Ford Focus to buy or not to buy?

banshee_bones

Hey all im new here so sorry if this has been asked before. I searched the thread but nothing came up.
So im looking at getting a Ford Focus hatchback (years 99-01) but alot of people I have spoken to have said they arent very economical for miles to the gallon,and are forever filling them up?
Is this really the case? Or is it just as iv also been told that it can vary depending on the person driving the car properly so as to get the most from it if ya know what i mean!
My dad was always a firm believer in Ford's as being solid reliable cars. Now versus say a Golf or an Opel Astra in the same year what would you choose for overall reliablility?

colm_mcm

I'd have the Focus over Astra/Golf for reliability. I'd go for a 1.6 though, as the 1.4 is unbearably slow (in my opinion, of course)

banshee_bones

I was told by a dealer that the 1.6 diesel does 55mpg! I that true?! Is there a 1.6 diesel available in the Hatchback?

colm_mcm

Yes, and yes. you won't get that engine on a 99-00 Focus though. only the older 1.8 engine.

eyefordetail

hey...I cant compare the ford focus to the other cars you mentioned but I can say i've had my 02 focus for 4 years now and i wouldnt part with it. Shes never ever let me down (I hope i'm not tempting fate my saying that). I've never had to get any big repairs done on it when getting it serviced either. And timing belt is good for 100,000 miles! Dont ask me what kind of miles i get out of it per gallon but i do a lot of city driving and i cant say that it drinks petrol! Maybe somebody else can answer that one for you.
As regarding handling I have a few friends that have driven the car and love it. They find it handles really well and is really comfortable on long journeys.
My mam has a 1.4 astra (my focus in 1.4 too) and I have to say her car is much zippier on the road. I find the focus a big sluggish at times. Theres a bit of a hill on the road up to my parents house and I would have to drop back to 3rd most times to make it up however the astra does it in 4th no problem.
I hope this helps.

Hal1

The facelift model <02 is what I would be buying if looking at one now, thats just in the looks department. They have really come down in price in the last 6 months. Test drive a few of them before deciding. The only thing I would watch for is difficulty selecting 1st and 2nd gear, can be a bit tricky at times (gear linkage?).

macroman

I drive a 2004 1.4 Focus LX, very economical going from A-B and is comfortable enough on the weekly pilgrimage to Newry. :rolleyes:

A few bits that have cropped up with mine:

• Driver-side Window regulator died. Part bought from Mick Garage for under €140 - fitted in 40 minutes.
• Kept dropping revs once 3500 RPM was reached in 3rd & 4th. Injector cleaner & a good run up the motorway sorted it.
• New ARB bushes at 52,000
• 1st & Reverse gears 'crunch' & can be difficult to engage. Reverse would be the worst! Apparently will require a new gearbox at some stage (not too bad now).
• Heater control switch broken. £49 + P&P from eBay
• Keeps blowing rear light bulbs - luckily its easy to replace them.
• Passenger seat suddenly became 'non adjustable'.

Other than the above it's an outstanding car and has never broken down or given an ounce of bother. Passed NCT no problem and is cheap on parts when required. Mine is high mileage (57,000) due to being an ex-Fleet car but it's been well serviced & looked after by the former owners and I service it bi-annually.

I'd have to agree that a 1.6 Ghia Saloon would be more desirable, comfortable and nippier. And with insurance, tax and running costs not too variable from the 1.4 model, it'd be a better buy. Plus there are more 1.6 Focus saloons on the market then 1.4 Hatchbacks.

Martron

ok well i have driven a

04 1.8 td

06 1.6td

08 1.8 td

all ford focus.

i drove them all hard.

they were all company cars. and they were all driven through fields and building sites and never had major complaints. fuel economy was good. and if driven in normal conditions i would consider them indestructable.

so i could assume that they were not much worse in the earlier days.

yop

My wife has an 01 Focus 1.6 petrol. I had it before since new and now she has it.

2 biggest jobs were some sort of sensor that caused the dash to light up like mad, thought it was battery or the alternator but turned out to be a sensor.
Window regulator, bought it for 45 euro from a scrap yard and installed it myself.

Bar that, she loves it. It seems to do about 38 ish miles to the gallon.

AugustusMaximus

If you trash the 1.6 hard enough, its actually suprisingly nippy. Faster than most 1.6's around I would say.

1.4 is very slow though.

Martron

the ford focus is well able for a good thrashing!!!! believe me!!

put it this way a few years ago the lads on the site i worked on used to call my van teflon. because it would never get stuck off road. (pulled l200 out of mud before)

if the ford focus had a better ground clearance and 4wd it would be a great vehicle.

the worst thing i ever did to one was when i hit a bump outside abbeyleix and the car went airbourne then obviously bellied out. then it cracked the turbo inlet pipe.

but as i said under normal driving circumstances it would be indestructible.

cruiser178

friend of mine has the 1.6 petrol,not a bad car to drive and quick enough on the off.Last week we went from limerick to dublin driving hard,round trip cost 35euro not bad,pretty solid car on the road too.

david

I would stay away from that model Astra from experience (1.2l petrol).

I would say in that budget ~€3k you should look at Civic/Corolla/Focus/Almera. Also condition is much more important than mileage for a car that old, don't be afraid to check out a well mantained high-miler.

D

banshee_bones

Thankd for all the replies guys! You have been a great help!

Stevie Dakota

I'm driving a 2008 2.0TDCI and have to say on a winding country road it is a joy, effortless speed, lovely gearchange, steering and handles wonderfully. I can't think of anything that it does not do well.

beardo81

New Post!

Hey just bumping this post, looking to spend €2500k or less on a Focus hatch (the missus is insisting on a hatch). Was put off by a mechanic going for one with over 100k on the clock but should I consider it if the Belt is done and its been serviced well?

Theres a few about I know but the nicer ones seem to have higher mileage and herself is driving me crazy by now!! Any help greatly appreciated lads and lassies!!

zilog_jones

As others have said, with a car of this age mileage is not that important. A low-mileage example could have been neglected - e.g. not serviced for 5 out of its 9 years - and may be in a much worse mechanical state than the 100k mile car with a FSH. It's more likely to have been clocked too.

And regarding the timing belt, IIRC Ford recommend 100k miles or 10 years so even if you got a low mileage car you should be getting the belt changed soon anyway (assuming with you're budget you're getting something around '99-'01).

Hal1

Just looking at driving.ie and there's a few 99 - 00's in your price range. The 1.4 petrol can be thirsty, but this also depends on your driving style and the type of driving you'll be doing, i.e. town's or motorway's.