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Ford Focus Sedan

1997 messages,  Last post on Aug 02, 2009 at 5:57 PM

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What is this discussion about? Ford Focus, Sedan

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#31 of 1997 xyz... by gladichecked Dec 02, 2000 (7:15 am)
If you use quality parts but you can't put them together correctly you defintely have issues.
#32 of 1997 Reliablity by tallguy2 Dec 02, 2000 (7:23 pm)
Zip2 said it well. The quality of my 2001 ZTS gives me confidence that reliability is not going to be horrible. But if it is your number one priority the Asian makes are your best bet. If you are very practical minded, check out crash test results from Europe. The Focus did very well. The test is much tougher than in the U.S. After seeing what was left of a 2000 Honda Civic, I won't mind a couple of trips to the service center.
#33 of 1997 Additional Info by xyzipp2 Dec 02, 2000 (9:01 pm)
For those of you looking at buying an economy car or just have nothing else better to do, I just happened across something that Edmunds has written about the economy sedans. They pitted nine of the small cars against each other and ranked them based on a number of different categories and subsequently ranked them. It was an interesting read. I would be curious to see what some of you have to say about it. The one that surprised me the most was the low ranking of the Toyota Corolla. Anyway, for those of you too lazy to find it for yourself (I would be in that category), here is the link: http://www.edmunds.com/roadtests/comparison/2000/economysedan/index.html By the way, If you are a Protege owner, you don't want to go there -- The Focus beat the Protege.
#34 of 1997 Rented an LX model... by vocus Dec 03, 2000 (5:01 am)
I rented a Focus LX on Friday and drove it a little distance. It had crappy power (but I expected that with the 110-hp engine) but everything else was okay on it. But I did not like the seatback comfort though. It seemed like it was bulging in all the wrong places. Anyway, I had driven it 51 miles when I hit a bump and the back end of the car felt like it was hopping around or something. It made the car feel like it was going sideways, and it wasn't even windy outside then. I took the car back to Enterprise and told them my situation. They replaced it with a Chevy Malibu and that was that. I did like driving the Focus though. It was a nice ride. I think I would have liked an SE Sport model better for its power and features though.
#35 of 1997 chase7 by glideslope Dec 03, 2000 (6:43 pm)
I would give the Focus another year or two just to be safe. It usually takes Ford 2-3 years to learn how to build a car after manufacturing has started. I would say it would be a safe bet at the 02 model year. I'd say you will see credible consumer publications recommending it again at that point. It really is a nice automobile. It just that it's a Ford. Regards, Mark.
#36 of 1997 Focus owner experience by hotx3 Dec 04, 2000 (2:59 am)
Piglover and Chase7, THe oil filter (at least on the base engine) is behind the block and almost impossible to get off unless the car is on a rack. Figure on taking it to a shop. I noticed the blind spot just this morning. I'm told it goes along with the padded pillars mandated for crash protection. I drive a '00 LX and the only thing that's actually broken is the clutch spring. It rides great and has enough pep once you learn to spool it up a little. The doors squeak and a gasket popped off the rear door (easily fixed but annoying), so Ford had a few things to improve, but it is a great car to drive, and roomy besides. The engines are held over from the Escort, so there should be fewer problems there. I say, whatever you buy, enjoy it and let the dealer fix the snags. Re mileage, I get 30 mpg (mixed driving) all the time, but people I've talked to at the pump get the 24/30 spread with the auto/DOHC engine. ('00 LX, 8months, 8700 miles)
#37 of 1997 Thanks! by chase7 Dec 04, 2000 (1:51 pm)
All of you, thanks for your valuable input. I'm definitely going with the Focus 2001. It sounds like we are a match. Now, the car salesman.....
#38 of 1997 Reliability by hkoenen2 Dec 04, 2000 (4:08 pm)
No question in my mind on that one. IT IS NOT. With just over a year of ownership on mine and about 9000 miles, I have gone through several ABS brake sensors, a new transmission (auto), replaced the driver inside door handle and power actuater, problems with rear seat hinges, seat fabric, passenger door handle sticking, recalls, poor fuel economy just to name a few of the reasons my can has made 15 trips to the dealership. But I have only one of several million cars. On the other hand, Comsumer Report just gave it a worse than average rating on reliability in their 2001 book. I think that data is far more telling on the future of the FOcus. I for one will buy the extended warranty before my three years are up or sell the car prior to the warranty running out.
#39 of 1997 Vocus... by haumang Dec 04, 2000 (4:49 pm)
Your experience hit upon some issues that a few owners have mentioned with the Focus. Some say that seats are very uncomfortable in the sedan over long stretches. I personally don't have this problem, but perhaps that's cuz I'm a little fella (5'6"). Also, about the car feeling like it was going sideways; my only real issue with the way the Focus drives is the large amount of rear suspension travel. If your rental car was out of alignment (and I've come across more than a few like that) then this agravates the problem further. My wheels were out of alignment when I got it from the dealership - I had splash guards installed at the dealer and the the wheels ended up out of alignment - and, with NYC's bumpy roads, I had a similar experience to what you describe. Once I got the wheels aligned, though, the car drove great. peace
#40 of 1997 seats! by lgb Dec 05, 2000 (12:41 am)
My only real complaint. If you are going to use a Focus for long-distance commutes, rent one from Hertz for a long test drive ! P>S I'm a shortie too!

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