Honestly, I felt the Focus ST had a sportier "feel" than the Mazda3. The ST felt quicker, more responsive, torquier, and is 270 lbs lighter. The Mazda3 was more refined, but that took some of the fun out for me.
The "I've got chrome tips so my car is faster" crowd is not the same as the tuner crowd. Tuners are gearheads who mess with smaller engines. "I've got chrome tips so my car is faster" people are people who don't know any thing about cars and "reliable inexpensive form of transportation" people are just setting themselves up for an expensive mid-life crisis.
I bought a new 2.0 ses wagon in Aug.05 (in Florida) It is the first new car I have ever owned. As of May '07 It has clocked up 38,000 miles. I am plagued by bad starting (since around 30,000) and it has always returned poor m.p.g. (around 23) I have no engine light on! When I took it into a ford dealership in Monterey ca they did'nt want to know! I have changed the gas filter, plugs. and it is no better. Of course! now it is out of warranty. My wife is urging me to trade it in for a Toyota. This car has left a sour taste in my mouth and I will never buy another Ford again. I wake up each morning wondering if it is going to start. I have sent off for a obd2 scanner 'just to see if I have any codes that will help me address the problem, and will write back with the results in three weeks time as of May 1st 07 :mad: Martinturner
This may be a dumb question but have you checked your tire pressure. Recommended pressure is 35 PSI. My fuel economy dropped about 10% when my pressure dropped to 25. I thought that was okay until the maintenance group told me that recommended was 35. I've had a problem with my 05's starter, but only once and never really resurfaced. The Focus has a 100,000 mile powertrain warranty so I'd recommend that you take it back to the dealer and demand it get fixed. Sounds like you have a pretty lousy dealer.
I have a 2006 Ford Focus SES, when the roads are wet with snow and ice my brakes do not work,I slide right through the stop sign or I should say drive through the stop sign as my wheels are definetly turning,also the brake petal goes hard.What is this all about? EKN
I have owened focus wagons since they were escorts. 3 in all plus 5 other fords since the early 80's including the 20th edition mustang which I still own. I have just bought my first non ford in over 20 years becaus ford does not have a focus wagon or anything to replace it. when my escort wagon deid and I could not replace with another focus wagon like I did in 03 my problems started. I saw why it was the best wagon for countless years. everything in that class is to expensive or underpowered since I pull a 1000 pound pop up camper with it. I hate SUVs and mini vans. Totally by mistake I found a wagon they classified as a suv and because of its maker it is easy to see the mistake. When a wagon owner looks at it it is a great wagon but a ok suv. I got a 07 Jeep compass with a 170hp 2.4, 17' tires and double the focus towing at 2000 pounds. Just like the focus you need a 5 speed and stay away from AWD. I have shown to other upset focus owners and reviews are great in the focus replacement catagory. Priced at about 16,000 it is in the price range.( cheaper than what ford would sell me a 4 door focus for. )
This is an update of this post from Oct. 06 I have put on 25K miles since needing to replace original Front rotors / pads and Pirelli P6 all seasons. I was not completely happy with FORD on this account. The replacement equipment (not Ford parts) seem to be performing and wearing alot better than original equipment. With nearly 50k on the odometer today I am fortunate that I migrated to the dedicated winter tire and wheel set-up. This really enhances the Focus fun-to-drive character to even a higher level, especially when the High performance summer wheels and tires are in place. The PZEV 2.3 is a very responsive power source for this car and clean as anything except maybe a Hybrid. In my opinion Ford is making a mistake in the marketing strategy for this car. should it not be emphasized that this is a car for the environmentalist that also enjoys the drive ? Ford is not going in this direction though. First the SVT, than the ST is gone, performance does not seem to be in the equation. Looking at the 08 model, this is more than apparent.
