Ford Focus Hatchback ZX3 - Part VIII

anonymous

focusfanatic

Ground Control offers a new coil-over set that lowers a focus up to 3 inches (adjustable) for an incredible $419! Looks very tempting compared to the $1500 you'll have to fork out for an H&R set. Of course, I'm sure the H&R kit is much better quality, but still, the ground control kit intrests me- anyone know anything about it? check it out : www.groundcontrol.com or www.fastfoci.com Does anyone have any info regarding ground control and its product line? How's the quality and reliability?

PS- tuner1- why should I avoid a limited-slip diff on a new car?

segacide

www.groundcontrol.com is for a landscaping company in Florida. Regarding the differential, I think something so expensive should remain on the car until the warranty is up. Ford might try something if the CV joints went out. (Not that the dif would do that, just if they were to go out, Ford might try to get out of the warranty. But that's just speculation.

Anybody here ever have a dispute with a company over warranty and aftermarket parts? I'd like to hear your story.

tuner1

Limited slip diffs are great but I agree with segaside you might void your warranty.As far as the ground control coilovers go I had a set on my sentra ser and they were great.They use a treaded colar which slips over the shocks, I never had a problem with them!In responce to ZX3beast i'm 100% sure that forged wheels are lighter and stronger than cast wheels.

riceowl

I'm a brand-new ZX3 owner thanks to THIS forum! In a couple of weeks I'll be moving from Kansas to Houston to attend Graduate School at Rice University. My old S-10 pickup wasn't going to make the trip :-( So I had been thinking about a hatchback and had considered Hyundais (functional) and Civics (expensive) when I ran across this forum and saw how much you all really loved your ZX3s! After doing a little more research I knew it was the car for me, so I went through Autobytel and got a good deal on one in stock with everything on it I had wanted except cruise control which the dealer is going to install this week. I have never been this excited about a car before.

-riceowl

jcu1886

I live in the Cleveland area, eastern suburbs. In the 4 1/2 mos. I have had my ZX3, I have seen only one or two others around here. I have seen many sedans, virtually all of them the SE model. Saw one yesterday with sunroof, not sure as to original equipment or aftermarket.

tuner1

Welcome aboard I hope you enjoy your ride.

focusfan

the address for ground control is http://www.ground-control.com/gcwhnew.htm. Has any one done their suspension? If so, are you happy with it?

anonymous

focusfanatic

Thanks for the advice everyone! I love this forum- getting this many knowledgable owners together can only be a good thing! We're even convincing others to buy! (good luck riceowl!) Oh, and sorry for that bad link to the florida landscaping company.

pcleveland2

Niceowl,
Welcome to the club - enjoy!
Pat

anonymous

razor5

My sentiments exactly, riceowl. It's all I can do not to spend my weekend riding in my ZX3. So tell us about your baby, ie, color, etc.
I have to tell you guys, the best after market option is a sun/moon roof. While the temps been up, I've only used my ac twice. I just flip up my roof porthole and let the fresh air circulate around me. OH, what a feeling.
Did a thorough detailing this morning around 6 before the sun got up, went out for a spin and got lots of looks. Saw my ZX3 reflected in store windows as I passed, all shiny and pitch black. Luvin it!
Welcome aboard riceowl!

calico1

Welcome aboard, riceowl! Glad we were able to help you in your decision-making process. So, what does your ZX3 look like? With your wise (very owl-like) purchase, you've earned bragging rights with the rest of us!
Calico

silver_bullet

I'm a Rice alum (class of '79), and you may catch a glimpse of the silver twins near campus - my fiancee and I own matching silver ZX3s, and she lives close to Rice, so we are often in the area (but usually in the same car). Very confusing, but fun!

zx3

Thanks Tow, for the details on how factory "Holdback" works.
Regarding Z-hatchlings ... I've spotted (area north of Boston) .... two silver Z's, one blue Z, one green Z, and a couple of black Z's. Black, looks cool. But I wonder if it's a job keeping it shiny (black shows up dust). Also, saw one or two Sedans.
There's a heavy college crowd in this area, might acoount for all the Z's.
zx3

zx3

Every day, I see posts by "Anonymous" ... but NEVER a message. Whuzzup?
Also, "welcome" to Riceowl ... many happy miles in your new Z. What options did you get?
zx3

mzn

segacide, please check out our Aftermarket and Accessory conference for good & bad experiences! You can use our Search feature on the left menu bar to join a conversation in progress.

