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Comments
I'd attempted to post a message last week after I picked up my new car, but the post never made it onto the board. So... Here's THIS week's report, after one week and 500 miles of driving.
What a fabulous little car! I don't know how they pulled this off, because the engineering/content/price ratios simply don't seem to make sense... I imagine most of you did the same research I did and bought your cars for many of the same reasons, but this is simply the only $15k car that I wouldn't be embarassed to own. I am quite pleased by what I have sitting here in the driveway.
The ride simply blows me away, especially with the 50-series tires that come with the 16" wheels. I was bopping around over the last day and a half with two passengers and had plenty of opportunities to drive over some really awful pavement, and I am still a little amazed that the ride is so good. The body roll is rather more than I would deem ideal, but this thing really hangs on once it's rolled over and taken a set.
The clutch is smooth and fluid, but the shifter is a little notchy until it's warmed up. No big surprise here, I'd read about this phenomenon on this bulletin board.
The steering is too light, but it is remarkably quick and very accurate. Power steering is okay, but did it need to be THIS heavily boosted? Still good steering, though.
The brakes are quite good, but the real surprise is in their FEEL. They are positive and linear. Someone did their homework on this one, it's about as good a braking system as I've ever experienced.
Strange that the passenger seat doesn't have the height adjuster... I have the driver's side cranked all the way down, and anyone sitting in the right seat seems like they are sitting on phone books by comparison. Great CD stereo, especially for a STOCK stereo that isn't an upgrade. The cupholders are hard to find in the dark, though perhaps I will get used to finding them with practice...
I could go on, but I will spare you all the rest. Oh, by the way, what is all the kvetching about mileage!? My car has under a thousand miles on it and I am already getting 25-28 in mixed driving, and that's with a lot of shifting from 4th to 5th on the highway to help the break-in period along... I have no doubt it would easily break 30 on the highway once the breakin is done.
Anyway, a very happy holiday and happy motoring to you all! Thanks to "ZX3" for the warm welcome, as well!
SHOV6
ford falcon, who did the very same thing. why,it just seems like yes-
terday. has the recall work been completed to your satisfaction? im
still waiting on parts. i like your description of the z " most balanced
and interesting car available at its price" it reminds me when my sales
mgr. asks hows the business flow today, answer- unbelievable! that
also now applies to my description of the z.
I just found out from a work buddy that he bought a zx3 on my recommendation and he loves it. BUT I didn't get my finder's fee. I am going to have to kick [non-permissible content removed] at the DEALERSHIP AGAIN! Sign, I am getting tired of doing that.
I think I will have to step up in 2003 or 4 and buy a next generation Audi A3 which will be available here in the states. I just hope it looks cool and not crappy.
Jimmy
Anyway I ordered the rubber focus mats from ford.com and they came yesterday. I figured it would be better than screwing up the cloth mats with snow, sand and salt. Now I have Focus mats and no Focus to put them in.
I'm just hoping that maybe the dealer wasn't lieing and it will be here in two weeks. I wonder why god created salespeople....what a waste
My car is leased, but this shouldn't figure too greatly in my story... First, I was told I could get the car in the color I wanted, with the options I wanted, no problem. Just a trade with another dealer, some kind of swap. Sure, no prob, come in on saturday and let's do the deal. Come saturday morning, WHOOPS!, there's a problem... The other dealer won't play ball and insists that my dealer BUY the car since it's so desirable. Funny, I thought that manuals were almost impossible to sell, which is the reason I was given for my dealer not having a SINGLE manual-shift Focus on the lot (out of 20 total cars!). Anyhow, what would you think about sucking it up and getting an automatic, my dealer sez? $%&# NO, I say, and start to get a little peeved... Well after an hour of heartbreak I finally get the go-ahead on a black car that is taking up space on a dealer's lot in Syracuse. All they have to do is swap out one of those ridiculous new SUV's as a trade, but no problem, we'll dispatch our guy first thing on monday morning and he'll be back here with your car by 4, giving us time to prep it and deliver it by 7pm. Well, guess what, the car doesn't make it onto the lot until 8:05pm that monday, and guess when they close? 8pm. Disappointed, AGAIN. Now they've got the bloody car till thursday since I have an overnight trip tuesday at 5am and I won't return till 11pm wednesday. So... Tuesday lunchtime I call the salesman and he says "oh, yes, they are working on your car right now and it will be ready at 9am on thursday. They're fixing the paint chip you noticed and all will be well". So... Wednesday night at midnight, as I drive by the dealer on the way home, I pop in the dealer's lot to view my new car through what I figured would be the service garage's door... Well, guess what, it's still sitting in the holding lot, across the street, bags on the seats, wheel center caps missing, sticker in the window, paint chip and all, at MIDNIGHT... 9 hours before I am to take delivery. So, like I had told them, I roll up at 9am thursday, fully expecting to be told "tough noogies, the car ain't ready", but there it is. Someone must have come in REEEAAAL early to fix it up right.
