My new 09 Focus SEL

[nickz]

Here are the daytime pics of the new ride. I'm waiting for it to get dark now so I can get a pic of the interior lighting.

 

Specs:

2009 Ford Focus SEL

Brilliant Silver Metallic

Medium Stone Leather

Ordered June 19, born July 25, delivered August 15, 2008

 

Standard:16" Euroflange alloy wheels w/Pirelli P6 tires, power windows, locks, mirrors (heated), fog lamps, chrome exhaust tip, chrome door handles and mirror skull caps, chrome fender applique, leather heated seats, Sirius, SYNC, leather wrapped steering wheel w/controls, Ambient Lighting, front & rear stabilizer bar, front/side/side curtain airbags, keyless entry, auto-dimming mirror.

 

Options: Automatic transaxle, ABS with AdvanceTrac traction and electronic stability control, power moonroof, Audiophile sound with 6 disc CD changer and 8" subwoofer.

 

Mileage at delivery: 12

Mileage now: 206.2

 

Differences from 2008 models:

• Rear adjustable headrests (3)
  
• ABS+TC+ESC replaces ABS+TC option
  
• SEL leather trim includes soft panel (vinyl) in front doors with stitching matching the seats
  
• Euroflange wheels slightly redesigned. Instead of blue circle center with the Ford logo in it, now a metal cap with a small blue oval inside.
  

Impressions:

The first 200 miles have been pretty fun. This car absorbs bumps in the road like it's a much bigger car, but it still handles great. Turn radius is insane (last car I've been driving was a 94 Park Avenue). Audiophile stereo is insane. My wife kept turning it down.

 

Adaptive trans has settled down and gotten really smooth. I wonder if the drive by wire throttle is adaptive as well. It feels a little less jumpy after a couple hundred miles, but maybe that's just me getting used to the pedal feel.

 

Great A/C, but haven't been using it much. Instead I've been driving with the windows down and the moonroof open. I found it very aerodynamic with all four windows down and roof open, and it was suprisingly quiet at highway speed like that. With the rear windows up, more wind noise/buffeting.

 

SYNC:

Works well, but a little quirky at times. Upon connection of my 80 GB iPod Classic, I was informed that all tracks could not be indexed. I've fixed a few missing things today, so I need to plug it back in to re-index and see if that message goes away. Verizon Moto RAZR works pretty well but no text message support (Verizon thing). Phone book auto downloads, but contacts with multiple numbers are not properly classified ("cell", "home", "work", etc.). Numbers are listed as "other" instead. Voice recognition works pretty well. I would estimate about 95% accuracy in my testing over the past two days. Occasionally (maybe 1 out of 10 times) when starting the car, SYNC forgets it was playing and no music plays. I have to use a voice command (or manually from the radio controls) start a song/album/playlist again. I haven't figured out exactly what is happening there to replicate it.

 

Wishlist:

• Still no interior trunk release button.
  
• SYNC port should be inside the center console like the other Fords so you can hide your iPod from would-be theives.
  

That's it for now. I'm pretty tired, so I'm probably forgetting stuff I should mention. Let me know if you have any questions and I'll be glad to answer them.

[nickz]

Here's an interior lighting pic.

[johnjyi]

Very nice!

 

I see they've changes a few things. Interestingly, they've moved the ambient light leds for the front to under the dash.

 

Looks good!

[amtrakking]

Congrats, nickz! Wow, it really looks AWESOME! The color scheme both inside and exude an elegant richness that you don't often see in compact cars. How's the handling? Is it taunt and responsive? The ambient lighting is incredible, too! I'm really happy for you dude--great job! Enjoy!

[nickz]

Very nice!

 

I see they've changes a few things. Interestingly, they've moved the ambient light leds for the front to under the dash.

 

Looks good!

 

The LEDs are in the same place. In that shot you just couldn't see it because the LED was behind the steering wheel. Very bright when it's dark. I like the blues the best.

 

Congrats, nickz! Wow, it really looks AWESOME! The color scheme both inside and exude an elegant richness that you don't often see in compact cars. How's the handling? Is it taunt and responsive? The ambient lighting is incredible, too! I'm really happy for you dude--great job! Enjoy!

