Edmunds.com | Inside Line | Auto Observer Your Account | Help | Directory
You are here:
![[F]](http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/media/townhall/webxicons/site.gif){kind=small}
Forums
Hatchbacks Ford Focus Ford Focus Owners Tell Ford What you Want!
132 messages, Last post on Dec 05, 2009 at 1:02 AM
You are in the Ford Focus Forum. Your Host is pf_flyer
|
The original Focus became an "everyman's car" like the Charlie Brown of the auto universe. You wanted sporty ? you got the ST ... you wanted a tuner with untility ? you got one of the zippy hatches ... you wanted basic, you got the omnipotent 4 door sedan ... you wanted great utility in one of the last true wagon styles, you got the wagon ... now of course there will be no more wagons or hatches which is a true loss. And further proof Ford continues to lose their way, giving up more of their heritage. For all you auto trivia fans out there ... 9 out of the 10 all time best selling wagons have been Fords. The '08 Ford seems to be so refined and diluted now. As if the original concept has gone to finishing school and stayed far too long. With only 2 of the original 5 body styles remaining, this is 3 less reasons I wouldn't consider another Foci. The new Focus has lost all the desirability and charm of the original concept and from the outside seems to be just another trick Escort from the '80's. How retro is that ? But at least Ford threw in the great lounge lizard Mustang mood lighting on the dash ... the old Escort barely had a headliner light if I recall ... and we can all play our classic Meatloaf tunes on our in dash MVP players ... "I can see Paradise by the dash board lights... " Ford has always been able to field a good wagon, a good small car, and usually both ideas in one design ... but the '08 Focus isn't going to be one of those cars ... at this time, Ford seems to have definitely lost their way. A real American tragedy. IMHO, of course. ZXW Robb, owner of the one of the last Foci wagons ... "Big Blue". |
|
|
but we have an older demographic. Mark.
|
|
|
Replying to: mschmal (Feb 20, 2007 8:04 am) Focus groups have found that young stay-at-home moms like the Focus wagon as an alternative to the main family vehicle which tends to be an Explorer or Expedition. Older folks like 'em too as they tend to be less expensive than other small wagons, if I dare say so. Then there's rogues like myself, who don't fit any category, other than the fact I like the car for what it is. Practical, yet sporty, well optioned & affordable too. Every local Philly area dealer questioned why I wanted a wagon, and kept pushing me towards a Fusion or a Mustang. For me that was the quickest way to lose a sale. I drove down to see "Big Blue" one balmy November Saturday after locating him on line at Bob Davidson Ford, near Baltimore Maryland. The sales manager asked me just once "Do you like the color" as he thought the bright aqua blue metallic might be a tad too "out there". Well, as Bart would say "Au Contraire" !!! I have owned 3 Focus wagons now, so I guess I'm aging with the wagon set, or perhaps the mommy set. Don't care ! Live free and drive a Ford and screw the demographics ! ZXW Robb, and of course "Big Blue".
|
|
|
|
|
Replying to: zxw (Feb 20, 2007 2:09 pm) |
|
|
If your car seat wobbles, confirm that you put the seat belt into "CAR SEAT MODE" by pulling it completely out then letting it ratchet back. If you don't hear the pawls clicking as the seatbelt retracts, it is not in CAR SEAT MODE. Mark.
|
|
|
|
|
Replying to: mschmal (Feb 24, 2007 10:49 am) |
|
Sorry, the belt probably needs the clip to fit right  Depends on your seat, if it came with clips, you neeed the clip. Mark. |
|
|
note to ford. if you want the focus to compete with honda v-tecs, which zetec sounds like its supposed to compete with, your sporty version needs to be all sport. e.g. not so quiet: engine vroom vs mechanical whir, high revs and good throttle response, torque is nice but impression shouldn't diminish with rpm, egr system is dumb- i hope not completly necesary for emissions, and trick stuff like the dual-stage intake manifold from the svt. one little thing: speed sensitive volume knob=dumb. its on my '02 and it can be frustrating. i don't know if its gone yet on new foci or not. if not, it needs to go, just a normal knob is good. otherwise, focus zx3 is great. keep it around. 08 focus might look a little too korean. go for streety look like the new civic. i hate honda but it does look cool. |
|
|
Since 2005, all Foci come with a Duratec engine either the Duratec 20 or Duratec 23. vtec tech is so 1994. Vetec only offers 2 cam profiles. Most other car markers, including Ford, use a infinately varible valve timing setup that is computer controlled. For cost reasons though, the Foci does not have VVT. However, all Foci still have more HP than Civics except for the Civic SI. Mark |
|
|
ONLY two cam profiles. last time i checked, only v-tecs had more than one profile, including cars equiped with variable valve timing. variable timing is great but it does nothing for duration or lift. about the duratecs. are they any good? by good i mean zippy, fast sports-compact. the zx3 was supposed to be good, but it was hardly any different from the other granny foci. its really unfortunate that they're getting rid of the hatch-backs. the focus was actually getting relatively popular in the tuner arena for its good handling. ford could really invade that segment if it had a real 'zetec' motor. the japanese cater to tuners, and now there are almost more riced-up civics than suped-up mustangs in the typical high school parking lot. ford needs to have something to compete with them.
|
|
You are here:
Forums
Hatchbacks Ford Focus Ford Focus Owners Tell Ford What you Want!
New? Join Now!
Forum Tools
Search Forums
Browse by Vehicle
2010 Ford Focus
Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
Today's Chats