So....
I love my car, but the buying experience was HORRIBLE. Fdanna, I hope you have a better experience than I did.
SHOV6
pieces yourself. no matter how simplistic the installment,i cant see a
tech caring too much to do a decent job. in fact,i wouldnt expect anything less than a butcher job. im going to ask for the parts as well.
fdanna- there is a big difference between a genuine salesperson and
an order taker. a true salesperson sincerely appreciates and values
you as a customer, before, during and after the sale. if they dont they
are just another order taker.its easy to get a sale,the trick is to maintain and develop the relationship with a current customer. sales
are what drive the economy,unfortunately the old 80/20 rule applies
in the sales profession as well. some people choose a career,others just take a job. one cant have a successful career if you dont take care of the
customer. such a simple concept,practiced by few.
Other than the long wait, I actually had no problems with the salesman or dealership. It turns out I dealt with the people in the internet department and I got a very fair price.
It has been very cold here(Detroit area)not above freezing for weeks, and the only problem has been a balky shift into second gear, after a mile or so everything is fine. The car is a blast to drive in snow or on dry pavement. The advance-trac does work to keep the car controllable, but it is more fun just tossing it around. First tank of gas yeilded 25mpg.
I have driven the 5dr Ghia version quite a bit. The interior on the zx3 is very similar except no fake wood, extra doors, can't aim the headlights, and the radio doesn't display the station call sign or messages. Handling of the zx3 does feel a little softer and the steering overassisted. But, this car is just plain fun to drive.
I looked at the ford.com site but did not see Focus mats. I'll keep looking for them.
The messages and info that this group provides is really good, it helped me a lot.
Thanks, Tom
quirks. the zx3 is simply" unbelievable". seriously, i believe pcleveland2 posted some info on this topic in this part xv.scroll back
some,you will find it in here.
http://onlinestore.ford.com/stores/product.asp?sCatID=&iDeptID=202010804&iBrandID=
Interesting that they "could not duplicate concern.." when the odometer was reading exactly what it was when I dropped it off.
I told them there is a recall on the clutch master cylinder when I called for an appointment but... when I pick it up...Suprise!!! They just found out about the recall and parts are on order.
Except for having a day off with out a car it was not such a bad experience. I think I would have a completly different opinion if it were not for the Shuttle service.
As i thought the tire PSI was what caused the steering wheel shimy but it was like that from day one. PDI $?
Heck i'm even starting to really like the car again!
With best wishes to all in the new year,
Whyford
Read something new on Club Focus about stumble. Have dealership check the wiring harness on the fuel injectors. Somebody had stumble and Tech found a short in the wiring harness which solved his stumble problem. Must emphasize "his stumble problem". His could have been a one of a kind thing and not related to all the others, but maybe his tech may have stumbled on to something that the rest of the techs have not checked out. Let us know how things work out on this.
Pat
Of course, if it would ever save my life, I'd certainly be glad I spent the extra money on it.
So, how much does AdvanceTrac actually enhance the safety of the car? Any disadvantages to it (besides the price)? Only useful for ice and snow? (I live in Southern California.)
Anyone here who actually has a ZX3 with AdvanceTrac? Please tell us about it.
Thanks,
Mike
Are all of the reported problems and recall with the 2000 model?
Who here has the 2001 model? Have you also experienced problems? Any recalls yet?
Thanks,
Mike
As of now, no recalls for 2001.
I'm really enjoying my ZX3. It's fun and cheap. A good combination.
Are all of the reported problems and recall with the 2000 model?
Who here has the 2001 model? Have you also experienced problems? Any recalls yet?
Thanks,
Mike
I have advance trac on my zx3. Ive' only had it since 23Dec2000. I did order the car and decided to get the advance trac hoping it might help in auto crossing this next summer, it does come with rear disc brakes.
I live in Michigan and have been able to try the car in up to 4 inches of new snow. The advance-trac will keep you out of trouble in usual driving. If you totally exceed the cars limits it can't change the laws of physics. For me the car is very easy to drive in the snow and slush. Other then when I was playing around with the car to learn its limits, the system usually comes on when going from snow to wet road to ice during acceleration and/or turns. It sounds like ABS only quieter. The weather has not been above freezing here for weeks so I can't report on what the car is like on dry pavement yet.
I have driven the 5dr Ghia with the 4 wheel discs and traction control with a 5 spd and really liked the car a lot, that's why I ordered mine the way I did. That car handled very well in dry pavement. To me, the US car seems softer in the suspension, so I will be loking for firmer struts. If it ever gets warm and the roads dry out I'll let you know how this new car works on the dry (between potholes).