 

That's the way I felt when I saw some pics of that combo. The charcoal interior seems to be favored by most people, but this color just goes with the silver and it really does look very rich. The leather is nice and soft too. Even my salesman said that when I picked it up. He'd never seen one with the lighter leather. He said he always prefered dark interiors on cars himself, but he really loved the look of this car. It looks a lot more expensive than it is.

 

Now keep in mind that the only cars I've been driving for the past couple of years have been 94 Park Avenue and my wife's 94 Prizm, so there's my point of reference. That said, the ride is very smooth, better than both of the those cars. The steering is very responsive and the car hugs curves nicely. It makes you actually want to take turns too fast. I have. But not enough for the ESC to kick in. I've really been having a blast driving it for the past two days. If I didn't have a prior commitment yesterday that kept my driving to a minimum, I would have put more than 200 miles on it this weekend. My birthday is next weekend, so I may burn a tank or two of gas then. Gotta get out of town and find some twisty roads.

[blazerdude20]

SYNC:

Works well, but a little quirky at times. Upon connection of my 80 GB iPod Classic, I was informed that all tracks could not be indexed. I've fixed a few missing things today, so I need to plug it back in to re-index and see if that message goes away.

 

nice car!

 

your songs are indexed, what that means is that sync couldnt find the song, artist, album, genre, year of song, etc for every song. even if 1 of your 5,000+ songs doesnt have the genre filled out on itunes the car will tell you that all files couldn't be indexed.

 

how do you like the new door ajar sound?

 

nice to see the focus got the 2 buttons for the monntroof

[nickz]

nice car!

 

your songs are indexed, what that means is that sync couldnt find the song, artist, album, genre, year of song, etc for every song. even if 1 of your 5,000+ songs doesnt have the genre filled out on itunes the car will tell you that all files couldn't be indexed.

 

how do you like the new door ajar sound?

 

nice to see the focus got the 2 buttons for the monntroof

 

I went through all my songs in iTunes and found three with a missing artist. Now they all have all the required tags, yet I still get the message. May be due to the fact that I have some tracks marked as part of a compilation.

 

Honestly, the chime is pretty annoying. The 08 didn't sound like that. This one chimes for door ajar, key in ignition, seatbelt not fastened, and lights left on. All have an alternating two-tone sound that varies in pitch and tempo for the various alerts. All bug the hell out of me. But I guess that's the point.

[amtrakking]

nickz, I've got a good one for you. My wife came in from work moments ago and wanted to look at the photos of your car that she missed last night. Pulled up your posting. She 'oohed' and 'ahhed' as expected. She thought the interior view at night was 'really cute' (her words). I'd hoped she'd show increased interest in the Focus so we could eliminate any possibility of another Toyota/Honda/anything Japanese in the driveway. She wanted the Honda Fit big time because it reminds her of a shrunken minivan/station wagon. 'Oh so cute!' seems to apply to every car she likes. After looking at everything and sensing she's clearly impressed, she asks, "Well, can't I get the wagon version?" I explained that they didn't make them any more. She's bummed. "Well, what about a hatchback? Can I get the hatch version of Nick's car? This is just too cute for words!" I looked at her and said they no longer made it, either. Now she's really disturbed.

 

"Can we look at a Ford minivan then? For me, I mean. You get what you want."

 

You've never heard so many in your life when I sheepishly told her it was dead as well. So she takes another look at your car pics...and says, "Well, I think a nice blue one would be okay...."

 

There IS a God! :hyper: :bandance:

[johnjyi]

nickz, I've got a good one for you. My wife came in from work moments ago and wanted to look at the photos of your car that she missed last night. Pulled up your posting. She 'oohed' and 'ahhed' as expected. She thought the interior view at night was 'really cute' (her words). I'd hoped she'd show increased interest in the Focus so we could eliminate any possibility of another Toyota/Honda/anything Japanese in the driveway. She wanted the Honda Fit big time because it reminds her of a shrunken minivan/station wagon. 'Oh so cute!' seems to apply to every car she likes. After looking at everything and sensing she's clearly impressed, she asks, "Well, can't I get the wagon version?" I explained that they didn't make them any more. She's bummed. "Well, what about a hatchback? Can I get the hatch version of Nick's car? This is just too cute for words!" I looked at her and said they no longer made it, either. Now she's really disturbed.

