The 02 Focus is a car that if I had paid a lot of money for (or as a new vehicle) I'd be pretty ashamed of myself. I'll give the designers credit for excellent visibility and ergonomic design but how about "focusing" on the mechanicals. (I long for the Escort days when Ford's partnership with Mazda produced some pretty amazing compacts. How about constant vibration, brakes that don't last and electrical gremlins (Particularily those annoying door locks) that apparently kept secret warranties in business at Ford for this generation's entire life span. If you are that focused on Ford, consider a later generation (post 2007).

The Pathfinder is a great example of Japanese technology again trumping the domestic brands. With a durable 3.5litre engine and tough transmission, the Pathfinder proves itself in longevity over several other domestic brands I have owned in the past. WIth well over 350,000 km. on the odometer & no major repair bills, this SUV well definitely have me considering another for the time when it needs to be replaced. My hope is that in later generations, they solve the rust prone fenders, window trim, rims and tailgate issues and keep the drive & engine compartments in tact!