Ford Focus Sedan

regfootball · November 2003

no Focus SVT in 2005....something called the Focus ST.

get it now.

jharisct · November 2003

Hey Everyone,

I was checking out the Ford site, and it seems that you can get ABS but not Traction Control in the ZTS, but in the SE you can get both. Is this right, or am I missing something?

Thanks!

tomcat630 · November 2003

Focus SVT has the old Zetec and the 2005 ST will have the 2.3 Duratec. Wonder how they will compare?

baggs32 · November 2003

tomcat,
The 2004 Focus also has the 2.3L Duratec in PZEV form. I believe it's rated at 143 HP with a similar torque number.

The 2004 Mazda3 (as well as the base Mazda6) also uses a VVT version which puts out 160 HP and, from what I'm told, more low end torque than the SVT's 2.0L Zetec. But, the Mazda3 looks to be a bit heavier than the SVT so it should be a bit slower.

Close enough if you ask me!

snakerbill · November 2003

My 04 PZEV Focus has l45 HP, and 149 lb ft of torque. It runs really good, but has a stupid speed limiter at 106MPH and I am going to try to get rid of the limiter. This car would go a LOT faster if it had no limiter. The tires are P6 Perilli's H rated (l30) MPH, so there is no reason in the world to limit this car. Anyone know how to get rid of the speed limiter????

03focise · November 2003

Car Spec's:
03 Focus SE comfort
Zetec 5 speed tranny,
3100 miles

First of all,I am surprised at how well this car drives.I'm not even going to mention the awesome sounding stereo,I wonder what the audiophile system sounds like.

Anyway,my problem is this,At idle my car feels like it has a skip in the engine.Basically,it feels like the car has'nt been tuned up for 10 years.I have looked through this entire thread and couldn't find a similar problem.The first 2 times the dealer said they could'nt find a problem but after the last visit they said a factory rep will be in town the following week and would be able to help me.The explanation I got from him was this,the Zetec engine is tuned slightly burn slightly lean and that is what is causing the skip.In other words,this was normal.

Now I've been driving many different cars for many years and never have I had a brand new car feel like it's 10 years old.I looked for other cars similar to mine at other ford dealers but they are all automatics (I tested the automatics and they purred like a kitten)

Does anyone out there with a car similar to mine have the same issue?

Thx in advance

markus5 · December 2003

I am not the police but do you actually intend to drive your new FOCUS over 106 mph on public highways?
My pzev automatic ZTs sedan w/ sport package does feel strong. On a brief sprint on the turnpike yesterday, 80 mph was reached quietly at only a tick over 3000 on the tach.
That is a strong Four banger and I think these pzev's should have a separate thread on this FOCUS discussion board. When I finally opened up the hood last week to see what made this thing go, it did not have an econobox "feel" to it. I have 1000 miles on it now. This model is very different then the original impression which I had of the Focus when it hit the show room a few years ago.

oily_rags · December 2003

Hello All. I have a 2003 focus zetec with manual transmission. I notice that when I accelerate the engine makes a unique sort of metallic sound, sort of a buzz I guess. The sound goes away after 2000RPM.
Both my brother and my friend commented on it so I brought it to the dealer, and the mechanic said that was a normal sound, because the car was in too low a gear. Does anyone know what I am talking about? I had a leased automatic focus and it did not make this sound. So Im guessing it has to do with either the manual trans or the zetec engine. Any thoughts? I'm curious to know what causes it and why. I believe the mechanic when he says it's normal.

snakerbill · December 2003

I do not like the idea of an electronic nanny on my car. When you pay your money for a new car, it should come with the ability to go as fast as it can and only be drag limited. If I never drove over the speed limit I would still not want this big brother watching over me. I have no intention of being a danger to anyone on the public roads, but high speeds are a way of life in my state. There are many roads here which are deserted, and one can see for 20 miles straight ahead. I always try a new car to see what it CAN do and if I never do the same thing again I still do not want an artificial speed limiting device on my car. I intend to take it off as soon as I find out how. Who knows, I might want to take the car to the track again, and this device has got to go away.

