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Ford Focus Sedan

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Comments

  • diana13diana13 Member Posts: 5
    When I bought my Focus, my fiance's father did all the negotiations. I knew I got a good deal, but according to Edmunds and Kelleys blue book my car is worth over $1,000 MORE than what I paid for it. My car has 8,000 miles on it.
  • jeremyl1jeremyl1 Member Posts: 8
    I am curious, what is your car and features and what did you pay for it. Sounds like you got a great deal.
  • dottidedottide Member Posts: 2
    I love my ford focus. I just bought it after test driving a elantra. What a difference!! The enterior was cheap in the elantra. Once I test drove the focus I fell in love with it. My Focus is the LX 2001 sedan base model w/ac & automatic driving.It has a lot of space inside and has a quiet ride. I just love it!
  • dottidedottide Member Posts: 2
    I forgot to tell you that it snowed here in Boston, and the car handled the snow great! and I don't have ABS breaks.
  • rea98drea98d Member Posts: 982
    "stay with Honda, Mazda, Toyota, Subaru or Nissan in the small budget car class!"

    Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Mazda is a Ford ;-)
  • hotx3hotx3 Member Posts: 71
    I am puzzled by those few individuals who don't own Fords but keep visiting this site with very general, highly negative comments. Why do you waste everybody's time? I've owned plenty of Fords, and none fell apart after 35K miles (though I had an '82 that was no prize after 60K). I've asked about things that are less than perfect on the Focus - to get more out of the car. Intelligent people don't select their cars based on anecdotes or unsubstantiated generalities. All you accomplish with your posts is to make us wonder what your problem is.
  • schmide10schmide10 Member Posts: 17
    Just as a "touche", I'm sure that there have been plenty of problems with foreign cars... for instance, I know when I was doing research for my girlfriend on cars, I came across QUITE a number of earlier complaints about the Mazda Protege... suddenly losing complete power in the middle of driving it... and this was a common complaint made by several people over there. Hmmmmm, maybe all cars/models/manufacturers aren't perfect? Hot damn, what a novel idea!! :)

    2000 ZTS, 15500 miles since March, still going strong.
  • paul116paul116 Member Posts: 15
    My Ford Rangers were the most reliable vehicles that I have ever owned, so I put my faith in Ford when I bought the Focus. After exhaustive research and numerous test drives, I was very pleased with the Focus. That is, until it started to fall apart at 22000 miles. Then, I felt severely let down by Ford.

    Financially, I did not like the idea of taking a huge hit on depreciation, by far the worst first year depreciation of the last ten new cars that I have owned. But to continue to own this piece of junk such that I don't lose money on the first year of depreciation is similar to holding onto a stock that is slowly going down the drain. It is economically stupid to "wait for it to get better". I won't lie to myself. I put my faith in Ford and was let down in the worst way. They may have gotten my money this time, but never again!

    Also, trying to sell the Focus to a private buyer instead of trading it in was out of the question, as used Foci are sitting all over dealer lots and are not moving. I seized the opportunity for the best possible trade-in when the car decided to start behaving itself again. I knew this would not last for long, so I capitalized on this rare opportunity while I still had the chance. Yet somehow, the cuteness factor is keeping the prices high for brand new Foci, with minimal rebates and incentives (compared to the competition). If people continue to buy these cars, Ford will keep laughing all the way to the bank. Just don't say I didn't warn you! And if your Focus is still behaving itself, just hang in there. I have complete confidence that this good behavior won't last much longer!
  • hkoenen2hkoenen2 Member Posts: 70
    diana13

    If you weren't sliding how do you know the ABS is great? ABS only comes into play when you are sliding and one wheel stops spinning on the snow,ice,oil.. etc.

