StandardShift.com

So Ford seems to not offer the Focus with a manual transmission anymore. Not only that, but all their "Non sport" options like the 1.0L Ecoboost motor is only available on the sedan.

I don't get it...

Sedan has a manual in S and SE trim.

Hatch has one in ST and RS trim.

Ecoboost does appear to be sedan-only but the 2.0L is available in the hatch.

They've long seemed not totally committed to manuals. F-150 lost its around 2005 after having it relegated to regular cab V6s with the 2004 redesign. The heavier pickups lost theirs around 2011. Even their medium duties don't offer the 7-speed anymore.

Some of the packaging requirements will be costs of developing, certifying, and maintaining the logistical footprint for low-volume configurations. Some will be because dealers don't want to stock them and don't want to special order things when they think they could sell what's on the lot.

IMBoring25 wrote:Sedan has a manual in S and SE trim.

Hatch has one in ST and RS trim.

Ecoboost does appear to be sedan-only but the 2.0L is available in the hatch.

They've long seemed not totally committed to manuals. F-150 lost its around 2005 after having it relegated to regular cab V6s with the 2004 redesign. The heavier pickups lost theirs around 2011. Even their medium duties don't offer the 7-speed anymore.

Some of the packaging requirements will be costs of developing, certifying, and maintaining the logistical footprint for low-volume configurations. Some will be because dealers don't want to stock them and don't want to special order things when they think they could sell what's on the lot.

It would be a different world if dealerships carried no inventory and ALL vehicles were ordered by the purchasers.

...and don't get me started on how much would be different if NOBODY had medical care insurance. Much the same can be said for dental care insurance, optical care insurance and...vehicle collision repair insurance.

When you pay bills out of your own pocket, you tend to question what things will cost up-front. Take that broken leg to get three quotes on what it will cost to set it. They won't have new furniture in the waiting room each time you go there anymore if they are quoting low to get your business.

Rope-Pusher wrote:...and don't get me started on how much would be different if NOBODY had medical care insurance. Much the same can be said for dental care insurance, optical care insurance and...vehicle collision repair insurance.

When you pay bills out of your own pocket, you tend to question what things will cost up-front. Take that broken leg to get three quotes on what it will cost to set it. They won't have new furniture in the waiting room each time you go there anymore if they are quoting low to get your business.

An astoundingly huge improvement could happen even if medical insurance worked similarly to the way that vehicle collision repair insurance or homeowners insurance currently works. If it was only for disasters we'd get basically the same result, but with a safety net.

Of course we can follow that to its various other effects, such as people not getting stuff treated when it's minor...nothing's perfect, but the whole thing is pretty far out of hand as it stands.

theholycow wrote: Of course we can follow that to its various other effects, such as people not getting stuff treated when it's minor...nothing's perfect, but the whole thing is pretty far out of hand as it stands.

Precisely!

Phude Four Thaut:

As long as we aren't paying all or a significant portion of our medical bills, we tend not to question if there isn't a less expensive treatment available.
If we were voting with our wallets, might medical treatment be "free if we can't cure you" (like lawyers that only get paid out of lawsuit settlements as compared to lawyers who bill by the hour no matter what the outcome may be), or it might there be a cost competition in the medical community, or might someone honestly tell you to "Put a piece of black electrical tape over your heart monitor readout, because there is no cost-effective way to fix you"?

Speaking of catastrophic medical bills, I once heard that 90% of all the money spent on your healthcare during your lifetime is spent in the last 90 days of your life. That's kinda saying that at the very end, you are in a horsepillow and they TRY all sorts of treatments, no matter what the cost, but you are going to die anyway.

If you were sitting at the end of your life and they told you for $250K (out of your own pocket) they might be able to extend your life another 90 days, but only after 30 or 40 days of ghastly treatments, would you pay the money, or would you chose to forego the treatment and pass your savings on to loved ones, decendents, friends, or even a favorite charity? If it's a medical insurance company's money, you might be more likely to have the treatment than if it was your money.

Rope-Pusher wrote:

theholycow wrote: If you were sitting at the end of your life and they told you for $250K (out of your own pocket) they might be able to extend your life another 90 days, but only after 30 or 40 days of ghastly treatments, would you pay the money, or would you chose to forego the treatment and pass your savings on to loved ones, decendents, friends, or even a favorite charity? If it's a medical insurance company's money, you might be more likely to have the treatment than if it was your money.

Would pass the money along, down, to others for sure.

My first hospital overnight stay was pretty costly. Without insurance it was actually quoted to be in the ballpark range of $25,000-$30,000 for all of the tests, stay, and medications provided. With insurance I lump summed it out of pocket in the amount of $2,100. I wonder how someone who didn't have insurance would just be able to handle these costs.

Focus making the base engines with the 5 speed in low trim sedan only- can't really fault Ford there (and I fault them ALOT). They have the sportier variants in stick form only within the hatches... pretty much anyone whose buying a 5 speed base Focus is probably trying to save money and get out cheap.

I wouldn't say though that Ford has totally de-attached themselves from manual transmission or at least no more than any other brand has. Out of the big 3 for domestic they are probably the most committed with the ST models. FCA pretty much won't be building sedans anymore by 2018-2019 and Chevy doesn't have truly sporty compact/subcompacts. Fiesta ST and Focus ST both have been confirmed re-up's for next generations. If they truly wanted to be bold though they could have a one off stick in maybe a Taurus SHO or Fusion "Sport". That would really stir things up.

Teamwork wrote:...Fusion "Sport"!! That would really stir things up!!
https://youtu.be/rhsAGID9rjA

ftfy

There's no more cost at this stage of the game. They had the manual since the facelift in 2012. It's just marketing. If you want the hatch you're stuck with the ST and the RS.