Thursday, April 01, 2021

 

Back to the Fusion

A recap of my Fusion Sport's first six-months.

  Pirate Press         April 2021


On the Fusion's six-hour drive home from Georgia last October, I had plenty of time to formulate an attack plan for what needed to be done to bring it in line with my (admittedly) high standards. After all, a Ferrari, Corvette and 300-hp Saturn are tough acts to follow.


Obviously, the first thing I wanted to address was the standard maintenance items (which I assumed correctly) had been neglected. I also saw this on my Red Line, which had similar mileage as the Fusion (~30,000 miles) when I bought it. Typically, one-owner cars like my Saturn and Ford benefit from better upkeep than a car that's had multiple owners. But, it seems that if the original owner suspects they will be selling it soon, they deliberately avoid replacing the typical wear items in an effort to pass those expenses along to the dealer or new owner. And while this is morally reprehensible, it's nonetheless accepted as sacrosanct by sellers looking to squeeze as much perceived value from their trade-in as possible.

At Gary Yeoman's Ford in Daytona Beach where I bought my Red Line, they promised a "135 point safety check: The Service Department will check your vehicle to make sure components such as brakes, windshield wipers, lights and much more are in proper working order and that you won't experience any unexpected problems." This was typical, perfidious stealership rhetoric as not only did I receive a check-engine light before I even made it back to Mississippi that cost $635 to repair, but the tires were dry-rotted and worn, with one blowing out a year later. Additionally, the front axle was leaking, the windshield wipers were shot, and both air-filters and fuel filter were filthy and had never been changed. I can't imagine any legitimate "safety check" that excludes these essential items.

Thankfully, I was treated slightly better at Heritage Nissan when I bought the Fusion: It had brand-new OEM Goodyear Eagle RS-A tires, the wiper blades worked well (for the hurricane we drove through), and the oil was fresh. Unfortunately, the antifreeze and accompanying air filters were the worst I've ever seen, as if the ex-owner had driven up and down every dirt road in Georgia for the vehicle's entire 34,000 miles.. Heritage Nissan claims "We fully inspect the vehicles before we sell them to be confident that the vehicle is in great condition" but there's no way even a cursory glance of the coolant or filters should have passed muster.

It's hard to tell from the photo, but there was a frightening amount of sediment in the coolant tank. I've gone 100,000 miles in my vehicles and never seen antifreeze even remotely close to the muck present in the Fusion. In fact, I was so concerned that as soon as we got back to Mississippi, I called Estabrook Ford to arrange an immediate flush. They couldn't fit me in for several days, so I ended up taking it to Clark's Professional Car Care, an independent shop I've come to trust. Speaking with the owner Derek, he instantly arranged for me to bring it in and had it finished before lunch. The result was new coolant that looked clean enough to drink, although he wisely advised against it. 

Truthfully, I could have changed the fluid myself, but with the Fusion's cumbersome underbody tray and fragile plastic petcock, I didn't want to risk damaging it. Fortunately, replacing the engine air filter was much easier since I no longer had a supercharger in the way as I did with the Saturn. I was tempted to pick up a K&N filter for it, but after the issues with a K&N on our 2006 Freestyle and the damaged MAF sensor, I decided against it. 

The original engine air filter was a dingy orange color, both from the age and mileage. If not for the identical dimensions, I'd never have imagined that they were for the same car. 

But the cabin air filter was the absolute worst, with it hardly recognizable as ever originally being white. And further inspection revealed just how filthy it really was, with tons of dirt and crud jam-packed in every pleat.

     

I was largely pleased with the exterior cosmetics, aside from the ridiculously priapistic roof antenna. I've never been a fan of antennas, even going so far as to completely remove the one from my Saturn. For the Fusion, I looked at buying a custom, color-matched shark-fin style replacement, but it would have required prying off the factory one and gluing on the new one, which I was opposed to. Instead, I simply bought a "stubby" replacement that screwed onto the original base, but reduced the overall height by almost two-thirds. Even better, the mini-antennae only cost eight dollars and I received it in a couple days, versus $80 and four weeks for the aftermarket one. Best of all, my reception hasn't suffered one bit.

