6th Dec 2010, 10:09
WOW, I am opening a dealership in your area if I can rip people off that badly. KBB lists the 2006 Fusion SEL, which is the top of the line, with a V6 for just over $11K with 100K miles on it. This is suggested retail value, and even they say it is the starting point for negotiations. You'd likely pay around $9K for that car if you were a good negotiator.
I also did an Autotrader search, and found pages of them at well under $12K. They were between 2006 and 2008, with the best deal being a 75K mile V6 car for $9,450. I guess you live in a really high priced area for car buying. I live near NYC. Plus there are literally 100's of used ones around here (620 within 100 miles), so not too hard to find exactly what you want and make a great deal on it!
5th Dec 2010, 20:06
The myth that using premium fuel in a car that only calls for regular just won't die.
Running premium fuel in a car that requires regular really provides no benefits. I hardly see getting an extra 1-2 MPG as being a good incentive for paying an extra 12 cents a gallon on gas. The power increase is also far too negligible to warrant the extra cost as well.
As for the keeping the engine cleaner, while it may prevent some carbon deposits, it ultimately can do more harm than good. Premium fuel burns at a higher temperature than regular. Therefore, putting it into an engine that requires only regular causes engine temperatures to increase. Increased engine temperatures over time can lead to far more serious problems, such as burnt valves. Increased engine temperatures also cause the engine oil to break down faster, and broken down engine oil doesn't provide the lubrication and protection the engine needs. Using a quality brand regular gasoline is more than enough to keep your engine clean.