02 Ford Focus needs a bit of work done but is it worth my while?

PGL

Hi folks

I have a 2002 5-door hatchback 1.4 Petrol Ford Focus with 114,000 miles on the clock. There are 2 issues which need fixing:

1. There is a fault with the sunroof which is allowing water to seep in, move along the side panel of the car, and end up under the carpet on the left hand side floor. Hence the carpet is usually on the damp side, can be quite wet after heavy rainfall, and there is a damp smell in the car. I have been told the only solution is to replace the sunroof, so depending on whether a second hand or new sunroof is used the cost could range between approx €300 and €700.

2. I hadn't washed the car for quite some time. Unfortunately quite a large blob of bird sh*t has dried into the bonnet, and now can only be removed by a proper re-paint job which could set me back the guts of €300-€400.

Both of these issues are not stopping the car from working, which it is very well. However I am sick of the damp smell, and the stain on the bonnet. So I'm wondering whether it is worth my while fixing these problems?

All advice appreciated

166man

I thought the problems were going be mechanical! I'd almost put money on the sunroof just needing a new seal all around it. Happened on my Alfa. Cheap fix about €10-€20 for the seal.

I'm sure whatever needs to be done to the paintwork could be fixed with a good polish. Again nothing major. If the car has been reliable for you I see no reason to change.

PGL

166man wrote: »

I thought the problems were going be mechanical! I'd almost put money on the sunroof just needing a new seal all around it. Happened on my Alfa. Cheap fix about €10-€20 for the seal.

I'm sure whatever needs to be done to the paintwork could be fixed with a good polish. Again nothing major. If the car has been reliable for you I see no reason to change.

Hi 166man. Thanks for your response. I got the ball park figures I quoted from a local garage (not a main dealer) - I won't name names. They are certain that a separate seal cannot be put on, so either a replacement or new sunroof is needed. Plus the bird sh*t definitely will not shift with a polish! - it is encrusted onto the bonnet like a chemical reaction.

If I thought both of these problems could be solved for a couple of hundred euro then I'd go ahead and get them sorted. However considering the age and mileage of the car I am reluctant to spend €600 - €1000, when I am seeing similar cars for sale at approx €2 - €3k on websites, so god knows what they actually get sold for.....

Any other thoughts anyone?

...... Rubber and nylon lubricant on the seal is worth a try and wet and dry sandpaper will defo shift the sh1t.

langdang

If I couldn't justify the price of replacing and repainting, I'd bodge it and drive away tbh. Silicone sealant, a dehumidifier. Some kinda "paint restorer" or scratch remover compound and a bit of elbow grease.

Leak could be a blocked drain tube too.
And your garage dude is a f**ktard.

maidhc

You sure it is the sunroof? It is almost impossible for these to leak given that they are designed to leak and for the water to drain out.

My money would be on the pollen filter housing. Simple fix with a rag and some silicone.

Bigus

RoverJames wrote: »

Leak could be a blocked drain tube too.

+ 1 on this
factory fitted roofs generally are not designed to totally stop water getting in, rather they rely on good drainage to remove the water that does go by the seals.

If its factory fitted by ford

open the roof and look for obvious drain holes In the metal or pour in water along the side and see if either side isn't blocked,(so you can see the set up) usually it's only one side blocked, then a good fix is to push a long softish wire down the tube to the outlet usually over the front wheel arch. Don't use a coat hanger wire as this could cut the rubber tube that's attached to the outlet.

If. You do get these tubes unblocked test to see the amount of water poured in is the amount coming out of the drains and that one of the rubber tubes isn't cut lower down and letting water into the interior that way.

If its an aftermarket roof seal the whole lot up with silicone til May.

PGL

thanks for feedback folks. I'll follow your tips and hope for the best

PGL

Hi folks

Heres an update on my car troubles:

Leaking sunroof:
I got some soft wire and fished it down left hand sun roof drain (water is only appearing on floor in left hand side of car). I could only fish the wire so far (approx 1.25m) before it simply wouldn't go any further. With the car parked slopping towards the rear I poured water into the drain. Water then appeared under the car through an outlet near the back wheel - prob only 80% of the water made its way out. I also noticed a similar outlet towards the front of the car but no water appeared from it. I then parked the car the other way around i.e. slopping towards the front of the car and again poured water down the drain - no water appeared from either of the outlets under the car. So there must be a major blockage in the front outlet - I tried to fish the soft wire up into it but no joy.

Is it fair to say that my only option is to stop using the sunroof and seal it up silicone?

Bird Sh*te On Bonnet:
Went to Halfords yesterday. They said the last resort stopping short of physically removing the paint and re-painting is to try Tar Remover. Gave it a shot this morning - it removed some of the minor stains, but there are still about 10 stains which won't shift - see attached pic of the worst of the stains.

So it looks like all I can do is to attack it with sandpaper / wirebrush and then re-touch with paint. My only worry is that I might make a balls of it and make things worse! Can anyone recommend someone who could sort me out without charging me the earth?

Thanks a million folks!

Hal1

Woah, wire brush? ah 'ere leave it ouhh. Clean the surface and clay bar it, then detarr it. The next step would be to use a dual action polisher with megs cutting compound or autogylm super resign polish would be what I would do.

Bigus

You're nearly there with the sunroof you almost have it figured out

just have another go and be more persistent , and find where that blockage is, by looking at where the opposite side outlet that is working emerges from the car.

Try fine finishing paste or compound on the bird ****.

colm_mcm

You could drop the headlining, find the rubber tubing from the sunroof and use an air line to unblock them.

No way I'd walk away from the car for issues like that.

PGL

Hi folks

Anyone know where I can get my hands on compressed air with a nozzle small enough to insert into mouth of the sun roof drain?

The nozzle on standard air pumps at petrol stations are too big to effectively direct the air down the drain.....

Thanks!

mangledbadgers

Maybe try standard T-cut for the stain, see if you can blend the stain away so its less noticeable...before trying a repaint.

Wonder what the fcuk that Bird was eating...

PGL

johanneskraw wrote: »

Maybe try standard T-cut for the stain

what is this exactly? assumed it was a product of some sort but can't find it on google....

johanneskraw wrote: »

Wonder what the fcuk that Bird was eating...

a feed of the black stuff followed by a spicy indian me thinks!

Hal1

Would a can of compressed air be any use or not enough psi?