Ford Focus Hatchback - ZX3 - Part V

hso

Anybody know the price of the Limited Models??? And when they are available in market??
Thanks in advance.

orlock

I had my car for two weeks and decided to wash it.
I noticed that the passenger side mirror had red paint (mine is Malibu Blue) on it since being preped (I knew about it for awhile along with the scratches around the third brake light), looking behind the top part of the rear driver's side glass I saw a strip of primer that runs alough the length of the window although its fully painted on the other side and there is a streak of Malibu Blue on the black part underneath the back bumper.

It's as if they painted the car after they put everything on.

The plastic wrap from shipping was still on the back license plate lights and some of it got stuck behind the light (I can probably take it out if I figure out how to get the lense off) and I can't seem to get it out (luckly it's not visable).

silverzx3

I have had a similar problem. check it out in detail @ yahoo club SHARP FOCUS sorry i'm to lazy to tell the story at length here. =^)


Scott

projectzx3

Silverzx3, i read your post on yahoo club's sharpfocus. That is exactly what happens. Fan motor... everything to a tee. So it seems my dealership has overfilled my baby. It is good to know. From now on I change my own oil. It is lengthy but everyone should read it so they know.
Thank You Silverzx3!!!:)

tickbitty

WHo said that anyway? I brought my baby home 160 miles late Friday night. I love this car! Put another 150 on it this weekend just puttering around and giving people rides.

unexpected details:
--great stock stereo!
--nice & quiet (including the engine)
--intermittent wipers, and back wiper
--huge cargo space w/seat down (for my hairy beast dog)
--painted bumpers (ever notice how on other base models (tercel, etc) they give you black plastic bumpers?)
--nice bendable antenna won't break off!
--anti-theft lights
--nice interior fabric
--ETC.! too much good stuff to mention

I got the orange. I really like it. I wish it was a sminy bit brighter. (I wish you hadn't said I could get yellow so soon, arghh)

I don't think I was getting too many "looks" this weekend, and I was actually disappointed by this! Yes, I'm ashamed to say my car and I craved the attention. Those Philistines! Perhaps soon!

I love this car!! Thanks to this forum for helping me through the wait! Thanks to CarOrder for selling me this car (AC,ABS,Floor mats) for 11,677!!!!!! THanks to Project ZX3 for pointing out to me that I could afford the car (vs. financing a used car) thanks all!!

projectzx3

Tickbitty, way to go! worth the wait wasn't it?!? hey that orange is a cool color too. dark interior? 5 spd or auto? i forgot. had to be a 5 spd at that GREAT price! did they throw in floor mats? apparently they did so for me and a few others. you don't order them but the mats are in there anyway and no charge. and yes it is a knock out stereo for stock! CONGRATS:)

gabegarwick

here's a link to Kona's website and the bike that is included in that pkg.
http://www.konaworld.com/Bikes/99bikes/blast_se.html

(hmm, kelly's blue book page says that dirt metallic is only available with the bicycle pkg.){speaking of which, isn't "dirt metallic" an oxymoron?}

Gabe

gabegarwick

I think there was a thread on this way back in part I or II.

I washed my silver streaker on Fri. and after driving around for a while. I just happened to glance at my front wheels while getting out. Black, icky, brake dust! Is there anyway to prevent this from sticking to the wheel? (Non-stick cooking spray anyone?) Or am I resigned to contantly hosing/wiping off my wheels? (I've only had the car for 2 wks now, will it lessen as I break the car in?

thanks,
Gabe

tickbitty

Ha! the 2 CV in ebay sold auctions, the one that says "sold locally" (NOT!) is the one my dad bought! How funny! Dad says the car was "revolutionary for it's time," and I said, what? 1991? He said well, it was designed in 1948!

ETC, - yep project, my cars a stick. I love driving stick. Still getting used to the hydraulic clutch. ANd that weird shift arrow - isn't it "lugging the engine" to shift at 1500?

I do have a "wish list" that I am amassing for the car so far. THESE ARE NOT COMPLAINTS!! I am amazed at the car they can put together for the price,
BUT....would have loved it IF
--they split the lower back seat,
--had an easier "slide foward" entry to the back
--printed the owners manual on better paper!! geez, love the little neoprene zipper folder but that's the crappiest newsprint paper I've ever seen! Looks like the paper will eat itself up in a year! Spend a few more cents on owner's guide paper, Ford, instead of that crappy glossy brochure!