First let me say I've owned both a Toyota Tacoma and a Corolla and frankly you couldnt give me another one! If you get one you'd better hope it's one of the "good" ones because getting anything but the most prefunctory service is a joke. Having been an insurance adjuster I know a bit about cars and kept telling them what the problem was, but they kept throwing "stuff" at the vehicles trying to put a bandaid on the problem instead of doing a suitable fix. Finally, after no less than 7 trips for the same problem, Toyota told me it was just something that was normal to the vehicle and to quit worrying about it because they werent going to spend any more money on it--not mechanical so my attorney told me would be hard to go under the lemon law. On both of mine and a friend's as well, rattles, weird noises, and really cheap paint jobs were the norm. The real problem with Toyota though is that there are so few dealerships to get work done and, as is the case where I live, one is so bad, you only have one other within 30 miles. One Toyota mechanic told me it is hard to really fix problems because they are only given the "book" time and if they cant fix it in that time, they should just put they cant duplicate the problem and move on. As for your poor mileage, try getting the full fuel system cleaning--including injectors, throttle body etc. Runs anywhere from $140-$160 and is good no matter what car you own. A poor injector spray pattern or heavy carboning of the throttle body will seriously affect mileage. I routinely make this "fix" a part of my 15k service and have never had problems. Also try larger diameter plug wires and the better K and N air filter. And have you had the fuel filter replaced at l5K intervals as well? These often will make a noticeable difference in your gas mileage as well as not doing jack rabbit starts. BTW, I love my 06 wagon. Good luck!
With so much available as extras, it surprises me that there is only the one interior light up forward and not one back in the cargo area of my 06 Focus wagon. But I guess if they wont do rear head restraints why would they do a rear light?
I don't own a Focus. I was sitting next to a new 08 at a light and thinking... "If they have the money to burn putting useless fake chrome fender vents on the car, how come they can't include an important safety feature like rear seat head restraints"? Not to mention those cheap side view mirrors that break off instead of fold.
Just about every other car now has rear head restraints or at least a hump on top of the rear seat. Just because the government does not require it here, doesn't make it right... it makes Ford look CHEAP!!!
Folding side view mirrors are not to prevent breakages, the are to make the car skinnier when it comes on a ship from Japan. Focus doesn't come on a ship, hence no folding mirrors.
"Folding side view mirrors are not to prevent breakages, the are to make the car skinnier when it comes on a ship from Japan. Focus doesn't come on a ship, hence no folding mirrors."
Wrong. I lived in Japan for 8 years and owned a couple real nice cars with folding mirrors NEVER to be exported out of Japan (and thus never to be put on a boat).
Limited parking and narrow roads are the root cause for folding mirrors; the result of the folding mirror is to keep them from getting snapped off.
They are also cool and have utility.
Wish I had them on my ZTW (knock on wood) and will have them on my C30... :shades:
"My 03 ZTW does have a rear cargo light--wonder why they got rid of it in later model years???"
The '03 had everything! It's the only one w/ available AdvanceTrak (ESP) &, at least in California, the macho-size (PZEV) 2.3 4-cyl, which rest of world can't even get!
But why should buyers in this country deserve the best? They are the biggest cheapskates that forced this poor German-engineered Focus to be sold at the lowest price in the world.
The ESP (stability program) is more effective than any other safety device when comes to saving lives. The Focus gave us a chance, but the low demand screwed it. Now it's discontinued. & my Focus ST cannot be equipped w/ it thanks to you! :mad:
I only wish there's a mechanic out there to retrofit this Euro-tuned non-intrusive ESP into my Focus ST.
"The '03 had everything! It's the only one w/ available AdvanceTrak (ESP) &, at least in California, the macho-size (PZEV) 2.3 4-cyl, which rest of world can't even get! "
Copy that. My ZTW had EVERY option except the sun roof. Dropped in value so fast it was amazing. You know what you gotta do when that happens...KEEP IT :shades:
FWIW, I've had ZERO issues with the car, it sticks on curves as well as my '86 GTI (It's shod with Falken's), constantly gets called a Volvo, and looks pretty sweet with a nice dark tint.
