Just to re-iterate though, it's a personal preference. Everyone has their tipping points. I've just explained my preference by making an observation about the vehicle. Personally, a hood stick is enough to keep me from buying a car.
Friend's mom just bought a new 2010 Ford fusion
- Thread starter Nick R
- Start date
- Status
Originally Posted By: cchase
Hood struts are kind of a pain, in my opinion. I've had to replace them on vehicles before, and they aren't cheap.
The hood struts on my Xj12 went soft after about a decade, so I went to Auto Zone and got a couple of exact replacements for about fifteen bucks each. If they're inexpensive for a Jaguar, I can't see why they would be very expensive for a Ford (or Lincoln).
Replacement takes a flat blade screwdriver, and about a minute each.
Now that I think about, my little S-10 has a prop rod. It's definitely a cheap truck.
Hood struts are kind of a pain, in my opinion. I've had to replace them on vehicles before, and they aren't cheap.
The hood struts on my Xj12 went soft after about a decade, so I went to Auto Zone and got a couple of exact replacements for about fifteen bucks each. If they're inexpensive for a Jaguar, I can't see why they would be very expensive for a Ford (or Lincoln).
Replacement takes a flat blade screwdriver, and about a minute each.
Now that I think about, my little S-10 has a prop rod. It's definitely a cheap truck.
Originally Posted By: Jason2007
I just got a 2010 Ford Fusion SE w/Sport App. Package. It has all the bodywork and suspension of the Sport w/18" wheels but it has the 2.5 4cyl and unique interior trim. Very sporty and fun car. Love driving it, very responsive and peppy.
Congrats on your purchase, the Fusion is a nice looking car.
I just got a 2010 Ford Fusion SE w/Sport App. Package. It has all the bodywork and suspension of the Sport w/18" wheels but it has the 2.5 4cyl and unique interior trim. Very sporty and fun car. Love driving it, very responsive and peppy.
Congrats on your purchase, the Fusion is a nice looking car.
Wow.....This place really is the biggest collection of anal retentive, OCD nit pickers I've ever experienced. A hood prop rod is now a deal breaker for some around here? I guess it really is a compliment, isn't it, I mean can you guys come up with any REAL complaints or is the hood prop the end all be all of your complaint list with the Fusion? Unbelievable!
If Toyota used prop rods, it would be a smart use of funds to divert quality elsewhere....With Ford it just "screams cheap"...Whatever.
To the OP, congrats on a great new car. Hopefully you will enjoy years of trouble free service with your new Ford. Despite the cheap hood prop rod.....lol
If Toyota used prop rods, it would be a smart use of funds to divert quality elsewhere....With Ford it just "screams cheap"...Whatever.
To the OP, congrats on a great new car. Hopefully you will enjoy years of trouble free service with your new Ford. Despite the cheap hood prop rod.....lol
Originally Posted By: LS2JSTS
Wow.....This place really is the biggest collection of anal retentive, OCD nit pickers I've ever experienced. A hood prop rod is now a deal breaker for some around here? I guess it really is a compliment, isn't it, I mean can you guys come up with any REAL complaints or is the hood prop the end all be all of your complaint list with the Fusion? Unbelievable!
If Toyota used prop rods, it would be a smart use of funds to divert quality elsewhere....With Ford it just "screams cheap"...Whatever.
To the OP, congrats on a great new car. Hopefully you will enjoy years of trouble free service with your new Ford. Despite the cheap hood prop rod.....lol
What EXACTLY did you expect to find here in a site dedicated to the fine points of a mysterious, viscous fluid we can NEVER see in action, and yet, is critical to our dear engines' survival? ? ?
Wow.....This place really is the biggest collection of anal retentive, OCD nit pickers I've ever experienced. A hood prop rod is now a deal breaker for some around here? I guess it really is a compliment, isn't it, I mean can you guys come up with any REAL complaints or is the hood prop the end all be all of your complaint list with the Fusion? Unbelievable!
If Toyota used prop rods, it would be a smart use of funds to divert quality elsewhere....With Ford it just "screams cheap"...Whatever.
To the OP, congrats on a great new car. Hopefully you will enjoy years of trouble free service with your new Ford. Despite the cheap hood prop rod.....lol
What EXACTLY did you expect to find here in a site dedicated to the fine points of a mysterious, viscous fluid we can NEVER see in action, and yet, is critical to our dear engines' survival? ? ?
