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Ford Focus Hatchback ZX3 - Part VI

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Comments

  • gabegarwickgabegarwick Member Posts: 127
    Received my Casio G-lide watch in this mornings mail. It is two-tone gray, my ZX3 is cd-silver. Pretty cool. The watch is huge! (I won't be wearing it). But, I suppose I could keep it in the car, (to defend myself with) should I be affronted by any carjackers. Ha! I can see the headline now: "Carjacker thwarted by man armed with wristwatch"

    (I want a mug too! But probably won't get one as my car wasn't affected by the recall)

    Gabe
  • jjk82jjk82 Member Posts: 5
    Has anyone installed a P-chip? What are the power
    results and side-effects of them?

    jk
  • fgaydosfgaydos Member Posts: 319
    Can someone explain what all the talk about Femurs are about? And, why I should or should not be worried?
    TIA
    PS Got the cup in todays mail. Nice touch.

    Also: Funny post gabegarwick, But true.
    It is big. Don't think I could get my shirtsleeve past it.
  • kdominczakkdominczak Member Posts: 174
    Enough jokes, I still don't know the meaning of Femur term.
  • audiolizardaudiolizard Member Posts: 35
    From www.dictionary.com

    fe·mur (fmr)
    n., pl. fe·murs or fem·o·ra (fmr-).

    A bone of the leg situated between the pelvis and knee in human beings. It is the largest and strongest bone in the body. Also called thighbone.
    A functionally similar bone in the leg or hind limb of a vertebrate animal.
    The thick, most muscular segment of the insect leg, situated between the trochanter and the tibia.
  • kdominczakkdominczak Member Posts: 174
    Got it.
    Thanks.
  • pcleveland2pcleveland2 Member Posts: 516
    What ever you do, you don't want to break it.

    Pat
  • projectzx3projectzx3 Member Posts: 256
    i was wondering if drebe or pc tried to locate the parts they are still waiting for through www.copartfinder.com ? seems to me something would have to be there.
  • projectzx3projectzx3 Member Posts: 256
    my neighbor's daughter who bought a green sedan a week or two ago had someone side-swipe her focus in a parking lot where she works! ripped the left mirror off and i'd say she needs the left front fender replaced and the entire left side worked and repainted. ugh. thus the reason i brought up copartfinder.com .... brings back some ugly memories.
  • gmanzx3gmanzx3 Member Posts: 37
    F.Y.I.

    The overdrive button on the Ford Focus does not alter the shift points.

    My car seems to hesitate still under hard acceleration. It has 3000 miles on it, so I don't think it has to do with break-in. Maybe because I haven't wound it up that often. Even at moderate acceleration or when trying to hold a steady 30-45mph going uphill, it seems to stumble. Anyone else???

    Still waiting for my watch/mug...seems like a great P.R. idea though.
  • razor5razor5 Member Posts: 27
    Did anyone get power windows and mirrors? Has their performance been up to par? Just wonder if the little motors will last...hmmmmmmmmmm.
  • zx3beastzx3beast Member Posts: 661
    if you happen to get the recall notice-ford sends
    you a very sturdy heavy-duty stainless steel
    mug which may offer added protection against
    any femur damage,it fits quite nicely in those
    now legendary cup holders.
  • moses5moses5 Member Posts: 61
    The best crash test that I know of is the Insurance Institute for Highway saftey. Their test are the most through and the most severe. Check their site to see if the Focus has been tested
  • kdominczakkdominczak Member Posts: 174
    Do you know their web site address?
  • zx3cdnzx3cdn Member Posts: 27
    gmanzx3 mine does the same thing around 30 to 35 at a steady speed it stumbles a bit. 4th gear about 2000rpm.

    Does anyone know how to take the headlight bulbs out. There is a clip that holds them in. the manual says to slip it to the side and remove the bulb. I can't seem to get the wire clip out of the way. Also ordered some 70W hyperwhite bulbs for the fog lights.
  • jheitmanjheitman Member Posts: 15
    Pretty interesting site, but no Focus results yet. Contour results were pretty bad.

    http://www.hwysafety.org/
  • fgaydosfgaydos Member Posts: 319
    Thanks for the site address jheitman, where I found the link to the Euro test results.
    Here is a small sample of the Focus test results.
    "Ford has produced a very competent replacement for the Escort, which gives all round protection but further improvements are possible. It performed well in the frontal impact test but driver's left foot and lower leg (There's that femur again)were not well protected. The side impact results were reasonable, without the assistance of a side impact airbag. The child restraints performed well other than not containing the head of the three year old in side impact. As with most other cars there was plenty of room for improvement in pedestrian protection."
    To read the whole article go to :
    http://www.fia.com/tourisme/Ncap5/FORD_Focus/FORD_FOCUS.html

    Maybe we can get femur insurance.:>)
  • fgaydosfgaydos Member Posts: 319
    This site has the Focus four door hatch as the leader in comparison to other Euro small cars.
    Go to:
    http://www.fia.com/tourisme/Ncap5/Comparaison1/Comp_small.html
  • fgaydosfgaydos Member Posts: 319
    Here is a nice site from Focus Canada.
    A nice feature is you can instantly change the color of the shown Focus by mousing over a color bar below the pictured Focus.

    http://www.focuscanada.com/English/
  • guyindaskyguyindasky Member Posts: 28
    Has anyone ordered the Femur Protection Package yet...does it cost an arm and a leg?
  • cscott1cscott1 Member Posts: 6
    Has anyone seen aluminum grill inserts for the Focus? I've checked out many parts sites and no one seems to have them. I think this would fix the one cheap looking thing on foci. Does anyone know what I'm talking about? They are pretty popular on pickups. One other thing. Does anyone know if K&N has a cold air induction kit for foci? I just love their products, they make a heck of a difference.