 
Yet even with aggressive 18" rubber and a stiffer suspension, the handling still felt a little soft compared to the grip I'd become accustomed to in the Red Line and Corvette. So, to combat that I ordered a Steeda Strut Tower Brace, which offers the most bang-for-the-buck and easiest installation of any performance part in my experience. For $100 and a 5-minute job, I know of nothing else that comes close!  


 
The other area where I felt the Fusion was lacking was in the factory exhaust, which despite the low-restriction mufflers exclusive to the Sport model, was still just too quiet for my taste. And while I really wanted some glorious long-tube headers to help the V6 exhale, I was dismayed to find that they weren't available at any price. And with Ford's deplorable decision to integrate the catalytic converters into the manifolds, I was effectively hamstrung from opening up the exhaust. In short, that left my only feasible modification as an aftermarket muffler system. 
 
And with only one brand available, it certainly helped narrow down my options, so I reluctantly picked up a MagnaFlow cat-back system. Curiously priced at $1,405.18, I wondered how they arrived at that unusual sum and if the extra 19 cents really made that much of a difference over pricing it at $1404.99? But I understood that it was shipping out of Canada, so maybe the foreign exchange rate was somehow to blame for the usual amount. 
 
Regardless, it was the most expensive exhaust system I've ever purchased, not counting the Ferrari's $5000 Fuchs Titanium muffler which (technically) came with the car. And I've certainly had some other esoteric exhaust choices over the years, such as Cherry Bombs on my 1990 Mustang GT, and an aluminum Thermal Research & Development system on my 1997 Saturn SC2. 
 
Interestingly, the MagnaFlow packaging states the exhaust is designed for "GM-Isuzu" with no mention of Ford whatsoever. The cross-compatibility with GM is plausible, but the Isuzu association is what's really perplexing as the brand hasn't been sold in North America in over a decade. Once again, it looks like it might have something to do with the Canadian market as Isuzu is thriving there.
 
 

The box was so big that I actually had to pick it up in my wife's SUV and fold down the rear seat so it would fit. Despite it's heavy and cumbersome nature, it was nonetheless packaged well with a plethora of protection to prevent the shiny stainless steel pipes from getting scratched up. Aside from the gleaming 4" exhaust tips, I lamented to Amanda that's it's a shame the entire exhaust is obscured during daily use since it's such a work of art.  

 
As with the radiator flush, I dropped it off at Clark's for the installation which I'd read was pretty basic and straight-forward. Befitting the premium nature of the system (all the exhaust hangers and such were already welded on) it was truly a bolt-on affair. Many reviewers stated they replaced it in their own garage or driveway without the benefit of a lift in an hour or less, so I though it should really be a piece of cake for Clark's with their lift and power tools. But as with my luck, they claim to have run into some issues which really drove the labor up, costing me a whopping $375 to install it!   

And as if that wasn't painful enough, I'm just not a big fan of the new exhaust tone. MagnaFlow advertises a "Smooth Deep Tone" yet it's nothing like I imagined. Granted, it's definitely better than the stock system, but still way too muted for my liking. It's pretty disappointing considering the time and money I invested into it. To "correct" the perceived lack of sound, many owners have resorted to gutting the cats and replacing the MagnaFlow resonator with a straight pipe. I'm not going that route as I fear it will make the exhaust sound too raspy, but strangely enough, I'm enjoying my first daily driver in 30 years with catalytic converters. Although my eco-friendly decision is unlikely to offset rising ocean levels, I certainly don't miss the noxious fumes or having to constantly clear the check engine light. 
 
At Christmas, I bought a kit from Steeda that  hyperbolically claimed to be the "Ultimate Induction Power Pak." For $669.95, it included a Cold Air Intake, Throttle Body Spacer, SCT X4 handheld programmer and a "Mail Order Custom Tune." But using the word's "Mail Order" and "Custom" in the same sentence is about as legit as claiming "Real Faux Pearls." It was basically a generic canned tune since I couldn't do any data-logging or use a wide-band 02 sensor. Even worse, several forum members came forward stating that aftermarket tunes had been responsible for cam phaser issues which effectively grenaded their engines. That and the pricey requirement for 93 octane (now almost $4/gal.) thoroughly ruined my enthusiasm for using it. Likewise for the Cold Air Intake, which was said to fit poorly and actually perform worse than the factory airbox. Finally, there was no proof that the Throttle Body Spacer actually did anything, so I sold the entire kit. 
 