    I seem to recall reading a report a while back saying that ABS brakes actually cause more accidents because people drive harder and think they won't slide during braking because of the ABS. This causes them to drive more aggressively and faster than conditions allow and more accidents are the results. The conclusion of the article was you should drive your car like it did not have ABS and if you hear the ABS come on you are to fast for conditions.
  • hotx3hotx3 Member Posts: 71
    We share the road with people who do crazy things when they get behind someone driving slow enough that they'll never skid. Give me the ABS, traction control, whatever else helps control the car. People learn what's safe - hopefully before they hit something.
    In snow - I was too lazy to shovel the drive this AM. My car plowed through 10+ inches of light fluffy stuff in our driveway on the Firestones (that some tire buff say are flaky in snow). Don't try this without a shovel in the trunk!
    No problem at all with the rest of the drive on icy streets. '00 LX w/ ABS
  • rea98drea98d Member Posts: 982
    We could look at Jaguar the same way, and see UK all the way down the line, that doesn't mean Ford doesn't own them. Also, several of Mazda's vehicles (B-Series and Navajo come to mind) are Ford designed. Finally, you said yourself the new 626 may have a Ford engine in it. And remember, part of the profits from every Protoge sold goes to Detroit ;-) Yes, Mazdas are Fords. So what's wrong with a ford? Well, I had a Grand Marquis that lasted 22 years and nearly 130,000 miles, and I have now a 1995 Ford T-Bird with over 166,000 miles, and still going strong. I know from expereince they are good cars. Do you think Ford and Mazda would each want to use the others parts if they weren't good? (How many companies do you see killing themselves to get Chrysler Transmissions?) I think you just don't like Fords, and don't like me cause I do like them. As long as they keep treating me this good, I'll keep buying ford products.

    BTW, about the whole nameless thing, that's just a moot point, since I could have put any name I wanted to in my user profile. I've been on edmunds for several years under the handle rea98d, and quite a few people know me here. I'm not an anonymous fly-by-night flaming everyone. Finally, if I did post my name, you'd have no way of knowing if I was telling the truth, but if it makes you feel better, my name's Rob.
  • xyzipp2xyzipp2 Member Posts: 28
    Now we have gone off the deep end. Mazda isn't a Ford...yet Ford owns them. Because Mazda is the all powerful and all knowing car manufacturer that out sells all other vehicle manufacturer's, Ford has no influence in any decisions. That's right, Ford owns Mazda so it can make no decisions. You know, I think I am going to buy a company and just let them tell me what to do. Should make me billions of dollars. Wait...I am being told that Mazda isn't the highest selling vehicle manufacturer...could that possibly be true????? I wonder why Mazda was unable to hold its own head above water if it was the benchmark for all other automobiles.

    Stay consistent. If you are going to judge the Focus based on Ford's merits, its time to start judging the Mazda by those same standards.

    By the way, I believe it says a lot that a name is more important than the substance. Who friggin cares if somebody wants to maintain a bit of anonymity. But, as we have seen, the name is more important than all else and it trumps all common sense.
  • gladicheckedgladichecked Member Posts: 93
    As a Protege owner, I am not here to fuel any flames, only to put my .02 in here. I think what Protegextwo was stating about the Protege (irregardless of his other opinions) is that Mazda is still building the Protege separate and without collaboration with Ford. The 626 engine is built by Mazda (my dealer told me the 2001 Protege will have a 2.0L engine designed and built my Mazda). I have read in a couple magazines that the Protege is planned to move to the Focus platform in 2004 (have also read 2002).

    xyzipp...I do agree with your assessment of how depreciation works. I can't honestly say I agree with some of your other views, but I believe we can have differences of opinion and still be civil to one another. I come to these forums to learn from other's experiences, and occasionally debate the issues. That doesn't mean I'm right or wrong...or you're right or wrong. I see to many posters in Edmunds that insist they are right, and if they can't convince others to "see the light" they resort to personal insults.

