I'm going to miss this forum

[superskunk]

even with my 47" LCD this pictures was still huge.... i think i would have to change the picture settings on my pc to see them..... but yeah hope you like the new car, my opinions differ very much from yours when it comes to the focus.... but hey at least you have the sync....

[KimberKenobi]

Enormous trunk.

I have a confession.

I've had intercourse in the closed trunk of a Ford Focus sedan. The original body-style.

The glow-in-the-dark release handle is handy...

*coughcough*

[scar]

I have a confession.

I've had intercourse in the closed trunk of a Ford Focus sedan. The original body-style.

The glow-in-the-dark release handle is handy...

*coughcough*

A lot more room if you lay the back seat down (sedan).

[KimberKenobi]

A lot more room if you lay the back seat down (sedan).

Where's the fun and adventure in that? ;oD

[scar]

Well, I am nearly twice your age. Not as flexable as I used to be.

[longo]

39 mpg is fantastic, good for you.

I think The Versa forum on MPG's is the most posted on the internet. You should let them know the Focus numbers.

Honda dealers are complaining about running out of Civics and Fits today, and are paying almost new 08 prices for 07's at the dealer auction sales.There's an old Carlot saying, "if you don't have it you can't sell it"

Because of the not-so-stellar MPG's of the Versa, there is hardly any buzz out there about it flying off the lots.

The Big Car Guys and their Ad Men are having a hard time posting the awful MPG's of the whole new 08 line ups.

Chysler, in a frantic bid for your bucks, has taken a different approach. Knowing they have no great MPG vehicles in their line up, they have jiggled the numbers on a $2.99 a gallon price gaurante to get people to buy their gas guzzlers. I hope the car buying public isn't that stupid.

New models with great MPG's are now on, or just over the horizon. Acura is shipping a new 09' deisel that gets over 52 mpg in a Accord size car and is emmisions cleared for all 50 states.

Anyone buying a new car right now for really good MPG's is nuts not to wait for them.

[versabundus]

39 mpg is fantastic, good for you.

I think The Versa forum on MPG's is the most posted on the internet. You should let them know the Focus numbers.

Honda dealers are complaining about running out of Civics and Fits today, and are paying almost new 08 prices for 07's at the dealer auction sales.There's an old Carlot saying, "if you don't have it you can't sell it"

Because of the not-so-stellar MPG's of the Versa, there is hardly any buzz out there about it flying off the lots.

The Big Car Guys and their Ad Men are having a hard time posting the awful MPG's of the whole new 08 line ups.

Chysler, in a frantic bid for your bucks, has taken a different approach. Knowing they have no great MPG vehicles in their line up, they have jiggled the numbers on a $2.99 a gallon price gaurante to get people to buy their gas guzzlers. I hope the car buying public isn't that stupid.

New models with great MPG's are now on, or just over the horizon. Acura is shipping a new 09' deisel that gets over 52 mpg in a Accord size car and is emmisions cleared for all 50 states.

Anyone buying a new car right now for really good MPG's is nuts not to wait for them.

I agree except that the Acura will be 40K and diesel is 20% more than gas right now.

[MinisterofDOOM]

I agree except that the Acura will be 40K and diesel is 20% more than gas right now.

Indeed.Seems to me that a premium-badged diesel family car is counter-productive. People shopping for a Japanese diesel will have economy in mind. And in the US, diesel cars already suffer from too-high markups compared to gas counterparts. There's certainly no demand for an extra ~$10k markup for an Acura badge on the front! Higher fuel AND initial vehicle cost goes a very very long way toward neutralizing any benefits of improved fuel milage. $40k for a TSX is mind-boggling. You could have 3 times the car for that price.

Fortunately, there'll be a "real" HONDA with a diesel for 2009 as well. The Accord should get a 2.2 liter diesel that I see as VERY well suited for the car. The diesel torque should go a long way toward overcoming the car's mass (the 2.4 4 cyl simply can't manage 3300 lbs, and it shows in the car's non-highway milage).

And of course Nissan has the 2010 Maxima diesel on the way. The Max will be more performance oriented than the Hondas, but Nissan should still be able to extract some excellent milage figures from the car. The VQ already gets phenomenal milage for the Maxima's performance (we've NEVER gotten below 24mpg in the worst conditions, and generally get high 20s; 31mpg is normal on highway trips). With the diesel, Nissan should be able to cross into the 40s and still offer tire-destroying torque (which could be over 400 ft lb).

[Ever Victorious]

Before you destroy your tires, just remember that THEY are getting more expensive too.

[Nismo V]

Like Bulldog said "Good Luck"

Enjoy your Focus and stay in the forum you never know there is a lot of good sound car info that can apply to any car here on NICO.

NV

[longo]

Well Versabundus..it looks like you will have lots of company in a Focus Forum somewhere. I just noticed this latest CarChat item from Frustrated Ford..

"Ford currently has only a 20-day supply of Focuses nationwide, well below the 60-day supply that is considered the industry norm.

The automaker, based in Dearborn, Mich., is drafting a major overhaul of its manufacturing plans in North America to address the shift to smaller cars.

But for now, it has a red-hot product in the Focus, and not enough production to meet demand."......................................................................................................................Guess they didn't notice the new Versa movement last year that put Nissan $ales through the roof.

Too bad the Ford Dumheads that are in charge of marketing dropped the best Focus model they had ..the Hatchback, (mind you, where's the Honda Civic hatch either?) and now they are gushing about their newest Ford compact...a practical new gas sipper the whole family could use.....no, a little head banger coupe.

These are the same Genious that bought Jaguar, Land Rover and Aston Martin .....and we all know how that worked out.

They just don't get it.

Anyway, best wishes for you and your new 39 MPG ride.


