man, am i glad i bought an escort... not a single recall...ever...gotta love the fact a stock zx2 can out run the svt focus in a 1/4 mile too
~Tim

 

I can't afford a ZX2 so I got an 1997 Escort sedan for 900$. Just as good though! Not quite as quick, but that can be fixed I already replaced the engine, now I'm just finishing up on an automatic to 5 speed swap. Which is real fun since my car model never came with a 5 speed lol.

 

Gotta love the fact the SVT Focus (or regular ZX3) comes with better fit and finish than any Escort or ZX2...not to mention handling characteristics are far superior with the Focus. Also gotta love the fact that the Focus became the world's best selling car the FIRST YEAR in US production despite recall issues (this is the total worldwide sales of the Focus). It took how long for the Escort to reach that status? Plus the ZX2 is long overdue for a trip to the chopping block. Dealers can't even give those things away...meanwhile the Focus still retains rave reviews from critics worldwide.

Don't even get me started with the aftermarket. The ZX2/Escort doesn't even have a quater of the aftermarket of the Focus...despite the fact the Focus hasn't even been out for half as long as the ZX2/Escort. Unlike the ZX2, Ford seems to be doing the right things with the Focus. Seems like its here to stay for quite a while.

I'm not "dissing" the ZX2...always kinda liked the car. I'm just stating the facts.

 

the focus's are funny my friend has a 2000 focus, he's gettin tired of all the damm recalls. he named his car "total recall"

 

Once you get past the 10 recalls the car is pretty reliable.

 

Focii are only sold that much because Ford decided to advertise for them, unlike the ZX2 which I have never seen an advertisement for...Escorts have been around since 1968, Not many vehicle lines can account for that. Nothing wrong with the focus at all just not my cup of tea, it's too euro styling and not enough american. But that's the rave at this moment, hence all the altezza tail lights and etc. Kids want euro performance small cars, because of cars like the focus and escort cosworth as well as japanese cars. Even Honda is following suit with the new Civic SI. Escorts are fading out for the new focus rave which I think will die out when something better comes along that people like. Mustangs on the other hand are like jeans. They are always in style. While the escorts are like bell bottom pants they kind of fade in and out with the fads.

 

OUCH! did i ever step on 'phatstangs' toes! lol. now lets think here... the escort was axed around year 2000. the zx2 as well... its now 2004 and the zx2 is STILL here... so if ford can't get rid of them... why... 4 years later do they still make them?? they even got a face lift... and for the LONGEST time the zx2 outsold the zx3. now you say the zx2 can't perform suspension wise? you ever hear of the zx2 s/r? comes with eibach springs, better struts, ES bushings everywhere, wider more grippy tires... that makes for a nice handling car... sure... the focus might be the replacement for the zx2... someday... but hey... the escort has been around since '68 like escortlover said... so yeah. also... zx2's have no aftermarket support? considering they've only been around for what.. 6 or 7 years... and are the bastard child of ford i think they are doing great... just to prove it... heres my mod list...
Engine Bay/Performance:
JohnP Port/Polish head
ARP head bolts
Port matched intake manifold
Crower springs
Crower Titianium retainers
Valve job
Esslinger .405 lift intake cam
Esslinger .405 lift exhaust cam
Esslinger intake/exhaust cam gears
Esslinger VCT killer
Esslinger oil cap
FordRacing wires ,
Bosch Platinum plugs ,
stock coil pack ,
Relocated battery
13lb race battery
a/c delete ,
ZXtuner 4-2-1 header
Hotshot 2.5in exhaust ,
Roush Racing intake
moded K&N filter
Proflow 70mm maf
24# ford racing injectors
Dual 10in 1000cfm fans
Removed washer fluid thing ,
Af/x under drive crank pulley ,
S/R valve cover
ES motor mount inserts
true ram air ,
Venom VCN-1000 nitrous,

Transmission:
Zxtuner close ratio drag tranny
Zxtuner drag axles/cv’s
B&M short shifter
Centerforce dual friction clutch

Exterior:
Full Wings West W-Type gf/x
CustomAutoTrim.com wing ,
Clear inners ,5% tint front, 10% rear 3, 5% window banner ,
Zxtuner c/f invader hood ,
Shorty antenna
Powerstop cross drilled rotors

Suspension:
Progress Springs
KYB struts
ELX rear sway bar .
Marco sway bar

Interior:
Momo shift knob
CC leather shift boot kit.
CC leather door inserts w/ c/f emblem
CC C/F gauge surround.
CC C/F radio surround
B&M shifter .
Tenzo R rally seats gray/black ,painted grey interior pieces ,
Autometer phantom a/f gauge
Autometer phantom oil pressure gauge
Autometer phantom volts gauge
custom 3 pod cubby gauge,speed hut white face reverse EL gauges (complete with VTEC THIS!)
S/r gauge cluster ,
Alpine h/u ,
Gray zx2 stitched floor matts,
VIPER alarm,
GUTTED trunk w/ only battery in it
custom Super Chip

Wheels:
17x7.5 Rota attacks (street) ,Falken Ziex 205/40/zr17
4x6 Teggie rims (racing),Nitto 555r extreme drag radials 205/55/vr14

and the BEST part about it... i've seen a zx2 pull a 15.4 with JUST an intake... i've seen an svt run a 16.8 all nite long. and i still dont have any recalls on my old, outdated, pos escort.

~Tim

 

When did the ZX2 outsell the ZX3 for the "longest time"? Dealers couldn't keep the ZX3 on the lot when they arived in '00...meanwhile the dealerships were giving deep discounts on the ZX2's in an attempt to get rid of them before the arrival of the next model year. Heck, I looked into purchasing a ZX2 because they were so damn cheap back in 2000, but I couldn't stand the nasty interior styling and lack of aftermarket support.

Yeah, the S/R was a nifty little package. The aftermarket springs and shocks were a band-aid for the less than spectacular stock suspension. I always thought the stock ZX3 had better over all feel even compared to the S/R. To me, the ZX2 just never felt right going around a corner. The suspension lacks cohesion, the front and rear feel so disconnected from each other.

As far as the SVT vs. the ZX2 thing goes...as usual it all depends on the driver. Mid-upper 15's are possible with the stock SVT, you just need someone behind the wheel that can actually drive (that 16.8 is pathetic, my relatively stock ZX3 ran a 16.6 on my 2nd attempt at ever running the quater mile).

Unfortunately I think our days are numbered with the Zetec. Ford wants to eventually phase the Zetec out in favor of the new Duratec line. This probably won't happen for quite a few years, but who knows what kind of impact this will have on the aftermarket for both our cars. The 2.0l Zetec is a fairly unspectacular motor...with all the work we can do to our cars, it still doesn't yield the same gains found doing the same sorts of things on an Import 4-banger. The new Duratec line responds quite well to minor bolt-ons, so hopefully this will power the Focus into being more competitive with the Imports.



Oh, I no longer have any recalls on my Focus..........I had all 7 of mine fixed 2 years ago.

 

focus ... escort
tomatoes ... tomotoes

Can't we all just get along?

Let's see if that pissed anyone off,

Don't mind me, just another one of those ignorant mustang owners.