My ZX3 reecently hit 3k and I did my oil change quickly and easily. I was happy to discover the FL-2005 Motorcraft filter at walmart for $3.50, and my 5 qt jug of oil. i did it quickly, without having to put my car on ramps. if you go to your local autoparts store and get the wrench to fit the filter, it is very easy to access the filter from under the hood and replace the new one instead of putting it up on ramps. I put in 4.5 quarts and my car did not have any smell at all. roght now my baby is at the autobody shop getting repaired, and I should have it back soon.
PS. I RIPPED the doors off a Neon the other day in a drag race, it felt great especially considering I could hear his cheesy intake so the car had some work. score one for the ZX3!
Forgot to mention the cool zx3 the dealer had in the showroom. Green with the full wing kit and some nice bright yellow graphics "ZX3/GT" and "Saratoga Racing" and some yellow racing flags, nice and small. the whole package looked pretty nice but they wanted over $2,500 for it.
Also picked up the Focus Accessories catalog, if you are still looking for the chrome exhaust tip you can get it now. Catalog refers you to www.icollection.com but "the Ford store is closed" when I just tried to go there. Will try again later
zx3beast - That's about it, though not as accurate as my own pix, and kind-a dinky.
It was sunny after work today so I immediately hightailed it to the dealers to capture the elusive Zinc ZX2. All the way there (25 mile drive) the sun was out. About 500 feet from the dealer's lot a big ole cloud snuck out and blocked the sun. I patiently waited, fighting off the sales dude, till the sun reappeared.
So I now have some decent Zinc Yellow ZX2 photos. Tomorrow I'll put together a simple web page and post a link here. I may eventually create an all Zinc ZX3 page when I'm done.
I also took a picture of a Kona wheel for those who keep asking about them. I'll stick that there too.
focuszx3r--Could you tell me where to locate the oil filter? I looked under the hood and didn't see it. Thought I would have to get under the car. Thanks
I went to order my map lights for the ZX3 and was told they are not out yet. He could not find a number for them. Can anyone supply it so I can straighten this guy out? TIA
I already ordered my smoke colored headlight covers from focusparts.com they look great in the pictures, I cant wait to get my car and slap em on that badboy
We've been throwing quite a few part numbers around latley. Can someone compile the popular ones? All the dealers in my area were clue free regarding the Rear mud flaps for the zx3 "is that the 4 door". And that was the parts specialist!
Also - I'm dying for the seat cover part number.
By the way - I called Ford customer service and let them know about my windshield again. They couldn't give me an update on if a recall would be made, or tell me if I would get good glass from Carlite this time. I did however go to Switchboard.com and search on Ford in MI. Carlite's number was there so I called them. They were pretty clueless as well.
AND AM I LOVING IT....I'M A 61 YEAR OLD MALE, SELL FURNITURE FOR A MAJOR CHICAGO AREA RETAILER AND PEOPLE WHO KNOW ME SAY "THIS CAR IS Y O U !!"... I AM VERY, VERY YOUNG AT HEART AND I STILL HAVE THAT LITTLE BOY IN ME.....AND IS HE HAVING FUN DRIVING TO AND FRO FROM WORK.(20 MILES ROUND TRIP). I AM ABOUT TO FINISH MY THIRD TANK FULL OF GAS.....WHAT MPG SHOULD I BE GETTING DURING THE FIRST 12-1500 MILES?.... I HAVE AUTOMATIC TRANS ON MY CD-SILVER "Z" , AC,,,,ETC.....ALSO, THE DEALER COULD NOT GIVE ME A RADIO/CD/CASSETTE. ONLY THE STANDARD RADIO/CD PLAYER.... BUT I REALLY NEED MY CASSETTE PLAYER AS I LISTEN TO A LOT OF MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKERS AND OLDIES COLLECTIONS.
ANYONE OUT THERE WITH SOME HELP, PLEASE POST ME YOUR SUGGESTIONS......
IF IT WASN'T FOR THIS WEBSITE, I WOULD STILL BE SHOPPING FOR A NEW CAR....
ANYONE WANNA BUY A 1985 VW QUANTUM WAGON? STILL ON MY DRIVEWAY... I REALLY ENJOY READING YOUR POSTS, IT CONFIRMS THAT WE ARE LUCKY AS ALL H......TO OWN AN INTRODUCTORY MODEL CAR..... GREAT JOB FORD!
