I'm going to miss this forum

[versabundus]

Bought a Ford. I was having a lot of trouble with my knee and decided to get an automatic. I looked at everything, and wound up with a Focus. Very happy with it so-far.

[bulld0g]

good luck with the Focus

[KimberKenobi]

I wasn't happy when I was driving a Focus... but then I was going from my Loyale (w/ 40 mpg) to the Focus and it was like being in a midget mobile... with horrible mpg...

The newer ones look intriguing... posting pics before you run away and leave us?

[versabundus]

http://img266.imageshack.us/im...0.jpg http://img362.imageshack.us/im...4.jpg http://img105.imageshack.us/im...5.jpg http://img210.imageshack.us/im...1.jpg http://img210.imageshack.us/im...4.jpg

The new ones are an improvement. Sync is amazing.

[xtwoonamatchx]

i guess ford is trying to shy away from the e teenage market with the new focus, havent seen the interior, but definately doesnt leave many possibilites to upgrade the stereo... not to mention the letters and numbers on the gauges (especially the speed) seem cluttered... but each to his own... congrats on the new ride though, come back to see us!

[Vahagn23]

lol my first choise was the 07 Focus, already was about to make a deal, but then went to Nissan and saw the Versa. If i would have gotten the 07 Focus I would be pisssed, because the 08 Focus looks so much better.

[bulld0g]

holy huge photos

[versabundus]

Sorry about the size. I'm still intimidated by the digital camera, let alone the software.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Glad you like the Focus.I personally have a hard time paying $15,000+ for a 9 year old design, though. Ford loves to screw over it's American customers. No reason to give back to the people that keep you in business or anything.

(This isn't meant as a criticism of your purchase, by the way, just Ford...I take issue with Ford as a company on a lot of levels...carry on enjoying your new car. )

[ElDiablo]

I hated ford and the focus until i learned that ford aquired volvo, and the new focus inhearited some of volvos technology.

So i say to you good sir. congrats.

[bikeman]

I hated ford and the focus until i learned that ford aquired volvo, and the new focus inhearited some of volvos technology.

Ford is attempting to unload Volvo. Not a marriage made in heaven evidently.

David

[MinisterofDOOM]

I hated ford and the focus until i learned that ford aquired volvo, and the new focus inhearited some of volvos technology.

So i say to you good sir. congrats.

Yes, the new Focus benefits from the Volvo partnership.It also isn't available in North America. The 2008 Focus you buy here in NA is the same car that started selling in 1999 but with new bodywork. The non-North American version is the one that's got Volvo tech and has a lot in common with the awesome little Volvo C30 and the Mazda 3. Our Focus has no Volvo in it's DNA.

Again, I'm in no way ripping on Versabundus' new car. It's just disappointing that Ford plays these games.

[AZhitman]

No offense, but someone didn't do their homework.

Downgrade in power (they dropped the 151-hp 2.3-liter), no more hatchback (the only Focus that made sense), and ugly as all hell.

Oooh, but it has the ambient-lighting package with SEVEN colors to light up the footwells!

What's up with the light that shines up in your eyes from the brake pedal?

And those faux-baller chrome side vents that go nowhere and do nothing make even the guys at Pep Boys sad.

For $20K, you could have done FAR better, friend.

[Ever Victorious]

Well, seeing as how the OP said he bought it because he was having knee trouble and couldn't drive the Versa anymore, I fail to see how flaming his new car will help.

I can understand that situation. The V does have an abnormally low-hanging steering column, even if you tilt it up. I fit pretty comfortably, but I also like being close-in when driving a manual. If this car was an automatic, I probably would have overlooked it due to its driving position.

Versabundus - Is that the Sync package? How well does it work?

[versabundus]

I paid 16,500 loaded. Handles MUCH better than the versa. Not affected as much by wind on the highway. About the same comfort as the versa. Very nice auto trans.Enormous trunk. Sync is great. Radio quality is very good.Air conditioning,and demisting is superior. Paint is impressive. Much nicer tires and wheels. On the other hand, some interior parts are not very impressive. The ride is a little stiffer. The chrome plack on the side is tacky, but guess what, that's it. And as for old designs, as long as they improve on a design, it only gets better. The "world class" V6 in nissans and infinity has been around since 1984. The chevy small block has been around 60 years! Oh, and it's assembled in the far off and exotic land of Warren, Michigan. I guess that's a liability.

[versabundus]

Very well EV. I'm learning more things about it every day. It seems they could have done this long ago. From what I understand, it's rather simple and about $30.00 worth of parts. It's really convenient to control your phone, ipod , and radio with voice commands. It will even read text messages for you.

[MinisterofDOOM]

The "world class" V6 in nissans and infinity has been around since 1984.

No it hasn't. First year the VQ was in a car was 1994. The VG was around since 1984 but it hasn't been used in years, and even then it was only in trucks. Last VG in a USDM Nissan car was 1997.

