[GapBoyPCS]

The Cavalier/Sunbird/Sunfire platform hasn't changed since the early 1980s.

It might be "crap" on some levels, but it still offers relatively cheap performance for the buck. It does the job for the average Joe - gets you to Point A to B; nothing else! Most of the consumer-type shows and stuff never really gave the car good or bad ratings -- it fit the need of BASIC transportation.

Besides mo, your car is part of those "troubled years" (between 2000 and 2001). Most of the bad press happened with those years, including the recalls. The Black Books I have access to usually suggest that had a huge impact on the resale values. Other reviews and ratings from other media sources usually give that impression that only 2002 and afterwards did the Focus get better ratings and better resale values. They seem to blacklist the 2000 and 2001. People may probably take a boring Sunflower that's pretty reliable versus a recall-prone Focus.