I think that you have raised some good questions in considering the Focus.
As you stated, reliability is an issue. The Focus has done well in Europe and is currently the best selling car in the world. But that doesn't necessarily speak for the North American version on quality. If you do decide to purchase the Focus, you may want to consider the extended warranty. While the engine is a proven design, the transaxle and suspension are new. And I believe that when we speak of reliability, we want the car to start everyday and move forward and backward and turn without issue. So if the extended warranty covers these areas, it might be worth the investment.
You also mentioned proximity to the steering wheel. The Focus offers the Comfort Group which includes a tilt and telescoping steering wheel. This is a great feature, especially for people of short stature. Also another cool feature is the height adjustable driver seat. My fiance had occasion to drive a wagon for a week (she cannot drive my ZTS as it is a manual). She is 4' 11" and absolutely loved it! She was able to see over the hood of the car and did not feel crammed against the steering wheel. I did some research and she does not meet the requirements to have the driver airbag disabled. So if she too decides to purchase a Focus, tilt/telescoping steering wheel is a must.
As far as resale is concerned, I know the Focus ranks right up there with the Civic on 2-yr residual values (ALG values used to determine lease prices). I do not know if this is any indication of how a three year old Focus with 99,000 miles would sell for related to a Civic. But, if it were 2 yrs old with average miles, it would retain about the same percentage of its value.
i doubt seriously that any damage will occur if you drain the excess in a timely fashion. i was told most of the time the excess blows out the crankcase breather (which is located inside the stock air filter compartment). just carefully drain out the excess and make sure the oil level is in the safe zone on the dipstick.
early this morning i went to my dealer to have my excess oiL removed. After i told the service manager that they overfilled my car with oiL..and that the dipstick is showing 1/4 above the full line he said...."wait a minute, i do not understand" so i repeated exactly what i had said the first time then he said "what are u talking about..we had put 5 quarts of oiL"...ahhh..that's it...i told them it should only be 4.5quarts like what the manuaL says...he said " ohh..only 4.5 qts for Focus?"..then he checked his computer then called for the guy who did my oiL change....he spoke to him for awhile..and probably got in trouble...then the manager said he'll drain it for you right away...after the adjustment was made..the guy who did the oiL change apologized to me.....i said "it's o.K." what am i saying....i bet they knew that they would have done damage to my engine..otherwise the manager would not have a serious talk with the mechanic and they wouldn't have apologized and made the changes right away.
What's the purpose of this thing anyway....does this takes a way speed from our ZX3?...Secondly i'm curious...of all the pix of ZX3 engine i've seen in the magazines..none of them have the breather (i.e..Automobil Magz) Would it be a good idea to replace the intake tube with one without the breather?
Hey all. Quick question. What do you maintain your tire pressure at. I have the stock tires, which indicate a max of 44psi. What have you found to be ideal?
I purchased a mini bra for my ZX3 and my father and I could not figure out how to put the side parts on. Well, I finally called the phone number on the package of the bra....and they told me that the bra has been recalled because it was put together wrong. Oh brother!
That should be a sign for you to forget about the whole bra issue. If you want to protect the front then get a bug and stone deflector. The Ventshade company make great ones and that is what I installed on my Cavalier after I returned the bra. I'm not sure if they make one for the Focus but I'm sur ethey will make one eventually.
While checking out all the features of the car, I noticed that the rear hatch seal wasn't making full contact and was allowing light into the trunk. The car was in my garage with the garage lights on and I pulled down one of the back seats and could see light coming in at the bottom of the hatch. I opened the hatch and adjusted the seal which took care of the problem. This is something you would notice unless you were looking for it, so I suggest everyone makes sure their hatch seal fits properly as well.
Autumn-color ZX3, 5-spd, Air, Smokers, Mats, 34 miles on O/D, $175 over Invoice. ("How sweet it is!!" .... Jackie Gleason).
When I stumbled onto this website a month ago, I had never even heard of a Ford named ZX3. But after reading all your posts, asking you tons of questions (which you patiently answered) I finally "bit the bullet" and drove one home today. So thanks guys, for steering me to this fine car.
