zx3

[hotrodin4me]

info wanted. has anyone on here ever ownd a(2000-2003) ford focus zx3.
would like some info on this car. such as good ,
bad , dont buy. thanks

[GenevaDirt]

Guy I work with owned one and got rid of it for a pu truck. He liked it at first but then all kinds of little things started going wrong with it....then there was the oil usage, that he was told was normal between changes, then he also said that the cylinders were not sleeved which for some reason really bothered him....lol

[austyfrosty]

a friend of mine has a 2000 zx3 and he hasnt had any problems with it. it has just a shade under 190K on it. the only problem right now is that it needs a clutch but kinda expected at that mileage. he said it has always been a good little car for him and has driven it from vermont to ohio a half dozen times with no problems.

[festivaWES]

I would never buy one myself. i havte working on duratec/zetec. The starters in som eof those things are a mother....My friend had a focus sedan with the duratec and i had another friend with the mazda 3 also duratec. Spanked them both with my festiva by 5 cars with a B8 engine

[Safety Guy]

I rented one once for about a week. It was a four door ZX/5 model. I think it was an '03. I drove it to W. Va. and then up to Cobourg, Canada, via the Peace Bridge and Toronto, an over 900 mile trip. I liked it. Thought it had enough power and handled well on the fun W. Va twisties. Roomy inside. The only thing I didn't like was the way the windows cranked--opposite the Festiva and most other cars I have owned. It just felt weird, that's all.

Since I didn't do more than check tire pressure and fluids, I can't comment on how it was to work on, etc.

The Focus is one car I might consider buying some day, though I don't like the look of the revised '08s, and I'd stay away from the first two years production. IIRC they had some rear wheel bearing issues.

Karl

[festivaWES]

that ane the year 2000 was the crossover year of the 2.0 spfi engine....a turd.

[burkster]

Just make sure the cowl below the wipers is secure if not you may find water on your passenger side after a good rain. Besides that, it's been a good little car. Got my wife one and she loves it.

[FB71]

they're good cars. Contray to other comments, I like the Duratec (twin cam) engines. Very easy to work on, but you do need two special tools to do a timing belt. But, those tools are inexpensive, and available from an auto supply house. Duratecs are non-interference, the MTX75 5spd tranaxles are fairly durable, the 4F27E auto boxes are dang near indestructible. BTW, the 2.0L SPI (single cam) was available only in the sedans, thru the 2003 model year. That ones a turd... Typical problems are; water leaks from lower windshield cowl, ignition lock binding, door lock actuators burning out, DPFE sensor dropping out or shorting, rear wheel bearings failing prematurely, factory CD player crapping out. All of these problems were addressed by recalls and TSBs, and should no longer be an issue.

[Nerd Racing]

I actually witnessed a rear wheel fly off of one going around a corner in town. It was the focus 5 door wagon. drum and all flew right off... I think the spindle snapped or something.

[stefan]

^- Now thats quality entertainment!