"oh...wow", a falcon drivers fortnight in a focus

Simmo · 04-01-2007, 02:55 PM

hi guys, i just gave back a focus after 2 weeks with it and i had to come on here and say my piece about it. i normally drive a manual 1993 ED XR6 but i've snapped the clutch pedal mount and was carless for a while until i got this focus.

firstly, the car. it was a 2003 Focus Zetec with the 2.0L engine and 5 speed gearbox. the owner is a female coworker who bought it from a dealership in NSW called 'Dominelli Ford' and from what i could tell it had 17" simmons knockoffs on nankang ns2 rubber and was lowered a fair bit. it sounded like a mild exhaust as well but she told me everything on the car came from the dealer. rims, ride height, possible exhaust. so does anyone know this dealership and this option package?

now for the part you guys will want to hear. it was awesome. it was a really, really, really good car. and it was FWD!! i jumped in this thing expecting a chick-spec buzzbox that handled like all the other FWDs i've driven...crap. what i got was a real car. it whipped round all those suburban corners so damn fast with almost no hint of the nose trying to push out. no trye squeal either. got the proper noise i expected from big rubber copping it but no lame squeak from tiny, traction less tyres. there was body roll of course, but really minimal thanks to the springs. was just enough for me to be able to place the weight when in corners so i loved it.

in Brisbane there are plenty of twisty mountain roads and i've spent my life with the falcon trying to make it a master of these roads. im faster on all the corners than all my friends with their little jap cars that are supposed to drift. of course i get eaten right up once its straight again but nothing can catch me on a corner. i was expecting not to be able to hit fast corners with a fwd 4cyl banger, but after my first 10 mins in the car i knew it would be doable and not just doable, but quick.

so the second day i head out to mt nebo and mt glorious. an extremely long mountain pass just mins from brisbane. its got what you want on a pass which is a handful of straights, plenty of decreasing and increasing radius corners and a couple of real 1st gear hairpins. the focus ate it up. after 10 minutes i was pushing it the same as i push the falcon and getting similar results. plenty of grip with oversteer on lift-off corners. oversteer! a focus! "oh...wow". after the 30-40 minutes of pounding the mountain and once i was back down on the straight stuff i wanted more. i left it alone since it wasn't my car but was really itching to test the other passes i know.

so the next day i grab a mate for navigation on the harder pass [we both know the course uphill and down but it helps to get a headsup when you're really hammering] and head back out to 2 more roads. first up we tackled the more technical clear mountain road on the uphill. i cut my 'touge' teeth on this road and since its 10mins from my place i try to get on it once or twice a fortnight. i got in the groove after the first 3 corners and with my mate giving me the headsup on blind corners and crests where even though i know its clear i cant help but want to hesitate. fanged the hell out of the course and checked the time when i finished. 20 secs off the falcons best uphill time on my first run in an unknown car. brilliant!

of course by now i had the feel of the car and wanted nothing more than corners, corners, CORNERS! so we headed to the last test road out at Mt Mee. this is another tight mountain pass, but with a set of about 10-12 cambered corners right in the middle that are super fun. i was full tilt, white knuckled and breathing heavily by the cambered corner set and was out of breathe and sweating by the end. it was the best feeling run i'd had since i got the car and the run with the pedal on the floor the most. my friend and i both agreed this was a far superior car to anything FWD we'd driven. this was a far superior car to some RWDs we'd sampled as well.

after those 3 runs i didnt go back as i'd faded the brakes out once on the last run and didn't want to punish this great car anymore. so it was another 7-8 days of normal driving including to and from work and ferrying mates at night to NYE parties, etc. this time let me get in touch with everything the focus did that wanst flat out fun. the super triangular interior that put a funny look on my face the first time i saw it was looking good now and the only problem was the air vent which i couldnt seem to make blow directly on me. all the buttons did what they should have done and i didnt need to read the manual to work out anything. the headlight switch in used to since its the same style in the falcon. the pull out foggies/tail lamps was cool and i only stuffed up the euro indicator side twice. the seats were comfy yet firm and pretty grippy when i was taking lateral G forces. my 2 best mates are both 6'7"/202cm and i put them BOTH in the back as a test and they didnt whinge once or ask for legroom.

the stereo sounded good with a few adjustments. it could have handled heavier bass, but a couple of panels/bolts/screws inside the cabin would complain. i figured out the little button to remove the 2-3-4-5 panel and disable the headunit. very nice touch on a factory setup. also i cant give enough love to the column mounted audio controls. not having to take my hands off the wheel to turn the music up or down is so damn good. i was reaching for the non-existent buttons in mum's camry the day after i gave back the focus it was so engrained. the only fault i will make mention of that really peeved me was the lack of view in the rear mirror due to the small rear window, and the enormous blindspots those c-pillars provide. i'm used to just turning and looking in the falcon. i rarely use the mirrors at all to change lanes as i prefer to swing around and check it myself.

