[Elizabeth]

Annoys me no end the top package Focus will not allow a manual tranny.
(I hate packaging!!)
Anyway, at least the Yellow color will allow the sport package, with four wheel discs.
The 'other color i like "frosted Glass", will NOT allow the four wheel disc brakes. JERKS)
So i want the Focus with Yellow paint, sunroof, sport package with four wheel antilock discs, 17' alloy wheels, cruise control, manual tranny.
$22,000.00
Funny that is what i paid for my last car, a 1999 Contour SVT, which i have beat into the ground over 12 years, and treat kindly now that it is getting long in the tooth.
(I ALWAYS wanted a yellow car. I see older Focus with Yellow paint and just sigh!! So I am certain I will LOVE the color.)
The Focus SVT is coming next spring, and I may wait for that to see if it is hot enough to go for it.
I tend to think the engine in the regular Focus will be enough for me at age 62. With power of 160hp and 142 torque. A manual tranny really makes a difference in the way the power can be used..
And 26/36 fuel economy would certainly be way better than a hotter SVT engine fuel economy
(But I might really want the SVT Ricaro seats... Old grannies want to rock too... )
I REALLY liked the 32 mpg i used to get in a Mazda 3 clone I owned, the Mercury Tracer. (it had dufus brakes though, really total junk)
So the mileage may be important.. considering 'soon enough' Gas is gonna be $10 a gallon... (and if you think "No Way" ... you are dreaming...)

[eclein]

Always wanted Yellow myself, can I gratuitously live through your Yellow car experience....LOL, did that even make sense? GO FOR IT GRANNY!!!!

[timind]

Hope the yellow works for you. I bought a brand new yellow VW Rabbit back in the 80s. I loved the color for about a year. By the 3 year mark I was cringing everytime I walked up to that car.
BTW, I will probably turn 190K miles on my 2004 Focus wagon this week! Great car for the money, especially if you buy cars for transportation and not status.

[TomS]

I'd wait to see what the SVT brings. Those are always great balanced offerings with usual focus on respectable brakes for street use, good seats, handling, power, etc. You might ping "motorcitym3" on AC. He is apparently in the CAD design process at Roush for Ford SVT projects and maybe could shed some light from the skunkworks 

[Elizabeth]

So far have found one good salesman. the others i have endured were just putzes.
And i drove two Foci' A stick which was not enough oomph for my taste. (I was driving it like my SVT, which has great low end grunt)
The 2012 Focus engine reminds me of Honda engines, which just have to be revved to do anything.
So far i have decided i have fallen in love with the design of the back end of the new 5 door Focus. The second (stick shift) drive was good, with a sense of the handling around corners, which was excellent. The drive was a bit short as the car was down to the last pint of gasoline in the tank. I guess i was nitpicking over the torque.. (not being as great as my SVT?)
Anyway, the main thing so far are the dealer salemen. Two total duds, and one interesting guy. I realize I only have to endure these guys for a few hours, but I just hate trying to deal with an idiot.
So maybe, now that i found a salesman, I can buy a car.

[JLM]

My son just took delivery on a new Mustang V6 with sport package (summer tires, extra 100 hp).  Didn't cost much more than you're talking and is rated 30 mpg.  Not my cup of tea, but high marks for content value, and it easily accommodated both our sets of golf clubs.  Suprisely to me his insurance barely went up (from a Pontiac Sunfire).  He's keeping the Sunfire for winter use.

His shopping experience was similar to yours.  How can car companies expect to do well when they make it such a PITA to shop, buy, and service their products???

[Elizabeth]

Yeah.
I got online with the dealer that had the only one anywhere around with the color and options I wanted. 60 miles one way.
Drove there. two hours later I was driving my new Focus home.
My poor old SVT is stuck there.
They offered me even LESS for it!
So i did not just dump it.
I will have to get back there and pick it up in a week or so.
Maybe some friends or friends kids would want it.
(nice to find out my credit is good enough with Ford to get a  pretty low zero down 48mo loan., I have never checked my credit score.. so I have no idea what it is.

[JLM]

Great!

I had an offer like that years ago (they only offered $600 for my ride, so I walked away from the deal).  I ended up driving it for another 26,000 miles and sold it for $1500 myself).  I told the guy that I'd rather give it to a friend that needed a car than giving it to him for $600.

[Elizabeth]

They told me it was too many miles, 110,000mi and too old for them to keep and sell.
The fella said they just would wholesale it off. So I can understand them not wanting to give any money for it.
I mean the air bags are twelve years old. they are really just time bombs..

[Elizabeth]

I'd wait to see what the SVT brings. Those are always great balanced offerings with usual focus on respectable brakes for street use, good seats, handling, power, etc. You might ping "motorcitym3" on AC. He is apparently in the CAD design process at Roush for Ford SVT projects and maybe could shed some light from the skunkworks 

Yeah, but i do not need another fast car. I had a fast car i drive around at 140mph.
Now do you REALLY want some 62 plus year old crazy lady driving around  at 150 mph?
My last speeding ticket was for 37mph over the speed limit.
(amazing they did not take my license, rather they reduced the offense and I got a slap on the hand. I guess being a little old lady helps, might be they also know i am blasting around at 140 ((they do have cameras there,)) and catching me at only 102mph, they figured it was just a 'minnow' offense, so they threw me back, to wait for the big one)
I ALMOST bought a 200MPH motorcycle with my retirement money.
And you better believe i WOULD be going 200mph..
I did NOT only because at over sixty years old, it would REALLY hurt to fall off at 186mph...
So congratulate me on having at least a tiny bit of sense.
(If I keep this car 12 years, I will be 74 years old... when i buy the next one..)

[timind]

Well I did turn 190K today.
Yesterday I was walking into a bank and parked next to a Focus that looked identical to mine. A lady walking out said "our cars look like twins" so I thought I'd impress her with my high mileage. She said her focus just turned 220K?
If you drove 110K in twelve years that means you can keep the new one for 24 years. 
Just thought I'd share that.

[Elizabeth]

I am very happy to say i drove 60 miles on a little trip and averaged 42mpg over the distance.
THAT is why i wanted a new car. Super good gas milage.
My new ride only is doing about 32 mpg in the city, but the fact it can do over 40mpg with only a little effort is great.

Added: a few weeks more into owning and the gas mileage has gone up so i am generally getting in over 38mpg's in city.
The highest mpg over a 20 mile freeway loop at 47mph was 49.7mpg.
Very happy with the mpgs on my Focus!

[mort]

Im going for the all electric version next year! Not sure what colors will be offerd yet.