Ford Focus ZX3

fgaydos

to make a decision on when to sell my ZX3.
Timewise I have till January, mileage wise I have 15000 more to go till the warranty runs out. Pretty sure I want to move on. Just cannot decide between the Pro5 or a Turbo PT.
If I sell still under warranty, will that give me more selling power? Or wait till the warranty is done then sell. Does it matter to a dealer? Which strategy is most cost efficient?

fdthird

"Which strategy is most cost efficient?"

Keeping the car 3 more years!

enthu

I am out for car shopping these days and today I test-drove P5; quite nice handling and stable. Needs little more power. Lousy stereo system. High pitch--whistle--noise at 65 mph from its roof rack (wonder if they did wind tunnel testing).
Haven't driven Focus lately since driving my friend's one when it came out. Thought it was pretty fun to drive then, but felt little shaky for quality.
Don't want to offend anyone, but I am hesitant in buying a Ford after having some 'insider's experience' there for some time.

seminole_kev

I don't blame you for being hesitant. I'm by no means a Ford fan. I really wanted to like another vehicle more when I bought my 2000 ZTS just so it would have a more "reliable" name on it. But the two Focuses I have, have been great. Drive what's out there that fits your needs and go from there. If you're looking at 5-door hatches don't forget to also look at the VW Golf, Subaru Impreza, Hyundai Elantra GT, Toyota Matri/Pontiac Vibe and even the Suzuki Aerio (which I haven't checked out). That being said, I really do like the Focus and would recomend it to others. That's as strong a statement as you'll see me make as I don't believe and trying to force my opinion on someone. Good luck shopping!

fgaydos

Don't forget the soon to be GT Cruiser. That is the PT but with turbo power. 180 horses. Everything else is underpowered by comparison plus better build quality than Ford. I own a ZX3. It is a nice auto but I would never buy another. Getting into the back seat in the 3 is an adventure best left to the young.

seminole_kev

I knew I had to be forgetting someone. Yes, the PT Cruiser should not be overlooked either. That, and the previously mentioned vehicles, all have their strength and weaknesses, so look for what fits your needs best.

clayman1000

Take a look at this ZX3 all tricked out for sale on EBAY.
Number 1829184047.

magnetophone

I don't normally hang out on this message board, but my Focus ZX3 broke down yesterday. Along the wheel wells and the bottom of the door was an oily liquid. There was also some in the engine bay. I am hoping it's just brake fluid. (Because the rotors were about to be shot at only 29K miles.)

Also, my suspension creaks and felt like a shock had gone. Do you think this is so, and if so, they're going to make me pay? I seriously love the Focus, but it's been in the shop far too many times. I can't afford to pay this much out of pocket. Any ideas on how to get my car fixed with as little damage to the checkbook as possible?

rmsabc

my focus with 30 k miles are starting to get low prob have 5-6k left,
i have goodyear
did anyone replace with mich mxv4?

brough my car in and had rear brakes replaced, two of four hubcaps fell off day after car was returned, looked at third hubcap and two of five plastic hubs were missing, went to dealer and dealer said would replace all hubcaps centers for free anyone with similar problems?

bibi

silver_bullet

The Michelin MXV4s are okay tires, but kind of expensive for what you get. Go to www.tirerack.com and search your tire size - you'll see there are several alternatives.

It is VERY common for careless technicians to break the center tabs on the wheel centers. If I were you, I'd ask the manager to just hand me the new replacement center caps so I could install them myself. Two things to note: make sure the little cut-out on the cap lines up with a similar cut-out on the wheel. Then, making sure all of the centering tabs are inside the rim of the center hole on the wheel, push (don't hit!) the cap straight inward - it will snap into place firmly. Don't bang on the cap or get it crooked, or you will likely break the new one too.

magnetophone

Does anyone know if they make a replacement for the 16" Firestone Firehawk GTA's on the Focus ZX3 and 5?

jfigueroa1

I am thinking about getting a vehicle for myself
wive drive 2002 cr-v and i would like to get some thing small for me i am looking at the focus and waiting to see the 3 doors civic, i do not want to spend to much $$$ how is the 2002 focus and is there any changes for the 2003? any input will be appreciate.
greetings from sunny Miami.

