Ford Focus ZX3

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Comments

  • shov6shov6 Member Posts: 177
    Hello, board, it's been a while... Since mid-March, I see. Not to worry, looks like the only thing I missed was ZX3Beast (mostly) leaving the board. :)

    So... The update. Since day one (which would be 11 months and 11 thousand miles ago), my 2001 ZX3 has been in the shop... Once. This was reported by me all those months ago, and the reason for that visit was to replace a tire (sidewall of the tire ruptured). For those that don't recall or weren't on the board at that time, it was a simple matter of convincing the service manager to swap out my bum tire for a new one by way of stealing a whole wheel/tire assembly off of a new car in the lot! Got a brand-new 16" wheel and tire out of the deal... In and out in 30 minutes. Best service experience of my entire life. :)

    So... no problems. Not a squeak, a rattle, a stall, a squirm, a crunch, or any of this "agricultural" noise that some have mentioned in their manny trannies. I love the car, it's still the best driving car I have ever owned. I do wish it had more power, and I am severely annoyed that I don't have an SVT model, but I would recommend this car without reservation to anyone in the market for a car of this size and type.

    Overall mileage, and I HAVE been keeping track, has been 26.6mpg.

    After seeing so much negative feedback on this car I feel like I should list my dislikes, after truly getting to know the car well:

    1- The coin tray is an abomination. Very hard to get coins in and out of. Really.

    2- A hearty Bronx cheer goes out to the doors' self-locking feature. I am quite capable of deciding when I need to lock the doors, thank you very much!

    3- Needs more power and slightly better mileage wouldn't hurt.

    4- The view out the rear 3/4 isn't so hot, but maybe that's just relative considering my last three cars were all 4-door sedans.

    That's it.

    On the plus side, I give five stars to the handling, the steering feel, the ride, the brakes, the audio system, interior room, SUPERB headlights, and the all-around driving experience. This car is a blast, as long as you aren't in too much of a hurry! :)

    And I can't stress enough that I have had no problems at ALL with the car, and my one visit to the dealer (for a defective FIRESTONE, imagine that!!) was quick and painless, even though the BUYING experience wasn't the best (tried to get me to buy the car I didn't want, rooked me on my trade-in, etc.)

    Very good, but not top notch ratings (let's call it FOUR stars) go out to the seats, the shift-action of the manual box, the quality of the interior plastics, and... Well I've run out of things that aren't absolutely world-class, but I do also happen to think that the exhaust note is pretty nice!

    All in all, I couldn't be happier with my Focus. Unless it were an SVT or a European RS model, of course!

    Two thumbs up!

    SHOV6
    2001 ZX-3, Black, 5spd, Power/Premium packages, ABS, sunroof
  • silver_bulletsilver_bullet Member Posts: 1,339
    It sounds like you got a "Wednesday" car, as we used to say back in the bad old days of British car quality control :) Glad your 2001 model has been so trouble free. Based on personal experience as well as posts from hundreds of people on www.focaljet.com, I'd have to say the quality of the ZX3 is "spotty" at best. It is a neat car for the money, and I enjoy driving ours when everything is working, but I dislike having the feeling that something else is about to crap out on me...
  • mdrivermdriver Member Posts: 385
    Go back two decades and it wasn't just the British car industry that had exclusive rights to poor workmanship.
  • mkenton1mkenton1 Member Posts: 2
    Just took advantage of the 0% interest deal this weekend and purchased a 2001 cd silver zx3 with manual transmission. The car had 23 miles on it when I drove it off the lot. Coming off a 95 escort lx with 95,000 miles the focus is a sweet car however.... We got a really hard rain in central Iowa yesterday and when I went out to my car to head home after work then entire passenger side "footroom area" was sopping wet. The rain was seeping in from the molding under the glove box. What the? This is obviously a build quality issue but it doesn't make it any less annoying. Anyone else have a similar situation? Also, I'm just a stupid girl....but the repairs would be covered under the warranty, right?
  • revkarevka Member Posts: 1,750
    And sorry to hear about your ZX3 problem. Being that it's a new car, it should definitely be covered under the warranty. Btw, while your waiting here for feedback, you may also want to check out our ongoing Ford Focus zx3 problems discussion. Use your copy/paste so you don't have to re-write your message. Good luck, and please keep us posted.


