# sentra vs focus zx3?



## dschrier (May 6, 2002)

Since I'll be graduating this spring, I will start looking for my first car. I would love to get a spec-v but realistically I can't afford it. How do the zx3 and the sentra compare in performace? The zx3 has slighty higher hp and tq ratings but the sentra base model is cheaper. The focus does have lots of aftermarket support too. What do you guys think? Obviously the repsonses are going to be skewed towards the sentra but....aside from your love of nissan what are the facts?


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## crazy4myb14 (Jan 20, 2003)

there have been alot of recalls on the focus. 2 of my friends have zx3's and to tell u the truth... they aint that bad. i beat both of em with my se-r. it's true they both have alot of aftermarket support but alot of punks have been buying focuses and u gotta think bout theft too! sentras are nice too although ive never driven the base model... im sure it's a very good economy car. in my opinion i think i would go for the zx3 over the base sentra coz of the fact that they handle way better than the sentra and alot of aftermarket support.

Ben


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## dschrier (May 6, 2002)

Not that it matters, more just out of curiosity, but does anyone have 0-60 or 1/4 times for the base sentra and zx3? Also, which would be cheaper to insure, I would think they'd be about the same. My dad bought a focus s2, a limited edition zx3 with the european suspension. Compared to my 90 sentra, which is about the only car I've ever driven, it is pretty nice.


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## crazy4myb14 (Jan 20, 2003)

my friends zx's ran low 17 high 16's with hks exhaust, aem cai and short shifter. they maybe slow in 1/4 times but they handle awesome.


Ben


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## OmegaManEX (Oct 4, 2002)

base sentra(xe): 126 hp , 128 tq, $12,099
-- 4 doors, heavier, nissan, kind of weird looking (back)
-- aftermarket support growing : a little bit bigger than the B14's
-- so far no big recalls

focus zx3: 130 hp, 135 tq, $13,280
-- 3 doors, light, ford, looks cool (IMO)
-- big aftermarket support
-- headers, intakes, exhausts, bodykits etc..
-- many recalls for minor probs (its a ford)

IMO, i say get a sentra GXE and make it look like a specV  ... I have driven both cars and the focus is definately more fun and feels alot faster, and i ride in my friends focus almost everyday. But it just feels soo weird in that bubbly interior(its almost as bad as the VW bug). In the sentra it feel comfortable and natural, like in any other toyota honda or nissan.

i guess in the end its just up to your tastes cause the cars are about equal in value.


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## JustMe (Jan 24, 2003)

I had one of the first zx3's in my area I traded in my b14 200sx for it....and my reaction was simple.. what the f*ck was I thinking


The focus does put down higher numbers stock, but it definately does not put those to the ground. The 200 pulled harder even with comprable mods to both cars. The zx3 did not react well to mods. Not to mention in the short time I had my zx3 I was never happy with how it ran, it had what felt like a gaping hole in the fuel curve which caused all kinds of hesitation when driven hard. Of course the dealer could not "reproduce the problem" so I guess I was smoking crack as far as they were concerned. As far as recalls, yes there were lots. The one big plus of the focus was it handeled very well, you could throw that car all over the place and it would not even flinch. But a few mods to my 200 and it handeled just about as good, and with the lower stance of the 200 you didn't feel like you were driving a bus  

In the end it's your car and you have to drive it, but my advise is stay away from the zx3.


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## sentravis (Jul 7, 2002)

two things... [justme]- you may want to pay attention and see if you ever are burnin oil.. check behind you when makin hard turns and see if it ever blows black or grey smoke.. if this is true.. then you may have a blown gasket.. or it could simply be that your power curve doesnt react well to those mods you have done.. Remember people.. unless you really look hard and read up on your mods.. you not really "ADDING HRP and TORQUE" your simply just moving your powerband around.. sometimes people think that when you add basic bolt ons that it will add those.. and it actually SOMETIMES can only kill and lose numbers.. in almost al cases.. you will lose good low end power and gain High power.. and in cases the loss of low power is very minimal compared to the High end power you gain.. but anyways.. 

about the focus.. i have owned two probes.. Ford.. and not that the probe is a good example of reliablity.. but.... other than the tranny.. the engine of the probe was very good.. does anyone know if ford is still manufacturing cars in the mazda plants? or did they stop that ? because all of fords cars pretty much had mazda engines.. probe being a good example. i loved my probes.. but they had serious issues.. and they are junk.. but the engine was good.. [put up with my abuse]. now concerning the Ford Focus.. well.. IMO. the Fords just wont last as long as a Nissan will.. if you could get a 200sx ser.. or sentra se.. then you would be better off than either the b14 ga16de OR the focus.. after reading and learning about some things.. in the end.. [and most would agree] that the sr20 is one of the damn most strongest inline 4 cylinders ever produced in the world.. Travis


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## Guest (Mar 23, 2003)

zx3 have lots of problems, my friends got one and had 12 recalls on it already..Im not sure if they were all recalls, but i know he has had to take it back 12 times in the lsat 3 months (its only 3 months old)


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## OmegaManEX (Oct 4, 2002)

CiVicEaTin200sX said:


> *zx3 have lots of problems, my friends got one and had 12 recalls on it already..Im not sure if they were all recalls, but i know he has had to take it back 12 times in the lsat 3 months (its only 3 months old) *


my friend who drives a focus sedan has been recalled to the dealer 6 times, all for electrical accessory probs. and so far all the people i know with focus's have bad idle with the stock sparkplug wires


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## sno (Oct 4, 2002)

imo... the focus is the UGLIEST car ever made. it looks like a mini mini-van.


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## JustMe (Jan 24, 2003)

sno said:


> *imo... the focus is the UGLIEST car ever made. it looks like a mini mini-van. *


HAHA Have you seen the ZX5? They took a bad design and made it WORSE by adding 2 more doors....


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## hagasan (Aug 5, 2002)

I don't know about the ZX3...but the SVT Focus seems like a nice ride. Also most of the bugs have seemed to been worked out.

But I'm a Ford fan...so I would propably be willing to live with some of the faults for exchage for that SVT badge. Hehe...

I did hear the SVT handles excellent....better than the SE-R Spec V...


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