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- 3 Jan 2006
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1.8TDCi Sport 
similar styling to the ST170 and bags of fun to drive
similar styling to the ST170 and bags of fun to drive
Focus Advice
- Thread starter MrCake
- Start date
LX is second lowest in the range. Not a massive amount of toys, but electric front windows and air-con, which the Zetec doesn't have unless it has the climate pack. I paid just shy of 3K for the same car a year ago (On 66k miles). Probs overpriced, but from a dealer and so far, had no trouble with it. 1.6 is more than adeqate for motorway work, as long as your not the sort of person who likes to blat along at 90-100+.
Off the motorway its an ideal car. Not as nippy as some smaller hatchbacks with better engines, but excellent handling, comfortable to drive, and reliable. Matter of personal opinion, but the inside of the car is a nice place to be...interior is pretty well built and unoffensive.
For £1200, assuming its not a complete shed and is mechanically sound, I'd say snap it up.
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LX isn't a bad spec at all, it's equal to the Zetec and gets AC instead of alloys and sports suspension.
With 99 Focus's even the Ghia had windup windows in the back and no leather so the spec of the LX, with remote locking, AC, etc etc, isn't that bad comparing.
With 99 Focus's even the Ghia had windup windows in the back and no leather so the spec of the LX, with remote locking, AC, etc etc, isn't that bad comparing.
I have a 1.6 and >100mph it gets even better to drive and overtake, at just under 70mph it is a bit gutless but nothing a downshift to 4th can solve.
But if you can get a 1.8 or 2.0 that would only get better or a diesel if you are into tractors
But if you can get a 1.8 or 2.0 that would only get better or a diesel if you are into tractors
Please don't be silly.
Why is all the obsessions with the diesel?
It wasn't, really. It might have felt like it was, but it wasn't.
Why is all the obsessions with the diesel?
Its a good motor that one, the old man bought one as a fleet car a few years ago (well, it was a TD focus, a Ghia one) and it used to go really well.
Good strong midrange.
The engine has a high/narrow powerband and at 70mph the revs are too low in 5th to get good acceleration, at 100mph the revs are higher meaning more power is available.[TW]Fox;10341325 said:
Anyway, it doesn't really matter, the OP is looking at ST170's so he is not interested in a 100bhp 1.6
What could possibly make you believe this is true? Its basic physics that your car does not accelerate faster at higher speeds.
The only reason for you to get the impression that its quicker at higher speed is if you are using an incorrect gear for the situation.See above, at 70mph I should have changed gear to 4th when accelerating which I usually not do.What could possibly make you believe this is true? Its basic physics that your car does not accelerate faster at higher speeds.
Please don't all jump on my back
all I wanted to say was that a 1.6 Focus still drives and accelerates quite good (IMO) at 100mphI believe you, you went to the south anyway.See above, at 70mph I should have changed gear to 4th when accelerating which I usually not do.
Please don't all jump on my back
I drove a 1.6 Titanium to Heathrow and back (Bridgend, Wales) last month. What a tiresome journey that was. Any attempt to work the engine was rewarded with a marginal increase in speed. Sure, it would hold 70 comfortably enough and if thats all you want then great. Try and ask for urgency or at least sense of progress from the engine and its just makes more noise whilst tickling the speedo needle a little to try and convince you that your getting somewhere.
Please don't all jump on my back
It doesn't AT ALL. Drive something where you can actually see the speedo needle move at 100+ when you press the throttle and not something in which you could measure 0-100 with a sundial and you will see what I mean.
I have to totally agree with that. I would judge "good acceleration at 100" by seeing moderate to rapid progression of the needle in the right direction. In the focus you would travel a fair distance with your foot planted only to look at the clock and see a 3-5 mph increase.
I guess it all depends on what you are used to, if you compare it to a 150bhp+ car it feels slow (obviously), I came from a ~60bhp Ford Ka so it feels faster.
I am not talking out of my backside when I say that I was driving 180kmh and when flooring it it still went faster but maybe I was on a downward slope or had wind from the rear, as said before if you want reasonable acceleration from the 1.6 you need to downshift first, it does not have the low rpm power of a bigger engine.
I am not talking out of my backside when I say that I was driving 180kmh and when flooring it it still went faster but maybe I was on a downward slope or had wind from the rear, as said before if you want reasonable acceleration from the 1.6 you need to downshift first, it does not have the low rpm power of a bigger engine.