2000 Ford Focus

Lets be honest with this one. The Focus is really a attempt to re invent the Escort with a new millennium look. The early years for this vehicle were rough, as Ford owners were hounded with recalls on the 2000 models, and up through 2005 had the same look year after year. Though this vehicle is good on fuel economy, the savings definitely do not justify the amount of repair costs that you will dish out in the end.

Starting with the under hood stuff...The early years offered the 2.0 four cylinder engine, which at the time of rising fuel costs, and uncertain futures seemed wonderful. What we didn't see coming was the plastic parts, and high labor costs associated with this due to it all being cramped in a extremely small space. Brand new out of the box this car will run great, but put around 20 or 30 thousand miles on it, and the wear will start to show.

Sooner rather than later you will be investing in a new alternator, ( they usually last until around 35 to 40 thousand miles) more frequent spark plug changes, and a rough running engine condition that has plagued these vehicles since day one. The parts themselves will not be any more expensive than other models similar to this one, but labor will definitely make its mark on you. Examples of this include having to remove the exhaust midsection to get the alternator to slide out of the rear of the engine compartment, removal of engine mounts and jacking the engine up for a drive belt replacement, and the lingering possibility of breaking one of the 15 or so plastic sensors in the way of all of this.

Ford tried to reclaim itself by offering the 2.3 litre engine in later models, but the issues still remain. Newer models have boasted some minor cosmetic changes to the exterior, and interior but the heart of the beast has stayed the same.

The other issues that have arisen with these vehicles are tire changes that are more frequent than any other vehicle on the market in this category due to poor rear alignment, and the weight of the car. As odd as it sounds, the lighter a car is..the worse the alignment gets. The explanation is simple..cars are getting lighter and people are getting heavier. Putting that kind of weight on one side of a vehicle changes everything when it comes to alignment angles. Resolving this issue is not cheap, and you definitely start to wonder if it would just be cheaper to buy new tires every time.

Transmissions in these vehicles tend to hold up pretty well, but on the other hand servicing the automatic can put some costly repair bills in the checkbook, again due to the labor cost.

Overall these vehicles are a economy car. This is not the vehicle to get if you're looking for something that is going to give you many long years of driving pleasure. The best advice I have ever heard on these vehicles is as soon as you buy one, start saving up for the down payment on your next car.

The other thing you may want to check out depending on the laws in your state is the aftermarket additions on the SVT hatchback edition, as this was a popular car for the younger "tuner" generation who wanted a snazzy car but didn't have a lot of money to invest in it. As with any vehicle new or used, I would recommend taking it to a ASE certified mechanic before purchasing for a thourough inspection, and remember Your car only treats you as good as you treat it. Keep on Driving...