I do have one complaint. You guys never warned me how "smooth/quiet/fast" it is....... On way home from Dealer, I thought I was doing a sensible, conservative "break-in" speed of 45. Then I looked at speedometer --- Egad!! 70mph!!! zx3
AAAHHHHH-I had my car for 1 month!!! now the right side from the front wheel (damaged) to the back wheel (damaged) are scraped and dented badly. the damage doesnt go higher then about 2 inches above the molding but i need new front/back fender and door--no estimate yet and i dont know what i will get from the other company. some terrible driver decided to squeeze in on my right side when i was making a right--they "didnt see my blinker" and i didnt see them so when i went thier bumper hit my side and messed it up badly. Now i have to go through insurance and see if i get money--it was her fault but will they see it like that! any ideas on $$$ it will cost???
Teamzx3yellow, It's covered in the owners manual. Don't know how much more OEM you can get than that. If you don't have a ZX3 yet just ask dealer to let you see a manual from a ZX3. Am sure they will let you look at one.
zx3, welcome to the driving side of this forum. Ain't it sweet to be driving one than to only be reading about them? I too am having a very hard time keeping the RPM's at about 3000 or below my first 1000 miles.
Focus3xzr, sorry about your misfortune, Our WORST NIGHTMARE since reading these posts is to have to take car back to Ford for repair with the dreaded wait for parts. Hope it goes well for you with insurance and especially parts. How anyone can miss seeing the tailights on our hatchlings is beyond me. They must have been admiring your car instead of watching out for their driving.
Could anyone who has changed their own oil on their Z tell me what type of oil filter wrench will work best? Previous posts indicated a tight fit to get to filter. Did ya'll use the contracting wring type with handle or the cup type that a ratchet extension fits into?
RV - Oddly enough, the filter than came on my ZX3 from the factory was slightly different than a replacement Mortorcraft FL-2005; it had a different style of "flats" where a cap-style wrench would grip. I used my trusty Plews 70-715 cam-style wrench to grab and turn the factory filter. The replacement Motorcraft FL-2005 can be removed with the same wrench, or go to PepBoys and look at the range of different sized cap-style wrenches they offer. I found the one stamped "CTA A" fits the FL-2005 exactly.
Thanks for the congrats, Ryvtexl. I'm interested in changing my oil, too. Can the Z be crawled under? Or is it too low. Mine's parked out in dark driveway, so I don't know. When I go to Dlr tomorrow, I'll see what wrench he uses to remove/fasten the filter. And let you know. What kind of filter are you using? Parts dept guy said he uses only Motorcraft oil on his Focus wagon. zx3
Can a "universal wrench" be bot that will remove our filters, from an ordinary car parts store? How much do Ford dealers charge on average for oil/filter change? Do you agree with parts dept guy ("break-in oil on a Z is not a 'special' oil .. it's regular commercial Motorcraft 5w-30")? zx3
I'd bet that our engines are factory filled with conventional petroleum based 5W30 oil. Years ago, you would occasionally hear about special "break-in" oils being used in new cars, but I can't recall ever seeing such a product offered by an auto parts vendor or racing supply house.
Try either PepBoys or NAPA for a decent selection of oil filter wrenches. I don't consider the oil filter in the ZX3 to be much of a challenge to change, providing you use Rhino Ramps (Walmart, about $30) and a wrench that grabs the filter from the end - try changing the filter on an old English car, or even on a Miata... now there's a sport for you
TeamZX3 and/or anyone else interested in viewing the manual. I have a copy of the manual in .pdf format that I'll forward to anyone interested. (You will need Adobe Acrobat to view it).
Ok, the ZX3 is in my price range.....I love the look (autumn orange is really pretty altho may be too flashy for me 4 years later).....I love the drive. I really low the car.
I am just so darn worried about the reliability facotr. I am not asking anyone to "talk" me in to it or anything, what I'd like to know is...is it a smart choice for a 1st time buyer with a hefty commute on a tight budget? Can it stand the 125 mile a day round trip commute? For how long, and if not....how much will it cost me in the long run?