BTW, anonymous postings are a bug/feature of this software. Think of them as vapor visitors!

carlady/host

zx3beast

good luck with your purchase.
to zx3-black is easy to keep shiny,if you dont mind washing it daily. this is my third black car.the
trick is to prep the surface thoroughly + properly.
ive said this before but it is important to use a good quality carnauba wax.its worth the effort be-
cause when its shined-up,black has the wettest
looking finish.z spottings (philly area)1-green
4-sangria red 1-white 1-malibu blue

drebe73

hey gang, anyone put the pedals on their focus? I put on the clutch and break over the rubber. Having trouble figuring where to positon the gas peddal. any advice would help.

jandlois

for drebe73...secure lower clamps on botton of pedal...drill 1/8 th or smaller hole in plastic gas pedal...use first center hole in cover pedal..secure w/ slightly larger screw than is in the kit..or if you drill a 1/16th pilot hole then the kit screw is fine...it's all you need seems to hold in place to repeated pressure..did you get the dead pedal?..if so how does that fit?

gabegarwick

I've heard that others have had difficulties fitting the cover for the gas pedal on the focus. I think most said they aided the installation with one or more plastic zip ties.

Gabe

pcleveland2

Was on Focus Wagen Topic and logged off. When I logged back on I went directly there. Really messed up my mind as everybody there wants 5 speed manual, and complaining its not available. Wondered what happened that it wasn't available, but suddenly realized I wasn't on ZX3 topic.

Boy oh boy are those guys up in arms! Watch out for your trannys guys. Sounds like they're ready to do tranny swaps over there. At least Ford got it right with the ZX3, even if they are hard to find with a 5 speed. Personally, I'd like a five or six speed automatic.

Pat

gabegarwick

Lost key!! Oh no!
I paid $25.00 per key at my Ford Dealership Parts/Service dept. I don't know how much the remote will cost.

With only one key left, you'll have to have the Service dept. program the new one for you. (after you're done, please let us know if there is an additional fee for this programming)

Gabe

gabegarwick

Found some pedal covers I like and will most likely purchase. (also thinking of getting a wider rearview mirror)
They can be found at:
http://www.multisonic.com/
(they carry shift knobs and several other items also)
-direct links to the pictures:
Dead pedal:
http://www.multisonic.com/products/lv-68t.jpg
Brake:
http://www.multisonic.com/products/lv-64t.jpg
Gas:
http://www.multisonic.com/products/lv-54t.jpg
RearView mirrors available 220mm-360mm wide (8.5in-14in),fits over existing mirrors:
http://www.multisonic.com/mirrors.html

Gabe

zx3

I'm still not settled on a color for my Z (Autumn Orange, or Silver). Black also tempts me. It's so cool. I never had a black car.
Some questions for you.....

People always tell me (last week a lady with a new SUV repeated it) "It's a job, keeping a Black car shiny -- it shows up any dust/dirt, terrible!"

Others say, "Without A/C in a Black car, you fry in summer-time".
But, a guy just posted ..."Now I'm nice n'cool in my Black car with no A/C. I just crack-open the new Sunroof I just had installed, and the hot air sucks right out! Free cooling!"
But, I'm worried about "weakening the car" (by cutting a hole in the roof) that it might cause the car to fold up, in a crash.

Also, exactly how do you, "Prep a black car" BEFORE you wax it? And what brand Carnuba Wax do you use?
I hope this isn't too many questions. Big thanks.
zx3

zx3beast

to zx3 - when i said prep- i mean to prepare
the surface. first- you have to rinse with lots
of water. it is important to do this early in
the morning in the shade.use a good quality
car wash,preferably one that does not leave
water spots. contrary to popular belief,do not
wash car from top to bottom.wash from bottom to top. a section at a time. then thoroughly rinse.dry with a good quality chamois.now your ready for a polish application this is not a wax.using a polish
will further clean surface ,leaving less chance for scratching. when completed rinse car thoroughly + dry completely. now your ready for the finish coat-the carnauba wax- as far as choices its up to you as long as its pure carnauba wax. harlys is a good choice , there are others however. after its waxed , rinse again+dry completely.the next time you wash your car you will notice how easily it cleans+
shines. wax it again in about six weeks. after that time frame you should only need to wax it
every 3to4 months. i only polish once a year.
polish can +will remove paint surface. its not as strong as a compound but can be abrasive to surface if overdone.
my first choice was autumn orange- i first saw it on the ford site. it appeared brighter +bolder than in person. i traded a denim blue metallic zx2 for the zx3. i liked that color a lot. i believe its the same color ford now calls twilight blue. that zinc yellow is really cool looking too. not available when i made my purchase.as i posted before i like all the color choices for the z -they all look good ,i dont think ones better than the other. color is always in the eye of the beholder. different colors elicit different emotions . a very personal decision,only you have to like it.
now, when it comes to that fake looking chrome grill ..... can someone tell me why?

tickbitty

when deciding between the two colors, consider the interior as well. The dark interior has these neat "metallic" painted details, while the light interior just has darker grey accents, I think. I prefer the dark myself! As to your outer color choice, weren't you looking at 2 cars on the lot? If somebody buys one (or both!) while you are deciding, that will certainly limit your choice!

