2000 Ford Focus SE review from North America
"Generous amounts of recalls and repairs, but a good car nonetheless"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
In chronological order...
1) Thermostat- I think it was $300 to fix.
2) Misfire in second cylinder- covered under warranty.
3) First recall.
4) ABS light came on, mechanic at Ford said it was the sensor not the brakes. $700 to fix! No thanks I'll put electrical tape over it.
5) Second recall.
6) Timing belt and Valves went in the middle of Friday afternoon rush traffic... $1200 to fix? Got a second opinion and a cheaper price, realized that it might be covered under my warranty, yelled and screamed at the dealership and got it covered under the warranty.
7) Third recall.
8) Brakes (lines, sensors the whole nine) $600.
9) Vacuum hose. $60.
10) Emergency Brake seized.
11) Redo on the crappy brake job done a month ago.
12) A recall that I had to pay money for! I don't remember what the recall was for, it was something underneath the car and I ended up having to pay Ford for the alignment that they had to do.
13) New Battery.
OK. So those were the major fixes. On top of those there were some lingering problems that we had to deal with. Countless recalls, so annoying. Ever since the first recall on the back doors, they have been squeaky and stiff; no amount of Jig-a-Loo will help. There is some kind of issue with the battery and the electrodes. There is this huge corrosion build up. If you don't sand it off often it will push the clamps right off the battery and good-bye power. The key keeps sticking in the ignition and we have to leave the key in the car overnight because we absolutely can't get it out. This is a very recent problem that we have noticed. It only happens every once in a while.
General comments?
Even with all those issues this car is still my baby. It handles well, corners great. I actually really love the steering. It has great pick up, holds speed well and passes quickly. Good on gas. The Focus is very comfortable. I think it could use some lumbar support but I love just sitting in it.
The cup holders are a joke. You can't fit any extra large drinks or anything with a handle. The large cups always sit sideways and spill over the sides. Oh, and in my back seat that has three seat belts there is one cup holder! Who was sleeping during that meeting?
A lot of trunk space! This is great for us because we travel a lot.
Recommended reviews
  | It's a lemon |
| VERY disappointing in the long run.. terrible reliability |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model Year | 2000 |
| First year of ownership | 2004 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2008 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.0L Automatic |
| Performance marks | 6/10 |
| Reliability marks | 5/10 |
| Comfort marks | 8/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 1/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 7/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 105000 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 212000 kilometres |
| Previous car | Pontiac Sunfire |
| Date of Entry | 28th March, 2008 |