Thanks for the advice everyone! My budget is actually around $1000 and I'm hoping for maybe a month tops to find the one. I haven't seen any of the 2.3L/ Duratec listed at the pricepoint yet. Honestly the one I saw and sorta fixated on is at some small lot for $2600.
Worst case I could always/probably/maybe/somehow turbo/super charge this thing no matter what if I wanted more horses right?
Incursus wrote: Thanks for the advice everyone! My budget is actually around $1000 and I'm hoping for maybe a month tops to find the one. I haven't seen any of the 2.3L/ Duratec listed at the pricepoint yet. Honestly the one I saw and sorta fixated on is at some small lot for $2600. Worst case I could always/probably/maybe/somehow turbo/super charge this thing no matter what if I wanted more horses right?
If you want to do some sort of competition with it (rallycross autocross ect) buy and build to the rules. Don't compromise if you are on a budget. It is more expensive to hurry and buy the wrong car and start modding it to find you put yourself into an uncompetitive class and have to sell it and buy again then it is to wait a few months to find the right car.
Mine was a hatch. Very early ZX3 (When I ordered it, power windows were an unavailable 'future option'.) The hatch itself was huge, but it seemed like there just wasn't much room in the cargo compartment unless you folded the rear seats forward. Didn't help that the rear window sloped forward the way it did.
I probably would have kept the car longer if people didn't keep tapping into it while it was parked. Nothing more annoying than coming out of a store and finding fresh dents every few months.
I had a 03 ZX3 hatch with sport option (cruise, 16" wheels) and the upgraded stereo, this was before the Duratec was available in the hatch so it was a 2.0l Zetec. One of two cars I have ever bought new and absolutely loved that car. No issues.
The only reason I sold it is my kid in a rear facing car seat was too big with me (6'5") in the front. Other than that I loved that car. For a giant like me and anything but a Rear Facing Car Seat it would sit 4 in comfort get 30 mpg with you pounding on it and the hatch would hold a washing machine with the seats down.
I would not hesitate to buy another one.
I'm quite fond of my 05 ZX3, it's been 100% reliable for me, did a 2 day HDPE in the instructor group with no issues, handles well, get good mileage and is comfortable.
Incursus wrote: Thanks for the advice everyone! My budget is actually around $1000 and I'm hoping for maybe a month tops to find the one. I haven't seen any of the 2.3L/ Duratec listed at the pricepoint yet. Honestly the one I saw and sorta fixated on is at some small lot for $2600. Worst case I could always/probably/maybe/somehow turbo/super charge this thing no matter what if I wanted more horses right?
You ought to look at these guys for some baseline ECM tuning after you get your chosen car home.
http://www.fswerks.com/pages/view-by-model
They are Focus specialists and sell SCT tuners, which they pre-load with safe-running baseline tunes which they have developed on their own inhouse dyno. They will also help refine your tune using the datalogging feature of the tuner via email. These guys really do know to get the most out of the Ford ECC-V computer.
I also want to add: the hatches have the Cool Factor, but the sedans/coupes have are slightly stiffer, torsionally.
Sold as a rock. I put 80K miles on mine and the only thing I did other than upgrades was sway bar end links. Nothing went wrong or wore out until I totalled it. A good friend had a 2000 wagon which she put a Ford racing head, Jackson Super charger and Quaif LSD in at around 40K miles. they still have it but retired it at around 200K when rust was becoming an issue (they live around 3 miles from the closest paved road and salt/mud clings to cars). Again solid as a rock.
I currently DD an 03 ZX3 and am very please with it so far. Great mileage..I average 35 on my commute. The hatch is handy. It is comfortable once I changed to the 05-up front seats (the early ones seem like they have a bar that hit me right below the shoulder blades and was very uncomfortable, but it doesn't bother everyone). The only maintenance issues I've had are: water pump, thermostat housing, front wheel bearings,and the catalytic converter got clogged. I don't consider any of them out of the "norm" for a cheap 100-150k car.
I have put the SVT springs, struts, and swaybar kit on (about $300 for Summit Racing and others)and it is well worth the cost and livens it up some (not that it is bad stock). I also put on an SVT airbox, but I'm not sure that does a lot other than sound.
Others can confirm or deny, but it seems like the ZETEC (in the Focus anyway) like to be either left pretty much stock, or go all the way with compression/cams/boost/tune/etc, there doesn't seem to be much middle ground for someone wanting to gain "a little more power"...or maybe I just haven't found the cheap way (SVT header, intake, and a tune will run ~$1000+/- depending on deals and you'll have maybe 140hp at the wheels??).
I digress, but bottom line is that it is a great little car, highly reccomended.
Yes I found that to be true with the Zetec in my zx2sr. Bolt ons don't add much. Best for the buck was an under drive pulley. Too bad the SR ecm won't work in a Focus.
Intake, cams, exhaust and a good tune can get you to ~140WHP on a Zetec (BTDT). Any more will require forced induction.
Superchargers were made for the Zetec by Jackson Racing(non-intercooled) and PowerWorks(air-water intercooled). Neither are currently being made so you would have to find a used unit. I have never seen a supercharger on a Duratec. PowerWorks was developing one but never put it into production.
For turbos on the Zetec or Duratec the easiest option is FSWerks. I have helped install several of these and they work very well and have good support. I have also seen and worked on several homebrew setups which can work well but take more planning and tuning work.
In reply to WildScotsRacing:
+1 on fswerks, been running their tune on my SVT for a while now.
I've test driven an '02 ZX-3, and the steering and chassis response is worlds better than my 02 Civic. I should fix and sell it and get a ZX-3/ZX-5 or a Mazda 3. 
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