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Hatchbacks Ford Focus Ford Focus Sedan
1997 messages, Last post on Aug 02, 2009 at 5:57 PM
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i like mine a lot...a very good car and inexpensive...shoved a dryer in back amazingly enough...very roomy...that euro focus looks better though
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Replying to: chetj (Jul 15, 2007 8:25 am) At least for the sedan version, I think the MkII is more bland. I prefer our '05-07 MkI ST sedan w/ Mondeo's nose: creakid1, "2008 Ford Focus future vehicle" #70, 4 Jul 2007 9:10 pm |
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Drove from 60110 to Orlando I got a wopping 35 mpg round trip using cruise control 65 all the way there and back. Now orlando in town driving I only got 25 mpg Still a huge saveings over my traded in SUV!!! Has anyone have inside info on the 2009 Chevy Volt 100 mpg? |
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I have a new 2007 SES. I like it:). Question though, any tricks or gotcha's on mounting the front license plate? I see the marks for the fasteners, but what kind of fastener should I use. I did not get anything with the car. Thanks in advance.....
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Replying to: bob_in_br (Jul 29, 2007 10:51 am) |
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look in your glove box the screws should be in there. I got the 2007 SES with weather package and moon roof! I am going to replace the factory radio, speakers, i will also add 2 amps and 1 sub woofer. I plan on keeping this car for the next 5 years so i do not mind upgrading the tunes. |
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My 2005 Focus ST with the 2.3 liter and 5-speed manual transmission is still running flawlessly at 47,000 miles. Observations? It is still a joy to drive with perfect on-center feel and tracking (lacking in so much of the competition). The Focus goes where it is pointed with a sense of purpose and control. It exits a curve with wonderful torque and power. There is a lot of road noise, addressed by the new 2008's attention to NVH but at the sacrifice of the lovely 2.3 liter engine as the '08 Focus only offers the 2.0 liter. Fuel economy for the sport model is just over 30 mpg all-in for the last 30,000 miles, with probably 70% Interstate (65-75 mph) and the rest mixed city. The manual is well located and both the shift throws and clutch feel work well for me. It could use another and higher sixth gear (beyond the 5 now available) to reduce cruising RPMs at 70 mph, but the ratios at lower speeds are sweet in cut and thrust driving. I've performed regular maintenance and used synthetic oil. The only unscheduled maintenance was replacement of a remote trunk release under warranty. (It relocked before you could open the trunk.) Very minor gripe is the wear on the radio buttons as it is the only thing that betrays it is not brand new. For the price, the economy, reliability and fun factor are hard to beat. Dressed in all black inside and out with a leather accented interior featuring red stitching my Focus looks purposeful and sporting. Based on my sterling experience, I heartily recommend the Focus as a well-sorted, reliable car.
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Replying to: basiliskst (Oct 09, 2007 3:23 am) This problem seemed to improve over time, but not the toxic nauseating interior smell (mine was an early production purchased in late '04). Ford refused to cover this smell problem saying that there's no standard finding it as a defect. I later found newer Focus' not having this sickening smell. Also, the '06 suspension was improved for comfort, as Consumer Reports (June '06) praised its ride in the "HIGHS", which is an expeption (along w/ the BMW 3-series) for a sporty-handling car. So I decided to chip in another $8k to trade it in (my '05 had only about 10,000 miles was worth only $7800) back in May for a nearly-stripped factory-ordered '07 ST, which was sold at dealer's invoice plus the $3000 rebate, which is nothing compare to the $8000 off MSRP my cousin bargained down on a $30,000 premium Focus-II (Volvo V50). Since the sound quality of my '05's factory Sony/subwoofer system sucked & sucked out too much trunk space, I skipped any stereo upgrade this time & plan to do aftermarket. I even skipped the heated seats & side airbags on the (checkered-like red/blk) cloth seats this time, as I plan to replace them w/ a pair of sport seats (blue cloth/blk vinyl with an "S" in red on the "Focus S" stitching) from the '05-07 Taiwan-spec Focus II Sport hatch. That'll look pretty rad w/ the checkered-like red/blk cloth on the front door panels. I don't envy the 5-cyl Focus II ST's factory Recaro seats, as Recaro seats have thin cushion that can't absorb road shocks like these factory seats, which got very thick (but still firm) cushion. & they're huge & have very supportive shape like Volvo seats: http://tw.page.bid.yahoo.com/tw/auction/1149010119 The only option on my '07 ST is the traction control, which used to be standard feature back in '05. Consumer Reports mistakenly found the ST's sport-exhaust noise as the 2.3's loud engine noise, as they didn't complain about the noise from SES's 2.0. Some exhaust shops should be able to modify the noise to a comfortable level that doesn't interfere w/ human conversation. |