    I think it's too early to judge the Focus either way...like you said, long term resale (as well as reliability) takes longer than one year to ascertain. I will say this...the vast majority of posters that post on this topic seem to be happy with their Foci despite the 1st year bugs.
  • rea98drea98d Member Posts: 982
    Is it just me, or is this getting old?
    Ok, so if Ford is owner (part owner, or whatever the heck you want to call it!) of Mazda, how is the Protoge competing with the Focus? Buy a Protoge, buy a Focus, Ford Corporate doesn't care, they still get your money. It's like saying a Contour or Escort competes with a Focus. Finally, Ford is either donating parts to or using parts from every company they are owner (part owner, whatever! Doesn't matter) in, Mazda included.
  • wmitechwmitech Member Posts: 1
    I just had my ZTS in for the 6k+ oil change. The service mgr said there was a A pillar trim recall that they took care of during the oil change service. The next day my wife was in the front passenger seat and tried to use the seat belt-it was seized up. I took it back to the dealer to tell them they did something to it during the recall work. They tried to fix it, but now say they will have to order a entire seat belt assembly. Who knows when that will come in.
  • gbush1gbush1 Member Posts: 13
    Seems to be a touchy are don't it? Ford and Mazda seem to compete more stateside then here in Europe. The all new Mondeo(Contours in U.S.) has all new Duratec engines in it. No zetec. The 6cy is still the U.S. engine. However all the 4's that are offered in the Mondeo are from Mazda design. Zetec came from the Ford German house. So it seems that Ford feels the best 4cy they have came from one of their partners. It would be nice to see them share some good stuff in the states.

    There is some law in Japan I read about that does don't allow foreign auto companies to have more then the 33% stake in a Japanesse auto company. I will have to dig around more to see what limitations on influence this may have. Does anyone know?
  • hkoenen2hkoenen2 Member Posts: 70
    wmitech

    I hope they are giving you a replacement car while the parts are on order. Or did they tell you the car was safe without the use of the seatbelt?
  • diana13diana13 Member Posts: 5
    TO hkoenen2 I should have been more specific, I didn't slide much on the turns. There was not much over-steer. Also, my ABS stopped my from sliding. I was a lot better than the other cars in my home. (2 Chevy Luminas and a Pontiac Sunfire)

    To Jereny11 Sorry it took so long for me to check this forum, but I have a ZTS with every available option minus smokers package and engine block heater. I ordered it in March and picked it up in April. I paid $15,600 for it.
  • cnollkampercnollkamper Member Posts: 43
    This long term test, from Britain (and yes i know that the cars are made a little diffrently) expresses a lot about the reliability of the Focus. I just feel like posting more positives, since i love my car. From WhatCar? magazine
    Run by Pete Tullin

    18000-mile farewell report - January 2000

    Let's come right out and say it. The Focus is the best small hatch ever made, bar none. And the 1.6 version is the best of the best. Any dissenters? I think not.

    I said this after my first drive in our reigning small hatchback of the year. Now, after the best part of 12 months in the company of our silver 1.6 LX 5dr, my opinion hasn't changed.

    The introduction of the Focus has not so much moved the goalposts for small hatches, as ripped them out and hurled them over the grandstand.

    From the sublime driving experience, courtesy of an independent rear suspension (a rarity in a small hatchback), to the brilliantly sited bonnet release lock behind the blue oval nose badge, every single Focus component has been designed with zealous attention to detail. And the proof comes in the driving.

    No other competitor can match the Focus for handling and ride quality. Such is the competence of the chassis I can push on down e f my favourite stretch of fast B-roads with a confidence and composure that would have many so-called hot hatches squealing their tyres and me backing off the throttle or dabbing on the brakes.

    Don't get me wrong, our Focus hasn't just come into its own when I've got my (ageing) boy racer helmet on. It's the effortless way in which I've been able to pile on miles that shows how deep-seated the Ford's talents are.

    Living in Winchester, Hampshire, around 60 miles from the What Car? office has meant that most of the 18,000 miles have ticked up on multi-laners. Apart from a little wind whistle around the front pillars it's brilliant on the motorway.

    I'm not overstating the case to say that it's not far off the best executive cars at 70mph. A supple ride and unstressed engine note make my trip to work much more relaxing than it would be if I was in Philip Holloway's Golf.

    Fuel economy hasn't been any better, mind you. On our near identical round trips to work, he and I have posted virtually the same average consumptions. His Volkswagen has recorded 34mpg, compared with the Ford's 35.1mpg. As the days are getting colder, though, I've been less tempted to switch on the air-con, so lately I'm posting figures closer to 40mpg.