Agreed, I'll own the OCD label to a certain degree myself. But at some point it just becomes counter productive...doesn't it?
I know I have to draw the line somewhere, or else it runs and ruins my life.....c'mon man a prop rod??
The two times the question has been asked about the trunk lid prop rod. I've wanted to post about my GTO with the heavy, heavy trunk lid. The thing barely pops open when you trip the solenoid....I wish it DID have a prop rod.....lol
I know I have to draw the line somewhere, or else it runs and ruins my life.....c'mon man a prop rod??
The two times the question has been asked about the trunk lid prop rod. I've wanted to post about my GTO with the heavy, heavy trunk lid. The thing barely pops open when you trip the solenoid....I wish it DID have a prop rod.....lol
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: LS2JSTS
The two times the question has been asked about the trunk lid prop rod. I've wanted to post about my GTO with the heavy, heavy trunk lid. The thing barely pops open when you trip the solenoid....I wish it DID have a prop rod.....lol
I have the same vehicle, as you know. The difference is once it's open, it stays open (also if you ditch the spoiler like I did, it opens up a lot easier). I don't know of any automatically lifting hoods, although it might be a nice feature.
The whole prop rod thing has gotten out of hand in this post, as the original topic was just the Fusion, and it's obviously not the only vehicle on the road with a prop rod.
But I find it hard to believe anyone can come up with a good argument over why a prop rod gives a feeling of more quality than a hood that can stay open on its own (via spring or strut) and for a similar price. This isn't just a sticking point with me, I have many friends and most of my family (extended included) who feel the same way about hood sticks and avoid vehicles for the same reason
The two times the question has been asked about the trunk lid prop rod. I've wanted to post about my GTO with the heavy, heavy trunk lid. The thing barely pops open when you trip the solenoid....I wish it DID have a prop rod.....lol
I have the same vehicle, as you know. The difference is once it's open, it stays open (also if you ditch the spoiler like I did, it opens up a lot easier). I don't know of any automatically lifting hoods, although it might be a nice feature.
The whole prop rod thing has gotten out of hand in this post, as the original topic was just the Fusion, and it's obviously not the only vehicle on the road with a prop rod.
But I find it hard to believe anyone can come up with a good argument over why a prop rod gives a feeling of more quality than a hood that can stay open on its own (via spring or strut) and for a similar price. This isn't just a sticking point with me, I have many friends and most of my family (extended included) who feel the same way about hood sticks and avoid vehicles for the same reason
Ford figures that the Fusion is such high quality and requires so little maintenance that you'll hardly have the chance to care about the prop stick...
Originally Posted By: Kaboomba
Ford figures that the Fusion is such high quality and requires so little maintenance that you'll hardly have the chance to care about the prop stick...
These days that is pretty well true with most vehicles/brands.
Check the fluids, change the oil, replace the spark plugs between 100-150k and that is about it.
Coolant, transmission and axle fluids not too often and with those, you get them from the bottom of the vehicle.
I don't mind prop rods. It certainly would not make me reject a vehicle.
Bill
Ford figures that the Fusion is such high quality and requires so little maintenance that you'll hardly have the chance to care about the prop stick...
These days that is pretty well true with most vehicles/brands.
Check the fluids, change the oil, replace the spark plugs between 100-150k and that is about it.
Coolant, transmission and axle fluids not too often and with those, you get them from the bottom of the vehicle.
I don't mind prop rods. It certainly would not make me reject a vehicle.
Bill
Originally Posted By: cchase
Originally Posted By: LS2JSTS
The two times the question has been asked about the trunk lid prop rod. I've wanted to post about my GTO with the heavy, heavy trunk lid. The thing barely pops open when you trip the solenoid....I wish it DID have a prop rod.....lol
I have the same vehicle, as you know. The difference is once it's open, it stays open (also if you ditch the spoiler like I did, it opens up a lot easier).
Hey, I forgot we both had a GTO. Did you lead your spoiler holes or just use the inserts? I've been thinking of taking mine off, you say the trunk does open properly once it is removed? Mine barely wants to stay open the way it is now....and I think it does look better without it.
Originally Posted By: LS2JSTS
The two times the question has been asked about the trunk lid prop rod. I've wanted to post about my GTO with the heavy, heavy trunk lid. The thing barely pops open when you trip the solenoid....I wish it DID have a prop rod.....lol
I have the same vehicle, as you know. The difference is once it's open, it stays open (also if you ditch the spoiler like I did, it opens up a lot easier).
