ProtegeMaster

Personal Rant Warning! Personal Rant Warning!

I've said it all along, and it always amuses me when further proof of my convictions (and proof of Consumer Reports unrivaled accuracy) are realized:

Read it and weep, naysayers!

The Ford Focus is among the absolute worst cars you can possibly buy. Always has been. Investing one's own hard earned money in a vehicle like this is definitive evidence of ignorant, foolhardy delusions of vehicular grandeur. It’s pitifully laughable, and Focus lovers should be served notice that even the open media is starting to acknowledge Focus' pathetic reliability. It's amazing how many get played for a chump by Ford.

You've just gotta love that Ford Focus, eh?

UCSBgeek

I would actually really be interested in a Focus, if it weren't for the reliability problems ... They are really nice in design, I suppose the manufacturing just isn't up to par

kcbhiw

<Raises Hand> .....I had to put a new engine in my 96 Escort at only 72k miles due to poor installation of a valve seat within the head. It was 6 months/12000 miles out of warrantee. Tell me if that isn't a boat load of crap.

UCSBgeek

Too bad you didn't have the escort GT. That has our Mazda BP 1.8L motor in there

ProtegeMaster

Uh, huh huh-- Man, is it kind of hot in here all of a sudden?

mantis

My mother used to work for Ford, so I always got the employee discount price. Prior to my P5, I had 4 new Fords between 1990 and 2002 (1990 Ford Ranger, 1992 Tempo V6 GLS 2 door, 1997 F-150 and a 1998 Explorer Sport 4x4), with the last 2 being the absolute BIGGEST pieces of junk I have ever owned in my life. I will NEVER buy a new North American (or North American manufactured) car again. Just be grateful you have your (Japanese built and designed) Proteges now because the upcoming replacement (rumored for the 2004 model year) is expected to be built on a Focus platform and possibly built in NA for this market. If you like spending time at the dealership on a regular basis having your vehicle repaired, buy a Ford. Part of the problem with the NA Focus is that it is built in Mexico (cheap labor and poor quality control); the European Focus (built in Europe) has enjoyed an outstanding reliability record.

Ford = Fix or repair daily
Ford = F#cking old rebuilt Dodge
Ford = Found on road dead


You get the message!

JDMstuff

Didn't the PINTO have the same problem???

turbonium959

Ford is really digging a hole for itself. Ford just announced that they are halting production of SVT Cobras due to engine quality concerns. Here is the article .

Ford temporarily stops production of Cobra due to engine problems


Ford has temporarily stopped production of the 2003 SVT Cobra due to quality concerns.
Ford officials are mum on what’s wrong with the supercharged Mustangs, but assembly plant sources told media that the problem originates with the 4.6-liter V8.

Ford aims to resume production Nov. 15 and will begin delivering finished Cobras that were held back because of the snafu.

soma

Escort=Protege
Focus=Escort

Therefore....

silver_p5_owner

AND.... just last night driving home from work I hear on the radio that ford is doing a voluntary recall on all 2000 and 2001 Foci due to a battery cable routed poorly, wearing and shorting out. The symptoms are smoke, burning plastic smell and fire. Well, DUH!

BTW My old 1991 Escort GT had the shared Mazda/Ford 1.8 and it had a horrible problem with intermittent heavy knocking. Almost like a broken connecting rod. (this was during the first few thousand miles). My dealer's advice, since they couldn't replicate the problem... Drive it til it blows, then it will be covered. Traded it in immediately. Ford's service is terrible, in keeping with their "Quality is Job What?" mentality.

kcbhiw

As soon as I get the LX running, I'll be selling it and going for either a 91-96 Escort GT (most likely) or 90-94 Pro LX to use as my race car.

VagaBond-X

This thread made me remember a dream i had last night

for some reason I had a dream about an SVT Focus, which was revving up to 10,000RPMs redline at 9000.....

and it was running fast..with peak power at around 8500RPM

I almost woke up screaming because ever since the focus came out...I thought they were crap cars.....I dunno where that dream came from

maybe something about me fantasizing about the rotary beeing able to rev so high easily cuz it doesn't have an up and down motion that pistons have....but a circular motion...damn my RX-7 fantasies...I wish i had a 3rd gen now....I'm getting too many dreams of some next stuff like the SVT Focus dream i just have.