TFrog, RIP

Hey, I resent that! I've only hit redline once (okay, twice) that I know of.

And the first time I floored this thing, I almost took out a VW in the right lane. That right there helped me get a handle on torque steer right away.

I've driven many fine examples of Detroit's best efforts of the early 1970s to mid 1980s, some of which had serious problems staying between the lines under mild conditions. It's a wonder that more of my generation made it through those days than probably should have. Looking back, there were a lot of rolling death traps those days.

Some people hate seat belts, hate air bags, heck, probably even hate crumple zones. I love 'em. Give me more stuff like that! (The Focus has side air bags. Really.)

If these tires wear out soon (say, halfway through the lease), then I'm going to order a 17" wheel/tire package. If they last into the third year, I may just replace the 15" tires.

But, you're right - I do push the thing a bit. There's an exit ramp on the way to work, a 270degree turn off of one highway onto another. That's my tread depth gauge. If ever the front end starts to slide out at speed, I'll know it's time to rotate the tires.

dwight

Here is a little video of this old fart in his 2 day old ST... 100% stock...

Since then i've added an MRT exhaust and a Cobb 93 octane tune... WOOHOO!!!

The ST only comes with summer tires, so with the cold I can really only get on the throttle in the upper gears... 1st and 2nd just spin.... LOL! So here is a couple of 3rd and 4th gear pulls.. this is with the 93 octane tune...

I have to keep reminding myself that this is a FOCUS!!! LOL!

For me, making the actual decision to sell is easy because I've already spe= nt the time mulling it over, so it's more like just pulling the trigger. E= ven the mulling it over part is easy-ish, because in a way you've already m= ade your decision or you wouldn't be mulling it over, or considering it. I= t's the you've already pulled the trigger part that's tough to deal with --= the transaction part of the sale has been negotiated and you're down to th= e last days/hours/minutes of ownership. You take that last drive, think ab= out all the time you've spent together, all the memories you had, and a par= t of you wants to go stop the bullet you just fired when you pulled the tri= gger. Those fleeting moments is the toughest part. My '76 step-side and m= y LX tore me up, even my Cobra, a car I never felt I truly bonded with, was= n't easy. But once it's done, I always know it was for the best or I would= n't have done it. =20 =20

All black, love it! =20

=20 I've have heard too that Ford has made improvements to it, so it seems you'= ve been the recipient of those improvements. =20 =20

=20 =20 I've always liked the Focus -- the reason my daughter owns one. Not sure i= f you know/remember for her [1st-gen] we installed the SVT suspension kit. = It was cheap, and it worked! I wonder if they'll offer a similar kit for = your generation. =20

=20

You brought up a dog. I'll say this, I hope it doesn't come across as hars= h, but I've found cars are like dogs. When you have a good one and you los= e it, there isn't a better way to get over it than to get a new puppy. At = some point you'll find your new puppy, and when you do life will be complet= e again. . =20 =20

Still be cool to try them though, right? =20

The upside to 15s, low[er] replacement costs =3D more fun. =20

I too can't wait to see the 2015. I love my '11, but like you I think it's= time for all-new. Retro has played out as far as it can be played. =20

I hoping you're in a new Mustang in a couple/few years. =20

Side note: What do you think of the all-new Vette? (Me... I love it!) Whi= le the C6 was a marked improvement over the C5, Chevy really needed to make= a more drastic change, and i think they've done well with the C7. I'm anx= ious to see a new one on the road. =20

Patrick

Here is a little video of this old fart in his 2 day old ST... 100% stock...

Since then i've added an MRT exhaust and a Cobb 93 octane tune... WOOHOO!!!

The ST only comes with summer tires, so with the cold I can really only get on the throttle in the upper gears... 1st and 2nd just spin.... LOL! So here is a couple of 3rd and 4th gear pulls.. this is with the 93 octane tune...

I have to keep reminding myself that this is a FOCUS!!! LOL!

- - - - -

I like the way you bounced off the rev limiter. It's weird - your interior looks almost exactly like mine, but mine sure doesn't SOUND like that. Where the hell did you have the mike?

AND, by the way, I didn't "get on" the car until it had passed 1,000 miles. Now, hah, it's kinda fun to make this little fuel-sipping economy car fly. Not an ST, for sure, but it'll get up and go when pushed.

:()

From what little I've seen, it's hard not to love the new Vette. I've seen the diehards express disappointment (what?!?), as if the rather non-dramatic changes are overly dramatic. But it's a damn good-looking new generation. I'll take one in black.

And, of COURSE my new no-option Focus is all black. Except that it's not an ebony black paint, but a "Tuxedo Black" - think black sprinkled generously with tiny glitter. It's strange, but I kinda sorta somewhat like it. I absolutely love the black interior. I don't have that choose-your-color ambient lighting (like SOME Focus owners in my family), but I think some green lighting would really ...uh... shine.

But that would be an option.

dwight

The ST comes with the Sound Symposer! LOL! Ford pipes the intake/engine s= ound into the cabin. There are a set of valves that control and amplify cer= tain frequency's... Some people call it fake and hate it... personally I r= eally like it and the MRT exhaust really seems to compliment it. Still can'= t believe the audible enjoyment I'm getting from this 4 cylinder! ;)

More on the Sound Symposer:

The ST also features an "Over-Rev" feature.. The ST will allow you to go pa= st the red line a couple of hundred RPM for 3 seconds and then the ECU will= enforce the lower rev-limit..

Tuxedo Black... WOW!!! Talk about the most colorful metallic factory paint = I've ever seen! I bout an F-250 two years ago that is Tuxedo Black. First = time I seen it was in the shop getting prepped... I thought ok, it's a nice= black... BUT then they pulled it out into the sunshine! OMG! Could not bel= ieve all the colors! Was very surprised!

=20

I thought Ford did the same thing with the current 5.0 Mustang, because the interior is "too quiet." Engine sounds are piped in through the firewall, or some such... After 19 years with my old 5.0, I'm enjoying the quiet of the Focus cabin, although I get plenty of the good sound when the revs are up.

Yeah, "bouncing off the redline" was probably not the best way to put that. On my first launch, I managed to go well into the red, and the result was a feeling that the car was stalling/bucking a bit. Significant power dropoff before I took the hint and shifted. Seemed to me that my fuel mileage suffered for the remainder of that tankful, but that may have been my imagination.

It's different, I'll say that. Almost gives a third dimension to the paint. Looks really sharp when the car is clean, but black when the sun goes down. A glitter car... Shades of Rainbow Brite and My Little Pony.

dwight

I hear tell that's true. After six months in a 2013 5.0 M6 Brembo 3.73,

16 is more realistic. We did one 200-mile trip to Idyllwild-on-the-mountain the first day we had it, and saw the edges of 24 for a while. It wants to go 110 MPH every time I get in it, and Saturday at the autocross practice the 15.4 declined only to 14.9 after seven 80-second runs. "If ya keep your foot out of it" is for super-humans; I try, and try, and try, but can't.