I think, if you lay horsepower aside, that in many respects they are similar cars. Both are nimble and fun to drive and have a fairly large aftermarket support.
I dont know the exact stats but I believe the SRT-4 has in the area of 250hp vs. the SVT's 170. So you are loosing some power but you also dont have the forced induction. If you were to slap a turbo on the SVT I think you would have a fairly equal car in regards to the numbers.
I certainly dont think the SVT is going to cost you anywhere near in insurance that the SRT-4 will but there are a lot of factors involved there such as driving record, the safety record of the car and so on.
Ive owned a Neon beofre with the DOHC motor and I thouroughly enjoyed the car aside from its size and Ive owned a Focus as well though not the SVT. From a personal perspective I would choose the Focus over the Neon only because the Focus offered some specifics that I wanted such as more ground clearance, hatchback and such. Im a storm chaser and the Neon did well but the ground clearance was an issue and ultimately the cause of the Neons demise. The Focus had a bit more ground clearance and hatchback and fold down seats allowed me to keep all my gear in the car where I had access to it without having to get into the trunk.
They dont make the SVT anymore and I think the last year they were available is 2004. However, you can usually find them easy enough and with fairly low miles. Be sure, though, that it has had all the updates to the ECU.
As for responding to mods, well I dont know that the SVT will respond as 'drastically' as the SRT-4 would and that simply a matter of the SRT-4 being turbocharged. Because of that forced induction you are more apt to get larger gains than you would from a naturally aspirated engine. There's also more you can do to a turbocharged motor because things like heat reduction, BOV's and so on greatly enhance the boost you can make and thus power.
The SVT gets good mileage, has a good reliability record and still remains in the top tier of power output of naturally aspirated 4 cyl. motors. If you got a good deal on one and were to lower your payments and insurance costs enough you could easily save up for a supercharger or turbocharger for the SVT, throw in some stage 2 cams and a good exhaust and intake and be making some very respectable power. If it were me I would go with a centrifugal style supercharger. Ive never been a huge fan of turbos because of the heat they generate, the complexity in installation and so forth. You may not get quite the power out of a supercharger that you will from a turbo, but my thought is that if Im going to add power in that maner then I want some durability and simplicity. You will obviously need access to some type of tuning ability to dial everything in but that shouldnt be a big deal.
Anyway, there's my long winded perspective for your consideration, hope it helps out.
____________________ My car is a synner! It uses Amsoil Synthetic Lubricants.
2001 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP
It whines a lot, but I like it
i have been reading now about the svts and im coming to find out that they have alternator problems, trannys problems, and soo forth...people that ive talked to said that their car was at the dealer 3 times every month getting something different fixed each time...
any1 willing to argue the issue of the problems with this car ???
I don't own an SVT, but I would highly recommend owning a ZX3 Zetec and especially a 2.3 Duratec ZX3 or the new 2005 ST.
My reasons - More modifications are avail. and the cost can be less to own.
A used SVT has maintained the value, but as you have mentioned there are several owners here on this site who have experienced the clutch problems (not exactly sure what tranny problems you're speaking of though)
From my standpoint I would recommend seeking out one of the 2003 2.3 Duratec cars to save on cash and get an engine that can be modded inexpensively for the most part and get loads of bang for that buck.
I was able to keep up w/ a Ford GT (don't think the driver had the cahones in him to push it more, but I kept up until my speed limiter hit me in 4th gear on a completely stock, highly restricted 2.3 duratec PZEV engine. I'm very happy w/ the power in this over the Zetec engines, but I would do more research to see exactly what it is you are looking for.
Also, just as an aside note you can bolt on SVT parts to a stock ZX3 so suspension and many other pieces can be added to a plain jane Focus...just food for thought.
I personally wouldn't pay the extra cost for an SVT, but that is just me talking...many ppl. LOVE their SVT.
Last edited on Tue May 2nd, 2006 03:09 pm by Chelly03PZEV
____________________ Get in, Sit down, Shut up and HANG ON!
The only such issue I am aware of is the clutch. I have a customer that owns a SVT and the only major issue he had was with the dual stage intake controller, which Ive heard of a few people having, but it was covered under warranty and it seems to me there is a TSB out on that that was supposed to correct the issue.
