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Ford Focus Sedan

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  • takeagamble1takeagamble1 Member Posts: 2
    From day one with my 2000 Focus Sedan DE there has been a loud thunk from the right hand rear of the car. When I go over a small bump the car kind of jumps a little and then the thunk happens. This is very annoying on long trips. I took the car in for the recall for the left rear wheel and asked them to check the right wheel. They said it was fine. I am going to take it in soon for an oil change and will again ask them to check this problem. Will let you know if anything comes out of it.
  • 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!!
  • smj092600smj092600 Member Posts: 2
    xyzipp2 - Thank you so much for responding to my posted message. I am going to call my dealer, make an appointment, and just tell them that I want them to spray the belt with some type of belt dressing. Later for them trying to have the problem reappear. Thanks!!!
  • cnollkampercnollkamper Member Posts: 43
    Those two things are the only really annoying things to happen to my ZTS as well. i can happilly report that the smell is from newness, and has to do with brake pads (clutch possibly as well), and you probaly notice it the most at a stop, or when you get out of the car after driving. If so , it will go away, Mine went away after 6k miles. as for the squeak (only happens to me in the morning for 5 minutes)it is a Focus Trait apparently, i have had it serviced , and it wont go away. But its never been a nuisance, especiialy after piling on more miles...it seems to get better.
    And to make another report my car now has 8800 miles and that is 1600 more than 2 1/2 WEEKS ago!!
    NO PROBLEMS, but i do think i warped a brake rotor in San Francisco, all those hills can do a number on any car.
    Peace to all, Happy New Year ...
  • oiseauoiseau Member Posts: 2
    Don t get worry by your belts and I don t call your dealer... except if you have some time to spend.

    Your problem is normal when a car is cold.
    I am a mechanic and believe me we can t do nothing
    for it.

    The noise is normal. If it is squeaking it I because your belts are cold and damp and not flexible.

    Myself I own presently a focus DE and it is the same thing.Befofore i owned a Neon and it was the same thing.My wife owns a Taurus 00 and again it is the same thing

    I hope I helped you....and excuse my english...I am french.

    Bye
  • oiseauoiseau Member Posts: 2
    Don I get worry by your belts and I not call your dealer... except if you have soar time to spend.

    your problem is normal when a car is cold.
    I am a mechanic and believe me we can I do nothing
    for it.

    The noise is normal. If it is squeaking it I because your belts are cold and damp.

    Myself I own presently a focus DE and it is the sama thing.Befofore i owned a Neon and it was the same thing.My wife owns a Taurus 00 and again it is the same thing

    I hope i helped you....and excuse my english...I am french.

    Bye
  • paul116paul116 Member Posts: 15
    I traded in my Focus four weeks ago for a 2000 Nissan Sentra SE and just received THREE more recall notices on the Focus today. This makes SIX, which is a record number in one year for any car I have owned. I am REALLY glad I traded in the Focus!! When I bought the Focus, I criticized Nissan for "dragging their feet" on the release of the newly redesigned Sentra. On the other hand, Ford hurried the Focus into production so quickly that one dealer actually refused to let me test drive one that was hot off the assembly line. I soon found out that the salesman could have been fined more than $1800 for allowing anyone to test drive a new model that was released just before some major recall notices had been sent out. I knew this when I bought the Focus, but I took my chances anyway like a fool. Now in retrospect, I should have waited for Nissan to "stop dragging their feet", as they took the time to get all of the bugs out. I truly cannot say the same for Ford. Granted, they are now trying to recall and fix everything on the Focus except for the leaking AC evaporator coils, but this all should have been checked out before the Focus was sent to dealers. Too late now, as the damage has already been done!

    I took quite a financial beating to get rid of the Focus, as few dealers want them at any price. But I am so much happier with my more powerful Sentra that this is what it probably feels like after one is finished going through a bad divorce. After enough aggravation, one is willing to pay ANYTHING just to get rid of the other half. In my case, I will refuse to even rent another Focus. Get that car out of my sight!! Hopefully, this rude awakening will be able to save at least one of you other car lovers from another bad marriage to a Focus. Looks can be deceiving! In the case of the Focus, it's superior suspension system, high seating position, and rattle-free interior is what suckers most buyers in. Too bad the rest of the car just can't measure up to these outstanding features. Don't fall for it! It's the Venus Fly Trap of cars.
  • powerslidepowerslide Member Posts: 48
    I have had my 2001 SE since September and beside oil changes and a blown fuse, it has not been to the dealer for ANY repairs. No repairs, adjustments or complaints of any kind. The car has been a pleasant surprise, judging from the negative comments seen here. I would not hessitate to buy this car again. As with any car, I would not buy the first year production. It seem that most of the problems were with the 2000 model.
  • ccrokeccroke Member Posts: 8
    My hat is off to Ford. They saved $ on postage by including three recall notices in one envelope. What a joke! Do not buy this car! Ford has lost me as a customer forever. Will I get raked over the coals on a 2000 trade-in?
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    You sure will!

