LS Focus LX

02-11-2005, 01:10 PM

Hi

I've just registered this morning. My wife and I are on the verge of ordering a new Focus LX 5sp hatch. After finding this site and reading some of the threads, I'm a little concerned about quality control issues with this model.

It's a top car and drives beautifully, but I don't want something with quality issues that needs constant warranty repairs.

We've never had a new car before, but as we will be salary sacrificing, the Focus will probably be the best price. Our next choice would be the Mazda 3, but it would be quite a bit dearer as they don't do fleet prices.

Advice?
experiences?

02-11-2005, 01:19 PM

I've ordered a sapphire black one, LS LX, should be in Australia soon.

I recon its the best value, all the equipment of the Zetec, like global close power windows, without the bodykit and wheels. Get aftermarket rims and drop it and your cheering.

Like said in other threads, People will rarely make a thread to say "ive had my car for 3 weeks and i haven't had any problems so far! Congrats to Ford." whereas they won't hesitate to do the opposite.

Forest Bear · 02-11-2005, 01:21 PM

Mess,

I had a problem with the catalytic converter on my Zetec but that has been fixed and everything is now fine. Some people have had no problems with their cars at all. I was a little peeved when this happened but words from others eventually came true. You might get a problem or you might not. If you do they will fix it and all be right.

I went through my car very thoroughly. It is very well put together. There are no squeaks or rattles.

FOCUSCC · 02-11-2005, 01:29 PM

I've had my ti grey lx hatch for about 2 months now and apart from needing a tuneup at the 3000 service its been great. no gripes with ford - just be carefull what dealer u get it from. i've heard some bad stories and i think its more the dealer than ford or the car.

owens · 02-11-2005, 05:41 PM

You'll no doubt hear more bad stories than good. But yesterday I filled in the survey that you get after buying a new car and you list all the things that you didn't like or were wrong and at the end you can put in comments. In mine I put "Despite the little things that were wrong, it is just THAT good that they make no difference".

It really is a joy to drive it. I guess you can expect problems with any new car. If you go a mazda 3 keep in mind they've been on the market for quite a while and have had time to be refined. THe focus's coming out of SA are very new, so I guess they're still kind of figuring it all out.

Major plusses for me is great fuel consumption, very smooth ride, and it looks very sexy.

losfp · 03-11-2005, 12:08 AM

We've had our LX hatch for a couple of months now, and it is a real beauty.

The main problem is that it's a bit hard to know if you are going to get a good one or a bad one until you get it. FWIW, ours has been perfect since we got it.

Smoke Pursuit · 03-11-2005, 12:12 AM

our CL sedan is going great now..... Very nice car to drive even after getting out of a Falcon or Territory.

New2Focus · 03-11-2005, 12:31 AM

I've had my LS LX manual for 2 months now. Mine was one of the very earliest, and it had warranty work required, as one might expect from the really early cars off the line, but a half-decent dealer would have rectified these issues before delivery. I was mad at the time (at the dealer), because the car is so fundamentally appealing.

I'm pretty confident in saying that any of us who have experienced annoyances have had them fixed - i.e. any problems are 'fix-able', and not inherent design faults. In fact the fantastic engineering and inherent quality feel that's designed into the car is one of its genuine appeals.

I agree with the previous responses to your query, which come from actual owners. As ArgonEF points out, some of us been vocal in our criticism when things have gone wrong - that's human nature.

I went for the Focus over the 3 (my other finalist). It's in the driving - even around town - that the biggest differences appear. An added bonus with the Focus LX is the cruise control - another $700-odd extra cost on all Mazda 3's, and brilliant if you do even occasional country driving. If you're into interior space, the Focus also scores points.

I could go on for pages on the comparisons, but the bottom line is that I don't regret my decision, and wouldn't hesitate in making the same one again.

Economy is great, as Owen points out, and you don't have to drive it like a Formula 1 driver to appreciate that sweet engine and wonderful manual gearbox. I still smile as I flick through the gears - for me, that's what motoring and new car ownership should be all about.