tiredofmanual · December 2003

If you did drive your new Focus on that deserted road and took it up above the rated speed on the tires that Ford gave you with the car and one of those tires blows and you crash, you could then sue Ford and get lots of money from them. Of course, we all know that YOU would take responsibility for your actions, but Ford knows that you are in the minority of the population, which is why they set a speed limiter on the car for the lowest speed rating of tires that they might put on a Focus (think LX model). The SVT, however, has the speed limiter set higher.

fdthird · December 2003

Lawyers!

buggywhip · December 2003

I also read that there will be no all-new Focus for 2005 (based on the Mazda3/compactVolvo chassis), but merely a "freshening" of the current car. Ford's reasoning is that it hasn't gotten back its investment on the current platform and that the new platform would raise the Focus' price. (The price issue is surely correct--that new Mazda3 can push $23k!!)

snakerbill · December 2003

What you say makes sense, but the tires on my PZEV are speed rated at 130MPH. If what you say is really true, why does Ford not set the limiter to the tires speed rating on the car one is getting. Forget the base SPI car. How much can it cost to make the speed limiter for each iteration of the car??? A few key strokes is all that is required when programing the CPU.

pzev · December 2003

http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=17010&ma- ke_id=trust

Exterior

http://membres.lycos.fr/ascariss/foc1.jpg

http://membres.lycos.fr/ascariss/foc2.jpg

http://membres.lycos.fr/ascariss/foc4.jpg

http://membres.lycos.fr/ascariss/foc5.jpg

Interior

http://membres.lycos.fr/ascariss/foc3.jpg

http://membres.lycos.fr/ascariss/foc6.jpg

regfootball · December 2003

you can tell a lot of the dash pieces are reused, but the overall shape of the dash pad is more conservative. gauges and switchgear identical i think. doors, seats, console, shifter.

Is the 05 dash the same as the 05 Euro Focus now then?

While the current curvy dash is interesting its not really envogue anymore. They had to change it, but I had wished it had some more pizazz. Tasteful though.

I recently drove an SVT. Loved it. Followed it up with a Mazda3 test drive. The 2.3 motor is so much smoother....dilemma.....scarf a great deal on the loaded up SVT or wait for the 05 ST with the smoother motor?

lngtonge18 · December 2003

The interior is the biggest improvement. Very nicely styled. You can tell the Jetta was the style benchmark. I'd be curious to see how good the plastic quality is. The exterior is hardly worth mentioning, but the new tailights and clear lens headlights are an improvement.

regfootball · December 2003

so the million dollar question

Focus SVT now or wait some and get a Focus ST?

when do the 05's go on sale?

iusecad · December 2003

in '05 the only model available with the 2.3 will be the ZX4 ST and every other will have the 136 hp 2.0 Duratec? Why are they limiting the more powerful motor to the sedan only? Hopefully I'm misreading the press release...

tomcat630 · December 2003

I hope they keep the option of getting the 2.3 in the other Foci. If not, I'd get an '04.

The 2005's debut in Detroit, but no sale date has been announced. My guess is April/May.

fdanna · December 2003

Well, they took a car that stood out for styling and made it generic, from what I see. The angular interior, is "ok" but not at as fun as the current one and they kept the same driver information pod which, being curved, looks out of place. The rear of the car look very cheap to me. Especially since it would appear that they've gotten rid of a separate blinker bulb and are now using the same bulb to be stop light and blinker. This is a reduction in safety.

No, this is not the dash from the new euro focus, though it has some of the cues. The exterior takes some of these cues as well, but it's not nearly as stylish and aggressive as the new euro focus. The euro model has much more class...whereas, to me, this car looks like it belongs on a rental fleet. And, of course, under the skin, this is the SAME Focus (more or less) that everyone is already driving.

Engine choices are nice, but the fuel economy is going to suffer for it (and gas ain't gettin' any cheaper).

