Hi just got a 1.8 year 2000 focus after my old car got written off, and generaly i love it.

I owned a 2002 focas untill 4 years ago and to be back in one is great, back to the nice well weighted steering i so missed.

Anyways just had a quiery on the suspension settings. It could be me but i thought that with it being a zetec model, it would have sports suspension. However the thing im finding is it leans around corners quite a bit more then im used to, maybie its partly becouse ive come from a mini and they are quite kart like.

If it doesnt have sports suspension, then can i easly upgrade it and is this expensive?

Also same sort of thing with the breaks - very spongy, i think again im used to disks all round. can i easly upgrade this?

Dont mean to sound like im slagging the car off, im not i love it, its just i feel like it lets itself down in these only two area's

Thanks Richard

Hi and welcome to the club.

I can understand what you mean as the Mini is very good handling car. I would think the best way to upgrade would be to buy ST170 parts and replace yours with.

cheers for quick reply, yeah thats what i was starting to think think aswell, the mini's a great handleing car, the thing is i think the focus gives you better feedback in its steering feel and prefer it becouse of this, its just the body roll and bad brakes.

When i had my escort van i put Greenstuff brake pads in and it made a hell of a lot of difference. But others have tried it in other cars and had not a lot of gains so it may be worth a try.

The zetec focus does indeed have slightly stiffer springs. Could be that as its an 8 year old car they are a bit tired and saggy. Might just need new springs pal.

well it could be that its 8 years old, but im beginning to think that its standard suspension as parkers said that they only put sports suspension after may 2000, and nine was registered in feb of that year. Its only done 44,000 miles

What im gunna do is set aside about £500 - 1000 and revamp it, as it was gunna be a short term car after my mini got written off but as i like it so much im gunna keep it, and the way i see it will save me money from depreciation if i keep it for 2-3 years if i have to spend the money on doing it up well its a small price to pay

well it could be that its 8 years old, but im beginning to think that its standard suspension as parkers said that they only put sports suspension after may 2000, and nine was registered in feb of that year. Its only done 44,000 miles

What im gunna do is set aside about £500 - 1000 and revamp it, as it was gunna be a short term car after my mini got written off but as i like it so much im gunna keep it, and the way i see it will save me money from depreciation if i keep it for 2-3 years if i have to spend the money on doing it up well its a small price to pay

Rather than put ST springs on it why not drop it 40mm (ST is 30mm) and get some aftermarket springs for it and get it lowered. Will cost no more than £200 fitted if you shop around or do it yourself and less than £100

cheers yeah thats an idea, ill think on that one the only thing im bothered about is allthough i like a firm ride and wont mind it firmer, will if make it too firm if i dont uprate the springs?

It'll be a firmer ride with the aftermarket springs on pal but equally with new standard springs on its guaranteed to be firmer than it is at present. It'll probably cost you less for a set of lowering springs (£90 ish + fitting) than for std Ford ones (my brother paid £50+ some change for just 1!!!then fitting on top)