    Revka

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    Hatchbacks / Station Wagons / Women's Auto Center Boards

  • silver_bulletsilver_bullet Member Posts: 1,339
    There are several service bulletins out regarding the water leak problem. Some folks (like me) had water puddles forming due to the A/C evaporator core leaking onto the floor - others have problems with windshield and firewall sealing. Make your dealer do the research for the bulletins, and fix your car correctly. This is definitely a warranty item.
  • boston14boston14 Member Posts: 111
    No question power is lacking even in the 5 speed. I have test driven and eleantra and prizm in stick and both were quite quick in low end power. In fact I think the eleantra shifts just as good as a civic. I got the zx3 cause Ford sold it for 2 grand under invoice to me. Other wise I would have just gotten a Corolla or Civic. Steering feel is awesome, power is not.
  • zx3beastzx3beast Member Posts: 661
    silver bullet, i traded my beast for a 2001 5spd. silver neon. my very
    first silver colored vehicle, thanks to you. i love the color, it never
    looks dirty. my objective was to take the smallest hit possible on a trade. coupled with a 2,000 rebate + 925.00 discount and a trade dollar to cover any inequity, the deal was favorable. i had ponder the decision for a month. it seems for now to be a well made vehicle for its class. im not going to knock the focus, i like the idea. i became wary
    of what was going to go next. in some ways im disappointed i didnt stick it out., especially how vocal i was about it. but on the other side of it,
    for peace of mind, i had to move on. fgaydos, i hope you get the ride you want. shov6,i agree with you,the zx3 is a very fun car to drive and i wish you continued good luck.i still enjoy reading all the post but since i had traded my focus, i didnt feel it was right to post in the forum anymore.
  • cobiecobie Member Posts: 108
    I'm suprised, SHOV6, that you like you focus' headlights so much. I find that they are very good on "bright", however, on low beam the mid range is quite dark. All the light is right in front of the car and where your eys are suppose to look -- some ways down the road -- there's no light at all unless the hi beams are on. I find the cutoff way too abrupt.
    In general, though, I don't find american headlamps very good. Why we don't use superior european specs, I don't know.
  • shov6shov6 Member Posts: 177
    Strange how the Neon has an even worse reputation than the Focus, but the two people I know who own them have had nothing but good luck with them. Most notably my friend who bought one back in '94 (?? I think, I'd have to call him to be sure) and had only one problem with it in the first 50k miles, when the clutch cable snapped and left him stranded. Oops. But that's about it, he wants a new car but two kids (and another on the way) have sucked the money away! They've had worse luck with their Cirrus, but that's another story.

    And an ex-gf of mine had a Neon, as well. As reliable as anything I'd ever seen. I only wish SHE were as reliable as the car...

    So, good luck to you Beast. I hold no grudges for you jumping ship, you found something that makes you happy and that's what counts. And for the record, what I really WANTED was a silver car, not a black one. I HATE BLACK CARS!! Looks nice when it's clean, which lasts for, oh, 90 seconds or so after you're done washing it LOLOLOL!!!

    And this one goes out to Boston14... If you think the Elantra and Civic have "better low end power", at least to the point that you would choose one car over another, you were relying on subjective feelings... While an Elantra is faster in a straight line, it would be barely more than a car-length in a 0-60 run against a ZX-3 (I'm talking 5spd vs. 5spd here, dunno about slushboxes)... The Honda? If you are comparing the upper-echelon models, they run about neck-and-neck with an Elantra, but cost WAY more. A car like my 15k-sticker ZX-3 would cost over 17k in a Civic. Worth it? Up to you, I guess. Especially if you got your car 2grand off of invoice... And I note you said INVOICE, not sticker... So a Civic EX, with a 5spd and alloys will sticker around 17 large, and the most expensive ZX-3 would invoice at, oh, 15 large, so you couldn't have paid more than 13. Four thousand dollars more for two tenths in the quarter mile? Hmmmm.... How important IS that power to you?

    In any event, measurably and subjectively better handling than either car, better brakes, and no cookie-cutter styling in the Focus would seal the deal for ME.

