Focus Advice

MrCake

MrCake

MrCake

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Joined
22 Sep 2003
Posts
704
Location
South Coast UK
Having nearly done a year of "bangernomics" its time to hang up my N reg mondeo and get something that doesnt drink quite as much oil.

The budget is up to 5.5k and for that money am looking at a focus. I dont really need the extra space a mondeo gives and looking at prices, there doesnt seem to be much difference between the mondeo & foci :p

Can anyone give me ideas as to what I should be looking out for? Is the 1.6 a little small for the motorway? Common faults etc? Unfortunately I have spotted that there are a few ST170s within budget but I think that might go against my idea of a cheap run around.

Thanks
 
1.6 underpowered/overgeared on motorway. 1.8/2.0/tdci much better on mway.

st170s riddled with probs check out ffoc or focusowners for more info
 
I'd hardly say the ST170s are riddled with problems. I recently got one and read pretty much everything out there on the focus/ford forums with regards to things which can and do go wrong before making the purchase. Mine is an '04 and most of the niggles had been sorted out at production.

Granted, there are a few things but no less than my old honda and no where near as many as my girlfriend's FTO. If you look for problems with any car you will no doubt find a list as long as your arm if you try hard enough.

One thing i wasn't aware of was the way it uses fuel on short journey's! now that is shocking :(

edit: i just got 232 miles from a tank of v-power (45 litres)
 
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1.6 underpowered on the m/way?

Can't say I have noticed myself 70 @ 3k seems fine to me and it has no problem overtaking. Cabin noise is quieter than my dads Saab Aero 93
 
Tom|Nbk said:
1.6 underpowered on the m/way?

Can't say I have noticed myself 70 @ 3k seems fine to me and it has no problem overtaking. Cabin noise is quieter than my dads Saab Aero 93
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I wasnt too worried about 70 but was more curious about how its like if say you were transporting a vital transplant organ and thought it courteous to perhaps creep up to 80-90? I know my old 1.6 Astra used to get a little breathless?
 
MrCake said:
I wasnt too worried about 70 but was more curious about how its like if say you were transporting a vital transplant organ and thought it courteous to perhaps creep up to 80-90? I know my old 1.6 Astra used to get a little breathless?
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Mine goes up to around 4/4.5k at those speeds I think
 
thepharcyde said:
thats because its slower :p
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:confused:

Cabin Noise at 65 is louder in the Saab than my Focus at 70, it actually does my head in in my dads car :p

Saying the 1.6 is underpowered on the motorway is pretty far fetched it is more than capable of holding it's own and you can still hit some silly speed without it stretching too much.

But if your wanting to be silly and drive at 90+ all the time the 1.6 is not the car to go for.
 
Tom|Nbk said:
:confused:

Cabin Noise at 65 is louder in the Saab than my Focus at 70, it actually does my head in in my dads car :p

Saying the 1.6 is underpowered on the motorway is pretty far fetched it is more than capable of holding it's own and you can still hit some silly speed without it stretching too much.

But if your wanting to be silly and drive at 90+ all the time the 1.6 is not the car to go for.
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Some people also interested in mpg.
 
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17739838&highlight=st170

was me who started that thread, i bought an 02 plate st170, allthough was recomended not to due to niggles, ive had the car since mid june and its been great, covered approx 4000miles and loved everyone of them, what i will say is they are thirsty things. i generally stick £35 of fuel in at a time and can see anything from 160miles to 200 out of that depending how i drive.

If you do decide that you want to go for an st170 over the other focus models, feel free to add me to your msn (in trust) and ill try and answer any questions you have as best as i can :)
 
Thanks for all the help.

A friend threw a spanner in the works by offering me another cheap run around!

Its a 1999 5 door LX Focus with 70k on the clock and he only wants £1200 - I take it thats a pretty good price?
 
I have a 51 reg 2.0 Ghia. Sits around 2500rpm at 70 and is fairly quiet. And if I wanted to hit 90 sharpish it only takes a few seconds and the car is still very smooth! :D
 
MrCake said:
Thanks for all the help.

A friend threw a spanner in the works by offering me another cheap run around!

Its a 1999 5 door LX Focus with 70k on the clock and he only wants £1200 - I take it thats a pretty good price?
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You would get another 60k out of that at least even if you didnt look after it.
You might even see more than double the current mileage if its motorway use.
 
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