I own a Malibu Blue 5sp. ZX3 and while I absolutely love the car, I must admit that Ford's first year quality has been less than exemplary. I don't have any problems with the fit and finish and/or squeaks and rattles but the car has been recalled four separate times and has required a new injector and a throttle body aside from those. I still think the Focus is the best small car on the market (I drove them all before getting the ZX3) but I was wondering if any other owners out there have experienced the same woes.<br>I hesitate to customize the car because of the implications of voiding the warranty. I would really hate to eat an expensive repair.

If you get the Ford motor company to install the aftermarket product on the Focus then the warranty is safe. I had the Ford motor company put a short shift kit on my Focus and three weeks later the transmission failed. Well I took it back up to the Ford place and they gave me a new transmission. I also have a friend who owns a Mustang GT and he had them put a aftermarket rear end, aftermarket intake, short shift kit, and some racing headers, and about a day after all this was done his engine locked up and they replaced it for free. So don't worry about the warranty if your getting them to do it, but if you do it yourself or get someone other then a Ford certified machanic then the warranty will probably be void. I hope I help you out.