Info. Requested on 08 Focus

[VistaBlueFocus]

As a new 08 Focus SE sedan owner with a M5, I'm looking for some additional information regarding the platform and drivetrain. I slowly (okay, very slooowly) made the decision to purchase this model after seeing all the bashing about the conservative styling, cheapness, no improved powerplant, fake fender vent, to high a belt line, cost cutting run amuck, wall-to-wall flimsy hard plastic, etc. So I tested all the competing models...and it came down to the Mazda3 and the Civic. With the options that I wanted (speed control, ABS) the Civic was $18,500 and the Mazda3 was a little less. And then my nationalistic pride kicked in...memories of 9/11, American jobs disappearing, auto workers without medical insurance, foreclosures galore, Europeans bashing the ugly, wasteful, war mongering Americans, inflation spiraling out of control, fuel closing in on $4./gal. and I thought isn't there anything American out there that I can accept? So I researched a bunch of web sites. That lead me to try a Ford. Over a few weeks, I visited dealerships and drove probably 8 vehicles (Autos/5 speeds/ S's/SES's)...and found that although my expectations were infact very low, the model is very respectable in it's class. It is what it is... a simple, $16,000 compact that is very light weight, quiet, comfortable, reliable, with a slippery 5 speed, very fuel efficient (I've had only 5 days and getting 31mph in city driving (no highway yet) and extremely inexpensive (I bought at $400. over invoice (THX edmonds!) with $2500. in rebates and 0.0% financing...making our investment about $13,200.

 

So....I'm hearing bits and pieces about German platform, Mazda engineered 16 valve 2.0 engine and my paperwork says the tranny was built in Germany. What gives? My vehicle was built at the Wayne plant and all the panel seams are nice and tight and line up even, no squeaks, or leaking windows, no rattles, no pre-rusted engine parts or other parts falling off or fluids spuing out, leaking all over the place. With a nice color combination of Vista Blue on Charcoal, I'm trying to figure out... am I missing something here or is everyone else missing it? Granted, the instrument cluster looks like it was designed for a 16 year old and the seats could use better side bolsters... and a little to much vibration in the brake and clutch pedals but it seems like a great little car that looks a little (uh, sorry) European from the back! So tell me folks, what is the lineage of the drivetrain? I love the power of the 2.0 (yes, it's a little unrefined), the handling and the slippery 5 speed reminds me of my 80' Toyota Celica.

 

Can anyone provide more information? And can running a thicker oil like 10-30 take away the engine harshness? As a former Asian vehicle snob, I'm loving the Focus because it's so much......fun!

 

VistaBlueFocus

[Jazzhead]

Glad to hear you like the Focus. Mine's an '01, but the thing's a blast to drive and BIG inside. Certainly the best compact car I've ever owned. Glad to hear, too, that you think of the larger community when you make as important a decision as a consumer as buying a new car.

 

A tip of the hat to you, sir.

[johnjyi]

Please feel free to correct me in any way.

 

Here's the way I understand it. Ford (which owns majority shares in Mazda) uses the Mazda engine for the small cars. The engineering, however, is done by Ford Europe. Ford has plants all over the world where different components are made.

 

For example, the 3.5 Duratec is built in Lima, Ohio. The 4.0 V6 or the 5 speed automatic is built in France. Some future V8 cars may be built in Australia.

 

Notwithstanding, I feel Ford HQ in the US benefits from being spread out.