P5 vs. SVT Focus
August-11th-2002 | 09:22 AM
#31
Protege Newbie
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 6
From: Upstate NY
Hey, I don't fix or repair my Contour daily... it got recalled because of the dash may warp in extreme temps so I got a new dash put in for free.
I've never had a problem with it otherwise. So not ALL Fords suck.
I've never had a problem with it otherwise. So not ALL Fords suck.
August-11th-2002 | 12:45 PM
#32
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 22
From: San Antonio, TX
Focus Reliability
Is the Focus still having reliability problems? My brother is an automotive test engineer who also happens to own a 2nd-gen Protege Sedan and a Focus SE station wagon ('01, I think). I mentioned to him the bit about Foci reliability, and he said he talked to a Ford engineer who said that the first year Foci had some big problems, but Ford started having engineers babysit the production line, fixing any problems along the way. This person claimed that things have been fine ever since.
My brother said he's had no probs for the year or so that he's owned the Focus wagon (or with the Protege, for that matter). Your mileage may vary, of course. Are the late-model Foci having any more than the average amount of problems?
Don't worry... while I was considering a ZX5, I bought a Red MP5 a few weeks ago (zoom, zoom.). Love it!
My brother said he's had no probs for the year or so that he's owned the Focus wagon (or with the Protege, for that matter). Your mileage may vary, of course. Are the late-model Foci having any more than the average amount of problems?
Don't worry... while I was considering a ZX5, I bought a Red MP5 a few weeks ago (zoom, zoom.). Love it!
August-11th-2002 | 01:14 PM
#33
Use this to install stuff
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,069
From: State College, PA
Originally posted by biggyshake
i never thought my first po st on the Protege forum I would be defending the reputation of my trusty Focus.
Granted i've had the focus for 8 months and the P5 for less than a week. I'm still not too familiar with the P5's handling (although it is Absolutely great so far) but at this point i wouldn't trust it to take me through the twisties at the speeds i would trust my Focus ZX3 to do.
From reading the Focus message boards for a while it seems that much of this is dependent upon which wheel/tire combo you have on there. the stock 16" are generally awesome, but the 15" are usually derided for being terrible in the snow and simply having poor grip all around. My ZX3 has the 16" and it is great. While the focus does exhibit a good deal more body roll than the P5, (doesn't come with the sway bars from the factory) it never has come close to actually losing grip or anything like that. It absolutely stays glued to the road.
That said, because of my personal experience driving both of these cars (which some, probably most of you don't have) i think these two cars are close enough that any edge to one or the other would be due to driver skill. The SVT (different beast altogether) would still probably beat anything but a turbo'ed P5 or MP3 in the twisties. The handling is all there, but its got the extra horses. This is assuming equal driver skill of course.
Saying "MP3 would beat it with upgraded sway bars, blablabla..." is silly because guess what? You can get the exact same things for the focus (SVT and Non-SVT alike) and then you are right back where you started. In fact with the focus you have many many more options because of the absolutely HUGE aftermarket there is for it already. Not quite as big as honda, but there is quite a bit more than for our Mazda's.
i never thought my first po st on the Protege forum I would be defending the reputation of my trusty Focus.
Granted i've had the focus for 8 months and the P5 for less than a week. I'm still not too familiar with the P5's handling (although it is Absolutely great so far) but at this point i wouldn't trust it to take me through the twisties at the speeds i would trust my Focus ZX3 to do.
From reading the Focus message boards for a while it seems that much of this is dependent upon which wheel/tire combo you have on there. the stock 16" are generally awesome, but the 15" are usually derided for being terrible in the snow and simply having poor grip all around. My ZX3 has the 16" and it is great. While the focus does exhibit a good deal more body roll than the P5, (doesn't come with the sway bars from the factory) it never has come close to actually losing grip or anything like that. It absolutely stays glued to the road.
That said, because of my personal experience driving both of these cars (which some, probably most of you don't have) i think these two cars are close enough that any edge to one or the other would be due to driver skill. The SVT (different beast altogether) would still probably beat anything but a turbo'ed P5 or MP3 in the twisties. The handling is all there, but its got the extra horses. This is assuming equal driver skill of course.
Saying "MP3 would beat it with upgraded sway bars, blablabla..." is silly because guess what? You can get the exact same things for the focus (SVT and Non-SVT alike) and then you are right back where you started. In fact with the focus you have many many more options because of the absolutely HUGE aftermarket there is for it already. Not quite as big as honda, but there is quite a bit more than for our Mazda's.
August-11th-2002 | 02:02 PM
#34
Protege Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 71
Originally posted by Installshield
I was refering to a stock P5 with the MP3 suspension components... A factory stock MP3 can hold faster cornering speeds than a 911 Turbo.
I was refering to a stock P5 with the MP3 suspension components... A factory stock MP3 can hold faster cornering speeds than a 911 Turbo.
August-11th-2002 | 03:17 PM
#36
Protege Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 60
From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
My 96 contour held together fine for the first 170,000kms and then the transmission went. Then it started to nickel and dime to death, water pump, wheel bearings etc. I finally sold it at 208,000km and bought my Protege5, which is a better car in every way. I miss 2 things about my contour, pivoting head rests and lighted vanity mirrors. It was a good car except for the reliabilty.
As for the 911Turbo/MP3 comparo, Road and Track compared 8 of the best handling cars in America, the MP3 was among them, as was a Porsche, I can't remember if it was the Turbo or not. The MP3 finished 8th overall.
