YACT: I am pissed and disgusted. Update: I bought the Focus. :disgust; Update2: Focus wrecked @ 128k, 32k mi in 4.5mo.

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azazyel

Diamond Member
Oct 6, 2000
5,872
1
81
I had the same problem with my car, in 5 years I paid for it twice w/ repairs. I finally bucked up and got a Hyundai. Easiest sale ever as the dealership I went to sold cars at the MSRP and I was actually able to go below that. They even had a $1000 rebate going on.

 

Arkaign

Lifer
Oct 27, 2006
20,736
1,377
126
You have a focus!! OH nooooooooo!!!

At least it's not a Neon! Neons infinitely suck more than Focuses.

Drive the Focus easy! It will eat tires/brakes/cv axles like a maniac if you drive like one. The head gaskets aren't that great either, so keep a close eye on your temps, and keep the oil changed religiously.

Take care of it, and with average luck, you should easily be able to pay it off and trade it in for something new that you really want.

BTW: Final note, consider paying the car off in full at the earliest possible opportunity, for example if you get a fat tax return or an inheritance, or whatever odd reason. Why? Well, the longer you keep that car, the more likely something seriously wrong will develop in it, and the more the car will depreciate in value. The sooner you pay it off, sell it/trade it, and get something new that you really want, the better your life will be.
 

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,419
8
81
Originally posted by: Arkaign
You have a focus!! OH nooooooooo!!!

At least it's not a Neon! Neons infinitely suck more than Focuses.

Drive the Focus easy! It will eat tires/brakes/cv axles like a maniac if you drive like one. The head gaskets aren't that great either, so keep a close eye on your temps, and keep the oil changed religiously.

Take care of it, and with average luck, you should easily be able to pay it off and trade it in for something new that you really want.

BTW: Final note, consider paying the car off in full at the earliest possible opportunity, for example if you get a fat tax return or an inheritance, or whatever odd reason. Why? Well, the longer you keep that car, the more likely something seriously wrong will develop in it, and the more the car will depreciate in value. The sooner you pay it off, sell it/trade it, and get something new that you really want, the better your life will be.
Noted.

I admit that I have a lead foot, but I'm trying to be gentle with it.. Mostly because I don't trust the automatic transmission. I don't see why it would eat tires any faster than any other car.

But yeah.
 

Arkaign

Lifer
Oct 27, 2006
20,736
1,377
126
Believe it or not, some cars eat tires differently than others, even with equal driving habits. Has to do with tons of factors : wheel placement, caster/camber/toe settings, suspension setup, engine weight, cab-forward design attributes, etc, etc. I had a fleet Focus for a while in '04, and the thing ate tires like you wouldn't believe.

EDIT for clarity; in both of these posts I was referring to the front tires, the rear tires are just fine.
 

Arkaign

Lifer
Oct 27, 2006
20,736
1,377
126
Ah crap, forgot a few tips :)

(1)- If the interior is in good/excellent condition, go ahead and get some cheap car seat covers and some aftermarket floormats to use during your time with the vehicle. Then when it's time to sell/trade-in, your carpets/seats will be in the same shape they are in now, and no worse :)

(2)- Get a K&N air filter. They increase your mpg a fraction, but enough that it will likely pay for itself easily with your driving needs.

(3)- Get better spark plugs at your next tune-up. Bosch platinum +2 or +4 are both excellent for those 4cyl 16v engines. The benefits are minor, but real.

(4)- Synthetic or Syn-Blend oil should also be looked into. Seems to have better results the earlier in the car's life that you use it. Anecdotal note : my dad's '81 or '82 (can't remember exactly) F250 got over 500k without a rebuild on the original V8, and he put Mobil-1 from the time he took it off the lot until my brother killed it. It will take several oil changes for the benefits to really start showing, but they are real. Mpg will improve a bit, temps will drop a hair (less friction), and you may notice a few other things as well. One caveat to synthetic oils : if your car burns oil, it will burn a little more when you use synthetic, because the molecules are smaller and less susceptible to carbonizing and building up around tiny cracks and fissures in the engine itself. So if you go syn, check the oil often until you figure the rate at which it burns/leaks. Remember, even the best engines out there will burn *some* oil, so don't worry much unless it's more than say 1/2 a qt between changes (3,500-5,000 miles or so).

