I think I'm going to buy a Focus for a daily driver.

jdium · May 18, 2007

Anyone have one? I just want something inexpensive with a warranty that gets good gas mileage. Which Ford dealership in the Portland area would you all recommend?

I'm tired of worrying about every noise (and there are a lot of them in a 91 vert with no chassis stiffining). And 20 mpg on a great tank is hard to justify...

Juiced87Notch · May 18, 2007

my wife has an 04 and so far its been a great car... we bought it from suburban ford in sandy wich is outside portland, and they were nice there, but we've had it serviced there and gresham ford and both have treaded her really well. I deal with courtesey ford daily (we do all their lift kits and tire and wheel deals) and from what I've seen there allright, I looked at an 03 cobra there when they first came out and I was debating trading my 98gt in on it (I decided against the 500 a month payment) but the guy I dealt with was nice, thats all I've delt with around portland as far as ford dealerships goe. I would highly recomend buying one with a stick, the only thing I hate about her car is the auto... I hate slushboxes. the one problem that I know of with the focuses is the ignition switch, it'll lock and you wont be able to turn it with the key, no matter what you do. ford has a tsb out on it and you take it in and they replace it with an updated unit that works much much better, I do believe they fixed the problem on the newer bodystyles 06 on up I think? but I'm not 100% sure.

05s-281 · May 18, 2007

had one for a service loaner. didnt care for it and it didnt seem to do that great on gas.

Logan2003Cobra · May 18, 2007

05s-281 said:
had one for a service loaner. didnt care for it and it didnt seem to do that great on gas.

+1

jdium · May 18, 2007

Ok then, recommendations???

saleen556 · May 18, 2007

We have an 01 plymouth neon that commutes from banks to portland 7 days a week. It gets over 30mpg and I don't have to worry if someone hits it. You can pick them up used for anywhere from $4K-$8k. Had it just over a year and it's been 20k+ trouble free miles. It has 96k on the odometer.

jdium · May 18, 2007

saleen556 said:
We have an 01 plymouth neon that commutes from banks to portland 7 days a week. It gets over 30mpg and I don't have to worry if someone hits it. You can pick them up used for anywhere from $4K-$8k. Had it just over a year and it's been 20k+ trouble free miles. It has 96k on the odometer.

I'm looking for a warranty...

saleen556 · May 18, 2007

jdium said:
I'm looking for a warranty...

You could find a newer one with a warranty for around 10K or less.

jdium · May 18, 2007

saleen556 said:
You could find a newer one with a warranty for around 10K or less.

That's the thing. I can pick up a new Focus for 10k right now. That's the pull right now. And the EPA for the 07's says 27/37 mpg. I'm currently happy to get close to 20 with 90% freeway driving...

yello05 · May 18, 2007

My 2000 Focus still gets 30-34mpg with 120K on it with about 70% freeway driving. Definately not the fastest car in the world, but hella reliable, cheap to fix, tons of headroom, and best of all it only cost me $4000 My current one is the only SPI engined Focus I have owned, but I had 2 Zetec Foci prior to this one, and looking back on it I HATED the Zetec motor. Makes 20 more HP (Or so) but sucked down the gas and really didnt feel that much faster.

281pony · May 18, 2007

cheap, good on gas, and warranty?

get a kia spectra/rio.. liked my spectra alot for what it was.

Juiced87Notch · May 18, 2007

the only thing I regret with my wifes focus, is I wish I coulda talked her into buying a mazda 3... she just didnt want to pay a few grand more, there much much nicer cars interior wise.

05s-281 · May 18, 2007

ive been looking at the jetta tdi. they are a little over 20 but they get great mileage.

macjr · May 19, 2007

i have a 02 focus wagon and it gets about 27 with the stop and go traffic on the valley freeway. it has the ztec motor and an auto. could not get a stick on the wagon. great car for what it is. btw it has about 100k on the odometer and no major work yet but front brakes. needs a timing belt and a tune up here in about 10k.

wp331 · May 19, 2007

for what its worth I have a 07 focus zx3 we are getting 33mpg mostly freeway average 75mph. Its a pretty good car for the $.

jdium · May 19, 2007

05s-281 said:
ive been looking at the jetta tdi. they are a little over 20 but they get great mileage.

I had heard rumors of a Rabbit TDI coming out early 08, but the VW dealer told me it was just that, a rumor. There is no chance of it before 09, and probably not then due to some govt restriction. The Jetta TDI would be my choice if I could afford 20g's. 60 mpg would be nice

jdium · May 19, 2007

281pony said:
cheap, good on gas, and warranty?

get a kia spectra/rio.. liked my spectra alot for what it was.

I just can't swallow buying a Kia or Hundai...I'll sacrifice a little to stick with a ford if that is the choice...

dli1314 · May 20, 2007

I have a couple friends that have had focus'(one was an 02 and one was an 06) (foci? lol) and they were always having some kind of little problem with them. the gas milage was around 20-25 for both, i remember them complaining. neither of them own a focus any more.

not to mention...i think they are pretty ugly

and if you want something remotely reliable i'd stay away from a vw.

why not buy a honda if you are looking for a reliable car that gets good gas milage and still looks decent? you might have to pay a little more...but the resale on a honda is a whole lot better than a focus would be.

good luck deciding

Juiced87Notch · May 20, 2007

jdium said:
I just can't swallow buying a Kia or Hundai...I'll sacrifice a little to stick with a ford if that is the choice...

one thing I forgot, I'm 6'3" and with the seat all the way back and the steering wheel telescoped all the way out my legs are really cramped in my wifes 04 focus... anytime we go on long trips my right leg cramps up bad because of how cramped it is...

24kmach · May 20, 2007

My wifes car is a 02 Focus ZTS bought new. It has a little over 40 K on it . The drivers door latch busted after the three year warranty ran out. Same with the A/C. We should have bought a Honda.

I think I'm going to buy a Focus for a daily driver.

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