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Ford Focus Hatchback ZX3 - Part XI
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Comments
The thought of sitting on black vinyl in my walking shorts is painful. :>{
Thanks,
Joe
zx3beast - Roxborough is a pretty safe section of the city. I like it. I think that our next step will probably be MontCo in a few years. Philly schools are not up to par and we'll need a good school district eventually. And, yup, got lotsa cops in Roxborough too. I live in a great section in the "valley." There are quite a few foci in the Rox area. More 4 doors than ZX3's though (I don't get that - why would anyone pick a 4 door over the cool ZX3???). I have a little one too (3 yo in Oct) and we manage just fine. Our other car is a couple too - 2000 Monte Carlo SS. I guess we're just partial to those types. I shouldn't judge - nevermind . . .
Sorry about your coffee stain, but happy to hear that you got it out. Weren't you using your Focus Mug? Cool mug, but you have to tilt it a little to get it out of the holder. Nice gift though.
How's everyone enjoying those big watches? Anybody want mine? It's a little (a lot) too big for me. I don't have the box, or the instructions, anymore. Just the watch. It's brown(ish).
--Joe
Advanced Track doesn't come bundled with rear disk brakes.
Joe Stankovich
1 Aletta St Apt 13
Saratoga springs, NY 12866
I see you are from Philly. I am from the Poconos area - but love Philly. Hope to move south in the not too distant future to save my Z from the killer winters up here! Arrgggh.
Take care and thanks,
Joe
Anyway, I think it's worth the wait to get exactly what you want, but my wait was pretty tough. But if you do decide to order, realize that 6-8 weeks is not 6-8weeks. That's been the general experiece of people on these boards. I'd call around your area if you'r eimpatient, but if you can stick it out, a brand-new, neve-ever test driven, just like you want it ZX3 is worth it.
Ask the salesman you brought you Z from if you could use his demo while yours if being fixed. If he wants to sell to you again, I bet he will let you use it, unless its against dealership policy.
Remember, loaners are a dealer thing, not a Ford thing.
Pat
J Eaqgan
Togneter is right about the "actual" wait time for a ZX3 on order - I was promised 8 weeks, it
really took 11 weeks.
I think you can find a ZX3 with those options but only in another color, sorry to say. Your dealer should be able to canvass his area of other dealers in a day or two to determine how close
(s)he can come to meet your specs. Then you can
decide whether to wait or not.
I recommend putting up with waiting - It was no fun - esp. the final weeks, but I'm glad I did !
Based on the posting I've seen, it seems that you should be able to get a ZX3 with your specs for 1-3% over the "dealer invoice" price - see Edmunds.com to determine the "dealer invoice" price for a ZX3 with the options you want
#2 ...."black vinyl front seats with orange piping around edges" (for my Autumn Orange z).
Thanks for the vote. My GTI had same color-combo.
It was nice.
zx3
So you think I went from conventional oil to Synthetic oil "too early"? I should have waited till 5000mi. before switching over?
I've heard you shouldn't switch an older engine (40 or 50K) to Synthetic oil --- but haven't heard you shouldn't switch "too early, either".
Now you got me worried.
Maybe I should go back to conventional right away.
Here's some "history" on my z .....
Sometimes, idling at red traffic lite, I glance at Tach to see if engine is running.
Engine is that smooth n'quiet .... from Day-One (34 miles on odometer) to present day (2000 mi. on odometer).
At 600 mi. changed oil n'filter. Replaced with same conventional oil n'filter.
At 900 mi. I noticed gas mileage had climbed from 25mpg (80% hiway) to 31mpg (80% hiway) I attribute this to engine beginning to break-in, more n'more.
At 1300 mi. changed from conventional oil to Mobil-1 Synthetic oil. Changed filter.
At next fill-up (1500mi. on odometer) I noticed gas mileage had dropped from 31mpg to 28mpg (80% of driving is hiway, both cases). The drop might have been due to my driving. I don't know. A couple hundred miles later, at next fillup, it was back to 31mpg (80% hiway).
Since changing to Synthetic, engine is not quieter. In fact it might be a smidgen noisier. I'm not sure. 'Cause it's that small a change.
Kdominczak, what do you think?
Also Silver/B, P/C2, what do you think?
I'm at 2000mi. now. Should I play safe, go back to conventional oil till 5000mi.?
Big Thanks, guys.
zx3
good luck on your purchase!
wether you use synthetic or refined oil,what harm
could you possibly do in changing it early or
often? it is a lubricant,the cleaner the better.
however,once you switch,it is probably a good idea
to keep going with the synthetic.as far as seat covers go,what color is your present interior?
I was in the same boat that you are in, after test driving a new ZX3 I wanted it right then and there. But when doing my research I learned that the 2001 was going to come with a better option package. It seams like Ford learned from the first year of having the Focus on the market what options we customers want. So they bundled them together. Do a little looking at the Premium Group 50 P and compare the price with getting all the same options individually. AC alone is over $700. Then add in the fact that you can get a moonroof. As much as I hate to do it I corded mine and am now waiting it out.