Matter of fact, Momma decided NOT to get a Lincoln MKX, so she could drive it...(oh, I'm getting a Volvo C30, hoo ya!) OK, she's getting another piece of jewelry and I played the guilt card on her...
I am a relatively satisfied Focus owner; have an 04 ZTS that is the daily commuter from home to work, about 500 Km per week. Just over 84500 KM on the clock and really no big issues, surprisingly. Was just on a 3 week vacation in France, in the Nice and Monaco area. Saw a lot of small cars over there, including Focus. Got to be honest, if Ford doesn't make that version of Focus available here, the same as the European version, I'm off to import land for the replacement. Those cars are great looking, lots of variations from the 2 door hatch to the sedan and wagon to a CUV looking version. All with turbo Diesels. Why on earth would Ford force us to buy last century technology when they seem to have the latest, greatest in spades on the books? They have folding mirrors, I'd bet a low washer fluid lamp (why would that not be a standard feature!!!!!!), great looks and performance based on what I saw on the roads; just makes absolutely no sense. For all you buyers out there, try to surf to the European site to see what's there; I'd bet you'll be very disappointed. If you're looking at this, Ford, be ware; I'm sure that I'm not the only one in this camp. They also have a Festiva over there, which is another great concept for urban commuters over here.
Didn't you know that the exterior of the MkII C-1 Focus is so fat that even the Lexus LS430 is just a little skinnier? I've seen so many of those new C-1 Focus all had their right fender wheel arch scrapped in places such as Taiwan, where lots of residential streets are very narrow.
The Fiesta may have a slim body (& yes, we'll get the new one w/ beautiful styling, too.), but it's just a low-tech vehicle w/ torsion-beam rear suspension so you'll never get both ride comfort & handling.
So we are still the only lucky ones getting the 20th-century Focus, which got both a slim body & the comfy multi-link rear suspension. :P
I also have an 04 with approximately the same mileage (55,000 miles). I would say that I am somewhat more than "relatively satisfied". It was on the strength of my experiences with 2 other Euro-fords that I bought my current Focus. Both of these vehicles were driver oriented and fun to drive and comfortable. The first of these was a 1967 Cortina GT, the other car, a 1978 Ford Fiesta was bought used in the early 1980's. The Cortina was far superior to the Pinto which replaced it in the U.S. market. In a former lean business period for Ford it was their European operations that kept the company afloat. It appears that it will be that way again according to reports that I know about. The Europeans see a quality performance vehicle for a lower price than the Mercedes or BMW., and they purchase it . I don't think that they believe it is a cheap American product.
The Ford Cortina/Sierra/Mondeo in Europe was eventually out sold by the more-expensive BMW 3-series.
It was the Focus w/ the Control Blade 4-link rear suspension introduced in Europe during the late '90's that wowed BMW, who was then immediately interested in buying the whole C-170 Focus platform. BMW changed its mind later, possibly for image reason, but ended up applying the similar principle as the Focus suspension in the new 5-link suspension now used in the new 3- & 1- series.
But look how over weight these new 5-link RWD Bimmers are -- several hundred pounds heavier than the 4-link FWD Focus!
Thats like saying that Washington Apples are better than other types of apples because more people buy Washington Apples than Florida Oranges....
Mondeo is in a different catagory than the BMW 3-series. What that statistic shows is that people who have the money to afford the European taxes on that size of a car want a more expensive car.
I am 43 years old and would like to buy a small car in the next 4 years. The Focus needs a 6 speed automatic, a small, powerful, high MPG power plant. Offer substance, nav, heated seats, leather, 4wheel disc brakes, traction control a list of options. At least OFFER them! I know the Focus is considered an entry level car. But is doesn't have to be. There is a market for people like me that would buy a Focus if it had some substance, some options that midsize sedans offer. The 08 is a step in the right direction. Drove one, and it is a big step in the right direction. Keep going your almost there..
