No 56k: 2003 Ford Focus SVT (ST170)

I bet you engine management system isn't being retarded like mine is. Ford still had this thing tuned for economy. Pisses me off to no end.
 
Update with something positive for a change.

My wife and I combined our car insurance and we now have both her RX-8 and my SVTF with full coverage totalling $124.83 per month for both. That should help ease the financial pain for now.
 
Update.

In the shop again. Oil pan gasket, power steering pump, spark plugs and another half shaft seal needs to be replaced. Don't have the $500 to fix all of it so I chose the oil pan gasket and spark plugs since it was leaking oil.

Almost ready to sell the car shortly after the first of the year. Good riddance!!
 
Literally 30 minutes after I picked the car up on Tuesday the shift cable to the transmission "came off", as in disconnected itself. Gotta tell you I really thought my transmission went out at first. Had to tow it back to the Ford dealer since I had no tools, jack, jack stands and whatnot handy.

I've never owned a more unreliable car ever. As a bonus one of the loaner cars I've been given is an '06 Ranger XLT with the 4.0L V6 and it is one sweet little truck. Think I might consider buying one. :D
 
Literally 30 minutes after I picked the car up on Tuesday the shift cable to the transmission "came off", as in disconnected itself. Gotta tell you I really thought my transmission went out at first. Had to tow it back to the Ford dealer since I had no tools, jack, jack stands and whatnot handy.

I've never owned a more unreliable car ever. As a bonus one of the loaner cars I've been given is an '06 Ranger XLT with the 4.0L V6 and it is one sweet little truck. Think I might consider buying one. :D

Make sure you get the extended cab if you do. Also, compare with the Frontier.
 
Make sure you get the extended cab if you do. Also, compare with the Frontier.

Trust me, I'm planning on either an FX4 Level II or a newer model 08+ Sport with the extended cab. I'm seeing 2008-2011 Ranger Sports w/under 30,000 miles going for $13,000-17,000 depending on options. That's right in my price range. Plus they are easy to find and since my dad is a sales manager at my Ford dealer he can easily locate me one exactly how I want it for a discounted price. woot This all depends on if I can sell the SVT and break even next year and have enough money for a down payment. :lol:

Here's the Ranger I've got as a loaner that was just taken in on a trade in at the dealer:
06%20Ranger%20XLT.jpg


I love Nissans and all, including the Frontier, but I'd rather have the Ranger without question. I don't care if the Frontier is faster (supercharged model) and I don't care that it probably has a better interior. The Ranger just feels more alive and I know for a fact that it is more durable and to me more comfortable. That and they look better to me. :)
 
Sorry you are having so much trouble. Mine is about 98,930 and I haven't had any trouble in awhile, though I think I need new shocks since I am beginning to rub if I corner hard (the whole point of the car).
 
Bad news just got worse. The oil leak? After 3, yes you read it, 3 oil pan gaskets they put the car back on the lift and dug deeper and found the oil seal on the block is leaking. Surprise! They have to drop/pull the engine to get to it. Normal people's retail cost $2,000, my employee discount $585. That's STILL $585 that I cannot afford. I'll just drive with the leak and put in oil every few days until I can afford to get that fixed. God I hate this car. I'm seriously debating wrecking it on purpose--what I mean is not to try to "avoid" accidents due to other people's stupidity but let them occur. I won't wreck it due to my own fault but if someone else is stupid enough to cause an accident then that's that. If someone pulls out or swerves in my lane I'm hittin' those sonsofbitches. This car be damned for all I care. Or, someone steal and total it PLEASE. In 20 years I'll regret seeing another dead collector's car but right now it's literally costing me my paychecks.

You all want to see the SVT Focus' natural habitat? Stupid piece of shit car.

1011111526.jpg



Sorry you are having so much trouble. Mine is about 98,930 and I haven't had any trouble in awhile, though I think I need new shocks since I am beginning to rub if I corner hard (the whole point of the car).

Glad you've got a good one. Trade you? :lol: I don't even have 75,000 miles on this bitch yet and it's giving me this much trouble. Car fax reports and basic amateur examinations are useless when used car shopping. People need to have a reputable shop actually put it on the lift and do a 100+ point inspection. It would of been worth the $100 it would of costed me at the time. I didn't do it. I'm dumb.

Discussed it with the wife and we both agree 100% on dumping this POS and getting in something new or certified with a FAT warranty. I've had enough of this SVT lifestyle. I would suck as a European car owner for sure if this is the kind of crap I would have to put up with.
 
