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Ford Focus Hatchback ZX3 - Part VII
The cult continues... This group has applied for a
ZX3 Club in our Clubs conference. I'll keep you
posted on progress on that front. For those of you
just joining us, you can catch up on the
conversation by clicking here.
carlady/host
ZX3 Club in our Clubs conference. I'll keep you
posted on progress on that front. For those of you
just joining us, you can catch up on the
conversation by clicking here.
carlady/host
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A woman was arrested yesterday after crashing her 2000 Ford Focus at an estimated 70MPH into the rear of a parked fire truck which was parked on the shoulder of a highway at the scene of an accident. The woman was charged with drunken driving in relation to the accident. The woman had to be extricated from the vehicle after the crash and is being treated for a broken femur (leg). Don't like the idea of drunk driving but.... 70MPH into a parked fire truck and only got a broken leg out of it, not too shabby....
Not trying to take credit for it...
Drebe a nickname given to me by friends, derived from that cartoon movie Bebe's Kids.
Bebe' converted to Drebe'
and 73 as in the year I was born.
BTW I'm a guy.
Now that that's clear, HOLY COW!!!! I'm so freaking out right now after reading that Norwaydoug had his car replaced. I don't know what to do. Doug who was it that actually made the decision to replace your car? I called Ford cust service and theyt said that they couldn't do anything for me and that she'd forward my complaints to the proper place. What ever!!!!
please email me Doug at Drebe73@inorbit.com and let me know what the best thing for me to do.
Yeah, the Stang does weigh more, but saying that that makes it 'harder to accelerate' isn't really accurate, since it's faster. Doesn't look like the ZX3 would beat the Stang in the slalom either, though it favors small cars much more than driving on an actual road or a track. The Focus R may be able to put up a better show, if it's ever available here, but the HP/weight ratio isn't the whole story. Find some torque stats and check the ft/lb/weight ratio. 220 HP Focus R isn't going to be faster accelerating than a stang, trust me. ZX3 wouldn't be far behind the stang? I've got to disagree with that. And as for Mustang drivers just wanting a V-8 and ZX3 drivers being people who 'get a kick out of driving' don't be insulting or ridiculous. A lot of Stang drivers are the most avid racing/performance driving car lovers I know.
Is it me, or am I just getting set in my ways regarding product performance and quality? Perhaps we should consider a "ZX3 Old-Fart Exchange"!!!
My wife has ordered her new ZX3 with my blessing. I've been involved in automotive sales and service training for 20 years here in Detroit. And I KNOW that when a vehicle generates this kind of response, it's going to be a seller!
AHHH... But what about order and delivery tracking!!??
Perhaps I've missed something, but I haven't seen anything in this exchange on how to track your order, buld and delivery status once you've taken the plunge.
Not to disparage Ford, Chrysler or GM (I work for them all), but I've seen a relative lack of information in this discussion group on how ZX3 orders are tracked.
EXAMPLE:
I ordered a loaded Didge Dakota Quad Cab on April 4 via internet and phone. The dealer gave me a VON (Vehicle Order Number), and I called a toll-free number to confirm the order with Daimler-Chrysler. The CSR (Customer Service Representative) confimed the VON, gave me a VIN number, and indicated it was due to be shipped out on 4/26. I called Daimler-Chrysler again today... The CSR indicated that it had gone on a truck on 4/26, asked whether there was anything more he could do.
I suggested that I was concerned about the options ordered... He pulled up the screen, we ran through the build, and we confirmed that the options I ordered were all included in the build. It will be in the dealership for prep by 5/1.
My question? How am I to track the order, build and delivery schedules through Ford??? Perhaps I'm just "dumb" here... But has anyone been able to track their ZX3 from order through delivery? If so, HOW!!?? Granted, the "Hatchlings" are manufactured in Mexico... But it would seem to me that Ford would step up to the plate and give prime buyers the information they want!
