Focus

johnos1984

Just looking for opinions on the Ford Focus 1.6 and 1.8 diesels.

I know the 1.8 was designed in the stone age and the 1.6 is a PSA unit and has it's issues but which is the best and why for reliability, driveability and economy.

I cover mostly motorway miles but I'd like something to raise a bit of a smile on more challenging roads without breaking the bank.

I'm not looking at any car in particular I'm trying to decide what I want to go and look for firstly.............or even if the figures stack up in the first place

johnos1984

johnos1984 wrote: »

.............
I cover mostly motorway miles but I'd like something to raise a bit of a smile on more challenging roads without breaking the bank..........

ZT diesel

Not much between the Fords in economy terms, I'd be slow to invest in a 2nd hand 1.6 one though, I'd go with the 1.8, it wasn't at all too bad in the latest Mondeo in fairness.

johnos1984

RoverJames wrote: »

ZT diesel

Don't worry it's already on the list

I'll be looking at UK and Irish cars.

Firstly gotta sort a loan tomorrow and find out a base value for my Pisshat

Ardennes1944

Theres a rake of really well equipped vectra sri cdti's. They come in 120 and 150bhp the latter being easier to find. If the interior of the vectra would put you off then you could get the astra cdti

johnos1984

Ardennes1944 wrote: »

Theres a rake of really well equipped vectra sri cdti's. They come in 120 and 150bhp the latter being easier to find. If the interior of the vectra would put you off then you could get the astra cdti

Not a Vectra fan tbh, the Astra is nicer but still I find the interior nasty. Not saying I wouldn't buy one though.

Any opinion or info on either of the Focus diesels?

... guess who will be along shortly recommending the 159 in diesel guise :pac:

... not to mention the CR170 Octavia brigade

johnos1984

RoverJames wrote: »

... not to mention the CR170 Octavia brigade

I drove EPM's and it was a very nice car.........so nice I'd buy it but I'm getting cold feet over my injectors and how long they will last

Ardennes1944

A facelift mazda 6 1st gen? I know i know they had huge problems but i believe the facelift ones are much better.

My friend has a 08 1.8 diesel focus that he drives around town and the ,pg is really poor. Loves the car though and still hasnt has any problems with it

johnos1984

Ardennes1944 wrote: »

A facelift mazda 6 1st gen? I know i know they had huge problems but i believe the facelift ones are much better.

With my luck? Are you MAD?????

Ardennes1944 wrote: »

My friend has a 08 1.8 diesel focus that he drives around town and the ,pg is really poor. Loves the car though and still hasnt has any problems with it

Is that around town though? Mine is mostly motorway miles with short journeys to work Monday to Friday. I don't mind if it's gruff.

Six speed box would be nice though

Ardennes1944

Ardennes1944 wrote: »

that he drives around town

johnos1984 wrote: »

Is that around town though?

dar83

Diesel's make baby Jesus cry...

:P

Being more serious, I'd go for the 1.8 also, as James has said.

EPM

RoverJames wrote: »

... not to mention the CR170 Octavia brigade

Snide remarks about people that have other opinions and a MG recommended by a poster with Rover in their name:rolleyes:

John, might be worth looking out for a two litre Focus. Rare and probably imported but would be ideal for motorway work with the six speed box. If you're in no rush you should be able to find one and they are usually high spec models.

johnos1984

dar83 wrote: »

Being more serious, I'd go for the 1.8 also, as James has said.

Dam edit button.

I missed RJ's comment about them!

It's a proven engine to be honest and while gruff it can't be that bad

johnos1984

EPM wrote: »

Snide remarks about people that have other opinions and a MG recommended by a poster with Rover in their name:rolleyes:

John, might be worth looking out for a two litre Focus. Rare and probably imported but would be ideal for motorway work with the six speed box. If you're in no rush you should be able to find one and they are usually high spec models.

At the minute I'm not in a rush and I have a contact in the trade in the Uk so I can source one at a reasonable price.

Just got to get everything together before I go approaching him as I don't fancy wasting his time

Ardennes1944

EPM wrote: »

Snide remarks about people that have other opinions and a MG recommended by a poster with Rover in their name

Woah there nelly!


But i did love the brief drive in the vrs i must say

The 1.8 is no way near as gruff as the 90bhp TDDi thing they put in the 2002 to 2005 lower spec Mondeo. The 1.8 though old blockwise was obviously brought up to spec quite well, in the 2008/2009 Mondeos it really isn't too bad at all, was never in a Focus with it but it would do the job quite well I'd say.


I'd be really against the idea of a 2nd hand 1.6 to be honest. Although a friend as one from new (2008 I think) and it has been trouble free.

EPM

Would you consider a Mondeo altogether? The focus isn't particularly quiet on the motorway, and coming from a Passat youd probably be disappointed by that.

EPM

EPM wrote: »

Snide remarks about people that have other opinions and a MG recommended by a poster with Rover in their name:rolleyes:

...............

I posted nothing snide
You can interpret it how you like.

Rich coming from you though in fairness.

johnos1984

EPM wrote: »

Would you consider a Mondeo altogether? The focus isn't particularly quiet on the motorway, and coming from a Passat youd probably be disappointed by that.

I see where you are coming from.

The Passat is a bloody couch on wheels while the others would be a bit noisier. TBH I'be never had much comfort with Ford seats and interiors aren't to my liking but they are a lovely drive and seem to be cheap and reliable to me.

I find the interior a bit plasticy and the seats don't offer enough support for me.

