i'm sorry it came to that. Hope your car treats you well.

 

That was fast. I suspect you won't be alone though based on the number of dissatisfied 2012 owners.

I had a customer recently who is the GM at a Kia dealership, he had an Optima hybrid in his driveway. I must admit it certainly seems like Kia is rapidly getting their shit together in terms of making a better first impression.

 

Sucks you got a bad one. I know would have been fed up with it and traded as well. Pics of the new ride!

 

Im might trade in my 2012 Focus soon also! Ill see after it goes to the shop again!!!!!

 

Tony,
Rather Sooner than later, Did you lose a lot ?
I think USA's biggest mistake was adopting MFT and Sync on the Focus.
None of the Other World Markets have adopted this technology.
Yet everything in the car works perfectly without MFT and Sync, bluetooth phone, voice commands, usb, Ipod,music over Blutooth etc etc.
The MFT and Synch does give you some extra fuctionality however, Navigation etc
At the end of the day it's just a car.

 

deng..is the new focus that bad?

 

Just like every new car, there are a few out there that are lemons. There are far more people that are happy than those that are unhappy. I was on a mustang forum and saw a few threads about some people having trouble with the new mustangs tranny. It just happens.

 

oh well I dont blame you... I'd want a new car to be problem free as well.

Have to agree though, the optima turbo is pretty good.

 

That's too bad.. I really enjoyed your how-to guides on mods. Was hoping to see more of those with the Focus but owell..

Pics pls!

 

That's too bad.. I really enjoyed your how-to guides on mods. Was hoping to see more of those with the Focus but owell..

Thanks. I will post up pics on the remainder of my sound system install soon.

Sorry to hear of your woes. Ford certainly isn't the first manufacturer out there with first year woes, but the Kia Optima SX is also a first year car and seems they nailed it from the get go. Good luck.

The '12 Optima is their second year. Yay!

As for saying the Kia is superior in every way look again. There is a reason Hyundai abandoned the brand several years ago.

This is news to me. I believe Hyundai still owns Kia, similar to Honda/Acura, Nissan/Infiniti, Toyota/Lexus, etc. My comment about being superior was merely a subjective opinion and nothing else.

Grass is always greener

True, very true. In this case though, I hope my grass IS greener!!! I'm keeping my fingers crossed anyway.

The Optima is a beautiful car. However, one little thing the OP might take a hit on is the comfort of the seats - the Optima's seats are widely criticized (flat, unsupportive) while the Focus's seats are widely complimented.

I loved the seats in my Focus. However, for the 2012 model Kia made several changes to the front seats to make them more comfortable vs. the 2011 model. Better thigh support and more cushioning. After owning the Optima for a while I have to say the seats are extremely comfortable.

German Focus build quality is tops....
Kia and Hunday is the same car ,interior quality sucks, Cars emmit blue smoke from exhaust. Handling is boring. Whole car is boring.
I test drive them from time to time, buy them, NO
Ford Focus Rocks, Love mine.

Kia hired Peter Schreye, the chief designer for Audi and VW and made them their chief design officer. It should be noted that at no point in my life would I have ever considered buying a Focus until 2012. In my opinion, the earlier models of Foci were akin to how you describe Kia and Hyundai. With the new Optima, and several Hyundai models for that matter, I once again revisited a make and/or model of car I would have never considered owning until now. The Optima's handling is definitely not up to par with the Focus. The interior quality isn't as nice but is darn close, and for me it's definitely not boring. And in all my years of following behind cars for a living I've never once made the correlation between blue smoke and Korean cars. Dodge caravans and old Mercedes? Yes.

It's unfair to the Guests browsing the forum to only see the negative side of FF in threads like this when there are so many of us who love our cars and haven't had issues...

Very true. The Focus is a GREAT car, except for the little screen in the dash (and accompanying software) that has its tentacles into every little system. At least this was my experience, as well as many others who answered JD Power's surveys. But I suspect the number of people out there who have had positive experiences far outweigh the ones who haven't. Do I wish I would have bought the car without MFT? Well, yes and no. Of course I would have loved to have had a car that didn't give me problems, but then again I wouldn't have considered buying a Focus WITHOUT all the tech either. It's too bad that particular aspect was what screwed me over.

Tony,

Congrats on your new kia, i drove one the other day and was rather impressed, its not quite as nimble as the focus, but that engine makes up for it in spades .

No...definitely not as nimble. But yes, the 274 hp and 269 ft lbs of torque is VERY welcome!! So far I have managed to average 18 mpg in the city, only 2 less mpgs than the Focus. And the throttle is WAY more sensitive. Push it down ever-so-slightly and the car responds instantly and effortlessly.

Thanks so much for everyones' kind words.

Tony

 

Btw, how much was the trade-in value of the Focus? Get negative equity?

 

Oh yeah...I lost big time. However, I wasn't totally dissatisfied with my trade-in amount considering how familiar I am with the fact that cars are just not a good investment, especially new ones.

Let's just say I could have filled my Focus' gas tank about 150 times with what I lost by trading it in.

Tony

 

I know you have been among us that have more than your fair share of problems. It's a shame Ford couldn't make you a happy customer by taking care of your issues, even if that meant replacing the car. I am giving Ford a second chance because I have relation working for them. If I didn't have that connection, I would of probably walked also after owning exclusively Ford--18 vehicles. I know people don't have any more patience with Ford and throw up their hands and trade it in for another brand (like RustySocket) but there is a lemon law process. But I understand just ridding yourself of the whole ordeal.

