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#1 | ||
Starter Motor
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 2
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Can anyone help me in deciding which car to get?
Love focus, but being put down by many quality related comments I read about..is the quality really that bad? like broken clutch, hair in paint etc... As for SP23, seems good, but prefer the looks of focus..with more power than focus I heard.. seems pretty good overall, quality, build, price, performance. Havent really got time to test drive any of em yet... Any input would be much appreciated.. Thx |
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#2 | ||
Regular Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Canberra
Posts: 303
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test drive them both. Dynamically, hands down to the Focus Zetec. body control is much better, it's lighter over the front wheels and it has a better tyre/wheel combination, along with more effective brakes
brute force, the SP23 takes the cake, and i think is a seriously hot looking car too. dynamically inferior, but still an excellent car all round, and it's an absolute gem of an engine. it is still another $2000+ more expensive, whether you can justify that cost is entirely up to you, but the focus will make SP23 power for that much $$$ quite comfortably, and it's still a dynamically superior car. personally, focus, but i'm biased. ford is excellent with the customer purchase satisfaction, and if you end up with a bad one, they will do all they can to help out. just make sure you dont take delivery until you're absolutely happy with it Uni/. |
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#3 | ||
Regular Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 188
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Hopefully this will help you abit more with your decision
![]() http://wheels.carpoint.ninemsn.com.a...opDefault.aspx Ive owned a SP23 before, great car! but the focus is a much more rewarding drive and i know if u take one for a test drive, u will definately buy the focus. Im starting to get over the SP23, theres just so many on the road and i would rather have a car that not every tom,dick and harry has. As for quality issues, every new car has quality issues mate, so did the sp23 but over time they get fixed and im pretty sure Ford has looked into it. Good luck!
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Lowered 30-35mm King springs, Custom leather interior, Polished standard 17s rims, Cadance monoblock amplifier and Alpine Type S sub woofer, clear reverse+fog+tail lights, Angel eyes and a few CHROMEEEEEE bits on my baby. |
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#4 | ||
Regular Member
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Sydney
Posts: 129
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How about an ST170??? u can get them for a decent price and they r faster and go way harder than an SP23.......a few of my mates have sp23's and its a nice car but just doesnt have the feedback and feel of a focus....plus my mate ****** his engine racing me......was in service for like 3 weeks....luckily all under warranty..... :evilsasmo
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03' Imperial Blue Focus ST170 Bluefin Level 2 tune, Custom extractors, Hi-flow cat, K&N panel filter, EBC Turbo rotors with Greenstuff pads. Saving for: cat-back exhaust |
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#5 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,558
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IMHO I would buy the SP23. The Focus is a tad to conservative whereas the SP23 is the sexiest small car that I have seen (in sedan form that is). The manual SP23 is a blazer in this class. Infact Wheels recorded a quarter mile time of 15.9sec. Yep that would beat many automatic 6cyl falcons beside BA, BF. Focus Zetec doesn't have any power or torque improvemnts over the regular focus. Handling wise, there isn't much in them - they both share the same platform...
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#6 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,558
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Plus the SP23 has a kick *** interior with leather and Bose as options. Not to mention 6spd manual.
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#7 | ||
Focus Rookie
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Sydney
Posts: 518
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AHhhhh..... The Mazda 3 (The base model) Has the same engine as the Focus Line.....
Therefore the SP23 must be faster(or more powerful) than the focus..
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#8 | |||
Guest
Posts: n/a
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Quote:
The Duratec2.0 is the same as the 2.0 MZR in the Mazda3s. The 2.3 Mazda3 (same engine in the Mazda Tribute and Ford Escape), has a longer stroke and VCT over the 2.0. This makes more torque lower down, but its about the same power as the 2.0 higher up in the RPMs. Suspension is different between them. You wouldn't say a Territory handled the same as a F6 would you; they're the same platform. Now if it was XR5 against Mazda MPS thats a whole new debate ![]() Last edited by BlackLS; 28-10-2006 at 04:12 AM. |
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#9 | ||
Candy White GTI
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,516
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With the problems the new Focus are faced with, i simply would not buy one.
The Mazda SP23 looks fantastic and seems to be much more reliable.Also it has more power and a bigger engine... Just buy one in white !!! *dribbles all over keyboard*
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#10 | ||
Victory is Mine
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: 7th Circle of Hell
Posts: 179
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I just bought my Mrs a Zetec, and having sold new Mazda's before(currently with the Blue Oval), it is true that the Mazda will rev a lot higher and harder. However, the instrumentation is like looking at the suface of Mars(at night)with the red illumination. I put a small cat-back exhaust on the Zetec, and it has freed it up quite a bit, not to mention the better fuel economy. Plus, it gave it a small note, not a drone, but it saves me stalling it because I can't hear it. Mazda's quality is very good, and early Focus paint quality was very ordinary(lost 2 deals over it) but Ford seem to have rectified it. I agree with a couple of the other members, that the Focus is a better looker as well.
Focus gets my vote.
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I'm baaack!!! ..... |
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#11 | ||
Regular Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Perth, WA - NOR
Posts: 325
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^^^^
agree with paint comments, Ford seem to struggle a bit more re matching paint colours on different surfaces ie, bumpers vs. rest of car and some colours are worse than others, mainly the metallic's.
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#12 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: FoMoCo
Posts: 3,441
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If it was me id test drive them both you may get a skewed opion asking this question on a Ford forum. If it was based on looks alone I would pick the SP23. Hot looking car IMO.
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#13 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: The Shakey Isles
Posts: 3,428
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If I was choosing between the two....
Reliability - SP23 Performance - SP23 Exterior Appeal - Tie Interior Appeal - SP23 Driving Dynamics - Zetec (only just) Price/Equip - SP23 (Zetec is dearer in NZ) Winner by a country mile SP23 and if NZ was still getting the S.A Focus I just wouldn't consider one full stop ! |
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#14 | |||
Hello Koni's!
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: South Sydney
Posts: 762
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Quote:
In terms of the colour matching problems with the Focus bodykit - that problem has occured because of the different material used to make the bumpers and the bumper extension. No issues with paint matching, just material used. There has been similar problems with the Territory as well...
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CSA Motorvatr 17's/Kumho KU31's, Eibach Prokit/Lovells rear springs, Koni Sports Kit Lower airbox removed, K&N Panel filter Momo gear knob + boot + pedals, Ghia boot garnish, Zetec Chrome interior door handles JVC KW-XR816 Headunit + more to come... |
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#15 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Adelaide
Posts: 1,715
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The quality related issues with the Focus seem to be a worry? (or more so the way Ford seem to not satsifactorily deal with the common issues - eg. engines stalling and not starting.) Check both of them over carefully and go for a long drive.
I've heard of some isolated electrical issues with the Mazda 3's , but nothing like what the Focus seems to suffer. The new improved SP23 (with six speed manual or five speed auto) will probably be more of a match for the Focus handling wise- not that I've driven either of them.... I imagine the Mazda would have a comfortable win in the resale value stakes- if that sort of thing worries you? If you want to do a bit of research then another forum is http://www.ozmazdaclub.com/forums/index.php? Oh yes, I'm a bit biased as my wife drives a Mazda 6 - it's a fantastic car and runs the same engine as the SP23. We've had it for 6 months / 5000km and it's been flawless and a pleasure to own and drive. ![]()
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