Stupid things I have to say...

Yep, pretty stupid things to say.....its a 4 cyl. So, get rid of it. Not offended, I dont mind wasting WRXs at the track with my JRSC, it fits me just fine.
Well, OK maybe not wasting, but when I run a 9.6 and he runs a few tenths faster...I would say it is close. Especially when I couldnt get around the water box, and was on street tires. Spinning a lot through 1st gear. I would say I would take him if I caught a light, and didnt have to contend with my tread having water in them. Either way, keeping up with a WRX says A LOT.

Whuppin' WRXs? You love the chassis/suspension of the Focus (which is certainly understandable, and I agree).

However, what you get from that blower you have there is more negligable than you might be willing to admit.

You could beat the WRX in the tight curves before, couldn't you? Has that much changed? Try him in the straights (60 ft., 1/8th, 1/4). Try him in the dirt. Try him on an oval or an open road coarse (wide open for long and your little Zetec WILL NOT thank you).

He still has his warranty too.

Blowers are for V8's if you want the goods. Turbos? This drivetrain? Hmmm... Very debateable.

Doesn't matter though, does it? Because putting a low-power blower on a little I4 that doesn't have the means to lay "real" power down to the pavement is ***UNIQUE***. So I understand that is why folks do it. Painting a turd yellow is unique too, but it doesn't turn it into a tulip.

Fine. It's your money. Just don't figure on it being a good ROI in the get-up-and-go dept (maybe it works for you, but that is a rationalization more than anything).

More people need to think this through. Keep the Foci for the curves, and go get yourself a RWD/AWD with a workable drivetrain if you wanna show how much power you can apply.

All I'm saying.

Thats nice....my car is fast as hell for under 21K total investment. I kept up with the WRX at the 1/8 (would beat him in different circumstances). Would wipe him in the twisties. Dont drive in dirt. Would love to race to top end with a WRX...If I cared about warranty I wouldnt be posting on the Jet in the first place, cause I wouldnt have one mod. Go to a Cobra forum if you want to talk about real power numbers and what not. This is a FOCUS forum. Lastly why did you start this thread? Just to say that no power adders are any good for our cars? And, changing gears are the only thing that would help? I think you are just about full of [censored], and this thread has NO point besides the last thing you said. If you want low end get a rwd/awd...thats it...so who doesnt know that? Like it isnt fun having cars jump a few car lenghts on you, then you catch and pass? Well, I have fun doing that. So what if people like to blow money on worthless crap? Do any of us NEED anything that we talk about on here? Its fun, so why [censored] on it for no good reason at all, besides you like to rant? ...U know who else likes to rant?....my girlfriend.
*edit* i wasnt directin that towards you CCC
*2nd edit* i apologize getimpact...had one of those days...its all really subjective is you ask me. I enjoy reading you posts, and responses to posts...didnt mean to come off as a dick.

GetImpact,

What you fail to realize is not everyone is striving to be a drag strip king or auto-x king or whatever. I could not give a crap about the drag strip or even auto-x for that matter.

I bought my car for around $14,800 brand new (sorry ) and it is a pretty damn decent car for this segment of car.

Everyone is looking for something different. For me it is a fun daily drive. My car is fun for me to drive as it is. If one day I decide to strap on a JRSC for $2800 bucks and give it a little more pep, I can only imagine it will be even more fun.

205 or so WHP from my little four cylinder will be plenty fine for me.

You act as if you have stumbled across some sort of major revelation. I think the people who bought this car realized it was indeed a four cylinder when they bought it.

You speak as if we should be surprised and in aww of your profound insight. Did you drive your car before you bought it? Surely you looked at the specs and saw it was not a torque monster. I am sure everyone else who bought it did (or at least should have).


Here is too many more miles in the SVT Focus!

My JRSC SVT pulls from a stop great.

But the one thing I will agree with getimpact on is it sure would be neat to be able to change out the gear ratio a little bit.

With a JRSC a lower gear ratio would be rip city.

1. Nobody forced you to buy the car.
2. Didn't you test drive it before you bought it?
3. C'mon, its a 4 banger, not a v8, comparing apples and oranges.
4. Unless its a factory FI car, extensive mods will have to be done to any 4 banger to get the power up there, and even then, the trans also has to be beefed up on all. (Focus SVT seems to actually be one of the better ones)
5. More gearing would be nice, but is there ever enough?
6. You do it cause you love it.

Bluetoy,

I have driven more kinds of manual tranny vehicles than you can shake a stick at (watch it... your arm might fall off). That's ALL I ever drive if I have anything to say about it.

I taught myself how to drive stick when I was tike, and never harmed the tranny on that first manual.

I've even driven big old Army diesel trucks, dumps and rigs with shot synchros, and quite often (back in the 80's). I was good with that sort of thing. Cars, trucks, bikes, trikes, all of that stuff.

I have TC, and want to keep my ABS. That may well be much of the problem, but it sure as hell ain't all of it.

To get the car rolling gracefully, you definitely have to cause undue wear to the clutch (it happens just a little at a time, but it is definitely getting overused).

FYI, I've never significantly worn a clutch. I shift to the rev match as precisely as possible every time. This car does not allow that sort of finese unless you let it take its sweet time to settle. Revs hang too long, do they not? First gear is too tall, is it not?