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I will post my thoughts on this shortly - not even going to try on a smartphone touchpad.
 
I will post my thoughts on this shortly - not even going to try on a smartphone touchpad.

:lol:

That's why I came to the computer to post that. I'm so burnt out bro... At this point I need to forget about speed and just buy something durable and whatnot like the Ranger or an F150. Besides I still have the Camaro. :)
 
Besides I still have the Camaro. :)

Isn't it the same one Clarkson had in the first American trip? 190 hp from a 5.0 V8? :lol: Still, I wouldn't call it slow; it may be down on power but it has loads of torque. :)
 
Isn't it the same one Clarkson had in the first American trip? 190 hp from a 5.0 V8? :lol: Still, I wouldn't call it slow; it may be down on power but it has loads of torque. :)

Actually, Clarkson got the numbers wrong. That generation LO3 5.0L V8 produced 170bhp and 255tq according to GM. But yes, basically it almost the same minus the ground effect package and year model. Though I suspect Clarkson had the V6 in that episode but I digress. :lol:
 
So, do you want my opinion with or without fake/Clarksonesque condolences on your car? The verbal boot to the head is standard, there's no delete option for it, but the condolences are a no-charge option. :p
 
:p Take your pick!
 
I'm ssooooooooooo sorry about your car eating you out of house and home. Anyway...

Okay, enough Clarksonianism.

For starters, what you've gotten isn't the 'SVT Lifestyle.' What you have gotten is the 'SVT Focus Lifestyle.' Just go check with the SVT Club of North Texas (the one Ford themselves used as a model to set up SVTOA) - most SVT products were quite good. But not the Focus. They're usually found in poor condition and well known to be money pits.

There were a number of reasons for this:
1. The first owners were almost invariably kids that didn't take any care of them and drove them like they were disposable. 99+% of them have been ragged to within or beyond an inch of their life.
2. The engine was reportedly developed by Cosworth. The more Cosworth has to do with your engine, the more power it makes - and the shorter a life it has. Cosworth has yet to figure out how to make a powerful engine last a long, long, long time. Much of their tweaks involve shaving engine parts down to as thin and light as possible that they'll just make it out of warranty, as best I can tell - and this is their standard operating procedure unless the client stands over them and ensures they don't. :p
3. It was the sports version of the most recalled car in American motor history.

What's worse is... when you bought this car, these were well known issues all over the Internet. Everyone who did any research would have discovered that these things were fast but fragile and broke a lot and cost a lot of money. Apparently you somehow missed it or didn't look. Or deliberately ignored it. Strike one.

As you admitted, even though you knew better, you trusted Carfax and didn't really have the car checked out. Strike two.

Next, if I recall correctly, you bought the thing in part because your fianc?e/wife liked it. From what you've related of her, she doesn't seem real car savvy. We'll call this one ball one.

Finally, when it looked like it was going the way of all SVT Foci (down the money hole, back in January), instead of realizing what was going on, cutting your losses and selling it to a stupid kid on Craigslist, you have continued to pour money into it. Strike three, you're done.

So, yeah, you screwed up. You and your wallet are paying for this mistake, but you need to move on. You can't just sit here and dwell on the fail.

Okay, so what have we learned from this? Aside from, "Don't buy an SVT Focus (or any of its direct competitors for similar reasons)"?

1. Do the research. Do the research. Do the research. Do the research. Do not ignore information you do not want to see. Do not automatically discard trouble reports as corner cases or flukes; if you see more than a couple reports of something failing, dig deeper. Oh, and did I mention, do the research?
2. Ignore your lady's opinions on cars other than for aesthetic reasons and determining what market segment to look in. She apparently has no feel for mechanicals; best to present her with a short list of good candidates and ask her to pick from them.
3. Any specialty car like an SVT you are interested in should be thoroughly examined prior to purchase either by a shop or by someone familiar with the specific model. Yes, even a brand new one. Hand-assembled does not automatically mean better quality; it means 'more opportunities to screw up.'
4. It's okay to let your heart lead when you're looking at cars (unless you're captain70s or rickhamilton, in which case it isn't.) Just be sure to make sure you check with your head (the one on your shoulders) before you actually go buy it. Asking friends and forum members helps too.

Here's what you need to do now: You need to change the oil out for Valvoline MaxLife in the appropriate weight, then stick some Lucas Engine Oil Stop Leak in it. Then you need to wash the car, including the undercarriage, and you need to trade it in to some dealership on another vehicle. You need to do this now, not next week and not after something else has gone wrong and consumed your money. The way the market is now, they might not take a good look at it and they'll get stuck with it when things go wrong. It will be the dealer's (and their insurance company's) problem, not yours. That's what they're for.

