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Comments
I don't understand the whims of Ford...
Most of the people seem to prefer fancy stuff than safety.
ABS is not just useful in winter. Escpecially on dry pavement you have a much shorter retardation distance than with blocking wheels. Basic physics. Not to mention that the car can still be steered and the tires don't get any flat spotting.
And I also don't want to talk about the neck injuries you can get without the rear head rests.
But here in Dallas you can be lucky if you find a Wagon at all. 1 of 5 dealers here may have one in stock. But only with the basic features.
And to make it worse it now seems to be that the rear head rests are not even available anymore on the wagon. At least I could not find them in the option lists for the 2003 Wagon on the Ford website. I am not sure about the side airbags.
I have the impression that the engineering of safety equipment here in the US basically stopped with the introduction of front airbags in the 80s. If you look to Europe even most sub compact cars nowadays come standard with ABS and at least 4 airbags. Not to mention things like traction and stability controls.
Cars like BMW and Mercedes even have up to 8 (eight!!) airbags including side airbags for the rear seats.
I think I have a really rare Wagon by now, including ABS, side airbags, Advance Trac, rear head rests and 5 speed. Mine hase even rear disk brakes instead of drums. It is 2001 SE with the Street Edition Package and all extras available at this time. I have not seen another one like mine in the past two years on the road.
If I would have to buy a new wagon now I would probabely go with a Jetta Wagon or maybe even with a Passat Wagon. I like the Focus but today VW offers more safety features and a Diesel. And these safety feature even come standard so you can be sure you find a car that has them.
Stefan
Malibu blue Focus Wagon
I bought my 2002 SE Comfort Wagon in April of last year, and I now have 17,000 miles on it. I bought the "Liquid Grey" and I have tinted the windows. It really looks awesome that way. I had the same problem of the "cricket" in the rear end that I read so many complaints about here. It took the dealer 2 days to isolate and fix it, and it came down to the foam padding they put under the bumper skin to absorb impacts. It was rubbing against the plastic cladding. A little lubrication fixed the problem, no more squeaks.
I bought my car because I was given a Focus Sedan as a company car in 2001. I really loved the way it handled for an economy car, and it was plenty roomy for my big frame. That and the luck I had with my own 1995 Escort Wagon (which I still have).
The mileage on my wagon turned out to be a disappointment at first, I was getting only 21 MPG. Now that it is broken in I get about 24, but I think that might be because I am not using the air as much, either. I was reading here that someone was getting 30 MPG, but I would bet that it is not California emissions equipped. That really tends to drag down the mileage. Other than that, this has been a great little car. It has lots of room to haul things, that's for sure. I put a 32" TV in the back while it was still in the box. I was amazed.
Well, it seems we are all saying good things about this car overall. I definitely think it has been a good investment for me.
Happy driving!
Big Dave
On a recent trip from Dallas to Austin and back with a packed car I got about 28 mpg. This was including city driving, some stop and go and 75 to 80 mph on the highway when the traffic cleared.
My wagon is 5 speed with the standard 205/60 from the Street Edition package.
Ford Germany officially states the following values on milage on the 2.0 Focus and 195/60 tires:
5Speed:
City: 20.3 mpg
Highway: 34.6 mpg
Automatic:
City: 17.9 mpg
Highway: 32.2 mpg
Consider these are values for the 195 tires. Wider tires like 205 also decrease the milage.
As a summery I think the values from Ford Germany are much more realistic than the ones given from Ford USA.
That is also the reason why almost nobody buys the 2.0 in Germany. Most of the buyers go for the one of the Diesel engines.
E.g. the Focus TDCI with 115hp gets about 32.6 mpg in the city and 52.2 mpg on the highway. Over 50mph !!!!!
This is for the 5speed. There are Diesels with automatic. But in my opinion automatic is something for grannys anyhow.
Stefan
I am still hoping the larger Freestyle will debut shortly and will be reasonably priced, Mazda 6, or, better yet, Grand Marquis comes out as a wagon... eh, just dreaming...
Focus is a great car, though. Needs a bigger engine for automatic, however.
Mazda6 IS coming out as a wagon (and a hatch).
Probable release date is December 2003, as a 2004 model.
And now, back to the subject of the Ford Focus Wagon.
