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Comments
and the parts wait etc.im starting to sense some
real concerns here regarding the long term reliability.im again at a crossroads as well.im
really reluctant to trade but then again i also have my doubts.im trying to weigh the positives and the negatives.its a fun car to drive but at
what cost? are more of the problems attributed to
poor workmanship(assembly) or cut-rate parts?
any thoughts?
I think Focus can really shine in a few years (new better engine ,three years should be enough for Mexican assembly plant to learn what it takes to do it right)
I will consider a trade-in when new model will come out (2003?).
Jimmy
hold out for 3 yrs. before i trade,however from reading z2benzo post
i have real concerns waiting that long.im hitting the dealers to see what
i can get for my z.im 50/50 on trading right now.
ask for a service date and whether parts are in stock. what kind of planning is that? called dealer,too busy to take a phone call,called ford
they called dealer,also could not get through. they are probably too busy doing all the other recall work. it always pays to do it right the first time. you pay more than twice as much later.time is money! im
off for a new car search.
I think some nice black mats with the Focus logo in the color of the car would look great against the grey carpeting.
Charlie
For those who have had the recall done, how much of a difference is there between the old and new trim? Is it noticeably softer? I'm just wondering because if I'm strapped in my seat belt harness with air bags all around, and the head room is so great compared to most other compacts... what additional protection at the A pillar would make that much of a difference in an accident? Is it for people who knock their heads against the frame when they're exiting?
I don't want to make light of this recall if it is legitimate, so I guess all I'm asking is for someone knowledgeable to voice their opinion.
After driving cars for over 30 years (the first few before seat belts), when my first cars were just tinny metal boxes...I feel pretty safe in my Focus. Have there been any other compact cars that have failed this test and been recalled?
Charlie
Examined the car carefully in and out before delivery and couldn't find one defect in material or workmanship. Tried everything and all works as it should. Hope this holds up.
As well, dealer was excellent!
Will keep everyone posted.
Don't think it is to keep people from bumping their heads while exiting the focus thru the door they opened intentionally. I think it is because the material does not meet the requirements of some federal or state standard. It is not soft enough or not thick enough to protect our thick skulls from cracking if involved in a accident where our head might strike that area of the vehicle interior.
Gad, it was so simple before the Ralph Nadar big day!
Pat
wants and needs in a vehicle. despite my reservations concerning the
rash of recalls,i have come to the conclusion that the z is an incredible
value within in its class.of course,i have stated this many times prev-
iously.i do not blame the problems on the assemblers in mexico. in fact,
i am extreemely pleased with the interior and exterior fit and finish.
my beef is and has been some of the cut-rate ,cheesy out-sourced parts.
i believe this is the main culprit.i still maintain there is a definite
lack of quality control,that is above the norm. my case in point is the
common problems which exist with the owners who have reported here.
in my opinion, parts and not assembling of same is what needs to be improved and quickly. i am truly fond of this cars handling and braking
performance. quite frankly, at this price point nothing else compares ,
even with the recalls, and questionable long term reliability. another
argument can be made that if there is this many problems early on,
that is likely there will be more after the warranty expires. as always,
time will tell. when i look at the overall picture, it always comes down
to the fun factor. even if it cost a little more than i had bargained for
a couple of years from now,i will enjoy the ride today. tomorrow may never be.
As for comparsion between the ZX2 and the ZX3. I used to own a ZX2 before the ZX3. The engine in ZX2 and ZX3 appears to be the same. The difference is that the ZX3 is about a couple of hundred pounds heavier. This means the ZX3 is always going to slower in acceleration.
While I like the ZX2, the ZX3 is more practical with bigger trunk space and interior room, plus the suspension is better at absorbing bumps. On the downside, while the ZX2 have been very reliable, the Focus may not be as reliable as its predecessor.
Paul
On the downside, I'm going to take a hit for the following on the ZX3: lower gas mileage, lower trade-in value, potentially more repairs. The mileage and trade-in values are definite since there's no way a domestic will hold its value like an import and the mileage is consdierably lower. The question is whether those amounts will outweigh the initial savings....only time will tell.
- Could somebody tell me what is the correct tire pressure on Focus ZX3? Front/rear and also where this info can be found.
- Why they recommend to use 87 octane gas in the user guide? How does this work in Europe where the poorest gas is 92 octane and they drive on 97 octane gas? Could somebody cast some light in this?
Thanks.
- R -
How could the presure be the same? More presure needed where the engine is - isn't that right?
