Upgrade SE Tail lights?

[CheesyRider]

Save the manuals!

+1!

 

Just a thought for those who want the fancy taillights. I bet there will be some aftermarket taillights on Ebay within a few months. Of course one would need to find lots of positive reviews before ordering as most of them will likely be crap.

[07Buell]

Hey all. Well, I just picked up my 2013 SE this past weekend and was surprised by a couple things. First that the chrome window trim encircled the side windows (I thought I saw pictures where the Titanium had this, and lower models had only a lower chrome trim, but not surrounding pieces. The 205A luxury package adds them to the SE) and secondly that the taillights, as mentioned in this forum, are lower level than the Titanium. I guess my issue with the taillights are as follows...as mentioned elsewhere, I don't ever remember seeing a photo image of the lights that were not the surrounding Titanium style. I've looked at many photos of the Fusion over the past few months, and think I would have noticed it. Secondly, had a Titanium been available with a manual transmission, I would have ordered one. I would have enjoyed the sport suspension with a stick, but alas, because I enjoy a manual transmission, I'm made to feel I have a second-class car. I though Ford product planners learned that lesson with the Focus, and made a Titanium manual trans package available. I live in a neighborhood where "American" cars are a rarity. My neighbors that swear by Nissan and Hyundai have already dropped by to check out my car, and have commented on the tailights, and at the time, even I thought they had illuminated like a Audi, but I was mistaken. We nit-pick little details about our cars, and I always promote the Ford product. So I guess I'm going to have to eat crow, and admit Ford "cost reduced" my model. BTW, if any of you Titanium owners suggest it's not a big deal, how about we swap the tailights? I'll pay for shipping.

[akirby]

Ford didn't cost reduce anything. You made assumptions based on pre production photos just like others. It's ok to be disappointed but stop acting like Ford took something away from you or intentionally deceived you. They didn't.

[expresspotato]

Ford didn't cost reduce anything. You made assumptions based on pre production photos just like others. It's ok to be disappointed but stop acting like Ford took something away from you or intentionally deceived you. They didn't.

 

Yes they did. Pre-production so we will put in all the bells and whistles on a base model and say they're all going to come like this and get away with it.

 

In this respect Ford feels like a cheat and at $36,000 one at that.

[aneekr]

The owner's manual clearly specifies that there is a 'low series' tail/brake/rear turn lamp cluster and a 'high series' version. From page 254:

[akirby]

Wouldn't it make more sense for Ford to advertise that those lights are only available on the Titanium so they could sell more Titaniums? Why would they purposely deceive buyers into purchased a cheaper SE instead of a more expensive Titanium?

[Camride]

Wouldn't it make more sense for Ford to advertise that those lights are only available on the Titanium so they could sell more Titaniums? Why would they purposely deceive buyers into purchased a cheaper SE instead of a more expensive Titanium?

 

I totally agree, which is why I'm baffled that they don't have it anywhere in the marketing materials. Hell, it worked on me, I changed from a SE to a Titanium at least in part because of the tail lights.

[akirby]

which is why I'm baffled that they don't have it anywhere in the marketing materials.

 

Because it was probably done by the engineers and designers and not requested by marketing and the marketing folks probably don't think it's a big deal to most buyers.

 

Same with dual exhausts - there was never anything published that indicated that you get dual exhaust with the 2.0L EB.

[Camride]

Because it was probably done by the engineers and designers and not requested by marketing and the marketing folks probably don't think it's a big deal to most buyers.

 

Same with dual exhausts - there was never anything published that indicated that you get dual exhaust with the 2.0L EB.

 

And the vast majority of people probably won't care. We're just a nitpicky bunch here. :D

[puppybone69]

"Oh, now that it's dark, I see by your tail light pattern that you're driving a Ford Fusion Titanium!"

 

Personally, I have to agree with those who feel that this unmentioned difference between models is sneaky and deceptive, when so much has been mentioned about all 2013 Fusions featuring LED tail lights. Here in the south, we refer to this type of bait & switch as "chickenshot", although we use a less polite spelling. If it weren't for the fact that I didn't want push button start or MyFord Touch on my new Fusion, I'd feel cheated that I wasn't told about this very noticeable (at night) difference between models before I made my decision to get an SE instead of a Titanium too.

 

I think I'm gonna request that my dealer do the Titanium tail light swap for me as part of the make-ready before I accept delivery, just for spite, since I ordered my SE with the 2.0 EcoBoost engine and the dual exhaust, along with the SE appearance package that includes the rear spoiler also. Take that, Ford! Everyone who sees me driving my new SE at night is gonna think that I'm driving a Titanium! Thanks for the useful info, OP!

Edited December 1, 2012 by puppybone69

[jinx8402]

Not gonna happen. How do they tell the person buying the Titanium that they don't have the proper rear lights for their trim level? Your Fusion still features LED lights in the rear. It's called a trim level difference, and not every one can be spelled out.