    Meade
  • vadpvadp Member Posts: 1,025
    How do you know?
  • xyzipp2xyzipp2 Member Posts: 28
    Meade, Meade, Meade. You really have outdone yourself. Am I hard nosed? Yup. You know why? Because I am right. Twist words how you want, cite statistics that sound good but carry no weight (we'll talk about that in a minute), the fact that I am right is not going to change. Arrogance? No, just confidence. Fellow posters, I ask your apologies for the length of the post to follow. However, I could not let this go unanswered.

    Here are some the questions posed.

    1. Can't you understand that some vehicles are made with Mazda parts and some with Ford parts?

    I sure can. I would challenge you to show me where I said that was not the case. You said the very thing that I am trying to point out to you. "can't you realize that while Ford does own a controlling interest in Mazda...". There you have it. This is what I am driving at. FORD has controlling interest of MAZDA. (Note, MAZDA does not have controlling interest of FORD.) That means that Ford is the driving force behind MAZDA. Let me use a true story analogy. I said before that I worked in retail management for a large department store. One day, I got a call at the store that I was working for. Long story short...the upper management was sending a whole new management team into the store. The old managers had been canned because the store was doing very poorly, and the bigwigs wanted to see if they could get some people in who could turn the store around. That was where myself and four others came in. When we got there, the old management team no longer had controlling interest over the store. We were still left with their mess, but they no longer had any say. The reason was that they screwed it up. After six months, sales were up 20-30%. Was it because we left the store the same way? Of course not. Some products stayed the same, others were removed and new ones brought in. WE made the decisions. FORD has that same controlling interest. I find it ironic that I keep hearing that Mazda is sooo much better than Ford, yet, Mazda is the one playing second banana to Ford. Another conspiracy I suppose. What is important is that FORD controls the decisions that Mazda makes. THEREFORE, Mazda's future is CONTROLLED by Ford, making them in the same bed with Ford.

    2. Why do I flame Mazda for having lower volume than Ford?

    Ok, now I am really confused. Since when is telling the absolute hard truth about numbers flaming? The way that I understand the definition of flaming is it is "unwarranted, factless claims that aim to degrade or discredit something or someone". I guess it is all about how you define flaming. Strange that I would try to flame a Mazda on a Ford Focus board.

    3. Is Ford better than the Jaguar and BMW since they outsell them combined?

    Economics lesson. Compare apples to apples and oranges to oranges. Care to pit the Protege against the Jag and the Beemer? I didn't think so. How many of your beloved magazines do a head to head of Jags and Focus' or Protege's and Beemers? Of course I am not saying they are better. To quote from my earlier post that you so vehemently disagreed with:

    "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."

    The three variables: QUALITY, PRICE, AESTHETIC VALUE. Do me a favor... compare the prices of a Jag and a Focus. You see, there is an unreasonable price there. Some can afford it, more power to them. Now back to earth. The Focus and the Protege are in the SAME CLASS. Here we compare apples to apples. Price is relatively the same. Hence, the other two factor in. Sales figures point that the Focus is the better deal. This is not limited to the Focus. Compare Ford with other similar classes... In some places Ford is outsold. Is it because the other manufacturer has a better vehicle? Probably.

    4. If Ford is better than Mazda, why does magazines like Car and Driver list them as number one?

    Not going to spend a lot of time on this. A while back when Focus was the top rated car, you beloved Mazda enthusiasts tried your hardest to discredit those claiming that. Now that they say what you want to hear, you embrace them again. Talk about a hypocritical relationship. I have never put much stock in these supposed head to head tests. I didn't when the Focus was the top car, and I still don't. A huge majority of what they "investigate" I can find out for myself.

    5. Why are Ford's sales down, and Mazda's up in December?

    Very valid point. This could very well point that Ford needs to look find its problem areas. ASSUMING that you cite the correct figures, this would seem to be the damning evidence against Ford. First, cite me the numbers of sales on Protege and Focus'. I am guessing that you would find a bit of a different story. Just one small curiosity. What were Mazda's sales before Ford took the controlling interest compared to after Ford assumed the controlling interest? Could it be that Ford has helped to drive some of Mazda's sales up? Nahhhhh, couldn't be that.

    Whew. This is going to be a long one. The challenge remains. It still hasn't been answered. If the Protege is so much better than the Focus, then why does the Focus not just outsell, but crush the Protege in sales? Meade, I appreciate your response, but I didn't see that addressed at all. Come on Mazda lovers... step up to the plate!

    One final question. If the Protege is so much better than the Focus, can any one tell me why it is going be switched to the Focus platform????? Oh yeah...the Ford dunderheads want to destroy all that is good and manufacture crap so that they can tank their business. They don't want to put a car out that people will buy, they want to put out a car that is junk so that people everywhere will hate them. Sorry, I forgot.
  • schmide10schmide10 Member Posts: 17
    ccroke -- You knew the recalls were coming, be "glad" that you can get all the recalls done in less than 2 hours in one shot. Sorry, but beating a dead horse seems rather tedious and annoying, doesn't it? Get over it.

    xyzipp2 & mdaffron -- I have a very damn good reason why Ford's sales were down, whereas Mazda's were up. Anyone happen to hear about the FIRESTONE RECALLS & Ford the past few months!? Thus, naturally, I would suspect that because of the negative publicity, people would be inclined to avoid buying Ford. And that business, my friends, went elsewhere. Like Honda. Like Mazda. I'm sure all the rival CEO's where dancing a little jig in their office's.

