Bimmers

Page 4 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

Supersonic64

Senior member
Jun 9, 2010
372
2
0
Uh, I bet I could easily win against any 4-banger and even some weak 6-bangers with my current Focus. She puts out 140HP. With the CAI, tune and exhaust she will be putting out at least 160HP more than a Scion TC.
 

CurseTheSky

Diamond Member
Oct 21, 2006
5,401
2
0
Uh, I bet I could easily win against any 4-banger and even some weak 6-bangers with my current Focus. She puts out 140HP. With the CAI, tune and exhaust she will be putting out at least 160HP more than a Scion TC.

But the question is... does anyone care? I hate to rain on your parade man, everyone likes to be proud of their car, but 140 - 160 HP is nothing to brag about (unless you're driving an 1800 pound car...). Similarly, I'd never do performance mods on my Fusion (aside from a tune, and only to change some annoying shift points), and that at least doesn't limp like a wounded squirrel up to 60. If you actually want to beat anyone in that car, the 4 speed is going to have to go, and no, changing the shift points won't be enough.

Save your $6k. Save up some more cash. Buy a used LS1 F-Body, C5 Vette, New Edge Mustang GT, etc. THOSE are cars worth putting money into, not a Focus.

By the way, how are you going to be putting out 160 HP more than a Scion Tc with just CAI, exhaust, and tune? That is, unless the Tc only puts out, say... -10 HP. I haven't checked, but I'm pretty sure that's not the case.
 

IcePickFreak

Platinum Member
Jul 12, 2007
2,428
9
81
Just get a bottle of nitrous, run a hose out the window, under the hood, and into the air box. Then just crack the valve open on the bottle to pwn Mthreez all day. That'll show em!
 

Supersonic64

Senior member
Jun 9, 2010
372
2
0
You guys think NOS is worth it? My mechanic sells the basic 100-shot kits for $750 install included, it won't severely affect engine lifespan would it?

Also, how do I refill the NOS bottle?
 

coxmaster

Diamond Member
Dec 14, 2007
3,017
3
81
Uh, I bet I could easily win against any 4-banger and even some weak 6-bangers with my current Focus. She puts out 140HP. With the CAI, tune and exhaust she will be putting out at least 160HP more than a Scion TC.

LOL. Keep telling yourself that you have a lot of power.

I've got about 200 HP, stock, from a 4 banger. Ive seen other 4 bangers that have significantly more that are also stock/semi-stock.
 

alfa147x

Lifer
Jul 14, 2005
29,307
106
106
Why would so you want so much power going to your front wheels? They aren't built to support it :\
 

Arkaign

Lifer
Oct 27, 2006
20,736
1,379
126
You guys think NOS is worth it? My mechanic sells the basic 100-shot kits for $750 install included, it won't severely affect engine lifespan would it?

Also, how do I refill the NOS bottle?

NOS is definitely not worth it.

The Scion TC is a lot heavier than the Focus, auto vs. auto you should be pretty close as is against the non-SC model.

I've done up a 4-banger FF car before, it was expensive and troublesome. Prelude SH with Jackson Racing SC and weight reduction, tightened suspension, different wheels, ECU, exhaust, EGR bypass, fuel rail, etc, etc. Ended up having to disable the ATTS system, chewing up axles, getting crap fuel economy, and having epic torque steer unless I feathered it out of the hole. Yeah it was a low 12-second car, but no way in hell was it really worth it. I could have gotten a used Camaro SS or Z28 and built it into a 12 second car for a fraction of the cost invested.

For your car, go no further than a tune, intake, exhaust, perhaps wheels if it makes you feel better (make sure they're not overly heavy). That 4-speed auto is the bane of your existence, it's just not designed for performance no matter what you do to it.
 

BlackTigers

Diamond Member
Jan 15, 2006
4,491
2
71
Uh, I bet I could easily win against any 4-banger and even some weak 6-bangers with my current Focus. She puts out 140HP. With the CAI, tune and exhaust she will be putting out at least 160HP more than a Scion TC.

I bet my 11 year old, POS Escort will out run your Focus, and I have about $3.5k wrapped up in it, car included.

GTFO lol.
 

Arkaign

Lifer
Oct 27, 2006
20,736
1,379
126
I bet my 11 year old, POS Escort will out run your Focus, and I have about $3.5k wrapped up in it, car included.

GTFO lol.

You have a ZX2 manual correct? I think that would do it. It weighs 100lbs less than my Coupe, and over 200lbs less than the Sedan w/Auto. I test drove one for a friend and it wasn't bad at all for 130hp.
 

BlackTigers

Diamond Member
Jan 15, 2006
4,491
2
71
You have a ZX2 manual correct? I think that would do it. It weighs 100lbs less than my Coupe, and over 200lbs less than the Sedan w/Auto. I test drove one for a friend and it wasn't bad at all for 130hp.

Yessir. ZX2 5speed with a few performance mods that I threw on there to help out in the lower RPM ranges, where the engine is gutless. I probably push about ~140 now, but the thing has some balls if I downshift far enough/
 

exdeath

Lifer
Jan 29, 2004
13,679
10
81
Y'know, I was thinking - with a V8 swap, I'd let exdeath have that run. I'd love to watch. :D

Only if you cant take it, which I doubt. 3SGTE and 2800 lbs ftw! You're pushing what, like 300 to the wheels at least?

Besides I can't take anyone until I get new tires. This Mustang GT and I were messing around just for giggles and I barely stayed next to him and maybe pulled a car... did like a two block burnout staying in second gear the whole time... was pretty sad. Couldn't even hear the blower or exhaust over the tires. Ugh 335 drags are so $$$ though.
 
