I think I remember an article awile back in Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords about a quickly exploding market for doing some hp good for the Focus. I think I read about a specific Focus that ran in the 12's??? Unbelieveable.
If I were a smaller person (height-wise of course ) I'd consider one. An SVT.
btw, how are they on legroom and headroom?

Allen

 

Because some people would rather have an American car. Why do you have that blue oval in your signature?

My daily beater '96 Cavalier has over 135,000 miles and has never left me stranded. This is the car that made me let my Consumer Reports subscription run out. I only paid 8000 bucks for my Cav. Try getting a Corolla for that price. Even if the engine in my Cavalier blows up tomorrow, I will still come out cheaper than buying an overpriced ricer. Not to mention 39.6 MPG on the highway, 28 City.

 

im not trying to start anyhting or diss the Focus, but the Corolla is perhaps more American then the Focus. Look on the sticker it will tell you what % of the car is made in the U.S. My dads '00 Corolla is over 80% made in the U.S. Plus its a better car--weve driven them all. Personally I would never buy a small car, i will always have a truck. But for my wife someday, if she wanted a car such as these mentioned, it would be very interested in a Camry or a Solara. No one can deny that theyre the best cars around.
Im not defending ricers im just defending the facts on these gas savers. Alot of these foreign cars are more American made then the America companies. Take a ride in a Toyota car then hop in a Focus/Taurus/Contour. Theres a world of difference.
I would never buy one of these for my personal use--i will always have a truck, im just reccomending the best vehicle for gas milage/reliability.
Take it for what you want--just my .02

 

I like it, It is a good color. You need to have the windows slightl tinted, I think the would really help in the attauide (sp) of the car. Other then that I would not really mess with the car. They have lots of power just how they are (I can't believe I just said that). Anyway, GOOD SCORE

 

Hey, beautiful car! I would definitely get one to drive to work and back in (if I could afoord it, but I only have like 5 bucks). It will make a great daily driver for your wife, and it still has a blue oval on it!

 

Green_98
Well I can, so what does that make me? If you want to wave the Toyota flag, you would probably get alot more support over at

www.toyota.com
www.Ilikerice.com
www.ricersRus.com

etc.....

Do you really think that the japanese manufactors are building cars over here in the states beacause they give a crap about our economy? They building over here because of the tax break......just remember that the profits go to building Japans economy, not ours!


Habibi

Thats a sweet car. I drove a rental and was very surprised at how much room was inside. I would consider one in a heartbeat, if I was looking to buy another car, but it would be the SVT
Good luck with the car and you are very right when you say if the wife is happy, your happy

 

Gator like i stated above i meant no offense by my comment but its true these cars are being made over here. Personally, 'I' would never buy a little car-theyre to wussy. Ill always have a truck, but for someone that wants the best from a little car, i was simply reccomending the best. Anyways Ill avoid talking about this subject i guess

 

I'll still deny them any respect, especially what they have done to the economy of this country

 

Green 98,Why dont you re-read the post that said the sticker was 28 grand Canadian which is 19 Grand U.S. and he didnt pay anywhere near that before you tell him what a lousy deal he got.Id love to be a car salesman and you coming.

 

Fast Gator:

You gotta be kidding! What Japanese cars did for our economy was this...For a period in the early 80's the only reliable, quality built cars Americans could buy were made in Japan. Then, the Japanese "voluntarily" (read: found an excuse to raise prices very high) limited their imports to the US and taught US automakers a thing or two about efficient manufacturing. Then, they put their own economy into a tailspin that they haven't recovered from in 13 years!

I lived in Japan for several years. They do not know what hit them. During the 13 years that the Japanese economy has been spiralling downward, the US economy has pretty much exploded. Even our currently depressed stock market is something like 5 times as high as it was in 1987, and 2.5 times as high as its previous (to 1987) all time high. All this while the Japanese stock market is about 20% (yes, 20%!) of its all time high at the end of 1989.

I used to buy Japanese cars all the time, because they were the only ones that would last more than 2 years or so (can you say "Vega"?) Now, I would NEVER buy one, not because they are not good cars, but because the home boys make good ones too, and they are cheaper than the Japanese brands, typically. I have been looking at a Focus for my wife (who is Japanese!), as a replacement for the Taurus she drives now...The Focus is an excellent car.

So, in Car Wars, the Japanese won the battles back when, but they have definitely lost the war.

Just my 2 yen...

TS

 

What they have done to the economy of this country?Who do you think bought all of those Toyotas ,Jap spies.Do you have a cell phone,a TV,any electronic device.Its you ,me and every other American consumer that has set the course for the economy.You cant deny the quallity of Japanese goods and their abillity to mass produce.Now the all the Japanese car makers have plants in the U.S, providing good paying jobs to American workers.Yeah it a good deal for them by avoiding import tarrifs but its also good for plenty of Americans.

 

Wrong answer. Japanese owned car plant employees typically make LESS money than American owned plant employees. Do some research before you start puking opinions as fact. Let's see, my sisters' 2000 Accord has been back to the dealer for design flaws more than her old Ford was. Bad motor mount, transmission issues, which have forced Honda to extend tranny warranties on all 2000-2001 Accords and Odysseys. Paint flaws on body and grille. The list goes on and on. The Japanese have begun to cut corners the way the American companies did in the 70s through the early to mid 80s. Now is not a good time for the Japanese car manu. I'll stick to American iron. It not only helps the line workers, but also engineers, management, suppliers, etc.

 

Frank let me puke this this one out.First of all i did not speak dissrespectfully in my reply we are having a friendly disscution so lets keep it on a higher level.Im sorry to hear of the trouble your sister has had with her Honda and but no manufacturer is perfect.The views I expressed are not based on facts or any expertise in economics but rather just common knowledge.While it may be true that the import companies pay there workers less than their American counterparts{Im gonna take your word for it because I dont know}its also true that many of these plants are in economically depressed regions with no competition so naturally the pay scale is going to be less. Im sure the rural communties that some of these plants are located in have experienced a boost in their local economy.I dont want to get to far off the subject but you cant blame the Japanese for the difficulties in our economy.

 

Thanks for all the replies and suggestions, you guys are a good bunch (I don't care what everyone else says)

We brought the car home tonight, and I have to say it really is a nice little package for an econobox.
Times have sure changed since I drove a 78 Pontiac Acadian in high school.

Green_98, no offence taken, you are free to laugh yourself silly, the fact is, Ford has stood behind their products since we've been driving their vehicles.
I will continue to buy Ford as long as their previously good service, and commitment to their cars doesn't change.

When hell freezes over, maybe then I will consider purchasing a foreign vehicle, but even then, I highly doubt it.
One of my biggest pet peeves about Honda, Toyota, and the rest of them, is they don't like to deal. These import dealers have this vainglorious attitude, it rubs me the wrong way.
Also, buying from a North American company makes me feel better overall (call me old fashioned)

Navigirl, thanks for the links, I've already checked them out, and there is some good info there.

Rockpick, LOL, please send the Foldgers can, but I would appreciate it if it's full of coffee first, haha.

Anyways, I took it out for a spin tonight, and I was impressed, it handles nicely, accelerates better than I expected, and feels much bigger inside than it looks.
I'm 6 foot 2, 260 pounds, and even for me, I don't feel cramped inside it.
Plenty of leg and headroom, and even a little wiggle room left over.

I told my wife that the first nice day we get, I will claybar it, and give it a couple coats of Liquid Glass. I'm so used to doing the truck, this car won't take me very long.

Thanks again for the comments, here's a few more pics I took tonight.

Habibi