    Just out of curiousity, does anyone have any reliability / recall data on the first few years of the Protege? You have to remember, you're comparing 2 different generations of cars...

    IMHO the Protege needs to be revamped. It's very "boring", and i think everyone would agree to that. Much like the Civic's are boring. However i believe honda is changing their look soon. The Protege is a good car, no doubt, (like i've said before my girlfriend owns one, and i actually urged her to buy it even though she owns a focus just cuz i didn't want both of us having the same car:)), but i also think that people who buy Protege's are different than those that buy Focus'. Those that buy Protege's tend to be more conservative and live a very 'safe' life, whereas the Focus adds a little "oomph" and edge -- in terms of both LOOKS and the damn recalls.

    In any case, enough of this. I enjoy my Focus (17k without ANY problems), and you enjoy your Protege. If you think you're the better man (or woman) because you own a Protege and think it's better than everything else around, then congratulations -- you truly don't have much of a life, do you? Thanks for reading, and everyone have a good night :)
  • cnollkampercnollkamper Member Posts: 43
    My personal Thanks to Schmide and xyzipp , We all need a dose of reality...now and then!
    I agree with everything xyzipp has to say.
    OH and if anyone has missed the handfull of posts i have listed in the past , I LOVE MY FOCUS!!!!
    I will buy the 2002 5 door hatchback when my lease is up.
  • xyzipp2xyzipp2 Member Posts: 28
    I had completely forgotten about the Firestone Fiasco. Frankly I have dismissed it as being blown way out of proportion. It did not even cross my mind when addressing the Ford's sales. I would have to agree that would probably be the reason. Thank you for pointing that out.

    Personally, whether the car has Firestone's or not would not affect my buying it. I might use it to try to get a better price though. :)

    P.S. Still waiting to hear a good reason as to why the Focus crushes the Protege in sales.
  • xyzipp2xyzipp2 Member Posts: 28
    Yes, Shame on Ford. Shame on Ford for making a car that is fun to drive. VERY fun to drive. Shame on Ford for developing a suspension system that is better than cars twice its cost. Shame on Ford for making a car that has cutting edge styling. Shame on Ford for not putting cheap components in its car to cut corners. Shame on Ford for manufacturing a car that so many people like it is the top selling car. Shame on Ford for desiring to please the consumer with a stylish, comfortable, and economical car.

    Get off the recall trip. Yes, I would prefer that I wouldn't have had to get those recalls taken care of. However, I would rather have a company replace a part before it went wrong. These recalls were voluntary. Frankly, I haven't found them to be overly burdensome. A little extra time ( a couple of hours or so total). Let me tell you Larry, I will spend a few extra hours to get these POSSIBLE problems taken care of just for the fun of driving and owning the Focus. Maybe some of you wouldn't buy a car with recalls as the Focus has had. Fine. Go drive the ho-hum.

    Shame on Ford for the Firestone Fiasco????? Good Lord, how long before we blame Ford for the poverty in Sudan??? ANY publication that I have read has put the blame squarely on the shoulders of Firestone. There is only one entity that is actively blaming Ford. Firestone. Anybody see a problem? The only shred of blame that has any credence is that Ford gave Firestone the specs for the tires. HOWEVER, FORD DID NOT USE THE FAULTY MATERIALS IN THE TIRES. If you want to chastise Ford for using Firestones in the first place -- go ahead. However, up until this overhyped and way overblown event, Firestone had been a quality tire.

    Shame on Ford for giving the consumer what they wanted. (Once again - look at sales and see who is giving the consumer what they wanted).
  • csb1csb1 Member Posts: 16
    The Ford vs. Mazda debate has become tiresome.
    Everybody tries to blame everybody else in these kinds of consumer product fiascoes. Remember that the president of Bridgestone tires, in hearings before the senate, already took full responsibility for those killed and injured in accidents that involved their tires. It looks like there were alot of mistakes made here...and both Ford and Bridgestone/Firestone are paying for them, as they should. I don't think anyone's mind is going to change due to the exchanges in this forum. So please drop this issue and get back to the issue at hand...cars, particularly the Ford Focus. A while back I posted a note about possibly buying a 2001 ZTS. I'm still looking for people who have them and have had good (or bad) experiences with them. Let me hear your opinions (and I will keep in mind that they are just that...opinions.) Thanks !
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    OK, you asked two questions. Here are two answers.

    Question 1: Does anyone have any recall data on the first few years of the Protege? (schmide)

    Answer: Schmide, you must get out more. NHTSA has that information. The Protege was introduced in 1990. Since that time, there has been ONE recall on the 1990 Protege, which occurred in 1998. (Compare this to the SIX recalls to date on the 2000 Focus.)

    Question 2: Why is the Focus crushing the Protege in sales? (xyzipp)

    Answer: Domestic cars tend to sell much better in their own countries. (I think our self-proclaimed resident economist, xyzipp, has his domestic blinders on.) If you don't believe me, let's try the reverse situation, which obviously xyzipp overlooked. The following figures are from the Japanese Automobile Importers Association and were obtained on the web a few moments ago:

    Ford (all passenger vehicle) sales, entire year 2000: 7,076
    Mazda (all passenger vehicle) sales, October 2000: 21,095

    Hmmm. Mazda sells three times the number of vehicles in one month that Ford sells in an entire year.

