Buying a loaded used 2013 FFE with 59K Miles.

[DealWalker]

Hello fellas, new to the forum here.

I am in the process of buying an used 2013 FFE with 59K miles for $13K, am I crazy for doing this? I will be happy if this car serves me at least the next 3 years since I am looking to put a lot of work miles on it.

It's a beautiful White platinum with all the bells and whistles, my experience with hybrid vehicles comes from owning a 2010 Nissan Altima Hybrid, I put 50K miles on that car in five years and when I traded it in it was mint. I have not driven the Energi Fusion only the regular ICE I more or less know what to expect.

My main concern with the Energi is that i currently live in a Apartment complex and won't have easy access to charge the plugin battery, I foresee moving to a house in about a year. Will I ruin the car by not charging it often, I may only charge it once a week.

Once I get the car I have a week to test it, what signs should I look for in battery degradation and so on, any tips are greatly welcomed.

I also want to upgrade the Sync 2.0 system to 3.0 is this software upgrade possible or is it hardware dependent, has anyone managed to mod the headlights with the LED signature look found on the '17. I like the feline look of the top mounted LED signature lights.

 

Thank you all.

Edited August 19, 2018 at 02:24 PM by DealWalker

[jsamp]

If you get a chance in that week to do a full discharge of the HV battery from 100% to 0% in one drive, that is the best way to test the health of the battery.  Find some back roads to try to keep it at or under 50MPH.  Set a trip odometer to 0 at the start, and when it hits 0% check how many kWh were used.  Being a 2013 I wouldn't expect a great battery, though it is possible. 

 

5.0 kWh and above is great condition

4.5-4.9 good

4.0-4.4 fair

3.5-4.0 not so good

below 3.5 pretty bad

 

Only charging occasionally or leaving it with low battery doesn't seem to do any harm.  If anything it seems to preserve the battery pretty well as reported by some who bought one that they knew was hardly ever charged.  

 

There is a thread on this site about upgrading to sync 3.  It is a hardware upgrade, but you can use parts out of any fusion, not just an energi.  I can't seem to find it right now but search the forums.  It was within the last year.

[apm]

Hello,

 

My 2013 with 78K miles is going about 10 to 11 miles on a full charge. It used to go about 20 miles on a full charge when new. I do charge every day with a 220V charger (Bosch).

 

Regards,
APM 

[murphy]

Hello,

 

My 2013 with 78K miles is going about 10 to 11 miles on a full charge. It used to go about 20 miles on a full charge when new. I do charge every day with a 220V charger (Bosch).

 

Regards,

APM 

That seems excessive.  You have an 8 year / 100,000 mile warranty on the hybrid unique components.  Take it in and have it tested.  Needs to be an electric certified dealer.

[jsamp]

Hello,

 

My 2013 with 78K miles is going about 10 to 11 miles on a full charge. It used to go about 20 miles on a full charge when new. I do charge every day with a 220V charger (Bosch).

 

Regards,

APM 

 

I agree with murphy - that sounds excessive.  The difficulty is getting the dealer to do the testing, even a EV certified dealer.  Look into the threads in the battery forum about people having bad batteries.  It took many rounds with the dealer, and talking to Ford Corporate, but usually the end result was the car owner had to pony up ~$400 for the test and almost every time the results were "normal degradation".  One or two people got a new battery, but very few.  Most went silent, so I don't know if they were strong armed into going silent, got a replacement battery, or just gave up.  I hope you succeed, but kind of doubt it.  You'll have to be tenacious. 

 

Good Luck!