Ford Focus ZX3

silver_bullet · April 2001

I still think a manual transmission is a must in a car like this - and yes, everyone, I know there are many good reasons for an automatic, this is just my opinion. A spirited car deserves to be DRIVEN, and an automatic is just too passive for me. Good luck with your car -- how is the ZX3 looked upon in Mexico? As a "domestic" product? Is pricing south of the border as low as it is in the U.S.?

eas1 · April 2001

I do have very small bulges in the sidewall (almost not noticable) that I'll be keeping track of. Other than the tires are a little slippery for auto crossing, I have not had any tire problems. A very similar tire for the Nissan Altima is being recalled.

zx3amigos · April 2001

As far as I know, all ZX3 are made in Mexico (correct me if I'm wrong), In Mexico the sticker on its 17k USD (5 speed)18k auto. Its more expensive down here. People doesn't know very much about the ZX3. Must of them think its an UK imported car. I did a comparision vs the French Peugeot 206 XS, but the car was coming from France to Mexico in 2 months!!!!They went out of stock!!!! Could you belive this? Its crazy...
I must confess that when I first saw the ZX3 I did love it,But it was 4000 usd expensivier than the 206 so I first went to the Peugeot dealer, but Now? Im so glad of this Peugeot delay, because it forced me to look for another option...the ZX3. Im doning a effort for those extra 4k but I think I wont regreet it.
C U arround
PD I guess will try the firestones then. Thanx.
PD2. sorry about my spelling as english its my 2nd language

silver_bullet · April 2001

ZX3s for North America are made in Hermosillo, Mexico. Ford also makes ZX3s in Cologne, Germany and in the UK for those markets. I'd guess they may be built in other factories as well... they are quite popular worldwide.

zx3amigos · April 2001

Yeap...I think it was impossible for the zx3 to make them all in one place hehehe....thanx Scott.

01redzx3 · April 2001

still love my zx3 it is so much fun to drive. the m.p.g is getting better the more i drive it.just be careful because it will get up to 90mph befor you know it. this car will move on down the road.mine is red with all the toys on it.i got my zx3 at bartow ford in fl, and they were very very nice . take care guys and be safe.

njbongo · April 2001

OK, call me stupid...I have lots of "auto mechanical" knowledge, but never in my life have I heard of "gear rollover"....furthermore, I find it pretty impossible for the trans to make a knocking noise if your idling in nuetral......

could you be more specific as to what exactly the problem is "gear rollover" is very vague !?!

I went to the site you posted about this problem, and can't find anything on it. I have a 2001 5 speed and no problems to my knowledge.

Victor

PS - What country are you in.....I'm guessing maybe norwy from your screen name, or is that just a pun....I'm only asking because if you are not in the US, you may very well have a totally different 5 speed than we do here.....just checking

vadp · April 2001

silver_bullet,

I'm totally agree with norway dog. The Foci manual tranny is junk. It's an old, unreliable design.

It seems that the tranny is being built with huge tolerances. I don't know how many of them are making that sound: 20, 35, 50%? Who knows. Ford mechanics won't do anything. They always claim that the noise is a normal characteristic of the tranny, you're lagging the engine or they can't hear anything. If I knew about this problem, I would never buy the car.

Regarding mileage. Lots of people are complaining about unusually bad fuel economy. What's wrong with their cars? I think the answer is in the current issue of the Sport Compact Car magazine.

<<<As we soon learned, there are some pretty loose cam timing tolerances designed into the Zetec engine and this engine is incredibly sensitive to cam timing...
The real problem is the fact the cam sprockets cannot be installed precisely without hours of work....This goes a long way toward explaining why we see anything from 101 to 115 hp from stock Foci. The factory cam timing probably varies as well.>>>

???????????????????????????????????????????????

http://www.sportcompactcarweb.com/

------------> technical: ZX3

vadp · April 2001

http://www.teamfocaljet.com/ubb/Forum28/HTML/000320.html

vadp · April 2001

http://www.teamfocaljet.com/ubb/Forum12/HTML/000695.html

vadp · April 2001

http://www.teamfocaljet.com/ubb/Forum12/HTML/000675.html

silver_bullet · April 2001

... for the info about the cam timing. Incorrect settings would definitely affect power output as well as fuel economy. It does make one wonder about production tolerances. Likewise, I can believe that poor assembly might account for the kind of tranny noise reported by several members - that's why I suggested trying to get a transaxle that had been "massaged" by Ford to meet specs. Reading the service CD-ROM and looking at the diagrams, I don't see anything about the design of the MTX75 that looks unusual, so loose production standards may be the culprit. Guess I'm glad I got one of the quiet ones...

esto · April 2001

A question: does the zx3 have a cargo area cover? If so, is it one of those flimsy, soft, "roller blind" pull jobbies, or is it a solid piece that you can actually put something on (not too heavy). Thanks.