So what will be the difference if I use more octane gas? Better millage? Could it harm the engine?
Thanks.
Pat
If an engine isn't designed to sense knock and adjust itself accordingly, using too high an octane rating wastes money and buys you nothing. It is hard to go too far wrong following recommended guidelines - unless you own an Explorer and inflate your Firestones as Ford recommended ;-)
And if this has you drooling, news that the Focus will cost a mere £26,000 should guarantee long queues at Ford dealers.
Figures we obtained from a Ford insider also reveal the 220bhp turbocharged car will sprint from 0-60mph in only 5.7 seconds, despite being front-wheel-drive. This ensures that the rally-derived machine would leave the new 4wd Impreza WRX behind; Subaru says its 215bhp cult car can hit 60mph from a standstill in 5.9 seconds. Through the gears, the new Focus RS races from 30-70mph in a mere 6.1 seconds. When road tested by us, the Impreza WRX took 6.6 seconds.
The Focus's pace can be partly attributed to its low kerbweight. At only 1,230kg it is more than 100kg lighter than its current rivals, offering a real advantage against the clock. It is understood that Brembo, the brake firm which supplies high-performance makers such as Porsche and Ferrari, is developing the Ford's stoppers. The project must be finished by February in time for the production car's unveiling at the Geneva Motor Show in March.
i looked up auto express' site and couldn't find confirmation of the thrilling info in your post. where did you get this info? also, i assume you're in the uk and i'm wondering whether you've got any info as to if/when the rs might make its way over the pond. this is exactly what i've been waiting for! anyone wanna buy a slightly used zx3?
we americans often get the short end of the performance car stick. this and dubya likely taking office soon (illegitemately, i might add) makes me want to pack my bags and move. then again... over here 26k pounds buys... let's see - a saab 9-3 viggen, audi s4, chevy corvette, bmw 330i, lincoln ls, s2000 or m-b c320. and even with these - you can might still afford a used zx3 to get the groceries.
rwgreen - filters - walmarts got 'em. i'm unsure of the part number - but look up in their parts book and if the 2000's aren't listed yet, look for the escort zx2 cuz it's the same filter.
a base of confident consumers.remember,the selling price of a turbo
would be nearly 60 to 80% higher than current model.despite the
glowing reviews of the european counterpart,the focus in its current form here is still unproven. despite the sales numbers and current build waits,the u.s. focus still has issues.i think honda will get the jump next year with their new model.they already have ford beat on the reputation for quality.shame on ford for dropping the ball early.
although i am no fan of honda,i will admit that honda would have an easier time selling current consumers a turbo version quicker than ford.ford blew a golden opportunity with the current focus,in regards to
the quality issues.
Thats why we wont see that RS, especially since its 26,000 pounds! (Over $30k US) We might get a toned down version with MAYBE 200hp, but you are correct, that the 20-somethings here in the US cant afford much more than $25k, and would not pay more than $20k for a hatchback...
But it would be nice to go around in a little car like that racing boxters, 330Ci's, IS300's, S4's, etc. and winning!
a performance focus would not likely sell here for anywhere near 26k pounds. identical motorcycles and cars can sell for nearly twice as much over there in the uk. why? i dunno - taxes maybe. -those brits and their taxes.
hasn't anyone read the issue of sport compact car a few months ago with the project focus? forced induction (i don't recall whether it was a turbo or supercharger), along with various other extensive modification and i believe the total price was kept in line with the civic si ($18?). There is no doubt ford or svt should be able produce something along those lines within $20k while assembling a more refined product.
the capability of the focus' chassis with some upgraded tuning and a hotter engine (some agressive factory body mods wouldn't hurt) could easily give notably more expensive cars like the 240sx, mx-6, gti-vr6, prelude type-sh, integra gs-r (or even type-r) a run for their money - all while being more practical (and agruably prettier). and it'd blow the civic si and impreza 2.5rs out of the water.
i'd think that whoever makes the decisions at ford USA ought to be shot if s/he doesn't make this a reality.
this could also shake the haunting (almost embassasing) escort legacy of the focus that seems to afflict people who haven't experienced the car personally. after riding in or driving my focus, my friends are often surprised and even shocked at how its performance and demeanor exceeded their low expectations of this escort-replacement.