I agree with your sentiment that old isn't bad, especially if you improve on a good thing. But that only works with good things. Ford is notorious for simply rebodying cars instead of redesigning them. They've done it with the Taurus, the Escort, the Ranger, the Focus...Problem is these cars aren't particularly great to begin with. And when you half-arse it with the redesign you end up with a severely below-par car. Look at the Ranger compared with the Tacoma, Frontier, Colorado, and Dakota. It's not even close. The Taurus was selling for under $10k new in it's final years. And it wasn't even worth that.There's nothing wrong with improving on a good thing. The catch there is that you have to START with a good thing.

[versabundus]

All I know is that after driving a versa for 2years, the '08 focus is every bit as good as a versa. It's lacking in a few areas, and superior in others. It's a wash, but at this time, it's better for me. I've owned at least 75 cars in my life, all had at least one feature I liked, and a few I didn't. BTW Those are variations of the same engine. An "Evolution" of the same basic design.
Modified by versabundus at 8:56 PM 5/27/2008

[KimberKenobi]

See, EV... The vent thingies I was talking about ... like ... months ago ... do you remember what I'm talking about??

[blockmachining]

The last VG engine used on a US Domestic model vehicle was 2002. It was used on the Nissan Quest and Mercury Villager as a VG33.

[MinisterofDOOM]

The last VG engine used on a US Domestic model vehicle was 2002. It was used on the Nissan Quest and Mercury Villager as a VG33.

That's right; I forgot about the Quest. I was thinking it was just the trucks after the J30 ceased production.

[Ever Victorious]

See, EV... The vent thingies I was talking about ... like ... months ago ... do you remember what I'm talking about??

Apparently not...

[MinisterofDOOM]

BTW Those are variations of the same engine. An "Evolution" of the same basic design.

No they aren't. Where did you get that idea? Have you ever seen them both side-by-side? They have nothing more in common with each other than they do with any other 60* OHC V6. That's like saying the Ford 5.0 is just an evolution of the Small Block Chevy. The two might be OHV V8s but that's all they have in common.

[Vahagn23]

I feel bad for the people who bought the 07 Focus. Bam next year they get this cooler designed great car that doesnt handle like a tractor on the streets.

[bikeman]

I feel bad for the people who bought the 07 Focus. Bam next year they get this cooler designed great car that doesnt handle like a tractor on the streets.

But the tractor came in a hatchback. Not a good hatch but at least it had some practicality.

David

[MinisterofDOOM]

Yeah, I really don't understand Ford's decision to ditch the hatchback NOW of all times. Of course, nothing Ford's done in the last 3 years has made ANY sense whatsoever, so I'm to surprised by the stupid. But they have to realize how popular small hatchbacks are right now. The one model that had the most potential has been axed, and they've spent resources R&Ding one that's not going to sell at all. Why on earth did they even bother with the coupe? They could have just held onto all that time and manpower and passed the savings on to the customer. Maybe then they could have sold the car for the $12-$15k it's worth, and gotten a nice little corner on the market for the budget spenders. Of course all those people are buying Kias and getting a better deal anyway. Less for more.

Just another day in the life of the company that traded perhaps their most iconic and prestigious name of all time for "Taurus" in hopes of boosting sales.

The rear styling of the new Focus reminds me of Ford's worst car of all time. No, not the Edsel. The Tempo. Easily one of the worst cars of the last 20 years.

[Gr8dave37]

When I was looking for a new car due to the sudden demise of my '95 altima with 196k on it I looked at 4 cars. I first when to the Mazda 3, it came in my favorite color purple and had a bigger engine but back seat room was smaller and while it was on my list it lost points on the room.

2nd car was a focus, I got in it and immediately hated it, it sounded like a tin can and everything it it was solid hard plastic, not nice cushy door armrests and well..I really had nothing nice to say about it at all except that my roommate could have gotten me a deal since her dad was a ford worker.

3rd car was a Toyota Yaris 4 door sedan. Extremely roomy and comfortable car if you can get past all of your instrumentation being in the center of your dash you'll probably like it. One of the other things I hated was that while the one I looked at had cruise control it looked like an aftermarket stick that was added to the steering column that a strong newborn could snap off.

4th car was the Versa...Instant love! drove nice, had PLENTY of room, cruise was mounted in the steering wheel...I bought it that day.

[versabundus]

Ut-oh! This is going to be controversial. I didn't check the mileage on the first few tanks, but it seemed pretty good. I checked on the third tank. 80% highway 55-65 mph 397 miles- 10.1 gals = 39.3 mpg.

[audtatious]

Sorry about the size. I'm still intimidated by the digital camera, let alone the software.

I adjusted your post just to show the links. Simply too big unless I hook up to my plasma screen

[versabundus]

I adjusted your post just to show the links. Simply too big unless I hook up to my plasma screen

.Thanks! I wasn't sure how to resize them.