Erik

silver_bullet · April 2001

The ZX3 has a rigid cargo cover with detachable "lifting strings" that lift the cover when the hatch is raised. The entire cover is easily detached without tools if you need to remove it from the car. Although it would support a little weight, you should NEVER put any cargo on top of the cover - if you have to stop suddenly, or have a frontal collision, anything sitting on that shelf becomes a dandy projectile aimed right at your head.

petedo · April 2001

I've had my ZX3 for about 3 weeks. It has about 600 miles on it. The only complaints I have are very minor nitpicks. For instance sometimes when I take my seatbelt off it gets stuck on the handle on the seat that slides it forward to let rear passengers in. As for the tranny problems, mine seems to have a slightly rough idle sometimes. No knocking though and barely noticeable. Also sometimes it's hard to shift into first, especially if it's cold out. About dealerships.. I went to Drum Hill Ford too and they were terrible. They had no motivation to sell me a car so I left. I ended up buying it at Best Ford which also left me very unimpressed. I highly recommend anyone in the Mass area to buy at Quirk. They will blow it out. Unfortunately I didn't find this out till after I had mine. I love the car though. Bang for the buck and the sheer fun of driving it just can't be beat. I'm wondering if anyone plans on modifying it or already has?

zx3beast · April 2001

vadp + norway thanks for your responses. tractor noise is unacceptable. although i prefer to drive a manual,the auto is a smoother trans in the zx3. im sure pcleveland would attest to that. all
3 loaners were auto. much,much smoother than my 5spd. norway,one
cant put a price tag on peace of mind. best of luck with your trade.
what color did you get? vadp, good info found on the links you provided.
thanks. ive disliked firestone brand tires for years. i had mentioned
way back my father had those dreaded firestone 500 tires back in the 70's.i wouldnt buy any of them ever. most would agree that the zx3 is
a very cool car with some very fine attributes but not without some
issues. some are just nuisance annoyances, others are potentially
problematic. its the long term reliabilty that is in question. i have poured mountains of praise on this car in the past and i have also dammed it as well. after 16 months, i still find it a thrill to drive. im
not overly concerned about the gas mileage, still avg. 25 to 27 mpg.
not great but o.k. there have been many complaints regarding poor mpg
at 20 and below. that is unacceptable. because i still consider the z a
fine value in terms of dollars paid and performance extracted, im willing to live through the unexpected inconveniences. my only disappointment is that i had expected ford to live up to its quality is job1 boasting with the launch of the focus. in my opinion they had failed
miserably in some of their sourcing of parts and timely delivery of same. in order to get a true analysis of the zx3 ownership experience
here, it is imperative that both the good and bad be reported. quite
frankly, ive been buying ford products for 30 yrs. for the most part
ive been satisfied that i had a reasonably safe, affordable and reliable vehicle. i didnt need to be sold on their nameplate. if im not mistaken,
vadp, norway and silver bullet were former import buyers. when those guys start buying a ford, you start to think maybe ford finally has
a genuine bonafide winner. well, we all been reading the story the past
year on our little hatchlings. from what i read thus far, would it be fair to say we all have given it mixed reviews?
also, to all of the new z owners, best of luck with your new purchase and many happy miles.

konafocus · May 2001

Hows it going guys, just thought I drop by and give in my 2 cents. Well have close to 5000 miles on the little hatch, problems? None to report, gas : city 25-27, highway 33-35. I guess I am lucky, no tranny noises, no recalls so far. THe dealer even called me telling me I had an alarm due to be installed, I totally forgot about that. Service at the dealer has been great! I installed a state of the art sound system with tvs on the head rests, and a monitor up front, PIAA plasms bulbs, KKM pedals, thinking about an exhaust, but I really dont want that honda sound. Overall good car, no problems, and drives like a sports car. For what I paid, $14500, Kona package, all power, I think I got a great deal.