I want to see the hatch!

fdthird · December 2003

The above post regarding the separate blinker bulb reminded me about something I've wondered about. My son's 2001 Focus SE sedan seems to work differently then any other I've seen. The turn signals are not the small bulb atop the tail light but rather the main tail light blinks. His car was delivered in March of 2001 and I wonder if its an oddity or if there are other Foci out there that work the same way. Every time I am behind a Focus that is turning the separate bulb blinks, so is his alone?

snakerbill · December 2003

Ford would be nutz to offer the 2.3 only in the sedan. That idea must be in error. Could Ford be that stupid??? If any Foci should have the 2.3 the ZX3 should for sure have it. The press release must be wrong.

fdanna · December 2003

Don't know what *your* source is, but ford's own website says 26/33 for the old Zetec. I'd say losing 2 mpg ain't worth it.

fdanna · December 2003

Regarding some Foci being built with separate turn signal bulbs and others without... this was a very brief cost cutting measure by Ford... yours is NOT the only one, but it's part of a minority. I've heard rumors that customer complaints caused ford to reverse this, but that's anyone's guess.

regfootball · December 2003

wish they would have upgraded the steering wheel....

the hatchbacks and wagon better have the 2.3 as an option or its 04 shopping for me.......

fdanna · December 2003

I agree, the steering wheel is old hat. They should have taken the wheel from the upcoming Futura or from the European Mondeo. The wheel's angles are more inline with this new design.

baggs32 · December 2003

There was an article posted here a short while back that told us the 2.3L will be offered in all future Focus' only you'll have to pay for the PZEV equipment. It, the emissions package, won't be standard on that engine after MY2004.

As for the 2.3L in the '05 ST sedan, note that it makes 150+ HP as opposed to the ~143 of the '04's 2.3L. All Focus models should have the ~143 HP version as an option but you can only get the slightly more powerful copy in the ST sedan which basically replaces the SVT.

Also, remember that Ford is putting all three SVT models on hiatus for a year and there's no guarantee that the Focus will ever wear that badge again. The ST is supposed to be the new "sport" model. Why they chose the sedan is beyond me though.

tomcat630 · December 2003

Never mind, about the EPA figures. I had a Focus and it averged about 24 mpg. People on www.focaljet.com say with thier 2.3L cars that they are getting about the same as the Zetecs.

Also, there will be a 2.0L version of the 2.3L Duratec for more milage. The 8v 2.0L is dead this spring, along with the Zetec.

fdanna · December 2003

You averaged 24 mpg?? Yikes, I'm upset when I get 27 and usually get 28 to 30 (01 Zx3) This is 80% highway driving. I calculate the MPG at every fill up (I'm neurotic like that). My morning and afternooon commute speeds are 75-80mph. My Civic with the mini vtech (127hp) got 30-33 and 29 on a bad week.

Clearly, EPA estimate or not, it's moving in a bad direction. Somehow, Japanese engines manage to get bigger and retain mileage.

buggywhip · December 2003

Like others here, my first thought about the 2005 Focus was whether the 2.3 would be available with the hback. Doesn't look that way!! Esp. here in MA, it looks like the Focus hatch will ONLY have the low-emiss 2.0L. A real yawner--decent mill, but not much better than the Zetec. The current 2.3L hatch is the most exciting performance bargain anywhere. Ford blew it..........As for the interior, it's OK, but it looks like the angular interior of a 1980s Mazda 323. Good quality but it doesn't move me.

snakerbill · December 2003

I have a 2004 ZX3 PZEV with auto and ABS, and I can tell you that I would not go back to the 2.0 after having this really super litle car. If Ford drops the 2.3 in the ZX3 they need to have a reality session with a shrink. My best mileage so far, 5900 miles, was 32 on a hiway trip. The worst was 23 driving hard in traffic. I can live with that. Also, no problems so far. The car has been flawless.

buggywhip · December 2003

The above links left no doubt in my mind that the 2.3L hback is history for 2005. Ford has really Sentra-ized and Corolla-ized the new Focus--it'll be a competent small car with a decent but uninspired engine. Even worse, the PZEV hardware robs some power from the 2.0 and it'll be my only choice in MA. I'll bet it'll be weaker than the Zetec! The Focus 2.3L hback is the best-kept performance secret. Even insurance cos. don't know about it. Gone forever.....

snakerbill · December 2003

If this is to be the only year that one can get the 2.3 in a Hback, then maybe my car will be worth more when I trade it for the 2005 Mustang GT. I hope so.