    And congrats, by the way, on getting a car two grand under invoice. I won't even ask how you pulled THAT off. :)

    SHOV6
    2001 ZX-3
  • mdrivermdriver Member Posts: 385
    All 5spds

    ZX3: 10.2s
    Elantra GLS: 8.6s (assume GT is slightly slower)
    Civic EX: 7.9s
  • cobiecobie Member Posts: 108
    GM regularly uses "black boxes" in its vehicles to monitor vehicle behaviour (and who know what else?). I know Ford uses these black boxes in some of their vehicles. Does anyone know in which vehicles Ford places these black boxes? Are they used in Focus'?
  • moses5moses5 Member Posts: 61
    Beware of the brakes, just had them replaced. $425.00. The rotars and pads wear out together. They are composite.
  • silver_bulletsilver_bullet Member Posts: 1,339
    Focus brakes are thoroughly conventional - cast iron rotors with metallic "composite" pads, and cast iron drums with similar composition shoes in the rear (unless your car has four wheel discs). $425.00 for what? If all you got was new front rotors and pads, you were screwed. High quality aftermarket rotors are about $50-$75 each, and a set of pads for the front brakes runs between $30 and $80. Replacing these parts on a ZX3 is an easy job for an amateur home mechanic, so most of us do it ourselves... maybe inflated dealer parts prices and the labor charge are responsible for what you were charged.
  • shov6shov6 Member Posts: 177
    I wasn't basing my comments on Edmunds, but on C&D magazine. Without the issue in front of my face, I recall:

    Civic- 8.3
    Elantra- 8.4
    ZX-3- 8.7

    The sedan model of the Focus was clocked at 9.3 or thereabouts, so where Edmunds came up with 10.1, I can't imagine. The only over-10sec clockings I have seen in the mainstream auto press were automatics.

    And... The gap narrows when you are talking about 1/4 mile times, nearly to the level of statistical insignificance.

    In the end, though, to "focus" one the one performance category that the other cars win in misses the point. This is not a drag racer, it's a car that does everything well and in nearly perfect balance. THAT is why it's a great car, not the numbers it posts at the drag strip.
  • dudkadudka Member Posts: 451
    I heard that Ford was coming out with a 180 hp SVT hatch in fall, any news on that, and what would the price be? I have to confess, I have always drove honda's, but the zx3 looks very very, did i mnetion very good. i will have to wait and comparison drive the new civic si and the SVT hatch, side by side. i already have an idea what si will go for, just owndered if anyone had pricing info on the svt hatch.
  • revkarevka Member Posts: 1,750
    You'll find a direct link to our ongoing Ford Focus SVT discussion in the Additional Resources on the left side of the page. You may find the information you need there. Good luck. ;-)


    Revka

    Host

    Hatchbacks / Station Wagons / Women's Auto Center Boards

  • camryv6camryv6 Member Posts: 42
    About how much is a new 2001 or 2002 ford focus zx3? Im just intrested in getting the base model withor withoutt a/c. But it must be automatic.
  • boston14boston14 Member Posts: 111
    In Seattle, the Pierre Ford dealers at the time of my zx3 purchase had 5 zx3s for 11,566 or 11,166 with college rebate. They were all stick, power grp and premium package. I got the last one and thank god it was not black, got white. I have seem them sell wagons for 13,996 and many to choose from. Thats one good thing about Ford, no haggle can be done quite easily especially in a big city. I am starting to become loyal to Ford because of this and only this.
  • mdrivermdriver Member Posts: 385
    The problem with the ZX3's average acceleration is not necessarily because of its engine, but because of its super wide gear ratios. This is done mainly to increase MPGs for Ford. Ohterwise, there's no reason why a Civic with 127HP beats a Focus with 130HP. The Civic EX's gearing is nice a closely spaced, as it should be.
  • boston14boston14 Member Posts: 111
    I dont get that one. My old 2000 Galant got the same mileage and it was auto and a 2.4 engine. By the way the Galant has a killer 4 cyl. Most underrated car engine I have engine had, the car just took up too much garage space. Well, I get about 22 to 24 at best mix of city, hwy. My car at 7 months and 3400 miles is just breaking in. The tractor noise is gone and shifts are smooth and power IS getting better. Does anyone else think the Sentra SE has no room? I am only 5 5 130pds and couldnt really stand to be in that thing at the dealer. I have never had one complaint about the room in the Focus. Galant room sucks too, my friend said that the first time he was in it.
  • mdrivermdriver Member Posts: 385
    I think it is widely accepted that a cheap way to improve mileage is to space the ratios futher apart. Corvettes used to have a feature in their 6sp trans that made the driver shift from 1st to 3rd (under light/medium throttle) to improve fuel economy. Close ratio gears tend to keep the engine RPMs higher, thus wasting a bit more fuel.
  • fdthirdfdthird Member Posts: 352
    Chevy still does that with the Vette as my friend needed to by an aftermarket "fix" so his 2002 could be shifted normally
  • shov6shov6 Member Posts: 177
    ...at least that's what I think GM calls it. And yes, I did think that it was STILL a "feature" of the Corvette... And the unmentioned other recipient of this "feature" is the 6-spd version of the Camaro and Firebird with the 350. By the way, the skip shift pushes you from first to FOURTH gear, not third (via a solenoid in the shift mechanism, forcing you across the gate into 4th instead of 2nd), when it senses that you aren't accelerating hard enough. :)

