SVT Focus

AaronG

New Member
Jun 25, 2003
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Does anyone on here own one of these cars, or have any have you driven one? I'm looking at replacing my daily driver with something more fuel efficient. Opinions/experiences?

Aaron
 
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i drove one back a few years. it seemed nice but i went with my Acura RSX. fit and finish was much much nicer and well, its faster. it will always seem slow and underpowered compared to the stang but save gas it will. if you are strictly a ford lover then i would say go for it. it does have a 6 speed as the steeda only had the 5 speed. me personally i like the honda products with it comes to the I4's and a ford guy for my V8 needs.
 
i drove one back a few years. it seemed nice but i went with my Acura RSX. fit and finish was much much nicer and well, its faster. it will always seem slow and underpowered compared to the stang but save gas it will. if you are strictly a ford lover then i would say go for it. it does have a 6 speed as the steeda only had the 5 speed. me personally i like the honda products with it comes to the I4's and a ford guy for my V8 needs.

Hmm, I never thought about the RSX's... I have driven a six speed type-s, which was a really nice car -- a little pricey. The base model, however, might be in my budget.

i heard they handle pretty well

Yeah, I have heard the same. I dunno... I've also heard some bad things about the Foci. Ah.... screw it. I hate buying cars, lol...
 
I've read that they are peppey, excellent handling little cars, but reliability wise, they are pieces of crapola. I'd steer clear of those.

Edit: hey cool! I typed "crap.ola" and it put that cool litle smilie!
 
Actually Im working on my buddy's 03' right now at work. He bought his wrecked and rebuilt it as a salvage. Its got about 35000 on it and Ive only had to fix minor things mainly due to the crash it was in. As a ford tech Id say there pretty good and we dont see too many problems with them. Likes: HID headlights (not all models though), 6 speed getrag (pretty reliable), and the little 2.0 sounds kind of cool at high rpms with a CAI. Dislikes: seats sit up high and feels like your going to launch through the windshield, seat adjustments are stupid also, and really dont like to whole egg shaped hatch look. Hope this helps. Am a ford guy and a ford tech but I still drive a celica every day to work. Sad to have to say Id say go honda or toyota.
 
My friend was an Editor for Mustang and Fords. They sent him an SVT Focus when it was coming out and even though he had it for only a couple weeks it was in the shop most of the time. Granted, it was a new model, and that was a press car which probably got beat up by 10 other magazines before he got it. And he did break a half-shaft doing a burnout in reverse; the way he saw it, you go forward doing a burnout in a RWD car...so...:D

Personally, I'd look at an SE-R Sentra Spec-V. 6-spd, 2.5. Also, I hate 3-door or 5-doors cars; give me a sedan or notchback.
 
If you get one do not go for an 02 they had the most problems. By 04 everything was pretty much worked out. The 6 speeds shifts beautifully. Also try to find one with the Euro package. The euro package gives you recarro seats and all the options available like hids, heated seats, engine block heater, sunroof. e.t.c. I almost got one but found a hell of a deal on a Marauder. While I love the rauder I kind of wish I had gotten the focus at times because of the 6 speed and it handles really well. I don't think they are that great on gas stock, but with a tune they are significantly better. I think people have gotten mid 30's on the highway and mid high 20's in the city iirc.