 
 
But clearly for most people the Fusion already provides more than enough power and handling. It's 3.5-liter V6 is one of the largest you can buy in a production car, and imparts a near 50/50 formula of  low-end torque (249 lb-ft.) and high-rpm horsepower (265). Just ask my daughter (with her freshly printed Learner's Permit) who inadvertently gunned it merging onto the highway without realizing the engine's responsiveness. God bless Ford's AdvanceTrak Electronic Stability Control (ESC) or it could have been a lot worse than us simply ending up in the oncoming lane.
 
 
Perhaps for reasons such as teenage drivers, ESC cannot be turned off, but Traction Control (TC) can. Disabling TC produces a livelier, far more fun version of the Fusion, like Miley Cyrus on Molly. It enthusiastically spins the beefy 18" front tires and with the Variable Valve Timing (VVT) eagerly surges ahead as the tach rips past 4500rpm. Max power is achieved at 6250 and the six-speed auto upshifts at the 6500 redline. Or choose the SelectShift manual mode, and the tach will impressively bounce off the rev-limiter until the next gear is chosen. And while it does keep the engine near peak output, it's certainly not recommended if longevity is a concern.

Of course, the Fusion isn't a one-dimensional car like my Ferrari or Corvette which looked great but were terrible to drive, and I suppose that's why I've become so enamored with it. As my daily driver, 95% of the time I just need something to safely and reliably ferry me to work and back without any drama. It's the other 5% that I get to exercise the "Sport" designation in the Fusion's name. Unfortunately, leaving my job at the same time as the Drug Task Force agents and the Sheriff' Deputies means I need to be on my best behavior. Despite that, the patrol cars are easy to spot and they usually drive faster than me. Likewise, the Task Force trucks try so hard to be incognito that the reverse happens and they're pretty unmistakable with their all-black paint jobs and (ironically) illegally tinted windows. 

However, there have been a couple instances where I've been able to "exercise" the Fusion and ensure that all 265 ponies are present and pulling. The first was a Hyundai Genesis 2.0 Turbo Coupe that I was behind as we waited to turn onto Highway 63. I figured he might mistake my Fusion for the slower four-cylinder variant (which is what I've encountered myself) and try to leave me in his dust.  When the light turned green, we both rolled out and I promptly moved into the right lane so I could pass him. But judging from the wide-open wail of his exhaust and his acceleration, it was clear that he was racing and I was having to play catch up. In spite of my initial car-length deficit, the Fusion's V6 was noticeably making more power and I was steadily gaining on him. By 80 mph, I had run him down and was passing him when he suddenly hit the brakes. In street racing parlance, we call this type of cowardly forfeiture "the loser's weasel" because he was attempting to squirm his way out of a confrontation that he irrefutably lost. And when I looked it up later I saw why— his turbocharged four-cylinder was only rated for 210 hp, a deficit of over 50 hp compared to my Fusion. And given nearly equal curb weights of 3,300 lbs., he wasn't going to win even with an unfair head start. To put that difference in perspective, my Fusion is a full-second faster to 60 mph, 3 seconds faster to 100 mph, and a whopping 10 seconds faster to 130 mph! Heck, at that rate I don't blame him for giving up!

The second race was much more improbable, but not that unlikely given the local rednecks' fondness for full-size trucks. Admittedly, I'm not much on knowing specific models of trucks, other than recognizing that it was a big, newer-model Dodge. Unbelievably, as I sat at the same traffic light where I had raced the Genesis, this grinning hillbilly began revving his engine and scooting closer and closer toward the intersection. He was undoubtedly attempting to bait me into a race and I was more than happy to oblige! 