(5)- I'll try to think of more! Good luck again!
 

Pacfanweb

Lifer
Jan 2, 2000
13,149
57
91
Originally posted by: Eli
Originally posted by: Arkaign
You have a focus!! OH nooooooooo!!!

At least it's not a Neon! Neons infinitely suck more than Focuses.

Drive the Focus easy! It will eat tires/brakes/cv axles like a maniac if you drive like one. The head gaskets aren't that great either, so keep a close eye on your temps, and keep the oil changed religiously.

Take care of it, and with average luck, you should easily be able to pay it off and trade it in for something new that you really want.

BTW: Final note, consider paying the car off in full at the earliest possible opportunity, for example if you get a fat tax return or an inheritance, or whatever odd reason. Why? Well, the longer you keep that car, the more likely something seriously wrong will develop in it, and the more the car will depreciate in value. The sooner you pay it off, sell it/trade it, and get something new that you really want, the better your life will be.
Noted.

I admit that I have a lead foot, but I'm trying to be gentle with it.. Mostly because I don't trust the automatic transmission. I don't see why it would eat tires any faster than any other car.

But yeah.
Focuses don't have head gasket or tranny problems, for the most part. They're pretty solid mechanically.
Brakes....yeah, pretty much when the pads wear out, the rotors are done, too...they wear about as fast as the pads...most times, they are right at minimum thickness when the brake pads are almost gone. No room to turn them.

CV's...no, not a big problem on the Focus. Neither are tires....anyone who is having all these problems IS the problem...not their car.
 

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,419
8
81
Originally posted by: Arkaign
Ah crap, forgot a few tips :)

(1)- If the interior is in good/excellent condition, go ahead and get some cheap car seat covers and some aftermarket floormats to use during your time with the vehicle. Then when it's time to sell/trade-in, your carpets/seats will be in the same shape they are in now, and no worse :)

(2)- Get a K&N air filter. They increase your mpg a fraction, but enough that it will likely pay for itself easily with your driving needs.

(3)- Get better spark plugs at your next tune-up. Bosch platinum +2 or +4 are both excellent for those 4cyl 16v engines. The benefits are minor, but real.

(4)- Synthetic or Syn-Blend oil should also be looked into. Seems to have better results the earlier in the car's life that you use it. Anecdotal note : my dad's '81 or '82 (can't remember exactly) F250 got over 500k without a rebuild on the original V8, and he put Mobil-1 from the time he took it off the lot until my brother killed it. It will take several oil changes for the benefits to really start showing, but they are real. Mpg will improve a bit, temps will drop a hair (less friction), and you may notice a few other things as well. One caveat to synthetic oils : if your car burns oil, it will burn a little more when you use synthetic, because the molecules are smaller and less susceptible to carbonizing and building up around tiny cracks and fissures in the engine itself. So if you go syn, check the oil often until you figure the rate at which it burns/leaks. Remember, even the best engines out there will burn *some* oil, so don't worry much unless it's more than say 1/2 a qt between changes (3,500-5,000 miles or so).

(5)- I'll try to think of more! Good luck again!
I'm well aware of the oil things, but I do appreciate the advice. :) I need every fraction of a MPG I can get, really.

 

Cattlegod

Diamond Member
May 22, 2001
8,687
1
0
Congrats on the Ford! With all of the posts about Toyota engines blowing up lately, I'm sure you made the right choice. That Focus will last you a long time :)
 

Arkaign

Lifer
Oct 27, 2006
20,736
1,377
126
Originally posted by: Pacfanweb
Originally posted by: Eli
Originally posted by: Arkaign
You have a focus!! OH nooooooooo!!!

At least it's not a Neon! Neons infinitely suck more than Focuses.

Drive the Focus easy! It will eat tires/brakes/cv axles like a maniac if you drive like one. The head gaskets aren't that great either, so keep a close eye on your temps, and keep the oil changed religiously.

Take care of it, and with average luck, you should easily be able to pay it off and trade it in for something new that you really want.

BTW: Final note, consider paying the car off in full at the earliest possible opportunity, for example if you get a fat tax return or an inheritance, or whatever odd reason. Why? Well, the longer you keep that car, the more likely something seriously wrong will develop in it, and the more the car will depreciate in value. The sooner you pay it off, sell it/trade it, and get something new that you really want, the better your life will be.
Noted.

