I had to do it. I bought my first subcompact car since 1980(1972 850 fiat spyder two seat convertible). The lightning was getting to much to commute with to work(11-15 mpg). But I sure love this little SVT focus(23-33mpg). It sure flys though those on ramp corners. It is also fun to bang the gears to 7200 rpm's.

 

Good choice! Hard to find those SVTs...

 

so...the Lightning is still in the driveway...or you traded it for a Focus?


the Focus is a fun little car, but I could never trade a truck...especially a L for a teenie car

 

I still have it in the driveway for weekend burnouts and going to the local dragaway.
I will be putting it away soon for winter with the Mustang.The wife will have to drive the Montero for the winter. I hope this focus will make it through the snow alright.

 

I hate to say it because I'm 100% Ford and that's all I own (currently 4), but if it ever got so bad that I wanted a sub-compact performance car it wouldn't be a Focus. Its a very nice car but Subaru (and others) is making some fast as crap sub-compacts now that put the SVT Focus to shame.

 

Those WRX's will run with a Stock 390hp Cobra in the 1/4 mile with all wheel dive and better mileage.
But I would rather have the Cobra myself.

 

my boss has a 08 Sub STI hatch. slight mods with an exhaust and he put down 280 WHP on a AWD dyno.

I agree though, I'd rather have the Cobra

 

Same here... but the Cobra is more of a small to small/mid-sized car than a sub-compact. What would be really fun is a Miata with a supercharger.

 

I've seen one with a 350 swap and turbo installed.

guy could drop the hammer at 60+ mph and perform burnouts going down the highway

 

Man I just wanted a commuter car.I am a poor man. I was looking at the wrx but to much money for the one that were avalible at the time. Have you driven a SVT Focus? It rides nice, heated seats, HID head lamps, 280 watt 6 disk cd player, sub woffer, leathers seats, 4 door,moon roof , 6 speed and was only $6700.00. wrx all over $20,000
You can get a supercharger kit from Ford Racing.But I am not sure if I am going to go that route.I would rather put the money into the Lightning

 

you should take the focus to elkart with the cobra group in the fall. It is amazing what a stock focus can do on the track with race tires it like riding on rails with the hammer down all the way. the forcus usally out performs the stock mustang in the corners.... Which ramps in milwaukee are you talking about.

 

Unless my financial situation ever becomes so dire that I lose all of my vehicles, and I'm forced to own something like a Focus, I will NEVER purposely buy a front wheel drive car.

I hate them.

My daughters Escape is front wheel drive. I hate working on it.

The alternator went out and when I researched how to get the old one out, I discovered the half shaft had to be removed. What the heck???? So much of the suspension and driveline components had to be removed before the alternator could be removed, it was ridiculous!

The alternator....THE ALTERNATOR!!! That's something you learn how to do blindfolded, five minutes into the first day of autoshop, if you weren't already taught by your father!!

Then there's the Coil On Plug. The coils on bank one (cylinders 1, 2, & 3) can only be accessed if you remove the intake.

And I thought getting to the spark plugs on my L was a pain in the butt!

I hate front wheel drive vehicles.

Stewart

 

Stewart,

Sounds like the Chevette my parents cursed me with for a while when I was in high school. The AC compressor had to come out to change the spark plugs.

 

Airport to I-94 from the southern lane of Howell, 20th Layton, 794 corner to go south to the Hone bridge.
I drove Hundreds new Chevette's When I worked at Hertz I agree they were junk. The only car I think was the worse car ever was the AMC Alliance and it was car of the year.Oh I never drove one but I guess Yugo too
Who would buy a Escape with only 2 wheel drive anyway.If is a SUV it should be only 4 wheel drive. Or just go get a Mini Van.Oh And if you ever go broke good luck finding a rear wheel drive compact that is cheap.

 

Greaaaaaaaaaaat!

And it aint like you could have just ditched the AC completely and just put on a smaller belt. Not if you were still in Georgia when you were in high school!

Ugh, that had to suck big time.

Stewart