15th Apr 2010, 15:26
To comment 12:12.
I don't think they're underrated on EPA estimates at all. The EPA does a controlled test on every car, so it will vary from the real world. I've always been able to get more MPG than the car is rated at out of all the vehicles I've owned. My '08 Civic was rated at 36 MPG Highway, but on an all highway trip I clocked about 46 MPG. I loved that car, unfortunately had to up size to a CR-V for work. I love the CR-V too, it's rated at 25 MPG, but I've gotten as high as 32 MPG on the highway.
15th Apr 2010, 23:03
I think the point is that there is no need for more than the more-than-adequate 175 horsepower 4 in the Fusion. It's not a sports car.
17th Apr 2010, 16:55
"Someone better tell the owners of the 263 hp Fusion SPORT that huh?"
Even that doesn't qualify the Fusion as a sports car.
And now, for saying that, the Fusionjunkies will come out to make the Fusion into something it's not.
18th Apr 2010, 18:14
I know that the Fusion isn't a sports car, but there are those who still want more than an "adequate" 4 banger under the hood.
20th Apr 2010, 08:31
Why are they called anything? I don't see "Accordites" on every Honda thread and they have a strong following as well. So it isn't cool to be supportive of an American car? Is this a highschool aged reviewing site or what?
20th Apr 2010, 11:03
08:31 They're not called "Accordites" anyway. Haven't you ever heard of "Accordion's"?
20th Apr 2010, 19:25
"Fusionjunkies??? I thought they were called Fusionistas."
I've also heard Fordpublicans.
20th Apr 2010, 19:41
They're called that because they take things to the extreme when it comes to the Fusion. I'm sure it's a great car and all, but if you look at some older posts (usually on a review about a Camry or Accord. It can be a positive or negative review, it won't make a difference. They attack all import reviews equally.) you will see just how far things start to go. They begin to make OUTRAGEOUS claims such as "You're not a patriotic American if you drive an import" (that's been said too many times to count now). Or they'll start listing problems they had with imports (things that usually can be traced to abuse or just made up).
I've also seen them say "we regularly see 50 year old domestics" which is all good and well, however, you will then later find out that they live in the warmer southern states where rust isn't a problem. (The only time you see 50 year old cars of any kind up here in New England is during the summer at car shows. Good luck preventing rust up here). It just comes back to how things are treated anyways. Anything that is taken care of will last.
Basically, they're called these things because they took things too far. Lots of people make a car out to be something it isn't, it's just that some of the arguments that took place between these guys were just completely ludicrous. Also, I'm not bashing the Fusion, or any car for that matter. I'm just going from experience on what I've seen posted on this site.
21st Apr 2010, 07:35
I have found going to the car wash, having an undercarriage wash, as well as garaging my older domestics the solution. I live in the Northeast. If you keep your vehicles very clean, waxed and rinse the undercarriage, they last. Any white salt on my paint, I hit White glove or wait til a dry day and wash immediately.
A trick my dad taught me was to drive over a sprinkler with the hose on to rinse underneath.
I have owned daily driver older domestics for years with more than just turning a key and having premature rust issues in the Northeast.
Ever notice how few 50 year old imports are at car shows by the way? Where are the 70 era Honda and Toyotas at shows?
21st Apr 2010, 13:53
There's an obvious answer to that. New car manufacturers have to prove themselves. For years, people were used to American cars, that's all there was (European cars too, but American cars were more popular). People weren't ready to buy something new and unproven. Now, I must ask, have you ever noticed how few 80's domestics are STILL DRIVING around our roads?
22nd Apr 2010, 08:30
As far as show cars, there are very few 70's era imports that would be at the same show as old muscle cars from America. You can go around the world and find tons of old imports in their native country, or at specialty shows that were presented for the showcasing of these cars.
There also was a pretty limited number of imports that would fit at a show in the U.S. You'll find the occasional 240Z or even a Celica GT hatchback, but most of the cars were used as they were intended which was high mileage cars that were driven daily. They were designed to be better on gas and to have a higher overall quality level, but most were not exciting with crazy paint schemes and they obviously didn't have Hemi's under the hood. There really was little attraction in restoring and preserving these old foreign cars.
22nd Apr 2010, 13:39
That's because people kept driving them for years. Some reached crazy high mileage (my '76 Civic did, over 500,000 miles). Domestics from that era got dumped in a field when there engines failed at the 100K mark. They're being restored now because they are good looking desirable vehicles.
22nd Apr 2010, 14:40
Higher overall quality level to me would be longevity and minimal if any preservation. I feel the foreign steel with minimal rustproofing was what ate the bodies off these cars in the Northeast. I have had domestics that have proven more durable without higher import parts prices. My 280ZX was rusting inside out when only 6 years old. I washed and waxed this model constantly, and it was far from cheap new.
23rd Apr 2010, 07:55
I think you posted this on the wrong Fusion thread. There was a discussion about old foreign cars on one of the other threads...
23rd Apr 2010, 14:04
The comment addressed 8:30 comment on longevity. I read all the comments... sometimes they read out of sequence if you do not.
23rd Apr 2010, 14:11
I guess those with old MGs, Triumphs, Porsches, even old VWs in 2010 have more appeal and import collectibility with age than Hondas or Toyotas. I see them out there. I owned a 1977 Toyota Celica GT that I would have said was collectible today, and I liked its styling before they really lost the nice design (my opinion), but the body did not survive as my later rusted out 280ZX. It costs a lot new also.
14th Apr 2010, 20:15
"I'd never spend the extra money for a gas-hungry V-6."
305 hp and 30 mpg is gas hungry? I think that would be pretty amazing myself...