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Comments
NJ
Just to put my $0.02 in, my Focus gets around 23-25 mpg on average with no highway miles and alot of fast starts if you know what I mean. So while I am disappointed with my mileage I am having a ton of fun and don't dwell on the dead dino's too much.
Jimmy
Do you find your 5-speed Manual MY 2000 Ford Focus ZX-3 suffers from a bogging down/surge feeling at around 2,000 RPMs at constant speed?
Yes or No?
I would like to have forum posters back up that this is a problem.
TIA,
whyford,
NJ
for weeks I couldn't and wouldn't spend more than an hour without going outside to take a look at my z, open the doors, smell the inside, feel the steering wheel, pop open the trunk and hood, clean the wheels, take pictures, cry, and share my deepest secrest with my new best friend...but I think njzx3 beat me. I can recognize someone in love when I see one.
enjoy!
gotta go drive...
design quirk or a deliberate program?i dont know.
Initially, I didn't like the malibu blue too much, but it has really grown on me. It is a really nice color. What color interior do you have? It is a rare color in Philadelphia. Is it unique to the zx-3 model line?
I have a rainforest green with a charcoal interior and so my comment about malibu blue is valid because I am not patting my own back on my great taste.
Welcome njZX-3! Did you remove just your focus badge or both the zx-3 and Focus badge? Enjoy your new car! I like mine too.
I saw a few zinc yellow cars while on vacation. They are pretty hot looking and I definitely would have been tempted to get one (just for fun). In yellow, it really reminds me of a 1998 Honda CRX (a car I consider to be the grandfather of the Zx-3 in many ways).
Regarding the recall: Does this refer to the design of the c-pillar? (the pillar behind the door that supports the roof). Is it too strong or too weak? Does this apply to all versions or just the sedan and wagon? It seems to me that the z would have a different c-pillar design than the sedan. Comments?
ND
NJ
Is there anybody else who has experienced this problem?!
The problem started months ago. The service technician opened the drum and cleaned it - that worked for about two hours. I decided to wait a while just in case a part needed to wear-in. No such luck after months of waiting.
1. The ignition switch sticks every now and then. I remove the key, and the ?barrel? of the lock remains pressed inside. When that happens, I have to push the barrel to release it - otherwise, the chime/warning does not shut off, and the steering wheel will not lock.
2. I have some defects in the paint on several of the alloy wheels in between the spokes near the center. Fortunately, the brake dusk hides most of it
3. Occasional rattle noises from the engine compartment when idling. Probably the same "diesel" noise others have been noting. I rarely hear the noise now after 8000+km.
Finally, I have a question for everybody. Why do service technicians insist on leaving a car unlocked before/after servicing it? Every time I have come back for my car, I have found that they leave the car siting on the lot unlocked (I discovered this twice since I would check my car before picking up my keys/having it washed). Who is responsible in case of theft/break-in?
Anybody out there have any comments, suggestions,
links? Thanks.
zetec
design quirk or a deliberate program?i dont know.
My thoughts are far different than yours zx3beast as it is never a "deliberate program" and my "poll" question if answered by anyone interested would lead me to my next question which was...
Poll Question #2.
Are we getting poor MPG because of this problem ?
What i am trying to find out is if the "motor boating" at around 2,000 - 2,800 RPM at constant speed has any relation to the MPG some of seem to find a problem.
I truly do like the car but i am more than upset by the MPG i am getting.
Sunoco, same station and a recently built station to boot.
The MPG upsets me to the point of well....taking
action on this.
Price of gas is on the rise and i want the figures
posted or near nuff.
Sorry FORD but when i come in for an oil change.
Giddy up on the MPG or i go serious!
Argh!
W.
way the chip has been made.i also use sunoco ex-
clusively,87 octane.avg.25-28 mpg with air on all
the time,25 mi. roundtrip daily.speeds vary between
25 to 45 mph. its old news to me,i had the same experience with 1998 zx2 5spd.in same rpm range.
its been noted by others that this bog may actually
have the opposite affect.i have to agree,some of
the mpg numbers posted have been unacceptable.as
far as my thoughts,i dont know what the problem is.
i was just relating what has been suggested many times previously.you can also find this concern in
the ford zx2 forums as well.good luck!
seconds.
write-in campaign,not a bad idea.perhaps one of the
talented posters here can draft a letter.theres a
enough voices here to sign on.what do you think?
http://members.xoom.com/utcobol/index.html
NJ
did you put the badging? you have a nice "new car"
shine going.after 8 months,im still treating mine like a
newborn.out of the way parking and so forth,you
know the routine.it handles unlike any domestic
hatch i ever driven.
I hit about 550 miles today... still havent noticed that "diesel rattle" but I did, however, begin to notice that engine bog between about 2500-3000rpm. The cruise control works great, and i figure im getting about 25-30mpg highway/city split... not bad and I assume that it'll improve with time since ive only had my z since thursday evening...
zx3beast: Yes... they do all look great!! as a matter of fact, i passed a Zinc Yellow Z on saturday on my way to Scranton PA... Was in New York State just past the NJ border... I think it was on 287/87/6 somewhere around there... thats a great color on the Z. I have the badging in my garage... I realy have no use for it... I personally thought it was a bit too big and hoakey lookin on my Z.. plus it's fun driving and seeing all these people staring tryin to figure out what kinda car it is... I especially enjoyed one occasion when there was a bunch of people driving in a high-end BMW and as they passed they all had their heads cocked and staring at my car... so I did what i had to do... I smiled, waved, and HIT THE GAS!!!