    Those habitual blasts down country lanes came back to haunt me when I took the car in for its first, routine 10,000-mile service at Evans Halshaw, my local dealer in Winchester. After the service manager had docked £99 off my credit card for carrying out the work, he politely enquired if the car was `being driven aggressively' as the front tyres were showing more wear than he was used to after 10,000 miles. That said, and with a further 8000 miles on the odometer, there's still no sign that they need replacing, so I reckon the rubber will outlast my tenure with the car.

    Coincidentally, it was around the time of its service that the Focus committed its only faux pas. The pollen filter housing which sits at the back of the engine bay became displaced and rainwater flooded into the passenger footwell. Evans Halshaw simply realigned and resealed it under warranty while it was in the service bay. The only thing I had to suffer was a soggy carpet for a couple of days.

    Meanwhile, I had also noticed that the cabin ambience was, for want of a better expression, getting a little stale. My immediate temptation was to blame the less hygenic What Car? staffers, but apparently it's a condition that has afflicted quite a few owners. The remedy was to deodorise the air conditioning system by squirting an aerosol through the pipes.

    Everything else was sweetness and light, and I'm happy to report that it still is. The 100bhp Zetec engine feels fitter by the day, the gearshift has lost none of its precision and the interior remains tight, rattle-free and an ergonomic delight - a fact underscored by
    its latest triumph in our car comfort survey.

    While I'm on the subject, I couldn't agree more with Dean Southall, the What Car? ergonomics expert. Everyone from the short and squat to six-foot plus beanpoles have praised the multi-adjustable driving position, the quality of the interior materials and the comfortable, supportive seats.

    The position of the Focus's switchgear has all the signs that designers have spent thousands of hours making sure everything is perfectly placed. I challenge anyone picking up a Focus hire car from the airport not to instantly know where everything is - you can't say that about a Golf or Astra.

    Not everyone in the What Car? office is a fan of the dash's angular New Edge styling, though, or the swathes of grey plastic. Personally, I love it. Perhaps it's just a matter of taste. The quality's pretty good, too, even if it doesn't exude the slabby, solidity of a Volkswagen.

    Before this gushing flow of praise becomes too much, there is one aspect of the Focus that can be criticised - the lack of boot space. It's not a problem some owners would notice, but when you've got a wife and two teenage daughters who can't go away for the weekend without a fortnight's worth of clothes, things get a bit tight. If my golf clubs come too, they have to join my kids in the back.

    It's going to be difficult to say goodbye to the Focus - it's a great car. Sure an extra 50bhp would be handy, as would more cargo space - my golf clubs only just fit diagonally across the boot - but nothing's perfect. And I reckon the Focus 1.6 is as close as a small hatchback gets.
  • silyboysilyboy Member Posts: 90
    Ford's techs (not to cut on them) do not ho9w to do this replacement or something, or they are in such a hurry they are careless. It happened to me too, drivers seatbelt. retracted all the way. height adj does not work.... took back. order parts (they are on backorder, gee wonder why), they did get my seat belt to retract so i am forced to live with it.... i know others have reported this same problem. it is just careless techs, especially when they are stuck doing warranty/recall work
  • cablockcablock Member Posts: 1
    Exactly what is AdvanceTrac supposed to do and is it worth the price ($1,000) ?
  • xyzipp2xyzipp2 Member Posts: 28
    I am not too sure about this new format. We lost at least 7 or 8 messages. Oh well, technology at its best.

