Ford Focus (1998-2003) for Sale near Seattle, WA

I love everything about my ford wagon. I've had her for over two years and she's been so reliable and wonderful. There is so much cargo room and the seats are very comfortable. Her transmission is gorgeous and her 2.3 l dohc gives her so much more pep in her step than a regular old wagon.

Performance : the ford focus is pretty quick for a 2.0 liter 4 cylinder and the handling is amazing for an econobox car with its control blade rear suspension and through the cones has a faster time than a jag xj8 or a bentley continental. Build quality : the only issue i have had personally with build quality is the springs break but the problem is eliminated with the svt springs or aftermarkets Appearance : im not a fan of economy cars but its better looking imo than a 02 civic or a chevy aveo so as economy cars go its one of the better looking ones Cost of ownership : 30 - 35 mpg and parts are cheap when they need repair Fun factor : if your into drag racing you may not have fun in a focus but for auto x or really anything with turns its a great car because the handling if you put a 21mm swaybar in the rear the handling will amaze you

Where can I start? The 2000 Focus is a complete solid car that can bring joy to anybody. First, the performance: The 2.0 litre, 4 cylinder, DOHC, Zetec engine produces 135 BHP and is fairly bullet proof, it will last for a long time. My Focus has done around 180,000 miles on all origional parts, except for gaskets and other parts that need replaced every couple of thousand of miles. Pretty good for a ten year old car! The engine is completely adaquate enough for everyday use and the occasional time when you feel like going fast. Despite this, the engine could do with just a tiny bit more power to add to the sportyness of the Focus. However, when you hit the GO pedal and you let the revs get up high, you will hear the sweet sound of the engine. It is phenominal. The brakes on the Focus are unbelievably brilliant. All you need to do is tap the brake pedal and you stop very quickly. When you stop, put your face back where it belongs and keep going. The brakes stop you quick when you need it and slows you down when you need it. The stopping power is phenominal considering the brakes at the front are about 1 foot in diameter and the rears are drums. The 2000 Focus is well built all round. It will keep its self composed for many years. I've recently replaced the suspension all round and the front rotors just to keep it as safe as it possibly can. After 10 years, the suspension is pretty soft instead of hard. Now that the replacements are on, the Focus sits about 2 inches higher than it did with the sagging, old ones on there. There was nothing wrong with the brakes, just replaced them so I know its safe and they'll last another life time. After 10 years though, the Air Conditioning Compressor is squeaking now, but from frequent use for 10 straight years, it is expected to happen, nothing can last forever. The car does not rattle, bang or anything else. The Focus looks, to me anyway, really good. I like the way the rear lights are situated up high, not only to look more interesting, but so that they are more visible to the car following you. The side of the Focus had very interesting lines and you could spend hours looking around it looking at all the tiny curves, bends, and lines on it. The large headlights look good aswell as lighting up the road amazingly. The interior design is pure and also very interesting. The lines of the dask is unique and is oddly good looking. The gauges are very large and easy to read as well as being accutare. The gauges do need a readout for battery life though. Apart from that, they are brilliant. The way the seats feel are unbelievably comfortable. They hold you well when you are moving down the road. One fo the best things about the Focus is that is is so cheap to run. $20.00 of fuel today will easily last you up to 2 weeks (depending on how you use it, of course). The Focus is incredibally easy to maintain. It will last you a while when you treat it right. This car is a "hatchback", but it behaves as a sports car. It is really sporty to drive and it makes you forget that you are driving a hatchback. It shouldn't be called a hatchback; it should be called a "Sports Coupe". To sum it all up, the 2000 Ford Focus ZX3 is one of the best cars out there today and gives you a feeling of joy that is unique in every way.

Whoever knocks on owning a hatchback should seriously consider a gen 1 Focus ZX3 (or equally fun to drive VW Golf/Rabbit/GTI). Sure it was a goofy looking pod for transportation, but the combination of a nearly flat, deep load floor and a straight roof made for superior hauling capability over most other compact cars on the road. With the seats folded up, it will swallow 5 people comfortably, 4 people and their golf clubs, or 3 people and luggage for a 10 day vacation (no lie). The interior design was equally as goofy as the exterior, and it was a sea of black plastic, however it proved durable over 5 years and 80k miles of ownership (from 2003-2008). The sound quality of the stereo was acceptable. The front seats actually proved quite supportive and more comfortable than one would expect from a small car. The Zetec engine was eager, but hampered by the Ford 4-speed transaxle. Acceleration was anemic for highway merging, but the okay torque was completely adequate around town. Despite these woes, highway mileage was decent enough, and it didn't hunt for gears on hills at highway speed. Durability was acceptable, but not stellar. No major problems came up, however I had to remember that no matter how hard I push it, it will never be as fast as my Mustang or the Jags. Handling, on the other hand, was a major strong point for the car. It took corners with ease, very little body roll, or tire noise. The ride quality was equally impressive (even with the 16 inch alloys and 205/45R tires). Engine and wind noise were rather excessive at highway speeds, however a good set of tires can cure any road noise issues you may have.

I purchased this car for my mother, but soon discovered that it is an awesome car for my long commute. Now I drive it as often as I can. The gas mileage is awesome, and it lacks nothing in performance. The car has been trouble-free. The ride is surprisingly smooth for such a small car, and the engine is much more refined than my Escort. The Focus is everything I liked about my Escort...and then some. The heat and air conditioning in the Focus are also much better than the Escort although not quite as powerful as my Mercury Sable. Due to the ridiculous gas prices, I'm seriously considering a new Focus when it is time for another car. I just wish they still made the Focus as a station wagon.