    As for the mileage question (in the ZX-3 now), it still perplexes me that this car doesn't get better mileage, as it isn't noticeably better than my old 140k mile, 92 Taurus SHO when it hadn't been tuned up in two years. That car did a consistent 29-30mpg highway and low twenties in town, which is within 10% of what my 5spd Focus does with 90 fewer horsepower and 800lbs less weight. Granted, that thing was spinning fewer RPM's on the highway, but not THAT much difference.

    Doesn't matter to me in the end. The car is a blast to drive if, as I have mentioned, you aren't in a big hurry. :)

    I wonder what kind of mileage numbers the SVT model will put up on the board?
  • boston14boston14 Member Posts: 111
    Stickers on the car. That has to be a bigger lie than someone saying Britney Spears can sing.
  • silver_bulletsilver_bullet Member Posts: 1,339
    As you might expect :) The test procedures can be reviewed at their website, but basically, they are laboratory conditions rarely seen in the real world. I may be wrong, but I think Ford gets a little "credit" by fitting the Focus with an upshift light - years ago, my VW GTI had an upshift light, and the EPA allowed VW to quote a slightly better MPG figure on cars that had this stupid gadget... thinking that people would actually follow its lead and shift early, thereby saving fuel. Our ZX3 gets miserable mileage in town (about 22 MPG) but does great on highway runs at 70+ MPH (around 31 MPG).
  • boston14boston14 Member Posts: 111
    You have to run at ticket speed to have a decent mpg.
  • boston14boston14 Member Posts: 111
    You have to run at ticket speed to have a decent mpg. The wrx looks awesome. That is one thing I will buy if I win the lottery. 2nd thing I buy is a dream motorcycle, the new Kawasaki zzr1200r.
  • mdrivermdriver Member Posts: 385
    EPA has in recent years atificially lowered their estimates by some factor to more closely resemble real MPG. In the 70s and 80s, their MPG numbers were wildy too high. Now, I'd say they are just about right as many people report higher than EPA's mileage as do lower.
  • trevatreva Member Posts: 39
    Just taken my z in for its 15k service. As in previous services, I found quite a difference in quotes between local service departments, even though they're all Blue Oval certified. I'll be charged $159 for this one. Credit where it's due : Frontier Ford on Stevens Creek Boulevard, Santa Clara, CA.
    Heh, they even gave free coffee, but more importantly gave me a free loner for the day without being asked. Unfortunately, it's a Contour which doesn't hold anything up to the zx3, the interior design is simply awful by comparison. I was looking to see if I could get a zx3 SVT for the day !, but no dice.
    I thought I'd already got all recalls covered previously, but no they came up with another one - a fault with the windscreen wiper motor cover - which needs replacing. I'm also getting them to look at the leaky aircon unit giving a damp passenger well carpet. This has been mentioned by a few of you folks, before.
    Other than that, she's as smooth as silk. No really !

    treva
  • shov6shov6 Member Posts: 177
    This subject was covered in some detail about a year ago when "we" discussed this originally... Actually it's the manufacturer who does the actual testing, and the EPA really just certifies their results (as the testing is done by manufacturer reps to the EPA standards). In any event, it says right there on the sticker that your results will not necessarily mirror the numbers they quote.