At least this time I was side-by-side with my opponent so it was on a more level playing field. And as the light changed, we both tentatively pulled across the intersection. I was waiting until my front tires were pointed straight ahead before I applied full throttle. Ford's traction control is mildly effective, but it's certainly no limited-slip differential when attempting to put the power down in a curve. With 17-inch tires on my Saturn, I was accustomed to excessive wheel spin and I felt the Fusion's 18-inch rubber would mitigate that issue. However, it appears that 19-inch wheels are now what I need, even though that size was previously reserved for super cars like the $250,000 Ferrari California I drove in New Orleans.

But once we had circumnavigated the traffic median and I was pointed straight ahead, I smoothly squeezed the throttle down, hoping not to break traction. Painting twin black strips down the highway in an acrid haze of tire smoke looks mightily impressive in the movies, but in the real world it's anathema to acceleration. Or like they say at drag strips, "Spinning ain't Winning!"

Unfortunately, Ford's programming of the six-speed transmission tends to err on the conservative side, favoring fuel economy and reliability over optimized shift points, so it can be a little lazy at times and this happened to be one of those occasions.  As such, it was like starting a race in second gear, which is essentially what happened. Even so, we were dead even until around 60 mph when the Dodge's Everest-like aerodynamics really came into play and it began to struggle with the exponentially increasing wind-resistance. By 80 mph, he was several car-lengths back and I felt confident in tapping my brake lights to signal that I was slowing down. In a perfect world where I wouldn't have to worry about possible incarceration or vehicle impoundment, I would have happily sailed up to 100 mph or more, thereby heaping even more humiliation upon him. Of course, even though I let off, he continued to roar past me in a petulant display of defiance. But, he only succeeded in getting hemmed in by traffic further ahead, whereby I joyfully passed him again (legally this time) leaving me to ask "Who's smilin' now, buddy?"

Another race improbably took place just as I was starting my day. I had puttered to the end of my street and was waiting to pull onto Hwy 63. There's always a speeding glut of morning commuters so I'm accustomed to having a delay until it's clear. I spotted an oncoming maroon truck in the first lane with his blinker on so I figured he was turning at my road which isn't uncommon. Based on that knowledge, I went ahead and pulled out only to discover that he wasn't turning. Furthermore, Bubba incorrectly believed that I would slow him down so he swerved into the second lane with the idea of blowing past me. Much to his chagrin, that didn't happen as I kept the accelerator pedal firmly pinned to the floor. With the transmission redlining at 6500rpm in first and second gear, I had matched his speed just as he drew alongside. But rather than acknowledging his misconception about me, he furiously attempted to pass. Nonchalantly, I continued to keep the throttle buried until I saw an indicated 95 mph and he was a couple car lengths astern. I then calmly let off, broadcasting the notion that I begin everyday by casually hitting 95 mph as I pull onto the highway. The four doors and sedan body are very effective at this ruse, as no one expects it to be as quick as it is. And believe me, it works even better than a Starbucks Tripleshot at waking me up! 

Finally, the most exciting race was with a 2013-era Mustang V6. It could have been a 2014 model, as both sported the LED headlights and tail lamps, but I couldn't tell for sure. What I was certain about was that it possessed a similar, albeit larger and more powerful version of the V6 in my own car. At 3.7 liters and 305 horsepower, it had a 40hp advantage, but was also around 200 lbs heavier. I initially hadn't intended to race him, but after he needlessly and aggressively flew around me, I decided that he had earned a serving of humble pie!

From his belligerent passing maneuver, it was also clear that he was sporting some type of obnoxiously loud aftermarket exhaust. However, given the clearly neglected condition of the car, I confidently concluded that it was most likely some cheap mufflers instead of a premium cat-back system like mine. 

I was surprised to discover that his car was a six-speed manual, as he continuously revved it during our confrontation. The first two races were from 70mph+ highway rolls, and both times I pulled away from him so hard that I wondered if maybe he wasn't prepared or ready? But there would be no refuting our third and final race as I was stopped behind him at a traffic light. Once the light turned green, and we threaded our way through the traffic in front of us, we had an open four-lane and no excuses. I purposely let him get the hit, and then I followed suit, absolutely smashing the gas pedal to the floor. And while I've found that the Fusion's automatic six-speed can be reluctant at times (see above), this was not one of them, as it banged through the wide-open-throttle redline upshifts faster than I could have done it myself. 

