ClutchTime

The alternator pooped out on my '91 truck a couple years back. NAPA was the only parts store around so my wife picked me up from the parking lot I limped into and we headed there for a reman alternator. The starter had also been cranking slowly for a few weeks and they had a "new" one in stock. I got both parts and installed them the next day. Their new parts come with a lifetime warranty and roadside assistance. I also found out they are made in China. The reman alternator is still working fine but the starter gave out on me last year when I was trying to leave work one night. No warning at all, just a clunk when I hit the key. I got a ride home and got my old starter off the shelf and reinstalled it for a few days until I could swap out the broken new one. I now carry my old, slow cranking starter and the tools to change it in the truck at all times. I'm all for buying products that are made in the USA. That's why I wanted to buy an American built Focus instead of a Mexican made Fiesta. I was at Wal-Mart once and needed a new pillow. I found one that had "Made in USA" printed on the plastic wrapper. When I opened it, I found that the tag on the pillow said "Made in Pakistan" so I guess the plastic wrapper was made here. YAY! I also ordered several Snap On key chain folding knives to give as gifts. They were the crappiest Chinese made things I've ever seen with Snap On printed on the side. The name was the only thing about them that looked decent in person.

I spent two weeks in Germany at the beginning of the year. I don't remember the Kuga that I saw there having the same grill that's being shown in pics here. I saw a brand new black one and thought it was beautiful and actually wanted one. I don't think it looks anything like a RAV as someone else mentioned. Unfortunately, I couldn't get the camera turned on in time for any pics. I've never hated the Escape but, I've never loved it either. After seeing what's in Europe, I think the current Escape is long overdue for an update. I just wish they wouldn't put that flipped upside-down Mazda 3 grill on everything here. The new Focus has grown on me but, I think the Kuga/Escape/Veretrek looks better without it. IMO, Ford should just do what they did with the Fiesta (saw plenty of those in Germany) and leave it pretty much the same and bring it here.

I have no idea about your pic question but that's a beautiful car. I like the second pic of a Titanium Focus in front of the titanium SR71. Is that #17959, the "big tail"?

They didn't get the name "stealerships" for nothing. A 30,000 mile flush is rubbish and I want to ask people for some spare cash when they say they change their Mobil 1 at 3000 miles but, look at the times when someone does read their manual and thinks the timing belt being beaten silly in their Fiesta for 150,000 miles or a 100K mile set of spark plugs in their 5.4 F series is a good idea.

I would start with getting the correct length belt just because when that belt stretches, and it will, you will no longer be in the acceptable range since it's right on the edge now. The tensioner could be jumping around, due to the belt's length, causing the noise but you should be able to see it moving while it's running if that were the case. I'd pull the belt off and turn the pulleys by hand to check for smoothness and play. Maybe there's a rough spot on one of them or a bad bearing inside. Try turning the ac compressor clutch by hand and see if it feels ok and watch it engage and disengage while running to be sure its not slipping. It may not be anything in the belt drive at all though. Usually when you turn the wheel or the A/C compressor engages,and put the car into gear, the idle will drop a small amount, this will usually cause anything loose on the exhaust to vibrate or rattle more than normal. It's hard to know what to do without actually hearing the sound but, I hope this helps.

Thanks again for all your help. Here's the Focus's new garagemate!

Never mind. I found it in the top of the glove box. The owners manual was in the way earlier.

I bought a new SE sedan with the 201A package and automatic transmission and a build date in 3/11. The invoice shows Auxiliary Audio Input Jack on the interior standard equipment list. The owner's guide shows it located on the back wall inside the center console compartment. It's not there. My wife has been driving the car so I haven't had more than a couple of minutes to look the entire car over besides reading the manual and checking where it said. When I push the AUX button, the screen reads Line In but, there's nowhere to plug anything in. Has anyone else come across his issue?

Bump for an update. 2011 Explorer 1FMHK8B84BGA71822 Thanks again

I was lucky enough to find a silver SE sedan optioned exactly like the one I had planned on ordering. My wife had a large schedule change and we had two days to find a car. I looked at Fiestas, the '11 and the '12 Focus. A friend asked me if I was going to get a Titanium. I laughed. I also couldn't see paying $18,100 for a base 2011 with no options at all except an automatic transmission. My mom has one, and after driving our 2012, I can say without reservation, the 2011 is a so far behind the new one that it's pathetic.

My wife found out her next clinical for her nursing school masters is over 100 miles one way from our house. She's currently driving her dad's hemi-powered Ram getting around 14ish mpg. We were waiting until our Explorer arrives to get another vehicle, but she has to have something next week. So, we went to look at a Fiesta and found the exact Focus we had planned on ordering and brought it home. Our first plans for it are to start winding up the odometer and smashing bugs!

@ snappsny, Years ago, I asked for a price on a truck if I ordered it since the dealer didn't have what I wanted. I told the sales MANAGER (the salesman took me to the manager because he said he didn't know how to do an order) that I get X plan and wanted a white, new body style '04 F150 XLT Ext. cab, long bed 4x4 with heavy payload package(this automatically gave it the 5.4 V8 and 4R100 automatic transmission). He tells me he has two of those on the lot after he watched me look at every truck there. He points out the first. A yellow, 2WD, XL regular cab, short bed with some ugly aftermarket 22" chrome wheels. It was also a V6 with a stick shift. The second was a regular cab 2WD with a 4.6 V8 and the light duty automatic. After he begins to configure my choices, he asks what year and tells me that after last week he couldn't order any more '03s. (This happened in late Feb. '04.) I told him the model year had ended five months earlier and he couldn't order an '03 model long before last week. Then he asked If I wanted a Heritage model or the new body style which I had told him not a heritage three times. This was the same guy that had a Ford GT on the lot, after the guy who ordered it died, and was asking 220K for it when the MSRP was 140K. He was also telling customers that he had driven it 60 mph in first gear. The car was on the lot for a loooong time and so was that V6 truck with the stupid 22's.

