Hey y'all,

I'm looking very closely at buying a black 2003 ZTS...only 31,000 miles on the beast, pretty good shape...

I'm wondering if any of you out there own a 2003 ZTS and if so, what kind of reliability it's had...

I'm wondering this first because I want to know if I should get one or not, and second because if I do get it I'm wondering if I should get the extended warranty...5 years/till 75,000 miles...I've heard some sketchy AND some great things about some of these cars...but then again I would rather not be paying the extra $25/month just for that.

Thanks yos.

Edit: I'm specifically wondering if any of you own a ZTS that has more than 31,000 miles on it...

hi..what engine does it have..the 2.3 or 2.0? and those cars came with an extended drivetrain warranty from the factory..im pretty sure its transferable...someone can help me out here? but if so obviously i would pass on the warranty purchase. if its a duratec then 31k is just broken in. is the price reasonable?

Since its an 03 in WI, it most likely is a 2.0 Zetec.

The 2003 models are really reliable, and at 31,000, its just getting started. I had a 2001 ZX3, and sold it at 30k, and it never gave me any issues.

I don't own a ZTS but I do own a 03 ZX3 and mine has been really reliable to me. The only problem I have had has been the 6 disc CD changer that constantly jammed up on me.

I have an 03 ZTS, 5spd... I bought it in oct 04 with 15000km on it and the first week I had it the alternator crapped, but fixed under warranty obviously. It now has about 90000km on it and has had no major problems, the only problem I have is with the wipers.. when you push them down they are suppose to do one swipe of the windsheild on their own, but they dont... just stop once I release it. Not really a big deal to me though, just hold it and release once its done! Still on the same brakes I had at 15000km also!

I have a 04 with a zetec and have 20k on it with no probs yet..except 4 my cheap rotors that now look like a vynil record

Originally posted by ZX3_Chick
I don't own a ZTS but I do own a 03 ZX3 and mine has been really reliable to me. The only problem I have had has been the 6 disc CD changer that constantly jammed up on me.

Same with me, but after the 2nd time i learned how to unjam it. Only i had a problem with the altenator and sunroof. Otherwise it has been great and now that it sits for a month at a time it starts up like normal even though it has been still for a while. I have 27K on mine.

It may have a 5/100k powertrain warranty, depending on the original date of purchase. It is transferable, for a fee. Well worth it.

I didn't realize there was such a Focus following...and I thought people were big into their Hondas haha...

Well thanks, that'll help...I keep going back and forth about the warranty, but I'll chill out and make my mind up by Monday.

Yes, btw, it's a 2.0 Zetec. It is still under mfg warranty and my manager who used to work for the dealership I'm talking to said that it has a 100k engine warranty, don't know about drivetrain.

I like the car's setup. I've been driving civics for 7 years, so I'm used to them, but I figure it's time for a change--and I think the focus will be a nice change. One of the things I like most is that with the stickshift, the passenger can sit however he/she wants and it won't interfere with the shifting like it does in my civic. I'm diggin the 6-disc CD changer, plus the one I'm looking at has the built-in sub in the trunk (though I haven't heard it yet--it was out when I test-drove it).

BTW:

Originally posted by fspeed
Same with me, but after the 2nd time i learned how to unjam it...

How DID you unjam it, for future reference?

Thanks again.

Oh yeah, forgot to answer a question--yeah, askin a reasonable price (it's a no haggle, no hassle dealership so the price on it is $10,900...)

^^The warranty is 5year 100k miles powertrain warranty... so if your glovebox explodes.. it is your problem (once you pass the 36k miles)... but your engine or tranny blow up, you are still covered...


I say go for it

Igor

Buy an 03'


Cobra.

Originally posted by igor
I say go for it

Buying the car or buying the extended warranty?

the standard powetrain warranty is 5years / 100k miles.. a very good one..

the car has that.. and most extended warrnaties never run past 100k miles anyways... so you would be buying just the coverage of exploding gloveboxes (bumper - to bumper ) ...

IMO the car sounds like a god deal, if you like it... but the warranty might not be worth it.


Igor

thanks...

I think the deal will go down tomorrow morning. No ext. warranty, doesn't seem exxtremely necessary, though...I test drove the car again the other day and when I got halfway through, I parked it to listen to it/check it out again, and something was clicking in the engine compartment. That and the sub wasn't working...so I took it back and told the dealer about the noise and the sub...he checked out the sub and agreed, no sound...and he listened but the engine wasn't making the noise...so he told us to hop in, we went for a little spin, got back and sure enough--clicking noise. He took it to the shop for both those things and I got a call back the next day--sub was blown out and the clicking noise was the throw-out bearing (something to do with the clutch? I'm usually fairly car-savvy but I don't know exactly what that does--somebody wanna enlighten me?)

Does that seem to happen often at all?

Thanks again.

$10,900 for a 03 Focus thats not even a 2.3???? I think you better shop around. A new Focus wouldnt cost you much more IMO.
[???:)] BTW Focuses are great little cars, just the price concerns me here.

I don't know what prices are like in MA but here in WI...that's a pretty good deal for an '03 with only 31k miles on it. Even crap like a Cavalier is worth that much with that few of miles on it. A new Focus is about $15k here, couldn't afford payments on that.

I got the car...it needed a new throw-out bearing, got that fixed. I was feeling a little iffy about the car so for now I decided to stick the extended warranty on there...it was a completely bumper to bumper and I couldn't go back and put it on later--I have 30 days to get a full refund of it. The dealer rebated like $250 on the warranty too so it was a little better than usual. Plus I'm gonna be going on a road trip in a few weeks, maybe using my car, so if we do and something happens, it's all good.

he rebated $250? how much was the warranty??

after the rebate it was like $1150--5 years or 'till 75k miles, completely bumper to bumper...

I still don't have the car though...needed some parts so I won't even have it until at least Monday. Kind of pissed me off today 'cause the salesman said I'd have it before the end of the week and here it is, end of the week...no call, no nothin...I called in twice to find out and they never called me back so I had to ask for service directly. Hopefully once I get the car I will be a little happier with it. Can't complain terribly for now though...get to drive an '05 zx4, and I get to be lazy 'cause it's automatic.