--and, I'm sorry guys but I think that reviewer might have been right about the seats, - there's like NO lumbar support. I know why, it is because with the bottom cushion that goes up and down, and the back that doesn't, the lumbar support would never be in the right place. But when I was driving home Friday I felt the lack of it, was even wedging my arm behind my back at times. Wish they had put like a little manual sliding bar you could move up and down behind the padding to adjust. But a cushion will do me just as fine. And I only noticed it on the really long drive, when tired.

Sorry I'm so verbose today, have all these thoughts piled up from the weekend with my baby car!

espowari

I hope everyone has downloaded the Acrobat version of the Focus manual at www.ownerconnection.com . Over on the right, click GloveBox, and you'll see the link. It's about 2mb, but worth the download.

mp10

I have reached 3000 miles and have not noticed an improvement in the gas mileage. My friend at work who just bought a Focus sedan came running over to my desk this morning to say the gas tank empties so fast you'd think there was a leak. But here's the real clincher - she was just parking outside her house Saturday night when a city police cruiser pulled over - the cop got out and came over and said, "Hi, would you mind me asking how you're doing on gas mileage? I just bought a Focus sedan and the mileage is terrible!" I don't think the sedans would be affected by the 00E09 recall, and in any event, there seems to be no consensus about whether that helps or not. m.p.

moses5

Oops I can't spell. It is: To answer the post

p345spd

Your dealer should be able to analyze the gas mileage with very little effort. A last resort might be to contact NHTSA. Hope this hasa a simple resolution.

Here is one disturbing note. My dealer called to see if I wanted to look at SE he just got in. He said he'd bring it out to the front. (I'm waiting for delivery, still) I got there about an hour later.

The silver SE is sitting in front w/ the engine running. Now, the car has 4 miles on it. So how long had that engine been idling? Idling a new engine for long periods is the absolute worse thing you can do!

I wonder what the gas mileage on that silver SE is going to be.

mp10

So how would the dealer analyze the gas mileage?

tickbitty

I think he meant analyze the problem, not the mileage. My car just finished it's first tank with over 300 miles. Haven't figured it yet but that looked pretty good to me.

THought of another think for my "wish list," I wish the back windows would pop open to vent. That's asking a lot these days, though, my friend drives a 25,000$ accura CL and those back windows don't open either.

tickbitty

I also wish I were 5 inches taller, and that I would win the lottery. You can't have it ALL, but you can have a LOT! ZX3 rocks!

mzn

pcleveland and others, I'm sorry I wasn't clear about the anonymous postings. They are a known bug, also jokingly called by programmers as "features." :-(

Now, an update from our editorial staff concerning the ZX3 review. It seems Ford quietly added the 60A power group to the ZX3's availability list between the time we drove the car and the time the story was published, making the statement in the road test inaccurate. The article will be corrected. Thank you for your feedback!

carlady/host

jedimaster1

I have had my Infra Red ZX3 for almost a month now and I am STILL noticing features that I didn't know were there! (no thanks to the useless salesperson at the dealership).
-I just realized what everyone meant by "height-adjusted" seatbelts. I didn't know you could slide the thing up and down to accustom your height, cool!
-I just found the Overdrive button (on the underside of the grip of the transmission), can anyone briefly explain what overdrive is for? Mine is always on.
-I found what looks to be an interior manual gas cap release on the passenger side down near the floor. There is a lid-like thing and if you pull it up, there is an empty space there where a button might go. I don't believe there is a button in mine, does anyone have a ZX3 with this manual release in their car, or is this something that is optional or not for the ZX3?
-what is the deal with the storage space right on the dash? It's really small and you can probably only put change in there. It looks like Ford decided they needed to use the space for something, so they decided to use it as extra storage space?
-lastly, I think I found that the rear seats CAN go all the way back, it's something to do with pulling up the rear seats or something? A friend of mine said something about this...can anyone help? I can get my seats to fold down about halfway, but not all the way flat.