 

"Can we look at a Ford minivan then? For me, I mean. You get what you want."

 

You've never heard so many in your life when I sheepishly told her it was dead as well. So she takes another look at your car pics...and says, "Well, I think a nice blue one would be okay...."

 

There IS a God! :hyper: :bandance:

 

Good luck! I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

[chiefstang]

nickz, I've got a good one for you. My wife came in from work moments ago and wanted to look at the photos of your car that she missed last night. Pulled up your posting. She 'oohed' and 'ahhed' as expected. She thought the interior view at night was 'really cute' (her words). I'd hoped she'd show increased interest in the Focus so we could eliminate any possibility of another Toyota/Honda/anything Japanese in the driveway. She wanted the Honda Fit big time because it reminds her of a shrunken minivan/station wagon. 'Oh so cute!' seems to apply to every car she likes. After looking at everything and sensing she's clearly impressed, she asks, "Well, can't I get the wagon version?" I explained that they didn't make them any more. She's bummed. "Well, what about a hatchback? Can I get the hatch version of Nick's car? This is just too cute for words!" I looked at her and said they no longer made it, either. Now she's really disturbed.

 

"Can we look at a Ford minivan then? For me, I mean. You get what you want."

 

You've never heard so many in your life when I sheepishly told her it was dead as well. So she takes another look at your car pics...and says, "Well, I think a nice blue one would be okay...."

 

There IS a God! :hyper: :bandance:

Awesome! Sounds like we can offer you a tentative congratulations! Welcome to the family, and I'll look forward to reading your posts in the future!! Also, she's right. The blue would look AMAZING with the blue ambient lighting! That's my favorite color Ford makes.

[johnjyi]

Yeah, the blue like mine looks nice. It's even better if you got the blue center caps for a blue car.

 

As far as the ambient lighting goes, though, I kinda like the violet too.

[amtrakking]

Good luck! I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

 

Hello exrub, how goes it? Haven't seen you around of late. Anyways, thanks for the comment and, yes, do keep those fingers crossed. A prayer wouldn't hurt either; don't want her changing her mind on me! Say, how's Minnie by the way?

 

Awesome! Sounds like we can offer you a tentative congratulations! Welcome to the family, and I'll look forward to reading your posts in the future!! Also, she's right. The blue would look AMAZING with the blue ambient lighting! That's my favorite color Ford makes.

 

Much appreciated chiefstang. She said she saw a shade of blue last year on a Focus and liked it very much. I went to the YouTube website and showed her a video featuring a sedan in the Vista Blue color thinking it might have been it; it was. I agree about the match with the ambient lighting color. I think the hard part (convincing) is over; time for a test drive. We'll visit a dealer this coming Saturday. I'M STOKED! Will provide updates as time progresses; thanks for the welcome.

[johnjyi]

Hello exrub, how goes it? Haven't seen you around of late. Anyways, thanks for the comment and, yes, do keep those fingers crossed. A prayer wouldn't hurt either; don't want her changing her mind on me! Say, how's Minnie by the way?

 

 

 

Much appreciated chiefstang. She said she saw a shade of blue last year on a Focus and liked it very much. I went to the YouTube website and showed her a video featuring a sedan in the Vista Blue color thinking it might have been it; it was. I agree about the match with the ambient lighting color. I think the hard part (convincing) is over; time for a test drive. We'll visit a dealer this coming Saturday. I'M STOKED! Will provide updates as time progresses; thanks for the welcome.

 

Hey, there!

 

Minnie's been great. The wife really enjoys using the tush warmer in the early mornings.

 

I'd say take her for a test drive. Hopefully, she'll like it a lot.

 

Again, good luck!