I just can't help myself... it's gotten to the point where I can't even stand to look at all those commuters in their hondas. LOL
sorry about your trouble focuszx3r, but I have one question. You complain about a terrible driver squeezing into a gap on your right while you were turning. Now I don't know what she was driving but most cars are about six feet wide. How come there was a 6-7 foot gap between you and the kerb? Are you one of those drivers who swings way out to the left before turning right? If so, maybe you should reconsider your own driving technique, before calling others terrible drivers. If you wanted to turn right, then that's where you should have been, on the right. Enough said.
I still haven't got my car. I went down to the dealer today to see it. It is looking very sad, all covered in dust. The recall on my car was a lot more serious than I had previously suspected. Apparently the servopump on the brakes for the ESP equipped Foci is defective and they have been recalled. My focus is sitting there on the lot waiting for the new parts to arrive from Ford. From the experience of others in this group I reckon I could be in for a long wait.
Anyway, I noticed they had mounted Michelin Energy MXV4 tires.
around here we have those things on the road called "white lines" that determine what lane you are supposed to be in. Often, it is more than 6-8 feet from the curb, and even though it's technically not legal, people sometime utilise this space as an informal "turn lane." This has caused them to put annoying huge bump things in the roadway to keep you out of there. So he was probably where he was supposed to be, and the "terrible driver" is not!
Thank you for the link to PepBoys. Never heard of them till sil/b mentioned them yesterday. I went there and took quick look at their main page..... "Exxon oil 68 cents/qt!!" Wow. Not too shabby, huh? Thanx again. zx3
To answer your?It's to early to tell how reliable the focus is going to be.Fords other compact offering the escort has been very reliable,take a look at consumer reports to verify this.I want to apologize in advance for mentioning our focus and escort in the same sentence.
How does one know how reliability any automobile is going to be. Any auto can be a lemon. I purchased the ZX3 on Fords reputation (my 1989 Ford Ranger 4 cyl with 120,000 miles) and gut feeling after researching everything I could find on the ZX3. I drive 60 miles a day round trip to work. Over 10,000 since purchasing her on Feb 29th. After driving a gasoline tanker all day, I look forward into getting into my ZX3 to drive home. Can not seem to stay away from her. Just FUN to drive this car. Can't say this about any vehicle I've owned in the past 20 years. Need I say more on Reliability? Pat
in response to reliability i have to agree with pcleveland2.as he says any car can be a lemon. 3yrs/36000 mi. warranty,i say dont sweat it.im sure pc has i have plunked down some hard-earned cash for cars that only had a 1yr./12000mi. warranty. im my own personal experience owning fords,mustang, torino,tempo,+zx2-they were all reliable vehicles. the tempo was probably deemed the lest reliable by various consumer-type reviews,however i logged 144,000 miles on it.no major repairs.the zetec is a proven engine.any problems or recalls you have heard about or read are actually very minor+pro-active on the part of the mfg.this car is unlike any hatchback produced.it is a first-class ride. as i have posted countless times before ,it is without a doubt the best price/perfomance value in a car available bar none.also,as pc says you cant dismiss the fact it is just plain fun to drive.
The sudden drop in number of posts here, surprised me. Then I realized we're near end of College year, and students are busy. Obviously there must be a lot of Z hatchling owners (who post here) who are College kids. Things will pick up after exams n' commencement. zx3
wow, tickbitty, your roads must be really wide. No such luxuries here (except on the highway). We do have tram/bus/taxi lanes on some roads here in Turin, but I don't even trust my wing mirrors turning right across these lanes. The original post made no such reference and I have seen people do some very strange things. A friend of mine hit a lady who had put on a left turn signal and then promptly turned right. His protests were met with the affermation that she would have used the right turn signal but it was broken.
I myself almost ran into another car outside a supermarket one day. I was driving along behind this guy when he started indicating that he wanted to turn right. However he shifted into the left turn lane. I mean right into it, not sort of into the middle of the road. Anyway he was out of my way now as I was going straight and he started to slow. The right indicator was still on so I hung back for a second, and then he suddenly made a sharp turn right, cutting right across my lane. I slammed on the brakes and we passed with a few inches to spare.