to conclude this ramble i will only say again how much i loved the car. everything i tried to do, happened. the blind spots/rear view problem is simply blasted out of the water by the handling and functionality and look of the car. i'll leave you with the best moment i had in the little blue focus. i was stopped at a set of lights uphill with the windows down and ministry of sound on, pumping the techno out of the car. a flogged looking brown VN pulls up next to me, blaring rap. so i turn my beats up to drown out his music, not as a 'my stezza's louder bro' kind of move. next thing i can hear the rap even louder as mr. cool cranks his subs. again i turn up my album to lessen the rap onslaught and up his goes again. by this time i've had enough and am practically staging at this light ready to roll away from this guy. light goes green, we both stab it, i flogged a VN, uphill, by a car length. foci rule.

melbzetec · 04-01-2007, 04:04 PM

Damn!!!!! Our secret is out!!!!!

GreenMachine · 04-01-2007, 05:29 PM

This is why I won't be lending you any of my cars in the future :P

Simmo · 04-01-2007, 05:35 PM

she said i could do whatever with it. i asked her if she was familiar with my reputation around the office and she replied with 'you're a car guy. at least you'll enjoy driving it and it won't come back crashed'. so i enjoyed driving it and didn't crash it. also do you search for posts i dont make in the e-series forum or something nick?

GreenMachine · 05-01-2007, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simmo

she said i could do whatever with it. i asked her if she was familiar with my reputation around the office and she replied with 'you're a car guy. at least you'll enjoy driving it and it won't come back crashed'. so i enjoyed driving it and didn't crash it. also do you search for posts i dont make in the e-series forum or something nick?

Never underestimate my boredom at work, Simmo!!!

Talldude · 04-01-2007, 08:18 PM

i bought my focus from the same dealership without the mods.

they did to try to boost the appeal of the car to the young market.

but i have to admi focus engines sound great with a sports exhaust!

raymon81 · 04-01-2007, 08:37 PM

then a sports exhaust is what i shall get!

Damo · 04-01-2007, 08:52 PM

nice right up there mate, sounds like you flogged the **** out of the focus and loved it.

Simmo · 05-01-2007, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Damo

nice right up there mate, sounds like you flogged the **** out of the focus and loved it.

pretty much. i wouldnt be here singing its praises if i had putted around for 2 weeks. i'd probably think it was still a chicks car.

tabaccs · 05-01-2007, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simmo

i'd probably think it was still a chicks car.

See now thats one thing that when i hear people say really peeves me off.. Not too many people will like the sound of that!

kenny21 · 05-01-2007, 09:06 AM

Even without the exhaust they sound heaps better with a pod filter and go a bit harder especially when ya get goin.

;)

Simmo · 05-01-2007, 09:58 AM

hence the grammar i used. i'll admit that i thought it was a chicks car before i drove it, but my mind was changed somewhat.

Sourbastard · 05-01-2007, 10:46 AM

Its Official then!

Neeek · 05-01-2007, 11:02 AM

"you're a car guy. at least you'll enjoy driving it and it won't come back crashed"

I seem to recall an incident about a year ago where this wasn't quite the case... something to do with hitting a concrete post because you were so out of shape on a mountain pass? ;)

Simmo · 05-01-2007, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neeek

"you're a car guy. at least you'll enjoy driving it and it won't come back crashed"

I seem to recall an incident about a year ago where this wasn't quite the case... something to do with hitting a concrete post because you were so out of shape on a mountain pass? ;)

it was my car i got out of shape, not a loaner. i've got no problem trying to go 10/10ths in the xr6. focus would have been about 8.5/10ths i'd say. you cant say i'm not trustworthy just cos i knocked down a reflector post in my own car. you weren't even there and neither was greenmachine. the only forum member there was Rollin who i'm sure will tell you i did better than most keeping on the mountain rather than down the side. i'll thank you guys to keep my history off the forums next time. bag me in pm or something if you really have to.

GreenMachine · 05-01-2007, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simmo

you cant say i'm not trustworthy just cos i knocked down a reflector post in my own car. you weren't even there and neither was greenmachine.

Hey, don't drag me in to this! I said nothing...

However, I wish to pose a question: Would you email the lady who owns the car that review?

Neeek · 05-01-2007, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreenMachine

Hey, don't drag me in to this! I said nothing...

Easy mistake to make - both called Nick, both out fishing...

Simmo · 05-01-2007, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreenMachine

Hey, don't drag me in to this! I said nothing...

