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Let me start off by saying that it felt really great to write a large check to my Ford dealer. As it says in the Topic Title above, I haven't owned an American car since I was 18 (I'm nearly 50). I should mention that I have a Tesla dealer close to me and the wait as of last week went down to less than 90 days . I truly considered it, but after reading all the various issues still going on in their forums, the car is not ready for me. With that said, I got my Fusion Energi last week after looking at all available Hybrid 4 door cars and will hang on to my extra 55K I'm saving for now by not buying the Tesla S. I will say that the Fusion Hybrid as well as the Lincoln MKZ Hybrid surprised me with their quality and attention to detail. I've owned several Mercedes over the years and never even considered an American car until I drove these cars (nice job Ford! Those commercials asking "Have you driven a Ford lately " never registered with me until now). I also thought that Hyundai has done a great job on their Sonata Hybrid but I found the fit and finish better on the Fusion as well as the over all ride was better and quieter on the Fusion. I did not really consider the Energi until I started researching the various TAX benefits. In my state there is $2,000.00 tax rebate and as we all know the Federal rebate is $3,750.00 on this car and a current 1,500.00 Ford instant rebate on the Energi to help bring this car very close to the similarly equipped Fusion Hybrid ( currently only a 500.00 Ford rebate) . As I see it, the US government is basically funding this "Plug-in Experiment" for those of us that jump in early as companies like Ford figure out the engineering side of things. My total on the road and out the door price will turn out to be about $32,800.00 after my tax benefits, not to forget the free HOV Lane permit (check your local MVA) . The car sticker listed at $42,800.00 . Which was about 3,200.00 in options over the standard SE price. I was also able to negotiate a good deal on this car as well which helped the bottom line. The black seats ruled out the Titanium model for me and I am bummed out that I don't have push button start. At this price I could not turn down the idea of at least trying this out new technology and see if it works for me. I will say that so far this car has presented me with a ton of compliments over the past week as I park it various places to recharge it. Thoughts after a week of daily driving use: you really need to think about when to use the EV (battery only) mode vs the Hybrid mode. I have been saving my EV mode (20-22 miles) for any short around town trips and mainly using Hybrid miles and so far it's been excellent. I'm getting 49.8 miles on Hybrid mode after almost 400 miles and my first tank is nearly at half. I use the EV mode for pick and drop off for the kids school and quick short trips - works perfect for that. A few Great things: 1. My Ford and Sync My Ride Apps are a great companion for this car. Very simple to set up and I now get text messages when my car is at 100% charge , remote start, GPS location, and several other cool things. If you have not done this - stop reading this and download the MyFordMobile app and logon to SyncMyRide.com. Once you set it up (needs your VIN number) you will get a message on your cars center console informing you that you can use those features. 2. The doors are solid on this car. Take it from a former Mercedes guy. All my close friends are shocked I bought a Ford until I tell them to open and close the door. 3. Sync - I work for a large software company (not Microsoft) and use new computer software interfaces all day long. The Ford/Microsoft Sync is pretty great and has come a long way. No question this will get better and better but as it stands today, it's one of the best around. 4. All my Facebook friends have asked me to keep them up to date on how the car is working out. This clearly shows that people are intrigued - once again - score another one for Ford.I've also ordered the Leviton EVB32-5ML from Amazon and my electrician will been installing it shortly and will add that to FB updates. A few Annoying small things: 1. Whenever I turn the volume up on the radio , I also turn the driver side seat warmer on. This is a "pain in the @ss" . It's hard not to have the side of your hand touch the button while you are turning up the volume. I'll get use to it but still not good placement. 2. The Fuel release cap on the right side center console? Why? Any passenger getting in the car can easily press it by accident by leaning on it or setting a purse down wile they put their seatbelt on. 3. The One Click feature to lower your window only see,s to work going down. Maybe there is a safety option I'm missing somewhere to turn this on? A few tips on buying a Plug-in Hybrid: 1. Remember to keep your Tax benefits out of the equation when buying a Plug-in. It's YOUR money and should be handled by you after the paperwork has been signed. One dealer tried to use that as part of the price break. 2. State rebates can run out of funding at anytime. They can also be turned back on and you can resubmit. This basically gives you your State tax that you paid on the car back in your pocket. Check your local MVA on your for Excise tax Credit For Plug-in Electric Vehicle. The Federal Tax credit you do when you do your taxes. 3. Also remember to check your local MVA for Application for Plug-in Vehicle HOV Permit. DAVE