I have herd from my dealer that I should expect to wait 6 to 8 weeks. After doing a little surfing I found a site that helped explain why, the factory that will make our focus does not start 2001 production until Aug. 21 00. So I am settled down for a long wait.
so which one is your zx3? Been driving my red one around Saratoga since November unless I park it at New Country for repairs.
Take care,
Joe
So the trip and the Z's performance. Drove from Chicago to Minneapolis. No real problems...gas milage about 35 MPG total highway miles - using A/C sparingly. Regarding the A/C vs. rolling the window down - it was nice out so I had the windows down A/C off. Now, regarding gas milage, is the drag created by the windows greater and harder on the car than if I had the A/C on? I wanted the A/C off, but I was wondering about that.
Bought my ZX3 June 24th, I now have 5200 miles on it.
2nd thing - as some of you know my brakes were SQEALING since day 1, finally the dealer "fixed" the problem by putting on new pads (that was on the 29th of July - last weekend) The squealing went away but NOW the rotors are warped and the car was shaking VERY badly on the wet tollroad on the way back when I used the brakes...I was pretty pissed and scared I'd lose brake power all together 'cause it felt like it was slipping. Anyway, brought it into the dealer yesterday morning, they said they'd have to resurface the rotors could I leave it all day? First of all they said it was a manufacturer problem (the rotors being warped) I think that's BS considering I had no problems with them until they put the new brake pads on and the paper work said they resurfaced them. I guess it's not that big of a deal but I had to leave my Z there all day yesterday (so I was without a car spent my vacation day sitting on my [non-permissible content removed]) only to get a call about 5pm saying they "misplaced" my paperwork, it never got back to the techs so it never got done (just sat there all day). Told 'em they'd have to cough up a loaner then.
They did - a Focus SE Wagon. Interesting ride. It's automatic which is driving me nuts - I didn't realise just how much I LOVE my 5 sp until now. One thing I did notice was the little twist switch for intermittant (sp!!!) wipers. I thought zx3's were supposed to come with those, my doesn't have them - and I didn't even thinkg about it until now....hhhmmmmm.....
and a final question I have been meaning to ask forever. I don't have my plates yet - and in IL you are required to have a front plate. Even though it looks as though there's a little rectangle on the front bumper of the Z in the shape of a plate, there aren't any places to attatch it. No holes, no screws - nothing. Ummm, am I missing something?
thanks for your help all!!!
Per usual you guys ROCK.
p.s. Skater4 - re: the dumb girl thing. Everyone here is really helpful, you won't get that here - the fellas and other ladys like to help anyone and everyone. Where else can we share all of the silly knowledge gathered over the years?
pps. zx3 beast - thanks for your kindness
As far as the front plate - I left mine off! TX requires one as well, but I don't like the way they look, so I'm going to drive "naked" until a cop tells me to put it on. You'll notice two tiny pilot holes drilled in the front bumper where the plate goes - the plates just attaches with two sheet metal style screws, turned into those little pilot holes.
Domingos34 - at this point about all you can do is FULLY document your claim with Ford in cse bad stuff happens later due to their stupidity. Make sure there is a paper trail to support your claim if you need to make one down the road.
And I know, I know, I seem to be the only person with this problem...but wild woman or not...this shouldn't be happening (errr, right?)
In a hilly area? Nope, I am a flatlander in IL. Most of my commute is highway miles so it's not a lot of stop and go. When I do brake I try to slow it down then take it easy, but have had to hit it hard on occasion. Like I said, we'll see. It just seems so - odd.
thanks for the advice and about those brake pads - I imagine you have lots of that stuff sitting around ...as long as the fiance doesn't mind sharing her living space with brake pads and the likes I am sure you're fine with it (in an orderly fashion, of course!) - you never know where they'll wind up - maybe another z owner will have my same problems!
If the mechanic really added no oil when he changed your's, I'm amazed that no big red light on the dash came on telling you (and the mechanic) that there wasn't any oil pressure, and you had to find this out by checking the dip stick.
Do you suppose there might have been residual amounts of oil left in th sump, enough to pressurize the lubrication system?
--Mike
(But it's the durn cloth that's bugging me).
Whatever color I choose for seats (wether one or two colors) the "dark grey/black" sheen of the doors, handles, dashboard, etc. will blend nicely with them. That's the nice thing about grey and blackish-grey.
zx3
would not accept anything less than new rotors.
you are entitled to replacements under warranty.
i would not allow them to get away with just a re-
surface.im willing to bet they knew they were warped from the beginning of your problem.i do not like
the idea of a re-surfaced rotor,especially on a
brand new model.thats just plain total b.s. on
the dealers part.there was nothing wrong with your
money,when you took delivery.heres hoping you get what you want.
+ what size engine.my brother-in-law bought one be-
fore the new body-style change.i call it a 2dr.
lumina.i do like the look of the new model though.
best of luck with it.
graphite,more like gray. always looks clean,hides
dust well.seat covers is a good idea,you have to hook me up with the place,where you order them at.
i want to get a pair for fronts,for my afternoon
coffee spills. i can only take so many spills on
the lap,it starts to hurt after awhile.how about
going with a gray and exterior color matching
piping?has it been hot and sticky in your area? its been
nasty the past 2 weeks in the philly area and thats
not even taking in account the convention being here.i had many opportunities to drive z through some
floods.performed like a champ.