    Thanks
  • cscott1cscott1 Member Posts: 6
    Not inserts but replacements.
  • zx3beastzx3beast Member Posts: 661
    very funny!im still laughing!keep them coming.
  • silver_bulletsilver_bullet Member Posts: 1,339
    Please, no more femur jokes... you're killing me! Maybe when dealers deliver a new ZX3, they should say "break a leg!" Folks, don't get too paranoid about the crash tests. I doubt the Focus is a death trap; drive defensively and be glad the handling and braking are as good as they are - you can avoid all those accidents that people in big, unwieldy SUVs can't.
  • zx3beastzx3beast Member Posts: 661
    at least all of us here know that the zx3 has a
    leg up on the competition.
  • catmomcatmom Member Posts: 42
    arrrhh, arrhh, arrhh!! You guys are too clever.
    Is Rodney Dangerfield in the house?
  • gabegarwickgabegarwick Member Posts: 127
    Hi razor5,
    I've got both the power mirrors and power windows on my ZX3. They've been working great. (I still haven't gotten used to the 'one-touch down' on the driver's window yet) I always press it too hard and down it goes!

    Gabe
  • FlashFloodFlashFlood Member Posts: 8
    It's been less than a month since I took delivery of my zx3 and then you know what came in the mail??? G-shock. Yep, I guess it's true. It's a nice little (actually it's huge!) bonus. I can wear it for sports without feeling too ridiculous, but to the office?? I think I'll pass. It's so large that it seems to draw more attention than my car does. It happens to be silver- I'm not sure if it is intentional or coincidental that it matches Mi coche, but at least its not fluorecent. I also received a picture frame to attach to my dash? Where and why I ask? How about right over the panel that hides the airbag? That way, if I ever crash, my pasenger will find it mounted on their forehead. I think it will function better on the coffee table.
  • projectzx3projectzx3 Member Posts: 256
    i know this has probably been asked before but what exactly does the ZX3 stand for?? curious... i had a relative ask me at breakfast this morning. i hadn't really ever thought about it.
  • zx3beastzx3beast Member Posts: 661
    z- zetec
    x-generation z
    3-2 doors + hatch
  • zx3beastzx3beast Member Posts: 661
    x-generation x
  • drebe73drebe73 Member Posts: 243
    I am hesitent to get any used parts from that site because i really want brand new parts and also i dont know if the waranty would cover the used parts.
    I have no femur problems as a result of my accident, walked away with only airbag burns on my thumb.
  • focuszx3rfocuszx3r Member Posts: 92
    Has anybody else been experiencing that nasty brake dust on your new wheels (ZX3). I have 750 miles and I have washed the car once and the amount of brake dust is crazy. What have all you people used to clean it. I want to find a wheel cleaner that wont harm my wheels. Who has experience and give me a product name (I think maybe Castrol all wheel cleaner). Any ideas???
  • bjammin2bjammin2 Member Posts: 42
    Moses-As far as I know, my rear suspension is still good. It was the front suspension that went bad. The passenger strut, control arm, and nuckle had to be replaced, payed by me. I have no clue what happened. Apparently the suspension took a hit too hard. Now the driver tie rod is messed up, covered by ford. I took the parts back when I had the passenger side worked. While the ford seems pretty well engineered, I think they tried saving too many pennies and ounces. I never had any problems on my 88 Topaz like this, and I drove the heck out of it.

    zx3r-I know what you are talking about with the brake dust. It's pretty nasty. I use Eagle1 wheel cleaner. It does a decent job, but the dust just comes back right away. The service tech says that the wheel cleaner makes the dust stick to the wheel. I'm somewhat skeptical.
  • ccogdenccogden Member Posts: 1
    I agree the brake dust seems excessive at least through 1600 miles on my ZX3.