I'VE HAD MY Z FOR 16 DAYS AND I STILL HAVEN'T SEEN ANOTHER Z ON THE ROAD, AND I DRIVE AROUND IN A VERY BIG METRO AREA AROUND SCHAUMBURG, IL. AND I FEEL RATHER SPECIAL THAT THERE ARE SO FEW OF US......YET SO MANY PROUD OWNERS....
Welcome, javila05! If you're looking for a radio/cd/casette player check out www.crutchfield.com they should have everything youre looking for, although I doubt you'll find a player that will take both casettes and cd's- although you can get a casette player with cd changer control. But hey, I'm no expert- email the guys at crutchfield with any questions- they're great folks. (And no I'm not affiliated with them.) Have fun with your Z!
Make that YS4Z-13776-AB, not "YS42...", otherwise the dealer will still be clueless. This lamp assembly has been on national backorder for over six weeks, and is just now starting to reappear in the parts pipeline again.
Regarding oil filter location, it is located on the firewall (intake) side of the engine, beneath the intake manifold and above the right inner CV joint. If you remove it from above, don't forget that you're spilling about a half quart of oil down the side of the engine and onto surrounding suspension and steering parts. This really should be carefully cleaned up to avoid future problems and any oil burn off smells.
silver bullet- thank you kind sir for the correction. i really hate to admit the fact that age is definitely creeping up on me.whoever said life begins at forty forgot to mention it steadily goes downhill at 45.i had the right no. written down but obviously posted it wrong.again,thanks for the follow-up. i even got your screen name spelled right this time.must be a good day or check that .....moment. also,i have to check that resevoir mystery you mention
Well i had the zx-3 in Monday for my Air-Condu problems and within 15 minutes i was asked to follow the Mechanic to the service area. Drivers side window down and i could FEEL cold air coming out of the car.
"blowing 42 degrees" he said.
I know he didn't have time to do much more than start the car and talk to the service manager in 15 minutes so maybe i should have rolled the window down then turned the fan on high and waited for the cold air to blow.
Guess what! That's what the other guys i work with do. They roll the window down and drive off clearing the car of the heat from sitting in the baking sun then close the window up when the A/C is blowing cold.
I said before, that i never had a Vehicle that the A/C worked proper so i may have learnt something after all these years
Breaking in an engine.
I guess there are many schools of thinking on this one but i warm the engine up first (always) then drive slow for about one minute.
Again i am OLD SCHOOL and cylinders are honed in a cross hatch pattern like overlapping XXX's and the lubrication for the piston is trapped in between these micro valleys. I drive at various RPMs and at times will rev right into the high 4,000 RPM range wear the peaks out without any worry about glazing the cylinders.
If you follow your MPG you will notice when the engine 'sets' in. You may notice that the engine pulls better and just runs NICER.
And before all you OLD Time Hot Rodders give me the juice about glazing....All i can say is that's what works for me be it Road bikes, Dirt bikes or Chain saws.
Someone responded about my 10 and 2 o'clock steering wheel hand placement and said thumbs in on a 4X4? YIKES!!!!
Have you ever really off roaded? I had a JEEP CJ-7 and a three spoked chrome center steering wheel (took it off of my 68 Charger 440 Magnum) and if one of the front wheels hit a big rock at slow speed the wheel would spin right to the other end of the turn range...Wizzzzzzzzz like a cutting wheel.
I was 4Xing and had my pointer and ring finger resting in the spokes driving low range second gear at idle when Wizzzzzzz the Steering wheel almost cut my fingers off. Hurt like heck and i used the 2 and 10 o'clock from there on.
A word about the 2 and 10 driving style.
At one time cars were optioned with power steering! Egads..yesirreeee it was an option and to crank that car/truck in a hurry the best hand position was 2&10.
Nuff babble for today.
Oh one final mention! I cranked the seat up full to the top (my long brush cut clears the roof by 1.5") and seem to better reach the steering wheel!
Had to move the seat in a wee bit but i am getting used to it now.
Great Forum and please everyone keep us updated on your ZX-3 experiences!
IMHO, Ford was very wise in providing the following items as standard equipment on the base level ZX3: tachometer, manual seat height adjustment, anti-roll bars front and rear, and a decent radio with CD/casette option (that can be played without ignition key). I own a Honda Civic CX hatchback that came standard with none of these. I really miss the tach (with 5-speed). Honda simply does not offer it in a hatchback - stupid. Ford understands its target segment (that's us)!
