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Negotiating Highway Curves

My Wife and I have a 2001 Focus se Station wagon . We just returned from a Vacation trip, From Vancouver B.C. to San Fransisco, then to Reno, Salt Lake City, and back to Vancouver . Most of the driving was at speeds between 60 - 75 MPH

The car worked perfectly all the way, but when going around most curves, driving along with the traffic, I felt that I was on the edge of being out of control.

-that is, I should slow down a bit, but I didnt like to disrupt the traffic flow.

I,m not sure if this is because of the responsive steering, and small steering wheel diameter making it scary to adust the steering at high speed, or just my imagination. I usually drive an old Ford Ranger, and it has a completely different feel. Any Comments ?

Ray

Reply to
Mhound
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"Mhound" wrote

The Focus always gets raves on road tests for handling. It was designed in Europe where people demand excellent handling on their high-speed highways. My 2000 wagon (basic model) handles great. The only time my handling deteriorated was due to a tire that had sidewall damage from hitting a curb and was deflating. Your particular car may have a problem i.e. alignment, tire pressure, weak shock etc.

Reply to
Dave Gower

I'm wondering if there is something wrong with your suspension.

I also have a 2001 Focus SE wagon. I love the feel of the car on curves. I enjoyed taking one particular ramp -- marked with

35 mph yellow caution signs -- at 70 mph.

Or perhaps as your last paragraph seems to indicate, the old Ranger with a looser suspension has you unfamiliar with the responsiveness of the Focus. This unfamiliar responsiveness may be making you nervous. Unless something is wrong the Focus, it will corner

*much* better than the Range.

Reply to
Tony Wesley

In alt.autos.ford.focus Mhound :

Mh, 96 - 120 km/h sounds like creeping, wouldn't expect any problem, unless the suspension is broken or/and tire pressure is dangerous low.

At higher speeds >110 mph, my Focus (Ghia) was a bit soft. So suspension/shock absorber have been exchanged completely with a Sachs Performance kit. Lowering the Focus at about 35 mm.

Of course you'll lose lots of comfort, in exchange for handling/road stability one wouldn't expect from such a car.;)

Reply to
Michael Heiming

Well, duh! I own 96' Ranger and a 01' zx3, the Ranger is my daily driver, and the Ranger drives like a..............pickup truck. You know, going through a freeway curve at freeway speed hitting a pothole and feeling the front end becomes unglued. You shouldn't have any problems like this with the Focus, it could very well be that you've been driving the Ranger for so long you forgot what a car feels like, especially a car that handles fairly well. John Cairns

Reply to
John Cairns

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