Teki04 · 03-11-2005, 01:37 AM

Have a good experience you tell 3 people, have a bad one and you tell 10. I say go with your heart! Driving dynamics put it ahead of most cars in its class. And its also reasonably priced! I doubt you will regret getting a Focus....

03-11-2005, 09:48 AM

Thanks for all the replies. I have just had a quote back from the leasing place and with the fleet discount...well, lets just say that I can get it cheap!

I think we'll go ahead. The car is just too good a drive and now too good a price to pass up. It'll be a nice change from our current "whitegoods on wheels" magna.

owens · 03-11-2005, 09:51 AM

Good choice, you'll love it

Here's a couple of shots of my car after a wash and good coat of wax.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...focusfront.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7.../focusback.jpg

03-11-2005, 11:06 AM

I just can't say no to a brand new LX hatch manual for less than $21k drive away! :eclipsee_

03-11-2005, 11:23 AM

There is a topgear review of the Focus vs Astra and 3 floating around the Eurofordclub website.

Teki04 · 03-11-2005, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mess

I just can't say no to a brand new LX hatch manual for less than $21k drive away! :eclipsee_

WHOA! What are you waiting for?!?!??! I dunno why you even thought about it. SIGN THE PAPERS NOW!!!!

03-11-2005, 12:43 PM

One thing that annoys me is the ford website is crap for telling what the colours are like. Does anyone have pics of the new focus in Jeans Blue?

Because of the relative scarcity of the LX around the traps, we are trying to be flexible with colour and name 3 or 4 colours that we'd accept. Problem is, I can't find any pics to show what the colours will look like. I've seen the bright red, bright blue, dawn blue and white in the metal....but none of the others.

owens · 03-11-2005, 02:22 PM

Hey Mess, see my links a few posts up. My car is jeans blue and I think it looks really good with the tinted windows as well.

03-11-2005, 03:13 PM

Thanks mate, I missed that

:

04-11-2005, 09:48 PM

My sister has a focus probably about 18 months old drivs like a dream BUT every now and then it goes through a stage where it simply cuts out and chugs to a stop. No pattern, one on Hume Hwy just getting onto ring road, stopped dead in traffic and had been travelling for 2 hours. RACV could find nothing wrong and it started up again but stopped every couple of kms. THree months later been travelling for 2-3 kms and stopped again. She could start it up again and hop a few metres to the nature strip. Go towed to dealing - needless to say- nothing wrong and that is where it still sits until they find something. It is just too dangerous cutting out in traffic with trucks wanting to drive over the top of you. his might not be a focus isssue but it is a big problem that no one can find the solution to. Any answers friends?

05-11-2005, 08:16 AM

Thanks for that, but there 2 completely different cars. (LR vs LS)

rider007 · 05-11-2005, 08:41 AM

Mess, I would say don't hesitate in getting the Focus. I bought a demonstrator Zetec with 6000k on the clock and so is probably one of the "oldest" LS models on the forums and I love it !!. It is bulit very well and the drive and performance is superb. I haven't had any problems with it all. When it goes in for it's 15K service I will jsut get them to fix up a little trim issue with the drivers side door. Be smug in the knowledge that you are driving on of the best handling and refined small hatches on the market and that the previous model focus picked up over 70 International motoring awards and is the UK's best selling car. P.S. Here is a picture of a Jeans Blue Zetec.

MikGan · 11-11-2005, 10:14 AM

Hi guys, im kinda new to the small car market, shopping more for the misses that me, trying to find an alternative to the clevo to get around in. We've test driven a heap o lil cars and we are both hooked on the focus now, but the prices wer are getting quoted are around 26K for auto, drive away, that seems a little out of line with reading 21K drive away!

So whats the story, whats the average cost of one of these? is 26K taking us for a ride, and weve never bought a new car before so my haggling skills arent the best :P, any tips?