    Cnoll, you asked me in one of the messages that was lost where I lived because I was grumping about not being able to find a decent dealer. Suffice it to say it is a long way from California. Right now I am thinking it is closer to Antartica. We have been blasted with snow and ice. I'd give good money to be in California.

    cablock, I was not sure about what the heck AdvanceTrac was. I pulled this from a review:

    "A "sixth sense" for drivers who encounter a variety of emergency situations," he explains, "the system enhances stability in extreme driving conditions when drivers misjudge speed or road
    conditions." In some cases, this sixth sense might mean: "I see bad drivers." Anyway, AdvanceTrac computers determine the presence of excessive "yaw" (forces trying to spin the vehicle) by comparing steering wheel angles to data from a variety of dynamic sensors including vehicle speed, wheel speed and lateral acceleration. "The system applies braking to the appropriate wheel or wheels and, if necessary, reduces engine torque to help counteract cases of oversteer or understeer and works in concert with the vehicle's traction control and anti-lock braking systems to deliver enhanced control in a variety of conditions." This kind of thing has proved quite useful on a number of sedans and coupes.

    I don't know if it is worth an extra $1000, probably depends on your location and weather.
  • silyboysilyboy Member Posts: 90
    ok i do not know the details of this one , but here is basics. went to dealer to have B-pillar fixed and a bunch of small things fixed also, and my service advisor came back with a good old smile on his face. ANOTHER recall.....
    all i know is this it is #00S50. it is for the decklid wire harness. i will assume this is a sedan only recall for now, but i stand to be corrected. i will see if i can get more details when i pick the car up tonight.

    this is now the 4th recall repair i have had, in addition to my other problems.... but i still like my car and think it is the best value for the $$. i have an early production model, so i am playing guinnea pig. 2001 is much improved....

    happy holidays everyone!! and for those of you in state like here in WI, be careful driving....
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    Good lord, I feel sorry for you Focus owners.
  • scotianscotian Member Posts: 1,064
    You know, when I first saw the Ford Focus, I thought to myself, "Yikes! What the hell is that grotesque little thing!?" But the more I see of it, the more I like it. And it's not just because its taillights resemble the Chrysler 300M, which I own. It's one of those few cars that I couldn't see myself owning, but I'm glad they're out there to look at (there are just too many ugly cars out there!).
  • paulgoepaulgoe Member Posts: 2
    To gbush1. Ford owns 33.4% of Mazda.
  • windowphobe6windowphobe6 Member Posts: 765
    What counts here is the Japanese corporate-law provision that gives a holder of more than one-third of company stock actual veto power over board decisions. This is why Ford owns 33.4% of Mazda, and why Renault owns a similar percentage of Nissan, and why DaimlerChrysler bought that much of Mitsubishi.
  • spaceshotspaceshot Member Posts: 1
    Wednesday, December 27, 2000 - 11:20 am

    Dear Ford Focus Forum,

    I have had my Focus now for over 10,000 miles. And, although it has been in for several recalls (possible rear wheel seperation and A-Pillar modification) it has been a most awesome car to own and one of the most funnest cars that I've ever driven. It averages 25mpg/33mpg. I got it with the Zetec engine, 5-speed and, for me, is more than adequate for the driving that I do. I find myself shifting a lot more than I need to because it is so enjoyable to do so. It is an incredible bang for the bucks. Not a bad sound system as well...

    Anyway, I could go on. But, the Focus is calling to me and I must answer the call.

    Sincerely yours,
    SpaceShot
  • csb1csb1 Member Posts: 16
    Hello ! I'm considering purchasing a 2001 Focus ZTS and I have some questions...
    1) Have they fixed all the little problems that the 2000 models appear to have ?
    2) Can you turn the advancetrac system off ?

    I really like the thought of having rear disk brakes (which come with the advancetrac system). A sedan with adequite power and good headroom is a must. I have also thought about the Mazda 626, which actually has just a little bit more room on the inside, and is a much larger car on the outside. Your thoughts and opinions would be welcome. Thanks !
  • windowphobe6windowphobe6 Member Posts: 765
    I actually did this evaluation for myself, and while I wound up with the Mazda, it wasn't that easy a choice, and what settled the issue wasn't even a car characteristic at all - it was the question of service. (I know the local Mazda guys, and they're used to me pestering them; I know from nothing about your average Ford shop.)

    If you want rear discs on a 626, you'll have to spring for the V6, which will push the sticker up a thousand or so.

