Teach me about the Ford Focus

Please tell me you've considered the wagon? Anyone realize how hard it is to find one with a 5 speed?

I like the wagon styling better than the hatch (and always have).

However, not only is it virtually impossible to find a 5 speed wagon, but the wagon's rear suspension is different from the sedan/hatch. There are few (if any) aftermarket options for the wagon's rear suspension, thereby limiting upgrade options. I'd stick with the sedan or hatch unless you have no desire whatsoever to modify anything suspension related (which would be rare on this forum).

According to FocalJet, the 2.3 Duratec motor can be identified by a Z in the 8th position of the VIN. If all else fails, the 2.3 has a unique black plastic intake manifold.

I'll put in my .02 worth, since I bought a 2003 SVT new. Billy3 has made some good points. I'll just add that I have not had any trouble with mine. I AVERAGE 28 mpg and have a best of 36 mpg. The only down side of the SVT is premium fuel & the price of 17" tires. I have driven non SVT foucs and the 2.3 pulls well. Other that that they do not compare. However, if you just want anappliance car get a wagon. Very handy & I always thought FORD should have made an SVT Wagon.

alex wrote: According to FocalJet, the 2.3 Duratec motor can be identified by a Z in the 8th position of the VIN. If all else fails, the 2.3 has a unique black plastic intake manifold.

Yep, I think you're right. I misspoke above. P is apparently the old 2.0 litre SPI engine that was in the Escorts and more pedestrian Foci. "3" is the 2.0 litre (non-SVT) Zetec, which is a pretty decent engine in its own right. "5" is the SVT Zetec. "N" is the 2 litre Duratec, which is also a pretty good engine.

My source says the "Z" is only in the ST, so I don't know if the PZEV version of the 2.3 got a different digit or not. I suspect the digit is the same, as the engine is the same, only the intake is different. An interested party can run that all the way to ground.

Cosworth makes a variety of hop-up bits for the 2.0 litre and 2.3 litre Duratecs. In fact, if I had one, the first part I'd get would be the wickedly cool Cosworth intake manifold. It may not be grassroots, but it sure is pretty.

Appleseed wrote: Please tell me you've considered the wagon? Anyone realize how hard it is to find one with a 5 speed?

Had considered. All that storage space would kick ass. They're tougher to find, especially with a 5-sp. And Billy pointed out a significant mark against them.

Does the 4-door or 5-door have better storage space? Basically, I'd like to be able to fit a small-ish dog (~15lbs) and two crash pads for bouldering:

They fold up to 24"x36"x10". In my girlfriend's Accord, we fit one in the trunk and the other sits in the rear footwell and takes up about half of the back bench. I figure I should be able to do the same with any of the Foci.

Stay away from the non zetec 2.0... had one in a rental with auto trans and it was slower than hell. I had trouble keeping up with my dad in his 4cylinder accord in traffic. Worked OK on the highway and got 35mpg mileage numbers.

I should add that my family has had a '00 ZX3 since new, and it has been trouble free with basically no maintenance in almost 140k miles (see separate thread on the misfire code - turned out to be plugs and wires). It's a stripper with no options but an auto (unfortunately). I'm impressed by how well it has held up with such neglect. It's only recently that the squeaks and rattles have started, which I consider to be pretty respectable for an econobox, especially American (sorry to say, but it's true).

I swapped in the SVT suspension about 20k miles ago, and it made a world of difference. That really is a well designed suspension - maybe some of the best out there for daily street use. It's firm but compliant, and it makes a winner out of a loser set of tires.

I'm impressed. This one is nearing its service limit for my use, and the most likely replacement is another Focus. I'm looking for a low miles '03-'04 2.3 ZX5 with a 5 speed right now, in fact.

Salanis,

All that stuff should fit in any of the Foci. The hatchback is a little larger, and has a bigger opening (obviously). Otherwise, the only real capacity difference is the space that would be above the trunk lid of a sedan. I've only used that volume once or twice (but I also have a pickup).

Ignorant's right. The 2.0 SPI is a bit of a dog. We had one in my wife's old Escort wagon. Great gas mileage, but no acceleration to speak of. The 2.0 Zetec (non-SVT) is much better.

Salanis wrote: Does the 4-door or 5-door have better storage space? Basically, I'd like to be able to fit a small-ish dog (~15lbs) and two crash pads for bouldering: They fold up to 24"x36"x10". In my girlfriend's Accord, we fit one in the trunk and the other sits in the rear footwell and takes up about half of the back bench. I figure I should be able to do the same with any of the Foci.

