Ford Focus Owners

Soldato
Joined
17 Aug 2005
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7,612
Location
Swindon
I am currently looking at a Ford Focus but I see a huge difference in the milage and not very much in the price.

For example

1999 FORD FOCUS 1.8 LX 5dr Hatchback 78k 12 months MOT same owner last 6 years going for £1800 yet theres ones around the same price on 110k+!

What is more realistic? A focus on 100k+ or a lower milage one thats possibly too good to be true? Theres a few on <78k for similar price also.

Looking at car's gives me a headache I really don't have much luck and usually end up with a poor choice :(

What are common faults/issues with them? Tempted to go and look at a few on the weekend or in my week off if I get the chance.
 
Associate
Joined
17 Jul 2010
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426
ive got a y reg 1.8 tddi focus, as far as i know the petrol engines are fairly trouble free. ive had no problem with my tddi and its done 117k now. i only know of a few things that ive personally had problems with. thats rust in the doors (open the door and check under the door card) and water ingress in the passenger footwell (caused by the pollen filter cover not being fitted back properly i think). i think they do have there small problems with the tdci engine also.

sorry i cant be of more help im sure there is someone on here with a bit more knowledge. :p
 
Associate
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Surrey
'99 Focus for £1800? I've just been given a '99 Focus 1.6LX 5 door hatch for nowt... Fair enough, I've been fixing it for its owner for the past couple of years - broken rear spring and brake line corrosion were it's worst faults over that period.

You should be able to get something in similar condition/mileage much cheaper - £1000-£1400 at the most. There's plenty of them around, take your time, pick carefully!
 
Soldato
Joined
26 Feb 2009
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14,814
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Exeter
That is pricey.

Regarding mileage, ignore it and buy on condition. Ignore any cars that have averaged odd miles. Eg if it's averaged 2k per year or 30k per year then you'll want to stay clear.an average of 10k a year for an 11 year old car gives it 110k miles so that wouldn't put me off, provided its been looked after and there's good history

Oh and don't get an LX and don't get a 1.8
 
Permabanned
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Isle of Wight
The MK1 Focus has reached that place in the Market where the difference between 80k and 110k doesn't really matter, because it has pretty much bottomed out in price until they start falling apart.

It is also where owners starting pulling figures out of their arses. I'd call the 80K one up and offer him £400 less.
 
Associate
Joined
11 Oct 2008
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Leicester
I've got a 52 plate Focus 1.6 that is now on 114K miles and even though I've only owned it since May it's been a really good car so far. The only issue I have had with it is that the coil pack on it went which caused a misfire but £35 for a new coil pack on ebay & 10 minutes to fit it, fixed the problem :) (really common on the Zetec engines)

On topic of rust, other places to watch out for is on the bottom of the doors, bottom of the boot lid where the lip is, also around the boot lid handle, around the wing mirror area (the only real way you will be able to see if it has started to come through is to remove the wing mirror itself and you will clearly see if there is any rust there) and also around the wheel arches. They are the only places I can think of at the moment so their may be more.

When I was looking for a Focus at the time I was deciding between the 1.6 or the 1.8. The 1.6 which on average gives 40mpg (42mpg for me on the motorway) and around 33mpg town driving and if you are looking for the 1999 one then it's the Zetec S engine (later ones with the 2002 facelift models are the Zetec SE's). The 1.8 which is the Zetec-E engine I don't have much experience with but from what I have been told it averages at around 36mpg and is only around 0.5 second faster in 0-60 terms than the 1.6 but it is meant to be quicker at speeding up between 50-70 than the 1.6. Both engines require a timing/cambelt change at 100K miles so if the one you are looking at has done over 98K miles make sure the cambelt has been done with proof.

In the end I went the Focus I went for which was the 1.6 was the best looked after one out of any others I had viewed/test driven and it also has full service history too. The best ones to go for are the Zetec trim models or above as they come with all the toys and sports suspension. A couple of family members have frowned upon my Focus because of the mileage but if it has service history and has been looked after well, it shouldn't been a problem and these engines do last if they have been maintaned properly. I have seen a few 1.6 & 1.8's about which have hit the 180K mark.

Liam
 
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Soldato
OP
Joined
17 Aug 2005
Posts
7,612
Location
Swindon
Thank you for the advice/tips here, was generally looking at Zetec's anyway.

Im currently looking for one and something else really just need a car, its a task I hate greatly :(

Something about the focus I always liked its simple styling but looks great

Place in town center is selling this.....

http://atsearch.autotrader.co.uk/uvl/popup.jsp?currentaction=searchresults&e2w=20672&sort=5&did=328709&partner=TMG&postcode=sn12ab&dropdowntype=uvl&configfile=http://dealerservices.autotrader.co.uk/dealers/328709/328709_config.xml&miles=1500&csslocation=http://dealerservices.autotrader.co.uk/dealers/328709/328709&max_records=200&id=201034366768317&distance=0

1999 T Reg FORD Focus 1.6 Zetec 41k, FSH, MOT Next year £1899 obviously a bit high but seems pretty decent might have to check it out!
 
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Associate
Joined
11 Oct 2008
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2,240
Location
Leicester
Looks clean but £1899 is a tad high - If you were to make him an offer I would knock him down on the price but no doubt that the price is only a tad high because of the really low mileage so I bet you would only be able to get him down to £1700 if that.

Liam
 
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Soldato
Joined
26 Feb 2009
Posts
14,814
Location
Exeter
It's averaged less than 4000 miles a year, meaning it's spent it's life around town, I'd steer clear. I did explain this a few posts up...
 
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