Kirstie_H

A major national publication is looking for a consumer who is buying or just bought a vehicle and has considered a Ford, but is worried about their recent quality lapses. If you are have a story to share, please send your phone number and some basic information about your experience no later than Wednesday, May 29 to katiebw@aol.com or jfallon@edmunds.com.

tmc1688

I was watching the Speed Channel Rally schedule the other day and just wondered why in America we don't have the Ford Focus RS? I'm confused why an American product is available to purchase overseas? Subaru finally gave us the real Impreza, Mitsubishi (will) give us the EVO 7, but why can't we have a product so close to us be here in the states? Does anyone feel the same, different, or understand why?

jimbeaumi

That "American" product was developed by Ford of Europe. We are building their product in Michigan and Mexico.

jfigueroa1

i think the reason is the EPA/EMISSION that this cars have to go through. Some of these car do not really comply with fed regs,same thing goes as for these nice Japanese/Korean micro vehicle even they give good mpg they are not crash worth in the U.S.

tmc1688

We all know that Ford has a separate division in Europe. We also know that if the Focus RS was brought over from Europe it will not step foot out of the showroom because it is illegal due to EPA and crash test ratings. I guess the real question would be if Subaru and Mitsubishi can do it, why can't Ford? Subaru had to lower the PSI on their turbo charger and install 3 catalytic converters to meet our EPA standards, while the EVO 7 is rumored to have a slightly different front fascia to meet front crash test standards.

I believe Ford can give us the Focus RS if they wanted to. If that is the case sales would go sky high. But will it hurt the sales of their other products such as the Mustang GT/Mach 1/ & Cobra? Maybe it won't make financial sense? I still don't know (why) ?

magnetophone

I have not heard that the Focus RS is not going to meet crash test ratings. It's not a huge bit different from the SVT Focus. All they would have to do is modify the bumper some, which is what they already do for every Focus, from the LX sedan to the ZTW wagon.

The Focus is a well-engineered car, and it costs more to develop. If it took sales away from the Mustang, they'd be losing profits. The margins are definitely higher on a Mustang, due to the fact that it costs peanuts to build such a wretched outdated design.

muffin_man

You make it sound like Ford has an obligation to provide us with only the best, and to eliminate anything out of date. I wonder what percentage of Mustang buyers care about the "wretched outdated design." A design, I might add that is still very functional and capable. And there are millions of happy owners out there who will back me up. (I am not one of them, nor do I want a mustang, by the way)

Despite their recent losses, Ford is simply trying to make money, which is what businesses do.

clayman1000

Here are some good sites to shop around for cars and financing;

www.edmunds.com The best?
www.intellichoice.com Value ratings and reviews.
www.digitalcars.com Model Comparison Financing
www.carbuyingtips.com Help avoid scams, do I really need that $500.00 prep fee?
www.pricecentral.com Online loan comparison
www.consumerguide.com Crash course on Financing

rwong1998

I am looking at buying a Focus SE station wagon with automatic transmission in Vancouver B.C. I am looking for a bare bones car with no other options. The MSRP including freight is $20,920, how much off MSRP are people getting off from dealers in Canada?

shov6

To be sure, there are some compelling reasons to bring this car here, but we will likely never see it... And "crash test ratings" are NOT the problem. Obviously it would just be a matter of an engine transplant and drivetrain change, but this doesn't make a huge amount of sense when they already have the SVT model for us to play with. Sure, it seems easy enough to simply slap the new engine in there, but then they have to certify that engine for our emissions/OBD II regs, and one could reasonably ask why someone would drop the additional cash on a car that isn't drastically faster than the pre-existing SVT model. No matter what you presume, I don't think that a turbocharged rocket of an RS would be that great a seller... And as muffinman stated, in the end they just want to make money.

I also don't think that it's true that the RS would be competition for the Mustang GT line. Yes, they might end up with very similar accelerative capabilities, but the cars appeal to strongly divergent strains of consumers. I think that people cross-shopping those two cars would be few and far between (though I admit I would be one of them LOL).

-SHOV6

hauschild

3,400 miles on my new 3 and I am just curious as to when all my problems are going to happen??? And, I am getting about 36 mpg on the highway. Hmmmm.......Let me guess, I got lucky again with this car?!?!?

shov6

Dunno what to tell you, hauschild, my '01 ZX-3 just celebrated it's year-and-a-half "birthday" and it still hasn't been in the shop for anything other than oil. When are MY problems going to start?