[nickz]

amtrakking: That's awesome! Tell your wife I went back and forth between the silver and the blue for a couple days before I made up my mind. That IS a really nice blue, and exrub's SE is a fine example. What finally pushed me to the silver is that it doesn't show dirt as fast--in other words, less washing, because I'm lazy.

 

Seriously though, go drive one. You don't need us to push you into buying one here. The car will sell itself when you see and feel it in person.

 

I wonder if I can get a commission on the sale if amtrakking buys a pair of Foci because of my pics? :D If you want to drive down to Indiana I can hook you up with my salesman. I owe him a favor after bugging the hell out of him while waiting for mine!

[aneekr]

Congratulations on your new Focus!

 

One question for you, does the Focus have a compass display (within the trip computer or center dash-top displays)?

[nickz]

Congratulations on your new Focus!

 

One question for you, does the Focus have a compass display (within the trip computer or center dash-top displays)?

 

No compass or thermometer display. The display panel actually has spots for them, but they are unused in the Focus. (You can see the extra unused elements on the display panel by shining a flashlight on it.)Kind of a shame too because how much would it have cost Ford to make the external temp and compass displays work? A few bucks for the sensors? Of course the same can be said of a trunk release button and putting the USB port inside the console.

Edited August 19, 2008 by nickz

[johnjyi]

amtrakking: That's awesome! Tell your wife I went back and forth between the silver and the blue for a couple days before I made up my mind. That IS a really nice blue, and exrub's SE is a fine example. What finally pushed me to the silver is that it doesn't show dirt as fast--in other words, less washing, because I'm lazy.

 

I wonder if I can get a commission on the sale if amtrakking buys a pair of Foci because of my pics? :D If you want to drive down to Indiana I can hook you up with my salesman. I owe him a favor after bugging the hell out of him while waiting for mine!

 

Hey, nickz! Would you mind splitting the commission? Also, I'm getting ready to buy the "SEL" badge so it may not stay an "SE" for long. :yup: :burnout:

 

If amtrakking wants to come down to mid-Maryland, I can also hook you up with my sales folks. In fact, there's a Vista Blue SEL sitting on the lot...saw it yesterday.

 

 

No compass or thermometer display. The display panel actually has spots for them, but they are unused in the Focus. (You can see the extra unused elements on the display panel by shining a flashlight on it.)Kind of a shame too because how much would it have cost Ford to make the external temp and compass displays work? A few bucks for the sensors? Of course the same can be said of a trunk release button and putting the USB port inside the console.

 

I agree. They would have been nice. My (okay, my wife's) 08 Mustang has the input jack (not USB though) in the console. However, it doesn't have the trunk release button.

 

Oh, well. They had to cut costs somewhere, I guess.

[FordFanForEver]

Here are the daytime pics of the new ride. I'm waiting for it to get dark now so I can get a pic of the interior lighting.

 

Specs:

2009 Ford Focus SEL

Brilliant Silver Metallic

Medium Stone Leather

Ordered June 19, born July 25, delivered August 15, 2008

 

Standard:16" Euroflange alloy wheels w/Pirelli P6 tires, power windows, locks, mirrors (heated), fog lamps, chrome exhaust tip, chrome door handles and mirror skull caps, chrome fender applique, leather heated seats, Sirius, SYNC, leather wrapped steering wheel w/controls, Ambient Lighting, front & rear stabilizer bar, front/side/side curtain airbags, keyless entry, auto-dimming mirror.

 

Options: Automatic transaxle, ABS with AdvanceTrac traction and electronic stability control, power moonroof, Audiophile sound with 6 disc CD changer and 8" subwoofer.

 

Mileage at delivery: 12

Mileage now: 206.2

 

Differences from 2008 models:

• Rear adjustable headrests (3)
  
• ABS+TC+ESC replaces ABS+TC option
  
• SEL leather trim includes soft panel (vinyl) in front doors with stitching matching the seats
  
• Euroflange wheels slightly redesigned. Instead of blue circle center with the Ford logo in it, now a metal cap with a small blue oval inside.
  