    Both these cars are eminently flingable; I took them on my standard Urban Decay Test Tour and was impressed with the way they dealt with the variety of situations, from low-speed hairpins to frighteningly-short on-ramps. If headroom is an issue, Focus wins; the 626 has good vertical space, but you have to duck quite a way to get into it.

    And for some, there's a potential audio issue: in the Focus, apparently, you can have the tape unit or the CD, but not both, and the aftermarket really hasn't addressed Foci yet. For me, at least, Mazda wins this one.
  • snowboundsnowbound Member Posts: 1
    Hi, I am the not so happy owner of a four door Focus SE. I live in Saskatchewan (Canada) and
    am finding that I am having alot of trouble with the alternator getting wet, and then losing
    power for lights and defrost and other important things. We have had our car since May of 2000
    and until this point it was alright. Another peeve I have is with the stereo system and not being
    able to tune in the radio very well. When I spoke to my dealer about the alternator problem,
    his solultion was to make up some type of guard to protect the alternator? I am wanting to get
    rid of this car. This has happened in snow and rain!! Has this happened to anyone else?
  • lkdog3lkdog3 Member Posts: 1
    I have owned this vehicle for one year and had nothing but problems. I have had problems with the brakes (on going), A/C evaporator and condensor and still(on going), replaced the fuel pump fuel pump module, replace carpeting, replace ignition key cylinder, 3 recalls and many more.... Dealer willing to trade for 2001. Does anyone have any comments?
  • hmpowerhmpower Member Posts: 20
    I was really considering a Focus - I really like the hatchbacks - but not so sure after reading these boards. I don't want to have to visit the dealer 3-5 times a year for recalls and other things that just quit working - like seatbelts. It's not asking that much for a car to go several years without basic items breaking. It should be a given by now, and it is for many of Ford's competitors.
    Maybe Ford's experience with the Focus and Escape/Tribute will force them to re-learn the lessons on quality that they seem to have forgotten.
  • sonyfocussonyfocus Member Posts: 9
    I am devastated. My platinum 2000 Sony edition Ford Focus was creamed the other night. The other driver came fast out of a side street and struck my right front quarter. Both front airbags exploded. The force of the impact caused so much damage to the car, I can't imagine that it can ever be repaired properly, but am waiting the insurance company's decision. I was not hurt in the accident. Should the insurance company determine that the car is a total loss, I will be back on the Ford lot picking up another Focus. Chances are I won't be able to replace it with the Sony edition though.

    Over 15,000 trouble-free miles was put on the car.

    P.S. I previously posted as "Focused1" but can't recall my password. My e-mail address has also changed, so Edmund's can't e-mail me with my password.
  • haumanghaumang Member Posts: 9
    sonyfocus: damn, sorry to hear about what happened to you. I'm also a Sony owner (Pitch Black) and I can understand the extra special feeling of having a Sony Focus.

    But personally, given the damage that you've described, I think you'll be better off having the car written off as a total loss since they probably won't be able to fix it like new.

    You might not have your Sony anymore, but at least you have your health. I love my Sony too, but I'd rather it get creamed than me...

    lkdog3: sorry to hear about the trouble that you've have with your 2000 LX. If your dealer is willing to trade you a 2001 for it, I think that's a good idea. So far - knock on wood - the 2001's haven't been affected by any of the 2000's recalls.

    csb1: To answer your questions:
    [1]I don't think Ford has fixed all the little bugs in the 2000 models, but, at least, the 2001's have been free of those little bugs. Though, FYI, since AdvanceTrac is new for 2001, there could be some issues with its reliablity in the future.
    [2]I believe you can turn AdvanceTrac off. But I'm not sure.

    hmpower: I don't know that you should be so afraid of recalls with a 2001 (or later) model Focus. You have to remember that Ford is under the microscope for suppressing potential dangers in the Explorer/Firestone case, so they aren't taking chances anymore - hence the numerous recalls for the Focus & Escape - because they don't want anything to come back and haunt them.