Regarding the European car owner's experience - most of us Euro car owners don't have anything near that bad a time as you've had with the F**kus. Except maybe the VW/VAG people. Most of the rest of us don't have quite those issues, that regularly or that nasty to fix - so don't let this put you off the Euro marques either.

Whatever you're interested in, post up a thread here; I'm certain others would be happy to debate out the pros and cons of whatever candidate you have in mind. If nothing else, you can get pointed to the forums for the vehicle so you can do more research.

By the way, what's a timing chain replacement for a 2001 CVPI running at employee cost, these days? :mrgreen: (Alternately, maybe you can help me get the damn thing fixed under the TSB/silent recall for fleet operators for the 2001 tensioner issue.)
 
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Glad you've got a good one. Trade you? :lol: I don't even have 75,000 miles on this bitch yet and it's giving me this much trouble. Car fax reports and basic amateur examinations are useless when used car shopping. People need to have a reputable shop actually put it on the lift and do a 100+ point inspection. It would of been worth the $100 it would of costed me at the time. I didn't do it. I'm dumb.

Discussed it with the wife and we both agree 100% on dumping this POS and getting in something new or certified with a FAT warranty. I've had enough of this SVT lifestyle. I would suck as a European car owner for sure if this is the kind of crap I would have to put up with.

Mine hasn't been trouble free by any means, it just hasn't been a money pit like yours seems to be and if it was I would of tossed it years ago. To be honest I don't think I could buy a used sports compact knowing how most owners treat theirs.
 
Here's what you need to do now: You need to change the oil out for Valvoline MaxLife in the appropriate weight, then stick some Lucas Engine Oil Stop Leak in it. Then you need to wash the car, including the undercarriage, and you need to trade it in to some dealership on another vehicle. You need to do this now, not next week and not after something else has gone wrong and consumed your money. The way the market is now, they might not take a good look at it and they'll get stuck with it when things go wrong. It will be the dealer's (and their insurance company's) problem, not yours. That's what they're for.

There-in lies problem numbers one and two.
  • I'm currently unemployed.
  • I owe too much on the car to break even.

I lost another job due to downsizing this week so that really puts the clamps on whatever financial plans I had going. Thus meaning I need to be employed for another 6-9 months from hire date before I can get an auto loan (no co-signer), that means I cannot sell the car or trade it in yet. But the Lucas stop oil leak thing might be an option. How long does that last and how well does it actually work?

Regarding the European car owner's experience - most of us Euro car owners don't have anything near that bad a time as you've had with the F**kus. Except maybe the VW/VAG people. Most of the rest of us don't have quite those issues, that regularly or that nasty to fix - so don't let this put you off the Euro marques either.

My 2005 Focus ZX5 was a gem, and it was shockingly a rental car too. Only problem I ever had was the cruise control cable and the dealer fixed/replaced it under warranty. Didn't have the 2007 ZX3 long enough to know what could of gone wrong (if anything). My family has owned a dozen Focuses and none of them ever had issues, half of them were ZETECs. I really didn't think I'd have issues. That was definitely my bad for assuming, leading with heart and not doing research which ironically is the exact opposite advise I give to people shopping for cars. I broke my own 3 rules.

Sad thing is I was a member of both major Focus forums at the time because of my previous car and didn't remember off hand any issues. Now granted I didn't look (at all) thinking it couldn't be that bad. Strike one.

I looked over the car myself but since I'm not ASE certified I didn't know specifically about the things to look for on like the shifting fork, half-shaft(s), and some of the other heavy mechanical stuff. Strike two.

I trusted car fax. Strike three.

I'm out. I definitely lead with my heart and not my head on this one. Always wanted an SVTF, and I'm paying the price for it literally.

Whatever you're interested in, post up a thread here; I'm certain others would be happy to debate out the pros and cons of whatever candidate you have in mind. If nothing else, you can get pointed to the forums for the vehicle so you can do more research.

At this point something cheap, Ford Modular V8 or Ford Ranger V6 that's 2006 and newer with very low miles and or a fat platinum warranty. That's what I'll be interested in. Something cheap, reliable and mechanically sound/warranty covered. Hell, I might be able to buy a brand new Ranger if/when they get discontinued and the inventory gets cleaned out. I wonder if my dealer has any CVPI's left...

