[svt focus 777]

I am considering selling my GT having recently purchased a new townhouse and the budget is taking a big hit with the stang. Regarding the SVT Focus, are you guys satisfied with the car overall? I'm considering an 03 or 04 5 door.

 

[Thameth]

Right off the top, its probably the best Sport Compact on the market if you take all aspects into account.

Now alot of the 02 owners had alot of lil nagging problems (myself included) but it seems like its getting better with the 03's, the 04's should be great.

The car would be pretty much perfect if it had 200hp but its still pretty damn quick @ 170hp. Also i hope your used to driving 4cyl's because it's a bit of a drastic jump from ur GT. Though you'll love how tossable it is and much more nimble than ur GT (no offence).

Hopefully within the next few months someone will finally crack the computer and get us a few more ponies that way and FocusSport is finally pumping out SVTF parts so that will get interesting.

 

[svt focus 777]

Yeah, don't get me wrong, I love my GT. If I could afford her I'd keep her in a heartbeat. Alas, this isn't the case. I'd rather have less torque in an affordable, sporty car with the SVT stamp and have extra cash after paying the bills. At $520 per month payment, $200 per month insurance, + gas mileage driving 80 miles a day = frustration. I don't think 520 is a worthwhile payment for a non SVT mustang. Not anymore.

 

[Virtual_Insanity]

Like Joe(Thameth) said above the 2002 SVTF's had some problems with them but they continue to improve each model year.Personally I love my SVTF as it is the best overall value for the money even more so with the current factory incentives Ford offers.Sure it isn't the fastest sport compact car out there now but it has great potential to upgrade more power down the road with either a S/C,turbo or go for smaller hp increases as the options are there.Anyway I would recommend it for what you are looking for now and it would be a win win situation for you because it costs less so you can save the money over your current Mustang GT.

 

[Fordson]

I know what you mean, regarding the SVT "taste," and that is a lot to be paying for a non-SVT Mustang. There is something about having the absolute top of the line within a model range, and you would get that with the SVT.

Get quotes for insurance - my 5-door is $867/year...and my wife's 2000 Passat GLS wagon is $627 for the identical insurance. In other words, the SVT will probably be lower than that GT, but maybe not all that much lower.

Gas may not be that different a story - expect 30 mpg in the SVT if your daily commute is highway. I bet you're getting 25 in the GT, under similar conditions, so again, maybe not that much of a savings. Also, there is the fact that from the factory, a 2002 GT runs on regular - don't know about yours. SVT Focus needs 91 octane.

Most important is the fact that they're completely different cars - what the Mustang does well, the SVT does less well (acceleration numbers, low-end torque, RWD characteristics), and vice versa (real room and real access in the back - esp. 5-door, overall better and more sophisticated handling, better high-rpm performance, more up-to-date car).

Just make sure you want to make that big a switch before diving in. Now is the time, though, especially if you can find a 2003 model.

 

[dalola]

Everyone is bringing up good points, things to consider. Also understand you're going bet hosed on resale on your 'Stang. You must factor that depreciation into your bottom line, when you put the final numbers together.

My main reason for the post is to represent the minority of trouble-free Foci owners. As a 3 Focus family('01 SE, '02 ZX3, '02 SVT), I can miraculously say, all 3 have been absolutely perfect! Amazing, I know. Hey, it's always better to be lucky than smart!

~Dave

 

[MrJingles]

Do not. Do not. Do not get an SVT Focus. Check around. When Ford wakes up and decides to offer better quality, then buy one. 2005 would be the year to buy, more than likely.

 

[SilverSVT]

Do not. Do not. Do not get an SVT Focus. Check around. When Ford wakes up and decides to offer better quality, then buy one. 2005 would be the year to buy, more than likely.

