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Comments
If you want to read more, bosch have a few pages dedicated to what it does and a virtual test drive (you will need shockwave to view it).
http://www.bosch.de/de_e/productworld/k/esp/index.htm
As for the Fiat Multipla, I was working in Fiat during its development and I couldn't believe they were going to try and sell something so wilfully ugly. Having said that I have ridden passenger and from the inside out it is actually quite a pleasant experience. The cabin is really well laid out and the glass area huge so the view of the outside is panoramic. I still couldn't bring myself to buy one. If I was in the market for a vehicle that could shift 6 people and their luggage I might.....but I'm not.
How or why the Citroen Picasso could trigger such a violent reaction, I fail to understand. Opinion here seems to be quite positive. In fact it looks extremely similar to its main rival the Renault Megane Scenic which has been an enormous success for Renault here.
The Focus is rather out there on its own, even here. It is one of those cars that you like or you don't. The road was paved for it first with the Ka and then the Puma, so although it is a strange shape, Ford eased us in gradually. I don't see people pointing at it (it has been around long enough for everyone to get used to it) but its shape is fairly radical. It will seem less and less so as other manufacturers borrow styling cues off it. The Toyota Celica has been borrowing and I can't help seeing similarities in the Seat Salsa Concept Car.
One of the reasons the focus is the way it is, is for engineering and manufacture. The reasoning behind the "New Edge" is to allow the manufacturer to get away with looser tolerances on the bodywork allowing Ford to produce the car cheaper. The logic behind this thinking is quite sound and other manufacturers will surely be tempted to follow.
The Astra coupe is very similar style-wise to the Opel Calibra from a few years back. Not my cup of tea, pretty but nothing like the Peugeot 406 coupe which looks like the Ferrari 456's little sister. The new Corsa looks promising too but it will have to be to compete with the Peugeot 206 and the Fiat Punto among others.
One marque here that is churning out great looking cars as fast as it can is Alfa. First we got the GTV and the Spider, then the 156, 166 and now the 147 which will be a Focus competitor. One very beautiful looking hatch this. If it had come out a bit sooner, I may not have been writing here!
Citroen have made some funny looking cars down the years but they haven't all been ugly. Their have been some gems in their past too. The DS is amazing. I think their worst cars have been some of their recent offerings when PSA (the parent group) decided to use the marque to flog Peugeots to conservative buyers. Citroen have always been pioneers in the auto engineering field and it was a shame to see some of these cars sold as Citroens. PSA have announced that the future will be different and that the marque will return to making innovative and unusual products.
This has little to do with the Focus, so I'll sign off. Ford say they can deliver my car tomorrow. To say I'm anxious is the least of it.
Good luck all.
In my opinion ZX3 is the tightest assembled car in Ford's history. The body panel gaps are extremely small for the domestic (U.S.)manufacturer and aproaching the japanese quality.
Also the body shell is claimed to be more rigid than any car in its class, which allowed the designers to dial in those nice suspension settings.
Am I right?
In European Heaven:
The English are the police,
The French are the cooks,
The Italians design the cars,
and the Germans build them.
In European Hell:
The Germans are the police,
The English are the cooks,
The French design the cars,
and the Italians build them.
No offense meant to anyone in this fine group
I forgot to include Peugeot on the list of my favorite European car makers.
Long time ago we had a Peugeot 504 (green with a sunroof and engine that was not going to quite).I like older Peugeots like 205's too.The same question, why we did not get them here in the States.
The market for: hatchbacks, and compact cars in America has never been as competitive as in Europe. Gasoline here use to be as cheap as spring water? Maybe now when gasoline price is jumping up like never before we'll get some more interest from European car makers (Opel, Alfa, Peugeot, Reault etc.)The world is getting smaller and smaller(internet,cheap air-tickets,english used worldwide),it's time to choose from the best car products worldwide!
Certainly Ford Focus is one of those, thanks Ford.
carlady- that last sentence was for you so you don't tell me to place the posts of this nature in the different topic.
carlady/host
I still recommend the sunroof to anyone who prefers open windows to air conditioning. Even in our horrific humidity, I have had to use the AC very rarely, and even then, just to cool down the interior when she's been sitting in the sun.