Now I am not saying that this is what happened in this case, but there are a lot of people out there who take corners as if they were driving a bus. There are also lots of people who misuse and abuse their indicator lights. Have you ever been waiting to pass someone with their left turn indicator on only to find they had just forgotten to turn it off and then turn right without indicating at all? Again irrelevant to the above post, but as far as I am concerned bad driving is not only the preserve of those who go too fast. If driving in the hard shoulder is common practice where you come from then 'good' driving practice would dictate that you check your passenger side rear view mirror before and during such a manoeuvre.
"Legal" has nothing whatsoever to do with good driving. Good driving is about reading the road and traffic conditions and driving safely within these limits. It is also about holding your own space on the road, making it clear to others what you are doing and intend to do, and being aware of what those around you are doing. You really ought to drive to avoid accidents whether they are your fault or not. I drive fast and I drive aggressively, but I have yet to be hit by anyone nor hit anyone myself. I have come close once or twice (see above) but only when the other driver's behaviour has been so irrational as to be almost illegible. [In the above tale, my lane was completely free and a right turn from the left turn lane would have been illegal.]
Ok, after all this rambling, back to the point. I am not going to argue that overtaking somebody on the right while they have their right turn indicator on is a sane move. My point is that you really shouldn't afford others the opportunity to even try. The other driver is at fault here. I am not doubting that, but this sort of accident is avoidable, and as far as I am concerned, I'd rather avoid it than have to face the consequences no matter who was wrong or right.
As for reliability, Pat, it is unfortunately still true that some cars are more prone to being lemons than others . The long term reliability of a vehicle is as ever down to good design, sensible maintenance and good luck. The Focus has been with us since 1998, and most people on the Ford NG here seem happy with their Foci (not everything is rosy, there have been people with multiple problems, but as far as I can ascertain they are a minority).
It's getting late and I have already written too much
Hi, togneter, still alive and kicking. Not too much to report on from this side of the pond though (Focuswise).
torinopaddy, We have our share of skinny roads too! You just have to be out in the country, or city depending which. The southwestern part of New York State (south of Buffalo) has its share. Some of the roads in Pennsylvina, West Virgina, and Eastern Kentucky are made for the ZX3. Lots of hairpin turns. But I know what you are talking about. Spent five years in West Berlin, Germany. Traveled around a bit also. The ZX3 would be a blast over there. Even on some of the roads in the Far East, like Thailand. Pat
"I love it, goes on easy, gives deep brilliant shine...." the owner told me today (in answer to my query about what he uses most in way of waxes/polishes when he details cars).
"It saves my customers money because it's so much less labor, which makes them happy .... plus it makes me happy 'cause less labor means I charge less, so I get more jobs".
He added that Meguire's wax is better, but ..."for sheer bang-for-the-buck, in terms of labor and results ... this stuff is incredible" ...."The shine is nice and deep, lasts a good 3 months". His Dad agreed...."the deep-polish the Meguira liquid gives you, is almost mirror-like. Try it yourself".
I haven't seen it in action, but with that kind of recommendation from a friend who's a Pro --- I'll try it on the new Autumn color Z-hatchling I bought yesterday. zx3
tickbitty, Just had time to finish reading torinopaddy's post, "Wide Roads". What he says is so true. Here in the USofA, we were taught to drive "defensively", but are becoming much more aggressive in our driving. You would be amazed at the things I see from the window of a eighteen wheeler. I hate to admit it, but we eighteen wheelers have our share of bad apples, and the number seem to be increasing all the time. We're getting new ones everyday from six to eight weeks of "truck driver schools". Give them 80,000 pounds of rolling steel and send them on their way sharing the road with your 2500 pound ZX3. The drivers in Europe are more aggressive, but they do generally pay attention to their driving. At least it was that way when I was over there. We on the other hand are talking on cell phone, shaving, reading newspaper, combing our hair, looking at the baby in back seat, putting on makeup, and I can go on and on. Don't know about Italy, but in Germany one doesn't get a drivers license overnight. They pay a very large amount of money to go to drivers school, and have to go for months before being allowed to drive alone. Some time I'll tell you about Okinawa. They have only been driving since 1946. That's a real trip. Pat
Driving a car in Europe is much different in USA. In Norway people take a lot of pride in their skills as drivers. They can drive in snow that would just blow the minds of a lot of AMericans.
