. This isn't a small dealer either. According to their website they have 515 new fords in stock. This is a dealer in the greater Chicago area.

 

As a side note, the last two vehicles I purchased were from another Ford dealer in the Chicago area. Every time I went there it was packed morning till close. It didn't matter what time I was there and they had a large dealership.

 

Once I walk in and ask for "Eric", I am told he is gone for the day and that he can help me (Huge Red Flag, please don't lie to me). The salesman could tell I was a bit confused and a bit pissed that "Eric" wasn't there. He admitted to me that "Eric" was a sales manger that is there during the day and they use his name as a catch all for meeting customers for new sales. At that point, I almost walked out but I at least wanted to test drive them so I did.

 

I test drove the SE first, at least I think I did. He took me on a mile round trip loop around the store. Really hard to gain any sort of thoughts with such little time. I actually told him that and he said I could drive it again if I was really interested in buying it after testing the sport (another red flag). It test drove the sport and I didn't hammer it but even not it had the power, much more so the 2.0. I was probably 3/4 into throttle and I was pinned back into the seat nicely. I got to drive it a few more miles than the SE, barely enough time to see if I liked. From the test drive perspective, I don't know if I like the SE (because lack of seat time) but my initial thought on the Sport is that I liked it (more than enough power and it seems to take potholes and expansion joints well.

 

Into the negotiations, since I have Z plan there really isn't negotiations on the cars price. I kept telling him to lets run the numbers for payment, explaining to him I would qualify for 0/72, giving him my credit score and telling him I had financed 3 cars through Ford Credit (my last one being a 0/60 month variety). He kept dancing around it. "well I have to run it by the finance and see." I pulled out my phone and showed him my estimate with a car payment calculator. He tells me he thinks I am off so he finally goes to his finance guy and has him run the number. I was getting around 500/month and his "finance guy" was getting 675/month (another red flag). Much to my dismay, they used a 6 something interest rate. This went on for way too long, looking back at it.

 

We finally got to my trade, a 2014 Ford Escape SE. Well taken care of and all services records. I still owed on it but my payoff amount is basically +/- $500 bucks on my break even point with what the cars. My goal was to get within 500 of my break even point. I understand black book is less than kbb and I have researched a lot of what the wholesale price is so I knew I wasn't off by much. Of course, the first offer was 2k under my bottom dollar. I cut straight to the chase, and told you either can hit this price or you can't. He tried to show me that their offer just about took care of the balance due to sales tax. At that point I told him thanks, but if he couldn't do my bottom price no deal. I started to leave and realized he never gave me my key back. I said I needed my key and he tried for another 5 minutes to explain to me that they would be "losing money on the deal". Finally, I told him I would think about (not really) and he got my key.

 

Sorry for the long book here but just wanted to explain in detail. In summary, while the dealer had the cars I wanted to look at. They didn't allow me to actually experience the cars to decide. They also lost my trust when they openly lied to me, dancing around the the yes/no on the trade, and holding my key hostage. I won't be doing business there and I am going to wait a bit to buy. The two cars I bought from another dealer in the area, was rather cut/dry with trade and pricing ....and they actually let me drive the cars around too. I will be going back to where I got my previous cars soon and see if they can get me what I want.

[jcartwright99]

In my opinion AWD is a waste of money on any Fusion but the Sport. The Sport has way too much power for a FWD drivetrain so I can see why it is only offered in AWD. On the other Fusions though, AWD costs more on purchase price and then continue to cost more on fuel costs. Go FWD and get a winter tire package.

 

I have had both front/rear wheel drive cars with snow tires get stuck in Chicago winters. Chicago street parking is a giant pain in the winter. Try, even after shoveling, getting out of a street spot that angles down towards the curb with only 2 wheel drive with an open diff. Lots of swearing, pushing, kitty litter (yes, it works) and time wasted.

Edited March 8, 2017 by jcartwright99

[SoonerLS]

I started to leave and realized he never gave me my key back. I said I needed my key and he tried for another 5 minutes to explain to me that they would be "losing money on the deal". Finally, I told him I would think about (not really) and he got my key.

We used to have a Dodge dealer that was notorious about that. Someone I know actually had to pick up the phone start dialing the number for the Oklahoma City PD to get them to return his keys. I was with a friend when he decided to go look at a truck on their used lot; you had to drive over the "don't back up, severe tire damage" strip to get into the lot, and they had a guard shack with a gate at the exit. The salesdrone did something that got him PO'd, so we got in his Cherokee and tried to leave, but they wouldn't open the gate. They finally opened the gate when he told them to open the @#$%ing gate or he was going to drive through it and send them the bill... (I don't remember what happened to them; I think part of it was that they finally PO'd all of their potential customers, and part of it was that somebody got busted for running a drug ring through their store...)

[blksn8k2]

Jc, been there, done that on the dealer thing. I hate buying new vehicles. Once when I was trying to buy a new truck using X-Plan I got so frustrated with the salesman that I told him the reason I was using X-plan was because it was supposed to be a benefit to me because of the fact that I worked for a company that partnered with Ford and it was not an excuse for him to screw me on my trade-in value. He said "Don't go there" and I said "I'm going out the door". I bought an identical truck at a different dealer a week later.

[tbone]

It's unfortunate there is such disparity in dealer experiences. A bad dealer certainly can give a brand a bad name. My experience at dealers is all over the map with different brands, and it has always taken more time than I plan for. I always ask them to have the paperwork ready before I arrive and none of them have ever been ready. It's quite disappointing it has to be that way.

[blwnsmoke]

This brings me to the time where I went shopping with my g/f at the time and she wanted to get a jetta... The salesman's numbers were almost $600 a month on a lease with several thousand put down... I pointed out the door, see that IS300 out there, I'm paying well under $500 a month with no money down.. how quickly he got down to the low $300s.. all because we were in our early 20s and they thought they could sucker us..

 

Then at the next table, I see this young girl by herself tell a different salesman "I'm not really sure what I'm doing, I've never bought a new car before"... oh man I almost went over there to tell her I'd help negotiate because that right there put a HUGE "sucker" sign over her head.

[MKX1960]

It's unfortunate there is such disparity in dealer experiences. A bad dealer certainly can give a brand a bad name. My experience at dealers is all over the map with different brands, and it has always taken more time than I plan for. I always ask them to have the paperwork ready before I arrive and none of them have ever been ready. It's quite disappointing it has to be that way.

Once you manage to find a good dealer, stick with them. I've bought 9 vehicles all from the same dealership and 8 from the same salesman. He recently retired so I bought the Explorer from another salesman. Once I know what I want, I'm usually out the door in the new vehicle in around 3 hours.

[630land]

yes, stick with the no BS dealer, even if it's $100 more for the whole deal.

Edited March 8, 2017 by 630land

[Jqa1824]

This is why we should demand that cars have a set price, like every single other mass produced product. It's ridiculous that cars are treated like houses. I would love it if Ford and Lincoln adopted the Saturn pricing strategy

[jasonj80]

Never tell a dealer what payment price your looking for and do the trade in thing first. Go to carmax and get a cash offer for your car as well.

 

Internet is your friend especially with z-plan, email around to different dealers.

 

Also you might want to search for used CPO 2017 fusions around your area. Quick search on cars.com showed Platinum fusion with awd for 26k. You'd be surprised how much they lose Even with 3-4K on them. You can upgrade the warrantee your self through Koch and end up with a 8year/100k premium care warrantee for 1700 less if you go for fewer years. If you show the internet price to the dealers all the ones I've used will match the price.