2007 Ford Fusion 200,000K evaluation

[simple_gifts]

Originally Posted By: JTK
Didn't Ford market this car to compete with the Camry and Accord? They did a good job for once IMO.


It also, at one time, was available with a MT.

 

[tig1]

Originally Posted By: KrisZ
Very nice

Except the two water pumps, which seems like perhaps a defective part or improper installation, or just plain bad luck, everything else is normal and the list is quite short.

I replaced the factory pump at 88K and again at 195K. I bought the first pump at O'Rielly's for $33 and the 2n/d was a freebie from them. Not that hard to replace. I would like to drive this car for another 50-100K, but we'll see.

 

[CT8]

I has a 92 Toyota pick up and in the 116,000 miles before being rear ended when parked I replaced the water pump 3 times. Once under warranty and twice myself using Aisen water pumps from the dealer. They went out at about 55,000 miles and the cam belt had a 60,000 mile change interval !

 

[tig1]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27
Ford apparently got this car just right.
This is a real testament to the quality of Ford's US offerings. I doubt that any car from any maker would have done better.
It's also hard to argue with your use of Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy. While I've chided you in various threads about Mobil 1 versus other brands, it's clear that the oil has performed well for you on longish drains.
How long will you keep this old dear?

Of course I only use Mobil 1 oils from top to bottom. For 39 years now Mobil 1 has performed well in all my engines over the years. No need to shop around and try to improve on that record. I have shone this a couple of times lately, but this was when I changed the VC gasket at about 195K.

 

[tig1]

My wife and I will be leaving for Florida this coming Wednesday for two weeks. We have family in Gainesville. This will be the 21st trip there in the Fusion. Also one trip to Maine five years ago. We may make that drive again this coming summer.

 

[fdcg27]

Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
Originally Posted By: JTK
Didn't Ford market this car to compete with the Camry and Accord? They did a good job for once IMO.


It also, at one time, was available with a MT.


We test drove a used stick four cylinder Fusion a couple of years ago. This was a 70K car and the clutch and shifter seemed pretty good. The four cylinder did not seem to be as refined as our K24, but then the K24 isn't as refined as any of the older timing belt driven cam Honda fours we've had over the years either.
Overall, the Fusion seemed decent enough and a used Fusion is a whole lot cheaper than a similar Accord or Camry. Given the experiences of tig and other posters in this thread, the Fusion seems quite capable of delivering many miles of pretty trouble free use, so it would be a better buy for the money than an Accord or Camry.
Never thought I'd say that of any Ford, but times do change.

 

[tig1]

I've been driving Fords for 30 years and have never had a bad one. Of course Fords are not perfect, and do require up-keep, as does any vehicle. I have never had a trans fail or engine for that matter.

 

[fdcg27]

Our one and only new Ford was a '97 Aerostar that we bought in August of that year, by which time the last of the breed had left the line in St. Louis.
In the 13 years and ~175K that we drove it, the only actual repairs it ever needed were replacement of the starter (easy to do and not too costly) and the outer tie rod ends (cheap and easy).
It never let us down and was used on many long trips including one in early winter to South Florida with Rotella 5W-40 in the sump on which we saw a best-ever tank average of a hair under 25 mpg.
A good machine even if not terribly refined.
I did buy a 70K '94 E350 at auction a couple of years back for $900.00. It has needed a starter (pretty cheap and easy) as well as a number of brake lines (cheap but not that easy; age and OH winters). Overall, a good old machine that was apparently built Ford tough, LOL.
Were I seriously looking at a new American brand car, I don't think I'd look beyond a Ford product.

 

[Diesel16]

Originally Posted By: tig1
Originally Posted By: sirgerman
Originally Posted By: tig1
The Fusion turned 200K today. This car has been the most reliable vehicle I have ever owned. I change oil every 10K using Mobil 1 0w20 Advanced Fuel Economy, and the engine uses no oil between changes. Engine and trans(drain and fill every 30K with Mobil 1 ATF) perform as well now as when I bought the car with 38K. Few parts have been replaced. No rattles and car handles very well.

Parts:
2 water pumps
Front and rear brake pads
Only suspension parts replaced was one front strut
One air pump and one sensor for fuel evap system
Replaced one panel on the front drivers seat
Replaced the accessory belt and tensioner pulley
Replaced the engine coolant thermostat
Replaced a sensor for the AC
Replaced the VC gasket



what is the VC gasket ? can you be more specific on the panel ?

I have the same car, what is the gas millage ?

Valve Cover gasket. This is the 2.4 I4. I get about 24-26 local and about 31-
33 Interstate.


Ford never made the Fusion with a 2.4 I4 that I know of. It only came with a 2.3 I4 and a 2.5 I4 from what I remember and now they come with the 1.5, 1.6, 2.0, 2.5 and 2.7 four cylinder motor.

 

[tig1]

Originally Posted By: Diesel16
Originally Posted By: tig1
Originally Posted By: sirgerman
Originally Posted By: tig1
The Fusion turned 200K today. This car has been the most reliable vehicle I have ever owned. I change oil every 10K using Mobil 1 0w20 Advanced Fuel Economy, and the engine uses no oil between changes. Engine and trans(drain and fill every 30K with Mobil 1 ATF) perform as well now as when I bought the car with 38K. Few parts have been replaced. No rattles and car handles very well.