Also one last thing, that manual does that have a clutchless shift? the one we were in had a clutcless shift (and no it wasnt an auto :P), or is it just a special type of trans u can option on it?

11-11-2005, 10:15 AM

Our $21k drive away is because we can salary sacrifice and get govt fleet price. Just lucky. Hopefully we'll get our order in next week.

I've never heard of a Focus with clutchless manual...only auto with "tiptronic" stle shifting.

MikGan · 11-11-2005, 12:03 PM

Yeah thats all I can find in the brocure, and I didnt see it in action, but the bloke was going to show us how it worked but never did, and it was definaly the 5spd that I was driving while he was going on about it. So just for a ball park figure what would ppl expect a new focus to cost today? is 26k too high? I thought it was :(

11-11-2005, 12:10 PM

FWIW, the LX manual is 24,990 RRP plus on roads, which would easily take it to $26,000. The fact that they are selling all they can get their hands on means the are probably not too keen on big discounts either.

I suspect the dealer may have just been trying to demonstrate how nice the manual shift action is. Any manual transmission can be shifted without the clutch if you know what you're doing. If you stuff it up though, it's not good for the box.

MikGan · 11-11-2005, 04:08 PM

lol, no the actuall phrase he mentioneed was clutchless shift. Think he might have been referreing to the auto and not realised he was showing me the manual. Oh Ive driven enough work vans to know u can shift a manual without the clutch! lol and when the master cylinder dies on the 351 I got a little more practice at it than I bargined for!

Me and jackie are just looking at the 2.0lt CL hatch, they are supposed to retail for 20,990 + onroads for the man and 22,990 + on roads for the auto... or so Ive been told

zetec · 11-11-2005, 04:20 PM

$22,990 for the auto plus onroads is correct. $26k sounds like a full retail price to me, no discounting there. Push for at least a few grand off if you can.

Clutchless shift is the most rubbish codswallop I've ever heard. It's not a clutchless shifter, it's either 5-speed manual with conventional clutch or a 4-speed auto with sequential sports shift (SSS). He's being a dodgy bugger if he tries to sell you a clutchless manual, apart from the fact he's lying, perhaps he's just trying to describe the auto and in the process has somewhat over simplified. Either way, the auto is nice and smooth and the manual is short, smooth and shifts nicely with well matched ratios for some decent get up and go. Definitely a nice choice of car either way!!

I'd say push for a nice low $20's mark around the $23-24k mark, allowing a couple of grand discount off that $26k figure you had. always aim for a 10% discount is my mantra, not necesarily always possible but I always aim for it.

MikGan · 16-11-2005, 10:20 AM

Well thanks for the info guys, yesterday me and jackie ordered a new focus from the dealers. We think we got an ok deal, $23,900 brand new focus CL with the smooth pack drive away. so we're happy! yay!

kjau99 · 24-11-2005, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mess

Our $21k drive away is because we can salary sacrifice and get govt fleet price. Just lucky. Hopefully we'll get our order in next week.

I've never heard of a Focus with clutchless manual...only auto with "tiptronic" stle shifting.

Hi Mess, do you work for Telstra by any chance? I do and am able to get fleet pricing through novated lease, am going to go test drive each model this weekend. Am looking at spending around $25k for an auto sedan with 17" Zetec alloys. Hopefully I can get an LX for that

24-11-2005, 07:31 PM

We ordered our car the other day (found one at a dealership in Nowra) and pick it up on Sat!!!!!!

I'm not with Telstra but my wife and I are both in the Commonwealth Public Service and the company we can do the novated lease through allows us to get Govt fleet price. So, yep...it's $20,400 drive away for LX 5sp hatch in Pure Silver with window tint!!

Can't wait till Sat and I get to drive it straight out of the dealer and up through Kangaroo Valley to Canberra (for those who don't know that drive...lots of tight, twisty mountain roads).

owens · 25-11-2005, 08:49 AM

Hey Mess. That's where I got mine from. Enjoy your new car, that's a really great price for it!