Impressions:

The first 200 miles have been pretty fun. This car absorbs bumps in the road like it's a much bigger car, but it still handles great. Turn radius is insane (last car I've been driving was a 94 Park Avenue). Audiophile stereo is insane. My wife kept turning it down.

 

Adaptive trans has settled down and gotten really smooth. I wonder if the drive by wire throttle is adaptive as well. It feels a little less jumpy after a couple hundred miles, but maybe that's just me getting used to the pedal feel.

 

Great A/C, but haven't been using it much. Instead I've been driving with the windows down and the moonroof open. I found it very aerodynamic with all four windows down and roof open, and it was suprisingly quiet at highway speed like that. With the rear windows up, more wind noise/buffeting.

 

SYNC:

Works well, but a little quirky at times. Upon connection of my 80 GB iPod Classic, I was informed that all tracks could not be indexed. I've fixed a few missing things today, so I need to plug it back in to re-index and see if that message goes away. Verizon Moto RAZR works pretty well but no text message support (Verizon thing). Phone book auto downloads, but contacts with multiple numbers are not properly classified ("cell", "home", "work", etc.). Numbers are listed as "other" instead. Voice recognition works pretty well. I would estimate about 95% accuracy in my testing over the past two days. Occasionally (maybe 1 out of 10 times) when starting the car, SYNC forgets it was playing and no music plays. I have to use a voice command (or manually from the radio controls) start a song/album/playlist again. I haven't figured out exactly what is happening there to replicate it.

 

Wishlist:

• Still no interior trunk release button.
  
• SYNC port should be inside the center console like the other Fords so you can hide your iPod from would-be theives.
  

That's it for now. I'm pretty tired, so I'm probably forgetting stuff I should mention. Let me know if you have any questions and I'll be glad to answer them.

 

Nice car

[Mark8LSC CE0464]

In the name of all that is holy, why would you deface a brand new car with a bumper sticker?

[OldZephyr]

Thanks for posting the excellent photos -- they're well composed and well exposed. And the car looks great!

Edited August 20, 2008 by OldZephyr

[nickz]

In the name of all that is holy, why would you deface a brand new car with a bumper sticker?

 

Let's just say I'm very politically active and leave it at that since I don't want to get into politics here. (I've had stickers with my own name on them on other cars.) It's a peel-off sticker anyway, so it won't be there permanently or do any damage to the paint. The dealer sticker isn't staying long either, but I need to keep it there for a week or two.

 

I was wondering how long it would take for this comment to pop up.

[nickz]

Thanks for posting the excellent photos -- they're well composed and well exposed. And the car looks great!

 

Thanks. There's my money pit--photography. I've got more dough in my camera gear than I did in my last car (but not the new one). I need to get a better ambient lighting shot though. That was quick and dirty and I'm not happy with it.

[630land]

One of many more sales to stick it to the know it all. mouthy, nay-sayers

[Snoopyto]

"Can we look at a Ford minivan then? For me, I mean. You get what you want."

 

You've never heard so many in your life when I sheepishly told her it was dead as well. So she takes another look at your car pics...and says, "Well, I think a nice blue one would be okay...."

 

There IS a God! :hyper: :bandance:

 

Amtracking: My wife had the same issue. She has driven 01 Ford Expedition for 7 years and and Explorer before that. She likes the big vehicles. I get tagged because I get the new vehicles. Mainly because I do all the driving. she NEVER drives if I am going with her. But at $80/tank for the Expedition, it was getting too much. So we looked at the best economical vehicles. I had just bought back in Dec and Jan a Prius and Corolla LS for the parents. So she looked and looked at the Focus. We went and drove one. Then we started looking at the options. We were originally focused on the 08 Focus and found a Blue SES. Her first choice was Blue. We test drove a 09 Sangria Red SE. She saw an 08 Red SE. The difference being the 08 is more Candy apple red. So that became second choice in color and then black. I had found a blue 08 about 250 miles away.