You could put 2 of those pads (24"x36"x20") in the trunk of my sedan without needing to fold the back of the back seat down. Access on the sedan is limited by the height of the trunk opening. So you would have to put them in one at a time.

A ZX3/5 is easier to get things into because of the hatch. I have seen a full size washing machine in one. And the hatch closed!!

Hal wrote: You could put 2 of those pads (24"x36"x20") in the trunk of my sedan without needing to fold the back of the back seat down. Access on the sedan is limited by the height of the trunk opening. So you would have to put them in one at a time. A ZX3/5 is easier to get things into because of the hatch. I have seen a full size washing machine in one. And the hatch closed!!

Groovy. I couldn't put two of those in any car at the same time. They're just too awkward. I imagine it would be a bit tougher to get those in a 3door though. Which is a mark against the SVT.

I kind of like the idea of having a nice hatch. Either way, I'm ending up with way more storage space than I have now. That would be fantastic. Man, I'm really looking forward to having a cushy appliance. Now is not the time to sell the BMW though.

Speaking of the SVT, what size wheels/tires does it use? Did someone say it uses 17"s? Also, what about spare wheels. Doesn't the Focus have a kind of funky sized bolt pattern? 4x108 or something. What do you do about spare wheels.

SVTs came in 3 or 5 doors. If it'll go in the sedan like Hal says, which I'm also fairly sure of, it'll go in the 3-door hatch.

The wheels are 17" with a 4x108 pattern and about a 48mm offset. The tires are 215/45/17. The Sumitomo HTR ZIII is a great and relatively inexpensive (~$90) tire in that size. Decent wheels are available for a little over $100 each. Check Capaldi racing for OEM wheels. I'm partial to the 15 spoke so-called Euro wheels (they came with the European appearance package).

Besides, if this is an appliance, you don't need another set of wheels.

billy3esq wrote: SVTs came in 3 or 5 doors. If it'll go in the sedan like Hal says, which I'm also fairly sure of, it'll go in the 3-door hatch. Besides, if this is an appliance, you don't need another set of wheels.

I'm sure I can fit everything in a 3-door. It'll just be a bit more difficult if I want to leave the back seat upright for the dog. Although I'd prefer 5-doors, I won't pass on a 3-door if that's where I find the best deal.

I do want to try Rally-X once. I'd feel much better being able to pick up some used Steelies on Craigslist that I can unload at the same cost a few months later.

I know this isn't a "what car" thread per se, but what is your budget? I'm assuming @ 5k ?

I just went through this same search and had a hard time tracking down a ZX5 with a 2.3 and 5 spd here in the DC area. Was mainly interested in a Focus so that I could drive it for the next 3 years, and then build it into my next rally car.

For around the same money you should also look at a Protege5. Less power, but great handling, but this is an appliance right?

And then for a little bit more - a base Mazda3. 2.3 is standard - 4 wheel discs standard - better looking exterior - only drawback was the Knight Rider interior and the resale value is up there. The next iteration is on the way though, so the prices might start to drop now.

Impreza wagons are also an option if you need AWD - you did mention rally-x.

In the end I picked up a 97 MKIII VW Golf. Perfect appliance, commuter, occasional kid hauler, home depot gofer, and rally-x weapon all rolled into one for less than 2k.

abumason wrote: I know this isn't a "what car" thread per se, but what is your budget? I'm assuming @ 5k ? For around the same money you should also look at a Protege5. Less power, but great handling, but this is an appliance right?

Not quite a "what car" thread, but I'm open to suggestions. My budget will have a lot of flexibility. $5k is a target. I'd go up to $10k for the right car. I really want to spend a minimum of money for a newer appliance.

I've considered the Subies. I don't need AWD though. It hardly rains here, let alone snows. To me, AWD is just unnecessary complexity. I like Mazdas. I just didn't think I could get one as fresh as a Focus for the same price.

My sights are set on the Focus because they are super common and have been hit hard by BOD (Blue-Oval-Depriciation). It just strikes me as the best fairly-new car that is at the point where depreciation is starting to level off.

I'm not a fan of VW. 97 is older than I'd prefer to go. I'd love to find something with 50-75k on the clock.

How exactly is the wagon's rear suspension different? Twist-beam I suppose? Bummer, cause of all the Foci, I dig the longroof most.