I will admit, though, that 36mpg is pretty amazing. The best I've seen yet is 34 on an all-highway tank.

-SHOV6

silver_bullet

I'm glad to hear there are some ZX3 owners who aren't on a first name basis with their service advisors. Maybe those of us who took the plunge early on and bought 2000 models helped pave the way for better quality - if so, you're welcome ;-)

hauschild

SHOV6,

Uh, actually on my last trip (400 miles each way), I got 35.8 going and 35.5 coming back, so 36 was just a rounded figure, meaning I kinda embellished, but not really. Of the 400 miles, about 80 percent was 75 mph on the freeway, and around 20 percent 65 on a highway, so that 20 percent at 65 may be where I am seeing the extra 1-2 mpg boost. However, my commuting to/from work is only netting me around 30. That still beats my co-workers whose Civics are only averaging around 25 mpg in city driving; plus the Z rides like a Caddy comparatively. Alas, the winds of change!

magnetophone

Funny, i've never ever gotten more than 280 miles on a tank.

jfigueroa1

thinking about getting the focus zx3 i have a few
questions.
1.how much woud i pay for a basic 4 auto/w a/c?
2.the back hatch the whole thing open?
3.the back seats do they lay flat?
greetings from sunny miami

cobie

I, too, have not ever gotten over 31MPG hwy. (automatic and 75-80mph) However, with the recent addition of platinum plus fours, low restriction ignition wiring and a k/n air filter, I recently got 31mpg in 50/50% city highway mileage. It's only a first tank after the alterations so the jury is still out but maybe my hwy mileage will improve (i've only got 7,500 miles on it). I hear of others with similar mods that have told of increases of 3-5mpgs. We'll see.

treva

Very interesting to read that you're gas mileage has improved with your alterations. I also have not obtained more than 25-26mpg with my 2000 automatic, but then again I'm always first away at the traffic lights and, well, when there's an empty road in front of you, it's rude not to take advantage of it.....

I put a k&n filter in 2000 and whilst I can't argue it's improved the gas mileage at all, I could sense the engine 'breathing' a little easier. Was it more responsive though ? I dunno.
A purely subjective opinion though; it may just be I was concentrating on listening to the engine more than usual.

Anyway, with all the discussion about the merits of different spark plugs on these chatboards, I'd be interested in your thoughts on the platinum plus fours. Also, can you explain the 'low-restriction' plug wires a bit more. What are they, and where can I get them, etc. Thanks.

treva

micweb

I owned two Focii. A 2000 stick and a 2001 auto. I ran both up to 7,500 miles. On the sticke, it was easy to hit 30 in commuting traffic (25 miles, some street, some stop and go) and to keep 30 on 350 mile interstate drives (85 mph) which is actually good - air resistance at high speeds tends to eat up the "cruising" advantage.

The auto was quite disappointing. It got 25 during breakin, which was shocking enough, and only moved up to 26 after breakin. I didn't lead foot it at all. The good news was it would cruise at 90 mph and get the same mileage. I had been expecting 27-28 mpg, a 10% penalty from the stick (the ratings are less than a 10% penalty) but the car just wouldn't deliver the mileage. I have friends who get 24 mpg with Chevy Impalas, which is why I am disappointed.

hauschild

I should add that I do have a manual transmission and a k&n air filter, which I believe, helps improve mileage slightly.

kvsm3

I had a 2000 Ford Focus ZX3 automatic and the gas mileage was dismal especially in the city. I got between 19-22 mpg in the city. In the highway, the best I got was 28 mpg. The car had 12000 miles on it so its definitely broken in.
My 1999 Nissan Maxima SE 5 speed gets 22 mpg in the city and close to 30 in the highway.
In addition to the dismal mileage, and numerous recalls, I was left stranded when the ignition key refused to go in the ignition switch. I am glad I sold the car and have no regrets.

hauschild

19-22??? Holy balls; my old V6 Ranger even did better than that and that was a piss-poor engine, in my opinion.

