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Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan



  • jeffyscottjeffyscott Posts: 3,855
    Even in their own road test, they got 39 mpg in the Fusion hybrid.
  • jaxs1jaxs1 Posts: 2,697
    They are only standard on the SEL,.
    Is there any way to retrofit it to an SE without spending so much money that you are better off just buying the SEL?
  • The Ford dealers will really bargain on price.
    Get yourself the SEL for the price of the SE.
    Take this car for a long test drive before you buy. The car drives great (V6) but the center arm rest is way too low and I find it uncomfortable on a drive over 20 minutes.
  • dmathews3dmathews3 Posts: 1,739
    The arm rest position depends on your height. For me I have the power seat all the way down as I'm 6'3" and find the arm rest at the right height. I just don't know how you can design it at the perfect height for everyone. My guess is they have data on a large slection of peoples sizes and make it fit the masses. I could be tall with long legs, short torso with long or shorter arms, anyway you get the picture. Sorry it don't fit you but I love my Hybrid.
  • jeffyscottjeffyscott Posts: 3,855
    In our VW the center armrest height is adjustable, so that would be one way to make it fit more people.

    The position would, I think, not really depend directly on your height, but rather the seat height position you choose and the length of your arms. Of course a way to effectively adjust the height of the arm rest is to adjust the seat height.
  • That is a really good idea to lower my seat. I will try that.
    I am 5'10" but the center rest seems to be 2" too low and 2" to far back. I drive a VW Passat also and the center arm rest is perfect. I know I will get used to it but I'm not enjoying the neck ache I get on longer drives.
  • acdiiacdii Posts: 753
    I remember reading in one of these where people are complaining that the RV mirror doesn't dim enough, I have the fix for it, and it doesn't involve rotating the mirror 180 degrees upside down. Get a small piece of 35% window tint and cover the front light sensor on the mirror, the one facing forward. This will fix the problem permanently. The front light sensor is too sensitive to light, even twilight will keep it from dimming. By tinting the sensor it continues to work in the day time, but when it gets dark out, it will start to dim, and when night out, will reach full dim where all you see are the headlights in the mirror.
  • koho955koho955 Posts: 97
    My rear view mirror dims perfectly as soon as bright lights appear behind me. The darkness is just right....really dark when it needs to be. Why would there be a light sensor facing forward if the lights you are worried about are behind you?
    I do wish they would come out with an automatic dimming side view mirror!!!
  • xmechxmech Posts: 90
    I've noticed especially when it's foggy/rainy and all the fog is illuminated from the streetlights and other cars, my rearview hardly dims. Must think it's daytime. I'll try the tint idea. (THX!)
  • jeffyscottjeffyscott Posts: 3,855

    If you don't already do so, you might try adjusting side mirrors as suggested here: -mirrors-correctly.html

    "For the driver's side mirror: Place the side of your head against the window, then adjust the mirror until the side of your vehicle comes into view. For the passenger's side mirror: While sitting in the driver's seat, lean to the right so that your head is in the car's centerline. Adjust the mirror until the side of your vehicle comes into view."

    With them set for a wider view like that, I've found that, in addition to nearly eliminating the blind spots, there is much less glare from side mirrors. I don't get glare from the headlights of cars that are directly behind me, I only get it on multi-lane roads from car in the other lane and that is usually only a transient thing that happens as they pass me or I pass them.
  • acdiiacdii Posts: 753
    That's how all my mirrors are set. There are some [non-permissible content removed] drivers in Dodge pickups that like to ride on the center line so their light, which is focused at the exact same height as the mirrors on the Fusion are hitting the mirrors, and unless I turn the mirror to face the road, the light still hits my face. I had one asshat deliberately try to blind me. He was behind me and the further toward the center line I got, the more he would move over. At one point I was on the line, he was in the next lane. Thankfully I found an opening to pass the guy in front of me, and took it, and he couldn't pass in time so he was no longer behind me. My mirrors are set so that I can see the entire left and right lanes, so if I want to see who is directly behind me I need to lean to the right or left, and I seldom use the middle mirror. After years of driving trucks, which don't have middle mirrors, I got so used to using the sides, that I forget its there, until someone blinds me.
  • desgnrdesgnr Posts: 19
    Anyone install a cigarette lighter in there 2010 Milan ?
  • acdiiacdii Posts: 753
    I don't see a reason why it wouldn't work, I don't think the keys were changed for the 2010. It is just a door/ignition key though, wont work as a remote.
  • jeffyscottjeffyscott Posts: 3,855
    The key will still, I assume, require programming (at substantial additional cost :) ) in order to start the car.

    Maybe find a locksmith, they can often make a spare transponder key for less than dealers charge.
  • acdiiacdii Posts: 753
    If you have two working keys, you can program it yourself, instructions are in the owners manual.
  • desgnrdesgnr Posts: 19
    I live in Pennsylvania.
    It is winter & there is stuff in the street,looks like salt from the plow trucks.
    I wash my car & the next day it is covered with dirt that looks like sand.
    I never noticed this in previous winters.
    Possible because i had a White car until this November when i purchased a Tuxedo Black Metallic Mercury Milan Premier
    Any suggestions to keep it clean until spring when i can get a coat of wax on it.
    No i don't have a garage.
  • acdiiacdii Posts: 753
    Just keep it washed. In the spring before waxing it, claybar the car with Dawn in a spray bottle. Just a few drops in an average bottle will do. This will remove anything left over after washing from the winter, and also rail dust from transporting the car from Mexico.

    Something I highly suggest from years of experience, get some Zaino and use that instead of wax, you will appreciate it after the first winter when the car cleans off nicely. Wax degrades over time and dulls the finish, and has to be removed periodically or it builds up and leave the finish looking rather blah. Zaino doesn't build up since it goes on very thin, and isn't a wax. Check it out when you have time.
  • jeffyscottjeffyscott Posts: 3,855
    Dark colors do look worse in winter. The light colored salt spray grime does not show as much on white (but other stuff does all year round). I don't like it as a car color at all, but the best all around non-dirt showing color seems to be tan.

    I don't worry too much about keeping cars clean myself. I certainly never do any waxing and don't really even wash my car...other than the free ones the dealer gives with an oil change. But, if we get a relatively warm day in winter I will sometimes just hose it off, so it is not quite so grimy looking. If you have hard water, this may not turn out too good, though. We have a hose bib set up with softened water available, so I can just hose the car off to get rid of the major filth and be left with very minimal water spots.
  • Just an FYI about salt on your car. Salt has no bad effects on the finish of your car as long as the temps are below 29 degrees. It's when the temps rise above that when salt does the most most damage. Go to a quality car wash where the car is rinsed thoroughly to remove the sand and grime before the brushes go to work on your paint!
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