I strongly recommend purchasing a quality sunshield for the front windshield and using it whenever you park the car. The one I use is custom made for the Focus by Covercraft, and is called a UVS 100. It has a reflective mylar outer surface, foam core panels within, and soft gray felt on the inside surfaces. It is easy to unfold, install, and put away when you're ready to go. If you keep the sun out of the interior, you will keep the dash from getting super heated, and the A/C won't have to work so hard just trying to cool down the ducting. Your dash will last longer, too. I can't help thinking that the passenger side airbag will have a longer life span as well - high heat can't be doing it any favors.
...don't forget 15" alloys, rear wiper, foglamps, Securilock anti-theft system, 130 HP, etc. I too used to own a Civic CX hatchback, and the ZX3 is a better balanced package all around in my opinion. If you don't mind being attacked, go check out the Civic hatch vs. ZX3 forum. Lots of very strong opinions and bitter people there!
jav, I work in the western burbs, have been looking and have only seen 1 focus sedan in the area. Perhaps I'll catch you in the burbs one day, and I'll have.
To all: If your alignment is off, how long should it take to pull to the side when you let go of the wheel? when I reach about 70 it seems as soon as I let go (or maybe 2 seconds after--dont worry not for long) car starts veering to the right. Iknow this is not good, but how long (about) should it run straight before it starts to wander? and it seems to not shudder A LOT, but a tad. It SEEMS this way. Could be new owner paranoid
I am taking the car in this Sat. for its first oil change (got it last Sat. But it should have almost 1000 miles on it by then--) and my brakes still whine just about every time I brake -- not counting the first 2 or 3 times but every time after. I am going to have them check the brakes and I probably the alignment too? That's not normal, right?
Is it wrong to be in love with a car? For the first time I own a car that is exactly my style. I am in love with my ZX3. On my dinner break from work, I usually go to Wendy's or some place similar and I always park some where that I can see my ZX3 from the dining room. I'll sit in a seat where I can just stare longingly at my car. When I started car shoping I never thought that I would be able to afford such a cool car with all of the extras that the base model came with. I honestly thought I was going to have to settle for something like a Chevy Metro, or the Ford Aspire. I had no idea that I was going to be able to afford a sporty, stylish, well equiped yet base model ZX3 for the same price as stripped models of other cars in the same class. I have to say that I am honored to be a part of such an intelligent group of people who decided not to settle for the ordinary. Change can be Good!!!
The filter is located on the backside of the motor ( right in front of the firewall) towards the left if you are facing the back of the car. It may be easier for you to orient yourself with where it is from underneath, but you can snake in your arm from the top to the left of where the intake tube makes a 90 degree bend down, there is a hole where u can fit in by in the throttle linkage and that makes it easy to change. If you have the right wrench for a 3/8 ratchet u should have no problem with this. I hope your are able to locate the filter, if you look you from the top you may be able to see it, thats how i found it in the showroom
Does anyone know for sure whether the California Duster harms the finish on our cars? I had been using one for a while. I really liked it because it helped my black z clean longer. I stopped using it lately because my friend says it's one of the worst possible things to do to your paint. I've notices surface scratches on my paint, but I don't know if it can be attributed to the duster.
I'm working in an x-ray lab at my job. When I get bored I'll find something interesting to look at like my cell phone or pager. The other day I put my ZX3 keys in it. Pretty interesting. I used to think that the car sent a signal to the chip via the metal in the key. Turns out, the car sends out a RF signal, and a little antenna inside the key picks it up, sends it to the chip and sends a signal back to the car. Oddly, I couldn't see into the chip. I had the x-ray cranked up so that I could see through the metal in the key but not the chip. Pretty dense stuff.
Another thing about the key. I've been told that while it's a great theft deterent for amature thieves, it won't stop the pro's. There are supposed to be "master" keys available. I've heard about this for GM vehicles, but I don't know if it the same for the FOrd key which uses this RF signal instead.
I also ama firm believer in the greatness of the california car duster. i have heard people say that it harms the finish, but i think that is only if you use it wet. My family has had ours for like 4 years and our finishes are fine. Most of those small scratches you find come from using towles to dry your car. You should use a chamois, or even better "the Absorber", from walmart. That things works well.
The California duster is not a replacement for a car wash when your car is really dirty. It works well when used according to the directions on a car that doesn't have serious grit or caked mud on it. If you bear down while moving the duster over your finish, of course you are going to get fine scratches from the junk trapped between your finish and the duster. Keeping a black car immaculate is an activity that requires much more care than most people are willing to expend. Dark colors like black and twilight blue act like mirrors, and show every flaw in the surface. As focuszx3r pointed out, even the wrong kind of towel will cause the fine "spider lines" you often see on black finishes. Good luck keeping it pristine.