    That doesn't mean I'm not baffled by the difference between the sticker and real life. Notice I said "baffled" and not "mad". The difference in real-world terms, as in the amount of money that disappears from my wallet every month, is so small that it becomes a non-issue to me. I am very happy with the car overall and I'm not going to cry over a hundred bucks or so over a year.
  • docteddocted Member Posts: 3
    Has anybody figured out a way to disconnect the automatic door locks, especially
    on the passenger door. My dealer could not.
    Thanks. Ted.
  • fdthirdfdthird Member Posts: 352
    Anybody see the long term Focus report in the newest Car and Driver? It was of a 2000 SE Wagon and they said some very positive things. They particularly applauded the mechanical reliability and the cost of service as compared to other cars in the class.

    Looks like all the 2000 Focus are not as unreliable as some on this forum would have us believe.

    My son's 2001 SE Sport has got over 6000 miles on it since last March and it is still a great car.
  • revkarevka Member Posts: 1,750
    Btw, Edmunds' 2000 Long Term Road Test also gives the this vehicle pretty high marks. For those interested, here's a direct link: Long-Term Road Test: 2000 Ford Focus ZX3. For future reference, look for a direct link to this in the Additional Resources on the left side of the page. Happy Motoring!

    Revka
    Host
    Hatchbacks / Station Wagons / Women's Auto Center Boards
  • 01redzx301redzx3 Member Posts: 10
    Hello to everyone. I have to say that i have had my ZX3 for 8 months and it has 16.000 mils, on it. I work at a hospital and i drive 35 mi, one way to and from work . the car has been great to me and all i have to say about the car is good things. this has been a great car and it has never had to go to the shop . i will buy this same car the next time i have to buy a new car .my ZX3 has all the toys on it and man is it fun to drive and do i drive it yes i do . i have to go on the highway to and from work and comeing home late at nite from work i go anywhere from 95-100 MPH in this car and let me tell you all that this car will hold the road good .i'm a nurse and i work the 3:30-12:00am shift so i'm on the road very late at nite so thats how i get away with going so fast i guess .if and when i do get stoped i just show the officer my work i.d. and he lets me go thank god . LOL.. but anyway i think the zx3 has been good to me . well you guys take care and be safe .. thanks for all the good info i get on this post . best of luck to all of you . :-)
  • fgaydosfgaydos Member Posts: 319
    Some folks know I have been looking to replace my ZX3. I have been looking around all the sites and finally decided on the Civic but changed my mind when I realized it is in the top ten list for stolen cars. The Neon and Jetta dont get the approval from CReports. I'm really interested in a Subaru but may not be able to affore it. So it looks like a Sentra. AAA model of the year, like the Focus in '00.
    But, now I need to replace the side view mirror. Think some kids broke it off. Don't see any impact damage. Anyone know how long this takes to fix? Money?
    As for my repair and replacement of my transmission; the crack repair crew at Pacifico Ford in Philly managed to strip the tie rod ends and also left loose motor mounts. Now they did this on purpose or they are idiots. I yelled and scremed a lot as my car sat in their lot for four days till they got around to looking at it. May have hurt their feelings. In any event I took in to Holman Ford in NJ and they fixed it right but I will have to wait 4-6 weeks to get reimbursed as it was under warrenty. ($230.00)While there they also replaced the rear brake drum and deglazed the pads..., no more squealing breaks.
  • fdthirdfdthird Member Posts: 352
    Sounds like the dealer is the nightmare more than the car!
  • myfordfocusmyfordfocus Member Posts: 2
    fgaydos,
    How bad is the break? I managed to break mine, without any exterior damage. Basically I broke all the mounting stubs, or whatever they are called, on the inside. I was able to glue it all back together using J&B Weld, which is available at just about any auto parts store. I got mine @ AutoZone. Worked great, it's been about a month and it's still on there. :)
  • clayman1000clayman1000 Member Posts: 69
    I just replaced the whole thing. I snipped the wires. I guess I could have gluded it back in place but want to do the right thing as I'm getting ready to sell it.
    Looks like $65.00 for the mirror and $75.00 for the service and about one hour's time.
    Sigh!
    Waiting to see if the 'Sales Tax Holiday' is going to happen or I would have traded it in already.
  • 2kzx32kzx3 Member Posts: 1
    hi all i have a 2000 zx3, so far my car has been great aside from some recalls i do wish it had more power however. it has 24900 miles mostly highway my mpg is always high 20s however my last tank i got 32 not to bad i just wanted people to know there are some of us very happy with our cars
  • boston14boston14 Member Posts: 111
    Here in Seattle, there is a Honda on every corner and that is one reason when I win the lottery I will not buy a Honda or Acura. I like to be a little different and now want a Mazda or Mercury to be different. Honda cars are good no doubt but too good can be sterile and boring.
  • clayman1000clayman1000 Member Posts: 69
    Boston14,
    I'll take reliable and boring anyday. I do not need to know my service man on a first name basis.:>)
    To be fair, I love my ZX3 and every long term road tester on the net loves them also. Even Consumer Reports loves them but states rightly that it remains to be seen if they are reliable in the long run. Right now that are not.
  • seminole_kevseminole_kev Member Posts: 1,696
    your idea of long run must be different than mine. They've only been available in the states since the 2000 model year. I'd consider long term reliability to be at least 5 years down the road. To me there is no long term reliability information available on the Focus.