However, I wish to pose a question: Would you email the lady who owns the car that review?

don't need to email her, i work with her and shes know this already. i spent 20 mins telling her how good her own car was when she came back, including the performance. i hope you guys dont think i would flog any car i got given. my mate lent his rx-7 for a day thats his baby and said 'be careful'. so i really was. didn't even boost the thing although it would have been fun as hell. i just knew i could with this car, so i did.

i refuse to review the owner since i gotta work with her. nothing worse than tension between workmates.

4.9 EF Futura · 05-01-2007, 11:18 AM

"Uh.. the stopwatch, officer? It's umm... it's errr... its about 20 seconds off my best"

J/k. Great write up!! Didnt spend too much time turning on the windscreen wipers when changing lanes?

So was this a fairly high spec model you were driving?

Simmo · 05-01-2007, 01:33 PM

it didn't look as good as the one in the pic, was lower and the rims were a bit different, but same basic shape. im not up on the models but it had '2.0' and 'zetec' on the back.

melbzetec · 05-01-2007, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simmo

it didn't look as good as the one in the pic, was lower and the rims were a bit different, but same basic shape. im not up on the models but it had '2.0' and 'zetec' on the back.

Thats the 96kW version. More powerful than the base CL model, not as powerful as the ST170 model. Stiffer springs and different gearbox to base CL

Sourbastard · 05-01-2007, 01:43 PM

I was there. I saw it all.

GreenMachine · 05-01-2007, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sourbastard

I was there. I saw it all.

You were behind the 3rd gum tree on the left, yeah?

BlueRaven · 05-01-2007, 01:52 PM

You've also failed to review the owner of the car on here too.

GreenMachine · 05-01-2007, 02:12 PM

But Simmo - there are so many amusing phrases you could use reviewing a coworker... For example, references to front-end work and miles on the clock!

BlueRaven · 05-01-2007, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreenMachine

But Simmo - there are so many amusing phrases you could use reviewing a coworker... For example, references to front-end work and miles on the clock!

Not to mention driveabilty, hail damage, etc...

Scott · 05-01-2007, 02:36 PM

Size of motor in relation to the diff??

GreenMachine · 05-01-2007, 02:43 PM

Squeaks and rattles from the dash, performance (in terms of both outright speed and durability)...

I mean, comparisons could be drawn to rotary engines - bugger all torque, but revs hard in short bursts.

simonr · 05-01-2007, 08:25 PM

the one in the pic is a RS which had a 212 bhp turbo version of the zetec engine.. not avaiable in australia

zetec · 06-01-2007, 10:33 PM

Amazing what happens when people are given a chance to drive what we've been raving about for 4 years now!!! I'm stoked you enjoyed it and I'm highly confident almost any Falcon driver would have the same write-up.

I purchased one of the first Zetecs in Australia from Dominelli Ford in Kirawee, Sydney (Southern Sydney), mine too a 3 door, but also equipped with Traction and Stability Control - Dynamic Stability Control (something the BA Falcon had never heard of in 2002!!). Dominelli Ford did offer packs, I think they were Blitz packs or something, not sure. They did for a while offer 16" rims but later on got aggressive and pushed hard with bigger rims and springs etc. Probably had Pedders springs fitted and a mild exhaust. Interestingly the Zetec badge on the boot isn't standard, only on the front quarter panels! I too added an extra Zetec badge on the boot - damn cost saving.

The Zetec gets the 2.0 16V twin cam Zetec engine, but with 96kw instead of 85kw like on the rest of the range, which gets a virtually identical 1.8 litre version (85kw), it also gets a shorter ratio manual, with tougher internals and a stiffer clutch. It has torque to burn and will happily pull from low revs in a high gear, something the lower models struggle to do due to lack of torque and taller gearing. I have more than kept up with all kinds of 6-cylinder rivals and if corners are involved... it's the same everytime. They brake coming into the corner or roundabout, I don't. They then see a little wiggle in the Focus' tail as I exit ahead of them and the car settles down to show them it's gorgeous derriere.

The LR Focus you drove comes standard with Control Blade Independent rear suspension, the car the BA Falcon COPIED!!! It's the secret to both the focus' composure and it's incredibly flat handling. They're very easy on tyres due to the even grip and flat footprint even under load. The lift off oversteer is the most fun aspect of the whole car!!

I'll swear until the day I die that the LR Focus Zetec will remain one of the best cars I have ever driven for overall enjoyment, fun and stupidity, regardless of new models replacing it and standard options outdating it quickly. I'm lining up for an XR8 Ute as my first company car, but the Focus will take pride of place in my garage, I'm not selling this baby EVER, who cares how much I could get for it when I sell it, she's NEVER for sale!!!

It's amazing just how good acar with a great chassis can be, regardless of whether it's a supercar, family car or a "chick's car". All I can say is, if the Focus is a chicks' car, then boobs aren't the only thing they're blessed with.