The standard features show an inflation kit. A regular model shows a mini-spare. A full size spare won't fit in the trunk well of a mustang.

2011 Explorer 1FMHK8B84BGA71822 Thank you.

Outstanding! Thank you, sir.

Yes. I see. You have illuminated the subject for me. Thank you. I have no previous experience with dealers trying their hardest, even lying about what a vehicle has on it, to sell what's on the lot instead of having to order something else. You have made me truly grateful for the price of the vehicle that I ordered. I had no idea that people were willing to pay such markups over sticker for a Focus or an Explorer like it's a Shelby or a Ford GT, even when a dealer has four on the lot and another four on the way like GaryG's dealer and mine as well. I haven't seen less than three in stock at any dealer here but, I guess some dealers are able to make a yearly profit selling only one vehicle at a time. I apologize for not seeing it your way instantly and not realizing that when the gentleman said the dealer had four, then eight, that he really meant only one. Shame on me.

It's not hard at all. But, it's not hard for the dealer to understand when there are four other dealers within an hour, somebody will give X plan on a stock vehicle. Do they want to sell one or not?

I apologize for seeming ignorant about this oil. I guess I am since I use Mobil 1 in everything I own. I wasn't asking if it matters if it comes from Wal-Mart. I only said that because that's about the only place I can find it here. I've poured this stuff once and from what I've seen, although it was dark, it's not the exact same stuff thats installed in the factory unless something has changed. A friend of mine purchased 4 new Ford Vehicles in six years and changed the factory oil within the first couple weeks of owning them all. The factory oil was green. I didn't believe it until I saw it in a clear container, but it was green. I did a few first oil changes on various Fords for other people and noticed the same thing. The main thing I was asking is if anyone has used that oil in comparison to something else and noticed a difference. For example, my Mustang makes more engine noise with fresh Castrol Syntec than it does with Mobil 1 after 6000 miles. Drained the Castrol and put in Mobil1, and it was silent. As far as I'm concerned, Castrol Syntec doesn't hold up "perfectly" and it costs twice as much and is full synthetic. BMW installs it from the factory but my small block V8 still thinks it crap. So, why should I trust the cheapest non-store brand oil on the shelf just because it say's Motorcraft.

I used to work at a Mustang specialty shop. We installed a lot of FRPP parts. I always like them. As far as better alternatives, it depends on what you want. Ring and pinion gears, for instance, are the same thing that are installed from the factory or sold as a stock replacement part. They are just in a different box with a lower price. I highly recommend using Ford gears over other brands like Richmond or others. The FRPP gears have easier set-up (most of the time) and usually provide less noise. FRPP lowering springs used to be made by Eibach. That may have changed in the last couple of years but I doubt it. They usually don't lower as much as other brands do but they're nice quality springs. I have a set of FRPP caster/camber plates on my 95. They're just a re-branded Steeda part(at a lower price, at least way back then it was), like randy said. Fine part. Steeda makes nice stuff. Exhaust, well a Ford exhaust on a Mustang is not exactly a common thing. I don't know about performance numbers or sound, but I'd bet it would last a long time. Most people either want the most possible power or a certain sound. I like MAC mufflers. They allow more power than Flowmasters but they don't sound the same so, most people either love them or hate them. Koni is a good choice for struts/shocks. It may be easier for you to get a whole package from Ford than to piece something together yourself. About the power packs and tuners, I quit working on cars for a living before adding chrome valve stem caps would set off your check engine light so, I don't know a lot about those but, I do like what I've seen of the FRPP kits.

Kona Blue is a darker shade compared to Sonic Blue. It's more purple. I almost ordered an Explorer in that shade. It may look purple in some pictures but it's not in person. It's a nice looking blue but I do prefer the Sonic over it.

I ordered on April 14th and the dealer told me that it would be $1000 rebate or up to whatever it is at the time of arrival if it's more than $1000 and that it will not go down.

I was under the impression that, due to government regulations, all gasoline(not counting race gas) had to be 10 percent ethanol. It's been several years since the last non-ethanol stations I used to frequent switched to E10. I recently read a long, detailed, test result filled post by an Amsoil dealer that used it in his own car. Long story short, he only uses Mobil 1 now. Atmospheric air is already 70% nitrogen. If they want to put 100% in my tires, fine, but I'm not paying extra or going out of my way to find it. We're talking about cars and trucks, not military aircraft taking off at 170+ knots. Doesn't matter for us. Back to the oil, how many of you use the Motorcraft synthetic blend 5w20 that Wal-Mart sells? I've only recently started using it in my mom's 2011 Focus and she hasn't made it to the second oil change yet. I'd like to hear your thoughts about how well it held up for you.

Silverback, how much did you pay for that set? I didn't order any mats because I wanted to get liners instead.

No X-plan on dealer stock makes no sense to me. My dealer knew I was using X-plan when I ordered mine. He started to sell me an Explorer off the lot that was almost identical to it until he realized it was FWD. You' d think they would rather sell what they already paid for, than order another one.

I also thought WTH during the test drive, but quickly got used to it. Is this how all of the new vehicles are going to be set up. I was thinking about ordering a new Focus and I drove one, but I don't remember if it was the same.