One other vehicle you could check out that is along the same line as the SVT focus is the Toyota Matrix XRS. I believe it has the same power levels of the SVT and Ive hear of a lot of good things about the durability of their automatic tranny (though it is available in a 6spd too).
I know with my ZX3 and its automatic I would have never added a supercharger or turbo without doing some serious beefing up of the tranny just because it is so close to design limits in its stock form. I thouroughly believed that if I had put on a supercharger that thing would have puked parts all down the highway. The manual trannies dont seem to suffer from this and have much more capability but then the clutch comes into play. However there are several aftermarket options that address those issues.
With any vehicle, if I hear of specific issues with it, particularly transmission issues I give strong consideration to driving habits. If you do a lot WOT runs or tire squealing then the tranny is going to take the brunt of that abuse and is either going to have issues early on or needs to be beefed up. So be sure to keep that in mind. That may not be the result in every case out there but Id be willing to bet it played a role in a majority of them.
Also keep in mind, when a car comes off the assembly line it is generally build to appeal to large and diverse consumer. While a performance enthisist may want slightly harder hitting shifts (in an automatic it means less wear and heat) or torque to break the tires loose, the general consumer is more after reliability, looks and probably now days, mileage.
So while the SVT, SRT-4, Matrix XRS are more for the enthusist, they are still build for a large and diverse consumer population. Unlike vehicles like the Ford GT, Lotus, Ferrari and so on that have a more specific consumer in mind.
i have been reading now about the svts and im coming to find out that they have alternator problems, trannys problems, and soo forth...people that ive talked to said that their car was at the dealer 3 times every month getting something different fixed each time...
any1 willing to argue the issue of the problems with this car ???
____________________ My car is a synner! It uses Amsoil Synthetic Lubricants.
2001 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP
It whines a lot, but I like it
Oh, I thought I would throw this in here too. The car I currently own (see signature) I bought and my insurance only went up like $20 over my Focus.
Now, I am a bit older (30 something), I have a good driving record (only one accident in my life when I crashed my Firebird) and I have a TON of defensive driving classes to my name from work related and military training. I get around 31 - 32 mpg on the highway, around 21 or so in the city and about 25 combined. The 3800 V6 is a VERY capable and responsive motor coupled with a heavy duty tranny, so Im enjoying it immensely.
I am a Pontiac fan at heart, have been long before I started driving. My Neon and Focus were a departure from what I have normally bought and I dont regret either one. I would buy either one of those cars again. The Focus I loved but when I got married I just needed more room but didnt want to give up performance.
So, depending on what your goals and plans are for your next vehicle, I would seriously sit down and list on paper, without any particular vehicle in mine, what it is you want then, THEN, go looking for a car. The one that matches up best is going to be the one you want to get.
Give each thing that is important to you a scale of 1 -5 or 1 - 10, it doesnt matter and rate each thing that you want on that scale, then total up each one and that is the weight and total of your considerations. Then go and shop for a car. Rate each car on the scale of your list and then total it up. The one closest to your list is going to be the car to consider. Trust me, it works. It may seem lame, but its the only way you can separate your enthusiasm for a particular car from practicality. Theres nothing wrong with enthusiasm, but if the car doesnt meet your practical needs then when the enthusiasm wears off you are stuck with a car you dont like and are less likely to take care of.
____________________ My car is a synner! It uses Amsoil Synthetic Lubricants.
2001 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP
It whines a lot, but I like it
All around i would have to go with the SVT...No offence I like the SRT-4 and everything. But to me their just a faster version of a Neon...and we all know how those go.
The SRT-4 probably has more then im really seeing. But to me its just a little more upgraded then a neon. Im not to impressed by it.
I know it sounds wierd but
Neon-SRT-4
Is like going from a Civc to a Civic Si.
Im not impressed by either one on the long term effect.
Yep, the 2.3's (non-PZEV) have 155hp and with a couple hundred bucks your at the 170 of the SVT. Of course it dosen't have the limited slip but it can be added. and the 5 speed and 6 speed are geared just about equal.