About the mileage issue, I am currently getting at least 30 mpg. I get about 30 when I'm going 80-90 mph. When I go slower, around 65-70, I noticed that I get about 35 mpg. And when I am going 50-55, I can get about 40 mpg. All of this is on a daily commute from home to work of about 50 mph roundtrip, and casual driving around the area. I get the 40mpg when I am doing long stretches of driving, like to Nashville (from here in Atlanta) or something. Of course, it's general knowledge that the slower you go, the more fuel-efficient your car is.

Clint

tickbitty

grab the back of the bottom rear seatcushion and pull it up vertical behind the front seats. Then then fold the seatbacks down into the space you made. Voila! flat!

kdominczak

Last Ford's rebate/incentive plan ended on 3/31
When new plan will be out?
Can we expect $500 rebate from Ford?
(maybe a $1000)
Would it make it too good of a deal?

gabegarwick

{You must use the force Clint....}

Ready? Ok. (Please excuse my non-technospeak)
As far as I know...

-Overdrive button on the auto transmission.= yes, the default is overdrive/on. This allows the car to make use of all 4 gears. Push it and green dash light will come on. This means O/D is off. This allows the car to only use 3 gears. (this allows for higher revs of the engine in a particular gear, providing more torque)?
Try this for an example: Go out on the freeway. Make your speed 60-65mph while in O/D (no dash light). Then, without moving your foot on the gas pedal, press the O/D button. You should see your revs on tachometer jump about 1000. (The car should then seem more responsive to your pedal input. Handy for passing.)

-What you found in the passenger side footwell is actually a fuel-safety cutoff switch. In an accident, it is supposed to switch off the fuel line. (What you found is the reset switch). If you find that you can't start the car after a (heaven forbid) relatively minor fender bender, check this, if it's tripped a button will be sticking up. Push it back down to reset it. [A friend of mine with an SUV actually had his trip when he went over a curb. although pretty big curb & he was movin' when he took it.]

If I'm mistaken about either of these, I hope someone will correct me.
Gabe
ZX3 cd silver,auto trans.

silver_bullet

You are correct about the cutoff switch reset - it cuts the fuel pump off in the event of a "collision", or even a big bump, as your friend found out. Be careful removing the little triangular cover for this reset switch - mine was broken at the time I picked up my car (I don't know why anyone would have been fooling with it), and the part number for that little piece of plastic has not shown up on my dealer's parts computer yet -- imagine that. BTW the owner's manual explains the function of this switch...

tomp8

I noticed a day after receiving my ZX3 that small parts of the front brake calipers are rusted (the top and bottom-most sections). Also, the lower suspension arms in the front are also rusted all around. Because of the 15" alloy wheels, this is fairly visible.

Does anybody else have rust in those places? I would assume that the car was sitting on the dealership for a month or so in the rain/snow and that the rust is only "cosmetic". I am wondering why there is so much rust on a brand new car.

Any suggestions on how to get rid of the rust/keep ot from comming back? Thanks for any replies.

Tom

parsadanov

Hi everyone,

I hope everyone is enjoying their rides. I feel anyone's pain for their hurt Foci. I once had slightly damaged Foci and pain was awful.
Anyways, I just recieved the BMW exhaust tip, it really adds that final touch to the car. I took some pictures of it on the car, and they are posted on my website. If you get a chance stop by

Igor

parsadanov

Sorry it didn't post the address here it is :
www.geocities.com/igorparsadanov1

hkoenen2

The rust in those areas is normal and nothing to worry about. You will also notice that you get rust on the brake disc after the car sits for a few days without use. After having mine sit at the airport for a week it took 2-3 brake applications to get the rust off and the brakes to be quiet again.

pecos

To all those who are posting messages about what kind of gas mileage they're getting please remember to mention whether or not their talking about a 5-speed manual or 4 speed automatic transmission. And, if your car is a sedan please specify what engine as well, i.e. SPI or Zetec.

