Hello fellow fanatics!
Picked up my Twilight Blue ZX5 PZEV ATX last weekend and just wanted to thank you all for your contributions to this forum - made the task of researching a new car both easy and fun.
First off, let me just say that this car is AWESOME. I've been following the development of the Focus since its introduction and it's everything the reviews have raved about and more! Great balance, fantastic grip, more than adequate power (esp. with the new PZEV), and utterly practical. The smoothness and cornering ability are amazing for a car at this price point IMHO. The new PZEV motor acts more like a small 6 - unlike any other 4 cyl. I've driven. I suspect the balanced shafts have a lot to do with the engine's smoothness, much like the old 4 cyl. Porsches.
This is probably old news to most of you, but for prospective buyers the Focus has won numerous awards. These include C&D's 10 best list (4 yrs. running?), and the prestigious European Car of the Year Award. I've lived/driven extensively throughout Europe and other parts of the world and can tell you that the Euros know exactly what they're talking about when it comes to high performance autos.
To the naysayers who claim this car is incapable of high performance, I say you don't know how to drive. Cars I've owned in the past include: Orig. Nissan Sentra SE-R, BMW E30 M3 (orig.), and for the last 2 years I've had the privilege of piloting an Audi B5 (edited from B6 for reference) S4 Avant. The M3 was tracked on occasion back in New England and currently sits in the garage awaiting transition to full race (just need to save up the cash, heh). Incidentally, the old M3 also uses a NA 2.3 liter 4 cyl., but makes its power much higher in the rev range than our PZEV foci.[
] Great on the track, less so for the street.
As an example of the Focus's cornering ability, there's a particular downhill, off-camber, decreasing radius turn around here that really shows the level of a cars' mechanical grip (or lack thereof). It also contains numerous highway rivets that can be a handful in wet conditions. The Focus, with its fully independent rear suspension, took the the turn in the wet at a speed that would have the old M3 swapping ends in about half a second - if the driver doesn't know what he/she is doing.
Well, I'm done - sorry for the lengthy post. What can I say? I'm a fanatic! If any of you have any questions about the '04 PZEV, feel free to ask. I have the manual right in front of me, although I do still have much to learn about the car. Btw, I do not work for Ford nor do I condone racing on the street. I just love cars and driving and I'll always be proud to have owned a Focus. Thanks again.
FF
Picked up my Twilight Blue ZX5 PZEV ATX last weekend and just wanted to thank you all for your contributions to this forum - made the task of researching a new car both easy and fun.
First off, let me just say that this car is AWESOME. I've been following the development of the Focus since its introduction and it's everything the reviews have raved about and more! Great balance, fantastic grip, more than adequate power (esp. with the new PZEV), and utterly practical. The smoothness and cornering ability are amazing for a car at this price point IMHO. The new PZEV motor acts more like a small 6 - unlike any other 4 cyl. I've driven. I suspect the balanced shafts have a lot to do with the engine's smoothness, much like the old 4 cyl. Porsches.
This is probably old news to most of you, but for prospective buyers the Focus has won numerous awards. These include C&D's 10 best list (4 yrs. running?), and the prestigious European Car of the Year Award. I've lived/driven extensively throughout Europe and other parts of the world and can tell you that the Euros know exactly what they're talking about when it comes to high performance autos.
To the naysayers who claim this car is incapable of high performance, I say you don't know how to drive. Cars I've owned in the past include: Orig. Nissan Sentra SE-R, BMW E30 M3 (orig.), and for the last 2 years I've had the privilege of piloting an Audi B5 (edited from B6 for reference) S4 Avant. The M3 was tracked on occasion back in New England and currently sits in the garage awaiting transition to full race (just need to save up the cash, heh). Incidentally, the old M3 also uses a NA 2.3 liter 4 cyl., but makes its power much higher in the rev range than our PZEV foci.[
] Great on the track, less so for the street.As an example of the Focus's cornering ability, there's a particular downhill, off-camber, decreasing radius turn around here that really shows the level of a cars' mechanical grip (or lack thereof). It also contains numerous highway rivets that can be a handful in wet conditions. The Focus, with its fully independent rear suspension, took the the turn in the wet at a speed that would have the old M3 swapping ends in about half a second - if the driver doesn't know what he/she is doing.
Well, I'm done - sorry for the lengthy post. What can I say? I'm a fanatic! If any of you have any questions about the '04 PZEV, feel free to ask. I have the manual right in front of me, although I do still have much to learn about the car. Btw, I do not work for Ford nor do I condone racing on the street. I just love cars and driving and I'll always be proud to have owned a Focus. Thanks again.
FF
