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Where are the 5-speeds????

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#241 ·
The manual in my new 2013 se feels fine to me. It has a softer feel than my Jetta did. I find that the gearing is higher than the Jetta and I almost stall if I try to roll stops in second gear. I do like that fifth gear gets me at 3K rpm at 70mph rather than 3500 in my Jetta! I thought it was odd that it didn't come with a six speed bu after driving it..its probably not necessary.
 
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#242 ·
Last may I was so adamant about the manual that I passed on getting a hatch (which I wanted) because they were all automatic in about a 200 mile radius. I wound up going for the sedan in s trim just to get my manual transmission, but I'm hindsight i kinda wish i woulda got the hatch after my mom got one recently and i drove it the last time i was at her place.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2
 
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#243 ·
Well equipped manual hatchback

About a year ago I wanted a Focus HB and test drove a 2012 Titanium but disliked the DCT so much that I did not even drive the car out of the dealer's lot. And I really wanted a manual but there were none available. I ended up buying a new Hyundai Sonata. However, the more I drove the Sonata, i found the steering drifted at highway speeds and I still did get the manual tranny I really wanted.

Fast forward one year and recently I was able to find a well-equipped Tux Black 2013 Focus SE HB with the manual tranny, leather, rear disc brakes, ambient lighting, and the machined black 17 inch wheels! I was able to do an even trade for the Sonata. I have about 900 miles (including 200 miles in the mountains) on the Focus so far and absolutely love the handling, the 5 speed, and pretty much everything else about the car.
 
#244 ·
Mesaman said:
About a year ago I wanted a Focus HB and test drove a 2012 Titanium but disliked the DCT so much that I did not even drive the car out of the dealer's lot. And I really wanted a manual but there were none available. I ended up buying a new Hyundai Sonata. However, the more I drove the Sonata, i found the steering drifted at highway speeds and I still did get the manual tranny I really wanted.

Fast forward one year and recently I was able to find a well-equipped Tux Black 2013 Focus SE HB with the manual tranny, leather, rear disc brakes, ambient lighting, and the machined black 17 inch wheels! I was able to do an even trade for the Sonata. I have about 900 miles (including 200 miles in the mountains) on the Focus so far and absolutely love the handling, the 5 speed, and pretty much everything else about the car.
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Good on you!

My story is similar, test drove Ti DCT @ a year ago etc., but I just went ahead and ordered a Ti 5speed. She's coming up on 1year, 26k+ miles. Loving this little car!
 
#245 ·
There were several manual's to choose from, mine came from out of state. If you want one, you just need to be patient or flexible with other options it seems. I would have ordered/waited to get it if they were not able to locate the one I bought.
 
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#246 ·
Tigeo said:
There were several manual's to choose from, mine came from out of state. If you want one, you just need to be patient or flexible with other options it seems. I would have ordered/waited to get it if they were not able to locate the one I bought.
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I drove 2+ hrs to get mine. The dealer was a pretty bad dealer too, but I wanted the car so much I put up with it. After driving a few hours to sign the paperwork, they claimed it wasn't in yet. As we were leaving we walked around the lot. We saw the car still all wrapped up. I guess they couldn't be bothered to do any of the prep work for it then, so I had to drive an extra 4 hours there and back to get the car the next day. That takes what, 30 minutes, an hour? If the car is sold why not do it!?

Locally my only option in a hatch with the sport package and stick was a yellow blaze, which was a bit too strong for me.
 
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#247 ·
i had to order mine and i'm still waiting for it now. Only manual on the lot was an ST, i tried it and i've been wanting ever since, but other plans will take care of that want.
 
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#249 ·
What I Paid

Relative to my post yesterday, I paid $19500 after the $2500 rebate. My pricing was predetermined by the X Plan that Ford has for employees of some large companies. Thats a very nice discount off a car with $25,335 MSRP. There is no haggling with the x plan and Ford only allows the dealer to charge $100 for the "documentation fee."
 
#251 ·
I had to order my 5-spd. My dealer had a 5 spd sedan and an A/T hatchback, so I got to try both and decide that I absolutely wanted the 5-spd.
I ordered mine in April 2011 and waited 6 weeks to get it. At the time, the factory had not yet made any 5-spd hatchbacks yet. So I got one of the first.

BTW: The early "Kona Blue" is a much better color than the current "Performance Blue".
 
#252 ·
electricbeach said:
I have an odd question for the 5-speed guys. Is your car a little hard to be smooth with? Especially taking off from a stop or shifting up into 2nd or 3rd?

I obv know how to drive stick, have been for years. I just feel like every now and then I have a less than perfect (not bad, just not smooth) experience with the car.

I bought it used 34k on it and have been driving it for 3 weeks now. Maybe I'm not used to it yet, but I know the different brands of cars that I drive at work are more easy to "pick up" than the focus was.
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It's not you, it's the car. I've owned and driven many manual transmission cars in the past 35+ years. The shifter is a bit notchy. You also have to really "give it the gas" from first compared to all the other cars I have driven. Otherwise, it lugs really bad. [mecry]
 
#253 ·
You definitely have to give it a lot of gas (compared to what I am used to) starting off in first or if you roll a stop sign in second.
 
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#254 ·
Ok, ya other people have expressed the same experiences that I have with the car. It's not bad, still love driving it, it was just a concern that I had. If you look at the clutch stop I made a few pages or so back, that really makes the car a lot nicer to drive.
 
#257 ·
anyone notice the "anti-stall" feat ford added? I am starting to find it VERY annoying when you have traction control ON because it bogs down the engine and nearly impossible to take off without stalling on gravel or something soft. pretty much only way to launch is to keep foot on brake and ease off clutch until the "anti-stall" crap kicks in and let off brake and go with it. anyone else notice that? sorry for the English cbf typing proper on iPhone :/
 
#258 ·
Not exactly sure what you mean. Are you talking about how the engine power gets reduced and anti-lock applies to the wheel with less traction?

I have only spun a little turning onto the main roads sometimes, never enough to turn traction on.
 
#259 ·
Nah, just the major bog the car experiences when the ECU thinks it might stall. It chugs a bit and goes nowhere, then about 1500 rpm, it's back to normal and the car picks up power like normal.

I hate it. Only way to get around it is to apply more revs or slip the clutch longer. Don't even try to start off in second without giving 1500~ rpm revs, AND a metric ton of clutch slippage. This car hates to be lugged at all.
 
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Pioneer16
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