I firmly believe it is because Euro drivers use a 5 speed and are much more 'in tune' with their cars.
In the USA, a car is an appliance, and people expect them to look and drive like a 22 cubic foot freezer---just look at those white Excursions/Explorers/Suburbans/Tahoes---and tell me if I am wrong?
With the high HP and the slush box transmission they are just so easy to move in a single direction...and people just put the pedal to the metal and not think or pay attention. People don't seem to understand that they are 4 feet behind another car and they are driving a 3000 pound object at 75 mph and they are talking on the cellular phone and they are drinking a coffee and thinking about an e-mail....that maybe this is really a stupid thing to do. People do not understand that sheet metal at that speed pretty much folds up like aluminum foil when hit.
Drivers in the USA just do not think when they drive. They are always stepping on their brake, speeding up, stepping on their brake. Over and over. I just watch this braking scenario everyday and wonder, 'do people know that this braking cycle is really really dumb?'
Me?...I am not the greatest driver, but I understand that driving a car is a responsibility that I take seriously. That alone makes me a better driver than most people. Of course, IMOH!!!!
Comments
As you stated, reliability is an issue. The Focus has done well in Europe and is currently the best selling car in the world. But that doesn't necessarily speak for the North American version on quality. If you do decide to purchase the Focus, you may want to consider the extended warranty. While the engine is a proven design, the transaxle and suspension are new. And I believe that when we speak of reliability, we want the car to start everyday and move forward and backward and turn without issue. So if the extended warranty covers these areas, it might be worth the investment.
You also mentioned proximity to the steering wheel. The Focus offers the Comfort Group which includes a tilt and telescoping steering wheel. This is a great feature, especially for people of short stature. Also another cool feature is the height adjustable driver seat. My fiance had occasion to drive a wagon for a week (she cannot drive my ZTS as it is a manual). She is 4' 11" and absolutely loved it! She was able to see over the hood of the car and did not feel crammed against the steering wheel. I did some research and she does not meet the requirements to have the driver airbag disabled. So if she too decides to purchase a Focus, tilt/telescoping steering wheel is a must.
As far as resale is concerned, I know the Focus ranks right up there with the Civic on 2-yr residual values (ALG values used to determine lease prices). I do not know if this is any indication of how a three year old Focus with 99,000 miles would sell for related to a Civic. But, if it were 2 yrs old with average miles, it would retain about the same percentage of its value.
what am i saying....i bet they knew that they would have done damage to my engine..otherwise the manager would not have a serious talk with the mechanic and they wouldn't have apologized and made the changes right away.
Thanks in advance...
nice eh...everybody looking for each other
("How sweet it is!!" .... Jackie Gleason).
When I stumbled onto this website a month ago, I had never even heard of a Ford named ZX3.
But after reading all your posts, asking you tons of questions (which you patiently answered) I finally "bit the bullet" and drove one home today.
So thanks guys, for steering me to this fine car.
I do have one complaint. You guys never warned me how "smooth/quiet/fast" it is.......
On way home from Dealer, I thought I was doing a sensible, conservative "break-in" speed of 45. Then I looked at speedometer --- Egad!! 70mph!!!
zx3
some terrible driver decided to squeeze in on my right side when i was making a right--they "didnt see my blinker" and i didnt see them so when i went thier bumper hit my side and messed it up badly. Now i have to go through insurance and see if i get money--it was her fault but will they see it like that!
any ideas on $$$ it will cost???
It's covered in the owners manual. Don't know how much more OEM you can get than that. If you don't have a ZX3 yet just ask dealer to let you see a manual from a ZX3. Am sure they will let you look at one.
Pat
Focus3xzr, sorry about your misfortune, Our WORST NIGHTMARE since reading these posts is to have to take car back to Ford for repair with the dreaded wait for parts. Hope it goes well for you with insurance and especially parts. How anyone can miss seeing the tailights on our hatchlings is beyond me. They must have been admiring your car instead of watching out for their driving.
RV
Thanks in advance
RV
originally rear drums are painted black
but now drums are rust color
dealer said this is normal
but thinks it looks ugly
anyone with same problem
zx3
I'm interested in changing my oil, too. Can the Z be crawled under? Or is it too low. Mine's parked out in dark driveway, so I don't know.