Revka
Host/Hatchbacks & Wagons
If I were in your shoes, I'd try a different dealer service. Some are better than others. Also, not a bad idea to call ahead and ask to speak directly to the service manager. Let him know this has been an ongoing problem, and ask if he has any suggestions. This may help to insure that your problem get special attention when you bring it in. You should also report/document your problem with Ford 800 customer service, if you haven't yet. Anyway, my 2 cents. Good luck, and please keep us posted on your situation.
Revka
Host
Hatchbacks & Wagons Boards
But be honest when do you need the handbrake. Unless your brakes fail which I never heard of in the past 20 years you should not use the handbrake for anything else that parking.
Especially when the car has ABS.
Stefan
More realistically, if I found the same car with a manual transmission, I'd use the handbrake all the time for hill starts.
For me ABS, side air bags, traction control and rear head restraints are somehow a must.
I also prefer to have rear disk brakes that drum brakes since they are much more efficient. Everything else like aloy wheels or design is not that important. Security first.
Stefan
to one side or the other. My questions are:
Is this normal for this model of vehicle? (It sure doesn't feel normal.)
If not, can anyone tell me what the problem might be?
On my first regular maintenance check, I had the dealer check the alignment. They reported that
everything was ok.
My Focus ZX5 does this on occasion as well. Usually when going over a manhole cover or extremely bumpy pavement. It most commonly happens if I am turning and drive over the bumps while in the turn. If I am traveling straight over a bump it isn't as noticeable. I have owned other cars where the sensation is much worse than what is experienced in the Focus. I consider it normal and haven't really thought much about it.
I drive only about 8K miles per year, so I'd like to keep this wagon for a while. Should I maybe wait and save up more money and try for a Subaru or VW wagon? Or consider a used Volvo? Any current (later model) Focus wagon owners' opinions are welcomed.
Thanks a lot.
I just can say that mine handles corners like a sports car. No matter how bumpy the roads are. It just sticks to the road.
So far I had not a single problem with the reliability. Only two minor recalls. I just had some trouble due to the bad work my dealer did.
The car is now 2 years old and has less than 20k miles on it. Not that much I agree.
But if I would have to choose now I would perhaps go with a Jetta Wagon. Why? not because of reliability but:
VW offers all the security features as standard features (ABS, side airbags, ..)
VW offers a Diesel.
Since I am originally from Europe and only owned Diesel cars over there I am a Diesel fanatic.
But there are also other interesting alternatives:
Volvo V40 (just a lot more $$ than the Focus). The only thing I do not like on the V40 is the missing option for a manual transmission.
Audi A4 (also very $$) and not everybody needs the 4WD (quattro). And it is a very small wagon. Less room than the Focus.
VW Passat Wagon (not that pricey than the A4 but much more room). The 1.8T with the 5SP is a nice combination. Sporty and much better mph than than a V6 or V8. Unfortunately they do not sell the Passat TDI anymore.
Subaru (if you need/want a 4WD).
Stefan
So long
Stefan
My advice to you, drive the one you would buy more that just a few miles to determine if it meets your requirements.
Otherwise, the car seems ok for me..
My sister and her husband bought a Subaru Forester that is very nice. Since you're looking at a $15k budget, you might check out a used Subaru.
Does anybody know if the 03 Focus ZTW Wagon (loaded, which I've ordered) comes with a cabin air filter? Can't find a reference on the spec sheet, so I'd guess not.
Thanks.
Stefan
Excellent handling, ride, clutch, cargo capacity and stereo, Seats better with lumbar installed (Ford parts installed $70 and $30 Labor)
32.1 mpg average on trip to Florida and back (70-75 mph). Highest mpg was 37 on highway trip when going 60mph on backroads, but often get 33-34 at 65 mph. Seems to get about 25 mpg or slightly lower in all-city driving. Worst was 23 mpg in all city driving below 20 deg. F. Seems like other posts show automatic transmission gets 2-3 mpg less.
Acceleration is good with manual transmission.
Brakes stop very well, but brake dust must be cleaned off about every two weeks. Will install Redline MTL (70W80 GL-4 gear oil) in Sept for smoother shifts (2002 Ford owner’s manual no longer recommends ATF for the MTX 75 manual transmission).
Wish List: split folding rear seat bottom more comfortable front seats. No mechanical problems so far, except replaced knocked off/broken side mirror with folding mirror made for the SVT.