If you go back and read my post, I said "thumbs in and it's very possible you'll break them". In other words THUMBS OUT. I know the quote is out of context but that's what I said. I apply it to highway driving also. Ya never know, especially in the winter time.
I just had the worst experience with a dealer trying to get a zx3. I went through their internet quote service (for the dealer, not a buying service) and they gave me a firm quote. It was quite good, and they also said they had 15 Konas in stock so I'd have quite a selection. I went down to the dealer (took me an hour and a half in rush hour) and instead of 15 there was only 3, and only one had most (but not all) the options I wanted. I decided to test drive it, to see if I could live without the options and to see how they drive. The automatic transmission was very smooth, and the car's ride was great. There were some cheap touches in the interior, but that's to be expected for the price.
So then we go back to the office and sit down. I asked the young representative why the internet guy had told me they had 15 when they only had three. He wouldn't answer, just said, "I don't know". Then he said they couldn't honor the quote, and added $1000 to the price! I showed him the email with the quote, and he said, "We can't be responsible for the behavior of individuals" in a snitty voice. When I told him that wasn't acceptable he looked at me and said, "I'm going to sell all these cars for msrp this weekend anyway. If you want it you have to pay." Not kidding. Needless to say, I'm not going back there. So no Kona for me--nobody else has them at all and I'm not willing to pay that much. sigh. Oh--and the kicker? This was a "no haggle" dealership owned by Ford.
Annie, You did the right thing walking away. I would try a different dealer. You may have run into a jerk. I had a pretty good experience with mine. Also, it is late in the model year, he may have done you a favor as you can get a newer model most likely at a better deal. My first dealer told me the ZX3 he was offering had 2000 miles on it!!!?? I went elsewhere and got a better deal anyway. Pays to shop around. You should be able to swing a great deal if they want to move the 2000 model. Surprised he thinks they will move so quickly. Maybe BS. Do your homework elsewhere on this site and go armed with info on price and availability. Good luck,
Sounds like it might be fun to write a letter to your local consumer fraud division office describing this sleazy dealership's use of the internet - maybe make a bit of a stink to your local consumer affairs spokeperson on a local TV station as well. Good deeds like theirs deserve public recognition Maybe a bit a bad publicity will help them see the errors of their ways.
Regarding the Kona, why do you want to pay all that $$ for a bunch of (IMHO) tacky accessories and an overpriced bicycle? A standard ZX3 will perform every bit as well and won't look so stupid in a few years when all this "extreme lifestyle" nonsense becomes the next Pet Rock. For the money you'll save, you can get one heck of a bike, a rack, and a few baubles to individualize your car. Think it over, and don't let one slimeball dealer sour you on the car.
Seg, you're a genius -- "Peanut Oil"!" Thanks for the heads-up. Next time I go to supermarket I'll look in veg. oils section, see if they sell peanut oil. Yo're right, it would be a neater way to remove old wax stains from exterior black plastic trim. That is, if it's oil in peanutbutter that does the wax-removing. (But it seems, that would have to be the case). zx3
I would have to aggree with Silver Bullet on this one... if you do enough leg work on pricing, availability, and all that, and scare them with bad publicity on grounds of false advertising... you'll get your car at the price you want. Myself personally, I went into the dealership knowing more about the car than any salesman in there did... I also brought a printout from the Kelley Blue Book along as backup... and in the end, after 2 days and many sit down sessions and phone calls back and forth, i managed to get my new Z ordered, fully loaded minus side impact airbags for about 14 and change... definately look into it, arm yourself for war... dealers are a deceiptful bunch if you allow them to be. you just have to walk in there and blow their socks off with all the info you can scrape up, and you will come out the victor... the victor with a brand new Z that is!!
Gabe, your post that said: ".......whoever put peanut butter ontheir car) Any dogs in your neighborhood? I'm wondering if they might not mistake your molding for a treat? {slobber, slobber} not to mentionscratches...... very ingenious idea -- btw, just a thought about fragrance, though..."
Heh. Cracked-up when I read that one. Anyway --- Nope, no doggie-problems (yet).