 

So we decided on car, then I decided to get our 200K 01 Expedition to Car Max in Jax for appraisal, we live in Gainesville. Anyhow, I started calling the dealerships to find out about 09. I found 09 Red SES on the truck. We work in seperate towns, so we meet and went look. It has everything short of ESC noted on the sticker, but the VIN says different. Either way, it is just a go to work car. But might use for trips too. I ask her every night if she likes her car and she says yes. I think she likes Sync most of all. But bear in mind she is a computer programmer. She is still having withdrawals over the truck issue. But she loves the benefit at the pump and chuckles when we fill it up at $30/tank. Don't tell the wife it is a Borg car and she will be assimilated.

[amtrakking]

amtrakking: That's awesome! Tell your wife I went back and forth between the silver and the blue for a couple days before I made up my mind. That IS a really nice blue, and exrub's SE is a fine example. What finally pushed me to the silver is that it doesn't show dirt as fast--in other words, less washing, because I'm lazy.

 

Seriously though, go drive one. You don't need us to push you into buying one here. The car will sell itself when you see and feel it in person.

 

I wonder if I can get a commission on the sale if amtrakking buys a pair of Foci because of my pics? :D If you want to drive down to Indiana I can hook you up with my salesman. I owe him a favor after bugging the hell out of him while waiting for mine!

 

She reads this forum with as much regularity as I do now! :lol: She wanted to know if your wife was getting a Focus as well? I also showed her exrub's car ('Minnie') and you probably can figure out the rest: "That's just darling! And they named it Minnie--oh so cute!" She really needs to get out more. Six weeks for your car to arrive, right? Each time I look at it, it makes me smile. You really made a nice choice. I think all I'd add would be splash guards.

 

Hey, nickz! Would you mind splitting the commission? Also, I'm getting ready to buy the "SEL" badge so it may not stay an "SE" for long. :yup: :burnout:

 

If amtrakking wants to come down to mid-Maryland, I can also hook you up with my sales folks. In fact, there's a Vista Blue SEL sitting on the lot...saw it yesterday.

 

Maryland's a bit of a driving stretch, lol! It's a pity however that both you and nickz couldn't at least get a token of appreciation from Ford just for egging me on with the Focus. You have my undying gratitude for whatever it's worth. This has been the most enthusiastic automotive forum I've ever had the privilege of joining; thank you all.

 

Let's just say I'm very politically active and leave it at that since I don't want to get into politics here. (I've had stickers with my own name on them on other cars.) It's a peel-off sticker anyway, so it won't be there permanently or do any damage to the paint. The dealer sticker isn't staying long either, but I need to keep it there for a week or two.

 

I was wondering how long it would take for this comment to pop up.

 

Me thinks Obama would approve!

 

Amtracking: My wife had the same issue. She has driven 01 Ford Expedition for 7 years and and Explorer before that. She likes the big vehicles. I get tagged because I get the new vehicles. Mainly because I do all the driving. she NEVER drives if I am going with her. But at $80/tank for the Expedition, it was getting too much. So we looked at the best economical vehicles. I had just bought back in Dec and Jan a Prius and Corolla LS for the parents. So she looked and looked at the Focus. We went and drove one. Then we started looking at the options. We were originally focused on the 08 Focus and found a Blue SES. Her first choice was Blue. We test drove a 09 Sangria Red SE. She saw an 08 Red SE. The difference being the 08 is more Candy apple red. So that became second choice in color and then black. I had found a blue 08 about 250 miles away.

 

I ask her every night if she likes her car and she says yes. I think she likes Sync most of all. But bear in mind she is a computer programmer. She is still having withdrawals over the truck issue. But she loves the benefit at the pump and chuckles when we fill it up at $30/tank. Don't tell the wife it is a Borg car and she will be assimilated.

 

Good one, Snoopyto! I've seen one SEL in the new Sangria Red color and it was a real looker. Reminded me of a smooth glass of Merlot...now that's tasty! Ford deserves kudos. As for my wife and bigger vehicles, she's never really been much of an SUV gal, but has always loved minivans (and we have no children save for the dog). Once, all she talked about was a Chrysler van.... Uh, no sweetheart, we'll not have any of that here!