Not only is there no filter there is no means to install one as in the earlier model years. In it's place there is a plastic box with a wire screen glued into place. Is there any way to back date this on my car? All I need is a part#. I have the ambition and the need for it's installation. Ford says no. I finally decided to buy USA and find the "European designed" car cheapened for the American market.
I'm having a dispute with Ford in Brentwood Essex with regards to warranty. I have a Ford Focus manufactured December 2000, so making the car 9 years 6 months; the cover is for 12 years on the perforation warranty.
The issue has been ongoing since Feb 2009. I noticed a strip of rust along the passenger door at the bottom. I took the car to my local Ford Dealer in Andover Hampshire for a Path test whereby the technicians and Manager deemed this to be a manufacturing issue and should be fixed through warranty.
I tried on numerous occasions to get this put right and was told it was through my neglect (the driver side is completely clean so am I only neglecting one side of my car!!) I then took Ford to court for this cost of approx £340 to put right.
We agreed eventually March 2010 through mediation that Ford would pay 50% and I would pay the remainder. I took the car to the local franchise and was told the rust had penetrated too far and the car would need a new door costing approx £1100, they told me this still should be covered under the warranty. I was told and have since been told by Ford in Andover, off the record of course, to keep pushing as "The Warranty Department" are not doing anything in this current climate.
I went back to the warranty department to explain about how the rust had got worse and they still would not help me saying they agreed to pay what they had agreed through mediation even though they agreed that they didn’t think the rust would have evolved as far as it has in a year, they still were not going to help me. I even asked if they could pay me the original 50% so I could try and find a second hand door and replace this myself, but no chance. I then explained that I would take this back to court to claim for the full amount of replacing my car door, I have to start from the beginning again which is looking at another year or so.
So I don’t feel that I have been treated fair at all and I recently saw a quote from a guy call Scott Monty - Fords big twitter on a website and I wonder if Monty could put his spin on this as to why I am left not a happy bunny. He quotes - "If the brand is well established and has fans, nine times out of 10 that community will defend your brand." - well there is a Ford Car Sales in Andover and I wonder how many times out of 10 the community will not defend the brand if I visit and voice my opinions on a busy Saturday morning, there will be no come back on me as mine is a factual statement. Ford may stand to loose a few thousand pounds so what is £1100 to a European multi billion company like Ford I ask myself and anyone else who has an opinion.
The facts are warranty means nothing as long as you buy the car the rest goes out the window come on Ford help me and bring back my faith in you
When I first bought my 2003 Focus in 2005, it had transmission problems and was supposed to have been fixed. I just had it rebuilt and it cost me $2400. I think there is a transmission issue in these cars. Also, my truck lock don't always work, it gets stuck and won't shut right and the ford dealership couldn't even fix it, what is up with that? Been dealing with that since I bought it.
You can call me with these issues anytime or email me at adunne45@hotmail.com if you really care about these issues.
I bought a 2008 ford focus from local dealer wanted to buy a new 1 and salesman refused to show me a new car showed me me the 2008 Focus he wouldn't give us a lisence plate to drive it on highway then we were waiting to buy it like dummies and he went to get title couldn't find it then the lady at desk said it was in slot for cars that wasn't suppose to be sold we bought it any way like dummies and we got half a mile from dealership when the wheels were wobbling so bad we allmost lost got in a wreck took it back to dealership and the salesman was laughing thought it was funny he got us good
Glad to see that the 2010 Ford Focus was first in J.D. Power initial quality. If that holds up, then there should be little risk in standing behind your product by upgrading your warranty to match Hyundai's 5-year, 60,000-mile warranty.
Comments
Also known as "performance enthusiasts"
"performance enthusiasts" just doesn't ring though.
