We only regret the things we don't do...
Go for the Alfa - it will probably only breakdown (significantly) once a year or less and driving it will put a permanent grin on your face. Plus, even if you never own another (and you'll want to) you will always remember the good times.
Have you ever seen anyone grinning while driving a Ford?
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Have you ever seen anyone grinning while driving a Ford?
Errr... yes. The mk1 Focus is quite capable of sticking a grin on your face in the lanes, even in humble 1.6 form. Come to think of it, even the diesel can. Balance, steering and feel is just essentially "right". If you enjoy driving, it's an impossible car not to like.
Of course, an Alfa is an Alfa, and that badge will always tug at the heartstrings of any petrolhead, but don't knock the Focus - it's a fabulous drivers car.
Cheers
DP
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My Mondeo ST220 kept a permanent smile on my face, except at petrol stations. Keep the Focus.
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I'd suggest you keep the Focus. Its a known quantity and, as far as we know, not about to leave you at the roadside any time soon.
Alfas always get a long sideways glance from me, but the concensus from those who know and love them is to buy as late-model a 156 as you can. Keep to the softer set-up Touring spec too.
Personally I can't see any reason to buy a Rover 400, but then I could see no reason to buy then when they were new, either. It would have to be bought to run all the way to the scrapyard to make any sense.
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The Focus isn't as reliable as I was led to believe is the thing. I'm about to pay for a new radiator, fanbelt, rear brake drums and them working out where the leak into the passenger footwell is coming from (pollen filter replacement hasn't achieved anything). I've already paid for a new clutch, cambelt, front discs and pads, a/c (which doesn't work again for longer than 10 mins suggesting a leak?), front tyres all in the last 18 months. The guy reckons the gearbox is on the way out at 110k too - and that I believe, would be particularly costly - it's also eating a litre and a half of oil every 4,000 miles (is that normal?).
Don't get me wrong, I do like the car - but I just can't afford to keep paying to have it fixed all the time.
That said, having just been to confused.com, it seems to get either would eat into the savings made - the Rover is £500 more to insure than the Focus and the Alfa is £650!
Back to square one.
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"The Focus isn't as reliable as I was led to believe is the thing. I'm about to pay for a new radiator, fanbelt, rear brake drums and them working out where the leak into the passenger footwell is coming from (pollen filter replacement hasn't achieved anything). I've already paid for a new clutch, cambelt, front discs and pads, a/c (which doesn't work again for longer than 10 mins suggesting a leak?), front tyres all in the last 18 months. The guy reckons the gearbox is on the way out at 110k too - and that I believe, would be particularly costly - it's also eating a litre and a half of oil every 4,000 miles (is that normal?).
With the exception of the gearbox and the radiator, these are all service items. OIl consumption of 1 litre per 1000 miles is considered within tolerance by some manufacturers. Might be nothing more than a leak.
I could be tempted by the Alfa but I would want to know of a good local independent specialist first. Under no circumstances would I buy the Rover, a dire car even when new. I might consider an old 600, although I've seen some very rusty rear wheel arches recently, a particularly bad '94 'M' reg only last week. Worst case of rust I've seen since some of the self destructing french rust buckets of the '70s.
I would keep the Focus and run it into the ground.
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The Focus isn't as reliable as I was led to believe... Don't get me wrong, I do like the car - but I just can't afford to keep paying to have it fixed all the time.
Then it does sound as if a replacement might be on the cards, but would you not be better off with something newer and lower mileage (within the limits of your budget and the type of driving you do) than swapping for another car of similar age which - as wisely pointed out earlier - may well bring much the same type of trouble?
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Thanks to all for your (continuing) help! What you suggest Gromit is the alternative option...
However, I thought that if I spent banger-money then if it goes majorly wrong, effectively I could just write it off after a year or two.
Cause I do like my Focus so much as DP pointed out - it's a great driver's car (without ever feeking skittish, the way Pugs and Cit's can do which I don't actually like), even my 1.6 with it's issues - I didn't see what the point in spending the value of it on something else which I doubt I'd enjoy half as much, when I'd be running my money so tight - if something were to go wrong, I'd probably not be able to afford it and the space is really useful for lugging stuff to/from uni...a journey I have to do 6 times a year (in a smaller car, I'd probably have to make more trips). I had considered larger cars, such as the Honda Accord (VTEC powered petrol ought to be reliable and economical?) but again insurance then becomes an issue!
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If you are going to get rid of the Focus, which seems like a good-ish idea, I'd be looking at a Xsara 1.9DT, for example. One was for sale outside a house in a nearby village for £695, 97R I think, long ticket, nice condition. The Pug TDs are a solid engine that are well-understood. Mine's done 175k and still good.
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