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[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