After living in Chicago the past 3 years, I can see why alot of people get crappy mileage.....when that light turns green,` they can't wait to be the first car to get to that next red light!!! It's like they know damn well that it'll be red by the time they get there, but they figure if there is a 1% chance it'll still be green, then that is statistically acceptable to drop the hammer and go balls out.

Plus, in my humble opinion, I think it's foolish to purchase a car with a four cylinder mated to an auto tranny. They shouldn't even have the auto as an option.

NE way, I still get a smile on my face when I drive the old '3. It is definitely the Audi of compacts!!!

sacfocus1

I had a little problem with my focus last weekend while camping 300 mi. from home. I go to start the engine and just before starter engagement position the speedo needle pegs the 140 mark and stays there for 3 seconds after which it goes back down to 0 mark ; then when engaging starter all I get is tick, tick, tick ! Eventually engine turns over and I make it home. After dealer visit at which the starter is replaced (car is off warranty @ 36,500 mi.) Ford Good wills the Repair bill Costing me only 75.00$. End of story? Not quite, today, 2 days later, the problem returns again, this time close to home thank God, So car is back in dealers. Stay tuned...

shov6

Sounds like your Max gets "dismal" mileage, too. In your experience, The dismal Focus gets 19-22 city and the Max gets 22. The dismal Focus gets 28hwy and the Max gets nearly 30. Dismal.

Yes, I know the Maxima has nearly twice the horsepower and is much faster, but dismal is dismal is dismal.

Anyhoo, I've been relatively happy with MY mileage. 24 city and over 30 on the highway, max-ing (heh heh) out at 34 on some individual all-highway tanks. No complaints. Then again, I have a stick.

All this mileage hullabaloo reminds me of a story I read in Car and Driver recently, relating to the odd circumstance that "big-engined" cars often get similar mileage to "economy cars." Basically, the smaller, high-RPM motors are more highly stressed and need to spin higher on the highway and in town to keep themselves in their powerband. Of course I am condensing the point(s) of the article that I don't remember in too much detail so some specifics are missing, but you get the idea.

I can vouch for this phenomenon personally, having had a Maxima-eating '92 Taurus SHO. My mileage in THAT car was better still than kvsm's mileage in his/her Max and better than that 2001 auto-equipped Focus. It was not uncommon to turn 31mpg on the highway... And that was even after the car had over 100k miles on it. I am pleased to say that MY Focus beats all of the above in mileage, though it of course performs nowhere nearly as well in acceleration than any Maxima or SHO Taurus.

I should also point out I drove a 2001 Buick Park Avenue from Florida to New York earlier this year, and turned 30mpg. Go figure.

-SHOV6

hauschild

Hey, I am currently in Lyon, France enjoying the almighty hell outta the wine, and I can't help but mention that I bought my ZX3 for 12,300 dollars I've put around 3500 miles on the old girl.

This might go down in history as the best overall purchase since my Slippery When Wet cassette back in 1987!!!!

Got Ford???

sacfocus1

My last post concerned starting problems; case closed-bad battery cell; at 23 months? Oh well, dealer covered in spite of over 36k mi..and no extended warranty.
Regarding mileage topic, I wonder what Ford did to the later model Focus engine to change the EPA city mileage rating from 22 mpg to 26 mpg? My guess is micro processor tweak or gearing changes; this is for the automatic tranny.
I can relate to the Buick comment , because I rented a Pontiac Montana mini van last summer with the 3.8 liter v-6 and averaged 27mpg with 6 passengers, camping gear, AC on most of the time and cruising 75-80 mph.

cobie

I think I asked this question before, but i've forgotten the answer; pls bear w/ me.

How are the body side mouldings attached to the ZX3? Are they glued on or physically mounted with the skin of the door pierced?
I ask as I'm considering removing them totally.
thanks for the help.

magnetophone

I would like to know, too. I have Kona side mouldings but I want regular plain ones instead.

silver_bullet

I'm fairly certain they are just stuck on with an adhesive strip, but just ask a Ford parts person to look on the computer - the parts diagram will usually show details like this. Or just ask them to pull a moulding off the shelf and check.