BTW, I think WildMuthaFocus was originator of peanut butter solution. Also, I'm gonna try Sega's suggestion that Peanut Oil would be even better, cleaner method. zx3
Focus: OIl filter is "accessible from the hood"? Someone told me its at rear of engine. If I raise hood, where exactly do I look, to see filter? I would love to change my own oil, but I was told .... "Can't do it without putting your z up on ramps". No?/Yes? Thanks for any info. zx3
Unless you absolutely NEED the car right now, find yourself a different dealer and order a 2001. That is what I'm doing. AT INVOICE. Don't get discouraged. I've seen a lot of salesman junk in my years and it only makes me go somewhere else for my business.
I agree with NJZX3, arm yourself with all the info, phone around and quote the option numbers, it tells them you have done your home work. I still got asked did I want the 3 or 4 door ZX3 !
If you cant do it without ramps then I dreamed what I did the other day! I was able to do it. I had to lay on the floor to get the drain plug but i got the filter from up top. If your arm isnt huge it is possible but your arm gets a bit scraped up. stick your arm down to the left of where the air intake makes a 90 degree bend down. There will also be all the throttle linkages there, and thats what you arm scrapes against. there is a small hole you can fit your arm in, but you have to move a cable out of the way (it rests against your arm). The best way to do this successfully is find the filter, then reach your hand in where i said and find it first. You can see the very end of it if you look in the right spot. Then get a 3/8" ratchet with a 2" or so extension with the correct size filter wrench on it and it should be somewhat easy. Though it is tricky the first time, it will be a piece of cake everytime after. The filter is in the rear of the engine as you said. the hardest part of this is finding the hole and sliding your arm through it correctly. It may make a difference if you have a/c, but i dunno. My car has no options and if you have crusie and a/c that opening may not be there, but i am not sure
Long before the invention of Peanut butter to remove wax from molding, there was *** Black Magic Tire and Trim ***. It's a high concentration fluid silicone that you rub in to your trim with no effort and 2 seconds later, the wax is GONE. Simply apply and let dry and your waxing problems are over. Trust me it works great, plus it adds a slight sheen to the trim.
jw- looks great! especially the way the rear tail lights + moldings stands out.the kids say yellow is in. i have a black z,oridinally stated out for autumn orange,if yellow was available at the time (january) i would have went for it.i call my z the beast because it is ugly in a beautiful sort of way.by the way ive noticed this summer at least here in the philly area that orange + yellow is featured in clothing lines.noticed walking through the malls,every window has some kind orange or yellow.noticing more yellow cars on
road recently as well. drebe73- is it really that hot in florida this summer?........just kidding? i know where your coming from. would you ever go back to auto now? dont forget drebe i m presently dating the twin.
zx3beast - I about drove myself nutz (not too difficult) debating which color to go with. The orange was cool but I wondered how it would stand the test of time. I've had a thing for the forest green on Subaru Outbacks, but it didn't strike me the same on the ZX3. Silver looks great, but I've seen too many older silver cars that look so sad. It doesn't seem to be as durable in the rust belt, and touching it up is very tricky. Black is nice but too much work. Red has always been a favorite, and was my first choice.
Then I read here that the Yellow was now available. I'm no kid, but I do like to pretend, so I went for it. Also my first car, a 1976 AMC Pacer, was yellow, and I loved that car.
So now I'm waiting, not very patiently, to see how the ZX3 really looks in Zinc.
Anyone know why "Zinc" and yellow are related? I've been checking in my dictionary, and can't find a connection. It does sound kwel though.
focuszx3r and others, stop torturing yourselves. Go to WalMart or PepBoys and invest $30 in a set of Rhino Ramps. These are very nicely designed, lightweight, plastic ramps that are rated at 12,000 lbs. They stack neatly out of the way when you are done working under your Z. Believe me, they will pay for themselves over the years by allowing you to attend to under car maintenance with ease. Reaching the oil filter will be a breeze, and you can place some old rags under the filter before removal to catch the oil that escapes. Work smarter (and safer), not harder...
jw- i was 21 in 1976 and i do remember that car being very popular in that color.there were many on the road at that time in the philly area.those who owned them seemed to be as passionate about them,very much in the same vain as the zx3. being a love it or hate it design.i do dig the yellow z. black is a lot of work,its the only exercise i get in my advancing years.the red z looks good.ive seen more reds than other colors.i remember silver being a tough color to match and it fading badly.of course,im making reference to those silvers from mid-seventies.car finishes used to show rust pits in the first year.even if you waxed frequently. no comparison,todays finishes are much,much,better. as i have posted previously,i like all the color choices of the z.its probably true as you get older you get wiser and you tend to go more with what pleases yourself.if you like yellow,go for it without regard of what others may think of it.its your money after all.thanks for posting the pics. much appreciated!
