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[Vamps]

Master Vamps is looking at a 1.6 Focus, think it is an 08 plate, is there anything specific that he (me) should look for, car has done less that 30k miles and is ex Motability so full service history etc..

[Lazydocker]

Personally I would say don't!

[Vamps]

Personally I would say don't!

Oh dear, why is that? is he better off looking for an Astra? or any suggestions for a car in this bracket, bare in mind he is only 19 but not a' boy racer'.......

[Auto Addict]

Astra

[tidla]

Personally I would say don't!

more detail please.

power steer pipe unions?

[JamesV6CDX]

I regularly drive many focus diesel estates, between 56/07 and '60' plate.  They spend theit life getting thrashed and thrown around, and seem bullet proof. Nice to drive. Bit of turbo lag, but still make good progress. Comfy driving position, good clutch uptake and gearchange. Faults are rear suspension going soft, and a little skippy, but the michelin primacy's might not be helping. Outstanding economy, I would own one happily, if I wasn't so in love with the mig!

[Lazydocker]

Personally I would say don't!

Oh dear, why is that? is he better off looking for an Astra? or any suggestions for a car in this bracket, bare in mind he is only 19 but not a' boy racer'.......

I just find anything with a Blue Oval overpriced and under-specced when compared with other marques

TBH, it is purely my bias that steers me away from them... There are better cars in that size for the same money

[feeutfo]

Don't LPG it. Apparently...?

[Lazydocker]

Don't LPG it. Apparently...?

Nope... I wouldn't LPG any Ford as they are prone to VSR due to the soft seats

[albitz]

Handling is rather shockin - one reason not to let a young testosterone fulled lad loose in one. They also fall apart quite easily ime.
Seen a 3 year old, 53000 mile diesel version blow the turbo (shaft snapped) and blow the contents of the sump out the exhaust.
Imo Ford make piss poor cars these days.

[feeutfo]

My old mondeo was poor. Worn out by 90(?)k. Breases and creaks in the car, notchy steering rack, failed plug leads x2 in the cars history, worn out seats. Although I found the handling and brakes to my liking tbh. Within the realms of front wheel drive of course. Corner speed was good IMO. Although hopeless point and squirt style. Ride was ok too. quite the opposite of what old groomer will tell you no doubt.

[Vamps]

Handling is rather shockin - one reason not to let a young testosterone fulled lad loose in one. They also fall apart quite easily ime.
Seen a 3 year old, 53000 mile diesel version blow the turbo (shaft snapped) and blow the contents of the sump out the exhaust.
Imo Ford make piss poor cars these days.

Worse than the Vectra??............

[feeutfo]

Handling is rather shockin - one reason not to let a young testosterone fulled lad loose in one. They also fall apart quite easily ime.
Seen a 3 year old, 53000 mile diesel version blow the turbo (shaft snapped) and blow the contents of the sump out the exhaust.
Imo Ford make piss poor cars these days.

Worse than the Vectra??............

I very much doubt it.

[albitz]

No experience of Vectras (thankfully) Vamps, so cant comment on that. Didnt take a lot of pressing on to seriously tie the chassis in knots though.

[Darth Loo-knee]

Mike one mans meat is another poison comes to mind.........

Personally I would have a look for a focus forum to tell you their issues....as there are bound to be some like every car..
I wonder why it was rated best car a couple of years running if it was so crap?

[Vamps]

OK Speak, to me, is there any real reason why an sensible no Yuppy boy racer should not buy a Focus?
Forget badge envy as Ford has always been better that Vauxhall for 40 years, at least, the exception being the Senator, over the Granada at the time.........
He has an Astra and it is crap..........like my last Omega....

[sticka_v8_init]

I regularly drive many focus diesel estates, between 56/07 and '60' plate.  They spend theit life getting thrashed and thrown around, and seem bullet proof. Nice to drive. Bit of turbo lag, but still make good progress. Comfy driving position, good clutch uptake and gearchange. Faults are rear suspension going soft, and a little skippy, but the michelin primacy's might not be helping. Outstanding economy, I would own one happily, if I wasn't so in love with the mig!

+1    Handles better than an Astra without those bloody annoying flick...flick....flick oh forget it it indicators!

[Vamps]

Mike one mans meat is another poison comes to mind.........

Personally I would have a look for a focus forum to tell you their issues....as there are bound to be some like every car..
I wonder why it was rated best car a couple of years running if it was so crap?

Thanks Daz, all I want is for him to have a reliable, sensible car that he can use without, hopefully, any problems, unlike his current car......

[Darth Loo-knee]

I would let him have what he likes mate, every car has problems. Ford parts I dont think are expensive.. Plus loads of parts

I must add though I will get our eldest a 206 Hdi as its £30 a year road tax, plus 56 mpg... I have had two, insurance not bad either unless he wanted a Gti which insurance is silly money...

