Ford Focus

crikker · #1 06-01-2008, 09:07 PM

Anyone own one? Please post pluses and minuses, good and bad. I'm in the market to purchase a smaller car that is good on gas mileage. I like the looks of the Focus. It'll be mainly for work but also some trips close to home. No cross country runs. I like the size of the Taurus but the mileage isn't close to the Focus.

LumpyGravy · #2 06-01-2008, 09:19 PM

I don't, but if you can get your gear in it, you are good to go.
I have a 99 Ford Escort. I get 2 -15" monitors, Power amp, Mic stand, 2x10" cab, bass head,bass, cord bag and a 12" cab. Still room for the girl!

LiquidMidnight · #3 06-01-2008, 11:42 PM

I have a 2000 Focus Wagon. It gets great mileage and I can haul an insane amount of gear in it.

The primary con with it is that the ignition systems are flawed and it's not uncommon for them to freeze up (I just happened to have mine do this

). Unfortunately, Ford has not put the ignition system as recall status, because they make serious money by having you take them to the Ford garage to get repaired (because of anti-theft security, you can't switch out the ignition by yourself). Ahh, corporate greed at its finest; make an inferior product then cash-in on it when it fails. Anyways, many people just have locksmiths fix their ignitions rather than taking them to Ford garages. Also check and see if you have had the fuel pump replaced, because they are on recall.

I've had opportunities to buy Taruses, but I don't trust their transmissions; I know a lot of people who have had tranny trouble with Taruses.

Bob Clayton · #4 06-01-2008, 11:51 PM

a bunch of my friends have focuses and they seem to be pretty decent cars.

the only thing i don't like about them, (and yes i know it's a fickle reason) is that the door locks seem to be reversed. it's hard to explain, but when it looks like it should be unlocked, it's locked, and vice versa.

hallo · #5 06-02-2008, 03:29 AM

Well got one last weekend; Focus Titanium. The Ampeg B200r fits in the boot easily, reckon it can easily fit in inside a flightcase. Used to take some gear back to he lockup the other night and managed to gt in the boot and on the back seat:
*Ampeg B200r,
*Fender Deluxe 90,
*Fender p Bass in hard case (doesn't fit in boot but with seat down can easily go in),
*1 Les Paul
*Med-Large Pedal board,
*Atache Case
*Bag full of leads and pedals
*Drummers symbals
*Drummers Snare
*Drummers hardware

Oh and one drummer in the front seat, plenty of room for more gear too. As stated earlier tha the only downfall is that the boot isn't wide enough for a bass hard case but then again i have trouble getting into my mates MPV. Fits accross the bass seats easily though.
On the car front im getting around 40mpg out of it and I'm liking the Sony mp3 player too.

Baryonyx · #6 06-02-2008, 03:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LiquidMidnight

I know a lot of people who have had tranny trouble with Taruses.

And that is not something you want with your car!

JMX · #7 06-02-2008, 04:22 AM

We have a '05 Focus Turnier (Euro version), which is a nice ride with enough space. The motor could be a bit smoother/quieter but that's ok for the price. Overall quality is good - no problems so far. The heatable front window is a great plus, as is the MP3 CD system. Seats and stick shifting are not as smooth as in the Fiesta Ghia we had before, but still good.
We have the 99 HP(?) engine which gives an average of just under 8 l/100 km (mainly urban traffic).

I still wish I'd gone for the C-Max or maybe even waited for the S-Max.

Yngwie 4String · #8 06-02-2008, 04:52 AM

My family has a 2000 Ford Focus. My girlfriend has a 2003. The pluses are that it is a fairly nice looking little car with really good gas milege. The negative is that it doesnt stand up to wear and tear. The 2000 had a lot of recall parts, and we got those all in, but it still seems to need realigned a lot.

Im a Chevy Truck driver. Im not a fan of the Focus.

peterbright · #9 06-02-2008, 06:51 AM

FORD = Found On the Road Dead

Philbiker · #10 06-02-2008, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMX

We have a '05 Focus Turnier (Euro version), which is a nice ride with enough space. The motor could be a bit smoother/quieter but that's ok for the price. Overall quality is good - no problems so far. The heatable front window is a great plus, as is the MP3 CD system. Seats and stick shifting are not as smooth as in the Fiesta Ghia we had before, but still good.
We have the 99 HP(?) engine which gives an average of just under 8 l/100 km (mainly urban traffic).

From what I understand, the US Focus is a completely different car than the Euro Focus.

I have a friend who bought an early model Focus, it's still going strong and getting great mileage with minimal repairs. He loves it. I think the new Focuses look great.

Mon Rominee · #11 06-02-2008, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by peterbright

FORD = Found On the Road Dead

Flip Over Read Directions

Fix Or Repair Daily

oh, there's a million of them....I wish you the best tho, not poking fun at Focusii...nice little cars...

hallo · #12 06-02-2008, 07:59 AM

Apparently there is quite a bit of a difference between the EU and US focus, engine and styling. Don't think you have the greener Eco engines over there.

JMX · #13 06-02-2008, 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Philbiker

From what I understand, the US Focus is a completely different car than the Euro Focus.

I have a friend who bought an early model Focus, it's still going strong and getting great mileage with minimal repairs. He loves it. I think the new Focuses look great.

That's true, I remember looking at ford.com and they older (the one before the new US Focus) looked like the 2003 Euro model.

Mon Rominee · #14 06-02-2008, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMX

That's true, I remember looking at ford.com and they older (the one before the new US Focus) looked like the 2003 Euro model.

Hmm. is the Focus touted as a "world" car? If so, wouldn't it stand to figure it would be the same model world wide? Like the oft-maligned, short lived ford contour which was also touted as a "world car"?

hallo · #15 06-02-2008, 08:15 AM

This is our current focus hatchback, if it helps.

Mon Rominee · #16 06-02-2008, 08:18 AM

Wow. I guess not then... that's a nice looking car. Here's ours:

Maybe it's just a skin-job?

hallo · #17 06-02-2008, 08:32 AM

The engine is definately different, the EU focus gets more MPG, the US gets 24mpg & 35mpg whereas the same EU engine gets a combined 35.3 mpg. I know on mine I average around 38mpg. Don't know why it's the same, im sure you guys would prefer the higher mpg especially as its the same power.

Philbiker · #18 06-02-2008, 10:10 AM

They are completely different cars. I remember reading the review of the new US Focus where the reviewer was unhappy that we didn't get what he claimed was the superior and newer Europe version here in the US. The US one is little more than a reskin of the old US model.

jsbass · #19 06-02-2008, 10:10 AM

I'll even admit, Ford doesn't make them like they used to.

The trucks are still pretty good but even I lost interest in them after 1996. They got rid of the old motors after 1996/1997. 300-6, 302, 351W, 460, etc... all gone. They were damn good motors too.

Mike N · #20 06-02-2008, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mon Rominee

........Like the oft-maligned, short lived ford contour......

And it's sister car the Mercury Mistake.