Well Mrs FC is ready for a change she has a 05 petrol Focus 2 Zetec Climate.
We are looking to source through Ford Direct again. I fancy the Focus 3 Titanium Estate in Tango Orange! Greys and blues seem to show those supermarket scratches.
Ford Direct seem to have mostly Titanium 1.8 TDCi's and 2.0 petrols, few 1.6 diesels or petrols.
I quite like the thought of the diesel due to much better fuel economy and cheaper tax.
Any thoughts, experience or advice welcome. Except my local plod use them and..............
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The Focus III isn't due for release until around autumn 2010, do you mean the updated version of the Focus II ?
We have both the Focus 1.6 (109) TDCi and 1.8 TDCi. The 1.6 TDCi is the nicer to drive overall and fuel economy is better & lower VED than the 1.8 TDCi, both have plenty of torque for load carrying etc. The engine characteristic are different so it's worth driving them to see which you prefer.
Make sure the radio works and is clear on radio 5 AM, engine turned on, if the radio crackles ensure they fix it before you decide to buy.
Also on a test drive check if there is any creaking from the front suspension, tight track end rods are sometimes an issue and they need replacing if they creak, the garage should fix them for you anyway as part of the pre-buy package. To find the problem put the car into reverse and put it on full lock, do this for each lock direction, if no noise then it's a good sign, also listen as you drive along any road with bumps.
FSH check is a must, ignore anything without one and get a computer check and printout of all servicing carried out to ascertain the work done. HPI check etc. Although Ford Direct offer good protection there are plenty of other good examples around.
Colour wise, Tango Orange, Vision blue, Colorado Red, Frozen White, and Ocean all suit the car, everything else is old hat and boring.
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Dont dimiss the 2.0 TDCI. Real life fuel use is 42/43mpg around town, 50mpg at motorway cruise. VED is £135 and worth every penny for the effortless power. The big lightly stressed engine will probably outlast the body shell given regular sevicing. Most of all it is nice to drive.
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Thanks so far. Yes its the 2 Facelift, sorry.
Edited by Fullchat on 27/02/2009 at 00:06
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I have driven both these engines but in completely different cars. The 1.6 was in a Citroen C4 and the 1.8 in an S-Max. Even allowing for the kerbweight difference between the two, I would still say the 1.6 is the nicer engine. The 1.8 was completely spoiled by the age old Ford diesel problem of dead response to the accelerator and with a "hole" in the bottom of the rev range where it had no boost and barely moved the car. After the test drive, I got in our Scenic which is a similar sized car with 5 bhp less, and actually spun the wheels as I pulled away. That's how deficient the example we drove was in its response.
The 1.6 is a beautifully sweet unit with a very "petrol like" linear delivery and great response. The 2.0 is also a lovely engine. Both are, as you probably know, developed in conjunction with PSA, and the same units as the "HDI" engines in the Peugeot and Citroen ranges. The 1.8 is an evolution of the old Ford Endura DE, with common rail injection.
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