[jcartwright99]

Hey folks,

I am a newb here but joined because I planned on buying a Sport tonight. However, I am a little worried about some of the issues I have read about here. I have read about battery issues and PTU leaking. Are there any build dates I should stay away from? I expect a handful of issues on a new model but I would like to avoid them if I can. Have people found that their have been TSB's and or solutions to these problems that fix these issues? Any other issues that I missed? Thanks in advance for any insight.

On a side note, this forum needs an issues/TSB section. It makes search for problems/solutions a bit easier.

 

[jcartwright99]

Well, I am looking at window stickers and not buying anything built last year. I don't know if the date you see on window stickers is ship date or build date. I know the inner door should have the official build date on it. Yeah, PTU haven't been Ford's strong point for some years know.

I am going to be really scouring the area. Maybe I will get an extended warranty. I will be paying extra attention to when it is first started up though. If they say let me get it, I will ask to go with them just to see the color before getting it out of inventory.

 

[Connor1281]

Mine was built on 6-22-16 and I haven't had any problems at all and I have over 6700 miles on it!

 

[Cobra427]

Have it built... that's what I did a little over a month ago and it won't have been driven by any customer at the dealer or anything else like that and I got everything I wanted and nothing I didn't... also most recent build date available

 

[Rice]

welcome! i wish you the best of luck

 

[D&D]

You will be happy with the car, all new models have some gremlins. If you can buy from a dealer you can trust. Also the best deals are on the last day of the month. I found smaller dealerships care more for their customers. Just my 2 cents.

 

[dlm1984]

Mine is a late 16 build (12-16 I think?) and I've had an issue with the windows once or twice and the navigation system essentially locked up one time. I realize that problem reports online can be disconcerting, especially when considering a new model in a refreshed line up.

A good, responsive dealer can make any issues you experience a lot less of a headache.

In my opinion, Ford could have done a little more to make this car more special, but at the end of the day, I'm definitely glad I bought it and would do it again. The aftermarket will likely continue to step up to address some of the shortcomings. Anyway, that's getting a little off topic.

I'd say visit the dealer(s) in your area, take a few for test drives and figure out what you're looking for. If you just don't "feel" any of them or aren't sold on the car, just wait for 2018 models and revisit the decision. If you're second guessing yourself, you'll probably regret the decision every time a little issue pops up. If you love the car, then the little stuff won't put you off as badly.

Personally, I figure they should be a pretty solid car. The 2.7 and 6F55 have been around for a while and were paired in the Edge Sport for 2 years. I think the transmission is also found behind the 3.5 in the SHO. It should hold up well to whatever we throw at it. Yeah, there might be a few issues with smaller pieces in the puzzle, but like I said before, a good dealer will make a difference and so will loving the car...

 

[Cobra427]

I also decided to order the car without ever test driving it or sitting in it... I researched for months on end done so much homework that when it came down to it going to a dealer and sitting in the car was in a make it or break it for me I watched so many reviews of people of different heights and weights driving and sitting in the car... I firmly believe one buying a bargain car you have to really kick the tires to make sure that the shortcomings that your car will have because it is cheap aren't things that are dealbreaker's for you... but I ordered mine optioned with everything and I'm confident that that the trim level, price point, and with the amount of homework that I did on the vehicle I wasn't going to be disappointed in a way that a test drive would have shown the light on... but again this is the first time I've ever done something like this and in the scheme of it tell me a car it's not like I'm the first one to buy it and I'm taking a shot in the dark it's a mass produced a vehicle that option the way it is... couldn't possibly fall short in anyway that I would describe as disappointing... but hey I'm also just a spontaneous person... what's the worst that can happen... I sell it and take a loss... lesson learned... hears to hoping I don't come out the other side burned

 

[jcartwright99]

welcome! i wish you the best of luck

Well, that turned out to be a total waste of time. Dealer had a couple of cars that I wanted to test drive. I called and verified they were in stock and came in for a test drive. Horrible experience. They lied to me over the phone (and admitted to it when I got there), barely let me test drive either car (<2 miles), proceeded to dance around the financing and trade price, and held my key for my car hostage after I told them I wanted to leave. This is in the Greater Chicago Area. Anyhow, I am going to go to the dealer I have bought 2 cars from and see what they can do. Each time I bought from them the experience was rather straight forward (Z Plan) and trade negotiations took very little time (yes/no on price, none of the let me go back and talk to my manager BS 25 times).

So I am going to wait it out a little bit longer. It's sad that dealers still act like this (like it's the 80's, pre internet). I am more informed than the sales guy on the product he is selling, the Z plan pricing, financing, and how much my trade is worth in my area (KBB, BB, Wholesale). Over all disappointed but I will make it happen soon.

 

[dlm1984]

Sorry to hear you had a bad experience. At least that provided an easy answer for now...

