Is your focus falling apart?

scsvtfocus · Aug 20, 2008

Yup. P.O.S.

P-51 · Aug 20, 2008

My 2001 is still chugging along just fine, especially considering what I've put it through.

My wife's 2003 has started having a few problems. The only warranty problem it ever had was sticking parking brake cable. It needed a new set of brakes 1.5 years ago, which is no big surprise. It also needed front endlinks, not a huge deal.

But now it needs another new full set of brakes which I find is a bit soon, and something else is clunking up front, I imagine strut bearings.

It has a broken windshield which can't be blamed on it. All the freon leaked out of the A/C and I had to recharge it, and now it sounds like the compressor ain't doing too well. The transmission range sensor went, and I replaced that.

Overall, not too bad, but lately the problems have been coming more frequently which has me concerned. It's about 70k miles at this point.

ZX3autoxtasy · Aug 20, 2008

Our Mini Cooper's falling apart.

The only difference is your Focus can be fixed for $500 and the Mini can be fixed for $2680.

2focusd · Aug 20, 2008

Of course I spoke too soon with this, because I just got back from getting my oil changed only to find out that my Eibach Pro-Kit ate the tires faster than I thought it would, so I have to order new tires ASAP (just did actually) then get this SOB aligned as soon as I can. I guess it's good to have a 0% credit card (just got that actually) though, plus this is a great excuse for me to throw my Goldies back on, seeing as how it's cheaper for me to get tires for them right now than my stockers :lol::lol:

Overall though, I still <3 this piece of **** car, even if it does drive me crazy

:lol:

-Brian

rpvitiello · Aug 20, 2008

ha $500 to fix my focus. If i added up all the warantee work, out of pocket work, and insurance claim damage to my focus i am at about $35,000 in repairs since i got it. yes WAY more than the car was ever worth new...

for brakes are you using oem pads? ford pads tend to last about 15k at most. Because everyone bitched the old pads were noisy when the focus first came out they went to a REALLY soft pad that wears out REALLY fast. Go to aftermarket pads if you dont mind some more noise, and more life.

pulling G's · Aug 20, 2008

Overall though, I still <3 this piece of **** car, even if it does drive me crazy

:lol:

-Brian[/quote]

AMEN!!! :dunno: :dunno:

Honkeytonk Monkey · Aug 20, 2008

rpvitiello said:
The PCM thing i am not looking forward to. I started to look through it but have not found the actual problem yet. Every time i think i found it it turns out not to be the problem.

Yea also having some wiring start to crack by the battery, so i am dreading to see what else is going wrong.

My battery cables were the first thing to go (they were cracked when I bought it from Jay) You'll want to check all the wires leading up under the PCM and see if maybe you aren't having the same problem I am before it turns into a roadside weiner roasting pit.

Z63R · Aug 21, 2008

Ha.

<---Me = pwn3d.

I just checked the hatch wiring under the flex boot. One is broken in half, three others' insulation is cracked and copper is showing. I'm going to throw some vinyl tape over each one until I can get time to do a better job with fresh wire, solder and heatshrink tubing this weekend. Me go post now in that hatch wiring thread...

Honkeytonk, I read your earlier post about your underhood fusebox harness wiring being fubar'd. Now I suspect mine will be the same... and you're right about the fact that we shouldn't have to replace the car's wiring harness.

:-(~

Spatakula · Aug 21, 2008

Not really, just a few hiccups from the dealer. Other than that, it has been pretty good to me. *knocks on wood*

-spatakula

2focusd · Aug 21, 2008

Well, you just had that issue with that demonic jack, Shawn. Oh, and all the seized suspension parts/bolts that made everything a bitch.

Oh wait, that was MY car

:lol::lol:

-Brian

rpvitiello · Aug 21, 2008

Honkeytonk Monkey said:
My battery cables were the first thing to go (they were cracked when I bought it from Jay) You'll want to check all the wires leading up under the PCM and see if maybe you aren't having the same problem I am before it turns into a roadside weiner roasting pit.

yea the wires were already cracking right by the battery terminal, and the oem terminals went bad and broke so i had to replace them...

Now i have to check the REST of the wiring! UG!

2focusd said:
all the seized suspension parts/bolts that made everything a bitch.

seized suspension parts on a focus? NEVER!!!
:lol:

I had to replace EVERY single part of my suspension because every bolt seized up, and every bushing went bad!

2focusd · Aug 21, 2008

In all honesty, we both live in a northern climate, RP. I've worked on many many cars (used to work at an auto center and the majority of my friends are huge car nuts) and just about every one of them had seized bolt/rust issues after a couple years of dealing with our winters and whatnot :dunno:

-Brian

rpvitiello · Aug 21, 2008

na that i kind of get, why it was not a big focus of my complaints. Just think it sucks that you have to replace EVERYTHING in the suspension of the car short of the sub frame after 3 years. Would think they could make this stuff last a LITTLE longer!

CheaperSleeper · Aug 21, 2008

I am at 118k and after getting a few of the usual things taken care of a year and a half ago it is rolling right along.

rp, I think climate and the condition of roads and traffic may have done you in.

2focusd · Aug 21, 2008

I couldn't agree with you more, Cheaper.

-Brian

Voortrek3 · Aug 21, 2008

My '03 SVTF is pushing 132,000 original miles and I have babied her but she's starting to age gracefully. Things that I need but don't have the money for are: Timing belt replacement, passenger side motor mount, new clutch and driver side HID bulb. She doesn't leak a drop of anything and I change the oil religiously w/REDLINE 5w-30. I am very seriously considering trading her in on an '09 coupe but haven't made a commitment yet. Time will certainly tell.

rpvitiello · Aug 21, 2008

yea i was expecting this car to be about done around now, i was just hopeing for like 6 more months before it really gave me trouble like this. i am SO over extended right now finantially i dont even want to think about another car.

I swear all my stuff just happens to wear out at the same time, car, motorcycle, laptop, smartphone. They just all completely died on me this month! grrr....

Yea cobblstone, steel road plates, pot holes that can eat a yaris, and CONSTRUCTION EVERYWHERE is just a bit too much for a car, i really am starting to think the next thing i get should be a bit more beefy especally in the suspension. dare i say truck? If nissan finally offered stability control on the frontier with the 6speed manual i might jump at that. (i hope they do soon since its required for 2010my)

I also want an a3, but it is more $$$, and i am just as worried about the roads here killing the poor things. Its not that they dont fix the roads, because they do, its just they keep ripping them up for ALL the construction we have here!!!

Is your focus falling apart?

scsvtfocus

P-51

ZX3autoxtasy

2focusd

rpvitiello

pulling G's

Honkeytonk Monkey

Z63R

Spatakula

2focusd

rpvitiello

2focusd

rpvitiello

CheaperSleeper

2focusd

Voortrek3

rpvitiello

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