For the last 20 + years I have driven only Hondas. The repair cost seems to be high on the Honda Accord. Will I save money and be satisfied with the Ford Fusion?

Well for starters the purchase price will be lower, so you will save money there. I did a parts comparison, starter for a 2006 Fusion is $152. For a 2006 Accord it is $208. Struts $99 for Accord, $69 for Fusion. Front rotors were more for the Fusion- $65 vs $52 for Accord, pads $68 for Fusion, $51 Accord. Parts vary on repair job, but biggest savings will be in purchase price. My daughter has a 4 cyl Fusion and loves it, mileage is over 40(imperial)mpg.

As someone who has negotiated over 7500 new vehicles over 19+ years, I'd recommend the Consumer Reports auto issue (April issue every year) as a great resource for comparing vehicles when it comes to safety, reliability, resale value, and cost of ownership. You can also subscribe to it online, which allows you to see the repair history for the last 10 years, as opposed to 6 or so in the printed April issue. I'm assuming you're referring to the current Fusion (heavily redesigned for 2010 model year, and still the same for the 2012 model year), and not the completely redesigned 2013 coming this fall, which will be a different vehicle with different engines and from a different Ford vehicle platform. When you say repair costs are high on the Honda, are you referring to the cost of parts and the hourly labor rates, which have steadily crept up for all brands? Or are you referring to the frequency of repair? (for the answer to the latter, check Consumer Reports) Best, Mike Rabkin From Car to Finish.com 240-403-1069