I admit that I have a lead foot, but I'm trying to be gentle with it.. Mostly because I don't trust the automatic transmission. I don't see why it would eat tires any faster than any other car.

But yeah.
Focuses don't have head gasket or tranny problems, for the most part. They're pretty solid mechanically.
Brakes....yeah, pretty much when the pads wear out, the rotors are done, too...they wear about as fast as the pads...most times, they are right at minimum thickness when the brake pads are almost gone. No room to turn them.

CV's...no, not a big problem on the Focus. Neither are tires....anyone who is having all these problems IS the problem...not their car.

Hmm. Well my fleet company '04 had all of those problems, but then I didn't get it new either, it had nearly 20k on the clock when I climbed aboard. It did exhibit a habit of munching brakes and tires, and went through two sets of cv's by the time I left that job, by which the car had nearly 80k on the dial. Of course, this was support work covering the dfw metroplex, so a lot of days it saw several hundred stop and go miles in blistering heat. The roads suck here as well. Even so, my Honda never chewed these items at the same rate. Fwiw.
 

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,419
8
81
Originally posted by: Cattlegod
Congrats on the Ford! With all of the posts about Toyota engines blowing up lately, I'm sure you made the right choice. That Focus will last you a long time :)
:laugh:

It had better.

My Toyota engine blowing up was my fault, no doubt about it. I was careless with my modifications and didn't properly follow through.
 

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,419
8
81
Originally posted by: FoBoT
so, how is the focus running for you?
lol..

It ran well, had no problems in the 32,375 miles I put on it during the 4.5 months that I had it.
 

Evadman

Administrator Emeritus<br>Elite Member
Feb 18, 2001
30,990
5
81
Originally posted by: Eli
It ran well, had no problems in the 32,375 miles I put on it during the 4.5 months that I had it.

32,300 miles in 135 days = 3240 hrs = 9.96 mph average with no sleep, no eating. Assuming you slept 8 hours and had breakfast, lunch and dinner at 1 hour each per day, that gives you 1755 hours, during which you averaged 18.40 mph.

At an average of 45 mph, that is 717 hours, or 5.3 hours per day. With sleep and food, that leaves 7.7 hours for work per day.

That means:
1. You live within 120 seconds of an expressway onramp, and your job is within 120 seconds of an expressway off ramp.
2. The expressway is never backed up
3. You have never gotten a speeding ticket (you would be late then)
4. You live 119 miles from were you work
5. You only post on AT from work or on a portable device since all other time is eating and sleeping
6. You are personal friends with the gas station attendants. you spend $875.9 per month on fuel at EPA rating of 23 MPG highway. I show it having an 80L tank ( which is 21.1 Gal). that means you have to fill from empty every 2.03 days. At least that always puts you at the same end of the commute cycle, so you can always stop at the same gas station.
7. You have a rewards card on gas purchases. You are on a fast rate to getting an around the world cruise from those rewards.
7. You need a new job.

 

FallenHero

Diamond Member
Jan 2, 2006
5,659
0
0
Originally posted by: Evadman
Originally posted by: Eli
It ran well, had no problems in the 32,375 miles I put on it during the 4.5 months that I had it.

32,300 miles in 135 days = 3240 hrs = 9.96 mph average with no sleep, no eating. Assuming you slept 8 hours and had breakfast, lunch and dinner at 1 hour each per day, that gives you 1755 hours, during which you averaged 18.40 mph.

At an average of 45 mph, that is 717 hours, or 5.3 hours per day. With sleep and food, that leaves 7.7 hours for work per day.

That means:
1. You live within 120 seconds of an expressway onramp, and your job is within 120 seconds of an expressway off ramp.
2. The expressway is never backed up
3. You have never gotten a speeding ticket (you would be late then)
4. You live 119 miles from were you work
5. You only post on AT from work or on a portable device since all other time is eating and sleeping
6. You are personal friends with the gas station attendants. you spend $875.9 per month on fuel at EPA rating of 23 MPG highway. I show it having an 80L tank ( which is 21.1 Gal). that means you have to fill from empty every 2.03 days. At least that always puts you at the same end of the commute cycle, so you can always stop at the same gas station.
7. You have a rewards card on gas purchases. You are on a fast rate to getting an around the world cruise from those rewards.
7. You need a new job.