HOWEVER, it didn't finish 8th in all of the catagories and more than held it's own. It placed ahead of some of the supercars in certain catagories. The point is that every other car in the test was more than double the MP3's price and it shone as was more than a credible competitetor.
As for the 911Turbo/MP3 comparo, Road and Track compared 8 of the best handling cars in America, the MP3 was among them, as was a Porsche, I can't remember if it was the Turbo or not. The MP3 finished 8th overall.
HOWEVER, it didn't finish 8th in all of the catagories and more than held it's own. It placed ahead of some of the supercars in certain catagories. The point is that every other car in the test was more than double the MP3's price and it shone as was more than a credible competitetor.
August-11th-2002 | 09:31 PM
#38
Use this to install stuff
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,069
From: State College, PA
What is this about a WRX? The WRX is no handling masterpiece. It is suprisingly fast for a relatively cheap car, but it never set any records or standards for cornering. So I guess I am going to go ahead and claim an MP3 will out handle a WRX
Last edited by Installshield; August-11th-2002 at 09:36 PM.
August-11th-2002 | 09:35 PM
#39
Use this to install stuff
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,069
From: State College, PA
Originally posted by Farsyde
someone find out the lateral G's for the mazdaspeed and the 911
someone find out the lateral G's for the mazdaspeed and the 911
August-11th-2002 | 11:50 PM
#40
I Can Be Teh W1N!!!!
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,870
From: Calgary
Originally posted by Installshield
What is this about a WRX? The WRX is no handling masterpiece. It is suprisingly fast for a relatively cheap car, but it never set any records or standards for cornering. So I guess I am going to go ahead and claim an MP3 will out handle a WRX
What is this about a WRX? The WRX is no handling masterpiece. It is suprisingly fast for a relatively cheap car, but it never set any records or standards for cornering. So I guess I am going to go ahead and claim an MP3 will out handle a WRX
MSP = FWD = Track
________
American
Last edited by pr5owner; March-10th-2011 at 09:33 AM.
August-12th-2002 | 08:25 AM
#42
Protege Newbie
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 36
From: Appleton, WI
I think that most of you are getting off the topic. We are talking stock for stock, however I still think that the FSVT will beat the MP3. By the way who even uses the MP3 players in those? As for the P5 beating the FSVT, NO WAY! You can say get NOS or a turbo, well have you seen the aftermarket for the FSVT, it is unbelieveable. you could buy a turbo or NOS for the FSVT, and then we would be back to square one, the Focus would win. The FSVT is a reliable car, and it does deserve some respect. I don't like the looks of it as much as I do the P5, but the speed for me is a huge factor in purchasing a car. The Contour is also a reliable car if you read up on common problems with it and fix them, mine I haven't had a thing go wrong. I think that the earlier Contours had more problems than the later ones because mine I love. This is just my 2-cents
August-12th-2002 | 09:37 AM
#43
Recreational Gynocolist
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 568
From: Tallahassee, FL
Everything comes down to reputation and legacy. Just like people are still under the impression that American cars suck. They used to suck, mostly b/c the cars w/ the bad wrap were pulling a quarter ton of torque and you're gonna break things no matter what the company at those levels. however, most (i didn't say all) companies do offer very nice cars, and most of these cars will last 10 years or more w/o major repairs.
That said, back to the focus-almost got one as a rental since my car got hit
but they gave me a friggin saturn L-200. No offense to saturn but I've had more fun driving a shopping cart.
Shouldn't this topic be more of a Mazdaspeed vs. FSVT??? I mean we are comparing a stock hatch to a nicely tuned other hatch. Thats like saying Camaro vs. Cobra........duh.
That said, back to the focus-almost got one as a rental since my car got hit
but they gave me a friggin saturn L-200. No offense to saturn but I've had more fun driving a shopping cart.Shouldn't this topic be more of a Mazdaspeed vs. FSVT??? I mean we are comparing a stock hatch to a nicely tuned other hatch. Thats like saying Camaro vs. Cobra........duh.
August-12th-2002 | 10:12 AM
#44
Protege Newbie
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 36
From: Appleton, WI
I don't know too much about the Mazdaspeed, it's a hatchback? I thought it was a orange sedan, maybe I am wrong. The topic of the original question was MP5 vs FSVT, so we have ansered that ques. There is also an article in I think that new Car & Driver. I breezed through it this weekend, but I didn't read up on it. I also read something somewhere else that Mazda will have some more vehicles like the Mazdaspeed one coming out. I think they are going to do something like this every year, much like the limited edition Miata they do every year.
August-12th-2002 | 04:21 PM
#45
Oil Change Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,587
From: Norwood, MA
From my opinion, I would say that SVT Focus would kick P5's ***. To back that up, I went to an autox this weekend, and the best time that I could post at least 4 secs off of a stock Focus S2 Hatchback. I do not know what the S2 option stands for, but the car handled very good around the course. I even had a strut bar, and still did second to last, but I have a 1.5 liter, so I lacked power. As for the SVT vs P5, then SVT would come out a big winner. However, if SVT was vs. Mazdaspeed Pro then we are talking here about close numbers. Also, Mazdaspeed Pro has only 6 psi boost on the turbo, and is capable of much more, but there is always that god damn understeer with fwd cars, so watch out!!!