SVT worth it?

[nose-gobblin]

I am consitering buying a 02 focus svt, fully loaded, it has 50 K miles on it, but i have some questions:

Do these cars require premium fuel, or high octane?

What would an insurance company think of this car?

Are they reliable, and what type of mileage do they get?

[pre98zetec]

easier to get a 04-05 2.3 duratec and do a few mods, Cheaper on insurance and will still be as quick.

[focusfreak]

actually, the car requires 91 octane, no less. Insurance, that depends. go online with different companies and get quotes. type in the info of the car, etc. I have an '04 SVT and pay $130 a month, with an accident on my record. This is through mercury insurance. So it really depends on your driving record. Dont settle for any other focus if your heart is set on an SVT model. I fell in love with mine. Plus, by the time you get done modding out a duratec engine (their good engines) you will have paid just as much for the SVT, and wont have the same handling that the SVT does.

[focusyn]

Originally Posted by nose-gobblin

I am consitering buying a 02 focus svt, fully loaded, it has 50 K miles on it, but i have some questions:

Do these cars require premium fuel, or high octane?

What would an insurance company think of this car?

Are they reliable, and what type of mileage do they get?

50k is a bit high in the mileage department for an 02.

The car needs premium, no exceptions.

Insurance depends on the insurance company, the car being insured, the drivers age and record, and where you live. All other things being equal, someone in Los Angeles with an SVT Focus or some other large metro area is not paying the same as someone with an SVT in Dayton, Ohio

As reliable as any other 02 Focus. 02's pretty much had all the major bugs worked out of them, the ones that affected the 00 and 01 models anyway.

Mileage is a bit worse then a standard Zetec.

[nose-gobblin]

Why is fitty high, i gotta 2001 sedan with 50 svt not raliable?

[TheStang00]

i think he means 50 is pretty high for that car being out only 3 years, nothing to do with reliablility. personally i dont know why that even matters when it comes to u buying it.

[focusyn]

Originally Posted by TheStang00

i think he means 50 is pretty high for that car being out only 3 years, nothing to do with reliablility. personally i dont know why that even matters when it comes to u buying it.

50k is higher then normal miles for that year of car. 12 to 15k a year is normal mileage.

It makes a difference. A car with 50k worth of city driving has a lot more "hard" miles on it then a car with mostly highway.

[TheStang00]

but a car with 50k on it in 3 years is probably mostly highway, the person probably travelled a lot for their work or something, cause that would be a hell of a lot of city driving. and even still 50k is pretty low milage so even if it was drivin kinda hard its probably in pretty good shape.

[focusyn]

Originally Posted by TheStang00

but a car with 50k on it in 3 years is probably mostly highway, the person probably travelled a lot for their work or something, cause that would be a hell of a lot of city driving. and even still 50k is pretty low milage so even if it was drivin kinda hard its probably in pretty good shape.

Oh yeah, that's definitely true. I was just explaining myself better. I'd definitlely pick up an SVT over a basic ZX3. 50k isn't bad and you're right, Stang, it's probably all highway miles.


There was an 04 SVT at a Lincoln-Mercury dealer near my house. It only had 1400 miles on it! If I was in better shape financially, I would have picked it up. Instead, it sat there for 4 months and then it was loaded onto a car hauler one day and hauled away to auction.

Such is life...

[vintweed]

I run 89 ocatane in my '02 SVT (when it's .90 a liter!!) and it runs just fine. Performance hurts a little with the low test, but there is no knocking or pinging at all...
As far a reliability...SVT's have been notorious for some common problems, but it's really hit and miss.
I've had lots of problems with mine, but I would never get rid of 'er!!

[focusfreak]

Only the early model Foci have had problems (including SVT's model) and that's because like any other car, the manufacturer has to work out the bugs and what not. But over all, the SVT Focus is one of the funnest cars I've owned and driven.