Anyone know why "Zinc" and yellow are related? I've been checking in my dictionary, and can't find a connection. It does sound kwel though. --------------------------------------------- I'm a potter and work with Zinc in glazes. It is a quiet kind of yellow color.
Comments
roght now my baby is at the autobody shop getting repaired, and I should have it back soon.
PS. I RIPPED the doors off a Neon the other day in a drag race, it felt great especially considering I could hear his cheesy intake so the car had some work. score one for the ZX3!
Also picked up the Focus Accessories catalog, if you are still looking for the chrome exhaust tip you can get it now. Catalog refers you to www.icollection.com but "the Ford store is closed" when I just tried to go there. Will try again later
It was sunny after work today so I immediately hightailed it to the dealers to capture the elusive Zinc ZX2. All the way there (25 mile drive) the sun was out. About 500 feet from the dealer's lot a big ole cloud snuck out and blocked the sun. I patiently waited, fighting off the sales dude, till the sun reappeared.
So I now have some decent Zinc Yellow ZX2 photos. Tomorrow I'll put together a simple web page and post a link here. I may eventually create an all Zinc ZX3 page when I'm done.
I also took a picture of a Kona wheel for those who keep asking about them. I'll stick that there too.
< jwkessler1- check this out www.mcafferty.com
< is this it?
TIA
forward to pics. thanks!
you can get the complete wings west focus body kid and have it painted for about 1500 give or take from www.focussport.com
Kevin
Also - I'm dying for the seat cover part number.
By the way - I called Ford customer service and let them know about my windshield again. They couldn't give me an update on if a recall would be made, or tell me if I would get good glass from Carlite this time. I did however go to Switchboard.com and search on Ford in MI. Carlite's number was there so I called them. They were pretty clueless as well.
I'll keep everyone updated.
"THIS CAR IS Y O U !!"...
I AM VERY, VERY YOUNG AT HEART AND I STILL HAVE THAT LITTLE BOY IN ME.....AND IS HE HAVING FUN DRIVING TO AND FRO FROM WORK.(20 MILES ROUND TRIP). I AM ABOUT TO FINISH MY THIRD TANK FULL OF GAS.....WHAT MPG SHOULD I BE GETTING DURING THE FIRST 12-1500 MILES?....
I HAVE AUTOMATIC TRANS ON MY CD-SILVER "Z" , AC,,,,ETC.....ALSO, THE DEALER COULD NOT GIVE ME A RADIO/CD/CASSETTE. ONLY THE STANDARD RADIO/CD PLAYER.... BUT I REALLY NEED MY CASSETTE PLAYER AS I LISTEN TO A LOT OF MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKERS AND OLDIES COLLECTIONS.
ANYONE OUT THERE WITH SOME HELP, PLEASE POST ME YOUR SUGGESTIONS......
IF IT WASN'T FOR THIS WEBSITE, I WOULD STILL BE SHOPPING FOR A NEW CAR....
ANYONE WANNA BUY A 1985 VW QUANTUM WAGON? STILL ON MY DRIVEWAY...
I REALLY ENJOY READING YOUR POSTS, IT CONFIRMS THAT WE ARE LUCKY AS ALL H......TO OWN AN INTRODUCTORY MODEL CAR..... GREAT JOB FORD!
I'VE HAD MY Z FOR 16 DAYS AND I STILL HAVEN'T SEEN ANOTHER Z ON THE ROAD, AND I DRIVE AROUND IN A VERY BIG METRO AREA AROUND SCHAUMBURG, IL. AND I FEEL RATHER SPECIAL THAT THERE ARE SO FEW OF US......YET SO MANY PROUD OWNERS....
LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR POSTS! JAVILA
Regarding oil filter location, it is located on the firewall (intake) side of the engine, beneath the intake manifold and above the right inner CV joint. If you remove it from above, don't forget that you're spilling about a half quart of oil down the side of the engine and onto surrounding suspension and steering parts. This really should be carefully cleaned up to avoid future problems and any oil burn off smells.
the follow-up. i even got your screen name spelled
right this time.must be a good day or check that
.....moment. also,i have to check that resevoir
mystery you mention
"blowing 42 degrees" he said.