    By the way, if you want reliable but boring, get a Camry or a Corolla. Pretty much defines those two models.
  • clayman1000clayman1000 Member Posts: 69
    Not MY idea of long term but it is all that is available.
    The problem with the two models you suggest is that they are in the top ten for most stolen. You will pay the insurance company through the nose.

    But, I agree otherwise, reliable but boring.
  • cgsangelcgsangel Member Posts: 79
    I got a close look at a red ZX5 today. It looked sharp and the extra doors don't spoil the look. The sticker was over $18,000 on the ZX5. It looked as if it had every option available, including sunroof, automatic and special wheels.

    I'm still pleased with my 2000 ZX3. Almost 24,000 miles with no shop repairs other than the recalls. Still very tight with no rattles.

    Last week, I had a chance to ride in a 2000 Sentra 5 speed for a thousand mile trip. It belongs to my sister and we shared the trip. Not a bad car at all. Very smooth transmission and plenty of go, with exceptional gas mileage.

    But when I got back to my Focus today, I realized how much I missed it. The comfort and extra room was much greater in the Focus. I kept trying to get comfortable in the Sentra, but for me the seating is way too low. I felt like I was sitting on the floor and my pocket change kept falling out.

    I go for another 1000 mile trip in 3 weeks (this time in my ZX3), and in October, I had my Focus on an extended trip too. So the miles are building up, but it's been a very reliable and enjoyable ride.

    Charlie
    2000 ZX3 Autumn orange, auto
  • clayman1000clayman1000 Member Posts: 69
    All 2000 and 2001 Focus are being recalled due to a possible corrision of a rear wheel seal from road salt. Might cause your wheels to 'wobble'.
    Way to go Ford.
  • tgrcubtgrcub Member Posts: 22
    I'm so excited... my very first recall on my 2001 Focus... I feel like part of the Focus family now... my little ZX3 has been a dream so far ( aside from keeping it clean )... but living up here in NH, I guess the rear wheel wobble would be a nice compliment to the hideously squeeky brakes when they are a bit moist in the morning... if this car wasn't so darn fun to drive, I tell ya...
  • kebbatkebbat Member Posts: 41
    How do I get more information on this recall? I live in MA and lots of road salt is in my very near future.

    Looked at recall notices on Edmunds and also on the Ford Owners site .... I didn't see anything about this.
  • cobiecobie Member Posts: 108
    I want to purchase aftermarket wheels for my x3 but don't feel confident buying what I know little about. Any ideas, thoughts, recommendations about what to look for when buying aftermarket wheels? TIA
  • silver_bulletsilver_bullet Member Posts: 1,339
    Cobie - Go to this site for some great info and products. They are a class act.
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