    So tell me, xyzipp ... Why is the Protege crushing the Focus in sales?

    (Can't wait to hear the retort for this one)

    :)

    Meade
  • vadpvadp Member Posts: 1,025
    What the Japanese Automobile Importers Association is saying about the Honda Civic in that respect?
  • vadpvadp Member Posts: 1,025
    Have you ever heard of the trade barriers?
    Japan still is one of the most restrictive auto markets in the world.
  • dp12dp12 Member Posts: 7
    Well, with passions here still running strong both for and against, all this Protege-owner knows is that I still am "test-driving" Foci every chance I get. Just to put that smile on my face as I crank up the driver's seat and the CD (maybe my Protege is a bit boring at that..never seem to want to turn on the audio), curl my hands around those [non-permissible content removed] at 10 & 2 on the wheel, pull a 360 in the dealer's parking lot (to test that teriffic handling), and take off. I'd probably rent one again for a couple of days (on my own nickel this time) if it wern't for the fact that the rentals don't come with the DOHC engine.

    Cutting corners...well I think Ford DID cut corners in a few areas...not too surprising, considering they said they saved $1000 mfg cost per vehicle over the cost of building the Escort the Focus replaces....specifically as I see it, the quality (or lack thereof) of the interior plastics and the ceiling liner and sun-visors compared to my Protege...one of the cars on the dealer's lot had a sprung hood that wouldn't close on the driver's side...I tried to close it but it sprang open on me and sprained my thumb (ouch!!)

    Would I actually BUY one??? Well, the reservations, trials and tribulations from paul116 and others do give me pause...but ah, the weather is really nice today, perfect day for a test drive...maybe I should stop by the bank and pay off the note on my Protege before I go...if only I could hang on till 2003-4 when the Focus evolves into the Protege, sans recalls, etc...

    Life's rough when you got Focus on the brain and don't own one, preferably one that works right....that car really is FUN....to add insult to injury, there's this nice gold one parked on the street 6 houses up from me that I pass each morning on my way to work...
  • msurianimsuriani Member Posts: 5
    Sensible consumers would agree that having a corp
    identify and replace potential defective product components before the consumer incurs the hazard is tolerable unless the list is overwhelming. Don't think we're there yet.

    However, have had bad display on Radio/CD player at 6,500 miles and ZTS automatic trans failure at
    8,900 miles, each taking two weeks for parts and/or service intervals.
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    Here's the Japanese sales figures for a few other domestic makes in October 2000. The numbers reflect sales of all passenger vehicles sold by the manufacturer; the list is not broken down by model:

    Honda: 51,207
    Toyota: 100,305
    Nissan: 37,266

    Meade
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    I don't own a Focus, so I wish all of you the best of luck with yours!

    Meade
  • mikey33mikey33 Member Posts: 6
    OK I have been reading these good and bad experiences of Focus ownership (in between the Mazda-Ford debates) and I am agonizing over my car purchase decision. The 2001 Focus SE Sport was my top choice until I found out about all the troubles. BTW I sat in various Mazdas in the showroom (Protege, 626) and they just didnt fit me right. Too bad for me I guess, some people really love their Mazdas ;-). The only car comparable to the Focus in comfort and handling (of the cars I have driven) was the 2001 Civic LX (I am too tall to get the EX with the standard moonroof so I cant get the ~130hp engine like I would get with the Focus). Obviously if I called Ford's recall hotline or asked the dealership they would just say nothing is wrong with the 2001 model (the only recall is for zx3 and wagon I understand) so that would be a dead end. Some people seem to have no trouble with their Focus but If you compare the Focus boards with the Civic or Accord boards under "Maintenance and Repair" you'll find a big difference: Most honda owners complain about running into trouble after putting over 200,000 miles on the car. Something just tells me that after reading these posts, Focus owners won't have that problem LOL. I accidentally broke a friends Ranger reclining mechanism for the passenger seat and the warranty repair at the dealer was terrible. After 2 weeks of waiting for parts they kept us waiting an hour and replaced the parts for the wrong seat!!! I noticed the hole was still there when they gave us back the truck. After waiting another hour they fixed the passenger side and we could finally leave. Is there any hope of having a quality-made, reliable car in a 2001 Focus? I have a feeling I will now go with the Civic but I appreciate any insights.
  • schmide10schmide10 Member Posts: 17
    We know you'll be back, so I'll just reply to you anyways :)

    1st of all I DO have a life, thus not wanting to search through NHSTA's website for the Protege data. But we all appreciate you taking the time out of you're obviously burdensome life to find the data for us...

    In any case, my question regarding Protege history concerned both RECALLS and reliability... If i remember correctly, early models of the Protege DID in fact have reliability problems, not necessarily recalls though. (I specifically remember reading about power failure while in transit, but i know there were a few others...)But thanks for pointing out only the information that sheds the best light on your point of view, without seeing things from the other side...

