NEW car shopping with the wife

$20k? Why not figure out a way to get into a new V6 Mustang?

Well, we pick up the new Focus tonight.

2012 Yellow Blaze SE Sport Auto, Moonroof, Sync & Convenience Package, Optional 17" wheels

This isnt the car, but are photos of a nearly identical one.

That yellow is sharp. Ford did a nice job on the new Focus. When I was new car shopping 4 years ago, the Focus went into the unfortunate US only generation with no hatch. Were I shopping again, one like this would be really high on my list. The current version of the Mazda3 wouldn't be. Funny how things flip in a short time.

Nice choice, even though it looks in those photos like a really short bus At least she'll be able to find it in a parking lot!

I just bought a white 2012 SEL hatch. The only thing I didn't get was the touch screen nav and sat radio. Going from 14-15 average in my 2004 Dodge Ram to around 33 mpg (So far) has been great. The engine has reasonable power and the car feels well put together and handles well. I'm still up in the air about the dual clutch six speed auto, mostly due to the engagement from a standstill. The transmission feels very manual like, but I only have about 600 miles on it, and supposedly it constantly learns your habits and adjusts the way it shifts.

The really cool: It's the first hatch I've ever owned and being able to fold down the seats and easily get my bike in there. The Ford Sync voice command system is actually useful.

I'll have more of an opinion about the car after a few thousand miles.

We ended up with the SE because we decided we didn't want the touchscreen. Still have a lot to learn on the sync system. I love all the bluetooth features.

I know what you mean about the dsg. its definately economy minded, doesn't throw you back into your seat from a standstill. I still need to try a launch in sport mode, with traction control off....

I drove my wifes around for an hour tonight. I wanted to because of all the early dsg horror stories on some of the focus forums. Sounds like a recent pcm and trans programming update cured most of the early builds teething issues with awkward behavior. Ours seems to function just fine. Great driving car, we are already looking forward to our next road trip.

failboat wrote: I wanted to because of all the early dsg horror stories on some of the focus forums. Sounds like a recent pcm and trans programming update cured most of the early builds teething issues with awkward behavior. Ours seems to function just fine.

<-- Obviously I frequent the Focus fourms. I have been reading all the threads about the PowerShift "problems". And I have come to the conclusion that at least half of the "problems" are due to driver experience. A lot of the young people have never driven a manual transmission vehicle and don't know how to handle an automatic that drives like a manual.

In reply to failboat:

you took the wife?

In reply to Hal: Interesting thought, I think that may be part of the issue. It definately drives a little different than all the automatics weve had before. My wife said she felt the "shuddering" at low speed, stop and go traffic, and thought it was the way she was driving it. I drove the car for an hour and subjected it to various types of driving, and felt almost no behavior I would call shuddering. In fact overall it felt great. So now I do think she still just needs to get used to the new car. I drive a manual daily, she doesnt really care that much to learn, so maybe its part of how we each drive it..

In reply to motomad1: yes....oh now that was the problem right there.

Actually it was pouring rain. Quite frankly I wouldnt be surprised if the car knew that by the wipers going full tilt, and thus making the traction control a little more effective, making it launch slow when I floored it from a dead stop. There was literally zero wheelspin. In my older vehicles, it will spin, then reactively apply the brakes to stop the tomfoolery.

Like the color. there's one driving around here with a blue block M on it. Very appropriate.