    peace
  • hmpowerhmpower Member Posts: 20
    It's not just that I'm worried about recalls, it's just a concern about the overall wuality of the vehicle. TRUE STORY: a friend of mine bought a Mazda Tribute (Ford Escape) about a month ago. He had it for about a week, then on the way home from somewhere, it started to rain. He switched on the wipers -nothing. He had to drive home 10 miles in heavy rain with no wipers. He called the dealer and brought it in the next day, they thought it was odd. The very next day, Ford issued the recall on the wipers on these vehicles. His new truck was in the shop for a full week while they waited to get the parts. That's unacceptable in a new car from a company with the resources at Ford's disposal.
    The recalls aren't simply the result of over-cautious executives, they are because there are real, potentially dangerous flaws in some vehicles. Ford has had an awful record with these lately, and I don't feel like taking a chance.
  • haumanghaumang Member Posts: 9
    hmpower: what happened to your friend sounds truly terrifying. I'm glad nothing serious happened to him.

    A good friend of mine has had a Tribute for about 4 months now and he's had no problems with it whatsoever (and it's not like he pampers the truck, he's actually pretty damn rough on it) so it's partly about luck too.

    As far as the Focus is concerned, there have been those that have had horrible luck with their Foci and those - like myself - who've been very lucky. But if you stay away because of reliability concerns, that's understandable.

    peace
  • frosty_00frosty_00 Member Posts: 11
    Would someone provide a list of all known 2000 Focus recalls. I'm taking mine in for the trim above the driver's side door to be replaced in a couple of weeks and would like to get any others covered at that time also.

    Thanks, Mike
  • oklafocusoklafocus Member Posts: 1
    mm... I, like some of the other folks here, love my little Focus despite the recalls. This car is my first purchase of a new car, and I couldn't be happier with it. I live in Oklahoma, and with all the recent bad weather, my Focus just zooms right through the snow and ice, while my neighbors are stuck! I bought the dealer's demo, that is fully loaded and had only 5,000 miles on it, and I am really pleased. I look at it this way, it's the first year of the new car and there are always a few bugs to work out.
    Happy Holidays Everyone!

    Holly

    AS: I have only seen 3 other cars like mine in this area, but when I was in Wisconsin visiting my folks, I saw ZILLIONS of them!!!
  • windowphobe6windowphobe6 Member Posts: 765
    The NHTSA doesn't have it all in nice, neat, tabular form, unless you want to download the entire recall database, but you can search the database easily enough. (Make sure you put down all four digits of the year, and leave off any trim or series designations.) Last I looked, there were six 2000 Focus recalls, though one of them applies only to 3-doors and wagons.
  • oakman3oakman3 Member Posts: 1
    purchased new 2000 focus be 2 weeks ago and it seems like a great car. have noticed when I hit a bump sound comes fro right rear like the back seat is loose. have checked it but it is ok.anyone have a similar problem they can share???
  • micah1micah1 Member Posts: 2
    I just ended my 98 Subaru Outback lease...Went to a Focus because of all the research I did; websites, Car and Driver........never really "saw" all the issues about recalls.. Is it possible that my particular model wasn't recalled?......the dealer was great.......I usually buy a new car every two years, but I may HAVE to keep this one for much longer........I picked up this 2000 leftover because of a good financial deal? what can I expect?? Glidescope, I checked out the Honda Civic, Protege, and Echo..Found the Focus to be roomier and a better value. Good to read all the positive posts especially about the snow. Phila. had a big snowstorm the day I took my Focus home! Thanks....micah1
  • rich94rich94 Member Posts: 4
    Can anyone can tell me the proper wheel torque. Thanks in advance! Rich
  • schmide10schmide10 Member Posts: 17
    Argument #1: The Mazda Protege is NOT a Ford.
    Argument #2: The Mazda Tribute IS a Ford.

    Does anyone else see the problem with this? :)

    Oh, wait, cuz the Tribute has problems, then it MUST be a ford... I get it...