Modified by longo at 10:06 PM 6/22/2008

[versabundus]

I'

Well Versabundus..it looks like you will have lots of company in a Focus Forum somewhere. I just noticed this latest CarChat item from Frustrated Ford..

"Ford currently has only a 20-day supply of Focuses nationwide, well below the 60-day supply that is considered the industry norm.

The automaker, based in Dearborn, Mich., is drafting a major overhaul of its manufacturing plans in North America to address the shift to smaller cars.

But for now, it has a red-hot product in the Focus, and not enough production to meet demand."......................................................................................................................Guess they didn't notice the new Versa movement last year that put Nissan $ales through the roof.

Too bad the Ford Dumheads that are in charge of marketing dropped the best Focus model they had ..the Hatchback, (mind you, where's the Honda Civic hatch either?) and now they are gushing about their newest Ford compact...a practical new gas sipper the whole family could use.....no, a little head banger coupe.

These are the same Genious that bought Jaguar, Land Rover and Aston Martin .....and we all know how that worked out.

They just don't get it.

Anyway, best wishes for you and your new 39 MPG ride.

Modified by longo at 10:06 PM 6/22/2008

I'm not a big Ford fan, but if something works, it works. The sales of the Focus is up 53%. Somebody must appreciate them. They're just shuffling models around like Nissan did with the Sentra when the Versa came out. In 2010 they will release the Fiesta which is basically a Mazda2 and a hatchback. The Focus will suffer the fate of the Sentra with younger people, and become a smaller family,granny car.

[longo]

Someone at Ford must have been listening to all us Versa Hachback fans looking for some competion to Nissans efforts last year. Forcing the car-designers to put more thought into todays, and the future Hatchback models is a good thing for all of us.

Therefore I was more than suprised to read this item today from the latest Auto News from BigBlue.

Ford to build Euro-developed 2011 Focus at two U.S. plants

in part..

"The 2011 Focus will be developed in Europe and will be offered in sedan and five-door hatchback versions. Ford promises the 2011 Focus will be extremely fuel efficient through the use of a direct-injection engine and an all-new six-speed transmission. No word on if the Team RS will make the jump stateside as well, but sadly we're not holding our breath." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By 2011 our 5 year old Versas will be up for a major re-vamp too, so I'm betting Nissan will be ready with all kinds of new features just to keep up, if not ahead of the competion.

Lets see, in my letter to Santa for the new Versa..

From Hyundai, this idea..When an iPod or flash drive is connected through the USB port, which is located in the center storage compartment, not only does it play music through the vehicle's six-speaker audio system, but it also charges the iPod and allows the driver to access tracks with the steering wheel audio controls. This system also allows both driver and passengers a fully intigrated i-pod system like Hyundai will have in the new Elantra Touring this year, a similar verson of Fords Synk system, from the Focus, their Heated Seats, better rims and tires, more mid range power, a solid improvement in mpgs and at least a 5 year warranty.

I'm sure you Versa Forum Posters could add lots to that list..............


Modified by longo at 6:09 PM 6/24/2008

[srellim234]

Like ABS as standard equipment?

[MinisterofDOOM]

Like ABS as standard equipment?

How about 4 wheel discs standard? It's 2008. NOTHING should have drums anymore. Even bicycles had discs these days.

[bikeman]

How about 4 wheel discs standard? It's 2008. NOTHING should have drums anymore. Even bicycles had discs these days.

The work load isn't evenly distributed on a bike or car. A rear brake on a bike isn't even necessary in most situations. I'd love to have a front disc on my commuter bike. It works no matter the weather. I have Magura hydraulic rim brakes on my mountain bike. They were state of the art back a decade or so. In muddy downhill situations, the disc will outperform them. I don't know what the cost/benefit raito is on rear discs on a car. I'm sure it would improve braking. It's the cost that I'm unsure of.

David

[MinisterofDOOM]

Drums require less maintenance and wear less (or at least more slowly). But discs are significantly easier to work on and are not subject to the weaknesses of drums. Drums tend to act weird when wet due to their design. For instance, my Ranger's drums would transform into on/off switches for the rear tires after parking when wet, which was fairly common among all Ford brakes. My dad's old Explorer did it, too. Once they dried out, you got brake modulation control back. But it took some braking to do it. You don't get that with discs.ABS also works better with discs.

Discs are more expensive, but not enough that it's a concern. Neither are replaced frequently enough to really "feel" the impact. Drums are just replaced less often. You're usually looking at something like $40 for pads and $25 for shoes. The drum itself will definitely outlast the rotor, though. The cost is worth the better braking to me.

[Ever Victorious]

I do have to give some kudos to Ford on this one. One of the upper managers in my company just bought himself a new Focus coupe. He know's I'm a car guy so he took me out to show it to me and let me take it for a spin all by myself.

A few things of note...

In a dark-interior Focus, the ENTIRE interior is dark, not just below the beltline. I can't express how much the tan upper half of my car's interior drives me nuts.

There was no perceptible DBW lag when pushing in the clutch on the Focus, unlike the pronounced DBW lag on the Versa. Also, the clutch was much less herky-jerky in first gear on the Ford.

The Focus didn't get thrown around as much by bumps, ruts, or driveway. Though the Versa is still more nimble and maneuverable.

This is going to sound like such a minor detail, but it was actually pretty big on my first V... Ford has put the cruise control switches on the LEFT spoke of the steering wheel, and the audio controls on the RIGHT. Why is this important? Because often times I would switch tracks and/or discs on accident in the Versa, because I would steer through corners with my left hand while shifting with the right.

[OKVersa]

Wow. It's amazing that Focus can pull that boat!!



Seriously, though, the back looks like the Fusion! I wanted a Focus, hubby wanted a Civic, so we bought the Versa

We are both happy with our decision.