By the way... if anyone wants my badging, let me know... the first person to ask for it can have it
NJ
from now we will all look back on a classic.also,
suv drivers, well just let me say they drive diff-
erently.im sure you are familiar with the garden
state pkwy.on saturday,im heading south to cape may
i just pass avalon,did you know z cruises very nicely around 80 mph? sometimes one has to keep with the traffic flow,you know what im saying.
anyway, you know those crossovers for the police to
cut back+forth,north-south? all of a sudden a suv
appears, im right on top of it pumping the brakes
or im in a nasty situation.well,the brakes are operating just fine.if im not mistaken suv's are
not equipped with rear view,side mirrors,or turn signals.
NJ
So far, ive asked several Ford reps, and they either stated that they had no idea what i was talking about, or that they are probably/are the same wheels that are on the Kona edition.
So far, the Ford site has not posted anything about the 2001's, so there is no way to be sure... but if you look cross reference the wording on the Kona package with the 2001 (using multiple web sites like edmunds, yahoo autos, carpoint, whatever you can find) they both are worded the same... "16 inch 6 spoke aluminum wheels".
Depending on your opinion of the Kona rims, this may be a good thing or a bad thing (I say anythings better than those ugly 15's that come standard) and im sure that some of you have been wondering the same thing...
Never the less, we will find out as soon as Ford updates their site (or we see some pictures/brocures of the 2001)
I was cruising along at 70 MPH in my zinc yellow ZX3 up I-81 to Syracuse Saturday, on my way to the "Great" New York State Fair, when an Outback passed me, pulled into my (right) lane, and slowed to 65 or so. Sheesh! So I moved into the left lane, passed the Outback, returned to the right lane, and guess what? Yup, the Subaru speeds up, passes me, pulls back in front of me, and slows again. This repeated several times until I finally took it up to 75 and lost em.
I just hate it when people do that. And they do it a lot.
I've yet to see another zinc yellow other then mine. Thats two reports from NY state though, so I know mine isn't the only one in the state. It's nice to be in a rare color though. I get lots of looks and many comments. Almost everywhere we go someone asks me about it. A great way to meet new people.
..Might have to take my badges off too...
NJ
Noticed no difference.
It doesn't shift any smoother.
And the diesel rattle is still there.
njzx3,
in order to get my tranny to diesel rattle all I have to do is to press the clutch pedal 2-4 times repeatedly.
The motor boating/stumble/boggle syndrome will go away for a while if you reset the computer.
Just for a short while. Everybody who's done that got the symptom back.
Are you still planning on switching to the D4 ATF?
Wonder what would be the result.
Nd - you asked how my Z was awhile ago, I haven't had a chance to respond...it's great! Hit 6,800 this morning...of course the brakes are slipping again - but I don't want to get into that - y'all have heard enough.
But this weekend I did hear the rattling diesel noise again. It's the same noise I mentioned day 1 ages ago in number 9 forum I think. Everyone asked me if I was shifting correctly. I need to spend more time driving w/o the radio on
njzx3 - congrats - sounds like you're having a ball!
I am not trying to insult anyone's intelligence here, just wondering. I thought it was a "problem" at first....
carlady/host
I do feel that the dealer will not be too helpful and it would be incredibly helpful if someone who is experiencing this problem could share their findings.
I have no idea what it could be. I cannot accept that this noise is 'normal' because it wasn't present until after 5000 miles. I now have 7400 miles and it is still there. If I have the radio on, I can't hear it, but when it is off....the sound is unmistakeable.
Other than that, my z is running great. The slight rattle I have had seems to have disappeared! So now I only have 1 problem.
ND
Sorry for the confusion.
NorwayDoug
i wonder what findings you're talking about.
Looks like it will take long time if ever(yes I became guite pessimistic in that respect)for Ford to resolve this problem.
With the number of the manuals out there(I think no more than 20% of all of the Focuses)and an assumption that this noise doesn't lead to a mechanical failure I don't expect any fix from mighty Ford. They're quite busy dealing with the other more "important problems" like the Firestone tire recall.
Sorry, but most definitely you'll get that "the noise is normal" B.S.
And if you can't accept it - what else can you do?
The rear of your Z does not look "lifted" like in the other Z's.
Very mature and stylish color, looking close to VW Golf's GLS blue.
So far only few people were complaining.
I mean COMPLAINING.
The contour people with the similar transaxle had all kinds of the problems and Ford didn't treat them all that well. And those problems were much worse in comparison.
Earlier poster
>>#375 of 377: Re:njzx3 Mon 28 Aug '00 (01:17 PM)
>>
>>Your baby looks great, did you install those
>>lowering springs?
>>The rear of your Z does not look "lifted" like >>in the other Z's.
Pat