[Darth Loo-knee]

Mike one mans meat is another poison comes to mind.........

Personally I would have a look for a focus forum to tell you their issues....as there are bound to be some like every car..
I wonder why it was rated best car a couple of years running if it was so crap?

Thanks Daz, all I want is for him to have a reliable, sensible car that he can use without, hopefully, any problems, unlike his current car......

I know what you mean Mike, we all actually want that...but the reality is you never know what your buying. Look at your Omega for eg..... Full service history etc etc but gave you nothing but trouble.
Listen for knocking both in the engine and suspension, check the brake disc should be able to see them, brake and let go of the steering see if it pulls..... The usual stuff mate

[Vamps]

I would let him have what he likes mate, every car has problems. Ford parts I dont think are expensive.. Plus loads of parts

I must add though I will get our eldest a 206 Hdi as its £30 a year road tax, plus 56 mpg... I have had two, insurance not bad either unless he wanted a Gti which insurance is silly money...

A car to be considered, further discussion needed.......

[Vamps]

Mike one mans meat is another poison comes to mind.........

Personally I would have a look for a focus forum to tell you their issues....as there are bound to be some like every car..
I wonder why it was rated best car a couple of years running if it was so crap?

Thanks Daz, all I want is for him to have a reliable, sensible car that he can use without, hopefully, any problems, unlike his current car......

I know what you mean Mike, we all actually want that...but the reality is you never know what your buying. Look at your Omega for eg..... Full service history etc etc but gave you nothing but trouble.
Listen for knocking both in the engine and suspension, check the brake disc should be able to see them, brake and let go of the steering see if it pulls..... The usual stuff mate

Having calmed him down this time gives me the chance to go back to basics, the garage he has found his potential car in is a main dealer that i have bought from previously, need to check out the car.......

[adey2]

my missis had a focus 1.6, cam belts a pig to change as bottom pulley doesnt have a woodruff key and is held in place by tension of bottom pulley bolt  if the zetec engine, i found out when hers came loose and destroyed engine, also found the steering very twitchy, after new engine fitted i got rid asap and part chopped on a toyota hilux for her, costs a lot less in damaged wheels too as she does like her curbs lol

[feeutfo]

OK Speak, to me, is there any real reason why an sensible no Yuppy boy racer should not buy a Focus?
Forget badge envy as Ford has always been better that Vauxhall for 40 years, at least, the exception being the Senator, over the Granada at the time.........
He has an Astra and it is crap..........like my last Omega....

Speak as I find Vamps. Always.
Not worked on a focus. But have driv... well, as said.
Any model will have the odd bag egg though.

Actually no, I have worked on a focus. Cam belt. Usual front wheel drive Argo with access, although better than most. Cheap locking kit, odd, but cheap.

[D]

An 08 Focus will be a reasonable buy. Parts are very cheap and dealer servicing is very competitive. Handling is much better than that piece of shite Astra.
Build quality is similar to that of an Astra or any other mass produced budget car. Plus you will probably be able to sell it easier than an astra when the time comes to move on.

[pscocoa]

No real issues with the Focus - wife had a 1.6 from 2002 to 2007 and put 70000 miles on without major hiccups. Daughter has had an 08 plate 1.6 Titanium for 2 years now and only issue has been air conditioning condensor which failed at rivets.

I have heard people talk about the need to regas the aircon on the Focus more often than other cars but worth checking out.

[I_want_an_Omega]

We are on our 3rd Focus and love them 

There is an excellent Forum - FFOC where you will get all the help you want.

Spares are good value and as long as the oil is changed regularly then no probs.

Hope this helps - Rob

[TheBoy]

I regularly drive many focus diesel estates, between 56/07 and '60' plate.  They spend theit life getting thrashed and thrown around, and seem bullet proof. Nice to drive. Bit of turbo lag, but still make good progress. Comfy driving position, good clutch uptake and gearchange. Faults are rear suspension going soft, and a little skippy, but the michelin primacy's might not be helping. Outstanding economy, I would own one happily, if I wasn't so in love with the mig!

+1    Handles better than an Astra without those bloody annoying flick...flick....flick oh forget it it indicators!

Focus from around 2005 also have the lane changing indicators

[TheBoy]

We had a Focus for about 2yrs.  One of only 2 cars we've ever owned between us that we hated (other being an 86 Belmont). Couldn't wait to get rid of it.

Mrs TB always complained that she never felt safe driving it. I found it to be utterly gutless (1.6, Mrs TB's brother had a 1.8 which suffered all the same issues as ours, but felt more like a 1.6), inconsistent handling (you could try the same corner 100 times and not consistently get it on the apex), and prone to inconsistences under heavy braking, including a extreme tendency to lock up (non ABS model). It was also too small (bearing in mind our other car at the time, a Rover 1.6 25 (which we still have), had a far bigger boot (though less headroom for rear passengers). The Rover was faster, managed corners, and could stop. And was far better specced, and was more reliable.