I called the body shop and all they are waiting for is the hose.
dont know if it worth fighting for anymore since it almost done. I am still going to write to that address that you posted and complain.
http://www.zaccaria.com.br/ingles/produtos/maquinas/zx3.html
According to info from another web site, following are Ford Build Codes:
01 = Order received at Factory
02 = unscheduled/clean (order is correct-all correct codes)
03 = Submitted to plan (scheduling personnel)
04 = Scheduled
05 = On assembly line
06 = Produced
07 = Released
08 = Shipped
09 = Arrived at Ramp
Your dealer should be able to tell you the current code number thru his computer, if he's willing to take the time to do it. You should be able to varify the code numbers through dealer, as I cannot attest to correctness of them. Found them at "http://www.geocities.com/kevin_harms/codes.html". I do not believe this info is copyrighted as if it is correct any Ford dealer would supply it to you, but I must give credit to where I found it.
I almost think you can track thru Ford's web site.
Good luck,
Pat
Thanks for the info on status codes, but I'd be very reluctant to rely on the dealer to spend the time to track unless the salesperson got a hefty gross on the deal. I bought the Dakota at $200 under dealer invoice. And although it's a relatively high-ticket piece, the dealer was unwilling to take the time to track build/delivery status for me.
Hence, I contactacted Daimler Chrysler's Customer Service Center's toll-free number... And the the CSRs were more than happy to provide me with updated information.
The point is that when you've agreed to plunk down the cash (be it $14K or $40K), in this day and age, I think it's reasonable to expect to have a toll-free number, and to be able to track progress on the vehicle.
I won't bad-mouth Ford (after all, that's who's paying my invoices right now)... But you (we) all should be able to track progress!
For my own purposes through Daimler-Chrysler, my interest was in drawing a bead on delivery of the new truck so that I could properly time the sale of my existing vehicle. The CSRs were quite sensitive, and went out of their way to give me an accurate picture of where the vehicle is.
Ahh well... Ford is doing a good job, and I won't dispute its "win" in bringing the ZX3 home to the domestic market. I will, however, say that Ford is lagging somewhat behind the other "domestic two" in connecting directly with customers. That, I am sure, will change.
Any additional advice reagarding direct telephonic access to a Ford Customer Assistance Center on this matter will be appreciated!
I will be the first to admit that I was very fortunate. However, I was persistent and I was strong and tough to be able to achieve the exchange of a new car. I talked to Ford all the time and complained.
I did pay additional money for the new car since it has more options. I believe the price difference was 200 dollars.
I would talk to the manager of the dealership. FInd out who the area manager is and contact him or her. Trust me, it was not a pleasant experience contacting these people every other day, but I did. I was not prepared to sit back and get under-served by a company that made 2 billion dollars profit in the last quarter.
Obviously, if I was in your situation, I would be contacting them all the time and making my voice be heard. I really do not know how the decision came about. They were bouncing around numbers like 1800 dollars, but after I said it was unacceptable....they reduced it to a few hundred and then that is when I accepted.
The deal was good. I did not question any further once I got what I wanted.
Good Luck,
ND
------------------
Ordered Zinc Yellow ZX3
Plans:
35% Tint All Windows
Yellow Interior Trim
Vanity plates policies differ from state to state. I am having to wait until the end of the year to order mine, as the dealership can't do that and new plates are only printed once a year (bizarre but true Kentucky trivia!). Check with your county clerk or the registration people, and they will give you a form to fill out requesting three or so possibilities on vanity plates. Naturally, I fully expect (at year's end) to have plates reading CALICO!!!
Again, congrats to Norwaydoug! Keep the streets of Philly fun for me during my (now 10 year and counting) absence!
Calico1
I would take the Mustang Steve Mcqueen drove in Bullit, that was one kick [non-permissible content removed] car.