I love the zinc yellow, would have gotten it instead of my autumn orange if it were available when I ordered. I noticed a more orange orange on a new ford truck recently, that would have been a nice ZX3 color. Not to mention the far-snazzier reds (metallic and non-metallic) and the electric green, which are offered on mustangs only. I understand that they want to save some options for their pricier cars, but really, whos going to confuse a focus for a mustang!

As to the chrome grill, thanks for posting the pics, astually I thought that was a clever idea and looked pretty nice. I won't be doing it cause I prefer matte black but thanks for finally giving us a look at what you guys are talking about.

As for me, a list of catastrophes this weekend led me to lend my ZX3 to my sister to take to the beach for the week. AAAUUGGGGHHHHH!! THe pain! Her car died on the way down there and she's 6 months pregnant in 95 degree heat, she wanted to get down to see her son on mother's day, (he was already down there with his dad.) Boy, though, she owes me big for this SUPREME SACRIFICE. I'll be worried all week, sand in my carpets...oh.....

silver_bullet

Tickbitty, both the medium graphite and dark charcoal interiors have the same "metallic" painted accent pieces on the center dash cluster, and door panels. The plastic of the charcoal interior cars is darker (dash and door panels), and the velour seat fabric is of course darker as well. BTW - Euro Foci have a much lighter color to the metallic accent pieces - more like aluminum than titanium. For those of you who have ZTS sedans, and hate the fake wood, I see that the dealer can order the metallic accent pieces to replace your petrowood. You could also remove them, paint them yourself, and go for a more custom interior look if you are the least bit handy.

Hope your car gets back from the beach in one piece :-0

vadp

towcrazy2,

according to edmunds.com Ford's holdback is
3% of the total MSRP --not of the dealers Invoice.

tickbitty

thanks, SB for correcting me...my observation of the light interior was based on peeking into a locked one on the lot, so probably missed some things. Anyway, was just pointing out that the inside is worth considering since we are looking at the inside all the time anyway! Got to get what you like to look at!

For those wondering about the Kona Bike edition of the Focus, it is a ZX3 and they finally have some pics of it on www.focus247.com . As we know, the Sony edition is a sedan, so Ford has thrown the sporty bike edition to the ZX3.

riceowl

Thanks for the great welcome! My car is Silver (silver_bullet, how about triplets?) with medium graphite interior, AC, airbags all the way around, remote entry, and cruise to be added. The final bill came to near $13.6K. I'd like to add tinting soon and will be looking for a chrome exhaust tip. I'll comb the archives to get some ideas on what to do later. I've put 250 miles on it in the last two days and am having a blast driving -- an experience I've never had with any previous vehicles.

towcrazy2

Right you are! Holdback IS a function of MSRP rather than dealer invoice... I stand corrected!

I guess my point is that when you look at a dealer financial statement, it's clear that there are a NUMBER of costs involved in stocking and selling a vehicle that areen't immediately evident to customers. Such things as advertising PNVS (per new vehicle sold), commissions and floorplanning costs for keeping wheels on the lot add up and holdback is quickly eroded.

If you're buying a ZX3 at dealer invoice, I'd say you're doing extremely well! On the other hand, if you're buying a loaded Mustang at dealer invoice, I'd say you should have looked a bit further... It all boils down to the price of the vehicle.

I suspect that once Ford has its hands on some meaningful data on the ZX3, that prices will escalate considerably... The old supply/demand thing!

drebe73

Thanks for the advice on the gas pedal. It just seemed to be too far back when i aligned the clips, and when i slid it forward the clips didnt reach the pedal. i think i might use a small piece of double stick tape to hold it in place
while i install it.
My ZX3 is pitch black with the dark charcoal interior and I realy love it when it's clean. I like how everything blends, the mirrors, and the side molding. The problem is that I'm pretty lazy when it comes to washing it. I haven't cleaned it yet and it is looking sorry. I just can't seem to find the time to do it. I'm going to try this weekend. I refuse to run it through the gas station car wash. Oh look, it just started pouring rain as I type this, at least its getting rinsed. I live in Florida and the summers get nasty hot. I am worried about the heat but I try to park in the shade and I have a sun reflector for the windshield and the dealer tinted the windows fairly dark. The A/C doesn't cool as quickly as I'd like but it does the job.
I just noticed that the hood of my car is not aligned properly, it is resting on the right headlight. There is a gap between the left head light and the hoor that i can run my finger along. The hood is actually resting on the lens and there is no gap. No space to run my nail along. Now it's back to the dealer.

riceowl

If anyone is in the makret for a ZX3 in the Kansas City area, I just received an email from Olathe Ford (http://www.olatheford.com) which has 30 ZX3s in stock and would sell one AT invoice (a better deal than what I got in Topeka). I asked about the Kona series and was told they would not be getting any in (Topeka had 4 on order).