Of course! now it is out of warranty. My wife is urging me to trade it in for a Toyota. This car has left a sour taste in my mouth and I will never buy another Ford again. I wake up each morning wondering if it is going to start. I have sent off for a obd2 scanner 'just to see if I have any codes that will help me address the problem, and will write back with the results in three weeks time as of May 1st 07 :mad: Martinturner
I've had a problem with my 05's starter, but only once and never really resurfaced. The Focus has a 100,000 mile powertrain warranty so I'd recommend that you take it back to the dealer and demand it get fixed. Sounds like you have a pretty lousy dealer.
I saw why it was the best wagon for countless years. everything in that class is to expensive or underpowered since I pull a 1000 pound pop up camper with it. I hate SUVs and mini vans.
Totally by mistake I found a wagon they classified as a suv and because of its maker it is easy to see the mistake. When a wagon owner looks at it it is a great wagon but a ok suv. I got a 07 Jeep compass with a 170hp 2.4, 17' tires and double the focus towing at 2000 pounds. Just like the focus you need a 5 speed and stay away from AWD.
I have shown to other upset focus owners and reviews are great in the focus replacement catagory. Priced at about 16,000 it is in the price range.( cheaper than what ford would sell me a 4 door focus for. )
Judge for yourself
kevin
I have put on 25K miles since needing to replace original Front rotors / pads and Pirelli P6 all seasons. I was not completely happy with FORD on this account. The replacement equipment (not Ford parts) seem to be performing and wearing alot better than original equipment.
With nearly 50k on the odometer today I am fortunate that I migrated to the dedicated winter tire and wheel set-up. This really enhances the Focus fun-to-drive character to even a higher level, especially when the High performance summer wheels and tires are in place.
The PZEV 2.3 is a very responsive power source for this car and clean as anything except maybe a Hybrid.
In my opinion Ford is making a mistake in the marketing strategy for this car. should it not be emphasized that this is a car for the environmentalist that also enjoys the drive ?
Ford is not going in this direction though. First the SVT, than the ST is gone, performance does not seem to be in the equation.
Looking at the 08 model, this is more than apparent.
I
Not to mention those cheap side view mirrors that break off instead of fold.
Just about every other car now has rear head restraints or at least a hump on top of the rear seat. Just because the government does not require it here, doesn't make it right... it makes Ford look CHEAP!!!
Mark.
Wrong. I lived in Japan for 8 years and owned a couple real nice cars with folding mirrors NEVER to be exported out of Japan (and thus never to be put on a boat).
Limited parking and narrow roads are the root cause for folding mirrors; the result of the folding mirror is to keep them from getting snapped off.
They are also cool and have utility.
Wish I had them on my ZTW (knock on wood) and will have them on my C30... :shades:
but what about all the cars made in this country that are not exported out?
Like my Subaru Outback... or a Buick Lucerne or an Accord?
The '03 had everything! It's the only one w/ available AdvanceTrak (ESP) &, at least in California, the macho-size (PZEV) 2.3 4-cyl, which rest of world can't even get!
But why should buyers in this country deserve the best? They are the biggest cheapskates that forced this poor German-engineered Focus to be sold at the lowest price in the world.
The ESP (stability program) is more effective than any other safety device when comes to saving lives. The Focus gave us a chance, but the low demand screwed it. Now it's discontinued. & my Focus ST cannot be equipped w/ it thanks to you! :mad:
I only wish there's a mechanic out there to retrofit this Euro-tuned non-intrusive ESP into my Focus ST.
Copy that. My ZTW had EVERY option except the sun roof. Dropped in value so fast it was amazing. You know what you gotta do when that happens...KEEP IT :shades:
FWIW, I've had ZERO issues with the car, it sticks on curves as well as my '86 GTI (It's shod with Falken's), constantly gets called a Volvo, and looks pretty sweet with a nice dark tint.
