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May 22, 2009 7:16 p.m. Salanis SuperDork

Swung by the local Ford dealer today, spurred on by Alfadriver's announcement about the Susan G. Komen donations with test drives. Since I am considering getting a Focus, I figured I'd test drive one. Granted, I'm thinking I want a CA produced '04 with the nice 2.3, but I figured I'd try one of the newer ones. It didn't go so well.

First off, they had a couple of stripped down ones that were selling for Cheap. Yet they still had A/C and the few luxuries I like. Took it out for a spin... and things did not go so well.

I got a bit down the street. Ran through the gears a few times. Leave a light. Shift from 1st to 2nd. Go to grab 3rd. The selector was a bit mushy. I missed it once. Centered it and pushed it strait forward and... VRRRRrrrrrrrrrmmmm! "Oh berkeley dammit." I could have sworn I had it in 3rd, but it decided to grab 1st. Grr...

Come to the next light. Go to start... stall. "Stupid berkeley..." Try again. Stall. Really slip the clutch bllllrrrrrrrrr.... Third? What the hell? Can I get 2nd? No. Pull in somewhere to head back... Put it in reverse. Stall. Put it in reverse and really slip the clutch, and start inching forward. Fourth? The hell?

So, half a mile from the dealer, the car decided the only gears it would grab were 3rd and 4th.

I'm still considering an older one. I really hope the shifter doesn't suck half as bad.
May 22, 2009 7:37 p.m. Appleseed HalfDork

They had the Focus in 1994?
May 22, 2009 8:20 p.m. Salanis SuperDork

Appleseed wrote:

They had the Focus in 1994?

Yup. Complete with flux capacitor.

Wait... maybe I'm so used to driving 90's cars, I meant '04.
May 22, 2009 10:10 p.m. maroon92 SuperDork

trouble finding gears?

My Aspire has such loose shifter bushings that the gears play hide and seek....
May 22, 2009 10:14 p.m. JohnW New Reader

Yep, you only want an 07 or earlier Focus. The new ones ... not so great. Or wait for the new Focus or new Fiesta that are about a year away.
May 22, 2009 10:34 p.m. Lesley SuperDork

I've only driven a new one in auto (yawwwwn) ... but a friend had a 2001 that shifted just fine. Fun little car.
May 22, 2009 11:36 p.m. Salanis SuperDork

maroon92 wrote:

trouble finding gears?

Not really. The shifter was a bit vague at first, but simply did not work pretty quickly. Neither I nor the sales rep were able to get the car into anything other than 3rd or 4th. I think something in the shift linkage broke.
May 23, 2009 12:32 a.m. Strizzo Dork

cable trans, it probably lost the pin on either end of the cable that selects the 1-2/3-4/5-R gates
May 23, 2009 10:53 a.m. Tyler H Dork

Was the salesguy on a ride-along? How did the dealership treat you after 'you' broke their brand new car on a test drive?

Just curious. I did a brief stint selling Chevys in college, and I saw this happen a time or two, and I saw some younger potential buyers get some crappy treatment when they got back.
May 23, 2009 11:54 a.m. Salanis SuperDork

Yes, the salesguy was on a ride-along. At first he was wondering why I was having trouble starting and shifting, and why I kept cursing every time I tried to. Then we stopped so he could drive it back, and he found out why, because he was doing worse with it than I was.

He kept trying to console me that it wasn't my fault and stated that he hoped the experience hadn't turned me off to the car.
May 23, 2009 4:13 p.m. jcanracer New Reader

Salanis wrote: He kept trying to console me that it wasn't my fault and stated that he hoped the experience hadn't turned me off to the car

honestly???
May 23, 2009 4:17 p.m. Salanis SuperDork

jcanracer wrote:

Salanis wrote: He kept trying to console me that it wasn't my fault and stated that he hoped the experience hadn't turned me off to the car

honestly???

Yes. He honestly said that. Because, you know, the car comes with a 50k mile powertrain warranty, and the transmission not working would be covered under that.

I just mumbled noncommittally. I think I don't care for this generation of Focus.
May 23, 2009 9:47 p.m. Tyler H Dork

Well...at least you didn't just judge it on it's gawdawful looks.
May 23, 2009 10:19 p.m. Salanis SuperDork

Yeah... the salesman seemed flabbergasted when I said that I really didn't care about color.

"You don't care about color?"

"No. Not really. Of all of the things about a car, color is what matters the least."

I do judge it on the fact that it doesn't come in a hatch version anymore.

Salesmen sure aren't too bright. I told the guy that I was looking into getting a Focus, and he asked me "Why not the Fusion?"

"Umm... because I want a smaller, less expensive, more nimble, more fuel efficient car that's easier to park and navigate in city traffic? Because the 2.0 liter Duratec has a proven track record of reliability?"

And for crying out loud. When I show up in a BMW M Coupe', mention I'm selling it because I prefer my Miata on track, and am wearing a "Thunderhill Raceway Park" t-shirt, you'd think I might actually not be a complete moron regarding cars.
May 23, 2009 10:30 p.m. HappyAndy Reader

Salanis wrote:

And for crying out loud. When I show up in a BMW M Coupe', mention I'm selling it because I prefer my Miata on track, and am wearing a "Thunderhill Raceway Park" t-shirt, you'd think I might actually not be a complete moron regarding cars.

But what would make you think that the sales guy is not a complete moron?
May 23, 2009 10:36 p.m. Salanis SuperDork

HappyAndy wrote:

But what would make you think that the sales guy is not a complete moron?

Naive optimism, and his response about having a friend who used to race Miatas?
May 23, 2009 10:41 p.m. Appleseed HalfDork

They do come in two door coupes now. Something I've wanted since day one. But if the internals aren't up to snuff, forget it.

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