Most of my neighbours/colleagues have either Focus or Astra! They are also favourite of fleet owners.
Reliability of these two models are not exemplary and they are not cheap either.
So, why they are so popular?
|
Who says their reliability is not exemplary? Stats can be used to prove anything.
I ran a Focus 2.0 Zetec for 12 months - superb car, well built, felt solid, superb road holding, a joy to drive, and room for 4/5 no trouble. What's not to like?
|
SWMBO's 1.6 auto Focus I is fine. Rear wheel bearings packed up at 50k, £80 each to replace. 100% reliable, and much more fun than the equivalent Golf to drive, in her opinion. Cheaper than the Golf too at the time. Solid feel to it, and very little I'd change for the price.
See what HJ says about them. I agree.
|
|
|
|
Reliability of these two models are not exemplary and they are not cheap either. So why they are so popular?
BIG discounts to short term rental (Hertz Avis etc) + discounts to large fleets -
Smallish Private buyers from brand new (ex Fiesta, Ka etc)
Other makes e.g. Honda have large following of private punters and smaller fleet sales.
BMW used to boast of their residuals but having taken the "Fleet Shilling" they too have faced more depreciaition on their 3 series especially
|
While they are both decent cars I think it has more to do with people thinking that they buying British. If they were carp motors they would still sell well.
Thats why Opels get called Vauxhalls in this country and nowhere else.
|
While they are both decent cars I think it has more to do with people thinking that they buying British. If they were carp motors they would still sell well. Thats why Opels get called Vauxhalls in this country and nowhere else.
I also think that it's also down to laziness. A lot of people just can't be bothered to do much research into car choice and if they are those who just want a car to get from A to B, then a Focus or Astra would seem as good as any, for the price.
For the rest of us who believe in a bit of badge snobbery, then obviously neither of these would suffice - I own a VW Golf, of course!
|
The Focus is one of the best cars to drive at anything like its price, and far sharper than a mkIV Golf. The Astra is competent, cheap and easy to both buy and maintain, and if you talk to owners, very few seem to have significant problems.
My mate practises an true version of bangernomics. Buy a car for £400 or less, drive it until it becomes unreliable, or stops with a fault costing more than a couple of hundred quid to put right. No servicing, and emergency repairs only. His last two cars have been Astras. The previous, a 1.7D mk3 ran for 2 years and 35,000 miles for the princely sum of £150 in total maintenance spend (two front tyres, a CV boot, and front discs and pads). The current, a 1.6 petrol mk3 has run for the past 3 months with petrol costs only.
Cheers
DP
Edited by DP on 08/05/2008 at 16:50
|
|
|
I like Ford's because parts are so cheap and they tend to keep going even when they develop faults.
I would rather have a Focus to a Golf anyday.
There is a good reason why the Focus is (at least for a long time) the best selling car in the WORLD.
As Clarkson once said, if you want a small car buy a Focus.
|
|
|
I'll bite.....
Currently own an 02 Astra 1.6 SXI and apart from a corroded fuel filter and 4 new tyres in 4 years, it's been absolutely brilliant and utterly reliable. Unfortunately, I'm now at the point of not wanting to spend money on the inevitable work that is about to appear.
Just in the process of buying a brand new Ford Focus diesel to replace it for the next few years. Before you say it, I did my research and got it down to the Seat Leon - nice but a bit of a visibility issue and the Honda Civic, again the rear window visibility wasn't making me feel comfortable. Anything else was either out of my price range or not exactly something I'd want to buy with my own money. That aside, I looked into insurance, servicing, car tax, fuel costs and the figures all pointed to the Ford Focus being the cheapest to run. Alongside that, I did a load of research on the internet to verify my thoughts. So yes, I can quite understand why people go for Astras & the Focus: it just makes sense!
|
|
|
|
|
|
What's unreliable about the Focus ??
|
|
|
As many have said already: they ARE reliable, cheap to buy, cheap to run and cheap to fix and drive well (Focus probably better than Astra).
Given the above criteria, I'd be hard pushed to find many suitable alternatives. As has been mentioned, the handling of the Focus is generally considered among the best in it's class and quite superior to so-called 'premium' brands.
|
The question could also be ´Why are Golfs considered to be preferable to Astras and Focusses?´
My Astra G (99) has been excellent. Cost 2.4K 3 years and 30 k ago.It´s now on 113k, running beautifully.
I´ve enjoyed every Focus I´ve had on hire.
The equivalent Golf would have been 50% more expensive.
|
|
Ford and Vauxhall are both good cars for the money much improved. They depreciate faster than some due to fleets etc but are offered with much more discounting up front. I own a new golf tdi and drive a new focus tdci at work, the ford impressed me, it is equal to the golf in most things and i would consider one seriously next time i change . Ford have improved greatly, VW havent and are becoming overpriced and over-rated
Edited by guss on 08/05/2008 at 19:41
|
|
They may be reliable, but my goodness I'm sick and tired of seeing them. It's so boring, every other car is a focus. Why spend over £10k on something boring. Come on people be more creative! Why not get an Auris? They don't sell too well but are a damn sight more interesting than ANOTHER focus!
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 08/05/2008 at 20:15
|
Why not get an Auris? They don't sell too well but are a damn sight more interesting than ANOTHER focus!
True, but the drive - especially the steering - is rubbish compared to a Focus.
I could bore everybody with how well my 2002 1.8Tdci has done, suffice to say I don't see how you could do better for the money.
So my answer to the OP's question is: Because they are very good cars.
|
Becuase the British public are a punch of penny wise pound foolish sheep.
'oooh I want a mid sized car it'll be cheap to run' so off they all go and pay a fortune for a ghastly Astra becuase everyone else wants one as well when they could have saved several grand and got something much nicer.
|
>>>...they all go and pay a fortune for a ghastly Astra becuase everyone else wants >>>one as well when they could have saved several grand and got something much >>>nicer.
such as?
|
|
Sticking with the Vauxhall theme, although I particularly dislike this model on the used market at 3-5 years old a Vectra is often much cheaper.
|
|
I hate Fords and I hate Vauxhalls.... but having tried my sister's Focus, I was verty impressed. Tried my mates Astra... and I still hate them, though I must say the new Corsa looks tasty.
|
|
Focus ~ lots of dealers, i.e. convenient for wherever you live; cheap servicing, repairs and spares.
Edited by L'escargot on 09/05/2008 at 08:30
|
|
Why a Focus ? Mine does everything I need it to and leaves me with money in my wallet for the more important things in life.
|
|
The Vectra is a huge car for most people and some never get over the fear of driving something bigger than what they were taught in.
My mum for example couldnt drive a Vectra because of her poor spacial awareness on the whole, nevermind lack of confidence in a bigger car, nevermind the extra costs of a bigger car they dont need.
Edited by smokescreen on 10/05/2008 at 09:13
|
|
|
|
|
Why not get an Auris? They don't sell too well ..........
I'm not surprised they don't sell too well. The nearest Toyota dealer to us is 30 miles away. The nearest Ford dealer is 2 miles away.
|
|
if your looking for a cheap astra type car but with reliability buy a daewoo lanos .. cheap as chips
|
|
|
|
|
|