Some day Ford will realize how many customers they have alienated and lost over the whole MFT/Powershift fiasco.

Good luck moving ahead.

 

This needs to be sent to the Ford customer service folks.

 

Tony, I wish you good luck with your new car !

 

Sorry to hear of your woes. Ford certainly isn't the first manufacturer out there with first year woes, but the Kia Optima SX is also a first year car and seems they nailed it from the get go. Good luck.

 

Grass is always greener:

http://www.optimaforums.com/forum/5-optima-general-discussion/

First 10 posts:

1. Poor rear view camera visibility at night
2. another possible buyer
3. next mod plans for optima buyer
4. creaky sunroof?
5. Odd noises while driving
6. Complete fixed wind shield wiper problem
7. Random sounds like I ran over something
8. Optima K5/Dealer model
9. Will dealership install aftermarket parts
10. Any regrets with the EX turbo?

Good luck with your new car. I hope its issues are more easily resolved than the fords.

 

I want to also wish the OP good luck. I am giving Ford a chance and eventually all the bugs will be fixed. It takes paitence.

 

Hopefully he doesn't have that the horrible things I've seen the kia's do lately. They have had a lot of engine throwing rods and other stuff grenading at this one dealership thats a customer of my works. I buy American cause it's quality And like to support our great country. As for saying the Kia is superior in every way look again. There is a reason Hyundai abandoned the brand several years ago.

 

Tony, good luck with your new Kia. It's sad to see another member take a loss to rid themselves of their car issues but I certainly understand your position. I can't understand why Ford doesn't pay attention to cases like yours and go the extra mile to make things right.

I traded a VW with some issues, for the Focus, and I couldn't get anywhere with VW at any level and taking a loss was not really a concern to me; the frustration had become more of a burden than the loss of the money.

 

Don't you mean you're "Out of Focus?"

The Optima always stuck out to me as a contender for my next car, but when I started comparing it to the Maxima (neither available with a manual transmission) I figured I could use it as a bargaining chip since I'd rather have the Nissan. Optima SX is not a very sporty midsizer.

 

Darn double post!

 

Guys.....this is not a thread for all of you that haven't had problems to post here -- I know some feel they need to defend Ford in every thread on this subject.

Good for you that you haven't experienced issues as others clearly have had. Not all 2012 Focus are. It's fortunate you haven't had to deal with Ford's customer service processes either. If you have, then you know what Tony and other's are going through.

Ford's a big boy, they will have to own up to their mistakes on their own. Some day they will realize they have lost both long time and new customers over the 2012 Focus. And the ones that have decided to stick with the 2012 Focus despite the problems (like myself) will feel a loss of trust for them.

 

They are just replying to a post on the first page where someone asked if the focus was really that bad.

 

Best of luck and peace with the new Optima, Tony! The Koreans are really on a roll...

I'd like to test drive the new Hyundai Veloster. Saw a red one the other day in traffic that looked great. If I buy sometime, it won't be a first-year car, though.

 

The Koreans are really on a roll...

I agree! But if I want to continue talking to my family, I have to buy American.

I'd like to test drive the new Hyundai Veloster. Saw a red one the other day in traffic that looked great. If I buy sometime, it won't be a first-year car, though.

Yeah, we learned the hard way...

 

Enjoy Your new car, and here's hoping it doesn't give You any trouble. Having problems with a car, especially a new one, can make You want to pull Your hair out, especially when You are left feeling like You just got mugged by a guy in a cheap suit and a slick sales pitch.

 

Show me a single car with no problems?

Some of you peoples expectations are down right ridiculous.

LOL

 

My dad's 93 Corolla got to 210,000mi (before selling it) and all he did was replace the brakes,shocks, oil and filters. It isn't impossible to find a perfect car, just very very hard. Then again, the Corolla is slow and can't handle, so maybe you're right; nothing is perfect.[hihi]

 

What's Your point? Or are You just here to stir that pot up again?

 

I am stirring the pot of raining on the negative nancy train?

Sorry, I am trying to inject some reality into the pathetic bash fest.

Reality is absent from this site, and has been replaced with people expressing and finding comfort in misery.

At this point, reality isn't even considered.

That's an issue, and thats why I am pointing it out.

No car is perfect. All of the people weeping in their own wallow would like to paint a picture that this exists, as they feel it more validates their complaints. But it simply doesn't.

So whats the purpose of speaking in hyperbole non-sense which solves nothing, other than create an environment of misery?

Cars that cost 10 times what you pay have problems.

http://www.ferrarilife.com/forums/ferrari-discussion/

This is reality.

That is my point.

 

The Optima is a beautiful car. However, one little thing the OP might take a hit on is the comfort of the seats - the Optima's seats are widely criticized (flat, unsupportive) while the Focus's seats are widely complimented.

I am a Kia Soul owner (on this forum because I'm considering trading for a Focus). I have to say the Soul's seats are very flat and unsupportive too. As good as Kia's cars are getting, they need to learn how to put in some darn lumbar and lateral bolstering. It can't be much more expensive to do so.

 

I test drove the Forte, Optima and Elantra prior to the Focus. You're absolutely correct on the seating comfort assessment. I based my decision on several factors but the comfort of the seats and the quality of the materials were a big factor in my decision to order a Focus.

 

Hope your Korean car treats you well.