    I have used "Simple Green" (Comes in a clear spray bottle and is green in color) and it do a good job. I just put a light coat of wax on the wheels to try to keep the dust from really building-up.
  • zx3beastzx3beast Member Posts: 661
    it is normal.as stated above,simple green+light
    wax is helpful.be careful when applying as not to
    strain your femur.
  • focuszx3rfocuszx3r Member Posts: 92
    thanks for the tips, and do u just use the same wax you use on your paint for the wheels??
    Also, the cleaner doesnt cause the dust to stick, its the dressup that you put on the tires (armorall etc) that lets the dirt stick to your wheels
    Hey bjammin2, I had an 89 Topaz and I beat that car. i went offroad on a weekly basis (not in my ZX3) and that car's suspension was tough. Too bad the tranny wasnt so tough!
  • focuszx3rfocuszx3r Member Posts: 92
    ford threw us hatchback lovers a bone with this car
    and i gotta say to whoever didnt know what a femur was, didnt u ever take biology??
  • kdominczakkdominczak Member Posts: 174
    ..and it's all because of me.
    I didn't even know that there is a femur inside me
    Just another thought, what a cool name for new hyundai SUV : Hyundai Femur DeLuxe... it better be funny.
  • silver_bulletsilver_bullet Member Posts: 1,339
    Yep, Simple Green or Clear-Magic and water will clean it right off. A coat of wax on the wheels is a VERY good idea, as it will make dust removal that much easier. Not much you can do to eliminate it without changing the pads, which is what I will be doing when the EBC Green pads come in next month. Repco/PBR Deluxe pads would be a good choice as well, but I don't think they have produced a set for the Focus yet. Remember, these are painted alloys, so treat them like the finish on the rest of the car - no harsh abrasives, please.
  • wildmothafocuswildmothafocus Member Posts: 5
    Howdy all-ya-all's-

    I will be receiving my black ZX3 5-speed in the middle of May. Only three more weeks, Can’t Wait! (ordered it the 1st of March). Got a question; I’ve been reading a lot about the best way to break in a car, and understand that it’s not a very good idea to drive a car for long periods of time at one engine speed for the first few 1000 miles. Problem: I drive 50 miles one way to work every morning (2 hrs in rush hour), and do they same in the evening, on my way back home. So I will easily cover 1000 miles in just 10 working days. I have an option of avoiding rush hour and arriving/leaving work later (65 mph to and fro), or tackling rush hour traffic (stop and go the entire distance). Any opinions on what would be the best time to drive for the best break-in of the car? Thanks.
  • razor5razor5 Member Posts: 27
    I've always been leary of power windows since my Dad's Edsel's power windows refused to work during a heavy downpour one day and the whole family nearly drowned in that darn thang.
    I've been writing a journal re the purchase of my ZX3. Once it arrives, I'll close it out and being a new book. Since I've not bought a new car in 13 years (currently own a Volvo, which I'll keep with 300K miles), it has been a unique experience. All these facts should be incorporated into a real "Owner's Manual". We could support the club with the income. This could lead to more potential buyer imput when a car is being designed, which could only be a good thing.
  • zx3beastzx3beast Member Posts: 661
    they have the beemer,zx3 owners have the....?
    you guessed it !
  • pcleveland2pcleveland2 Member Posts: 516
    Drive your normal way to work so you will not be late and take the scenic route home. Lots of RPM variation that way.
  • kdominczakkdominczak Member Posts: 174
    I've never went to any school in the U.S. so maybe anyone can tell me what to hell "foci" means?
    It sounds even worse than the femur.
  • kdominczakkdominczak Member Posts: 174
    ...and "Foci" name does not reflect the character of our Focus car.
    it would show off a character of KIA cars, though.
  • audiolizardaudiolizard Member Posts: 35
    When in doubt, turn to www.dictionary.com

    fo·ci n.
    A plural of focus.

    :) Audiolizard
  • rubberbanrubberban Member Posts: 37
    besides the verb form 'focus' as used with a camera, there is also a noun form as in the focus of the circle or the two foci of an ellipse.
  • jebogijajebogija Member Posts: 8
    Can you guys in the US tell me what the paint finish is like on your cars? Especially those of you who have had your cars in the bodyshops. I have a Euro Focus and the paint finish is really poor. I have a dark metallic blue, Ford State Blue. When i got the car there was a mark on the front wing and they resprayed the wing for me, but the color was not a exact match, they sent a guy from the paint supplier to see the car and they agreed that the car needed to be done again. He said there were 8 different variants of the color and they would make samples and choose the best match. the paint guy also said this was a color they had problems with because of the sharp angles of the focus shape. what do you think? this is my first car with metallic paint so I don't know what to believe.

    I too have problems with brake dust and its still heavy even after 3000 miles.

    I still love the car even if all the panels dont match.
  • silver_bulletsilver_bullet Member Posts: 1,339
    Jebogija, the silver finish on my car is quite good, considering the price of the car. It isn't quite as even as the silver finish achieved by VW on my fiancee's Passat, but it is fine with me. I haven't noticed any of the paint flaws mentioned by other US owners. And yes, metallics can be very difficult to match. Generally, when you repaint just one panel, your eye will easily see the difference in metallic particle distribution on either side of the panel seam. Sometimes the only answer is to respay the entire side of the car from nose to tail :-(

    Rubberban, 225 section tires are really too wide for our stock alloys. Most tire makers publish a brochure about their tires, and it usually contains a table with recommended wheel widths for a particular tire section. A 225 section tire needs a 7 or 7.5 inch wide rim to give it proper support - it will just flop around on our fairly narrow wheels.
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