    And I have a question: If domestics tend to do better than foreign cars, then WHY the hell has honda kicked [non-permissible content removed] for so long? VW? That argument doesn't make much sense (then again, most of the protege argument hasn't:))

    Oh, and as for sales, I read today in the NY Daily News that ALL car manufacturers have been hit with incredible sales slumps (GM I believe was mentioned as being hit hardest), and almost all of the manufacturers are putting some of their shops on standby for awhile... but ohhhhhh, how we conveniently omitted that information. ;)

    Csb1 & Mikey33 -- I've been an owner of a Silver Focus ZTS since March '00, and I've accumulated a nice 17000 miles on it (just drove the thing down to atlantic city tonite for a spontaneous trip -- i love driving the damn thing, thus the incredible miles).. and I have to say that I indeed love the car. It's had it's problems in terms of recalls (but since i've bought mine, i've only been effected by 3 of the recalls), but as far as "reliability" goes, I have had absolutely no problems with mine whatsoever. Zilch. I believe when people say that they've had certain problems, but i think that if you extract all of the complaints about the recalls, the other complaints are actually few and far between (ie transmission failure, which i've seen a few times). Everyone's so hung up by the recalls, but what they don't realize (because most of those complaining don't even OWN the focus) is that unless you bought the Focus on day 1, you haven't been effected by ALL the recalls. So the inconvenience has been minimal, i have been in the shop once for the recalls and an oil change, and i got the latest recall notice a few weeks ago, so i'll take it in when i get my next oil change and tuneup. No big deal at all... my dealer is awesome, and if need be they'd give me a rental car. but it's never come to that, so make sure you buy at a dealer you're comfortable with no matter what type of car you get.

    As far as looking at other cars, you definitely should. I personally think the Sentra is pretty sharp looking -- but I've never test driven it. As for the Civic, i'd stay away. I mean, they're supposedly mighty reliable, but they're so DULL it's sickening. And the engine isn't all that great (unless you get the Si)... but check around, I'm personally very glad that i bought the focus, it's the first car i've bought outright and i don't think i coulduv asked for a better experience... and logic would follow that the 2001's would be even better.

    Good luck with your search!
  • nursea39nursea39 Member Posts: 1
    I have a focus SE sport with 4000 miles so far. The only problem has been a one time CD error message on the radio. I have only 2 complaints about the car. 1. It transmits extremely loud road noise. Worse than any car I have ever been in. Even my 5 yr old complains about it. 2. I get 29 MPG in mostly highway driving with the auto and zetec engine. With the tiny 10 gallon tank I spend more time at the pump then I ever have.
  • cleome1cleome1 Member Posts: 1
    To nursea3: If you have the sedan, the fuel tank holds 13.2 gal. It only READS empty at 10gal.

    To everyone else: It's about time those protege owners left! My 2001 ZTS is a great car!
  • hank73hank73 Member Posts: 3
    I own a 2000 black DE Focus (3500 miles) and so far I'm satisfied with my choice. I'm prone to buyer's regret, which may be why I'm on my second marriage.

    I'm not sure the small gas tank and seats would make for a lot of pleasurable highway driving, but I bought it for zipping around town, picking up kids, and to cut down on the mileage on my wife's leased X-terra. Besides, it looked good in my driveway.

    Anyway, if you're thinking about buying this car, this is a tentative thumbs up, although who knows what three to five years will bring.

    Oh, the spoiler question. I've washed the car a couple of times, and when I raise the trunk I notice that it sounds like there is water in the spoiler. Sorry for the tired expression, but what's the deal with that?

    I also wish I could pop the trunk without shutting off the car and sticking my foot out the driver side door.

    My soon-to-be-16-year-old thinks he'll get to buzz around in dad's car, but he gets the tired '86 Taurus instead, if it can be brought back from the dead.

    Best to all from central Nebraska.
  • micah1micah1 Member Posts: 2
    OK. I posted a while ago about finishing my Subaru Outback lease......did all the research on the Mazda, Sentra, Saturn, Jetta, Civic.......and decided to go with the Focus....... 2000 ZTS on 12/00.......yikes......I'm OK with the car for now......but after reading these posts especially about the recalls......did I make a mistake??? When I called the dealer regarding the recalls, he told me bring the car back in a week and he's give me a loaner car while they did the repair work. The dealer never did tell me about the recalls..........any comments?? micah1
  • music287music287 Member Posts: 116
    The trunk release will work when the doors are unlocked...a safety feature, I think.
  • kfdkfd Member Posts: 1
    Since new, the car has run rough at about 2000 rpm, particularly felt when going up hill in second gear, just like travelling a rough road. This is annoying as the car spends a lot of time at this rpm. It feels as if it is running lean or over-advanced. It now has 10,000 km and seems to be getting more noticeable. Otherwise, the car is great. Ford Service maintains that there is nothing to be done, but the car will have to go if it's not fixed. Should I suspend lemons around the windows and advertize it as a Ford lemon? Your comments, please.
  • vadpvadp Member Posts: 1,025
    Sounds like the infamous 2100 rpm engine stumble/hesitation.
    Lots of the Foci have it. It's a design flaw. So far there is no fix.
    I think it has something to do with the engine management trying to keep the engine in compliance with its LEV status.
  • taurus2taurus2 Member Posts: 63
    I've read in real early posts about the head rests in the Focus. I was shopping for a little car I happened to look at a Focus. I thougth the head rest need to go up a little. So I tried to adjust it and the darn thing would not go up. So the salesman tried, and some how he cut his finger on it. He had a nasty looking blood blister on his finger. For some reason that just turned me off. How ever I'm still in the market for a small car. Has this happened to anyone else?
  • frosty_00frosty_00 Member Posts: 11
    The problem you are describing does not sound like something you should have to live with. Get out your owner's manual and read the section on Customer assistance. In my book the part about getting service starts on page 263. First it tells you to go up the chain of command at the dealership: Service Advisor, Service Mangager, then General Manager. Somewhere along the way you should find someone that agrees that your car has a problem. If still not satisfied, you can go to arbitration. This process is described on page 267.