    (sarcasm on)

    17000 miles on my ZTS and my door stopped squeaking, so I guess everything's ok. ;)
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    The powertrain in the Mazda Protege did not come form another Ford product. The engine in the Mazda Tribute and Ford Escape came from the Ford line. The 4-cylinder is shared with the Focus, and the V-6 is from the Taurus' Duratec line. The transmission is also shared with the Taurus as well. That's the difference between the Mazda Protege and Tribute. Also, the Protege is all Mazda-designed parts and has been affected with only one minor recall involving the radio.
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    Sorry to hear about your accident in your Focus. Glad to hear you are okay though. If there's one thing I have to say about the Focus, it's that their crash test scores are pretty good from what I have read from the Government. Apparently they are right.

    Also, you might not wanna give up your car, but no matter how well they fix it at the shop, it will never be the same again after such a severe accident. Also glad to hear you came out okay.
  • smj092600smj092600 Member Posts: 2
    I recently purchased a 2001 Focus LX. Everything is going fine except for one thing. Sometimes in the morning (since it has been very cold), when I start the car, it makes a squeaking noise for about 10 seconds, as if there may be a problem with the belt. When I took the car to the dealer they could not re-create the noise. I was told that there is really nothing that could be done until it happens for them. Also, it does not happens every morning, so It would be a waste of time if I decided to drop it off to the dealer overnight and have them try to re-create the problem in the morning and nothing happens. Is there anyone else having this problem? If yes, what was done to fix the problem?
  • xyzipp2xyzipp2 Member Posts: 28
    This Ford vs. Mazda debate has me in stitches. I haven't ever got this good of a laugh from something car related. Ford is Mazda --- wait Mazda isn't Ford though... yet it is, but only 33.4% but not enough to corrupt... except when Ford puts its name on a Mazda.......blah blah blah blah.

    I worked in retail management for a number of years for a large chain. There is a principle I learned from my experience. If you sell crap, people won't buy it. People buy with price, quality, and aesthetic value all bundled up together. Put something out that is top quality with good aesthetic quality and an unreasonable price --- people won't buy it. You can change the variables any way you want, but it will hold true. I think the same holds true in the automobile industry.

    If that's the case, then it is wise to scrutinize the background of Ford and Mazda. Ford Focus --- top selling car in the world. Ford F-150 --- top selling pickup truck in the world. Mazda Protege --- top selling car, ummmmm wait, kinda of good selling car, ummmm, well they sell some cars somewhere. I am sure it is the top selling car at some Mazda dealer that only sells Proteges. What Mazda car or truck is there that ranks in the top three in its class? I could stand to be corrected but I don't believe there are any. (Unless of course we only allow Mazda's to participate) Ford stakes a very different claim. I would guess that Ford likely has a vehicle in the top three in close to every category, if not very close. Not only that, but the top spots in a couple of cases.

    So here is the challenge Mazda enthusiasts. Tell me why Ford CONSISTENTLY outsells Mazda in every category, yet Mazda is soooo much better. I think to do so, you are going to have to say everybody is stupid except for the few who buy Mazda's. Do that, and you call a lot of people stupid. Frankly, I don't believer the consumer is that ignorant. Maybe it is all a conspiracy. Perhaps the government is interfering with the numbers and Mazda really sells more than Ford. Yeah..thats it. It's a conspiracy.
  • xyzipp2xyzipp2 Member Posts: 28
    smj - don't know if this helps but, I have an uncle who is a mechanic. A bit of an old school mechanic though, as computers are beyond him. Any way, I had a similar problem with a car making a squeaking noise (actually it was more of a squeal). I took it to him to see if it was serious. He said it wasn't and sprayed my belts with something (belt dressing?) and the problem never came back. Might be related, might not.
  • belcourt1belcourt1 Member Posts: 2
    I have a 2001 Ford Focus ZTS with about 5,000 miles. Since I purchased the car there has been this burning smell. Is this smell due to the newness of the car??? Also my brakes started to squeek. Is there anyway to get rid of this noise?? I took it to the dealer and they said there was some road salt on my pads which make them squeek. They said they can't do anything about it. Is this true? Well overall the car has been awesome. So far I am very glad I purchased the car. I wish I could get rid of that annoying squeek!!
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