Hmm sounds like someone is unhappy with their SVT. I have few things go wrong with my car that needed to be fixed like the DSI breaking on it and the heat sheilds coming off the Cat. I didnt mind it much since when you get an SVT product you get a loaner car...thus I'm not stuck waiting for the car to get fixed. I happy with the car right now and i have nearly 34K on it already and its just over a year and a half old. Once the Warrenty runs out and if I have more problems my tune might change, but otherwise its a good car. I came from a 98 Mustang GT and just the Interior is worlds better then the Mustang was...and thats important on long drives...I felt that the Mustang was a very tiring car to drive compaired to the Focus, even on my commute to work that was 45 minutes to a an hour long before I moved.

 

[slidemaster]

Guy I have a mustang..and an SVT focus....03 quality according to Ford is improved by 23% over 02 models..the biggist problem being in 02 a wimpy linkage in the intake manifold..the fix is actually the 03 manifold ...got 30k on mine and love it...seeing how the guys around here throw the cars around the local tracks ...and all of them drive home...18k after rebates come-on...thats increadable

 

[madmax]

Ok. Coming out of a 2000 Lightning I am totally satisfied. Yes, I bitch like a bitch but the bottom line is where in the hella are you going to find a car like this with any performance? (sub 20 grand??) <RICE?> Personally I am selling due to the fact that I need a Ford Ranger SuperCab to work cable installs due to this [censored] up economy. Yes. The car rocks. End of story.

To the guy above who bitched and moaned...get laid dude....take a test drive...and tell us what you see

 

[svt focus 777]

Thanks for the posts guys. If I can get a decent amount for my stang and now have to roll over more than three grand, I'll give it a try. I can always trade it in in a couple of years and get the Cosworth. ( if it ever comes over that is!)

 

[Bambino]

I have an 02 SVTF and an 03 Mustang GT 5sp. Sure the mustang has tons of go, but there isn't a car I've enjoyed more than the SVTF.

My mustang has the Mach 1000 Audio, and the SVFT Audiophile sounds cleaner.
Both have 17" rubber, but the SVTF will take a flat hairpin faster than you can say hairpin, while the mustang will bounce all over the place.
The SVTF is a Hatch - the mustang is the anti-trunk.
Heated seats - my girl loves the SVTF
MoonRoof - see above
32mpg - I love operating the car

Ah, I could go on an on. I'm on RLA6, no DSI problems, and the car performs just as I had hoped.

 

[SilSVT]

very satisfied. i usually have more fun in it than i did in my dad's pulley'd and chipped lightnings.

 

[ZIPYSVT]

Another former Mustang GT owner (many over the years, the latest an '00 GT Premium) here. The SVT Focus is way more fun to drive and so much easier to live with than the Mustang day to day. Reliability wise, I've had one trip to the dealer in 10k miles to fix some minor issues (nothing that would leave you stranded, believe me). The '00 GT was on it's 3rd clutch by now due to chronic throw-out bearing issues, so I can say from experience that the SVTF is no worse than other Ford performance cars for warranty work.

Though some complain (endlessly) about the rough idle and boggy low rpms, I love the SVTF's performance car attitude. Let it 'lope' at idle - sounds awesome. Fire up the RPMs to 3500 if you want to see a launch. Have fun, toss it around, see if you can scare yourself in a long, flat corner. Slap on a coupla bolt ons and frighten your neighbors! It's all good.

Good luck!

 

[jmk]

Make sure you test drive one so you are sure you are okay with the 2.0L (low end torque is better than a lot of 2.0L). You have to love the handling and brakes. Just look at the numbers in the road test summaries in magazines to see these two stats are in the league with a BMW M3.

I have 21K and have had only 2 problems. The heat shield on the bottom of the cat wiggles past the bolt heads on the rear end which was fixed by backing out the bolts and installing washers. The second just occurred and that is the Dual Stage Intake (DSI) connection failure common on '02s. This demonstrates the extra low end torque due to the DSI which is noticeable starting out and dramatic in higher gears at highway speeds.

Overall, it is just always fun to find an excuse to drive (3 blocks or 3 hours).