EVERY TIME I GO TO THE MEETINGS IN JACKSONVILLE F.L. ALL I SEE IS A HONDA OR A ACURA AND EVERYONE ONE WHEN THEY SEE MY 2005 FOCUS THEIR ALL LIKE MY HONDA/ACURA WILL BEAT YOU LIKE THEIRS NOT TOMORROW YOU NEED TO GET A REAL CAR AND ALL THEY HAVE IS A WAL-MART MUFFLER AND INTAKE AND THEIR CAR IS FASTER THEN MINE AND I JUST GOT MY NEW FOCUS AND I HAVE A HEADERS,RACING CAT,FULL CAT BACK,INTAKE,AFTER MARKET ECU,LIGHT WEIGHT RACING RIMS,STAGE 3 RACING CLUTCH,AND MORE BUT NOW MY MOM HAS A CIVIC TO LIKE EVERONE ELSE THAT THINKS MY CAR IS SLOW BUT MY MOMS CAR IS STOCK AND SHE CAN BEAT THEM SO AT THE TRACK I WAS LIKEBUT ALL FORDS ARE SLOW STILL WHEN I GET LOW NINES AND THEY CANT EVEN BREAK12'S ANYONE ONE ELSE HAVING THIS PROBLEM PLEASE REPLY
You will get that quite a bit. The new focus (05+) is getting better. Off the lot the Imports tend to be a bit faster but they are tuned differantly and are also a little lighter. You gotta remember that the focus is an entry level family car not a weekend racer. Most of the cars in the same class today are about equal on the track. Some will be faster but some with turn better and than others won't do either but are so comfy you can fall asleep when driving. Honda and Acura in my bok are not really a cheap entry level car. Ya you can pick up a new Civic for a decent price but the car has been out for over 20 years and has grown up well. The Acura is just not in the same class as the Focus IMO.
There are a lot of people out there that will tell you you there car is better and faster than yours and that in order to keep up with them you need an import. Those people just see things one way. I on the other hand have respect for exerything and take it how it is. The new Chevy Cobolt for examply. The base model is as fast or really close to the Focus, but the top or the line comes stock with a Super Charger and therefor will eat most any other stock 4 cylinder on the road (exceptions are Subaru WRX/STI, Neon SRT4, act).
Don't pay any attention to what these 'ricers' say. They just like to talk a lot of smack.
I agree w/ Dan - Take your seemingly moderately modified Focus to the track and put it up against some of these hacked up Honda's & Acuras. Let them know they're comparing oranges to apples as well. You really can't compare an Acura to a Focus...it's just not in the same class of vehicle. Also, as Dan said, the tuning and build quality of these vehicles you've mentioned have had some time to grow & improve. The Focus is only 5-6 years old now...it's a teenager compared to these others.
Let them know that you can go out and get yourself set up w/ a turbo, a super charger or even slap a 8cyl into your Focus. I'd like to see them do that w/ their coffee can wearing rice buckets.
We've got your back and I know we have some other members here from Florida - Hey FLORIDA ppl - we need some G2G's set up for Focus Fans!
Keep posting cris!
____________________ Get in, Sit down, Shut up and HANG ON!
1.) What all do you have done to your Focus to run 9's?
and
2.) Do you race 1/4 mile or 1/8 mile?
I can't see a Focus running 9's in the 1/4 without a fully built engine with boost. The list of mods you gave would barely, if even, get you into the 9's in the 1/8 mile. Call me crazy, but unless you have more mods that make more power, those people that are talking smack just may be talking it because it looks to them as you don't know what you're talking about saying things like that. P.S. A Civic with a muffler, or even full exhaust for that matter, will get nowhere near the 12's in the 1/4. Those are mid 17- low 18 sec cars. L@tr0nz
____________________ 2003 Hyundai Tiburon GTV6, AEM CAI, Headers, Custom 2.5" Test Pipe-Back Exhaust, Fidanza Flywheel, Arospeed 2" Lowering Springs, Tinted Headlights and Tails. Best 1/4 mile time 15.09 @ Silverdollar Raceway, Reynolds GA
Talking about running 9's and 12's and stating 4cyl all in the same sentence makes me think 1/8 mile track.
