23rd Oct 2009, 15:30

Each individual could control their situation precisely by not buying any new import. That point was avoided something each individual could do. I never smoked for example just because others did. A different analogy, but each person is in control of either bettering the economy by each example. I bought 2 new GMs instead of Honda again. I quit them over quality and short warranty actually, but the economy is another decent reason. I am guilty of not doing it sooner. At least I admit our families fault.

23rd Oct 2009, 19:42

"Please get the FACTS before advocating the destruction of our economy"

Again, please refer to comment 22:29. That seems to address this argument very well (and accurately).

24th Oct 2009, 14:16

Thank you 15:30!! I work with a group of patriotic supporters of U.S. industry, and I often volunteer to go with my import-owning friends to help them buy domestic vehicles on weekends. The more information that people have, the more eager they are to help our country's companies. Today I spent the morning accompanying a friend to a local Ford and GM dealership. They wanted a Fusion, but the Ford dealer had none, so we tried a GM lot to test-drive the Malibu. They ended up coming back to Ford and buying a 2010 Taurus.

I keep seeing statements to the effect that "there are tons of Fusions on lots where I live", and "I never see an import on a Ford or GM lot". I suspect these commenters live in Japan, as that is certainly NOT the case here. This morning I made it a point to see how many imports were on the used car lots. The Ford dealer had 6 Japanese cars (2003-2008) and 2 German cars (a 2004 and 2007 BMW). I always make it a point to ask if they were traded or bought. The response was "All are trade-ins". That included a 2006 Lexus that had been traded for a Fusion hybrid (the last Fusion they had) and an Acura that had been traded for a Lincoln MKZ. At the GM lot there were 4 used Japanese vehicles (ironically all Nissans) and 3 German cars (1 BMW and 2 VW's). Again, all were recent trades on various GM cars ot trucks.

With more information available, such as the excellent CNN special showing that buying foreign is not very beneficial to our economy, and recent reliability studies showing Ford and GM topping imports in reliability people are starting to give much more thought to helping our own citizens. By all means, if you are one of the commenters living in Japan, then buy a Japanese car. If you live in the U.S., think about helping your own country.

24th Oct 2009, 16:33

Well said. I couldn't agree with you more. Especially on your part about how you'd like to see domestics be at the top of Consumer Reports for another 25 years like the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry were. Personally, I think it's sad that we EVER let Japan beat us in quality. But they did it for a long time, and it's about time the Big 3 stopped being lazy and produced some vehicles worth even considering.

24th Oct 2009, 17:58

"I bought 2 new GMs instead of Honda again. I quit them over quality and short warranty actually..."

The GM warranty is not all that great, seeing it is still only 5 years. Since the average mileage is 15K nowadays, that still equates to 60,000 miles they are actually covering by the time the warranty runs out. Honda has a 5 year 60K mile warranty, so essentially it is the same unless you drive 30% above the average amount of miles per year.

Again, just an attempt to make domestics seem like such a bargain. Give me a 10 year 100K warranty like Hyundai and you'll have something.

24th Oct 2009, 21:55

This statement makes no sense. If Japanese cars have such awesome resale value, why on Earth would ANY dealer wholesale them off rather than bilking clueless shoppers out of their money? I checked the newspaper ads here just now and found 4 Japanese cars and 2 German cars advertised at one Ford dealer's, 5 Japanese cars and 3 German cars advertised at another Ford dealers and 6 Japanese cars and 2 German cars advertised at a GM dealer's. Obviously they have not been wholesaled.

25th Oct 2009, 10:41

"5. Yes Ford builds the Fusion... in Mexico so it really doesn't benefit U.S. workers much does it?"

See comment 22:29.

25th Oct 2009, 12:40

17:58. Honda and Toyota warranties are much less. Why not exceed the domestic warranty. If it's so better and never needs used, what's the issue???

26th Oct 2009, 01:44

Okay... Original poster here.. All I wanted to say, and for all of you who say your 06 07 08 and 09 Fusions are really comfortable... You didn't pay attention to where I said... I drove an 07 Fusion on the exact same trip a few years back... and it was rockin... To the poster that said he test drove a Fusion Hybrid and said it was comfortable... I don't know of any dealer that will let you test drive a car for 2000 kms. Yes it was comfortable to begin with, but 430kms and 4 hours later, the pain began, and I still had over 1500 kms to cover.

To all this Mexican and border jargon associated with this review, you all missed the point, and who cares where who's cell phone is built, or what have you... This is supposed to be about cars, and what we think of them, not about where it was made, who got paid to build it, etc... So please guys, make your comments legit. This is a site for people to see if a car is good or not, and for the reasons that suit them.

26th Oct 2009, 09:21

You're talking maybe 10 cars out of an average 100+ on any large dealers lot. Not a significant amount by any means and probably those exceptional examples I was speaking of. The fact is it doesn't help a Ford or GM dealer to have other brands filling up their lots. One reason is it costs more to advertise something people aren't expecting to be on a domestic lot. Chevy dealers would prefer to sell Chevy's and Ford dealers, Ford's. They also have to service and warranty what they sell so that complicates things a lot when cars you don't know are sold by your dealer and have to be warranted by your dealer. Let's face it, even if you have an original remaining factory warranty on the Honda you bought from your Ford dealer, you're going to go back to the Ford dealer if your tranny blows the week after you buy it.

Believe me, overall from a business standpoint it makes much more sense to wholesale the cars off and pick up some mint Fords or Chevy's for wholesale that they can sell off for just as much of a profit and then be able to work on and service without hassles. Just because they wholesale a car from dealer, doesn't necessarily mean they are giving it away. They get back their money on the next wholesale buy they make. Many dealers have a network of other dealers they wholesale with so they can keep their inventories more in line. It's really just shifting inventory so they can make the most profit off of the right type of car for them. If they wanted to sell Honda's, they would become a Honda dealer and not a Ford dealer.

I never said you wouldn't ever see an import on a domestic lot. They would be low mileage, nice condition cars that would make it down the road without issues and worth taking the risk on selling. Many times, if those cars don't sell for that huge profit you'd expect them to, they wholesale them off shortly after they take them in on trade. That happened when I traded my last Honda in on a Ford. They called around to a few Honda dealers to try to wholesale it to them and then they decided to keep it and try to sell it since it was immaculate and low mileage. Of course, they had to give me more than they could get for it on wholesale in order for me to buy the Ford I ended up with. He said they typically give it 30 days and then wholesale it if it is still there costing them money.