Of course, rallying isn't the only test of a fun car. There are cars that are a lot of fun to drive which could never fit into the rally scene. That said, some of the most fun cars on the market here over for years have been rally cars. Just to name a few: the Lancia Fulvia, Stratos and the Delta Integrale, the Mini Cooper, Audi Quattro, and now the Subaru Impreza, Mitsubishi Evo VI and of course the Ford Focus. These beasts are serious fun on real roads. While there are off-road sections in many rallies, particularly the British RAC rally, most are run on the roads.
Ferrari don't do rally cars, and that's a fair point, but they don't build Mutangs either.
Is the Ferrari 360 Modena better than the Focus? Not if you're going to the supermarket to stock up for the week, it's not. Nor is it much use if you want to give a few friends a lift. The Ferrari is a very special car, but it is rather impractical as an everyday drive.
I have no idea what the Mustang is like to drive. However, I find the idea of having a car with a 4.6L V8 producing only 260bhp excessive and wasteful. I'd take a reasonably powerful hatchback with a well designed chassis and suspension any day. They are so versatile and so much fun to chuck around, even well under the speed limit.
By the way, a quick calc. gave Mustang 204,1bhp/tonne, Focus R 212,7bhp/tonne.
I apologise again for my previous comments, they were uncalled for.
Congratulations Norway on the new car. I don't envy you for the trouble you had to get it though. Happy driving and watch out for those deer!
Congratulations on your new zx3 ! BTW can you provide us with the VIN number? Just in case they re-paint your old zx3 with something else like the popular ZINC YELLOW. Im sure they'll have a hard time replacing the vin number. Maybe it'll show up later in www.carfax.com. LEMON CAR
I don't have too many complaints at this point... I miss not having an arm rest, and I heard a couple clunks in back, but I think they went away... Plus I just got a sun visor CD holder, so I'm all set there.
I'm really amazed by how good this car is and the price it came at! With the college rebate, it's a really sweet deal!
Anyway, I'll continue along on this forum as a proud ZX3 owner now!
And Drebe, I hope you get yours back really soon too!
I got 3000 miles this past week, am getting an oil change tomorrow. I will take it to JiffyLube instead of Ford, I am fed up with my dealer. Besides, I've been going to Jiffy for years and never once had a problem.
Clint
Thanks,
Quale
muscle cars-when they were both powerful+fun to
drive-all rear-wheel drive,of course.todays
mustang is in no way the equal of the past.my
first car a 1970 1/2 falcon,with torino body-style
351 cleve.engine+hurst 4 spd.fast+fun to drive.
having said that-that car was actually laughable
in terms of power in comparison to what was available on the road at that time.there is not that much to get excited about today.its amazing how much power is extracted from todays 4 cyl.as has been said many times before the zx3 is an incredible well-balanced machine-thats why i opted
for it over the mustang.in sheer power it is not the mustangs or many other cars equal.however
there are many other dynamics that make-up the total driving experience.performance is not based on hp. alone.i agree it is an exhilirating thrill
to unleash the fury of a stang from a stand still on a straightaway,after that the thrill is gone.now. drive a zx3 all day with a smile on your
face.to me and others that i have read here thats a
performance factor rarely achieved at this price point or one costing thousands more.im not trying to convince anyone that this car is better than
another,to each his own.look carefully at the total
picture of what others here have been enthused about. this group is fanatical about the zx3
and for many intelligent reasons.they all reconized
and outstanding value. its your time+money,i know we all spent it wisely with this purchase.thats my2
cents worth .
i could just kick myself in the femur.
Uh oh - the nurses want me to return to my room now...
www.ford.ca
because they have a nice Focus Paint Spectrum where you can place your 'mouse pointer' and the color of the car changes to reflect your choice.
White Gauges: Hey, that is 'old hat' You could try to get the *Focus Explode Gauges* which are blue, but that would cost you big money. I recommend never to mess around with your gauges because you could potentially really 'screw up!'
