Hi, Guest
Everything Oldeguy said, Nate. They're really awesome rides, and an upgrade from the first-gen chassis that the 2000-11 Focus resides on. Also, GapBoyPCS (Richard) has one along side his "SVT" sedan with over 500,000 KMs on it. If Richard got into a new one, it must be worth it.
Also of note since the 2012MY launch - Ford acquiesced to enthusiast demand and made the 5-speed manual an option on ALL trim lines. It used to be the best you could do for equipment was a SE hatch/sedan with the Sport package and some other upgrades. Now, you can go all the way to a loaded Titanium with a manual (previously, the Titanium and SEL trim lines were DCT-only).
I'm letting the rest of the world eat the depreciation on the 2012s. Also waiting to see what the uptake is like on the 2013 Focus ST while I work on Subsonic some more.
By the time next year rolls around, I might just get into a demo model 2012 with a stick if I can find one, or if subsequent drives with the DCT win me over into it. I like the concept of the extra gear ratio in there and the super-fast shifts that I don't have to manage (yet still reap the DCT's drivetrain efficiency bonus over a classic autotragic), but I need to drive a post-TSB DCT-equipped car to see what it's like. Pre-TSB, they were somewhat clunky for shifts and didn't respond as well as I'd like to manual shift commands. Reminded me of the 04-08 VW autos for response (not the VW DSGs).
Note that most of my ranting is fanboy performance gearhead-based stuff and the state of the car now, post-recalls and TSBs is more than fine for 99.9% of the intended audience. 80 BHP/L on 87 octane? Room to tune with Randy and the crew down south at FSWerks? Not bad! I'd like to see what one of these new DI engines does with a full, race-spec CAI and full cat-back exhaust and a proper tune for 91 at the very least. Knowing me, I'd throw a race cat into the mix ASAP given how Subsonic drives.
Actually, holy crap: http://fswerks.com/fswerks_coolflo_air_intake.htm
They're getting 167WHP/146WTQ with a 2.5" race exhaust and a CAI at FSWerks on 87 OCTANE. That's bananas! With a tune, you're in the 175WHP range, easy. Now, the 2012 is a heavier car than a comparable 2007 ZX5 SES, but still... 175WHP is nothing to sneeze at, and neither is 167WHP with 87 octane.
Also of note since the 2012MY launch - Ford acquiesced to enthusiast demand and made the 5-speed manual an option on ALL trim lines. It used to be the best you could do for equipment was a SE hatch/sedan with the Sport package and some other upgrades. Now, you can go all the way to a loaded Titanium with a manual (previously, the Titanium and SEL trim lines were DCT-only).
I'm letting the rest of the world eat the depreciation on the 2012s. Also waiting to see what the uptake is like on the 2013 Focus ST while I work on Subsonic some more.
By the time next year rolls around, I might just get into a demo model 2012 with a stick if I can find one, or if subsequent drives with the DCT win me over into it. I like the concept of the extra gear ratio in there and the super-fast shifts that I don't have to manage (yet still reap the DCT's drivetrain efficiency bonus over a classic autotragic), but I need to drive a post-TSB DCT-equipped car to see what it's like. Pre-TSB, they were somewhat clunky for shifts and didn't respond as well as I'd like to manual shift commands. Reminded me of the 04-08 VW autos for response (not the VW DSGs).
Note that most of my ranting is fanboy performance gearhead-based stuff and the state of the car now, post-recalls and TSBs is more than fine for 99.9% of the intended audience. 80 BHP/L on 87 octane? Room to tune with Randy and the crew down south at FSWerks? Not bad! I'd like to see what one of these new DI engines does with a full, race-spec CAI and full cat-back exhaust and a proper tune for 91 at the very least. Knowing me, I'd throw a race cat into the mix ASAP given how Subsonic drives.
Actually, holy crap: http://fswerks.com/fswerks_coolflo_air_intake.htm
They're getting 167WHP/146WTQ with a 2.5" race exhaust and a CAI at FSWerks on 87 OCTANE. That's bananas! With a tune, you're in the 175WHP range, easy. Now, the 2012 is a heavier car than a comparable 2007 ZX5 SES, but still... 175WHP is nothing to sneeze at, and neither is 167WHP with 87 octane.
Daily driver 1: 2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport "S"
33" BFG Mud-Terrain KM2s, lots of Rough Country gear - bumper, 2.5" lift, swaybar disconnects, Superwinch 10,000lb winch, Detroit Locker in rear D44 axle, custom exhaust, K+N filtercharger, Superchips-tuned.
Daily driver 2: 2006 Subaru Legacy GT
COBB Stage 1+ package - AccessPort tuner, COBB intake and airbox. Stage 2 coming shortly - COBB 3" AT stainless DP and race cat, custom 3" Magnaflow-based exhaust and Stage 2 COBB tune.
33" BFG Mud-Terrain KM2s, lots of Rough Country gear - bumper, 2.5" lift, swaybar disconnects, Superwinch 10,000lb winch, Detroit Locker in rear D44 axle, custom exhaust, K+N filtercharger, Superchips-tuned.
Daily driver 2: 2006 Subaru Legacy GT
COBB Stage 1+ package - AccessPort tuner, COBB intake and airbox. Stage 2 coming shortly - COBB 3" AT stainless DP and race cat, custom 3" Magnaflow-based exhaust and Stage 2 COBB tune.