 

[La Flama Blanca]

Had the same experience, the old key keep away game and all.
I really feel bad for people who don't do their homework before buying.

 

[jcartwright99]

Had the same experience, the old key keep away game and all.
I really feel bad for people who don't do their homework before buying.

Yeah, I did my homework. Even doing it though, they try and make it stressful to break your will. A lot of folks "have to have this car" and break down in the process to get it over with. You have to call BS and know when to walk away.

 

[claudeh]

I hate those kind of sales tactics\people.

Being the genuine pain in the ass that I can be when I feel I have been wrongly handled, I have either asked to see the sales manager and closed the door and told him what I thought of the sales tactics and that has done nothing more than make sure I go to the next dealer to buy the car or, if no other dealer is available, I tell them I am no longer interested in their car and will move on.

A number of years back, when I was shopping for an Acura and had been clearly mishandled by the dealer, I called Acura and made a formal complaint and advised them that I was going to now Look at Lexus and Infiniti cars.

In doing so I always knew I would never know the results but I did hope a little feedback would make it back to either the sales manager and\or the sales person.

I'd like to say that I do this to make things better for the next person but in reality I know I am also motivated by the adage "don't get mad, get even".

If you do not say something, you cannot expect any change in the way they conduct themselves. And if it goes nowhere, at least I know I tried to bring it to someones attention.

Perhaps for you, jcartwright99, it's a good thing as it is making you go back to a dealer you have apparently done business with before.

Although I am a current member of the dead battery society, the car is a pleasure to drive and has a ton going for it.

Good luck.

 

[jcartwright99]

So a quick update. I kept looking at getting a Fusion but 2 other dealers weren't going to give me squat for my trade. Now, I know I could have gotten what I wanted from a private seller....eventually. My time is more valuable other places though. I had lost hope, as all I really wanted was a silver 401a, no other options. Silver seems to be a hard color to find in my area. Black, blue and white seem to be the most prevalent.

Anyhow, I somehow found myself on the Lincoln CPO site. After thinking the Fusion was going to be out, I started looking at MKZ's. I was about to pull the trigger on a 2016 MKZ with 3.7 AWD and all bells and whistles with 4k on clock for 31,500 but I took a night to sleep on it. That night, I found a CPO 2017 MKZ 3.0T AWD fully loaded with drivers package in the dark blue with 35k on the clock. It was in St. Louis though (4.5 hours away). It stickered for 57k and I got it for a hair over 31 and the highest offer for my trade.

In the end, I basically got the car that I wanted, just slightly used. I most likely will go to Livernois for tune and possibly dyno (eventually, as I am still getting used to 400hp). I also assume that a lot of the suspension upgrades for Fusion will work for me. I will be around though, as there is a lot of smart folks here with wise things being said.

 

[dlm1984]

Nice!

I prefer the looks of the Fusion to the Lincoln - I'm not sure that I'm old enough for one of them yet. Ok, so I did drive a 97 Continental for 2 years, but that's ancient-ish history.

35k miles in a year is a lot, but it was probably a lot of highway mileage and not getting flogged, plus it's just at the end of the bumper to bumper warranty and powertrain coverage isn't there too much longer, so that means a tune and eventually other work aren't quite as intimidating.

All that is to say, I would probably have made the same choice you did. The extra features, HP and better AWD on the Lincoln would likely be enough to sell me, despite it being an old guy's car.

 

[Rice]

So a quick update. I kept looking at getting a Fusion but 2 other dealers weren't going to give me squat for my trade. Now, I know I could have gotten what I wanted from a private seller....eventually. My time is more valuable other places though. I had lost hope, as all I really wanted was a silver 401a, no other options. Silver seems to be a hard color to find in my area. Black, blue and white seem to be the most prevalent.

Anyhow, I somehow found myself on the Lincoln CPO site. After thinking the Fusion was going to be out, I started looking at MKZ's. I was about to pull the trigger on a 2016 MKZ with 3.7 AWD and all bells and whistles with 4k on clock for 31,500 but I took a night to sleep on it. That night, I found a CPO 2017 MKZ 3.0T AWD fully loaded with drivers package in the dark blue with 35k on the clock. It was in St. Louis though (4.5 hours away). It stickered for 57k and I got it for a hair over 31 and the highest offer for my trade.

In the end, I basically got the car that I wanted, just slightly used. I most likely will go to Livernois for tune and possibly dyno (eventually, as I am still getting used to 400hp). I also assume that a lot of the suspension upgrades for Fusion will work for me. I will be around though, as there is a lot of smart folks here with wise things being said.

congrats on the car! thats a pretty nice deal considering. please post some pics when u get around to it.

 

[Windingdown]

The warranty on the MKZ is better by one year than the FS (4/50 and 6/70).