I know he didn't have time to do much more than start the car and talk to the service manager in 15 minutes so maybe i should have rolled the window down then turned the fan on high and waited for the cold air to blow.
Guess what! That's what the other guys i work with do. They roll the window down and drive off clearing the car of the heat from sitting in the baking sun then close the window up when the A/C is blowing cold.
I said before, that i never had a Vehicle that the A/C worked proper so i may have learnt something after all these years
Breaking in an engine.
I guess there are many schools of thinking on this one but i warm the engine up first (always) then drive slow for about one minute.
Again i am OLD SCHOOL and cylinders are honed in a cross hatch pattern like overlapping XXX's and the lubrication for the piston is trapped in between these micro valleys. I drive at various RPMs and at times will rev right into the high 4,000 RPM range wear the peaks out without any worry about glazing the cylinders.
If you follow your MPG you will notice when the engine 'sets' in. You may notice that the engine pulls better and just runs NICER.
And before all you OLD Time Hot Rodders give me the juice about glazing....All i can say is that's what works for me be it Road bikes, Dirt bikes or Chain saws.
Someone responded about my 10 and 2 o'clock steering wheel hand placement and said thumbs in on a 4X4? YIKES!!!!
Have you ever really off roaded? I had a JEEP CJ-7 and a three spoked chrome center steering wheel (took it off of my 68 Charger 440 Magnum) and if one of the front wheels hit a big rock at slow speed the wheel would spin right to the other end of the turn range...Wizzzzzzzzz like a cutting wheel.
I was 4Xing and had my pointer and ring finger resting in the spokes driving low range second gear at idle when Wizzzzzzz the Steering wheel almost cut my fingers off. Hurt like heck and i used the 2 and 10 o'clock from there on.
A word about the 2 and 10 driving style.
At one time cars were optioned with power steering! Egads..yesirreeee it was an option and to crank that car/truck in a hurry the best hand position was 2&10.
Nuff babble for today.
Oh one final mention! I cranked the seat up full to the top (my long brush cut clears the roof by 1.5") and seem to better reach the steering wheel!
Had to move the seat in a wee bit but i am getting used to it now.
Great Forum and please everyone keep us updated on your ZX-3 experiences!
To all: If your alignment is off, how long should it take to pull to the side when you let go of the wheel? when I reach about 70 it seems as soon as I let go (or maybe 2 seconds after--dont worry not for long) car starts veering to the right. Iknow this is not good, but how long (about) should it run straight before it starts to wander? and it seems to not shudder A LOT, but a tad. It SEEMS this way. Could be new owner paranoid
I am taking the car in this Sat. for its first oil change (got it last Sat. But it should have almost 1000 miles on it by then--) and my brakes still whine just about every time I brake -- not counting the first 2 or 3 times but every time after. I am going to have them check the brakes and I probably the alignment too? That's not normal, right?
thanks all, per usual, you ROCK.
Didn't finish, I am at work and should be working which makes me hurry. More careful next time.
I hope your are able to locate the filter, if you look you from the top you may be able to see it, thats how i found it in the showroom
I'm working in an x-ray lab at my job. When I get bored I'll find something interesting to look at like my cell phone or pager. The other day I put my ZX3 keys in it. Pretty interesting. I used to think that the car sent a signal to the chip via the metal in the key. Turns out, the car sends out a RF signal, and a little antenna inside the key picks it up, sends it to the chip and sends a signal back to the car. Oddly, I couldn't see into the chip. I had the x-ray cranked up so that I could see through the metal in the key but not the chip. Pretty dense stuff.
Another thing about the key. I've been told that while it's a great theft deterent for amature thieves, it won't stop the pro's. There are supposed to be "master" keys available. I've heard about this for GM vehicles, but I don't know if it the same for the FOrd key which uses this RF signal instead.
My plan is to eventually make this into an all Yellow ZX3 site. Ya gotta specialize these days.
There is also a nice picture of a Kona 16: wheel there for those who have been looking.
So then we go back to the office and sit down. I asked the young representative why the internet guy had told me they had 15 when they only had three. He wouldn't answer, just said, "I don't know". Then he said they couldn't honor the quote, and added $1000 to the price! I showed him the email with the quote, and he said, "We can't be responsible for the behavior of individuals" in a snitty voice. When I told him that wasn't acceptable he looked at me and said, "I'm going to sell all these cars for msrp this weekend anyway. If you want it you have to pay." Not kidding. Needless to say, I'm not going back there. So no Kona for me--nobody else has them at all and I'm not willing to pay that much. sigh. Oh--and the kicker? This was a "no haggle" dealership owned by Ford.