I have had additional difficulty with my seatbelt. (Yes, I know, again with the seatbelt). Apparently because of the position of my seat and myself, I have managed to lose the peg that holds the top of the seatbelt holder in place on the driver's doorframe. I tried the idea of using the seatback control as a holder, but that didn't work for me. Such a petty problem, I know, but since it's the only imperfection it drives me a little nuts. Any other ideas?
See you all on the road!
Calico1
Who's going to go first? :-)
In heaven:
English police,
French cooks,
Italians lovers,
German cars
Swiss Bankers
American Managers
And hell would be:
English Cooks
French Managers
Italian Bankers
German Police
Swiss Lovers
American Cars
Honestly, I could see myself driving to that French restaurant, in my BMW Z8, together with my sensual and naughty mistress Gabriella. The English policeman would make sure that traffic run smooth, and that we get there in time. My American managers would run my company, and all the profits would go to Zurich of course.
But then, I can dream. Because my lover is called Heidi, and is not really open to kinky stuff. All my savings vanished in another Sicilian bank scandal and my biggest regret is to have recruited that darn 'Jean-Pierre' to run the plant. And yes, I drive a Pontiac. Maybe that's why Fritz, the local p'liceman keeps stopping me and ticketing me, sometimes swinging his stick in a menacing way. But worst of all, I wish I could fire my cook, because I am getting so tired of those overcooked vegetables...
So now I am waiting on two parts: the lock and the flasher unit to cure my AM interference.
So the car has just over 4000 miles on it and been in the dealership 6 times for 7 different repairs. Luckily only one of which was major.
On the good side the mechanic and I are on first name basis and he is working hard to keep my car on the road.
(just so you all know most Foci aren't that unlucky)
'Today, we recommend the Foci with ze cognac sauce and ze sauteed octopus with ze eggs (ZX pronounced Italian style!) on top...'''
Pat
I couldn't see a thing.
There...I feel better.
But after reading Bob's message, I guess I have no reason to complain. Bob, I hope your son gets better. Too bad you have to get rid of the hatchling.
They always say the rates will change so as to apply pressure to you to buy right away. Usually.
had pressed that button on the z you were checking out.
Talked to my dealer today after I left a frantic message on his machine earlier in the week about how long it was going to take to get my ride. He understood my concern and said he would call me back today after he got his weekly report from Ford (hmmmm). Says he was with a customer, but told them to hold on while he went to call me with the news right after he got the report(should I believe this guy?). My Focus was ordered mid-May, he says it will be on his lot NO LATER than July 3rd, maybe earlier. He sounded confident too. Am I being taken for a ride? This guy is a friend of my fathers, so I don't think he has any reason to lie to me. All this talk about 10-12 weeks has got me scared. He told me that since he was a volume dealer his orders had first priority. I dunno...any thoughts?
From reading all of these posts it seems that most of you guys got great cars and a few have had several problems. Sorry to hear that. My worst nightmare is getting a lemon out of this experience, right after having tons of troubles with my previous car/truck (Jeep Wrangler).
For now I'll continue to drive a Corsica. Every time I stop the car cuts off on me. I keep telling myself that Chevy's ingenuity has produced a car that cuts off when stopped to save gas. I think every driver in town hates me now, but I'll smoke em' in my new Focus...
Can't wait...
Did you have any problems with ZX3 that might help me for the future reference?
If I ordered my ZX3 a month earlier than you, and you're dealer is saying you'll get yours before I get mine, then one of us must be getting milked. That is unless the supposed parts shortage I've been hit with is due to an option that you didn't order. I got everything but cruise and floor mats. What did you get?
I've been thinking...
I had to put down a $200 deposit on my ZX3(invoice price), but after I placed the order, I found out I could get the car for under invoice at a closer dealer through my company's X-plan. If the difference is more than $200, I'm thinking maybe I should just buy one off the lot if I can find something close to what I want. Is anybody familiar with Ford's X-plan and how it works? I was told I'd get my Z by the end of June for sure when I ordered, and I'm getting tired of waiting.
Feb. 2nd, after doing a lot of research! As a lifelong car buff, I subscribe to all the car magazines, and did extensive Internet investigation, to learn all I could about modern small cars. My search quickly narrowed to 3: The Ford Focus, Toyota Echo, and Mazda Protege. A used car would have worked too, but I feared buying someone else's headache. The car would replace my beloved 14 year old, 170,000 mile Toyota Celica convertible. Clearly, not just any car would do!