 

You're gonna have to buy the rear lights yourself if you want them.

[akirby]

Personally, I have to agree with those who feel that this unmentioned difference between models is sneaky and deceptive, when so much has been mentioned about all 2013 Fusions featuring LED tail lights. Here in the south, we refer to this type of bait & switch as "chickenshot", although we use a less polite spelling.

 

The SE has LED bulbs in the taillight. How else are they supposed to advertise them? LED "but not exactly the same as the Titanium" taillights? How stupid. It's not bait and switch and it's not deceptive. Just because you don't like it doesn't make it wrong.

[puppybone69]

Well I finally heard back from my dealer about swapping out my SE tail lights for Titanium tail lights. It's totally doable! The parts, labor and all is only $900 to do it, so I'm going for it! I figured it would be cheaper if I had the dealer do it for me as part of the final deal on my car, instead of waiting until later to do it myself! Now the only outwardly visible differences between my SE and a Titanium will be the chrome door handles and the chrome trim all the way around the side windows, since I got the SE appearance package instead of the luxury package, and of course the name badges. So at night, anyone who knows about the difference in the tail lights will think that I'm driving a Titanium instead of an SE!

[hermans]

See if he will sell them to you at employee price. He would still be making money.

[puppybone69]

I'm pretty sure that is the employee price. Fordparts.com lists the parts at over $1200 now. Either way, it doesn't really matter, because I'm buying my Fusion on the X plan. Say what you will, but I think the Titanium tail lights make for a much safer car at night, since they light up way more than the SE tail lights do. If you've ever had somebody rear end you while sitting at a stop light at night, because the other driver "didn't see you" like I have, then you'd understand it.

[hermans]

I did have that happen to me - but the guy that slammed into me was drunk.

[akirby]

I'm pretty sure that is the employee price. Fordparts.com lists the parts at over $1200 now. Either way, it doesn't really matter, because I'm buying my Fusion on the X plan. Say what you will, but I think the Titanium tail lights make for a much safer car at night, since they light up way more than the SE tail lights do. If you've ever had somebody rear end you while sitting at a stop light at night, because the other driver "didn't see you" like I have, then you'd understand it.

 

I take it you're totally against smoked taillights then? Good for you.

[expresspotato]

I take it you're totally against smoked taillights then? Good for you.

 

You're really cynical here on the forums...

 

Anyways has anyone actually attempted this yet? I would be nice to know if the wiring is all there and its simply a swap out.

[Camride]

I'm willing to pull the trim off and get pictures of the back of the Titanium tail lights if anyone is interested. That way someone can get a picture of the SE tail light wiring and compare to see if it really is doable.

[B8BB8B]

You want the upgraded taillights? Quit being so cheap and buy the upgraded car.

 

Problem Solved.

[MineralstangGT]

You want the upgraded taillights? Quit being so cheap and buy the upgraded car.

 

Problem Solved.

 

Yeah, sure. What if I don't want leather, mft and the extra tech that comes on the titanium? Its not always because someone's being cheap, it may because they don't want the stuff you are forced to get on the titanium. Its good there's a potential to swap the tail lights if someone wants to. It comes down to whatever floats the persons boat.

Edited December 17, 2012 by MineralstangGT

[bongo]

.....or black interior.

[B8BB8B]

 

 

Yeah, sure. What if I don't want leather, mft and the extra tech that comes on the titanium? Its not always because someone's being cheap, it may because they don't want the stuff you are forced to get on the titanium. Its good there's a potential to swap the tail lights if someone wants to. It comes down to whatever floats the persons boat.

 

Too bad, it's Fords product, not yours. They will design and market it to their specifications. If you don't want leather or whatever trim that comes with the T model that gives you extra money to buy the taillights.

I don't understand how this is that big of a deal. The lights are there because its a higher model - look at it this way, you still get LEDs just not full LEDs.

[troystarr]

.....or black interior.

 

My feelings exactly. If Titaniums were available with a non-black interior color, then I would have ordered a Titanium. Interior color is important enough to me that I was willing to give up the keyless entry and pushbutton start of the Titanium trim just so I could get the dune interior color. (And apparently I'm also giving up HD Radio even though Ford said HD Radio came with the navigation package on non-Titaniums at the time I ordered it.) Seattle is gray enough most of the year, I don't want it to be dark inside my car too. :-) I bet people living in the southern U.S. aren't as keen about black interiors during summer either.

 

- Troy

[Camride]

Too bad, it's Fords product, not yours. They will design and market it to their specifications. If you don't want leather or whatever trim that comes with the T model that gives you extra money to buy the taillights.

I don't understand how this is that big of a deal. The lights are there because its a higher model - look at it this way, you still get LEDs just not full LEDs.

 

But you just told him he should stop being cheap and buy a Titanium. Now you're telling him that not getting a titanium gives him money to do the tail lights.... Can't make up your mind?