I posted my budget in the original post, $3k. I know its not alot but I'm essentialy just trying to get my daughter into a nice starter vehicle. The Cherokee was nice but killing her and us on gas.
I may have to up my budget to 3500-4000!
School me on the early Ford Focus
- Thread starter boatcop1
- Start date
I posted my budget in the original post, $3k. I know its not alot but I'm essentialy just trying to get my daughter into a nice starter vehicle. The Cherokee was nice but killing her and us on gas.
I may have to up my budget to 3500-4000!
i don't have any direct experience with the early focus, but stay the **** away from used VWs!!! the mother ****ers will absolutely nickel and dime the ever loving SHIT outta you.
I would get the Focus because you won't have to worry about the timing belt breaking and trashing the head like on a civic. I have seen the thermostat housings leak on them and on the SOHC motors the valve guides have dropped just like the old 1.9's in the escort.
BS:bs:....Yes they had recalls but the most recalled vehicle at that time was the BMW X5. I've had a 2000 Focus and it was reliable, no major problems. After it got written off in an accident I bought a 2003 Focus and it performs the same, very reliable and no major problems. With both vehicles I only had minor repairs and it was the front sway bar end links, cost me $76 in parts and an hours work, that's nothing major. Of course as the cars age and the mileage goes up you're bound to find some problems but for the amount OP wants to spend they are a good buy.
Also the parts aren't as expensive as for the imports. I buy a Motorcraft oil filter from the dealer for about $8, a friend had a Toyota and an oil filter was $23 :fm:and it was half the size of the one for the Focus.
I don't think you know what your talking about.:lol1:
OP....there are good used Foci out there just keep looking, if you find one have it inspected and if it's in good condition buy it, both of my cars were bought used and I couldn't be happier.
$2500 seems pretty fair for that car.
I have a 2002 Nissan Altima I MAY be selling in the near future if you have any interest. I'd want $4,000 for it though.
The DOHC motor is an interference engine.
Thank you for your reply. I'm still doing research on the little buggers.
Make sure you get the tsb for the gas tank taken care of, this was my buddies...
He didnt bring it in for the recall notice he got, he smelt burning, pulled over and his car was starting to roast.
He didnt bring it in for the recall notice he got, he smelt burning, pulled over and his car was starting to roast.
Make sure you get the tsb for the gas tank taken care of, this was my buddies...
He didnt bring it in for the recall notice he got, he smelt burning, pulled over and his car was starting to roast.
Dayum! Noted!
My uncle had an early Focus, had some serious problems with it all the time, a 2000. I'm not sure if he was happier the day he sold his boat or the day he traded in his early Focus.
I had a 2000 ZX3 auto when I was 16 and I drove like a typical 16 year old and never had any major issues while I was driving it. At the time I thought I was going to shake it apart from the systems I put in it but I hydroplanned and totalled it. I would guess the only issue I had with it was it sounded like a it had a shift kit in it as it sounded like it chirp the tires on the 1-2 shift.
Not true, all ford belt driven engines are non-interference engines. The chain driven ones are interference.
Personally, I love my '01 Focus. However, I don't think I would recommend one to someone that doesn't work on cars. I've had a laundry list of issues with mine. All simple and relatively easy to fix, but I probably would have paid through the nose on labor.
- Cowl popping up allowing rain water into the passengers side floor board
- Blower motor resistor
- Temperature sensor for the fan motor, twice
- Front right motor mount, three times
- Thermostat housing, twice. (VERY bad design, IMO. Or was it designed to fail? Hmm.)
- Coolant tube over the radiator
- Water pump, forth (first was changed with a timing belt. Other 3 are crappy O'Reilly new WPs.)
- Belt tensioner
- Strut bearing plate, lost count. Probably 5 total.
- Soon to be alternator (drive end bearing is making a bit of noise; most people wouldn't care but I'm anal)
- Few other issues but I chalk them up to aftermarket product failures like the water pump.
The car is at about 146k miles. What I noticed is that it HATES aftermarket parts. It only runs right with Ford parts. Would I have bought it again? Hell yes! Over all, I think it is a pretty fun to drive car.
- Cowl popping up allowing rain water into the passengers side floor board
- Blower motor resistor
- Temperature sensor for the fan motor, twice
- Front right motor mount, three times
- Thermostat housing, twice. (VERY bad design, IMO. Or was it designed to fail? Hmm.)
- Coolant tube over the radiator
- Water pump, forth (first was changed with a timing belt. Other 3 are crappy O'Reilly new WPs.)
- Belt tensioner
- Strut bearing plate, lost count. Probably 5 total.
- Soon to be alternator (drive end bearing is making a bit of noise; most people wouldn't care but I'm anal)
- Few other issues but I chalk them up to aftermarket product failures like the water pump.
The car is at about 146k miles. What I noticed is that it HATES aftermarket parts. It only runs right with Ford parts. Would I have bought it again? Hell yes! Over all, I think it is a pretty fun to drive car.
had a 2000 ZX3, it was the biggest piece of shit. Nothing but issues.
I think I'm going to bail on the earlier Focus. I can work on anything but I dont want to, lol. I found out this Focus has th eless than desirable spi engine as well. This is for my daughter so I will just have to find something else. And the hunt continues..
Thanks for all the help guys.
Thanks for all the help guys.
incorrect.
incorrect.
the SVT Focus is an interferance engine with a timing belt.
incorrect, all the ZX3's had the Zetec motors....the SPI was only offered in the 4 door sedan (usually SE models). To verify, check the 8th digit of the VIN. 3 is zetec, P is SPI and 5 is SVT.
I hate to say it as a Focus fanboi, but avoid the 2000 models, that was the year they had all the issues, which is common for first year models (2000 was the year the focus was introduced in the states).
The 2001-2004 made the 10 best list every year.
The focus is a great car, I have owned 8 of them, all 2001-2004 models.
Bought a 2003 focus SE 4 door new. It has 135000 miles on it. Other than standard maintenance, I've had three issues. A/C compressor went out at 80K miles, replaced with a Motorcraft. Since new, the Sunroof module has intermittently failed and the factory 6 disc stopped feeding discs. Ford fixed both issues a few times, fortunately since the extended warranty expired it's never given us trouble. We gave this car to my mother-in-law and she's DDing it.
Girlfriend picked up her 04 4door focus a few years back for $3500. Car has about 130k miles on it now and it's had hardly any issues.
Go 02 or newer. We bought an 03 for the wife new in 2003 and still have it. Other than a few minor things it has been a great car. You should be able to find one like that cheap. Ours now has 155K on it.
I think you should google the 98-02 corollas. They get into the habit of burning a quart of oil every thousand miles after like 90-100k miles on them.
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