My car is still new so the only problem I've had so far has been an occasional balk when first shifting into second gear when first starting out. After a mile or so it shifts just fine(I think it may just be the cold). I have to watch how I drive since this car really encourages winding out the motor...I don't want tickets or bad gas milage(25mpg 1st tank).
Hope this info helps.
You indicate that it helps in driving in slush and snow, ice, etc. Here in Southern California those conditions are a rarety, although there is heavy rain at times.
Do you think AdvanceTrac only is useful for snow, ice, slush, or for other driving conditions as well?
Any problems with it?
Still would be interested in hearing from others who have or have tried AdvanceTrac also.
Thanks,
Mike
I and many others have the same complaint re gas mileage. I've got about 7k on my ZX3 Kona and am still lucky to get 25 mpg, with 98% highway driving.
It's a problem that may be rising to the level of defect. I've notified Ford of my concerns. Many others probably have as well. If I made and sold any product, I wouldn't want to spend time and money fixing all of these defects unless I really had to.
Wonder if Ford feels that way?
I have had no problems with the advance trac. This morning pulling out of the drive it went on but that was all. I finally had a chance to drive on some dry pavement but the potholes really are huge. I only got to about 45 mph dodging the holes (kind like a slalom) and the advance trac never turned on.
I have the 16 inch tires and those soak up the bad road much better than the 15in P6000's on the German car. The 16's seem noisier though.
Put more gas in today and still at 25mpg.
If the weather ever gets warmer here, I have access to a test trac and will try out the advance trac under controlled dry conditions. Right now there's over a foot of snow on the track.
Has anyone changed to firmer struts yet?? If so let me know how great the improvement was.
Thanks, Tom
As for the last post I see here, from Eas1, I too wonder what firmer struts would do for you. But keep in mind that the US version of this car has softer bushings, too, so it would cost a pretty penny to recreate a Euro-market car exactly.
I am still having a blast with my new baby, but then again nothing has gone wrong and I haven't gotten that inevitable first door ding yet, so I will have to withhold judgment until later.
Happy New Year to you all,
SHOV6
Easiest way to describe it: It did not inspire confidence in me as a driver...
Every time the car hit a bump, the whole car would bounce requiring you to compinsate, which lead to over-compinsation... The Engine was VERY whinny, and VERY loud (EX model). The Interior was nice and solid though, but I was so disapointed by the ride (My mom felt the same way) though, I guess that suspension downgrade has SERIOUSLY hurt the Civics performance...
Sure, better milleage and better reliability, but ifs to damn annoying to drive, what the heck is any of that worth?
Plus, the Civic is WAY too expensive... (I wanted to check out a HX model, but those are apparently rather rare and hard to come by... They have a "Continuous Varible Transmition" in their automatics that seems interesting)
Regarding softer US suspensions, it was written by a journalist that roads in western europe are better than ours and therefore compensations need to be made for our rough roads. I can say at least that this is true when I compare our roads in eastern Massachusetts to Italy and England. I would guess this is because we have more roads and harsher climate variations AND more heavy trucking. We also drive much slower than europeans and seem to prefer road isolation over vibration.
As for the yellow focus, it looks better in pictures than in person. I ordered a yellow focus based on the pictures and realized it was a much lighter shade than it appeared to be. Nothing I can do about it now.
on
As for the bumpers... Yes, they don't look quite as nice as the Euro-bumpers, but you can blame US bumper regs, and not Ford, for that particular "problem". Furthermore, if you ever whack something with your Focus, you will THANK Ford and the US Gov't for mandating those heftier bumpers.
I also think that the answer to the moonroof question was incomplete... The moonroof is BOTH a flip-up and a retractable type. Crank it clockwise from its' stowed position and the aft end flips up. Crank it anti-clockwise and it retracts into the roof. There is a shade that can be retracted independently of the rest of the roof, but I did notice one strange thing... You can have the shade pulled forward and still crack the back of the roof, and there's no vent or anything that allows air to escape. I guess we just let the air escape around the seams or something.
SHOV6
To the extent that some owners achieve 30 mpg with mixed driving, and to a further extent that others barely achieve 22mpg indicates a true problem in a percentage of cars. This is normal. If all drivers got the same type of mileage (22-25 mpg) it would be considered something inherent. In that instance, one would either have to live with it, or get a different sled.
So those of you who have noticed the poor mileage, it's real. Don't let some of these know-it-alls tell you otherwise. They're most likely in denial and still need to justify their purchase at any cost.
I'll be meeting with a regional rep. from FMC next week to discuss either a real fix for the problem or a buy-back of the vehicle based on non-conformity. When you pay $16k for anything, it better at least do what the maker claims it will do. If it doesn't, have them make it right.
The mileage seemed to be poor when I first got it, but that probably was me getting used to the car as much as the break in.
Charlie
http://www1.ford.co.uk/focusrs/fordform1.html