I just wish Ford could have shared the wealth and good luck with all my fellow Foci owners.

tgrcub · May 2001

Hi Petedo! Glad to see some local comments on dealerships here... Best Ford is my in town dealer, although I've been all over Southern NH doing the test drives and hearing prices... was there anything particularly poor about your experience at Best? They were appallingly slow in giving me their first quote price... maybe they were trying to break my will by having me sit there in silence... what did you get as far as packages with your Focus? I'd be grateful for any info on your buying process, as I'm looking to take the plunge very soon...

acrazyraisin · May 2001

It is not just the sales that makes the buying experience. It is nice to be able to return to the dealership and have then treat you well, which has not been my experience with quirk, cheaper? maybe, but as far as service is concerned... I went with Muzi, and have been to the shop 3 times for various problems and been treated very well. I went in to repair a knocked off mirror and they fixed a recall on the spot I hadn't even been notified about yet. I bought the car for below invoice plus i traded in a car that i should have had to pay to have taken away.

kebbat · May 2001

I'm not sure why my experience was different from yours .... I know all sales people are not alike. I tend to think it's the way I went about buying my Focus.

I researched via the internet and I let the dealerships know. I sent out an email to several local dealerships basically saying "look, I know what I want and I know how much I'm willing to pay" Drum Hill gave me the lowest price, the didn't try to change things once I actually got to the dealership. Manny was my contact and he was fast and courteous. He even ran over to Metropolitan to speed up the insurance transfer. Jim Oldham is the Customer Service manager and was great. Helped answer all of my questions and showed me around the service department.

Knock on wood I will only be going back to Drum Hill for routine visits. I guess I can't give the entire Drum Hill story (buying and servicing) until then.

petedo · May 2001

When it comes to customer service, Best Ford is terrible. They claim they are the best in New Enbgland, but I found out why. They say if you fill out the satisfaction survey and give it to them, you get a free oil change. There's the reason right there. They scrap the bad ones. I should've realized the place was no good on my first visit. I spent 30 min sitting alone waiting. Over an hour negotiating price. They threw all kinds of BS fees on like charges for gas etc. Then after everything was decided they said they didn't even have the car Iwanted. Everyday for a week I was told it would be there the next day. When it finally came it had over 300 miles on it. As for service, noway in hell am i going there. I hear Drum Hill is good for service and it's good for me cuz it's about 3 minutes away from my house. I talked to Manny and maybe he was just having a bad day, but he didn't want to sell a car. As for options, all I wanted was the premium group for the 16" wheels and I got the egg yolk yellow color. They got the car from someplace in Maine. All the yellow ones around here were autos or didn't have the premium group. Quirk said they'd sell for $1300 under msrp on any Focus in stock with 2.9% for 48 months or 3.9 for 60 months. Hope this helps.

joeb4ever · May 2001

woohooo!!! I get my zx3 either tonight, or tomorrow. I gotta wait till the guy calls us up. But I have some questions. I want to make my zx3 look more "ghetto" so its looks a lot cooler. And I was wondering if it would be smart to have it lowered, and if so, how much lowered max? I saw a few zx3s in magazines that were lowered(svt zx3), and i thought it looked pretty sweet. so any info on lowering the focus would be helpful. Also, does anyone know any web-sites that have pics of zx3s that have been highly modified by looks? I'd like to get some ideas of what to do to my zx3.
Thanks

vadp · May 2001

http://www.teamfocaljet.com/cgi-bin/Ultimate.cgi?action=intro

------------> Exterior Modifications

joeb4ever · May 2001

thanks

joeb4ever · May 2001

WWOOOHOOO, got my focus today. Its black and beutiful. Its a lot lower than they are in the brochure, which i really like. My friends don't like them, but they're just jealous.

flyguymattd · May 2001

Hey. Got a shiny new zx3 two months ago and have almost 4k on it now. Runs like a champ. Like everyone else, mileage is a little low, but I can deal with 30mpg at 80mph all day long. Thank god for the highwasy commute, though. Anyway, wondering if anyone has tried towing with a zx3. We have a 700lb boat/trailer combination which is theoretically within the limits of the car, but hoped someone might have some practical input as to how realistic this is. Any help would be great. Oh yeah, does anyone else have rattling coming from the rear speaker area? I can't tell if it's coming from the speaker assemblies themselves, or just from the wall around them. Haven't had it to the dealership yet due to their high pain in the [non-permissible content removed] rating, but I hope there is a fix. Thanks alot and drive happy.

joeb4ever · May 2001

I can't help ya on the towing thing, but i'm guessing that maybe a screw came loose around the speakers and maybe dropped somewhere.

