PICS!!! My DD and my G/F's New Car!!! CHECK IT OUT!

Well we picked up this 2001 focus from a guy for her he was asking $3200 and said that he was a mechanic and the battery light was on due to a bad battery and he had to jump it. The car has the full svt suspension package on it and runs ok with 119k on the clock. I did notice a smell he said it was from the coolant flush he had done and it got on the header. I noticed the VC gasket leaking and figured that was the real problem. He also said it had a new windsheild. SO i told him we would think about it.

I got home and i emailed him and offered $2600 and he said it was way to low for a car in that great shape. i replied that its fair considering it needs a new alternator. And that any mechanic would know that the battery light moniters the alt. and the volt regulator. he said he would let it go for $3000 so i said ok.

So a few days later we pick it up and get it home and get a good look at it in the day light. the VC gasket was leaking pretty bad... the trans fluid was looking dark... Then i noticed the HEATER CORE WAS LEAKING. not alot.... but i think this is what he was trying to cover up with the "spilled coolant" comment... i had a stuffy nose and didnt notice the smell... it was a slow leak but pissed me off....


Ive worked on it 2 days since....Thursday I did the heater core with chris at his parents house THANK GOD FOR WARM! only took 3 hours i found a short cut on line that was relatively unknown. the dash board stayed in the car . i also did a oil change and changed the air filter. Filled the car with new coolant and its running fine... battery light still on.

Yesterday. I picked up the VC gasket, Trans filter, and Alternator. and went up to work on the car with chris. The alternator was a total bitch and took all day... the engine needed to be lifted... so i had to undo the mount. also move the overflow for the coolant and the power steering as well as detach a few connectors and fuel lines... Then it finally came out... chris found a good way to pull it out. i did notice a broken wire on the connector for the alt... which had to be removed from the connector and soldered. Then i did the VC gasket and cleaned the engine with degreaseer.... and went on to detail the interior....

Today i washed it and mine and took some pics.

$84 heatercore
$155 Alternator
$20 transfilter and gasket
$36 VC gasket
$3000 for the car

Doesent look half bad and rides like new















my bay:

Dirty


My interior:




Big thanks for the help chris... Couldn't do any of this without you man.

Redline_351R said:

Nice Foci

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Thanks... im considering selling mine and getting an SVT... mine has a salvage title.... totaled by a tree and it shows in some places...( door lines up a little weird) (a small cut or 2 in the dash from glass/branches) hers has one bad paint spot on it.


Door (body line is off a little):

Killercanary said:

Nice find. I'm sitting here in amazement that you too had the broken red wire on the alternator. Last month I was driving home from work and the little red dash light would come on, but it'd go off when I hit the throttle. It did this for about 10 miles then it went on and stayed on. I couldn't figure it out and thought the alternator went out. Luckily I got to looking around back there just to see if anything was loose first and I saw the wire. Ford sells the pigtail and I picked it up for roughly $35. I cut the old one off, installed the new one and left all of the extra wire length in tact so it'd never happen again. I think this was a design flaw from ford as the wire is pretty stretched to begin with and I think the constant rocking back and forth of the engine eventually pulls it out.

I have an SVTF and I LOVE it. If you are buying a new one though, make sure to see how many miles are on the clutch if you can and if it has been replaced. That is the only downside to this car, the dual mass flywheel setup from the factory is known to limit the stock clutch life. The aftermarket has helped to make this better with its offerings, but a clutch replacement is a minimum of $650 just in parts alone.

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Yea... i already had the alt out... and didnt want to take the chance.... it was a complete pain... we used some picks and took the connector apart and rewired it up with some extensions.... i didnt really have the money... but i bought the alt/trans filter/ and VC gaskets for her set me back about $220 after core... but would rather have her driving a safe car.... she drives through some bad places (trenton) on the way to school... and when i turned the old alt.... it made a squeeky chirping noise.... just didnt trust it....


My clutch is on its way out in my car i think.... you think i should sell it??? i would prpbably just pick up an exedy clutch i had one on my probe and it was nice stock feel and hooked a little better... only $159...i really want a competition orange zx3 or zx5 svt... but dont have the cash... i was going to try to hold on to my car for another year... i was talking with my grandfather about it... because of the salvage title and everything... he said why take the chance on a used car when you know this one runs good and doesent burn oil???? which is a very good point... also if i had a SVT id probably get the mod bug im already itching to throw a short shifter and paint the rims gold in the zx3... after riding in hers with the svt suspension... i might have to order that for my car... only like $300 for the whole set up on ebay.