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Hybrid Vehicles Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan Hybrid Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan Hybrid
1054 messages, Last post on Nov 01, 2009 at 2:52 PM
You are in the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan Hybrid Forum. Your Host is pf_flyer
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Replying to: kdhspyder (Jan 06, 2009 7:56 am) I'm thinking that the "better" ranges widely between 5% and 25% as far as highway. That's a very wide range because there's a huge amount of factors involved. Hybrids were primarily designed to improve city-cycle mileage anyway. So if, for example you have a highway drive that's turned into a traffic jam one day (or even regularly), that's going to skew the results, because it's more "city" driving, even though it's on a highway. Notice I dropped the "far"...I disagree with "far better" though they do improve highway-style mileage. However, given the significant hybrid price premium, it's still not a cost-effective decision for many people who drive primarily (75% or more) highway (unless said highway is gridlocked much of the time, turning it into city driving, anyway).
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Replying to: kdhspyder (Jan 06, 2009 7:56 am) Nobody disagrees with that, except maybe the "far" part. The EPA tests agree that hybrids get better highway mileage. YOU may get 20%-30% better but you can't prove that would be true for everyone else, on average. As for the hybrid being cost effective, let's assume 15,000 miles per year with gas at $4/gallon. The Camry gets 25 mpg combined and the TCH gets 34 - that's a 9 mpg difference. The TC uses 600 gallons/yr and the TCH only uses 441 for a savings of 159 gallons. At $4/gallon that's an annual savings of $636. It would take anywhere from 5 to 8 years to recover the additional cost of the hybrid over it's non hybrid counterpart. And double that if gas remains at $2 or less or if you drive significantly less than 15k/yr. Drive a hybrid because you want to and stop trying to rationalize them as being cheaper.
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Replying to: akirby (Jan 06, 2009 8:12 am) Quoted from an LA Times article a couple of years ago: Pull out your calculators. Let's say I was interested in a 2006 Honda Civic because, well, I am and I was debating between the sedan and the hybrid. With a navigation system, the hybrid costs $23,350; a similarly equipped Civic EX sedan costs $20,560. The hybrid premium equals $2,790. The combined fuel economy of the non-hybrid is 35 mpg; the hybrid, 50 mpg, a theoretical difference of 15 mpg. In five years of average driving (15,000 miles per year), I would save 643 gallons, or $1,929 (assuming a gas price of $3 per gallon), with the hybrid. Combined with the current tax deduction (a savings of $580 in my tax bracket) I recoup 90% of the hybrid premium in five years. If I were to buy the Honda Civic hybrid in January 2006, the numbers look even better. The federal tax deduction becomes a credit worth $2,100. Combined with my fuel savings I actually come out about $1,200 ahead. Many times it just depends on how you do the math. I personally would rather pollute less and pay more for the vehicle up front and then pay less in fuel costs and be insulated from high gas prices in the future. Many buyers have that same idea. To quote your last post and add pertinent info to it: "It would take anywhere from 5 to 8 years to recover the additional cost of the hybrid over it's non hybrid counterpart. And in the meantime, you are paying squat for gasoline costs." Hybrids are not magic, are not the silver bullet, are not perfect, etc etc. But as far as most bang for your gasoline buck, they are surpassed only by the cheapest econobox cars. And lastly, they are just SUPER COOL, dude !!! |
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Some of the standard info for the Milian: MECHANICAL: Alternator 150 Amp Battery Low Maintenance 60-Amp Brakes 4-wheel Disc Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) Drivetrain Front Wheel Drive (FWD) �� Engine 2.5L I4 Engine Fuel Tank 17.5 Gallon Steering Variable Assist Power Steering, Rack and Pinion �� Transmission 6-Speed Manual Transmission EXTERIOR: Door Handles Body Color Exhaust Dual Chrome Tips Front License Plate Bracket (Included In States Requiring Front License Plates) Glass Solar Tinted Grille Satin Aluminum Headlamps Bi-Functional Halogen Mirrors Body Colored Caps with Black Housing Power Adjustable, Heated Fixed Review Mirrors with Security Approach Lamps Molding Bright Beltline Molding Tail-lamps LED Tires Wheels/Tires 16" Aluminum Wheel P205/60R16 All-Season Spare T145/80D16 Mini-Spare and Steel Wheel INTERIOR/COMFORT: Assist Handles 2 Front and 2 Rear, Located In Headliner Chime Safety Belt Reminder, Headlamp On, Door Open, Key In Ignition Climate Control Cabin Air Filter Climate Control Single Zone Manual Consoles Front Row Center with 2 Tier Armrest Storage Overhead with Maplight and Sunglass Holder Cup Holders 6 Total Door Locks Power Illumination Dome Lamp with Map Lights 1st and 2nd Row Instrument Cluster with Message Center Mirror Day/Night Interior Rearview Pedals Fixed Power Points 2, 12V, Located In Front of Vehicle Seats 1st Row 6-Way Power Driver Seat with Manual Lumbar 1st Row 4-Way Manual Passenger Seat with Manual Lumbar 2nd Row 60/40, Spring-Assisted, Split Bench with Center Armrest and 2 Cupholders (Non Hybrid Seat) Premium Cloth Seating Surfaces Shifter Knob Soft Feel �� Steering Wheel Leather Wrapped Manual Tilt/Telescoping Speed Control and Secondary Audio Controls |
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Couple of questons. I wonder why the MKZ does not have a camera? What is the blind spot info system and cross traffic alert? Will SIRUS/XM really go out of business this year? They are on the corporate death watch list. What do folks think of the capless fuel cap? I would hope that at least the outside access panel locks. FUNCTIONAL �� New: Available Sony Audio System with 12 Speakers Available BLIS (Blind Spot Information System) with Cross Traffic Alert Easy Fuel (Capless Refueling) Available Rear-View Camera Available Voice-activated Navigation System In-dash screen and Single DVD/CD/MP3 Player, DVD-audio, DVD-video capability. Internal hard disk drive for map, POI storage and 10 GB Music Jukebox and Integrated SIRIUSฎ Travel Link. Includes 6-Month Pre-Paid Subscription (48 Continuous States). Service Not Available In AK/HI Changed: Available Mercury SYNCฎ Voice-activated Communications and Entertainment System includes 911 assist and vehicle health report PACKAGES �� New: Driver's Vision Package o BLIS (Blind Spot Information System) with Cross Traffic Alert o Rear-View Camera (in Rearview Mirror unless Navigation is ordered
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What difference, if any, is there between the two? It's too bad the MKZ won't have the hybrid.
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Replying to: texases (Jan 06, 2009 9:30 am) Just recently it came to me here in DC over the past few weeks with everyone on vacation and less cars on the road. For the first time that I can remember the sky was full of stars. It was beautiful and then it dawned on me how much our vehicles are polluting the air we breath. I no longer car about powerful engines etc. Give me a non-carbon based (as close as possible) product. Did anyone see the video on the car powered by water?
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Replying to: larsb (Jan 06, 2009 8:50 am)
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Replying to: bigt (Jan 06, 2009 9:43 am) Why is it hard to believe? The Fusion and Milan are almost identical except for minor styling differences. The price of a similarly equipped (key words) Fusion and Milan have always been within a couple of hundred dollars. No reason to expect different with the 2010 models - hybrid or otherwise. |
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Replying to: texases (Jan 06, 2009 9:30 am) |
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