A BAD BAD adaptation, this gearbox, clutch and flywheel combo. Anyone who does not see that hasn't the experience to realize how mismatched it all is.

Unless you want to ONLY powershift, then you have to be way too patient with the timing of your gear changes.

One last thing... some of you may *feel* the car is fast, because you are spinning up the boat-anchor flywheel and dumping your clutches. Well, that is IMAGINERY power you are feeling folks. It is only inertia stored in the spinning mass, and you WILL ruin your clutch doing that sh|t.

quick question for everyone on here. how would you go about changing the gears? is it way to expensive and/or too hard to do? just trying to get some information on it, i learned how to drive a stick on this car and i drive some of my friends cars and i think our first gear sucks

Where the car lacks in 0-60 it MORE than makes up for in top end. I'm sorry, but this car with the JRSC kicks @ss on anything above 50mph and I wouldn't trade that in to get a few more tenths of a second in the 0-60. The WRX does NOT stand a chance against a JRSC SVT unless it's from a stop and they do their tranny smashing clutch drop.

People look too much at o-60 and 1/4 times and don't look at the reality behind daily driving.

I complain more about 2nd gear than I do 1st gear. Sure, it's kinda long, but then again, maybe I switch the gears and YAY, I get to 0-60 fast, but the car starts slowing down up top. Every car has a sweet spot, and every car has a weak spot. You do what you can to take advantage of the sweet spots and make up for any disadvantages.

If Ford or any other manufacturer built perfect cars, we wouldn't be here discussing mods or how to make the car better.

The JRSC is not the best solution for everyone, but neither is a turbo. And neither is buying a car whose stock ratings are 300HP/300TQ

At this point in my life, I honestly can't imagine myself being happier in any other car. I've had a million problems, and every once in awhile I'll start looking around...but each time I come back to the fact that I really just love my SVT. Until it puts me in bankruptcy, I'll probably still be whinning around town just as happy as ever

Whatever floats your boat, you know?

So did you or did you not drive the car before you bought it?

Being the self proclaimed clutch, FI, and all around automotive expert that you are why didn't you pick up on this when you first drove it and simply buy something else?

Has the gearing, clutch, dual-mass heavy-ass flywheel combo somehow morphed since you bought the car?

I am not trying to be mean, I am really not. But everything you are complaining about here existed in your car since it rolled off that illustrious assembly line in Hermosillo Mexico.

Click to expand...

There is no point in answering your questions regarding my "expert"ness. I am not a paid reviewer, you see. Let's just say that over 2 decades driving stick in many different types of vehicles as well as Army Corp of Engineers heavy equipment operator is ENOUGH.

I have an '02 that I bought in '02, and yes, I did think it was a bit gutless to get moving when I test drove it. But then, I didn't tear into it like some sort of [email protected] (nor did I have the AC on, and it was cool outside). This car does NOT feel like 170 HP until you are breaking the law. Undefeatable TC that bogs you with the slightest wheelslip is also STUPID.

FIX THAT FORD!!

Lot's of the kiddies beat on new cars (test drive) and rentals, because they are F'ing A-HOLES, and they themselves should be beaten without mercy. Some poor [email protected] is gonna get stuck with that car after they abuse it. I have now driven my share of horribly beaten rentals due to my new car being in the shop over and over for warranty repairs.

Back to the beginning... Thinking it might grow some balls after break-in, I grabbed it up anyway. Thought; "Hmmm... an SVT, seems like reasonable price, looks nice, nice pedigree, nice handling, lot's of praise from reviewers". I was wrong about everything but the handling and that initial (too early to tell) praise. It only has balls under certain conditions or basically after you are already approaching the speed limit. It is inconsistant, but still SLOW to get rolling most of the time without beating on it.

This is the first car I fell for that is constructed (basically) out of marketing hype. Feels good to drive, but is essentially a flawed car (shoddy parts and somewhat goofy setup on intimate inspection). A '93 Ford Escort GT is a much more solid built car after 100K miles than this one is at 10 or 20K.

My SVT is a bucket, with many visits in for warranty work after NO ABUSE from me (non-driver-wear items just breaking or coming apart). I am not the sort to take that lightly in the first year of ownership. I am no chump.

Anyhow, I'm not gonna stick around and defend my opinion of this car any longer. Nor shall I continue to "inform" anyone what I see in this car. If I can succeed in getting rid of it painlessly, I will.

Not worth $20K in the long haul perspective (as many of you will discover). Maybe good as a track car platform that will be basically rebuilt with GOOD parts, but it will not hold up very long as it was sold. For that sort of thing though, I suggest folks look into a baseline PZEV now. That might be a good buy if it is made better.

I'll hand this over to the SVTF fanboys now. Have fun telling me I am full of it guys. Hope you NEVER have to see the light the way I do (maybe you'll *stay* lucky, who knows). Many better-made cars can be had for ~$20K but I'll go for mid-$20K now, and keep my fingers crossed.

Bitching over, and... Out.

What is your ideal car then? It sounds more like you're hard to please

If the car had not given you so many problems, would you still be keeping it? Or is it a combination of warranty work and a disappointed performance expectations?

Oh yeah and, SVTF Fanboys? What's up with that?