zx3beast

its been one year since i had parted ways with the old beast. ive
been fortunate to have no returns back to the chrysler dealer. i guess
its just the luck of the draw. after 31 years of car purchases,the
focus still stands out to me as a major disappointment. so much
potential, so little quality control. i still cant deny its handling characteristics at its price point though. i was really rooting for ford
with the focus but the quality issues seem to still haunt an otherwise
well engineered hatchback. glad to see you are still providing insight
to the board. by the way,whatever happened to vadp, fgaydos,
pcleveland2, norwaydoug and all the other old timers?

silver_bullet

The only name I see from time to time is fgaydos - everyone else seems to have disappeared. Maybe their ZX3s drove them to despair? Just kidding. I agree with you 100% - great overall design, some clever engineering, terrific pricing, but very spotty quality control both with assembly and outside suppliers. I'm convinced that once profit margins become razor thin, there is little incentive for a supplier to make decent parts, and crappy parts = a crappy car. I've been considering a MINI Cooper, but many owners are complaining of problems that sound ominously like the ones we had with our Focii. The SVT Focus looks very cool, but I'm not going to be fooled twice. I drove a new Civic Si and really liked it, but I think it is overpriced for what you get. WRXs are now discounted to near invoice, but they are still more than I can justify spending on a depreciating asset. Oh well... my little truck still runs great

shov6

Well I am still here! Over a year and a half now. And still no problems. Go figure.

-SHOV6

silver_bullet

You da man I'm really glad you've had good luck with your car - if I could somehow be guaranteed a relatively trouble-free ownership experience with the SVT Focus (I don't expect perfection), I'd consider it, but my run in with the "blue oval" has left me bitter.

scootch

silver_bullet: I can understand your frustration with the Blue Oval. Once bitten twice shy. Don't let one rotten apple spoil the barrel though. There sure have been a huge divergence of experiences discussed on this and the ZX3 posting. My two recent (and only) experiences with Ford has involved two Focii and they were/are trouble free. Of course the '00 ZX3 only had 20K when I traded it in on an '02 SVT, which itself only has ~ 1,700 miles so neither of them is a ringing endorsement for long-term reliability. The SVT is sure fun though. Don't know whether its future will be trouble free or not. Guess I'll be finding out. I hope you get a chance to drive one, if you haven't already. I have not a clue what my next vehicle will be. Whatever sounds interesting. I've tried Ford, Chrysler, GM, Suzuki, and VeeDub, and haven't had a klunker in the bunch. As an aside, I've seen 2-3 Minis here in LA. They sure are cute. Wonder what their crash test results are going to be with their minimal overhangs? Always something new to ponder. Good luck on your next aquisition.

silver_bullet

Thanks for your input! My local dealer has the color SVT I'd want (silver with the blue cloth inserts), but it is a loaded car and I don't want the sunroof or subwoofer. Maybe they'll get a no option SVT -- then I'll be in trouble Meanwhile, I'll keep looking & perhaps try to talk them into letting me drive their SVT.

vadp

Good to hear from ya!
As you remember my ZX3 just drove me crazy sometimes!!! (mostly cause of the knocking tranny).
At times I really wanted to sell the car. All those little problems like malfunctioning fuel gauge, squealing rear brakes, knocking tranny/clutch assembly, shrinking door window rubber seals, a bad strut, a half-shaft bearing that went bad at 38,000 miles and even out of round wheel (I've never hit anything hard and there are no visible dents whatsoever!!!). (plus the infamous 2,000 rpm stumble and other little problems I don't care to remember.)
To date I put almost 50,000 of mostly freeway miles on the car. The most of the problems were cured by FoMoCo during the warranty period.
The resale value for the '00 model is basically in the toilet. I don't even consider trading it in.
Therefore I decided to keep the car. Hopefully it will hold up for a while. Now when everything is fixed I can finally have some fun.
There is one thing that just came up. Once the car is fully warmed my clutch becomes very heavy. But just for the first time I press the pedal after driving on the freeway and not shifting for about 10 min or more. There's a lot more of resistance than usual. When I press it again shortly after it gets much lighter and acts as normal. Any thoughts?

cobie

I saw in the local paper today an article that stated NHSTA was looking at a possible recall for 200/01 foci due to the front suspension collapsing (no other explanation).
Anyone heard of this??

silver_bullet

This recall isn't on the NHTSA site, and when I called the dealer and asked them to run "my" VIN through OASIS, they said no recalls came up. I'm not sure which production dates or models are affected by this.