Any reason to NOT buy a 2000 Focus?-Page 2: Grassroots Motorsports forum: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

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Dec. 25, 2008 8:59 p.m. JohnW New Reader

HiTempguy wrote:

Billy, you are the MAN. That damper kit? $166.75 for the SVT stuff I can't buy jobber struts that cheap! I can't bother with actual performance stuff's for this car unfortunatley. I have this love hate thing with VW's, and since I sold my '04 Golf while going back to school, I need to pick a newer gen audi or vw up before I head to vegas in the summer This however should make a good appliance until June.

The Focus might not be a bad substitute for a watercooled VW. Back in 2000, I considered buying a new Focus ZX-3. I thought it drove much more like an MK2 GTI than the then-current (MK4) VW Golf. And by "drove like an MK2," I mean that in a good, lighter-weight-less-understeering-less-lifeless-steering-kind-of-way than the MK4.
Dec. 26, 2008 12:27 p.m. MadScientistMatt HalfDork

I had a 2000 ZX3 that I put about 40,000 miles on it. The only problems it ever gave me were a weird problem with the parking brake handle getting its button stuck down (replaced it with the SVT handle) and water leaks through the cabin air filter (there's a common air box mod to cure that). It was OK in autocrossing and a pretty decent appliance car.
Dec. 26, 2008 1:18 p.m. aussiesmg HalfDork

I have to say it..... "FWD"
Dec. 28, 2008 4:04 p.m. HiTempguy Reader

As a bit of an update for you guys, I got the doors fixed! Took me an hour to have two fully functioning door handles again, cost me about 50 cents in WD40 to do it. http://www.focushacks.com/ IS THE PLACE for all the fixings of the common issues with Foci. In fact, the owner of the site apparently owned a 2000 ZX3, so he knows the ins and outs of the original model year. I have a misfire in cylinder number 1/rough idle, so I am going to check out a couple of different things (will replace the plugs and wires anyways) but I am figuring either an egr issue (which is an easy fix) or it has to do with the thermostat being stuck open, causing a code to be thrown which in turn is causing the car to run rough. We'll see how things go
Jan. 4, 2009 7:11 p.m. HiTempguy Reader

Just thought I'd bump this thread back up;

After replacing the plugs and wires, I still had a miss at idle and below 2000rpm. My cheap code reader wouldn't tell me what the flashing check engine light meant. Finally, it said misfire in cylinder #1. Now, after having worked on cars for 6+ years I have found that fuel is RARELY the issue, so I pulled all the plugs. Suprise! Plug #1 is fouled to hell. I put all of the plugs back in except for plug #1, then cranked it over with plug #1 grounded. Intermitant spark, bingo! Bought a used coil pack for $50 from the wreckers (it was already pulled, sweet!) and now I have a new daily driver.

The only issues now with the car are the clunks from the worn out struts. Those'll get replaced this summer. And boy dose this car pull GOOOOD, it gives me bad thoughts, like SVT buying kind of thoughts This car is the perfect highway cruiser, nice, quiet, smooth, almost as good of gas mileage as the civic, and really easy to fix!
Jan. 4, 2009 9:39 p.m. Hal HalfDork

HiTempguy wrote: The only issues now with the car are the clunks from the worn out struts. Those'll get replaced this summer.

You may want to check out the swaybar endlinks as the source of your "clunk". There have been at least 3 revisions of that part form Ford. I think the one that most people use currently is from MOOG (check on Focaljet)

And when you replace struts, make sure you replace the bushing/bearing at the top of the strut also. They seem to wear out as fast as the struts. And since you have to take them out when doing the struts, you might as well do it then. Thay are not expensive.