    Regardless of how far you have to go, document everything well. Stick to the facts, keep the emotions in check. I've been through the arbitration process in the US with a Chrysler product. I don't know about Ford in Canada. It's not fun and it is time consuming, but it did work. Good luck! --Mike
  • xyzipp2xyzipp2 Member Posts: 28
    Well, Well, Well. I got an answer. I am a "self proclaimed resident economist". Our beloved Mazda or you are stupid enthusiasts claim to have left us. People asking legitimate questions about their car. It's amazing what can happen in a week when you are gone.

    Unfortunately Meade, I don't have time to reply right now to your brilliant and scathing answer on why the Mazda is crushed by the Focus in sales. Let me say that you make some valid observations. Unfortunately, there are some huge flaws that I believe completely undermine your valiant defense. More on that later. Of course I am writing only for my benefit since everybody has left.

    One last thing before I jet. I don't remember claiming to be an economist. It cracks me up to no end that I get dubbed the self proclaimed resident economist when I use economics to support an argument. I must have missed the day in school when they taught us that using a field of study to support a theory makes you a practicioner in that field. Perhaps it is said because there isn't a defense against the argument???? Naaaaa that could never be the case.

    OOPS -- guess just one more thing.

    Kfd --- Do not let the dealers screw with you. I've said this before and I am going to say it again. I believe that Ford's dealerships on the whole suck. I have had bad experience after bad experience with dealer after dealer. Kudos to Frosty. You are absolutely right. It may be pain to go through it, but that is bullcrap. Have you tried a different dealer in the area? Maybe that would get you somewhere. I love the Focus. I hate the dealers. This problem with the dealer is the reason that I did not buy a Focus 4 weeks ago. The second car parked in my drive is a Toyota Corolla. I just could not put up with more crap from the friggin dealer. (It also gets about 9 mpg better) If you fight them successfully this time, It may just pay off in the long run. They don't like those time consuming fights either.
  • xyzipp2xyzipp2 Member Posts: 28
    Figured you were lurking :) I got the 2001 Corolla LE. I got a deal I could not refuse. A dealer had just bought out another dealer that had a horrible reputation. I knew the one that bought them out through his other dealerships so I decided to see if they were straightening things out. To make a long story short, they did everything but hold my hand to the restroom (thank God they didnt do that). When it came time to price, I told them I wanted my car for $500 dollars under invoice. THEY GAVE IT TO ME!!! Took maybe 5 minutes of convincing them. My suspicion is that they are trying to build a name for themselves. My profession puts me into contact with a lot of people and that is the only reason I can think of they would go to that extent.

    That's the good. 4 1/2 weeks and 4000 miles later, I have had more problems with the dumb corolla than I have had with any new vehicle in a year. Hit a bump and it went way out of alignment, Clutch acts up sporadically (never for the dealer of course), It has a horrible smell after driving it for a short spell, and a couple of other very minor things. All in all though, I do like the car. It is a little too plain jane for my liking, however, I like the dealer, I like the history of the car, and everything else is acceptable. Just hope I get these annoying things taken care of before I go crazy!

    Also, who doesn't like a good debate now and then?? One of these days we will convince you of the error of your ways. :)
  • xyzipp2xyzipp2 Member Posts: 28
    Just a short answer to meade's point that domestic cars sell better in their own countries.

    Unless I am mistaken, the Honda (in about every car category) outsold American cars for years. That means one of two things. Either the Honda was that good (it was a good car) or there is something more to the equation. I grew up in a General Motors family (dad worked for them). Oh how he hates Ford :) Anyway, I had to listen to his tirades for years about how the Japanese were able to build their cars in Japan, ship them, import them into America and have their overhead costs under the taxes that the American makes have to pay. In short, there were virtually no tariff's of any sort on them. That wasn't just on vehicles. Walk through the aisles of your favorite department store and pick up ten items. I bet 7 of them are made in China, Japan, or Taiwan. There is a reason for that. When it comes right down to it, there isn't a domestic advantage here in the states.

    Japan is a different story. That was another rant of my father. For an American car to be imported to Japan was impossible. This has been freed up somewhat, but there are still huge restrictions on what can go in. Ever hear of the trade deficit? The automobile industry had a big part in that. I understand your reasoning, but I think you missed it there.