Focus ZR3 - now i think that's got a nice ring to it. if you, ford, are listening, you can use that (all i want in return is a charcoal metallic focus zr3 with a burgundy leather interior and brushed aluminum accents along with access to your private test track, if you've got one).
also, i had read somewhere that the focus platform lends itself well to AWD. it is a very capable rally car also. now how about a focus a la legacy outback. in fact - i read volvo will be releasing a mini-sport-ute based on the focus in the very near future.
somewhere in there was high praise for my focus. if you got a lemon... better you than me. just kidding, i'm sorry.
i've a lot of empathy for those whose cars let them down. my previous car, my beloved '91 vw, developed the car equivalent of leprocy about a year ago and left me stranded at home, in parking lots, and not to mention on the road about a dozen times in 6 months before i got my focus.
zbeast - honda wouldn't have to put out a turbo because they're about ten years ahead in engine technology. i wouldn't rate the focus' engine better than my friend's '91 accord. they've mastered variable valve timing to get unnatural hp/displacement figures (100hp per liter in the civic si - engine's been around since the del sol vtec circa 1995) while ford is still trying to get the hang of multi-valve OHC engines while still using pushrod types in some models.
wake up ford! there IS a reason domestics' resale values pale in comparison to the imports'. the focus was a meritorious effort (though technically euroford's effort) - make it better.
Please consider learning to walk before you attempt running. Keep in mind that what comes around, goes around. Your relentless squeezing of Ford suppliers to make parts more cheaply has paid off - your cars are now made of crap. Happy shareholders, unhappy owners, and your reputation heading for the dumpster. Don't produce more sophisticated cars until you have the service departments to fix them. Maybe 4400 Ford dealers in the U.S. are a few too many? How about trying to weed out the bottom feeders who think that hanging a Ford sign in front of their business gives them the right to mistreat customers and further tarnish your name? Your "we just make the cars, they sell them" attitude has got to stop - the dealers ARE the Ford Motor Company to most people... who else do we see? At the end of the day, remember that a good design spoiled by spotty quality and poor reliability does you no favors - the bad taste left in the customer's mouth often lasts the rest of his life.
Oh, and how about considering adjusting your ridiculous salary down a bit until you get some of these items off your "to do" list?
i thought it'd be difficult to give up some of these things creature comforts but reluctantly took delivery of my underequipped z. it was either this or a vw gti and this was so much more car (gadgets aside) for about $7000 less. i couldn't ignore the enormous value the focus brought to the table.
the fixed steering wheel turned out to be a near perfect fit for me. the crank windows aren't too annoying, especially on a 2-door, except that time a pretty hot chick pulled up on my right side to ask directions... and i had to lean over and crank. (the car is pretty narrow inside and i got pretty long arms, so it's not too bad) no visor light gets the girls upset at night when they can't touch up their war paint. the side-view mirrors move slightly down each time i wash em, though i've gotten pretty good at fixing em up quick by now.
i leased mine, and that made it a bit easier to justify my decision, but i've no regrets nor real complaints. i only wish i had an armrest and a crank moonroof though i think i'll be able to go on with my life without em.
any odd sounds or lag points on the engine's power band have diappeared long ago and 7 months later the car still rides and drives beyond my expectations.
unless traction control is important to you (for mindless driving in the snow?) i'd say go for it fdanna! don't wait. patience is not a virtue. good things come to those who don't wait. carpe diem.
just make sure you get abs because it's gotten me out of trouble 5 times and counting.
fdr wasn't responsible for getting the us out of the depression, it was hitler. reagan didn't end the cold war. bush (the original) didn't get the us in a depression and clinton didn't get us out.
fdanna: one more thing - pass on the floormats if you can and get your own. they're cheap as hell. mine looks a whole lot older than they should. costco's (price club) got very nice ones for $20 (nice rubber mats too for $20 -perfect for the snowy season) that fit the focus quite nicely.
I could do without side airbags, ActionTrac and Traction control, but I won't budge on the Moonroof and the power stuff. The moonroof makes such a huge difference in how the interior "feels" on a car that I can't imagine not having one. Cars feel stuffy without them.
It's bad enough that my family wants me banished for getting a hatchback...it would only be worse if it were stripped!
Got my yellow letter for pillar recall yesterday. Called today thinking it would be after the new year before I could get this nuisance done, but, next Wednesday is the date. They're giving me a loner so I can do my Christmas shopping while I wait. Service manager told me it should be done in about two hours. I've read many complaints about dealer nightmares, but mine has been great!
Humphries Auto City, New Philadelphia, Ohio.
Nice.
I keep posted on recall.