I have a question though. It seems like if I turn off the car and turn the wheel it locks up, but i can turn the wheel like 2 inches. And if I try to turn the car back on, the key doesn't turn. So i have to turn the wheel in between the places it locks up, and turn the key. Is it supposed to do this, or is there a recall on it?

silver_bullet · May 2001

joeb4ever, your car is working correctly. Once you withdraw the key and turn the wheel to engage the locking pawl, you'll have to insert the key then move the wheel a bit to get the key to turn - just like you described.

joeb4ever · May 2001

thanks a ton

cobie · May 2001

Can anyone make recommendations for aftermarket driving lights? I'd like to see much further down the road than Ford allows w/ the standard lights.
thanks.

jimzzx3 · May 2001

I too had a bad rattle around my rear speakers, still do, it is the metal wall the speakers screw into my sound is like a rattle when any bass comes through the speakers I put new kenwood speakers in and of course it got worse so I put some dampening material between the speakers and the wall it helped little. as far as my car she has 16700 miles and no problems so far and my mileage is 25-28 city 30-32 highway.

njbongo · May 2001

I also have that same rattling problem on my rear passenger side. I put in a blaupunkt head unit and polk 5x7's all around. Try these two things....First, make sure the long plastic "peg" on the very bottom of the panel is all the way in the hole in the car's body - also, wrap it with electrical tape to reduce that rattle. That peg is a real pain in the but, and even when you think it is in, it's not and it's very hard to tell....you have to kinda bend the panel back a little bit on the front enge by the door opening and peak down at it. Secondly, I think some of the rattle comes from the metal clips that hold the front edge on (by the door jam)...I haven't done this YET, but I'm gonna try spraying those clips with a sound deadening material (Rockford Fosgate makes it), and I'm going to put some Dynamat OVER the hole where these clips go and push the clips through it. Be very careful, these clips "detach" from the back of the panel very easily if you put too much pressure on them. I broke one off and re-attached it with a hot glue gun...so far it has stayed on.

I'm actually not going to go crazy unitl after I get my amp and subwoofer installed, then there won't be as much bass going to the rears anyway. I actually think that some of the rattle comes from that 'god awful' seatbelt assembly above the panel (since it's plactic on plastic). There's really no way to fix that and still be able to adjust the seatbelts.....isn't that a load of fun to take off and put back on!!!!!!

Hope this helps...it very hard to really tell what's rattling because you have to play the music so loud to make it rattle. Even so, I'm pretty impressed with the Focus's interior....it was 100% rattle free before the new stereo and speakers.

Let me know how you make out....

Victor

kebbat · May 2001

...but I'll ask anyway.

Can someone explain how the AVC works? I did read the manual, but there was no explanation of how the stereo recognizes an increase in "outside noise" and thusly increases the volume. I have fiddled around with the different sensitivity settings but I'm wondering how the process works.

Anybody know?

One a non-related issue .... did anyone else experience dk gray/black "fuzzies" left on his or her clothing after removing the seat belt? I find black fiberous balls all over my shirt when I remove the seat belt. The belt doesn't look frayed or worn (the car is only a week old). Just wondering if anyone has seen this?

rwgreenberg · May 2001

I've wondered the same thing myself. I believe the volume must be linked to the engine speed or the car speed and adjusted in sync with one or the other. But which? I have not noticed that this feature has much practical value, so I don't use it, but it sure sounded like a cool idea.

njbongo · May 2001

When changing my stero (see above) I found the wire that reads the AVC Data...it is only a single lead, so I'm pretty sure it reads the RPMS....the same way the RPM gauge does (electronically)....at first I thought is was the MPH, but then I realized that the speedometer has a different color cable, so I don't think thats it.

Actually, I thought the the AVC worked pretty well....especially while driving with the windows open. However, as nice as the stock radio sounded...it wasn't anywhere near good enough for me (I'm an audio nut) so sadly, I can't use that feature anyomore after changing to the new stereo....oh well

jimzzx3 · May 2001

thanx for the tip I haven't yet put my rear speaker walls completely back together properly I feel the same as you regarding my radios, the focuses was okay except the louder I turned it up the less bass I got, so I bought a jvc head unit and knwood rears i already had a box with two tens and an amp. i got all this through crutchfield so i didnt have to splice anything. i do agree with you on the seat belt holders, they are a pain i will reatach the wall better later this spring as i want to redo my wiring to my amp i will keep you informed

njbongo · May 2001

your welcome....I get all my stuff through Crutchfield too..it's a must...if you cut wires, you void your electrically system warranty...let me know what happens, I'll do the same after I install my subs and amp....hopefully there won't be any more rattles after that...

jimmyfocuszx3 · May 2001

Things are swell with my Focus as well. I have owned it since mid March of 2000 and still have less than 15,000 miles on it [Taking to bus to work is lovely] and no major grips recently. I have the hitch mounted bike rack and roof bike rack which means I can transport 7 bikes and four buddies out to the trial head. YAY! I have no problems with the 5 speed and love to make is sing up to 6000rpm then downshift and rocket down the road to the next blind turn.

Be Safe!