    BTW, When I went shopping for my second car, I actually looked at a Mazda Protege. Wouldn't that have been ironic if I had got one? However, the dealer was a jerk, and the Protege just seemed to lack something aesthetically. Personal taste I guess. Honestly did consider it though --- Maybe you Mazda people are having a numbing affect.
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    It's "ZOOM ZOOM ZOOMing."

    :)

    Meade
  • kimberskkimbersk Member Posts: 5
    mikey33, i just wanted to offer my opinion to you. I purchased a 2001 Honda Civic LX exactly a week ago. So far (knock on wood), the car is perfect. I look forward to even going to work just to drive my car. I only paid a little under $300 over invoice. I received absolutely no hassle from the dealership. I in fact just sent them a thank you card. It was stress free and laid back. I debated between several different other cars, but finally went with a Civic. I don't find it at all plain. I was considering the EX model, but in the end decided the LX model was just perfect. My only complaint? Hmm...i guess it would have to be that everyone wants to ride in it. Overall, I love it. It's a smooth, quite, comfortable ride. Plus, i know other people who own civics and they have nothing but praise for it. Good luck in your vehicle search. :)
  • norwaydougnorwaydoug Member Posts: 249
    In my opinion, if we focus on the Focus sales throughout the world, then it would be safe to say that our car sells very well in every market it exists in.

    Explorers are sold in Europe, for example, but they sell very poorly. Does it make it a bad truck? No. It just that the truck doesn't make sense to own in Europe, except for the very affluent. AMerican cars are rarely 'world cars', they are made for the North American market. The best market in the world, I might add.

    GM sells the Cadillac Seville in Europe, maybe the Blazer and I believe they don't really expect to keep their corporation afloat with its sales. They depend on Opel + Saab to capture a portion of the market in Europe. Ford depends on FOrd of Europe (not doing great, but their Focus sales are good) + Volvo and Chrysler sells Minivans, Grand Cherokee and the Chryler 300M. The Grand Cherokee is built in Austria, anyways.

    So if we concentrate (dare I say again, focus) on Focus sales.....then their is basically no competition from Honda Civic or Mazda 323 (not called Protege in Europe) or Nissan (I forgot the name...it isn't Sentra on a world basis.

    Is the Focus available in Japan? If it was, it would probably would not be a very good selling car because the Japanese domestic market has all sorts of amazing little cars for sale. Does it make it a bad car? I don't think so. The rest of the world doesn't think so either, based on its sales.

    NorwayDoug
  • iperkinsiperkins Member Posts: 5
    Come on everyone, look at the focus's and protege's engines that you pay extra for. The focus's base engine has 110 hp, the Protege has an even worse base engine with 105 hp. Now on the flipside, look at the elantra which comes with 140 hp and will outdo any of the current focusengine. Look at the Suzuki Esteem with its 1.8 122 hp egine which by the way is faster than the focus and protege, and not by 0.3 or 4 seconds. Look at the Prizm and Corolla it comes with 125 hp which is also faster than the protege and focus. Not that Im jumping on the focus and Protege but they need to dump those base engine's on the Focus and the Protege. PLEASE! And the fastest compact car is ..................................................... wait a minute, its a tie between the Prizm/Corolla and the Elantra (applause). Come on and be for real did you people really think the Focus or Protege could keep up with the opposition? Not this time around.
  • vadpvadp Member Posts: 1,025
    Any news on the tranny?
    Thank you.
  • csb1csb1 Member Posts: 16
    Some of you are fearing recalls on the Focus. A "car guy" friend of mine and myself (we are both "gearheads"...i.e., mechanical engineers and car nuts) looked over the notices on the NHTSA site and really didn't think they were too serious. A hassle to get fixed ??...obviously from the posts on this board, YES ! But really serious problems ?? Not really...although the rear wheel falling of is a slight cause for concern. My guess is someone at the factory goofed in torquing down the rear spindle bolts, or the torque spec. wasn't specified properly at the time of manufacture, and thus they had to recall it. I don't think any accidents or injuries have resulted from a Focus actually losing a rear wheel. (If anyone else has heard differently, please let me know.)

    ALso...has anyone heard about the new Focus Street Edition ??? See it at www.focus247.com !
    Sounds pretty sweet...it has 16 " alloys, a "european tuned" suspension, (the word suspension is spelled wrong on the website...ever heard of "spell check ????") whatever "European tuned" means...according to a salesman it is just a thicker rollbar. A chrome exhaust tip, 6-disc in-dash cd changer, and silver accents around the dash and a silver metal shift knob. I called a local dealer and asked if it came with the Zetec engine, and the salesman said that it is a special version of the ZTS, so yes it comes with the Zetec engine...I asked him if I could get advanceTrac with it (gotta have the rear wheel discs), and he said that he would have to check. He hasn't called me back yet. By the way...I asked this before...can advancetrac be turned off ??? (I sure hope so).

    Anyway, I am looking seriously at purchasing a 2001 ZTS later this year, the "Street Edition" could just fit the bill !! Any comments ?
  • dp12dp12 Member Posts: 7
    Check out Page 44 in Feb '01 Motor Trend... Concept Foci... van, a 5-door hatch with a cargo-ramp..hmmm...might be FUN on a skateboard...