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Replying to: basiliskst (Oct 09, 2007 3:23 am) The Focus may not have the comfy long springs found in luxury cars like VW, Accord & Mercedes, but the sport suspension of the U.S. Focus ST keeps the normal ride height while other sport packages found in Mercedes, VW/Audi & BMW all have their mighty long springs chopped short! So this makes a perfect comparison b/t the Focus ST & those big guys w/ sport package. This is what happened when these Euro hatchbacks -- BMW 3-series(E46), Mercedes C-class , Audi A3(MkII) & Alfa 147 -- are equipped with sport package: "Individually none is bad, but the general (in)competence level has shocked me because even the best car here doesn't come close to the basic dynamic standards set by the four-and-a-half-year-old Ford Focus. And for the money being asked that's criminal." -- British magazine AUTOCAR(pp46-51, 11 June 2003) So let's take a look at the best driver's sedan from BMW -- the E36 ('92-99 3-series). It's more involving & has more steering feel than the newer models but still rides much comfier than those old ones w/o multi-link rear suspension. & I went collect a mint '99 328is. To my surprise, besides having RWD so adding LSD can play power rear slide, this car has no advantage over the lighter-weight 2.3 Focus ST! I like heavy steering, so I would change the voltage signal in the Focus pwr-steering wire to keep it hefty. But this BMW's steering is still too heavy for me! & despite the slow ratio, it still can't track straight at high speed if the the road isn't perfectly smooth or leveled, so constant correction is needed whole day long! While the quick-&-light steering from the Focus requires only one finger to track straight steadily & effortlessly! Everything in this BMW requires so much effort (especially when Focus's clutch is so light) while very little was achieved. I wonder what all the fuss was all about. RWD set up means the engine doesn't have to sit ahead of the front axle. But w/ so much curb weight, a heavy 6-cyl is needed & an agile front end doesn't seem to be there. What's worse, the car plows straight forward badly at low speed if the steering wheel is turned after stepping on the throttle hard. & the sport packege's lowered springs made the ride comfort rather nightmare-ish over deeper bumps such as speed bumps. "There is a lot of road noises" As far as the road noise goes, you might have to sound insulate your inexpensive Focus w/ Dynamat or something. Another advise from me -- Invest a Quaife LSD from Focus Sport. Turn off the traction control & toss your ST around w/ the 2.3 throttle  This is the best FWD toy you can get.
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Creakid1 advised that the 2005-2007 Focus ST with a Quaife limited slip differential "is the best FWD toy you can get." I'd agree with that wholeheartedly, even without the after market limited slip differential. For the money, the Focus ST is unbelievable. It's not that I couldn't afford a more expensive car. It's that the ST wowed me by contrast with more expensive cars. Why spend more when the best driving experience was also the lowest cost. That's what I call value. If I could, I'd find an after market trunk lid liner and do a few more refinements to address road noise, but the 2.3 liter engine really sings and I don't want to cover up that perfect burble. Most cars fade into the background of daily life. Reliability is all that is asked by most consumers. My Focus has been bulletproof reliable, but it gives more than that. Every day I still think, "Gee, this is a great car to drive." I have fun driving it. That new toy feeling hasn't worn off and I've put 25,000 miles on in a little over a year. I'm not bored yet. I've driven bigger, more powerful performance cars but none have had the same lasting effect on me as the Focus ST. Thanks for the lead to Focus Sport and some possible upgrades like the Quaife differential.
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