anonymous

lefeuetglace

I'm planning on ordering my zinc yellow zx3 fully loaded within the next few weeks... I can't wait

lefeuetglace

thats Yellow not Yelloy

mp10

As was discussed here previously, there's a 4 (?)gallon "reserve" tank for the gasoline? Is that in addition to the 13.2 gallon stated fuel tank capacity??? If NOT, wouldn't that mean that we are only using 9.2 gallons for a "full" tank? The manual says "a small amount of reserve fuel in the tank" remains when the gauge indicates empty...and "the amount of fuel that can be added will be less than the advertised capacity due to the reserve fuel." So you can't find your mileage by basing it on 13.2 gallons, at any rate.

drebe73

your hatchling looks great, i really like the chrome tip, a little more stylish than i expected. I really hope the tip I bought will fit under the plastic cut out on the bumper. Just 2 more parts on order to go and I should have my car back. I'll be sure to post after repair pictures in my photo album at the focus club on yahoo; once I put my pedal covers and exhaust tip on.

has anyone put on an exhaust tip other than then the BMW tip? if so how does it look?

MP10, you're a sweetheart, thanks for the sympathy. The waiting is made much easier since I hardly ever see other hatchlings driving around my town, so it holds the jealousy beast at bay. I see at least two sedans a day here. Only saw 2 hatchlings the other night in Miami which is an hour south of me. I called my body shop for this weeks update and they got the seatbelt retainer clips. The car is pretty much done, except for the last two parts, the airbag computer and the coolant hose. They say another 2 or 3 weeks so I say another month and a half at least.

jedimaster1

Thanks to Tickbitty, Gabegarwick and Silver Bullet for helping to clear up these questions of mine. I am loving this car more and more every day! I just love getting the stares from people. It's almost like riding in slow-motion and I look over to the next car and there's someone staring at my car, jaw dropped and a dumbfounded look on their face. I was at a stop light the other day and had both of my windows down. There was a Mustang next to me with a couple in it. The guy driving saw my car and turned to his wife and said, "I want to trade in the Stang for one of those new Focuses." Makes you proud to be a Focus owner, and even more a ZX3 Hatchling owner.

Pecos - I'm driving an auto (in reference to previous post).

Clint

projectzx3

i am getting about 24-25 mpg city with the 5 spd. i hope it will get better. i still don't have that many miles on the car.... 2200.

projectzx3

admittedly i am 'having fun' shall we say (leadfoot)!

mac54

Just some general thoughts on a few items:
I've got the SE sedan with Zetec and 5spd. Miles are just under 1,000 and everything OK so far. Average mileage has been @30mpg, with a pretty even mix of city/highway driving.
My fuel light goes on with about 3 gallons left in the tank (total of 13.2). Since Ford's roadside assistance plan even takes care of you if you run out of gas, they probably want to make sure that doesn't happen too often!
The brake dust was horrible the first couple of weeks, after that it seems to have dropped off considerably.
For those with automatics, the OD switch shouldn't have any effect on 1st, 2nd or 3rd gears, or acceleration. Turning it off will keep you in a higher rpm in your final gear, with slightly better responsiveness and, of course, lower fuel economy.
All in all, still the best handling, most fun-to-drive car that I've had since my Opel GT!!!

mac54

For those who have installed the tip, is there anything that seals the space between the tip and the existing tailpipe? Being from the "frozen tundra" area, I'm concerned about road salt getting in there and rotting things.

silverzx3

16.75 lbs. I think this is light for an O.E.M. wheel.

FYI It might get expensive looking for 16s or 17s that do not add too much weight.

Love my new tires but still no chance to try them in heavy rain. Makes the car look much better than the stock 195/60x15.

Road noise is way down, the car seems more "planted" They "feel" great and give me the best feedback I have ever had with M+S tires. (AA traction A temp ratings)


Scott

kdominczak

What tires did you get?
How is your fuel economy since the tire change?

silver_bullet

The BMW tip is designed to be a friction fit over the end of the tailpipe with nothing in between. I've never lived in the snowbelt, but I'm not aware of this design causing increased corrosion problems. For those of you who want to try the Ford chrome tip, a dealer website lists it as part number Y54Z5K238AA, for a whopping $39.95.

silverzx3

I got the new Dunlop Sp Sport 5000s these are primarily a wet weather sport tire 205/55x15. They are just a little wider but retain the same overall height. They have a very cool asymmetrical tread pattern for wet weather performance.