Matter of fact, Momma decided NOT to get a Lincoln MKX, so she could drive it...(oh, I'm getting a Volvo C30, hoo ya!) OK, she's getting another piece of jewelry and I played the guilt card on her...
The Fiesta may have a slim body (& yes, we'll get the new one w/ beautiful styling, too.), but it's just a low-tech vehicle w/ torsion-beam rear suspension so you'll never get both ride comfort & handling.
So we are still the only lucky ones getting the 20th-century Focus, which got both a slim body & the comfy multi-link rear suspension. :P
It was on the strength of my experiences with 2 other Euro-fords that I bought my current Focus. Both of these vehicles were driver oriented and fun to drive and comfortable.
The first of these was a 1967 Cortina GT, the other car, a 1978 Ford Fiesta was bought used in the early 1980's. The Cortina was far superior to the Pinto which replaced it in the U.S. market.
In a former lean business period for Ford it was their European operations that kept the company afloat. It appears that it will be that way again according to reports that I know about. The Europeans see a quality performance vehicle for a lower price than the Mercedes or BMW., and they purchase it . I don't think that they believe it is a cheap American product.
It was the Focus w/ the Control Blade 4-link rear suspension introduced in Europe during the late '90's that wowed BMW, who was then immediately interested in buying the whole C-170 Focus platform. BMW changed its mind later, possibly for image reason, but ended up applying the similar principle as the Focus suspension in the new 5-link suspension now used in the new 3- & 1- series.
But look how over weight these new 5-link RWD Bimmers are -- several hundred pounds heavier than the 4-link FWD Focus!
Mondeo is in a different catagory than the BMW 3-series. What that statistic shows is that people who have the money to afford the European taxes on that size of a car want a more expensive car.
Mark.
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/front_website/gallery.php?id=305010
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/front_website/gallery.php?id=345700
but not cramped rear leg room like the V50.
The issue has been ongoing since Feb 2009. I noticed a strip of rust along the passenger door at the bottom. I took the car to my local Ford Dealer in Andover Hampshire for a Path test whereby the technicians and Manager deemed this to be a manufacturing issue and should be fixed through warranty.
I tried on numerous occasions to get this put right and was told it was through my neglect (the driver side is completely clean so am I only neglecting one side of my car!!) I then took Ford to court for this cost of approx £340 to put right.
We agreed eventually March 2010 through mediation that Ford would pay 50% and I would pay the remainder. I took the car to the local franchise and was told the rust had penetrated too far and the car would need a new door costing approx £1100, they told me this still should be covered under the warranty. I was told and have since been told by Ford in Andover, off the record of course, to keep pushing as "The Warranty Department" are not doing anything in this current climate.
I went back to the warranty department to explain about how the rust had got worse and they still would not help me saying they agreed to pay what they had agreed through mediation even though they agreed that they didn’t think the rust would have evolved as far as it has in a year, they still were not going to help me. I even asked if they could pay me the original 50% so I could try and find a second hand door and replace this myself, but no chance. I then explained that I would take this back to court to claim for the full amount of replacing my car door, I have to start from the beginning again which is looking at another year or so.
So I don’t feel that I have been treated fair at all and I recently saw a quote from a guy call Scott Monty - Fords big twitter on a website and I wonder if Monty could put his spin on this as to why I am left not a happy bunny. He quotes - "If the brand is well established and has fans, nine times out of 10 that community will defend your brand." - well there is a Ford Car Sales in Andover and I wonder how many times out of 10 the community will not defend the brand if I visit and voice my opinions on a busy Saturday morning, there will be no come back on me as mine is a factual statement. Ford may stand to loose a few thousand pounds so what is £1100 to a European multi billion company like Ford I ask myself and anyone else who has an opinion.
The facts are warranty means nothing as long as you buy the car the rest goes out the window come on Ford help me and bring back my faith in you
You can call me with these issues anytime or email me at adunne45@hotmail.com if you really care about these issues.
Thank You,
Amy Hendricks