[Ray]

I was doing some maintenance work on my sisters car (oil change, brake inspection, tire rotation) and i drove it to my uncle's shop. she has a 1998 grand prix, and i thought those were supposed to have a sporty feel.

well, they dont.

i remember before i got the focus and did a few mods that the car wasn't as boring to drive, i felt like a virtual old lady in it.

while the 3.1L v6 had plenty of power, i felt like i had no control over it... and the slushbox was unfulfilling. the suspension... ugh. i felt like i had body roll switching lanes smoothly.

as for the interior... let's not go there.

will it be like this for all other cars i drive?

 

[Egz]

Yes. It was Ford's plan all the time, to make a car so fun to drive, that you can't ever leave.

 

[bitwiz]

will it be like this for all other cars i drive?

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Pretty much, especially if you drive cars that are kind of in the same/similar category.

 

[Slackmeister]

The steering feel and feedback of the Focus steering has really spoiled me. Feels just like a manual unit, only with a quicker ratio. Even the more expensive "sporty" cars I have driven recently don't feel this good.

 

[Bmorezx3]

having two cavaliers in the family (96 2.4L auto, 98 2.4L auto) i can tell you a big YES! the focus is a freaking blast to drive compared to these sloppy junkers.

Nate

 

[P-51]

I agree... dispite how many problems we have, and all the bitching we do... All you have to do is jump into any other car and drive it to realize the Focus really is a pretty nice car, expecially considering the money.

I've spent a little time in my Dad's Aurora, and have to say that Tina's ZTS rides and drives JUST as nice, it just doesn't have as many bells and whisles. (rain sensing wipers, etc...)

 

[OmniFocus]

I'm sure I'll get a flame for this... But I entirely agree. Even when I test drove a new Maxima, I found the Focus to be a better car. Lest cheap plastics on the inside... Much better clutch/shifter... and most of all it didn't feel like a big boat.

In retrospect, I'm glad I got laid off, because now I don't have to buy some big clunky four-door company car.

 

[sh0velman]

Originally posted by P-51:
I agree... dispite how many problems we have, and all the bitching we do... All you have to do is jump into any other car and drive it to realize the Focus really is a pretty nice car, expecially considering the money.

I've spent a little time in my Dad's Aurora, and have to say that Tina's ZTS rides and drives JUST as nice, it just doesn't have as many bells and whisles. (rain sensing wipers, etc...)

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">your dad has an aurora too?!!? damni thoguht i was alone in this world! hahahaha

he doesnt have THAT option tho... what year is his? ours is a 96, it has all options, but no rain sensing wipers.

he got the 3.6 or the 4.0? please say 4.0ours has a 4.0 (the only engine they had until like 98).

4.0 + high flow cat + remove rear-most 2 mufflers (there's 3 total) + cone filter and air-box delete = mad power.

like tire smoking power if you gots the traction control off.

heheh

 

[Comatose]

I'm without my focus for a couple of weeks. Some dipshoot ran a stop sign and rearranged my front end last weekend. Nobody hurt, but now I'm stuck with a piece of crap Sunfire until I get my car back.

It's a 2003 sunfire, with a 2.2L ecotec engine. It's got a peppy feel, but that's ALL. I otherwise hate the thing. The ungodly amount of squeaking and rattling from the car is driving me nuts, and it's only got 19,000km on it. The interior fabric is this eye-gougingly nasty patterned stuff. The seats aren't nearly as form-fitting, the dashboard (especially the air vents) is so cheap and fugly. The car handles like a sloppy poo.

I want my focus back. I just bought new summer tires (falken azeni) and I haven't even had a chance to install them yet.

 

[AtBlue5spZX3]

I always feel spoiled getting back into my Focus after driving another car.

 

[Ray]

I'm glad to see that it is not just me. What other cars in the price range compare to the focus in terms of feel and response?

mini cooper?

 

[WanabeRS]

Yeah you really notice the fun of the focus when you get out of a 2000 Blazer, heh I've driven many cars, but in all honesty i haven't found anything better than the focus for stock handling

 

[P-51]

I don't even thing a Mini is equal. A friend of mine I trust as being super-critical of cars, and a total SportCompact fan, cross shopped the whole market just recently, test drove and critiqued everything.

He concluded the Focus was the "nicest" car, but decided on an SRT-4 because of the shear bang/buck. But the Focus SVT was the nicest.

I rented a Protege last time I was on a business trip, and I couldn't believe what a piece of **** it was. It rode like crap, and it just felt like a 1990's economy car. The ride was just so harsh, shifts were sloppy, ergo was bad...

 

[njfocus]

my car lost the engine and for 2 months i had to drive my wife 97 nissan sentra it was like a giant in a clown car i am 6' 260 and the seat almost felt like it was going to collapse and
13" wheels don't float my boat either...but people may get pissed at me for this 1 but.. my zx3 feels much better then my moms stock zts the seats and the handling feel better maybe just me but does any1 also notice the difference....

 

[Honkeytonk Monkey]

When I start getting used to the Focus I'll jump into Mom's 92 Taurus and be frightened to death. I can turn the wheel a 1/4 turn and nothing happens, but the car will wander requiring huge corrections to keep it straight. I think the rear suspension is completely gone, and the wheels are connected only by chewing gum. If I take a sweeping turn and hit an expansion joint, the car litterally jumps to the side about a foot, making the body roll even worse.

If I don't want to die, I jump into the 82 Jetta and take some high speed corners. The body leans at 45 degrees, but the car stays planted around the corner. Hands down the most fun I ever have driving, it's like a cartoon car.

The last new car I ever sat in that made me proud of the Focus was last years model Grand Prix GTP. It was retarded quick for suck a huge boat, but it felt like a boat and felt like a Taxi cab in the corners. I've been in my fair share of cars that make the Focus feel like a junk heap, but they cost a hell of a lot more.

 

[Ray]

Originally posted by Honkeytonk Monkey:
I've been in my fair share of cars that make the Focus feel like a junk heap, but they cost a hell of a lot more.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">That, sir, is a beautiful quote.

 

[FocuZ_Freek_XxX]

I drive a Mazda Protege 5 and I think it handles better than the focus does stock. Ill admit the focus was a blast to drive, but the stock protege 5 has a more fun drivability than the stock focus!

Keep in mind that I still want a Focus though! Really bad!

J

[ 05-02-2003, 06:26 PM: Message edited by: FocuZ_Freek_XxX ]

 

[rpvitiello]

I'm still trying to find a car I like more than the focus in almost ANY $ category. I wish the US focus was closer to EURO spec (and I would be willing to pay more for it too) but overall I just REALLY like my car. Over time I guess Ill just upgrade it with all the missing options.

It still suprizes me how many little things that the focus has, that are missing from cars costing 3x as much.

 

[ZX3guy182]

i was thinking about that the other day, my focus handles so good for stock i hate driving other cars now. That changed my whole next car plan for awhile. I had to drive my sisters kia home the other day and i wanted to crash it just to get out of it

 

[LAXbronco65]

i love driving my focus zx3. the handeling is unlike anything ive driven before for its price. I love driving my car over my dads Saab 9-5 or my friends '02 Mustang GT, except for the massive amount of power both those cars have. But i know when i get the turbo or SC I will be able to kill both these cars through corners and hopefully staraightline. I love my focus!