When I go to Dlr tomorrow, I'll see what wrench he uses to remove/fasten the filter. And let you know. What kind of filter are you using?
Parts dept guy said he uses only Motorcraft oil on his Focus wagon.
zx3
How much do Ford dealers charge on average for oil/filter change?
Do you agree with parts dept guy ("break-in oil on a Z is not a 'special' oil .. it's regular commercial Motorcraft 5w-30")?
zx3
Let me know how close I am,OK?
zx3
Try either PepBoys or NAPA for a decent selection of oil filter wrenches. I don't consider the oil filter in the ZX3 to be much of a challenge to change, providing you use Rhino Ramps (Walmart, about $30) and a wrench that grabs the filter from the end - try changing the filter on an old English car, or even on a Miata... now there's a sport for you
I know you save a lot doing your own oil changes. I was wondering though (i've never had a new car)
If the dealer doesn't do it, and you happen to do some damge (unitentionally of course) is it still covered under warrenty?
Gabe
I am just so darn worried about the reliability facotr. I am not asking anyone to "talk" me in to it or anything, what I'd like to know is...is it a smart choice for a 1st time buyer with a hefty commute on a tight budget? Can it stand the 125 mile a day round trip commute? For how long, and if not....how much will it cost me in the long run?
I just can't help myself... it's gotten to the point where I can't even stand to look at all those commuters in their hondas. LOL
Sheesh, here I go again.
Anyone?
I still haven't got my car. I went down to the dealer today to see it. It is looking very sad, all covered in dust. The recall on my car was a lot more serious than I had previously suspected. Apparently the servopump on the brakes for the ESP equipped Foci is defective and they have been recalled. My focus is sitting there on the lot waiting for the new parts to arrive from Ford. From the experience of others in this group I reckon I could be in for a long wait.
Anyway, I noticed they had mounted Michelin Energy MXV4 tires.
Can't wait to get my hands on it.
zx3
I'll head on over. Thanks.
zx3
Need I say more on Reliability?
Pat
My mind gets ahead of my typing.
Pat
pcleveland2.as he says any car can be a lemon.
3yrs/36000 mi. warranty,i say dont sweat it.im sure
pc has i have plunked down some hard-earned cash
for cars that only had a 1yr./12000mi. warranty.
im my own personal experience owning fords,mustang,
torino,tempo,+zx2-they were all reliable vehicles.
the tempo was probably deemed the lest reliable by
various consumer-type reviews,however i logged
144,000 miles on it.no major repairs.the zetec is a
proven engine.any problems or recalls you have heard about or read are actually very minor+pro-active on the part of the mfg.this car is unlike any hatchback produced.it is a first-class ride.
as i have posted countless times before ,it is without a doubt the best price/perfomance value in
a car available bar none.also,as pc says you cant dismiss the fact it is just plain fun to drive.
Things will pick up after exams n' commencement.
zx3
I myself almost ran into another car outside a supermarket one day. I was driving along behind this guy when he started indicating that he wanted to turn right. However he shifted into the left turn lane. I mean right into it, not sort of into the middle of the road. Anyway he was out of my way now as I was going straight and he started to slow. The right indicator was still on so I hung back for a second, and then he suddenly made a sharp turn right, cutting right across my lane. I slammed on the brakes and we passed with a few inches to spare.
Now I am not saying that this is what happened in this case, but there are a lot of people out there who take corners as if they were driving a bus. There are also lots of people who misuse and abuse their indicator lights. Have you ever been waiting to pass someone with their left turn indicator on only to find they had just forgotten to turn it off and then turn right without indicating at all? Again irrelevant to the above post, but as far as I am concerned bad driving is not only the preserve of those who go too fast. If driving in the hard shoulder is common practice where you come from then 'good' driving practice would dictate that you check your passenger side rear view mirror before and during such a manoeuvre.
"Legal" has nothing whatsoever to do with good driving. Good driving is about reading the road and traffic conditions and driving safely within these limits. It is also about holding your own space on the road, making it clear to others what you are doing and intend to do, and being aware of what those around you are doing. You really ought to drive to avoid accidents whether they are your fault or not.
