What to look for when buying a focus?

[FoxNotch]

Hi, I just joined and I'll be in the search for a focus soon. I'm looking to spend between 3-5k, so that pretty much puts me in the first generation range. I'll be looking for a 3 or 5 door only, and I'm really leaning towards an automatic since this will strictly be a daily driver with very little highway driving.

Anyway, are there any years that are better than others? Engines, interiors, etc? I'm new to focus' so I figured I'm better off just asking. Any automatic/manual issues I should know about?

Thanks in advance.

[Sponsor]

[Magus2727]

Well I would stay away from the first model year as they are usually the most problematic. The Automatic is gutless in my opinion. Have driven both auto and manual and its a night and day difference, understand that its a DD but the clutch is soft enough and the response is so much better with the manual I would still go with a Manual.

There are different throttle bodies from the 2000- 2002.5 years and then to the 2004 on the Zetec motor. I think the Duratec came around 2003 on some of the Foci.

There is a sticky on the forums main page that goes over the history of the Focus. It also talks about some of the options also available.

[RedRiderr13]

GO MANUAL!!! EAT, SLEEP, SHIFT!!!! its really simple, you get soo used to it, within weeks you start forgetting the last time you even shifted,it just becomes second nature. you will be happy you did!! go se trim, its nicer. 1.5 generation is a bit nicer, comes with DTECH too, and better face. this is 2005 car, but its prob gonna be more in 5-6k range. good luck, and happy focusing

[Magus2727]

Nah... dont like the 1.5 face lift....

[notnsvth8er]

when looking for a focus look for another car lol these things are a pain in the a##

[Shempi]

Go with a stick! Automatic is boring and senseless. Driving a stick is what driving a real car feels like. You control the rpms, you get better gas mileage and you will also look badass!

[G-Man's SVTF]

The 01-04s have the wavy looking dash. Some prefer it but if you do audio work is only a 1.5 din. The 05 to the second gen has the double din. Otherwise the interiors are about the same. Check out the BST section and you might get lucky. I've bought two car off it and love both. Get the manual transmission if possible. Good luck and have fun.

[jkennedy]

Originally Posted by Shempi

Go with a stick! Automatic is boring and senseless. Driving a stick is what driving a real car feels like. You control the rpms, you get better gas mileage and you will also look badass!

Well you could get better or worse gas mileage with a stick, depending on how you drive it. I personally drive mine like i stole it.

[FoxNotch]

Thanks for the comments.

Honestly, I'm pretty set on getting an auto. I've been daily driving manual cars and trucks since I was 17 and I really don't mind it at all. I do spend a lot of time in traffic though which was making me think automatic. And this will be driven pretty easily; it's not my racecar. What kind of consistent MPG difference am I looking at auto vs. manual?

Are there any problematic transmissions I should know about ahead of time?

[bringler26]

you can easily get 30+mpg on all highway no traffic or stop and go. In the city or heavy traffic expect anywhere from 20-25mpg. Light traffic 30 mpg is do able. My sister had a 2.3 pzev focus with an auto and she could get 38 mpg consistently on road trips. on her daily commute she typically got 25 mpg. I've seen the zetec do a little worse on the highway but still gets about 32-33(different final drive than pzev). city is about the same though.

My manual hatch rarely get less than 27 or 28 mpg no matter what. That is even with going through a half tank of constant wide open throttle pulls to the speed limit. I've gotten 35 mpg on the highway. This is with the zetec.