Hey, I forgot we both had a GTO. Did you lead your spoiler holes or just use the inserts? I've been thinking of taking mine off, you say the trunk does open properly once it is removed? Mine barely wants to stay open the way it is now....and I think it does look better without it.
Originally Posted By: LS2JSTS
Hey, I forgot we both had a GTO. Did you lead your spoiler holes or just use the inserts? I've been thinking of taking mine off, you say the trunk does open properly once it is removed? Mine barely wants to stay open the way it is now....and I think it does look better without it.
Holes are welded and the trunk was repainted. It makes a noticeable difference in the weight of the trunk. It doesn't pop up but opening it is a lot easier.
I don't think I'd take the spoiler off just to make the trunk easier, I'd do it as an appearance mod. It's easy to take it off just to see "how you like it" with inserts and if you like it, get them welded shut.
As a sidenote, I just washed and waxed it and took it out for the first time in a while. Forgot how much I love driving it.
Hey, I forgot we both had a GTO. Did you lead your spoiler holes or just use the inserts? I've been thinking of taking mine off, you say the trunk does open properly once it is removed? Mine barely wants to stay open the way it is now....and I think it does look better without it.
Holes are welded and the trunk was repainted. It makes a noticeable difference in the weight of the trunk. It doesn't pop up but opening it is a lot easier.
I don't think I'd take the spoiler off just to make the trunk easier, I'd do it as an appearance mod. It's easy to take it off just to see "how you like it" with inserts and if you like it, get them welded shut.
As a sidenote, I just washed and waxed it and took it out for the first time in a while. Forgot how much I love driving it.
Originally Posted By: cchase
Originally Posted By: rudolphna
Why is the hood prop such a huge downer? Is it really so hard to put up the hood prop on the car?
I think it's a real cheap thing to do. It's not that hard to put a spring (at the very least) nor do I think it costs them significantly more but it gives the vehicle a greater sense of quality. It's inconvenient at best to hold a hood up while you orient a STICK to keep it up.
Imagine if your trunk needed a STICK to keep it open.
Haha... crazy... I couldn't care less about this argument and actually prefer the prop rods. The hood struts always go bad over time and you're left propping your hood up with that 50 cent piece of steel in the end anyways. Might as well start with it too.
Originally Posted By: rudolphna
Why is the hood prop such a huge downer? Is it really so hard to put up the hood prop on the car?
I think it's a real cheap thing to do. It's not that hard to put a spring (at the very least) nor do I think it costs them significantly more but it gives the vehicle a greater sense of quality. It's inconvenient at best to hold a hood up while you orient a STICK to keep it up.
Imagine if your trunk needed a STICK to keep it open.
Haha... crazy... I couldn't care less about this argument and actually prefer the prop rods. The hood struts always go bad over time and you're left propping your hood up with that 50 cent piece of steel in the end anyways. Might as well start with it too.
Originally Posted By: SLCraig
Originally Posted By: cchase
Originally Posted By: rudolphna
Why is the hood prop such a huge downer? Is it really so hard to put up the hood prop on the car?
I think it's a real cheap thing to do. It's not that hard to put a spring (at the very least) nor do I think it costs them significantly more but it gives the vehicle a greater sense of quality. It's inconvenient at best to hold a hood up while you orient a STICK to keep it up.
Imagine if your trunk needed a STICK to keep it open.
Haha... crazy... I couldn't care less about this argument and actually prefer the prop rods. The hood struts always go bad over time and you're left propping your hood up with that 50 cent piece of steel in the end anyways. Might as well start with it too.
Personal preference. I've never had nor heard of a spring failing though.
Originally Posted By: cchase
Originally Posted By: rudolphna
Why is the hood prop such a huge downer? Is it really so hard to put up the hood prop on the car?
I think it's a real cheap thing to do. It's not that hard to put a spring (at the very least) nor do I think it costs them significantly more but it gives the vehicle a greater sense of quality. It's inconvenient at best to hold a hood up while you orient a STICK to keep it up.
Imagine if your trunk needed a STICK to keep it open.
Haha... crazy... I couldn't care less about this argument and actually prefer the prop rods. The hood struts always go bad over time and you're left propping your hood up with that 50 cent piece of steel in the end anyways. Might as well start with it too.
Personal preference. I've never had nor heard of a spring failing though.
- Status