By the way, what's a timing chain replacement for a 2001 CVPI running at employee cost, these days? :mrgreen: (Alternately, maybe you can help me get the damn thing fixed under the TSB/silent recall for fleet operators for the 2001 tensioner issue.)

I'm sure if you take it up to a good Ford dealer and have them pull an Oasis on the car if there was a recall of any kind they should replace it at no charge. However, since the car is 10 years old wouldn't the age negate that recall at this point? What's the life span of the recall?

Mine hasn't been trouble free by any means, it just hasn't been a money pit like yours seems to be and if it was I would of tossed it years ago. To be honest I don't think I could buy a used sports compact knowing how most owners treat theirs.

This car was purchased at a credit rebuilding dealership because my credit was terrible. So that right there should tell you my interest is high and I couldn't ever sell it within 2 years of buying it without taking a huge loss. I should be able to break even in February. That is just another problem compounding the issues. The car payment is extremely high...
 
Sorry to hear you're in such a shitty situation man. You'll find yourself with some decent wheels sooner or later though.

But the Lucas stop oil leak thing might be an option. How long does that last and how well does it actually work?
I've had excellent results with it, but that was in a '78 F150 with the 4.9l 'tractor engine'. That engine didn't care what was in the crankcase as long as it was slippery and there was enough of it. Don't know if there would be any adverse effects to using it in a relatively small, high strung, sensitive engine.
 
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Thx for the words.

I hope that Lucas oil stop stuff works at least until I can get it fixed and or sell the car. <_<
 
There-in lies problem numbers one and two.
  • I'm currently unemployed.
  • I owe too much on the car to break even.

I lost another job due to downsizing this week so that really puts the clamps on whatever financial plans I had going. Thus meaning I need to be employed for another 6-9 months from hire date before I can get an auto loan (no co-signer), that means I cannot sell the car or trade it in yet. But the Lucas stop oil leak thing might be an option. How long does that last and how well does it actually work?

Ouch.

The Lucas stop leak works well, but it's really a short term fix. The MaxLife oil without the stop leak is a better choice for the long term unless the leak is very large.

I looked over the car myself but since I'm not ASE certified I didn't know specifically about the things to look for on like the shifting fork, half-shaft(s), and some of the other heavy mechanical stuff. Strike two.

You don't have to be ASE certified, you just need to know what you're looking at and for. You can get that by checking with forums, often enough.

I trusted car fax. Strike three.

Yeah, CarFax is just a guideline.

At this point something cheap, Ford Modular V8 or Ford Ranger V6 that's 2006 and newer with very low miles and or a fat platinum warranty. That's what I'll be interested in. Something cheap, reliable and mechanically sound/warranty covered. Hell, I might be able to buy a brand new Ranger if/when they get discontinued and the inventory gets cleaned out. I wonder if my dealer has any CVPI's left...

You might want to take a look at the sporadic issues the 4.0L V6 can have.


I'm sure if you take it up to a good Ford dealer and have them pull an Oasis on the car if there was a recall of any kind they should replace it at no charge. However, since the car is 10 years old wouldn't the age negate that recall at this point? What's the life span of the recall?

It's a silent recall - but it's only for fleet operators, much like the infamous early 4.6 intake manifold recall. The one they got sued over. They are still performing it for those vehicles of this age that were in government fleets that somehow hadn't reached 100K yet.

This car was purchased at a credit rebuilding dealership because my credit was terrible.

That should have been your first flag. Those dealers are predators and their inventory is usually third tier or worse quality. If you see something rare or sporty there, it's probably a money pit in waiting. There are exceptions, of course, but you'd need to know what you were looking at to identify those.


In your case, I would seriously consider handing the car back and walking away from it (which costs less than an involuntary repo.) If you contact the lender and threaten to surrender it back to them, they may work out a more favorable payment schedule rather than take their car back. More details here: http://www.bills.com/voluntary-repossession/

In the meantime, I'd be looking at some 'cash cars' for transport:
http://dallas.craigslist.org/mdf/cto/2639443548.html
http://dallas.craigslist.org/ftw/cto/2645007967.html <-- bit of a project, but a RWD Celica driveshaft is easily found in junkyards and cheap. And Celica droptops of this era are *rare*. Might even get it for half what that idiot wants.
Cheap trucks are around, too: http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/cto/2641602919.html
http://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/cto/2638308038.html <-- timing chain covers are cheap and easily replaced on the KA24.
Plenty more out there, too.
 
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