As regards Mondeos, it's pretty much the same. I find my mothers Mondeo too big for some reason. I've never gotten comfortable in it

EPM

RoverJames wrote: »

I posted nothing snide
You can interpret it how you like.

Rich coming from you though in fairness.

Well tbh I read two pointless posts on the thread. It's a common phenomenon in motors hence the reason for the off topic thread to try and allow the other threads have a bit more meat in them. Oh well, good for post counts:p

What's the budget John? Some tasty 2.2 diesel Mondeos in te UK, usually titanium x or titanium s too. Which have great seats. And parking sensors:p

Edit - later models have much lower tax bands too.

Vectras are cheap but old hat, same with 93's although they have got the decent 1.9 multijet.

What about a newer Passat as you like yours? Reliability is better and on the PD's the injectors aren't a worry.

EPM

EPM wrote: »

Well tbh I read two pointless posts on the thread............

Delete them if you want, pointless and snide aren't the same thing.
Another reference to my post count, I really don't see how a post count can bother anyone.


Are you going around all threads highlighting pointless posts or just mine?

johnos1984

EPM wrote: »

What's the budget John?

I have to talk to my local Credit Union about that

I reckon 10k plus whatever I get for my Pisshat.

TBH I'd prefer keep it as low as possible as I don't fancy a headache with trying to travel to scotland to my OH and pay bills etc and save a bit

I have a newer Highline with the Sports pack at what I'm told is a good price. I'm just finalizing budgets etc firstly before I start to seriously consider it but it's at the upper end of the budget

johnos1984

Just worked out the VRT on two similar Focusii. One with the 1.8 and one with the 2l diesels.

there was over €1200 in the difference :eek:

EPM

RoverJames wrote: »

Delete them if you want, pointless and snide aren't the same thing.
Another reference to my post count, I really don't see how a post count can bother anyone.


Are you going around all threads highlighting pointless posts or just mine?

Yep, been at it all week in different ways!

EPM

johnos1984 wrote: »

Just worked out the VRT on two similar Focusii. One with the 1.8 and one with the 2l diesels.

there was over €1200 in the difference :eek:

If you're looking at a Focus maybe try a Volvo s40?

bazz26

Honda Accord i-DTEC:
http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=2213286253155140

challengemaster

E46 / E90 320d ?

johnos1984

2008 new shape Mazda 6 2 l diesel with 66k miles.

Is that the one to stay away from?

R.O.R

johnos1984 wrote: »

2008 new shape Mazda 6 2 l diesel with 66k miles.

Is that the one to stay away from?

Yes.

johnos1984

R.O.R wrote: »

johnos1984 wrote: »

2008 new shape Mazda 6 2 l diesel with 66k miles.

Is that the one to stay away from?

Yes.

Simples!

Now back to enjoying my week off

EPM

johnos1984 wrote: »

2008 new shape Mazda 6 2 l diesel with 66k miles.

Is that the one to stay away from?

Yep. The problem is diesel is used to burn off deposits in the dpf. If this is interrupted then it can wind up in the engine oil. On the dipstick there are the usual max and min levels. Above the max there is another point marked 'x'. If the oil levels reach this through dilution you need an early oil change.

The dpf in the 2.2 is a closed system so it should avoid this problem. However there's reports of stretched timing chains on the 2.2s now at lowish mileage. This is supposedly fixed on the facelift cars. I've been doing a bit of reading up on the issues the past couple of days as I looked at a 2.2 for myself at the weekend.

Plug

EPM wrote: »

Yep. The problem is diesel is used to burn off deposits in the dpf. If this is interrupted then it can wind up in the engine oil. On the dipstick there are the usual max and min levels. Above the max there is another point marked 'x'. If the oil levels reach this through dilution you need an early oil change.

The dpf in the 2.2 is a closed system so it should avoid this problem. However there's reports of stretched timing chains on the 2.2s now at lowish mileage. This is supposedly fixed on the facelift cars. I've been doing a bit of reading up on the issues the past couple of days as I looked at a 2.2 for myself at the weekend.

Same with the Fords, only the first ones with DPF had the additive.
When it does a certain amount of regenerations it will be added as a fault code, something to do with oil diluted, replace oil.
So if when people get cars with the additive they have to worry about the price of the stuff. If they get a car that uses diesel to regenerate the particle filter they have to worry about getting early oil changes(So much for 20000km):rolleyes:

Although if I had a diesel with additives I'd use pigs piss when it got low.

johnos1984

I thought you were holding out until later in the year or has that changed?

EPM

johnos1984 wrote: »

I thought you were holding out until later in the year or has that changed?

Only pie in the sky at the moment. It's not the exact colout/spec I want but there may be one coming in. It's listed on their site but he didn't know much else about it so I need to see what comes of it.

Plug wrote: »

Same with the Fords, only the first ones with DPF had the additive.
When it does a certain amount of regenerations it will be added as a fault code, something to do with oil diluted, replace oil.
So if when people get cars with the additive they have to worry about the price of the stuff. If they get a car that uses diesel to regenerate the particle filter they have to worry about getting early oil changes(So much for 20000km):rolleyes:

Although if I had a diesel with additives I'd use pigs piss when it got low.

How are the new 2.2s otherwise?

johnos1984

EPM wrote: »

johnos1984 wrote: »

I thought you were holding out until later in the year or has that changed?

Only pie in the sky at the moment. It's not the exact colout/spec I want but there may be one coming in. It's listed on their site but he didn't know much else about it so I need to see what comes of it.

Interesting......