For a while, I was considering buying the Toyota Echo ...but found it to be small, light (a ZX3 weighs 500 lbs. more), and had a hard time getting used to the weird instrument panel, with gauges in the center, it was, well, too weird. The Protege was highly rated by several publications, but found it's blandness to be unsatisfying. I had seen photos of the ZX3, and it soon became my ...focus. There were very few ZX3s available in Minnesota in February. But, one late night, while checking a big local dealer's web site, one red ZX3 showed up as being available! It was the first ZX3 they had seen. I went to the dealer the next morning to find that several people had test driven it, and were negotiating for it! "The first one to sign the papers, gets it" the dealer manager declared. I got it.
It's been a blast! I have 5,700 miles on it, and just had the 6,000 mile service (and recall) performed. There have been some minor problems, and, like any car, it has it's peculiarities. But to keep from rambling on forever, perhaps I'll
detail them in a later post, and probably add some accolades. Hope to add more soon.
Oh, this is an addictive forum, isn't it! Informative, fun, and filled with nice people.
Dave
with you to determine source of noise. are the tires properly filled?have them put car back on lift to check struts,look for any signs of leaks.
dont sweat it- you have a solid warranty.this has
not been a common complaint among z owners here.
Ford's customer incentives change quarterly, and the next change is scheduled for July 5th unless Ford changes it due to another parts shortage
Talked extensively to service manager about overfill. Checked it when I got home, was a little on the high side. Smelled oil the entire weekend and dipstick was still high. Took it back, raised hell (in front several other customers). Manager explained that their computers would not fill at 4.5 qts. However, they managed to get in 4.5 qts. They don't seem to understand, as they claim all Fords get 5 quarts automatically. I drove 300 miles on overfill. Did I do damage to seals? in that short a distance?
Lovin my Z. I get constant inquiries about the car everwhere I go.
Has anyone noticed the new European Salsa in this month's Car mag. It's an extreme version of the ZX3 and a very hot looking car. Happy Z'n
What is the EXACT amount of oil required for the ZX3? I will personally do the changes on my sister's car(when she gets it) so there won't be any mistake.
Thanks for the info!
I ordered my Focus with everything except the smoker's package and the electric group.
Specifically my Focus should look like this:
5-speed
convenience group
remote entry
floor mats
speed control
abs
air cond.
side impact bags
You should tell you're dealer what my dealer told me, and see what he/she says. That would surely be interesting. Either way you're right, one of us is getting milked.
10-12 weeks is the norm (judging by reading through all nine parts of this forum, and also talking to dealers about their experiences.)
any dealer that tells you 4-6 weeks or less does not have experience with ordering a z. my dealer also told me 4-6 weeks. i did not believe him at the outset. so lucky me, i was prepared for the wait.
technically, it took 7 weeks to get my car, but that is because i jumped on a similar car instead of waiting. in other words, i got lucky. the car i actually ordered is still not at the dealer.
ok so despite all that, the z is a fantastic car. i have 200 miles on it but am constantly coming up with excuses to drive it somewhere. tomorrow i plan on giving it a good wash and polish. man does twilight blue get dirty fast. especially in the dusty high altitude world of northern colorado.
so the bottom line is, your car will take 10-12 weeks unless you are very very lucky. the dealer doesn't know as well as the edmunds folks. and, order the z anyway. you won't be disappointed.
(rs)
(rs)
Once again. I suggest to anyone in the Seattle area who wants a Focus to go to Harris Ford in Lynnwood. If you can, deal with Steve "Buzz" Amundsen in the Internet department. He's a good guy.
4 and 1/2 quarts which includes filter. Don't know what filter holds, but then I don't know why anyone would change oil without changing filter.
I don't expect to see it in just two weeks.
Read some earlier posts referring to ZX3s that may be delivered after July 5, when the current Ford financing may or may not be lifted. My wife's ZX is due to come in late in June or early in July (while we're on vacation).
Got on the phone with the wife... She called her sales guy about the incentive... He indicated "no problem"... That they would "retro" the deal so that she'd get the low APR. She sent a letter of understanding to the dealership based on that conversation. Documentation in-hand, it's up to the dealership to honor that commitment.
WINDOW VISORS:
Thanks, GABEGARWICK, for the link to Weather Tech! we'll definitely be ordering a set!
I installed the visors on all four doors of my Dakota Quad Cab... And their benefits are well worth some slight additional wind noise!