I will buy 17s with dry weather sport tires for summer use and will use the stock wheels with the Dunlops for winter use.(lots of rain but very little snow in the winter here)

Too soon to tell the difference in MPG with the larger tires. Gas prices here are on the decline (under $1.25)I commute on a motorcycle and have the Focus as a road trip car/toy I'm just happy it gets something like 30mpg and not 15mpg like my truck.

Scott

anonymous

focusfanatic

Lucky you, Sliver Zx3!! Here in the Bay Area near San Fransisco, gas prices can hover around $2.00! But we still dont have it as bad as those europeans -hows $4 a gallon sound?

silverzx3

Yeah, we have cheap gas but I live in a swamp (SE Missouri). I just got back from two weeks in Bear Valley and Tahoe with a friend that lives in your area. I WANT TO MOVE TO CAL! BTW the next big earthquake is supposed to happen here (New Madrid Fault) and we deal with several tornados a year. I work for a company based in Morgan Hill, maybe I'll get a transfer someday. =^)

Best Regards,
Scott

tickbitty

after reading all the mileage complaints, I was pleasantly surprised that my new ZX3 (manual) got 31 on her very first tank. Put in 11 gallons at over 340 miles. THere were a lot of highway miles in there but I'm still pretty pleased with the number. I'm pretty sure that the cars that are being delivered now do not have the mileage-affecting recall.

moses5

Do you guys think that recall part is affecting the gas mileage? I remember my first tank of gas lasted me a while. After the recall it seems to have gotten worse.

norwaydoug

My last mileage calculation was 31 mpg. The previous mileage was 25 mpg. I have 5 spd zx-3 with a zetec. My first refill, I had 30 mpg, but then for many tankfuls following, I only got 25 mpg(300 miles to 3000 miles).

My car has 3300 miles on it. I think it may take an extraordinary long time for the engine to be broken in to achieve the EPA mileage. I think ford should let us know, that this is an issue. In the manual, I believe it says to not expect optimal gas mileage until 1000 miles. For me it took up to 3000 miles.

I believe that the recall is more related to water getting on the engine while sitting and if it freezes, it may damage components on the engine. I am not certain...maybe someone can find out if the recall is related to gas mileage.

My car has not had the recall yet and my gas mileage has improved dramatically in just the last re-fill. I purchased it Dec. 15.

Please remember, in order to have a relative accurate measurement of your gas mileage, that you must 'gas-up' while your car is level (preferably from the same pump as before) and add the gasoline in the same manner. Normally, the pump shuts off when the tank is full to near-full....and then people give it a few extra squeezes to maximize the refill. Do this in the same manner each time. Zero your trip odometer. Drive until it needs a refill (light goes on), refill the gas tank in the same manner. Calculate by dividing the miles driven by the gallons of gasoline used.

ND

norwaydoug

Our tank is about 13 gallons. The exact volume of our tank is in the manual probably under specifications.

There is only 1 gas tank. There is no spare tank.

I have found that the fuel indicator light 'lights' when I have used about 10 gallons. Therefore, I have about 3 gallons of gas left. This is pretty consistent. Sometimes it is 9.5 gallons consumed when the light 'lights'

silver_bullet

As I understand it, the 00E09 recall involved replacing the fuel injection rail presure sensor. Ford determined the design of the original part might possibly have allowed water to become trapped within the part, which might possibly expand and crack the sensor if freezing conditions were prevalent. Sounds like a lot of "ifs" to me, and a VERY unlikely scenario. Assuming your car's sensor wasn't damaged before the replacement, the new sensor shouldn't affect your mileage one way or the other. This sensor's job is to help maintain a constant and correct fuel pressure at the injectors. When a sensor fails, the result is usually very noticeable - sometimes the engine won't even run.

parsadanov

In front of me is the invoice from the ford dealer when my recall was done. It says the following
"A 00E09 FUEL INJECTOR PROGRAM...
PC PROGRAM COMPLETED
ASSY FUEL INJECTOR P 50.52
"

From this I conclude that first they reprogrammed the computer then they replaced the sensor. Part of the reprogramming must have increased our gas mileage. I also noticed a smoother idle. Any one had similar experiences?

Igor