iphone5 / ford fusion question

[LockShockBarrel]

I'm not quite sure this is the place to ask but it's sort of a budgety question.

I just got a new fusion and there's a "line in" port in my center console that I believe is a usb style port. There's also the cigarette lighter style power port. So my question is what type(s) of cords do I need to both charge my phone and play music from my phone in the car? I'm totally boggled and before I try to explain this to a store I figured it was worth asking. I don't want to buy anything and have it not be what I need. <-- see? budgety!

 

[JediBonas]

USB, you can use the same one that came with your phone.

 

[JediBonas]

Should add: you can play music and it will charge at the same time. If you have your car radio set to USB (that's the setting needed to play the music) you can also hear directions if you're using your iPhone directions app.

 

[elgerber]

Music you can play through bluetooth, you don't have to plug it in at all for that.
I charge mine through the charging port, if I need to charge, but for listening I use bluetooth. Doing it that way the music is already on as soon as you turn the car on, rather than having to plug it in first, and you don't even have to take it out of your purse.
I have not tried the USB hookup, but in my husbands fusion if he uses USB he has to control the music from the Sync screen, and for me it's much easier to control the music from the phone itself, which is how it works with bluetooth.

 

[JediBonas]

It may depend on the car (I have a Milan, the Mercury version of the Fusion) but I've found the sound isn't as loud when I play it through Bluetooth and I have to turn in up higher. I don't have that problem when playing through USB.

 

[elgerber]

It may depend on the car (I have a Milan, the Mercury version of the Fusion) but I've found the sound isn't as loud when I play it through Bluetooth and I have to turn in up higher. I don't have that problem when playing through USB.

I think that might be better in newer cars. I have a 2013 Escape and mine is very loud through Bluetooth. It was not as much in my 2010 Edge.

 

[JediBonas]

I think that might be better in newer cars. I have a 2013 Escape and mine is very loud through Bluetooth. It was not as much in my 2010 Edge.

That's what I was thinking. The text to speak also isn't comparable with the iPhone in my car, haven't tried it in my husband's new car yet (Flex).

 

[elgerber]

That's what I was thinking. The text to speak also isn't comparable with the iPhone in my car, haven't tried it in my husband's new car yet (Flex).

The texting features still don't work with iPhones in new fords either :-(

 

[LockShockBarrel]

So if I didn't want to use the cord that originally came with my phone, I could just buy a usb/lightning cord and keep that in the car?

I'm such a newb, I'm not particularly tech savvy with phones and this is my first car (at 27 lol) so its all totally boggling to me.

 

[JediBonas]

So if I didn't want to use the cord that originally came with my phone, I could just buy a usb/lightning cord and keep that in the car?

I'm such a newb, I'm not particularly tech savvy with phones and this is my first car (at 27 lol) so its all totally boggling to me.

Yes. I don't use the one that came with my phone, I got a longer (cheap) one at Amazon or Target. You don't need to spend the money to get an actual Apple one, they're all pretty much the same. Just make sure you get the correct pin connection, the iPhone 5 has a different connector (lightening connector) then the earlier ones (32 pin).

 

[LockShockBarrel]

Fabulous..thanks for the answers!!

 

[Golf4food]

More importantly, how do you like the Fusion? It is on my short list to replace my 14 year old Nissan Altima...

 

[ProudMommyof2]

More importantly, how do you like the Fusion? It is on my short list to replace my 14 year old Nissan Altima...

This is my question too!

 

[wiigirl]

The texting features still don't work with iPhones in new fords either :-(

 

[elgerber]

This is my question too!

I am not the OP, and we don't have a 2013, but my husband has a 2012 and he loves it!!

 

[LockShockBarrel]

I did my lessons in a Fusion so when I went to get a car I was hoping I could swing the payment to stay in a Fusion. I had to put a bit more down but my payments are only 13 bucks more than a Focus. To me, the Focus handles just a little differently but different enough that I didn't like it. The Fusion is a very smooth ride and to me a comfortable size but I can't really speak to gas mileage a)because I haven't had to long enough and b)I've only been driving back and forth to work which is like 3 miles away. Other than all that...I dig it lol

 

[JediBonas]

I did my lessons in a Fusion so when I went to get a car I was hoping I could swing the payment to stay in a Fusion. I had to put a bit more down but my payments are only 13 bucks more than a Focus. To me, the Focus handles just a little differently but different enough that I didn't like it. The Fusion is a very smooth ride and to me a comfortable size but I can't really speak to gas mileage a)because I haven't had to long enough and b)I've only been driving back and forth to work which is like 3 miles away. Other than all that...I dig it lol

Glad to hear you like it! I was mad when Ford decided to discontinue the Mercury line because I LOVE my car and didn't care for the layout of the Lincoln version so I might end up having to go to the Fusion when I'm ready for a new car. I was looking at them when picking out my husband's car and they are looking pretty sleek

 

[LockShockBarrel]

I ALMOST ended up test driving a Milan actually. My guy priced out leasing a Focus and Fusion (both '14) and buying a Focus and Milan (both '10). He said that the Milan was pretty much the same car as the Fusion but going through and pricing everything out and getting into me building credit versus building equity and what the payments would have worked out to it made more sense to lease before I even started test driving.

And as an update I bought my cord tonight lol. I found them at Best Buy and actually ended up getting the apple brand because the other was only a dollar less and I figured might as well stick with the theme. Yeah I probably could have found a cheaper one on Amazon but hey..I was there and I'm impatient with stuff like this. Even moreso, I got my license on the 12th of this month and had the paperwork for the car signed 5 days later