I'm really wanting a daily that I can RallyX and AutoX in. Also, the new Focus RS makes me pine for the original, 2 door hatch Focus RS. All that aside, I was hoping someone in the forum had any experience with the old zx3. Yeah, I could probably visit a ford focus forum, but I've done that so many times for so many cars that I've honestly lost track until birthday messages from all the forums roll in around december.
I had an 03 with the zetec, never had any problems except for the poorly designed thermostat housing leaking and sway bar endlinks. I dunno your budget but I'd try to go 05-07 as they had the Duratec or if your lucky maybe a first generation with the 2.3. They handle well for a car that cheap. I'm kinda torn between looking for a focus wagon and a 2wd truck for my next vehicle.
And if you do get one focus fanatics and focal jet have lots of how tos for the common problems. The good thing is parts are cheap and plentiful and to a point so are upgrades and mods, at least they were years ago not sure about now
I'm a fan of the later ones with the duratec, especially the 2.3L previously mentioned. Cosworth made a trick intake manifold for them that really wakes them up.
captdownshift wrote: I'm a fan of the later ones with the duratec, especially the 2.3L previously mentioned. Cosworth made a trick intake manifold for them that really wakes them up.
Yeah the 2.3l Duratec with Cosworth intake and tune was a 200 hp engine. Not bad for a mass produced engine with a swappable part and a tune.
I had an 03. The only thing that ever went wrong was the sway bar end links, as mentioned above. I put the SVT suspension on it. It was pretty wallowy without it. At the time, I had to search part numbers to put together the full set. Now you can buy it as a kit for something like $200. I still think about picking one up.
Incursus wrote: I'm really wanting a daily that I can RallyX and AutoX in. Also, the new Focus RS makes me pine for the original, 2 door hatch Focus RS. All that aside, I was hoping someone in the forum had any experience with the old zx3. Yeah, I could probably visit a ford focus forum, but I've done that so many times for so many cars that I've honestly lost track until birthday messages from all the forums roll in around december.
no help on the Focus, but hilariously I get the same thing from the million forums I am on each birthday lol.
SWMBO has a 2008. The '08 to '11 cars are slightly heavier than the MK1 and MK1.5, BUT the chassis is significantly stiffer to start with, and the interior is better put together, and Duratec > than Ztec. For reasons unknown, beginning with the 2005-1/2 cars, Ford slightly modified the front struts by making the outer tube diameter slightly larger and slightly changing the upper strut mounts but left all the mounting locations un-modified; the rear suspension was completely unchanged. Also, for reasons unknown, only the MK1 chassis (through '04) has the has all the good aftermarket struts/shocks and spring options, BUT if you use this
http://www.massivespeedsystem.com/massive-speed-system/massive-omnikit-suspension-adaptor/mass10106/i-252473.aspx
plus the MK1 front upper strut mount assembly, you have instant bolt-in front strut awesomeness available. Just use the Omni-Kit front strut adapters do all your high-performance suspension shopping for the '00 to '05 cars. Sway bars and related hardware did not change from '00 to'11. Another reason to look for an '08 to'11 car, specifically an SE or SES model with the "sport" suspension (identified by the 16 inch wheels) since they come with the rear sway bar mounting point, is that Ford reinforced the rear sway bar bracket mounting location. In short, find a '08 to '11 Focus that already has a factory rear sway bar, use the Omni-Kit front strut adapter, and do your suspension shopping as if you had an '03 SVT Focus. On SWMBO's '08 I have the H&R Sport Springs, Koni Orange struts and shocks, and 22mm front/25mm rear sway bars and it is just giggly in the corners and ride quality is SWMBO Approved. Plus the Duratec responds extremely well to the standard Intake/cat-back exhaust (2.25 inch)/dyno tune.
Too bad the 2nd gen was never offered in hatch form.
Storz wrote: no help on the Focus, but hilariously I get the same thing from the million forums I am on each birthday lol.
Once a year: "Toyotaforums? WTF? Oh...right...the Camry." shudder
My current DD is a 2006 ZX3 that I have had since new. I can't complain other than I wish it would die so I could justify something more exciting.
Check for subframe rust. I have heard that they go through wheel bearings, but I have not had this experience myself. I have gone through tires pretty quickly, but that's operator error.
The downside to the 06 and 07 models is that there is very little aftermarket suspension options, and they do not share with earlier stuff. The good news is that you can get the ST struts/shocks (option when they were new) for like $200 for all four corners from Ford Performance.
In reply to pushrod36:
Again, just use the Omni-Kit strut adapters that I linked to above, and '00 to '04 upper strut mounts, and you have all the performance suspension options in the world available.
Focus with the 2.3 are very rare.
The SVT was based on the 2.0 Zetec.
My boy has one, 2000 sedan. Great little car. He's got springs/bars on it, strut tower brace, and rear brace (don't know if you can do that with the hatches), but it's great fun to drive. He's got an SVT header on it, throttle body, and a tune, and it runs about as quick as my '12 (I think the SVT header might be too much for the car, but...).
Pretty much basic maintenance, but since he autocrosses a lot, he's replaced a couple of front bearing assemblies.
Used to have a 2000 model; I put about 40,000 miles on it and it only gave me two problems - the handbrake lever broke, and it had the "leaky cabin vent" problem that I fixed with a modified cabin filter box from Focus Salvage.
Had an '00. IIRC it was up to 14 recalls before I traded it in.
Fun car, kinda miss it, but didn't fit much stuff.
OldGray320i wrote: strut tower brace, and rear brace (don't know if you can do that with the hatches)
Pretty sure you can, I think I've seen an SVT hatch with front and rear braces. But I guess that would kind of ruin the practical aspects of the hatch 
BlueInGreen44 wrote:OldGray320i wrote: strut tower brace, and rear brace (don't know if you can do that with the hatches)Pretty sure you can, I think I've seen an SVT hatch with front and rear braces. But I guess that would kind of ruin the practical aspects of the hatch
It fits, all right. Focus Sport bar in an '03:
hhaase wrote: Had an '00. IIRC it was up to 14 recalls before I traded it in. Fun car, kinda miss it, but didn't fit much stuff.
It wasn't a hatch was it, bc the hatches had a nice big opening, I transported, a washer, dryer, hot water heater, live xmas tree In mine. All one at a time of course but still I wouldn't complain
If anything ever happens to the 12, I think I'm going to go find a hatch or an SVT (2 door). I'm really smitten by the little buggers.
When I was car shopping a couple years ago, I almost bought a Focus Wagon with a stick shift. That was instantly rejected. 
I think the Zx3/Zx5 hatches have become the defacto cheap hatchback that the Civic once was.
I have a 2001 that I put the full SVT suspension and brake kits on. Also upgraded the rear sway to a 25mm Eibach unit. It handles very well.
Engine has cams, exhaust system and a supercharger. So instead of the 108WHP that was stock it is now at 223WHP. Makes for a lot of fun!
As noted by others, the 2.3 Duratec engine is the way to go if you can find one. Best location for that is CA and the "green states" of New England for hatches or the 2005 ST sedan which was available in all states. The Cosworth manifold for the Duratec makes a lot of difference but is hard to find and expensive because they were only made for a couple years.
The 2.3 Duratec was found in 2003-2005 cars so you can use the older suspension kits without the need for the adaptor bushings.
Don't buy one with cracked above-the-license-plate hatch trim because you can never get another from the junkyard.
They're all rusted with brittle studs.
I recommend checking the license plate lights for corrosion on early zx3's....they'll corrode and for reasons unknown, fry the running lights circuit. 
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