I'm in the market for a Focus, and have a budget of around £4k. I'm veering towards a 2.0 or 1.8 petrol, but have read the 1.8 isn't much cop. So it is will be 2.0 I think. Is there more than one version of this petrol engine, and what's it like reliability and performance wise? For £4k, am I stuck with a Mk1 Focus, or can I stretch to a MkII (apart from appearance, what differences are there?)?
Is the ST170 much of an insurance hike over the normal 2.0?
Shall I aim for an older low mileage one, or a more recent high mileage one? I rather of the school of thought that mileage isn't really an issue if a car is well looked after and long motorway drives are better than short town-based ones.
Is there anything I should look out for when inspecting a car, and what about cam-belt changes?
Please don't recommend a diesel though, I just don't like them!
Ta, D.
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Well we've got a 2.0 Ghia estate, Y reg with ~50k miles, which we bought about 2 years ago. But can't really help much other that to say I enjoy driving it, it feels 'right', and has so far been reliable. Not ultra-quick or economical, but I much preferred it over the 1.6 I also had a (short) test drive in.
I remember reading reviews of the ST170 which weren't that good, and I'm quite happy with the normal 2.0; I think the 0-60 is officially 9.something. To me it feels quite torquey and you don't need to rev it, but another poster with the same engine said the opposite a few months ago. Not what you would call a 'sweet' unit, but I like it.
Good choice!
Focus
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General advice would be to be very wary of the sports version of anything at this age.
I test drove a 1.6 petrol and thought it was nippy enough - nice and light and agile on the front end, too.
My 1.8 diesel always felt a bit nose-heavy, and I imagine a 2.0 petrol might be the same.
Test drive a couple, but whatever you do, buy one, because as Focus says, Focuses are great. :)
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I've had a 1.8 petrol for the last four years and it has been very reliable. Only needed a rear wheel bearing ( it is an estate and I sometimes fill it up! ) and a vehicle speed sensor ( changed myself with the help of this forum ).
Screwloose, who used to post here ten times a day, said last year -
"The Focus has cost me a fortune. I used to rely on Ford for around a third of my work - nice to work on and the parts were easily-accessible and cheap.
Then they brought the flippin' Focus out - and.... nothing! Never see one; [apart from this issue] never make a brass farthing out of them! "
When I bought mine Ford were quoting 100,000 miles or 10 years for the cambelts.
(that reminds me I better get mine done! )
PS They've changed the swear filter since last year, screwloose got the "art" through!
Edited by Webmaster on 03/07/2009 at 02:31
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My 1.8 diesel always felt a bit nose-heavy and I imagine a 2.0 petrol might be the same.
Can't say I've noticed myself - feels nicely balanced. Although I haven't driven a smaller engined version (apart from the short 1.6 test drive) to compare it with. And my estate might be different to the hatch.
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Shoehorn a Cologne V6 in there. Add a slushmatic and be done with it.
Hobgoblin at the ready!! MD
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Thanks for the tips so far. I have spotted a theme with rear wheel bearings though, seems to be a weakness. Having recently changed an original front one on my 20-year-old 205 GTi, I can't imagine it would be vastly harder than that (it took two men a good couple of hours to remove the old bearing from the hub with all the correct tools available).
Is the 2.0 engine a twin cam one with a belt or a chain?
I used have an 80's Fiesta many years ago, and I know Ford have moved on in leaps and bounds since then.
I've not taken a car to a garage for about 5 years now (except MOTs and tyres) as I do all my own maintenance. Is the Focus fine to work with on the basics?
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Hi Dave. I bought my 1.8 MkI to replace a much loved but smokey 205 GTi 1.9. I was looking for a 2.0 but ended up with a 1.8 because I found a good one.
Obviously it doesn't provide the effortless performance of the 205 but is so much more refined. The handling and steering is good but doesn't provide the extra wide grin :-)
The 1.8 and 2.0 MkI engines are both Zetec-E engines. Twin-cam belt driven.
The ST170 used the later Duratec engine. Twin cam (HJ C by C says belt driven ) but the brochure I have says they have Dual-mass flywheels!
The Mk II Focuses are all Duratec engines but I think some are chain driven.
They are more refined than the MkI s but will cost more. Have a look at autotrader to see what you can get.
The rear wheel bearing I had replaced was only a bit noisy but failed the MOT. They charged £25 +vat for the part and £50 +vat for the labour so I just left them to do it. The VSS was difficult to access and fiddly but OK. Nothing else has needed doing!
Edited by old crocks on 03/07/2009 at 14:13
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Make sure the seats suit you. I'm completely satisfied with Ghia seats but found Zetec seats excruciating to sit on for more than a few miles.
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