You did the right thing walking away. I would try a different dealer. You may have run into a jerk. I had a pretty good experience with mine.
Also, it is late in the model year, he may have done you a favor as you can get a newer model most likely at a better deal. My first dealer told me the ZX3 he was offering had 2000 miles on it!!!?? I went elsewhere and got a better deal anyway. Pays to shop around. You should be able to swing a great deal if they want to move the 2000 model. Surprised he thinks they will move so quickly. Maybe BS. Do your homework elsewhere on this site and go armed with info on price and availability.
Good luck,
Also, thanks for the stock number guys.
Regarding the Kona, why do you want to pay all that $$ for a bunch of (IMHO) tacky accessories and an overpriced bicycle? A standard ZX3 will perform every bit as well and won't look so stupid in a few years when all this "extreme lifestyle" nonsense becomes the next Pet Rock. For the money you'll save, you can get one heck of a bike, a rack, and a few baubles to individualize your car. Think it over, and don't let one slimeball dealer sour you on the car.
Next time I go to supermarket I'll look in veg. oils section, see if they sell peanut oil.
Yo're right, it would be a neater way to remove old wax stains from exterior black plastic trim. That is, if it's oil in peanutbutter that does the wax-removing. (But it seems, that would have to be the case).
zx3
zx3
Kevin
".......whoever put peanut butter ontheir car) Any dogs in your neighborhood? I'm
wondering if they might not mistake your molding
for a treat? {slobber, slobber} not to mentionscratches...... very ingenious idea -- btw, just a thought about fragrance, though..."
Heh. Cracked-up when I read that one.
Anyway --- Nope, no doggie-problems (yet).
BTW, I think WildMuthaFocus was originator of peanut butter solution.
Also, I'm gonna try Sega's suggestion that Peanut Oil would be even better, cleaner method.
zx3
For your first 100 miles do NOT exceed 76,469 RPM.
Why?
You'd have warranty problems.
zx3
Someone told me its at rear of engine.
If I raise hood, where exactly do I look, to see filter?
I would love to change my own oil, but I was told .... "Can't do it without putting your z up on ramps".
No?/Yes? Thanks for any info.
zx3
I still got asked did I want the 3 or 4 door ZX3 !
The filter is in the rear of the engine as you said. the hardest part of this is finding the hole and sliding your arm through it correctly.
It may make a difference if you have a/c, but i dunno. My car has no options and if you have crusie and a/c that opening may not be there, but i am not sure
in. i have a black z,oridinally stated out for autumn orange,if yellow was available at the time
(january) i would have went for it.i call my z the
beast because it is ugly in a beautiful sort of way.by the way ive noticed this summer at least here in the philly area that orange + yellow is
featured in clothing lines.noticed walking through the malls,every window has some kind orange or yellow.noticing more yellow cars on
road recently as well.
drebe73- is it really that hot in florida this summer?........just kidding? i know where your coming from. would you ever go back to auto now?
dont forget drebe i m presently dating the twin.
started , its that old age thing. i swear i even use spellcheck.-my apologies
Then I read here that the Yellow was now available. I'm no kid, but I do like to pretend, so I went for it. Also my first car, a 1976 AMC Pacer, was yellow, and I loved that car.
So now I'm waiting, not very patiently, to see how the ZX3 really looks in Zinc.
Anyone know why "Zinc" and yellow are related? I've been checking in my dictionary, and can't find a connection. It does sound kwel though.
being very popular in that color.there were many
on the road at that time in the philly area.those
who owned them seemed to be as passionate about them,very much in the same vain as the zx3. being
a love it or hate it design.i do dig the yellow z.
black is a lot of work,its the only exercise i get
in my advancing years.the red z looks good.ive seen
more reds than other colors.i remember silver being
a tough color to match and it fading badly.of course,im making reference to those silvers from mid-seventies.car finishes used to show rust pits in the first year.even if you waxed frequently.
no comparison,todays finishes are much,much,better.
as i have posted previously,i like all the color choices of the z.its probably true as you get older
you get wiser and you tend to go more with what
pleases yourself.if you like yellow,go for it without regard of what others may think of it.its
your money after all.thanks for posting the pics.
much appreciated!
I've been checking in my dictionary, and can't find
a connection. It does sound kwel though.
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I'm a potter and work with Zinc in glazes. It is a quiet kind of yellow color.