Appleseed wrote: How exactly is the wagon's rear suspension different? Twist-beam I suppose? Bummer, cause of all the Foci, I dig the longroof most.

I don't know. I've never been underneath a wagon, I just know that all the aftermarket suspension things say "except wagon" on them.

I think it's still independent (some sort of multilink), just with a totally different geometry, but, as I said, I've never seen one up close.

Salanis wrote: I'm sure I can fit everything in a 3-door. It'll just be a bit more difficult if I want to leave the back seat upright for the dog. Although I'd prefer 5-doors, I won't pass on a 3-door if that's where I find the best deal. I do want to try Rally-X once. I'd feel much better being able to pick up some used Steelies on Craigslist that I can unload at the same cost a few months later.

If I can put two children in carseats in the back of a 3-door, you can get a dog back there. You're in the same boat I'm in. I wanted a 5-door, but couldn't pass up the one I found (completely unmolested, low mileage, etc.)

One thing to look out for is the Audiophile sound system (optional, but common in SVTs) has a subwoofer on the left side of the cargo area that will narrow your load space by 4-6".

I'm not sure I'd want to habitually rallyx an SVT because it is about 1/2" lower, and maybe a little more than that in the front because of the special facia. That said, your best bet for wheels would be to pick up a set of someone's used 16" Focus wheels that's upgrading to mad-tyte rimzzz, yo! 16" wheels will fit without worries.

If there was a RallyX scene around here, I think I'd get a regular ZX3/5 and prep it to RallySpec Focus (minus the cage). That would be an awesome beater/rallyx car.

billy3esq wrote: If there was a RallyX scene around here, I think I'd get a regular ZX3/5 and prep it to RallySpec Focus (minus the cage). That would be an awesome beater/rallyx car.

I like that idea. Any word on where to source parts for that? I presume the Ford Racing rally brake kit is the one to use. What suspension package?

Salanis wrote: I'm sure I can fit everything in a 3-door. It'll just be a bit more difficult if I want to leave the back seat upright for the dog.

Not really, you should be able to set 2 of them upright (24"vertical - 20"depth) in the space behind the seats in a hatch and still close the hatch.

The difference with the wagon suspension is the length and location of the shocks and springs.

If you want to Rally-X check out the HotBits suspension. Not exactly GRM priced but it seems to be what the Spec Focus Rally guys are going to.

This thread got me thinking a bit, I love my E36, but I don't like having a payment. A Focus might be something I could buy outright with the difference between the value and payoff of my 328i. Being in maine, I thought I could find a Pzev car easily, but I found one car under 6k in my area. I wish I was in Socal though, here's a pair to pick, under 100k miles for under $4k:

red

blue

At those prices it seems like a no-brainer for you Salanis. I love the M Coupe but in the current economy I think I'd rather have a much cheaper to maintain and insure car plus 15k or so cash.

Salanis wrote:

billy3esq wrote: If there was a RallyX scene around here, I think I'd get a regular ZX3/5 and prep it to RallySpec Focus (minus the cage). That would be an awesome beater/rallyx car.

I like that idea. Any word on where to source parts for that? I presume the Ford Racing rally brake kit is the one to use. What suspension package?

The suspension isn't as tightly regulated as the "spec" name would lead you to believe. Shocks are free, but I think you have to use stock springs. Sways are limited to 22mm front and 25mm rear, and you can use caster/camber plates up front and the adjustable subframe in the rear. Any non-metallic bushings are permitted. You can get all the details out of the rules, which can be downloaded from NASA.

Edit: The press release accompanying the rules says springs are free, but the actual rules say anything not permitted is prohibited, and the suspension section is silent as to springs.

2.3 5 speed Focus with better styling/handling/interior/quality= Mazda 3S

Oh wait thats the current world focus. If you want yesterdays backwards Focus by all means buy the one you were looking at

abumason wrote: And then for a little bit more - a base Mazda3. 2.3 is standard - 4 wheel discs standard - better looking exterior - only drawback was the Knight Rider interior and the resale value is up there. The next iteration is on the way though, so the prices might start to drop now.

The base sedan does not come with the 2.3, but the base hatch does. The equivalent trim level in the sedan also gets the 2.3. Some of the reading I've done says that the heads are different between the Focus and 3, but not much is said beyond that. If you can find a solid deal on a 2.3L Mazda3, I recommend it.