In the heat of the moment, I saw the Fusion's glowing speedometer needle sweeping past 110 mph and I realized I needed to slow down immediately in case there was a State Trooper ahead. But that was the only alarming element, as from a mechanical standpoint the Fusion was absolutely rock-solid with no nervous characteristics. With it's huge rear-spoiler and ground-effects package, my Red Line produced more road-hugging downforce, but it was at the expense of aerodynamic drag. Checking the coast-down measurements of my Ford versus my Saturn, it's clear the Fusion possesses a much more slippery shape, and might actually accelerate quicker above 100 mph than the Red Line despite the power gap. I'll hopefully have an opportunity in the future whereby I can prudently poke the Fusion through 120 mph, much like like I did with the Corvette and Ferrari, to test its high-speed handling. And as for the Mustang, I later read that due to driveshaft failures, the V6 model is limited to 112 mph, so even though he was several car lengths behind, he would never have caught me. Aside from that, I'm at a loss to speculate why it didn't perform better.  

And while it wasn't as thrilling, I did drive the Fusion in the coldest weather I've ever experienced. Thanks to Winter Storm Uri, it was the chilliest Mardi Gras in history, breaking a record set back in 1893. The frigid temps also had a very pleasant side-effect, temporarily increasing my horsepower roughly 10% due to the denser air. Unfortunately, it seemed to coincide with a corresponding decrease in traction from the cold asphalt, which predictably nullified my ability to use said extra power. Even so, it spawned a delightful game of tug-of-war between my engine and ECM; Taking off from a standing start, the tires would begin to spin at 3000rpm wherein the computer would sense the slippage and begin to pull timing. However, I would keep my foot in it so that the engine was developing more power and I would let them fight it out. It produced a pretty amusing contest, although having the front wheels spin at 60 mph can be slightly unnerving.    

Lastly, I didn't realize it when I bought it, but it was satisfying to discover that the Fusion holds the Dollar-per-Horsepower crown of all my car purchases. My equation assigns a vehicle's value based on the price divided by the horsepower (i.e. the cheapest performance). New cars are traditionally terrible at this as a new 2021 Corvette commands roughly $200 per horsepower ($100,000 \ 495 HP). Sadly, my Ferrari boasted a similarly poor ratio, but there was nothing rational about it. However, my 2002 Corvette represented a much better investment at around just $35 per horsepower. The formula also bases the intrinsic value on the factory produced power, not any aftermarket amount, as that can be burdened by a variety of variables. For instance, my Red Line had 205 hp when I bought it, but was later modified to produce 310. Even factoring in the cost of the upgrades would still tremendously skew the overall Dollar\Horsepower rating. 


As for memorable events, I can also promise that my wife enjoyed her first ride in the Fusion much more so than in either the Ferrari or Corvette. Now, I'm fully aware how such a bold statement may be greeted with a healthy amount of skepticism. After all, we had a great dinner date in the Ferrari and saw a wonderful concert in the Corvette. So what could possibly be more endearing than that?
 
How about leaving the hospital? That's right, after three days in ICU Amanda was discharged and it coincidentally happened to also be her first ride in the Fusion. To say she was thrilled to be sitting in it was an understatement, as with Covid cases raging, she had been isolated from everyone. Even Victoria and I couldn't see her, since our only contact was calling the Nurse's desk.          

And as we faced the unpredictable wrath of Mother Nature, the Fusion's first six months of ownership were arguably more "exciting" than that same time with any other car I've ever owned. Not only did it endure the aforementioned sub-freezing temperatures of Winter Storm Uri, but it also survived our driving through Hurricane Delta. In my lifetime, it's been exceedingly rare to encounter either of those events, but to experience both within 120 days of each other was historically unprecedented.

Truthfully, no car is perfect, but the Fusion is undeniably the most well-rounded automobile I've owned to date. I recently bragged to my wife how enjoyable it was to drive, and she sarcastically remarked that it shouldn't take me long before I screw that up. I laughed, but she had a point: Engine upgrades increase the wear and fuel consumption, suspension parts degrade the ride quality, etc. Modifying any car is a slippery slope, so I'm trying to tread lightly and improve it without destroying it. 

Wish me luck!          

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