You need quite the built up V8 to get into the 9's and a moderatly built V8 to get in the 10-12's(depending on car).
Chelly's dad is building a 600HP(about that if not over) big block 71 Camaro with spooled rear end and he is planning on the 10-12 second range 1/4 mile with that car (it's not quite finished yet).
I dunno about that. Stock GTP typically runs mid 14's. In fact I met up with another GTP owner over the weekend to help him with some troubleshooting and all he has done is an intake and some very mild exhaust work and he has time slips of low 14's. I know of two modified GTP's that are running 9's. I believe they are turbocharged as opposed to supercharged, but V6 nonetheless.
It is quite common in the Grand Prix community, particularly with the GTP, to have a somewhat mildly modified car in the 12's and 13's. There was a supercharged 3800 Buick Regal that hit the upper 11's just this last weekend and still completely streetable.
I dont know what it would take to get a 4cyl into that range but I dont think that it would be streetable if you did get it into the 9's. There are guys running turbos on the GT level Grand Prix (same motor, just N/A stock) and they are putting down close to if not more than 500hp. I believe there are already a few GTP's that are running the Whipple supercharger and are putting numbers down close to that. One of the reasons I like the 3800 motor, it just responds exceptionally well to modifications.
So I dont necessarily believe it takes a big motor to produce big numbers and low times. It certainly helps, but there are motors/cars out there capable of some very surprising results.
fx3 wrote: Talking about running 9's and 12's and stating 4cyl all in the same sentence makes me think 1/8 mile track.
You need quite the built up V8 to get into the 9's and a moderatly built V8 to get in the 10-12's(depending on car).
Chelly's dad is building a 600HP(about that if not over) big block 71 Camaro with spooled rear end and he is planning on the 10-12 second range 1/4 mile with that car (it's not quite finished yet).
____________________ My car is a synner! It uses Amsoil Synthetic Lubricants.
2001 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP
It whines a lot, but I like it
Well...for the record....04 STI. Lots of mods=520Hp on Race gas. 11's in the 1/4. Bigger Turbo, Fuel Pump, Fuel Rail, Intercooler, ECU, etc. His clutch kept him from launching in the 10's.
____________________ Captain Morgan and Dr.Pepper are my homies....
The STi seems to be the exception to just about everything 4cyl. Though it is a different class of motor as well. AWD certainly helps transferring the power to the ground. If I came up against a STi at the track I would just about write the run off. All things equal, the STi is going to put the power down faster and better than I.
I can make gobs of power but Id still have to roll into the throttle to avoid the wheel spin. Against a stock STi Id feel more comfortable and Id have to seriously take advantage of what little time there was for him to spool up because once he does he is going to be coming hard.
But the STi also proves you dont need a big motor to put down impressive results. I just wish more auto makers would use the flat head design. I love the balance that thing has.
____________________ My car is a synner! It uses Amsoil Synthetic Lubricants.
2001 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP
It whines a lot, but I like it
MY HONDA/ACURA WILL BEAT YOU LIKE THEIRS NOT TOMORROW YOU NEED TO GET A REAL CAR AND ALL THEY HAVE IS A WAL-MART MUFFLER AND INTAKE AND THEIR CAR IS FASTER THEN MINE AND I JUST GOT MY NEW FOCUS AND I HAVE A HEADERS,RACING CAT,FULL CAT BACK,INTAKE,AFTER MARKET ECU,LIGHT WEIGHT RACING RIMS,STAGE 3 RACING CLUTCH,AND MORE BUT NOW MY MOM HAS A CIVIC TO LIKE EVERONE ELSE THAT THINKS MY CAR IS SLOW BUT MY MOMS CAR IS STOCK AND SHE CAN BEAT THEM SO AT THE TRACK I WAS LIKE
BUT ALL FORDS ARE SLOW STILL WHEN I GET LOW NINES AND THEY CANT EVEN BREAK12'S ANYONE ONE ELSE HAVING THIS PROBLEM PLEASE REPLY 