Jimmy

rwgreenberg · May 2001

Hi. I think that this problem has come up, but could someone give the latest thoughts on a problem that I ran into yesterday and still have today. As my Z passes the 2000 RPM mark, I'm experiences a period of stumble, hesitation, unevenness, misfiring type of thing. I'm thinking maybe I have a bad tank of gas, but the stumbling seems to be consistently happening at this 2000 -2100 range. Thanks all for your help in this diagnosis. (I guess it looks like I may be giving Ford service a visit for the first time. God help me.)

boston14 · May 2001

Why in the world was a redline not included? Right now I just go by engine sounds.

desertguy · May 2001

I guess Ford figures that with a built in rev-limiter there is no need for a redline since you can't over-rev anyway. Still would be nice to have one.

adleger · May 2001

At the kelly blue book site you can price
a ZX3 withe the options you want. can someone
give more info on option 67h.
reads like this:
S2 feature Car Pkg ZX3
It mentions Graphite Apperance
front chin and rocker pannels
chrome exaust tip
European suspension
rear spoiler
Choosing this package also limits you to just three colors that you can choose.
I haven't seen a ZX3 with a factory spoiler
how are the chin and rocker pannels different
from the other packages?

thanks

petedo · May 2001

I think you can order the S2 package starting in June or July. The dealership I went to didn't even know about it, until I told them.
RWgreenberg, I haven't noticed the stumble at 2000 rpms on my focus, but I know other people have.
Desertguy I'm not positive but I think the redline is around 6800-6850. Not much point in pushing it past 6K though.
To all the people that put aftermarket speakers in, what size speakers did you use? The 5x7, 6x8?
I'm just wondering if anyone tried fitting components in there?

boston14 · May 2001

This sound system is the best EVER for a car of this price. It beats my old 2000 Galant by a country mile and then some. The only thing I would add is some bumper guards all around as I have already had a door ding at 800 miles.

fgaydos · May 2001

My front bumper, such as it is, has gotten dinged four times already after one year. Anyone know of a ball park figure in replacing it?
The local body shop guy told me because it is plastic he cannot repair it.
Any thoughts?

njbongo · May 2001

Hi all.......the correct speaker size if 5x7 AND 6x8....they are really one in the same...I reccomend ordering replacements from Crutchfield...you get free speaker wiring adapters, and diagrams showing you how to get the door and rear panels off. on a side not, I ordered the POLK 5x7 for $99 pair...I had these speakers in my last car, and they are amazing for the price.

Also, to anyone with this 2000 RPM stumble thing...I've heard aout it, but is there really a fix, or is it just the way the engine is....I have the problem sometimes, usually I just downshift, but if there is a fix, I'd like to know what it is before I bring it to the dealer.

Also, the S2 package is available for order now....I have a flyer from the NY Auto show that says it's availabe "in May".....I also have dealer order codes for the options...they are:

Body Style: P31
Premium Group (required): 50P
S2 Package: 67H

Exterior Colors:

Sangria Red FL
CD Silver TS
Liquid Grey CX

If you give the dealer these codes, they can order it for you, by the way...you canb also still order all of the other Zx3 options with it...sunroof, advancetrac, power group, auto, etc...

later guys

Vic

kebbat · May 2001

I belive the S2 is also known as the "Street Edition."

I test drove a ZX3 at a dealership in NH that had in stock the S2 group, that was the second week in April.

In addition to what was noted above the S2 group also includes an in-dash 6 CD changer. The difference in the bottom panels is that they are black, as opposed to the color matched "regular" ZX3's. That's how it was explained to me.

I think invoice for that is $400.

njbongo · May 2001

Your right about the cd changer, and I think it's supposed to stand for Street Edition 2, since the first street edition was only for the sedan and wagon....the S2 package also includes a slightly stiffer suspension (from the European-made Foci) and the lower body panels are supposed to be Platinum Grey....BLACK IS THE STANDARD ZX3 COLOR !!!...if you look at a street edition Focus at a dealership, and it has black bottom panels...there's one of two things going on....they changed the specs at the last minute (doubtful)...or the dealer is slapping on the spoiler and 6-disc CD player pretending it's a street edition to charge extra money for a regular Zx3(I wouldn't put that past SOME of the Ford dealers to do.

Anyway...hope this info helps...if anyone wants a copy of the S2 flyer I have, email me...I can always scan it ..I will try to post it here, but the last time I tried pictures, they didn't work...

later

Vic

vadp · May 2001

There is no fix so far.
I wonder if the owners of the '01 Foci experience the same thing.

rwgreenberg · May 2001

Yes. My Z is a 2001.

Ford Focus ZX3

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles

Your Privacy