i'm buying a zx3 soon.. any advice?

noreaga0221 · 06-21-2002, 12:18 PM

hey this is my first time posting in the focus part of this board.. but anyway i'm buying a zx3 soon. any advice for me? like options i should stay away from or ones i should demand? also i was thinking either getting white or black with the dark interior. and i definatly want the 5speed just because they let more power through to the wheels. any other advice, like did anybody else make a mistake buying one (not buying the car itself but an option), if so please share.

and what would be the best route to take in modding the car. I was thinking with suspension (lowering, stiffening) but if anybody has a better route that they have taken please share that too..

thanks joe

speediva · 06-22-2002, 03:05 AM

Well, since I see you've posted in a number of different places I won't feel too dreadfully guilty admiting that AF's Ford forums leave much to be desired...

I'd personally rather see you get into one of those Nissans you were talking about not so long ago

(But I'm a bit partial to my SR20DE motor

) A site that will provide you with a great deal more knowledge than I could ever provide is listed in this thread... *hint hint*

I just hope you don't forget to come back and visit us if you find what you need there!

noreaga0221 · 06-23-2002, 04:36 PM

well no more zx3 for me, not when i learned insurance would be about 500 a month... i hate how they punish the young kids with higher rates when they dont even make that much money to start with.

but i have been posting in the nissan section because i really wanted a maxima and even was going to buy one until my dad said if you're going to spend that much money just buy a brand new car. i rather have a car with 0 miles instead of 50,000. but i'm still looking around. i might get a spec v this fall if and only IF i save up at least 6grand by the time summer is over.

dLocke · 09-27-2002, 11:04 AM

$500 dollars a month? What the hell kind of driving record you got? 7 speeding tickets and/or accidents?

I hope that's not us dollars!

A Focus ZX3 would be cheaper insurance for me (I'm 26 though).

freakray · 09-27-2002, 11:38 AM

Yeah, what kind of driving record you got?
I just got a quote today for insurance on a 2002 ZX5 with 2 drivers, one 27 and the other 23 and it only came to US$74.58 a month!!!
We both have spotless records though with no tickets(it's only illegal if they catch you

) and no wrecks.....

noreaga0221 · 09-27-2002, 02:04 PM

well 17 years old, own policy, live between philadephia and trenton and a 5+ speeding ticket. no accidents though.

i figure a couple factors could influence the high rate.. right now with my car i am paying 1306 for 6 months and that is just for liability.

freakray · 09-27-2002, 03:17 PM

How do you still have your licence?
If you are 17 and you have that many tickets, you musta done at least 3 month without it already, unless Daddy is a trooper?
That is assuming that you are referring to the number of tickets and not the number of points.
The reason the ins is so high is because you have already shown the ins companies you're a liability on their books, they don't want to ins you, but because they have to, they are making it expensive.
Where between Trenton and Phil are you? That could also effect it.

noreaga0221 · 09-28-2002, 03:47 AM

OOPS didnt mean 5 speeding tickets i originally had gotten a 22 over ticket but went to court for it and it was dropped to 5 over... thats what i meant. currently i have a 29 over pending

i live in morrisville, do you go to penn state or just live at state college? btw i love 322, noooooooo cops i hit my top speed there (so far) visiting my girl at psu hehe.

freakray · 09-28-2002, 10:54 AM

Oh, makes sense now

No cops on 322? Yeah there are, you gotta know where they are though.
Between Harrisburg and Lewistown, watch the hill coming down to the 'narrows' (where is goes into 2 lane.....the like to sit on that last stretch, anywhere on there.....you know, where it has those 3 long hils?)
Between Lewistown and State College, after the Reedsville off-ramp as you come at of the right hander (about 1/2 mile after the ramp) and then at the Milroy off-ramp(he sits just AFTER the bridge, so you can't really see him, but he gets both directions)
At the top of the mountain where the rest stop is, he sits in the middle there on the median, it's a blind hill until it is too late to brake to avoid the ticket......at the bottom of the same hill, sits on the left where it is a blind bank, and sometimes on the right where Seven Mountains is.
I hope you know all the points I mean.
If you use the bypass to come into State College, instead of going through Boalsburg, when you go through that long dip, he sits amongst the trees at the bottom on the right(between the on and off ramp - you will even see the tire marks there now, he sits there so often)
I hope this helps you save some money.

Sorry about getting on you before.......

Ray

noreaga0221 · 09-28-2002, 02:47 PM

hmmm not really.. i used 322 from the turnpike to state college. i should print out this before the next time i go up. thanks

psu played a great game... watched the last quarter and OT-- damn alot of talent.

freakray · 09-28-2002, 03:48 PM

played a good game? I was hoping they would win, but that is the way it goes.....
Just to depress you, I got my ZX3 today, dark metallic blue with a 5 spd, now to get a few mods....hehe....
I think I am going to get a cold air intake and maybe change the pipes.....have to see what else

Hope the 'Trooper Watch' helps you, they are not always there, but when they are, you now know where they will be.
Take care.

Ray

dLocke · 10-01-2002, 11:06 AM

Depress us further and post pics!

That's probably exactly the color and tranny I'd take If I were to get a zx3 today. What year is it? How do you like it so far?

kotu100 · 10-02-2002, 10:33 AM

has n e 1 seen the supercharged focuses at n e car shows? i herad that if ur not careful wit the gas the tires will come loose even in 3rd gear. hehehehe. if ur on a budget i suggest a cold air intake, ca-back exhaust, and racing chip. if u got a few more hundred u cant go wrong wit some headers too. just a sugestion.:ylsuper

dLocke · 10-04-2002, 03:20 PM

My advice: shop around for the cheapest insurance. State Farm is usually really competitive. Or see if you can have someone else put as the primary driver for the focus and you're the primary on an older car. Agents will do this if they really want your business. Ours suggested this!!!

Also, drive safely and stay out of trouble! It takes 3 years for speeding tickets to clear and they add up. All that money you wanted to mod your car with goes to the tickets!!!

Really read up on the Focus and find out its pros and cons and any problems it has. Look up the the recalls at www.nhsta.dot.gov if you;re looking for used and if its new try to read car buying guides that reveal all the B.S. fees dealers try to charge. And don't trade in, they'll only offer you wholesale value. That's all for now. Good luck! Don't get taken!

TRDcavalier__O · 10-08-2002, 02:55 AM

Well i hope your not shooting to race this thing. its a slow car to start off with you have to really work at it to make it fast. 0-60 in 8-9 sec range 1/4, ppl don't sit around that long for a car to go down a track lol i know a kid with a yellow ZX3 and he had exhaust/cam gears/ intake/ and some other shit and he wasn't even keeping up with my car when it was pretty much stock. I own a 2000 Z24 5 speed. Not saying my car is slow but its not fast either. I feel a Z24 5 speed is a good place to start off when you wanna mod up a domestic. Dude if you really like ford get a mustang GT, or a older Probe GT thats a real close race with my car, but i'm still faster lol, and after this week even fast cause tomorrow i'm ordering 800.00 worth of parts. And i currently run low 15's. So just a word of advice from a fellow domestic a focus is not a good car to work with.

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