Last edited:

PhoKingGuy

Diamond Member
Nov 15, 2007
4,685
0
76
My diesel jetta could probably give him a run for the money, and get like double his MPG while at it, lol.
 

exdeath

Lifer
Jan 29, 2004
13,679
10
81
If you want to mod a Focus, this is how you do it:

http://www.modified.com/roadtests/0404scc_ati_terminator_ford_focus/index.html

0404_01z+Ford_Focus+Passenger_Side_Front_View.jpg
 

exdeath

Lifer
Jan 29, 2004
13,679
10
81
Working on it, my friend has a 2007 335i, we're gonna drag next Saturday at the track of course

You're screwed. Even a bolt on turbo isn't going to put you anywhere near a x35i/M car. While you're running 8 psi on your stock N/A internals with a $6000 turbo kit, he's flashing a tune that bumps him up to 18 psi for $500. read: ~400 HP/400 TQ. Best of all you can get a used 335i starting around $20k. That's less than $10k after trading in your Focus and the money you're going to spend on "mods".

Some down to earth advice, get a ride in a few fast cars with 400+ HP at the wheels and gain some perspective before you start spending money.
 
Last edited:

Kirby

Lifer
Apr 10, 2006
12,028
2
0
You should be able to.. Those keep up with the 2.0T (GTI/GLI) IIRC
lol, i'd put my 1.8t jetta against his focus.

and my mom's avalon would smoke the hell out of both of us. :D

save your money for something worthwhile, OP.

srsly.
 

jlee

Lifer
Sep 12, 2001
48,518
223
106
Only if you cant take it, which I doubt. 3SGTE and 2800 lbs ftw! You're pushing what, like 300 to the wheels at least?

Besides I can't take anyone until I get new tires. This Mustang GT and I were messing around just for giggles and I barely stayed next to him and maybe pulled a car... did like a two block burnout staying in second gear the whole time... was pretty sad. Couldn't even hear the blower or exhaust over the tires. Ugh 335 drags are so $$$ though.

Oh, I'm pretty sure I could take him anyway - even now, prior to TD06 20G installation. Once that's in (with bigger injectors, bored fuel rail, fuel pump, etc and a tune, all of which I've already bought except a FPR and reprogrammed ECU), I should be over 300rwhp and pulling low to mid 12's..mayyybe a high 11 with a perfect run on good tires.

I just thought to be "fair" (lmao), V8 to V8 and all.. ;)

LOL. Keep telling yourself that you have a lot of power.

I've got about 200 HP, stock, from a 4 banger. Ive seen other 4 bangers that have significantly more that are also stock/semi-stock.

Yep, mine is one of them...when she was bone stock from the factory 20 years ago... :p

Uh, I bet I could easily win against any 4-banger and even some weak 6-bangers with my current Focus. She puts out 140HP. With the CAI, tune and exhaust she will be putting out at least 160HP more than a Scion TC.

You've got to be trolling. Seriously. There's no way in hell you're getting 181hp from..well, not from much of anything short of a built motor and turbo, anyway.

I'm probably shifting into second gear about the time you're cresting the 60' mark. And this was last year with a stiff transmission, garbage tires, and a little turbo.
 
Last edited:

exdeath

Lifer
Jan 29, 2004
13,679
10
81
Uh, I bet I could easily win against any 4-banger and even some weak 6-bangers with my current Focus. She puts out 140HP. With the CAI, tune and exhaust she will be putting out at least 160HP more than a Scion TC.

I know you meant "160 HP; more than a Scion TC." and not "160 HP more than", because you're not getting 260+ HP out of a tune, a plastic pipe, and a muffler.

Examples of some stock weak 4 and 6 bangers:

Mustang V6 300 HP... OLD Mustang V6 210 HP...Toyota Avalon V6 280 HP... Hyundai Sonana 4cyl 200 HP... Nissan Altima 4cyl 175 HP... Camry SE 4 banger 179 HP... Camry V6 263 HP... Ford Taurus V6 263 HP... Honda Accord 4 cyl 190 HP... Cheapest bottom of the line BMW you can get 230 HP.

160 HP isn't all that dude... and alot of those cars now come with 6+ speed automatics that will blow your Focus away even if you think the HP is close.

It's not that 4 bangers can't be built up to be fast, just that some of them are dead end platforms with no potential.
 
Last edited:

AdamK47

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
15,782
3,606
136
You could probably make those "Summer" tires "All Year Round" tires in Miami, Florida.
 

punjabiplaya

Diamond Member
Nov 12, 2006
3,495
1
71
I know you meant "160 HP; more than a Scion TC." and not "160 HP more than", because you're not getting 260+ HP out of a tune, a plastic pipe, and a muffler.

Examples of some stock weak 4 and 6 bangers:

Mustang V6 300 HP... OLD Mustang V6 210 HP...Toyota Avalon V6 280 HP... Hyundai Sonana 4cyl 200 HP... Nissan Altima 4cyl 175 HP... Camry SE 4 banger 179 HP... Camry V6 263 HP... Ford Taurus V6 263 HP... Honda Accord 4 cyl 190 HP... Cheapest bottom of the line BMW you can get 230 HP.

160 HP isn't all that dude... and alot of those cars now come with 6+ speed automatics that will blow your Focus away even if you think the HP is close.

It's not that 4 bangers can't be built up to be fast, just that some of them are dead end platforms with no potential.

I didn't buy my car to race or whatever, I just bought it for something fun. But I'd gladly head down to the strip to race the OP. How much boost do you plan on running jlee?