'04 Focus-Lifetime air filter
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My favorite quote from this thread.
And? Buddy still blew up his car. I have a feeling it wasn't the car's or Ford's fault. I'm pretty sure it wasn't the lifetime air filter.
As I said earlier,my company car is a focus wagon.
I just got an '06 two months ago.
These cars are leased and turened in just under 60K miles.
I have a Corolla and there's no comparison.
The engine held up well on the Focus.
However the suspension stunk.
New struts were needed at 50K.
Power steering rack was leaking.
Rattles and squeaks were loud and annoying.
My company leases 3 Focus wagons because they're cheap.
$18K list and they're loaded.
All three had issues.
At least from my day to day experience...the Focus isn't in the same league as a Corolla.
My son's Cobalt LT coupe is a much better car than a Focus IMO.
That's right, in the States, not in the rest of the world.
Over time FoMoCo has cheapened virtually every part of the original design in order to be able to keep selling it at the discount prices here in US where the Unionized plants are outdated and awfully inefficient.
All the past Focus problems you've seen can be traced to the domestic Ford execution, not a design.
The properly built European Focus is far more superior to the Corolla in its driving dynamics and at the same time being more reliable too.
If you want to get a taste of the modern, second generation Focus (not available in the States, of course) take a look at the Japanese build Mazda 3, which is riding on the second generation Focus platform (among with the Volvo S/V 40).
Ford continues to neglect its home small car market.
When gas hits $4 gal Ford and GM will finally get killed and they fully deserve that for all the cultivated corporate neglect, stupidity and union greed and inefficiency.
Here comes bankruptcy, the only chance for them to reform.
[ April 15, 2006, 03:47 PM: Message edited by: vad ]
JHZR2
Staff member
I have an 06 focus as a long term rental car. Ive put well over a thousand miles on it, and logged fuel economy as well.
I drove a late moel civic from delaware to pittsburgh and back a while back... it was brand new.
I have driven a late model corolla a few times as of late, but not for lots of miles.
Which is the best? actually, the focus! Actually the nissan sentra rental I had once was the best, but I only had it 2 days and maybe 100 miles.
The focus has only given 30-32 mpg in all highway driving. However the civic only gave 32-33 in our use of it... terribly poor for both... but the focus, as much as its trans has to kick down, never groans or downshifted as much as the civic. The civics engine may be lnglasting, but its drivetrain is inferior to most every vehicle Ive ever driven... and a co-worker who bought a late model pre owned civic is complaining and worrying about his civic's shift quality.
The focus actually felt less grounded and willing to handle than the civic or sentra. I hadnt taken the corolla around any interstate offramps or windy highways, so I cant comment. I was disapointed, gien the expensive relatively low profile tires on the focus. I think the high side and overall profile of the focus (good for a tall guy like me, at 6'4, who immediately had a comfortable excellent seating position without touching my head on the roof!) makes it a bit more succeptible to tip and wind, and thus less apt at handling... despite the speed rated tires and all of ford's claims.
I think the sentra, with a 0.2L smaller engine than the focus, had more pep than either, and gave me calculated 35.2MPG for the bit that I used it in mixed driving!
All car makers need to get smarter on real fuel economy from their economy cars. Stop catering to the schmuck idiots and women who convince themselves that their econobox is in some way 'sporty'... and make an economical car.
The focus actually has nice materials, evenif to the touch they are hard plastic... Id never have guessed... and hard plastic doesnt offgas or crack as easily, so its actually superior, regardless of how much people want soft touch 'luxury' dashboards to feel 'upscale'.
Id love to give the cobalt a try... if the ecotec in there is anything like the 2.0 saab designed engine that I have in 2004 9-3 2.0t (which shares the block)... the engine will be quite economical and good all around. the cobalt looks good from the outside, but the interior, when I checked it out at the dealer when it first hit the dealers, is inferior to the focus in materia selection... though not as bad as the cavalier.
All in all, I have to say Im impressed by the ford focus... ford has done a good job on the refresh... now they need to put a diesel in it!
JMH
I drove a late moel civic from delaware to pittsburgh and back a while back... it was brand new.
I have driven a late model corolla a few times as of late, but not for lots of miles.
Which is the best? actually, the focus! Actually the nissan sentra rental I had once was the best, but I only had it 2 days and maybe 100 miles.
The focus has only given 30-32 mpg in all highway driving. However the civic only gave 32-33 in our use of it... terribly poor for both... but the focus, as much as its trans has to kick down, never groans or downshifted as much as the civic. The civics engine may be lnglasting, but its drivetrain is inferior to most every vehicle Ive ever driven... and a co-worker who bought a late model pre owned civic is complaining and worrying about his civic's shift quality.