I drive fast and I drive aggressively, but I have yet to be hit by anyone nor hit anyone myself. I have come close once or twice (see above) but only when the other driver's behaviour has been so irrational as to be almost illegible. [In the above tale, my lane was completely free and a right turn from the left turn lane would have been illegal.]
Ok, after all this rambling, back to the point. I am not going to argue that overtaking somebody on the right while they have their right turn indicator on is a sane move. My point is that you really shouldn't afford others the opportunity to even try. The other driver is at fault here. I am not doubting that, but this sort of accident is avoidable, and as far as I am concerned, I'd rather avoid it than have to face the consequences no matter who was wrong or right.
As for reliability, Pat, it is unfortunately still true that some cars are more prone to being lemons than others
It's getting late and I have already written too much
Hi, togneter, still alive and kicking. Not too much to report on from this side of the pond though (Focuswise).
We have our share of skinny roads too! You just have to be out in the country, or city depending which. The southwestern part of New York State (south of Buffalo) has its share. Some of the roads in Pennsylvina, West Virgina, and Eastern Kentucky are made for the ZX3. Lots of hairpin turns.
But I know what you are talking about. Spent five years in West Berlin, Germany. Traveled around a bit also. The ZX3 would be a blast over there. Even on some of the roads in the Far East, like Thailand.
Pat
"I love it, goes on easy, gives deep brilliant shine...." the owner told me today (in answer to my query about what he uses most in way of waxes/polishes when he details cars).
"It saves my customers money because it's so much less labor, which makes them happy .... plus it makes me happy 'cause less labor means I charge less, so I get more jobs".
He added that Meguire's wax is better, but ..."for sheer bang-for-the-buck, in terms of labor and results ... this stuff is incredible" ...."The shine is nice and deep, lasts a good 3 months".
His Dad agreed...."the deep-polish the Meguira liquid gives you, is almost mirror-like. Try it yourself".
I haven't seen it in action, but with that kind of recommendation from a friend who's a Pro --- I'll try it on the new Autumn color Z-hatchling I bought yesterday.
zx3
Just had time to finish reading torinopaddy's post, "Wide Roads". What he says is so true. Here in the USofA, we were taught to drive "defensively", but are becoming much more aggressive in our driving. You would be amazed at the things I see from the window of a eighteen wheeler. I hate to admit it, but we eighteen wheelers have our share of bad apples, and the number seem to be increasing all the time. We're getting new ones everyday from six to eight weeks of "truck driver schools". Give them 80,000 pounds of rolling steel and send them on their way sharing the road with your 2500 pound ZX3. The drivers in Europe are more aggressive, but they do generally pay attention to their driving. At least it was that way when I was over there. We on the other hand are talking on cell phone, shaving, reading newspaper, combing our hair, looking at the baby in back seat, putting on makeup, and I can go on and on. Don't know about Italy, but in Germany one doesn't get a drivers license overnight. They pay a very large amount of money to go to drivers school, and have to go for months before being allowed to drive alone. Some time I'll tell you about Okinawa. They have only been driving since 1946. That's a real trip.
Pat
I firmly believe it is because Euro drivers use a 5 speed and are much more 'in tune' with their cars.
In the USA, a car is an appliance, and people expect them to look and drive like a 22 cubic foot freezer---just look at those white Excursions/Explorers/Suburbans/Tahoes---and tell me if I am wrong?
With the high HP and the slush box transmission they are just so easy to move in a single direction...and people just put the pedal to the metal and not think or pay attention. People don't seem to understand that they are 4 feet behind another car and they are driving a 3000 pound object at 75 mph and they are talking on the cellular phone and they are drinking a coffee and thinking about an e-mail....that maybe this is really a stupid thing to do. People do not understand that sheet metal at that speed pretty much folds up like aluminum foil when hit.
Drivers in the USA just do not think when they drive. They are always stepping on their brake, speeding up, stepping on their brake. Over and over. I just watch this braking scenario everyday and wonder, 'do people know that this braking cycle is really really dumb?'
Me?...I am not the greatest driver, but I understand that driving a car is a responsibility that I take seriously. That alone makes me a better driver than most people. Of course, IMOH!!!!
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