It's a great day in Philly (finally) and I am going out soon in my Forest Green Focus! Thanks for all the support over the months. I appreciate it!
I will now give a little Norwegian lesson for you all:
Ha det bra (Norwegian for: HAVE IT GOOD!)
ND
I know this has been the subject of prior posts, but for those of you who know a lot about engines: assuming there are 5 quarts of oil in the crankcase, how harmful really is that extra 1/2 quart? Should I insist on it being removed by the dealer? [The Owner's Manual says at page 180 -- excess oil can damage the engine and should be removed.] I've already sent a complaint letter to the manager of the large Ford dealership; am waiting for a response.
On my orange hatchling, I recently applied Turtle Wax's "Finish 2001," which is a non-wax, unrethane/polymer polish designed to last for a year. It really does seal in a high-gloss shine, and the rain beads like crazy on it now.
I highly recommend it.
BTW, I have yet to see ANY ZX3s in my area (I live in Maryland, and have driven recently to the Philadelphia area.) Have seen Focus sedans, but my ZX3 is still unique. I thought I saw a white hatchling in my rear view mirror the other day -- it turned out to be (I thinkg) an Echo. Interesting how the front resembles the Focus.
BTW: here's the complete link to the colormeter:
http://www.focuscanada.com/English/Focus3DoorZX3/
You can also download the Focus commercial tune in MP3, but it takes awhile.
If it was WAX you should be able to wash it off with "Dawn" dishwashing detergant. A couple of wash jobs and it should be gone. If it was some type of "polish" try using rubbling alcohol with a tooth brush. Hold a towel under it to absorb the alcohol. Peanutbutter will work too! Keep brushing and wash off.
Don't feel bad as I did the same to a couple spots on my ZX3, and still have to do the detailing to get it off the side molding.
Pat
I don't really get your response to my question about white faces for the gauges. I'm pretty sure you were making a joke but I think it went over my head???
5 spd, A/C, ABS, power windows, power mirrors, tilt/tele steering, cruise, ABS, Rem. entry, CD Silver with the dark charcoal int.
I am so happy I decided to order because I got the car just the way I wanted.
Now for the good part. This car has definately got some spunk. It felt better than the test drive. I have been keeping the RPM's below 3000, but it's hard to contain myself. After I picked up my car I picked up my girlfriend and her kids and took them out for a spin. No sooner than I got on the interstate another focus drove right up on my tail. I tapped my brakes to say hi and he flashed his lights. I thought it was a sedan, but to my surprise when he pulled beside me it was my twin, another Silver ZX3. We waved at each other and gave the thumbs up. I saw the sticker on the back of his car and ironically we both bought them from the same dealer! It didn't stop there. On my break at work this morning I decided to drive across the street to seven eleven. On the way back I saw another silver focus. Again I thought it was a sedan but it was another ZX3. I'm a triplet!
I told the sales manager about all the good things I've read about the car on the net and he is inviting me to a meeting with his sales staff to tell them how good the car is. I must say I'm very pleased with my car and won't be staying home much!
BTW, congrats to Norwaydoug. I glad to here you're back on the road!
Sk8ingnut
proper material to remove the wax without risking
damage to finish.
Not something I would attempt on a new vehicle. If I was going to do this, think I would find a good automotive electrical shop to do it. One of the places who do radio, alarms and so on. I to much of a perfectionist in that respect, but watch out when I do something wrong, cause I tend to really mess up things. Would have to take it to somebody to fix up my mess. Hate to do that, but then I'm not perfect!
Pat
I also did my 1000 mile oil change today myself because I knew I would fill it correctly. It was an ok job, but getting the filter was a pain, and i cant wait to get my Fram sure grip filter, and I am mad because I spent $10 for the motorcraft filter.
I got soooo many ideas for my car tonite and I cant wait to hook my car up
-As for the overfilling of oil, it can lead to all your oil seals leaking and thats bad.
Does anybody know where I can get a locking gas cap for my Focus???