Horse Power vs curb weight

I'm considering a '07 Fusion, 4 cyl. 5 speed manual, currently drive '03 Olds Alero V6 automatic. The Olds has plenty of pickup and decent gas mileage (26-27 mpg) for the driving I do. Would like to get a Fusion but wouldn't like to get mpgs so the 4 maybe the way to go but I would hate to give up the pickup. I was comparing curb weight vs hp. The Olds 3100 lbs, with tthe V6 producing 170 hp. The specs on the Fusion, 3150ish lbs with the 4 cyl producing 160 hp. I don't think I would see a difference with the Fusion. Is this assumption, curb weight vs HP valid or are there other consideration to consider?

anyone out there with the 4 cyl 5 speed Fusion - how the car?

Reply to
happyD
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modern, fuel injected, is this realy the deciding point? are you taking them to the strip?

Reply to
Max Power

HP doesn't tell the complete story. You have to look at HP and Torque ratings, and where on the power band they make that max HP rating, at what RPM do they make that max rating. A 4 cyl engine in a car too heavy for it to move will probably get lower mpg than the same car with a V6 that has no trouble moving the load down the road.

Before I bought another Ford I'd ask the tech in the shop if the automatics trannys last more than 65k miles, if the brake rotors still warp every 5 - 10k miles, and if replacing a heater core requires a loan application.

Steve |

Reply to
Steven Stone

Your are right to consider weight an important number. I see car reviews in the papers the omit weight and I laugh and laugh and ....

Steven is correct about hp, torque, and their distribution vs rpm.

Numerous ratings (hp, mpg, etc) used to be subject to biased testing. I more-or-less ignore hp ratings altogether.

You've driven a Fusion? An in-line 4 cyl. can have a very different "feel" from a V6.

What is "pickup"? When you gotta floor it 'cause a pigmobile is bearing down on you? When you're just accelerating in normal competitive traffic?

I'd be very careful about interpreting what recent owners tell you. Some will be objective, some will exhibit various/sundry bias.

I'd put 70+% of the decisi>I'm considering a '07 Fusion, 4 cyl. 5 speed manual, currently drive

" ... and the bees made honey in the lion's head." - from "If I Had My Way", Blind Willie Johnson

Reply to
Puddin' Man

Just need a family car. Dealer has a decent deal on 4 cyl 5 speed 07 Fusion with 8500 miles. It's not the car of my dreams but will get me through while I put two kids through college.

Reply to
happyD

I have a Lincoln Zephyr... same car as a Fusion. Good car man. And the tranny, is made by Toyota. 85,000km and not one mechanical problem...just a few minor interior things, but no rattles, nothing.

Brad

Reply to
Brad and Karen

PS: Steve, my comparison vehicle is a lightly modded 1993 Cobra. The Zephyr will hang with the Cobra in every area except acceleration. But it'd catch right back up during braking. Surprises me how much the Zephyr corners like the Cobra too.

That's it.

Brad

Reply to
Brad and Karen

Actually the automatic transmission in the Zephyr is made by Aisin AW, which is only partially owned by Toyota (but probably effectively controlled by Toyota). In the past I believed it was from the same family of transmissions as the six speed automatic used in Camrys, but it isn't. It is a different family. And now the MKZ (the replacement for hte Zephyr) with the 3.5L V-6 uses a Ford built 6 speed automatic (as does the Taurus, Taurus X, Edge and Sable).

My Fusion is close to 30k miles (48k km) and it has never had a problem. It has not been back to the dealer since the day I drove it off the lot. I am very happy with the car. I have a V6 AWD, which unfortunately is not hte best set-up for mileage. I am averaging a little over 22. I suspect a four cylinder manual would average over 25 the way I drive (I am not the ost fuel efficient driver unfortunately - drving the same vehicle, my SO will usually get 1 to 2 mpg better than me).

Ed

Reply to
C. E. White

why not just drive it and see if its got enough power for you, simple really.

Reply to
ScottM

I can vouch for the Ford transmissions. I've never had to replace one in my life. I did have a probem with a 1992 F150 E4OD after 100k miles when my son decided he could use it to pull a buddies 4x4 ot of a swap. Turns out the problem cost $500 to fix, but I was ready for a new truck, so I traded it off. My other Fords have never had a transmission problem at all (a couple with over 140K miles).

Last warped rotor I had was 22 tears ago on a 1986 Sable. There were OK until I had the brakes done, The idots at the garage ruined them with a bad resurfacing job. I absolutely refuse to let shops turn my rotors if there is not a problem. If there is a problem, I replace them.

I am afraid at least for many cars, not just Fords, this is still true. Fortunately I've only ever had to replace one in 39 years of driving.

Ed

Reply to
C. E. White

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