-riceowl

razor5

I timed myself yesterday when I arose early to wash dry my pitch black ZX3. 22 minutes is all it took for a complete bath, chambry dry and Rain-X treatment on the windows. I found that getting up at 6, starting the process at 6:30 (with coffee in hand) and kicking back at 7:00 to adore my work was a great way to start my Sunday. And man did it look kewl when the sun came out. With the windows tinted 50%, the side panels blended right into the windows and gave it a very "Star Wars" look. Dang, those 15" tires are dinky. Black is the only color for the ZX3 as far as I'm concerned. Ford stylist did not study the effects of color on the look of the car long enough. The bright colors are just too shocking for such a kewl design.

pcleveland2

Hey guys,
Suggest you check out all the wax and polish topics plus Zaino experences here on Edmunds Townhall before you do anything. Lots of good info there.

Plus its my understanding you can't get 100% pure carnauba wax. Think it's all blended with other products. Check it out first.

Pat

twilightbliss

My ZX3 has 1,000 miles on it, and just a few days ago I noticed that when the fan was blowing, I could smell oil. So, I checked under the hood and saw dampness around the front of the engine, and the bolts. Today, the head of the Ford service department confirmed that I have a leaky valve cover gasket. I asked him if he thought that was a bad sign for a car with only 1,000 miles, and he rudely said, "I don't think about these cars. I just fix them", and then he walked away.

I called the service department back, after hearing nothing, and was told that the gasket is on back order and won't arrive until the first of next month. I asked the man why he didn't call me, and he said, "I just found out two minutes ago."

To say the least, I am EXTREMELY disappointed: in the car, and in the service. Has anyone else had a problem with the valve cover gasket? Any advice on how to handle the dealer/service guys? I'm a woman, and I can't help but suspect that they treat me poorly because of that. I try not to jump to conclusions, but today was just awful. I'm already regretting buying this car...

silver_bullet

First, I would call the owner of the dealership and describe your little exchange with Mr. Rude. I would contact the Zone Manager for Ford and do the same thing, and also ask him/her to help locate the needed part. The Zetec engine isn't new, and I can't believe the valve cover gasket isn't available through Ford (or an OEM supplier). A little assertiveness is called for here. As far as a leaky valve cover gasket being an indicator of things to come, that's hard to say. Ford makes a bunch of engines, and statistically one would expect a defect to surface from time to time. I'd give the car the benefit of the doubt, but I would REAM the service dept. manager and the dealership owner for the way they treated you.

norwaydoug

From my experience, I would recommend talking to the dealer and area manager regarding your unacceptable experience with Ford. Be very persistent and polite and get what you want. I had major problems with parts and it took months for me for things to resolve.

I hope they are providing you with a free rental car and not expecting to drive your new focus. They should also wash your engine to perfection when you get it back.

They should be thankful to YOU that you promptly went to the dealer to have your focus fixed. you could have easily have just driven it and fried the engine. That would have cost FOrd more.

Fight the good fight and good luck.

ND

pcleveland2

I live in a small town, about 5000 population, on a side, side street. Couldn't believe my eyes. Another Malibu Blue driving down my my side street. Didn't see who was driving it. First time I've seen it.
Pat

pcleveland2

Valve Cover Gasket on back order? Some how I don't believe it, but!!! Think I would be all over the owner of the dealership to find me one and have it overnited.

Wouldn't drive it the way it is. They should provide rental. Be firm.

Pat

anonymous

jjk82

Has anyone got this painted?

jk

pcleveland2

jjk82,
I haven't, but boy am I tempted. It's a pain to keep from getting polish/wax on them.

I've read, either here or other focus sites, where folks were talking about doing it. Talk was about sanding them smooth and painting. Also some talk about removing them all together. There is holes and clips under them. Wish I could help you more.

Pat

togneter

I've seen quite a few sedans with matching molding. Can this be irdered, maybe?

I like the black on my silver, but I might be tempted on some of the other colors...

rvtex1

What a coincidence. I too just got rid of a Chevy S10 pickup as my ZX3 will be delivered this week in Houston.

Watch for a new infra-red Z in Clear Lake area this week. Ordered March 23rd with all options except auto trans and smokers package.

I'm a University of Texas Ex, class of 70.

blacktrek92

Does anyone here know of any good modifications that I'd be able to get with my new Focus that I'm awaiting the arival of? (Besides, lowering it and tinted glass.) Thanks.

jheitman

i just drove 2300 miles in one week around the mid west and new england. I only saw a few Foci and only one ZX3.

pcleveland2

Blacktreck92,
Check out Aftermarket - Ford Focus here on Edmunds and also "http://www.discussion-board.com/clubfocus/".

All kinds of modifications you can do!
Pat