Focus or Leon

Souness

Looking at changing car...2 I am looking at at the moment are a 1.6 03 Focus Zetec and a 1.4 03 Seat Leon Signo...both have under 40k on the clock ad are from private sellers...both have FSH...what would you go for?

Henry Ford III

Focus every time. No comparison at all.

demanufactured

Focus me hole!!

Id go for the seat over it anytime , VW/audi parts , good reliable motor.

TBH i wouldnt touch a ford over anything , i just hate them.

Souness

demanufactured wrote:

TBH i wouldnt touch a ford over anything , i just hate them.

Thanks for yeer responses

Demanufactured: why would you not touch the focus? Reliability problems/driving experience or cosmetics?

Open to other suggestions for simialr sized hb in and around €10k, low mileage essential!

demanufactured

I just have a strong dislike for fords.

If you blow a bulb in the dash you have to take the dash out.

The dont hold there value as well.

Seat parts would be easier to get(vw)

Fords are known for burning oil.

Having driven VW/seats , and fords , i always found the seats more solid on the road.

just my 2c

colm_mcm

The Focus is far more popular than the Seat, try getting second hand body panels for a Leon! to say that the Focus will be difficult to get parts for is nonsense.

Saying Fords burn oil is like saying VW's are known to go through dual mass flywheels, coil packs, catalytic convertors, and clutches. it's not model specific and is a bit of a sweeping statement.

JoeA3

demanufactured wrote:

I just have a strong dislike for fords.

If you blow a bulb in the dash you have to take the dash out.

The dont hold there value as well.

Seat parts would be easier to get(vw)

Fords are known for burning oil.

Having driven VW/seats , and fords , i always found the seats more solid on the road.

just my 2c

Sorry, but thats complete bull. Another example of someone who hasn't a clue what he's talking about. The Focus is infact a very reliable car, and has consistently been the class leader for many years.
The Leon is also a reasonably good car, good looking too... but dynamically the Focus would be leagues ahead.

demanufactured

Thats just opinion.

Everyone has one

HungryJoey

I'd probably go for the leon my self. Have one and prefer them any day to the focus. I've been in the 1.4 Focus too and feels far more sluggish then the 1.4 16V DOHC Leon. As popular the focus is and as great a car it is, I prefer the styling of the leon any day. Also Havn't had one issue with the leon since it was bought. Very few problems with them, where as the focus is known to have certain issues go wrong with them For eg. Bearings in wheels etc..

mine: Just clay bared & all. 1.4 Spirit




Hj

colm_mcm

true, but the OP is loking at a 1.6 Focus

HungryJoey

Ahh I guess I should have read it a bit better! :rolleyes: Still, if he is considering a a focus, Go for the 1.6 its got that extra bit of poke. Again, I've been in the 1.6 Focus and it feels far superior to the 1.4.

Hj

Tabnabs

I can vouch for the leon being a good car. I had one for a few years and had no real problems with it. Great looking car too.

Longrangedriver

My bro-in-law has a 1.9Tdi 130bhp Leon, not happy and wants (my) Focus. I find his car okay, but prefer my Focus generally. I drove petrol Leons, all crap except the Cupra, found the Tdi better, as I have driven all the range of Focus's, I'd recommend that you go 1.6 Zetec upwards. I presently have an 07 Focus 1.6 TDCi remapped to 130bhp, and still find it way ahead of the Leon, handling, power, general.

Souness

Unfortunately the Leon cupra would not be in my price range...from the replies there does not seem to be much between the two...would be looking at 1.6 for tax/insurance and notice that the 1.6 Leon is quite rare in Ireland compared to britain...anyone know why this is? and are all the 1.6 Leons imports?

ciscokidder

Find a 1.6 focus with aircon. Much lighter than the leon too.

Souness

after this summer aircon would not be on my list of essentials, but take your point on the focus...cheers

gyppo

Souness wrote:

after this summer aircon would not be on my list of essentials, but take your point on the focus...cheers

Lots of people think aircon is a summer time facility - however, aircon is invaluable in the middle of a pissin' wet winters day, where without it you are struggling to stop the windscreen from fogging up. Aircon is a worthwhile facility for this purpose alone.

Souness

Did not know of the alternative use! This is something that really does frustrate the sh*te out of me in the winter! Aircon is now a definite selling point:)

RobAMerc

I would say Focus, the Leon of that era is based on the Golf mark IV - not as good a car as the Focus then and still isn't now.

The newer Leon being based on the MkV golf might be less clear cut and damn its good looking too.

The Leon is probably just as reliable but I'd still have the Focus.

bazz26

Leons are alot cheaper than the equivalent Focus. But a 1.4 litre Leon only has 75bhp which is not great. The 1.6 litre Focus has 100bhp and there are alot more to choose from than trying to find a 1.6 litre Leon. The Focus will be alot easier to sell on to, Ford parts and servicing are also reasonably priced.

Alternately you could go for the Seat Toledo which are more popular in 1.6 litre than the Leon. The Toledo is basically a Leon with a boot instead of a hatchback if you don't mind having a saloon.

Souness

Don't think i am ready to buy a saloon:) What about other mid sized hb on the market. Saw in another thread the almera being slated.

bazz26

Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, VW Golf, Audi A3, Mazda 3, Opel Astra, Alfa Romeo 147 and the Skoda Octavia all come to mind.

Souness

bazz26 wrote:

Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, VW Golf, Audi A3, Mazda 3, Opel Astra, Alfa Romeo 147 and the Skoda Octavia all come to mind.

thanks Bazz26

My question would be would you rate any of these acrs above the Focus or Leon, counting out the Leon equivalents (A3, Golf and Octavia).

My budget would be around the 10-12k mark, and would want under 50k on the clock..think this rules out the Mazda 3, A3 and Golf!

bazz26

Souness wrote:

thanks Bazz26

My question would be would you rate any of these acrs above the Focus or Leon, counting out the Leon equivalents (A3, Golf and Octavia).

My budget would be around the 10-12k mark, and would want under 50k on the clock..think this rules out the Mazda 3, A3 and Golf!

The best thing to do is to try to test drive as many of them as possible and see which one you like the best.

From a driver's perspective the Focus is hard to beat but imo it does have it's flaws in other areas. I personally don't like the interior but you might.

The Civic is a good car, very reliable but the hatchback of that era looks a bit MPVish, again you might like the looks.

Opel Astra is lively enough in 1.4 litre, they tend to be reliable enough and are reasonably priced.

I would not rule out the Mazda 3, there are a few within your budget, they are definately the newest design of the cars your looking at. The 3 is based on the current Focus chassis but the interior is not to everybody tastes. A few examples: http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=651117
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=735578

Mailman

A post 2001 Focus will be about the most reliable car in it's class (some Japanese makes excepted)
Parts new and secondhand when needed are cheap.
Also, there is a huge supply of them on the secondhand market so you can afford to take your time and pick the best in your price range.
Mechanics have had fair exposure to them too so aren't afraid of them.

Add to that the good driving experience and it is hard to argue against them.

If I wrote my car off and needed a decent replacement runabout in the morning I'd probably buy a Focus.

layke

Their both good cars.

The Guards use fords and in 1 year they do about 10 years worth of driving yet still hold their own. Personally two of three people I know who have had them got a few problems but overall they ran fine.

To decide I suggest you look at engine sizes and compare the miles per gallon.