Parts:
2 water pumps
Front and rear brake pads
Only suspension parts replaced was one front strut
One air pump and one sensor for fuel evap system
Replaced one panel on the front drivers seat
Replaced the accessory belt and tensioner pulley
Replaced the engine coolant thermostat
Replaced a sensor for the AC
Replaced the VC gasket



what is the VC gasket ? can you be more specific on the panel ?

I have the same car, what is the gas millage ?

Valve Cover gasket. This is the 2.4 I4. I get about 24-26 local and about 31-
33 Interstate.


Ford never made the Fusion with a 2.4 I4 that I know of. It only came with a 2.3 I4 and a 2.5 I4 from what I remember and now they come with the 1.5, 1.6, 2.0, 2.5 and 2.7 four cylinder motor.


TYPO!! 2.3

 

[tig1]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27
Our one and only new Ford was a '97 Aerostar that we bought in August of that year, by which time the last of the breed had left the line in St. Louis.
In the 13 years and ~175K that we drove it, the only actual repairs it ever needed were replacement of the starter (easy to do and not too costly) and the outer tie rod ends (cheap and easy).
It never let us down and was used on many long trips including one in early winter to South Florida with Rotella 5W-40 in the sump on which we saw a best-ever tank average of a hair under 25 mpg.
A good machine even if not terribly refined.
I did buy a 70K '94 E350 at auction a couple of years back for $900.00. It has needed a starter (pretty cheap and easy) as well as a number of brake lines (cheap but not that easy; age and OH winters). Overall, a good old machine that was apparently built Ford tough, LOL.
Were I seriously looking at a new American brand car, I don't think I'd look beyond a Ford product.


I'm sure your 97 Aerostar had the 3.0 V6. I had a 91 Ford Ranger with that engine with the five speed stick. Between me and my son(late in it's life I gave it to him)we put 354K on it and the VC's were never removed. Mobil 1 10w30 was used by me and him. I did 10K OCIs and my son did 10-15K OCIs. When sold the engine was still quite and ran great, with no increase in oil consumption over the 354K, and still no sign of engine wear.

 

[Artem]

Originally Posted By: tig1
Originally Posted By: Artem
Originally Posted By: tig1
The Fusion turned 200K today. This car has been the most reliable vehicle I have ever owned. I change oil every 10K using Mobil 1 0w20 Advanced Fuel Economy, and the engine uses no oil between changes. Engine and trans(drain and fill every 30K with Mobil 1 ATF)



tig, surely you must tell us the secret engine drain n fill every 30k with automatic transmission fluid that you've been doing all these years. Seems to be working well for you and I'd like to maybe implement it into my maintenance routine as well. I want my beater to make it to 200k like yours...

Like I said I do a drain(pan has a factory drain plug)every 30K and every 60K I drop the pan and change the filter. Even though Mobil 1 ATF is not on the OK list for my Fusion(FNR-5)that's what I use and the trans upshifts and downshifts great.

What on earth possessed you to use a non approved transmission fluid? How are you not scared that it will ruin the transmission?

 

[tig1]

Originally Posted By: Artem
Originally Posted By: tig1
Originally Posted By: Artem
Originally Posted By: tig1
The Fusion turned 200K today. This car has been the most reliable vehicle I have ever owned. I change oil every 10K using Mobil 1 0w20 Advanced Fuel Economy, and the engine uses no oil between changes. Engine and trans(drain and fill every 30K with Mobil 1 ATF)



tig, surely you must tell us the secret engine drain n fill every 30k with automatic transmission fluid that you've been doing all these years. Seems to be working well for you and I'd like to maybe implement it into my maintenance routine as well. I want my beater to make it to 200k like yours...

Like I said I do a drain(pan has a factory drain plug)every 30K and every 60K I drop the pan and change the filter. Even though Mobil 1 ATF is not on the OK list for my Fusion(FNR-5)that's what I use and the trans upshifts and downshifts great.

What on earth possessed you to use a non approved transmission fluid? How are you not scared that it will ruin the transmission?

LOL!! Actually when I started using Mobil 1 ATF in the Fusion it was rated for the Mazda MV transmission fluid. The same as the Ford FNR-5 fluid. It's all in whatever name you want to call it. Later M1 dropped the Mazda rating along with many others because of the testing requirements they had to complete. I called Mobil tech and they told me the ATF hadn't changed and it would be fine to continue using. I did, and you can see the results I have had.

 

[Diesel16]

Lol. I figured it was a typo after I had posted my response tig1.

 

[fonecord2]

Thanks for sharing Tig.I just sold my fusion to my niece with 115k. It's still running like new!

 

[dwcopple]

Our '07 V6 AWD with Aisin trans was incredible. Too bad the PTU for the AWD is the weak link and costs a friggin' fortune to fix or we'd still be driving it. Great car.

 

[roadrunner1]

We had an '06 with the V6 & Aisin trans, sold it to my daughter and it currently has over 150,000 mi. with no major repairs. The only thing I can think of was drivers window regulator.

 

[sirgerman]

Is the fusion based on a Mazda car ?

 

[tig1]

Originally Posted By: sirgerman
Is the fusion based on a Mazda car ?
That was when Ford and Mazda were joined together. Even the Mazda pick up was a Ranger built at the same plant.

 

[HM12460]

A good job and well done Tig. I use all Mobil 1 products in my vehicle's also with good results. Not especially brand loyal anymore, but if I had to bet, I'm thinking the Mustang will outlast the Trailblazer.