    Advance-trac..why would anyone shell out an extra $1225 for that option only to want to turn it off???? Doesn't quite make sense to me.

    And... is it WORTH the cost? Or is ABS enough....
  • galahad13galahad13 Member Posts: 2
    Hello, I need some advice.

    I am about to buy my first NEW car and I have narrowed it down to two choices: the Nissan Sentra SE and the Focus ZTS. But, I wanted to hear from some Focus and Sentra owners first, to get some actual consumer stories. I have test driven both cars and think they're both fantastic (although the Sentra does have a little more zip). Below are my arguments for each car:

    Focus -- I currently drive a '91 Escort that I inherited when I was 16. I LOVE this car. Never had any mechanical problems besides normal wear and tear (new brakes, replace headlight/tail light, etc...) So on one hand I would like to buy another Ford (company loyalty and everything). I also like the car a lot. Just driving it off the lot at the dealer was fun. The standard transmission and 130hp was impressive.
    However, from what I've read on Edmunds and these posts, I'm a little worried about the build quality/recalls/reliability of the car (although, like I said, my Escort is extremely reliable).

    Sentra -- Another great car. The only thing keeping me from going out and buying this car is the Focus. It had everything that I wanted in the Focus, plus a couple extras (sunroof, 15 more hp, rear spoiler). It also costs about $800 more with all my options. Also, Nissan's are supposed to be very reliable.

    So as you can see, I have a little dilemma. Do I go with a cool new car from a company that I love and has been good to me? Or do I try an import that is known for it's reliability and buy a car with a few more extras? Any compliments/complaints/rants about either car would be appreciated!
    Thanks in advance!
  • dp12dp12 Member Posts: 7
    Been lookin' for a Street Edition on the street...havent seen one yet.....should be easy to spot...that YELLOW would knock my eye out...
  • div2div2 Member Posts: 2,580
    My wife would LOVE a yellow wagon, but the dealers in the Louisville KY area either 1.Don't have any Street Editions 2.Don't care, or 3, Haven't heard of them. Ford's lost another sale.
  • dazlinbluedazlinblue Member Posts: 4
    Hi, galahad13, I bought a 2000 Ford Focus SE last May. It was my first new-car purchase and I did A LOT of research. After test-driving a Focus at two different dealerships, I decided that I definitely wanted the more powerful 130 horsepower Zetec engine, and that combined with all of the other options I wanted (automatic, power everything, the Comfort Group), I thought it would be easier to find a ZTS than an SE, since the ZTS had everything standard except for the automatic transmission. The dealership had a hard time locating a ZTS automatic in the color I wanted (silver), and actually found an SE with everything except Anti-Lock Brakes. I decided to buy it and went through that first week hesitation (did I make the right decision??). I've had my Focus for 8 months, it just turned 6000 miles a few days ago, and I have been very happy with it. It is a lot of fun to drive and I love my car! I'm actually glad that I got the SE, because I have the dark charcoal color interior that I liked- the dark charcoal was not offered on the ZTS, and I also like the five-spoke wheels better than the multi-spoke.

    I've had two recalls for it, but the last one (the A-pillar trims) was extremely minor and one of the people at the dealer service center said it was the "weirdest" recall he'd ever heard of. My brakes squeak at times, I've asked about it and the service center says that it's normal, due to the metallic brake pads/shoes. The driver's side seat squeaks/creaks at times, but dry-lubing the hinges underneath helps. I've had the windshield wiper blades replaced twice, because they didn't clear well enough.

    As you can see, I've had no major problems. I've been completely happy with my Focus. The service center at the dealership has always been prompt in taking care of the recalls and any other little thing (no matter how picky!) I've asked about. I have no regrets in buying my Focus and I highly recommend it.

    My sister just bought a 2001 Toyota Corolla LE a couple of weeks ago, and while it does have more pep when you step on the gas, I like the Ford Focus better. To have the ability to adjust the height of the drivers seat is really a great and handy feature. In the Corolla and in my mom's 1989 Toyota Camry wagon, I feel like I need to be sitting on a pillow in order to feel that I'm sitting up high enough (I'm 5'1"). The entire Focus design is awesome and you definitely get a lot for your money.

    If I were to suggest any changes, they would be to make more room above the cup holders in the front, as the bottom the instrument panel section is too close and some tall cups can't fit....make the A-pillar trims slimmer, as they seem kind of big and block my view a little bit more so than normal....and lastly, to pep up the air conditioning/heating system a little bit so I can feel the air blowing on my face. The two Toyotas in my family really have excellent air conditioning and heat, that's for sure!

    Best of luck with your decision, I know how tough it can be to decide!

    Sincerely,
    A Happy Focus Car Owner
  • csb1csb1 Member Posts: 16
    A Q for you: Is the Street Edition ONLY available in yellow...? That would pretty much nix it from my list.

    Also, is advanceTrac worth 1200 bucks...as asked by dp12...any opinions ?

    The reason I would want to turn it off is if I was to take the car to the track for a driving school. On the racetrack, a little slip is desireable for the best performance. The Advancetrac could really get in the way at the track.

    Thanks for your input.
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