Anybody got a Ford Focus?

Nimick

Nimick

Joined
Jul 26, 2005
Messages
2,600
anybody got one of these. I'm looking for a new car (new to me). and while I was at the dealership looking at their "certified used cars" this Focus ZX5 popped up. and it's pretty much everything I need, and the price is right, and the car checks out. I want to like it, the problem I have is that, it's not a Subaru, but it is one of the US auto makers attempts to say "Hey Look, we can design a small car that dosen't look like a pile of crap" and I think they did pretty well.

Reliability concerns remain, and I would rather spend an extra 1-2K on a car that will save me twice that five years form now.

Anybody driven one of these hard, or have kids that do, how do they hold up?

Thanks in advance.
 
My mom has one and I do drive it around alot. It is a nice car and hers is front wheel drive, automatic. It has good acceleration but going up hills it takes a bit to get it going. It handles very nice and is easy to maneuver around. I would take it for a test drive if i were you. :thumbup:
 
I have 2 relatives that have Focus Wagons and had their fair share of mechanical problems with them. Nothing major but, stupid shorts/electrical problems, etc. Luckily it all fell under warranty for them. IMHO, I would look elsewhere.

Edited to add, if thats the style you are looking for, maybe checkout a Mazda Protege 5
 
I've had a Focus as a rental numerous times when my Ford diesel was in the shop. From both experiences (rental and diesel) I am so down on Ford it's not funny. I cannot imagine a car company having worse service or product.

After Ford bought back my diesel, I went to the Honda dealership and bought 2 Hondas. Couldn't be happier.

I'm about as dyed-in-the-wool "Buy American" as it gets, but I sure will never, ever buy another Ford.

PM me or email me if you want the details, they're staggering.
 
rosconey2 said:
CAR WAS RATED THE WORST CAR -in some mag at the oil change place-
avoid if you can
Click to expand...
In some mag? For what year? I know Focus had reliability problem initially, but I haven't heard of any major issues in recent years.

Nimick, I suggest you check this page. There are plenty of discussions there on the very topic you are interested in.
 
hwyhobo said:
In some mag? For what year? I know Focus had reliability problem initially, but I haven't heard of any major issues in recent years.

Nimick, I suggest you check this page. There are plenty of discussions there on the very topic you are interested in.
Click to expand...

Ya, its a 2003, which is when ford supposedly fixed all those "Faults"

And thank you for the link.
 
was a road and track-car and driver i think-not sure how old it was-
i do remember someting about how there shouldnt be issues with a car thats been around so long-

and laughed that there was a bigger pos car than my neon was
 
Had a ZX5 for three years and it was a good car. Didn't get the gas mileage I thought it should, and there were a few small problems, but overall a very good car.
 
Buy a honda, toyota or nissan. MY toyota pu has 238,000+ miles on it and my pathfinder has 138,000+ on it.

No problems. Just keep up with usual maint like oil changes ect.
 
If you love your mechanic get a focus...I'm a mechanic and I've got a Honda!!! no mechanic's making money with me!!!
 
both have had problems. Struts went out on one. Tranny problems with the other. Both under 100,000 miles. I'd look at a Honda, Toyota or Nissan.

Frank
 
Our niece bought one and had it abouta year and a half. Had lots of small annoying problems and a few major ones that left her waiting for a tow truck. She got rid of it and now has a Toyota Corola thats rock reliable. Rides and handles better to boot.

Get a Honda or Toyota for the long term reliability.
 
I had one, bought it new, constant problems, had to replace the transmission. It was under warranty but yeah the worst car ever. Avoid like the plauge.
 
yes....

I just bought one -

2007 Ford Focus ZX3 SE (3 door hatchback) 5-spd Manual trans -
ffocus2007frr4.jpg

my previous 2 cars were both Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX 5-spd manual (yes, all-wheel drive, turbo charge) - so I (and most) would probably consider this a substantial downgrade - and perhaps into more "practical" or "mudane"/boring territory.

