john banks

Don't agree about Ford build quality. I used to have a Focus and it had about three recalls, rattled worse than any Subaru and mechanically was fragile. There were 5 faults at delivery (none on the Subaru). And the dealers are even worse than Subaru dealers.

Lambchop

jesus!

why do people think that 0-60 is a good measure of a cars performance?
its more to do with driver skill than anything else!


"If you want to take a step down, for only £16k you can get a Civic Type-R, looks crap, but so does the Ford, and for .3 of a second less performance, you pay around $4000 less."


lmao@.3 of a second less performance funniest thing i've heard for a while


Chopski

IntegraR

Laugh Lambchop, but clearly you have never seen something fly past you thats .3 of a second faster, frightening, the shockwave nearly blows you off the road!!

Lambchop

haha

it aint often i see summat come past me, especially not an integra


Chopper

MattOz

I actually like the Focus! It can certainly show Subaru the way when it comes to build quality etc. I've no doubt that if it was a choice between a WRX and a Focus RS, I'd be taking the Focus! At least it will have decent brakes, suspension and lights from the outset!

Having seen one on the road, they look v.nice, and have a certain understated class to them. 23K is a bit steep, but I think it'll be less when it hits the showrooms.

Anyone who says that Scoobies don't suffer from chronic understeer is talking crap! If the RS is as good as the Integra on the handling stakes, then in the dry at least, it's bye bye WRX. For sure in the wet you'll need to be judicious with the throttle, but it won't be far behind, if at all.

Matt

IntegraR

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by Lambchop:
<B>haha

it aint often i see summat come past me, especially not an integra


Chopper[/quote]

Pfft, Teg wins on the style stakes, the whole "4 door Hyundai with a Subaru Badge" thing will pass, and yes, you are slightly faster, but I look better doing it (nothing to do with the cars, just that Im better looking than you )

Also, when I go around a corner, its on a calculated, smooth line, whereas you go around sideways, I mean, what the hells that all about?


PS: all said with tongue in cheek, and yeah, I do wanna race.

IggDawg

To settle the dispute about Ford build quality, I'll speak after I stop rolling on the floor... Ok. I'm fine now. Maybe things are different over there, but over here Ford is the last thing anyone would call well built. Most of us Yanks have a long standing relationship with Ford and the other american car companies, and this relationship consists mostly of rust and repair. Given, salt is less of an issue over there but still. Subarus hold up much better to incliment weather than fords, and they aren't rushed off the line like fords. Ford sets a release date, and as soon as they are months late for it, they punch out a bunch of cars with great haste. thus the recalls. When my Saab died (rest in peace), I test drove a Focus ZX3 and a Subaru TS. Ther was no comparison. for a few thousand more, the impreza was a godsend. given this is not the RS vs WRX issue that this string was started about, but I still think its worth mention. I recently was driven around in a ZX3, and the first thing I noticed in it after being in my Subaru was the seats. they're terrible. it was like they took an old-school bench seat, chopped out the middle, and called them bucke seats. It was like sitting in a school chair. Aside from that, the overall quality was very tinny minimal. I know the Imprezas don't have a whole lot of toys like sunroofs or whatever, but so what. no big thing. All in all I was underwhelmed by the focus, and I'm sure the RS is just the same car with a beefier engine and tweaked suspension. As far as most of us Yanks are concerned, its still just an escort with a facelift. Beyond all that, longitudinal engines are for wusses.

-IggDawg

Rodger Rabbit

What a tube!! The focus - a rebaged Escort. Mind you they do try and build straight roads over there as not many of you're cars can go round corner's. Do they even bother with steering wheel's?
You have settled nothing about build quality Mr yank. US Fords do have shocking build quality, but then were not in the US. And having been in a few Focus's the build quality does range from very good to a bit dodgy. I have also been in quite a few Scoobys and the build quality ranges from alright to very dodgy. One thing no body mentions is the quality of materials used. but who cares! these cars are for driving!!!Especially round corners(if they have any in the US)D : Not even roundaboutsD :

Lambchop

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by IntegraR:
<B> Also, when I go around a corner, its on a calculated, smooth line, whereas you go around sideways, I mean, what the hells that all about?


PS: all said with tongue in cheek, and yeah, I do wanna race.

[/quote]


sideways looks cool but hard to perfect i aint even close yet


and race? bring it on. i'll bring my orion runaround to make it fair


steve

AllanB

I like the Focus. Think the styling is nice and the build quality is great for a Ford. Drove up with a mate to Scotland and was very impressed with the car. It was a bit sluggish for a 2L and it did get recalled for a couple of faults, one that could have trashed the engine. Overall thought lovely interior, good detailing and felt very refined..most unFord like. Subaru could learn something fron Ford on interior design but what car sounds as great as a Subaru. Oh that flat four warble... 23K seems a bit too much for the Ford or maybe the scoob is just underpriced for what it is which is probably truer.

AllanB

IggDawg

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by Rodger Rabbit:
<B>Especially round corners(if they have any in the US)D : Not even roundaboutsD :[/quote]

I'm from New England, where we still have roundabouts (known over here as rotarys). Its funny to watch people from other parts of the country try and use them. I've seen many crashes in my day from unknowledgable drivers. All of whom have plates from the south or west. savages. Yeas, our venerable detroit iron doesn't turn well. Try to take a corner, and the car pitches about 30 degrees into the air. Cars shouldn't bank!! Yes... the focus is nice, but like you said: cars are for driving. especially around corners. what if the corner's wet? or snowy? which car would you rather be in? all these 0-60 ratings are on flat, dry pavement. give the road some personality, and I'd take the scooby.

-Igg

JKJ2

The Focus RS is going to be a big threat to the new WRX. The build quality is going to be better as the Focus is now better than the Scooby. The performance will depend on whether Ford have managed to sort out the front end lifting on acceleration. The spec of the car seems to better with more higher end components fitted in all the right places.

IggDawg, as far as build quality in the US of A is concerned, I seem to remember that both Merc, and BMW had to send out construction crews over the Atlantic to ensure that panel shut lines were less than 1 mm not 1 cm. There were reports of people being able to enter the US built cars without opening the doors.