The focus actually felt less grounded and willing to handle than the civic or sentra. I hadnt taken the corolla around any interstate offramps or windy highways, so I cant comment. I was disapointed, gien the expensive relatively low profile tires on the focus. I think the high side and overall profile of the focus (good for a tall guy like me, at 6'4, who immediately had a comfortable excellent seating position without touching my head on the roof!) makes it a bit more succeptible to tip and wind, and thus less apt at handling... despite the speed rated tires and all of ford's claims.
I think the sentra, with a 0.2L smaller engine than the focus, had more pep than either, and gave me calculated 35.2MPG for the bit that I used it in mixed driving!
All car makers need to get smarter on real fuel economy from their economy cars. Stop catering to the schmuck idiots and women who convince themselves that their econobox is in some way 'sporty'... and make an economical car.
The focus actually has nice materials, evenif to the touch they are hard plastic... Id never have guessed... and hard plastic doesnt offgas or crack as easily, so its actually superior, regardless of how much people want soft touch 'luxury' dashboards to feel 'upscale'.
Id love to give the cobalt a try... if the ecotec in there is anything like the 2.0 saab designed engine that I have in 2004 9-3 2.0t (which shares the block)... the engine will be quite economical and good all around. the cobalt looks good from the outside, but the interior, when I checked it out at the dealer when it first hit the dealers, is inferior to the focus in materia selection... though not as bad as the cavalier.
All in all, I have to say Im impressed by the ford focus... ford has done a good job on the refresh... now they need to put a diesel in it!
JMH
That's the plasticizer leaving the plastic which eventually causes it to become brittle and crack, correct?
I was always curious to know exactly why using PCV wire insulation in high-temp environments resulted in it becoming brittle and cracking. I guess it's a similar process.
JHZR2
Staff member
That's my understanding! I think it is likely very much the same.
In terms of dashes, UV light does cause degradation, which likely has a mechanism that breaks down the plasticizers and whatnot as well.
JMH
In terms of dashes, UV light does cause degradation, which likely has a mechanism that breaks down the plasticizers and whatnot as well.
JMH
JHZR2
Staff member
ehhhh. thaose focii dont really look all that different to me... its the drivetrain and braking system that I really care about. The red one still looks like a ford aspire.
Do they offer a sedan? Do the euro versions have rear discs? what are their diesel options?
How about migratingback to reasonable 14" wheels instead of 55 or 60 profile tires on an economy car?
JMH
Do they offer a sedan? Do the euro versions have rear discs? what are their diesel options?
How about migratingback to reasonable 14" wheels instead of 55 or 60 profile tires on an economy car?
JMH
JHZR2
Staff member
nice! about 50 mpg, eh?
Government subsidized sale of those and similar cars would solve a lot of our energy issues!
JMH
Government subsidized sale of those and similar cars would solve a lot of our energy issues!
JMH
JHZR2
Staff member
yep, I noted that on my 06 focus rental tht I have now.
My 91 BMW E30 318i, with 104k miles, and 195/65r-14 tires will out accelerate, out handle and outdrive this focus in every way, with slightly inferior tires. So much for ford's claims that the focus is sooooooo sporty in the handling department.
I bet the euro version does better. But if its with the cost of bigger/lower profile tires, no thanks.
JMH
My 91 BMW E30 318i, with 104k miles, and 195/65r-14 tires will out accelerate, out handle and outdrive this focus in every way, with slightly inferior tires. So much for ford's claims that the focus is sooooooo sporty in the handling department.
I bet the euro version does better. But if its with the cost of bigger/lower profile tires, no thanks.
JMH
German Quality, now that's an oxymoron !!
I just wish Ford would let me bypass all of those models and produce (and bring over) a street version (a la STI & Evo 8) of the WRC Focus. There is not a TOYota around that could touch that thing's all-around performance (not even the sacredquote:
Originally posted by Louis Zerr:
There are reportedly 2 charcoal filters on outside of the actual air filter element that can be removed for up to 5 whp.
I am a focus owner and i would never buy a corolla. An SE, hmmm, not the best of the Focus line, the ZX3 with lighter weight wins my vote.
I have an '02 and have driven models that range from stock '01 to '04 ST. along with 2 turbo and a vortech supercharged foci. They are fun cars, especially when lowered with a nice tire set up.
As for the original post under extreme condidtions the filter is only list for about 30,000 miles. It is a very similar material to the much larger 6.0L Powerstroke Diesel air filter. It even comes with an filter minder to check it like the diesel.
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