You have two #7s. And the last one is the truth...or at least move closer to work.
 

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,419
8
81
Originally posted by: Evadman
Originally posted by: Eli
It ran well, had no problems in the 32,375 miles I put on it during the 4.5 months that I had it.

32,300 miles in 135 days = 3240 hrs = 9.96 mph average with no sleep, no eating. Assuming you slept 8 hours and had breakfast, lunch and dinner at 1 hour each per day, that gives you 1755 hours, during which you averaged 18.40 mph.

At an average of 45 mph, that is 717 hours, or 5.3 hours per day. With sleep and food, that leaves 7.7 hours for work per day.

That means:
1. You live within 120 seconds of an expressway onramp, and your job is within 120 seconds of an expressway off ramp.
2. The expressway is never backed up
3. You have never gotten a speeding ticket (you would be late then)
4. You live 119 miles from were you work
5. You only post on AT from work or on a portable device since all other time is eating and sleeping
6. You are personal friends with the gas station attendants. you spend $875.9 per month on fuel at EPA rating of 23 MPG highway. I show it having an 80L tank ( which is 21.1 Gal). that means you have to fill from empty every 2.03 days. At least that always puts you at the same end of the commute cycle, so you can always stop at the same gas station.
7. You have a rewards card on gas purchases. You are on a fast rate to getting an around the world cruise from those rewards.
7. You need a new job.
:laugh:

Close. My GPS says my average is 18.7MPH. :D And I spent 803$ on gas the last month I had it.

The Focus had a 13.2 gallon tank; I had to fill it up every day. It got ~30mpg highway, 24mpg city. I averaged 26.5mpg. I don't know what car you looked up. ;)

Here is my log

It's not my commute, guys. It's what I'm doing for work. ;) I'm a courier.
 

Evadman

Administrator Emeritus<br>Elite Member
Feb 18, 2001
30,990
5
81
Originally posted by: Mo0o
Was it ever explained why OP cant move?

Has no money for a house, he is spending it on gas. Eli said he was only making $600.month but spending about $900 on gas, so he is going into dept. You can't buy a house when you have negative money. The bank doesn't accept anti-money, it would anhiliate the money that the bank currently has in a gigantic explosion of epic financial proportions. That is why the housing market is currently imploding.
 

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,419
8
81
Oh, and for the record, I drove the ever living piss out of the Focus.

The Insight is awesome so far. I've put ~8500 miles on it in the last month and a week.

Insight log
 

Evadman

Administrator Emeritus<br>Elite Member
Feb 18, 2001
30,990
5
81
Originally posted by: Eli
It's not my commute, guys. It's what I'm doing for work. ;) I'm a courier.
For which cartel? They can't buy you a better car than an Insight?

Originally posted by: Eli
Oh, and for the record, I drove the ever living piss out of the Focus.
Yea, I think we figured that out :p

Did you ask about the 4 year lease option for your Insight? It would have been pretty cool to see the face of the dealer when you went to turn it back in with 343,672 miles on it.
 

gingerstewart55

Senior member
Sep 12, 2007
242
0
0
Let's see.........you had a rebuilt head, with a new valve job apparently done to it, put on a block with over 100K miles and you wonder why it started to smoke?

Ever consider this......when you had the head redone, you essentially made its sealing of its valves back to their new state. The valves were now sealing in their seats just like when it was new....etc., etc. This is, of course, in contrast to the old head with the old valves that had worn at essentially the same rate as the rest of the internals of the engine......the rings, specifically.

So, your valves are nice and new and sealing like brand new. Great.

But your lower half, your rings in the block, were still at their worn state of 100K miles and were NOT sealing like new.

Now, you increased the head's sealing, thereby increasing the cylinders' pressure and were now subjecting worn rings with higher pressure. It really was only a matter of time until the rings began to fail rapidly from the increased cylinder pressure and begin to let more and more oil by them and thereby let your car burn oil and smoke.

And this scenario is done time and again. New head put on a high mileage block and in a few months the car begins to smoke like hell and the owner cannot understand why. But it's so simple.....and so wasteful of money, time, and an engine.

But your mechanic doesn't care. He got paid for what he did and couldn't care less about the long term consequences of what was just done....it's not his car, after all.