Ours also had a cutting out fault that Ford never cured in the 2yrs we had it.

I would never have another Focus.


I believe the reason it used to get good press is buyers probably previously had the god awful Escorts, so the Focus felt brilliant in comparison.


I will concede that, about 1 month before it went, as we knew it was going, I started utterly ragging the nuts off it, driving beyond that "I don't feel safe in this at this speed", and noted it actaully handled better on the ragged edge, than just cruising around.  I also noted, hit the rev limiter hard, it would drop to idle for about 3s, always a bugger in those tight overtaking spots


The best thing about our Focus was it was replaced with the Silver Bullet

[adey2]

couldnt agree with you more tb, hated her one and would never have another

[the alarming man]

at least with the focus it won't have the stupid indicators an astra has

[TheBoy]

at least with the focus it won't have the stupid indicators an astra has

OP states 2008 Focus. Focus has had lane changing indicators since about 2005

They are a PITA if you are not used to them, and then you miss them when you get a car that doesn't have them.  Bit like rain sensing wipers

[D]

It was also too small (bearing in mind our other car at the time, a Rover 1.6 25 (which we still have), had a far bigger boot (though less headroom for rear passengers). The Rover was faster, managed corners, and could stop. And was far better specced, and was more reliable.

Interesting what perception is. Rover 25 boot volume 300L vs focus 385L. Even the older focus had nearly 360L of boot space. My focus had a smaller boot due to the bigger fuel tank and yet there was very little I couldn't get into it.

The rear seats in a 25 are very comfortable if you are a midget. In the focus you can actually get real people in.

Personally I would rather get syphilis than be seen driving about in a Rover 25.

[omega3000]

Personally I would rather get syphilis than be seen driving about in a Rover 25.

[Webby the Bear]

My better half has a 54 plate 1.8 petrol. It's quite a nice car apart from where someone did a hit 'n' run on the passenger wing mirror  however, gives me an excuse to break out the tool kit 

TB, you mentioned the cutting out. She has just started getting that with her Focus. Looking on the web (and what knowledge I've gathered from here) it appears that it's most likely the IACV that's clogged. However, I just want to make sure I get the location right before I have it off and clean it for her.

Is it here as per the following pic?.....

[Darth Loo-knee]

Personally I would rather get syphilis than be seen driving about in a Rover 25.

I was just laughing at that myself 

[Vamps]

Well thank you for your comments. We got a call from Master Vamps today, so ended up going into town, he has bought well I have paid for, a 58 1.6 ex mobility Ford Focus, looks rather neat and from a main dealer, the Astra is going in as PX, they checked it out but never drive it.....

Need to sort out the insurance and he should get it on Thursday, I got a bottle of whisky and a thank you card, bless him....

[pscocoa]

well done - and hope it all works out for him.

[TheBoy]

It was also too small (bearing in mind our other car at the time, a Rover 1.6 25 (which we still have), had a far bigger boot (though less headroom for rear passengers). The Rover was faster, managed corners, and could stop. And was far better specced, and was more reliable.

Interesting what perception is. Rover 25 boot volume 300L vs focus 385L. Even the older focus had nearly 360L of boot space. My focus had a smaller boot due to the bigger fuel tank and yet there was very little I couldn't get into it.

The rear seats in a 25 are very comfortable if you are a midget. In the focus you can actually get real people in.

Personally I would rather get syphilis than be seen driving about in a Rover 25.

Who cares on other people's perceptions, I mean, my other car is an Omega

Having owned a Rover 25 1.6 and a Ford Focus 1.6 at the same time, I can assure you the Rover is quicker, both acceleration and in top end than the Ford, the Rover doesn't cry off when you show it a corner, and the Rover can stop quicker and straighter than the Focus (only once or twice, as the Rover easily cooks its brakes).

Boot space, don't much care what the books say, we couldn't easily fit a weeks shopping in the Focus, and had to go home to get the Rover when we bought a dishwasher, as it wouldn't fit in the Focus.  Golf clubs had to go across back seat, but would fit in boot of the Rover. We couldn't go camping with the Ford, always had to take the Rover. It was too small to be of any use whatsoever.

But, as said, far better passenger headroom in the Ford (not helped by the Rover having a sunroof).

Our Focus was a truely horrible car, and I hoped I'd never, ever have to drive another. Sadly I did. Equally horrible.

I'm always happy to take the Rover anywhere, we've had it for 115k/12yrs, which is about 1 HGF in K series terms . Hope there is still a few more years in her yet .  I wouldn't mine betting the Focus (51 plate, handed back to leasing co in Jan 2004 with about 50k on it) has long since been turned into baked bean cans...