Hoping for average reliability or better over 10 years. Very happy with car so far.
The power difference was significant, not overwhelming. Another difference is that the 2.3 is very smooth, the word that comes to mind is "fluid" and there are no noticeable flat spots in the torque band. It feels quite like the Duratec 2.5 V6. I really liked the fully folding 2nd seat (bottom flips forward and the back goes down flat) which I think is new this year.
Ford has almost everything right on it now including the price, EXCEPT - you can't get traction control with the 2.3! I won't even think about the 2.0 after driving the 2.3. I guess traction control will have to be an option with the 04 model year since 2.3 will then be available or possibly standard nationwide.
Thanks!
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/byclass/Midsize_Station_Wagons2003- .shtml
PS. I can't figure the cargo volume of ~56 cu ft. When I measure the cargo area it comes up
about 65 cu ft. and it seems bigger then wagons with higher official volume numbers.
The flip up seat bottom may be hurting the cargo area. I think EPA measurements are to the back of the flipped up seat on that type, but to the back of the front seats on the type of wagon that just has the seat backs fold down. If I remember correctly - the Jetta has more space than the Passat for some reason like this, even though the Passat is bigger.
I wish I could have held out for the new engine. More power and less pollution is a good combo.
Revka
Host
Hatchbacks & Wagons Boards
Please keep us posted on the ZTW. We are seriously contemplating a ZTW, we even like the same color you chose. We also like the extra height, big cargo room, good warranty and modern European design.
I wonder if you have the 2.3 engine (if you live in NY California or Massachusetts, you probably do) or in other states you will have the 2.0). After taking dimensions of the cargo area we realize we really don't need a minivan, and we prefer the driveability, parkability, garageability and MPG of the ZTW. We were astonished to see there is actually room to sleep in the ZTW
if need be (with a few tweaks). Another nice feature is the standard 220lb rack which we would make good use of, and it has a higher weight rating then most factory racks. That would effectively increase our cargo space even further. Please also let us know how you find the comfort of the seats. I have heard a few people unhappy with them on long trips. However, we rented a Focus and did many miles on it and we personally found no problem at all with the seats.
It is certainly a compelling deal with the rebates. I think you made a very good choice.
The other major disappointment is drive line whine mainly 30-45 mph. This noise cannot be heard at hwy speeds because of tire noise etc.
My advice is to drive the car you would buy at least 50 miles in your normal driving. slow and fast.
Good luck.
Even the older wagons had the full folding seat bottom. At least mine (2001) has it. It just does not have a split bottom seat. Only a split back rest. Does the new wagon has a split seat bottom?
I would like that because then I could get a flat surface on one side without removing the child seat on the other.
But so far I am pretty happy with mine. Two years old and almost no problems so far.
Stefan
2001 SE Wagon Street Edition 5 Speed fully loaded with ABS, Rear Head Rests, Traction Control, ...
The number one nice feature is the huge cargo space. Most other wagons and even mini SUV's have less usable space. I have fit in my car (at different times): 2 XL dog crates, 4 fully grown labrador retrievers, 3 55 gallon drums, 2 32" built-in barbecues, dog crate and enough camping gear for 2 people and a dog for a week, 10' sections of PVC pipe, and one sofa (OK, it was a small loveseat, but still!) This is all in the interior of the car with the rear fully closed, I haven't used the roof rack. So many of these items fit with a clearance of 2 inches or less. I would never consider buying anything smaller. I recently bought a barbecue business and expected to have to buy a truck to make deliveries, but so far my wagon has been a workhorse.
Reliability has been good but not excellent, I have replaced the front brakes twice, had the battery cable corrode, the rear dome light stopped working, and had about 5 recalls. I get about 26/32 MPG, and I find even fully loaded with stuff it has enough power to satisfy me but my power-hungry husband would probably like more. The handling is solid and I love sitting up higher especially with all the huge SUVs on the road these days.
The only thing I would change if I had the chance would be to trade the carpet in the cargo area for rubberized material such as that found on some Toyota Matrix models, and the split bottom seat others have mentioned. I originally wanted a 5spd (which wasn't available at that time) but the AT has done well. If you are looking for a car with a lot of function and frequently find the need to haul all kinds of stuff, this is a great choice!
Monica