bobk14 · December 2003

FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE REPLACED THE FUEL DELIVERY MODULE FOR SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS, YOU MAY BE ENTITLED TO A REFUND FROM FORD. NHTSA cAMPAIGN id nO. O3v482000, DATED 11/19/03,IS A RECALL(ONLY IF A PROBLEM OCCURS) TO REPLACE THE FUEL DELIVERY MODULE FREE FOR TEN YEARS FROM THE ORIGINAL PURCHASE DATE. i WOULD ASSUME THAT THOSE WHO REPLACED THE FDM prior to this recall would be eligible for a refund from Ford. Check it out!

tomcat630 · December 2003

There is no proof that the 2.3L won't be an option in the other Focus bodies. The ordering information has not been released.

regfootball · December 2003

there has been some press releases on what will be offered in 05.......

snakerbill · December 2003

Who is right? Will the hback for 05 have the 2.3? What press releases have been out at this time? I would like to read them.

fdanna · December 2003

Regardless of what the 05 has or doesn't have, by 2005 something better from another manufacturer will be around and the focus will still be basically the same car it has been since 2000 and will be the same until at least 2008.

The new Golf in europe has leap frogged the Focus and is the highest rated car in its class. If they can get reliability issues under control here in North America, I'm all over it!

tomcat630 · December 2003

The new Golf isn't going to be here for another year, and the next Jetta may not be here till 2006! Besides VW's are overpriced and offer quality of a cheaper car.

The 2005 Focus is coming in a few months, spring 2004, not 2005. The Civic, Sentra, and Corolla (which are Focus comptetition, not VW) will be the same for 2005. What other manufacturer will offer "something better" that year? The Chevy Cobalt is nice, but is equal to Focus.

snakerbill · December 2003

The car I think may be the killer small car is the Pontiac Solstice. I think that car will be produced in 2005. Anyone know anything about this car??

baggs32 · December 2003

tomcat,
The Mazda3 is what you're looking for. It costs about the same (sticker price anyway) as the Focus and rides on the new Euro Focus platform. Plus it has a VW-like interior.

tomcat630 · December 2003

Wait awhile to get a Mazda 3, when supplies build up.

2003sev6 · December 2003

The 2005 Corolla will have 170hp on the new XRS model.

trinity7 · December 2003

hi,i would like to know more about this recall please.i called the dealer and they know nothing about it.i had to replace mine which cost me over $800.00.is there a website i can go to or a phone number? any info would be helpful.thankyou..bye

tomcat630 · December 2003

Saw that about the Corolla XRS, but it's a limeted run model. Maybe only 3000 of them?

hault · December 2003

Trinity7 Check local dealer to see if Canada is included for extended coverage of fuel pump. I received my letter from FORD about a week or so ago. If you have problems I can fax you or send you a copy in the mail.

2003sev6 · December 2003

For now they are saying there will be a limited run of 5000 but as always Toyota is underestimating the demand for this model. If the demand is there to build more, then more will be built. Also, somewhere around 2007 with the major model change you will be able to get the Corolla equipped with the Hybrid System.

fdanna · December 2003

When I said something better will be around, I was speaking in general terms. I don't know of a specific model, but somebody has to come up with a small car with the handling/price ratio that the focus has/had .... only reliable too.

The VW is in the same class as the Focus and is a competitor, even if on the high end it outprices the Focus. The interior quality is best in class from what I've seen.

The Focus will be left to be the next Escort/Cavalier. A car no one talks about and is a big yawn living on a platform older than dirt ... as long as it brings in cash for Ford, they don't care. People pay top dollar for SUVs, not small cars... so there is no incentive to build them better and American manufacturers have proven time and time again they can't build good small cars (or don't want to). The Focus is essentially a German car with super cheap global parts.

I suspect the same fate will fall upon the Cobalt.... GM's so called last big effort to gain a foothold in that segment. It's doomed to fail with GM behind it.

bobk14 · December 2003

GO TO WWW.NHTSA.COM, THEN TO OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGAION.LOOK UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NO;03V482000 . THE RECALL DATE IS NOV. 19, 2003. THE CONTACT PHONE NOS. ARE 1-888-327-4236(DOT), and 1=800-392-3637(FORD). GOOD LUCK!!

snakerbill · December 2003

I will ask again. What about the upcoming Pontiac Solstice? Small rear wheel drive coupe and roadster under 20000. I have heard that that car will be produced in 2005. Anyone know anything about this???

Ford Focus Sedan

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