Of course one has to take into account my possible "new owner's pride" etc. - however I was pleasently surprised at the Focus. It feels pretty spritely for what I consider a budget car - it has 136hp - which is substantially more than the original VW GTi I had back in 1986 (@100hp), and I thought that was a "fast" car.........

The Focus engine changed in 2005 to 136hp from 2004's 130hp, not really substantial - but the government fuel consumption rating went up for the 2007 model to 27 city/34-37 hwy, from 2006's 26 city/32-34 hwy - don't ask me how (marketing?)

I had to special order mine as none in several dealers' and my own on-line searches found any with the options I wanted.

My reasoning for this purchase -

(1) price - for a brand new 2007 Ford Focus ZX3 SE with all the options I wanted (see below) for about $14.5K on the road, including all taxes and charges (there is a current incentive of $2.5K cash back) - most 2-3 year old Focus wanted between $10-14K - before taxes.

(2) tried and tested design - or looking at it another way - it is an old design and "long in the tooth" being in its eighth year - but the Ford Focus was designed originally as a "world car" to be basically the same world over and it was designed for low maintainance and parts costs.

(3) hatchback design - seems to be falling out of "fashion" - but I find the hatchback more versatile - I don't often carry a lot of passengers - so the 3-door is good enough - otherwise I would have looked at the 5-door version. Surprisingly when I was looking at used car prices I found the hatchbacks seemed to be more expensive - ie: held their values better than the sedans.....

I ordered what I considered bare minimal options -

Trim "SE" - because it was the lowest level with air-conditioning standard (the very base S trim one has to have a/c installed)

ABS - and came with side-impact air-bags (at no extra - as part of the "safety package") having read reviews the side-impact air-bags seem like almost an essential item as the side crash rating without is not great.....

Traction Control - coming from all-wheel drive back to front-wheel drive - I knew I had to watch the typical front-wheel slip/tramping - so I ordered this as it was only $175 extra - and it came with a tachometer.

Lastly I ended up having to order the "convenience group" - to get the tilt/telescoping steering wheel (as the regular driving position didn't seem to suit me) - this also added cruise control - which is nice - I considered this the only "extra extravegance" - but as it is I'm gald I got it - sometimes being "stoic" does not pay for something hopefully that will last me years.....

Chief rival and highly desireable was the Honda Civic LX coupe - it just looks great and out performs the Focus - but it is just under $17,500 before taxes and charges - that's about $3-4K more - very hard to justify...... especially as it is not a hatchback and a more cramped coupe
bklx34frontvv0.jpg

- but that does not stop me from covetting it - especially the Si Coupe version..... but then we're now talking $21K territory.

Of course opinions differ and without any disrespect it comes down to "hearsay" - and that includes my opinion/thoughts above.

Might want to check out what autos.msn.com and Edmunds.com have to say -

2007 Ford Focus at msn

2007 Ford Focus at Edmunds

--
Vincent
http://clik.to/UnknownVT2006
http://clik.to/UnknownVT2005
http://clik.to/UnknownVT2004
http://clik.to/UnknownVincent
 
My company car is a Focus.
The price is right, so it's fine, but I wouldn't buy one. Feels flimsy, all plastic, like the different bits are just clipped together. That's entirely subjective, true, but in the past I've found that those subjective feelings often point out real concerns.

Making other adults sit in the back seat is mean. You must be less than 48" tall to ride this ride.

I've put a lot of miles on fairly quickly (18,000 since June), no mechanical problems. It's an '05 ZX4, and the total mileage is only 49k now, so there ought not be any problems, but I'm just saying.

I get a pretty consistent 28-29mpg average. That's some city driving, some highway driving. Not great, not bad.

All in all, it's fine. Again, I wouldn't buy one, but I guess I don't dislike it. Hope that helps a little.
Mike
 
Ive got one. An ST that runs like a top. Ive got 42,000 miles on it, have changed the oil every 3000 miles and it runs great. Good Car so far for me.
 
I have got a 07 3 door SE trim. 4500 miles its been GREAT!

Handles great, parks anywhere, proper balance of power and economy.
FMC financeing is amoung the best in world for rates and incentives.
EXcellent warranty.

I am really likeing mine.
 
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