I am looking for a new (to me) diesel estate with a budget of £3k max but would prefer to spend less if possible! The usual suspects of Passat or Octavia are few and far between and command top dollar if they’ve not been to the moon and back.

However it seems in looking on autotrader etc… and it seems a sensible mileage Focus estate with full service history etc… is much cheaper and can get a 2002 or newer for my budget.

Therefore has anyone got one and is there a reason they are that much cheaper…?! Also comments on real world MPG would be great too as I’ve read a few Ford forums with people saying they are struggling to get much over 40?

Also if anyone can recommend anything else that may be better value (cheaper!) than the Passat/Octavia that would also be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Got a 51 plate TDCi estate, 115bhp 1.8 litre engine, 146k on the clock (done 46 of that myself), regularly returns 45mpg with bikes on the roof, can get 52mpg if I pootle about. Does what I need it to.

I had a 51 plate 1.8 tdi focus estate a few years back as a company car.

It had a very hard life, was used for transporting light construction kit about (pneumatic drills, small hand tools etc) as well as serving as a daily commuter, family car and bike transporter.

I loved it, it handled well, got mid 40s mpg provided it wasn't driven stupidly hard, only saw a garage for fuel, tyres and services. Put about 60k miles on it in 18 months. I'd have another one.

Just need to check what kit each model comes with when you buy, mine was a Ghia and I only discovered it didn't have ABS as I passed through a hedge into a field on the North Yorkshire moors, whoops,..still drove home fine.

My mate has one. TDDi model, W' plate I think. Its badly maintained, never washed, carries a load of PA's etc to gigs every weekend, & him & his tat during the week. Closest it gets to a garage is an annual few hours with his mechanic mate next door who gives it new oil & an MOT.

There are some horror stories regarding injectors, pumps & DMF's on TDCi Mondeo's but I'm not sure if the same applies to the Focus.

I'd buy one tomorrow but they're not heavy enough to pull our caravan. Been looking for a nice TDDi Mondeo now for a few weeks but hens teeth would be easier to find.

My Focus estate TDCI 2002 is very good.

I bought it with 100K and now it's at 138K. I had a cam position sensor widget fail a few months back which stopped me dead. Easily fixed once the garage worked it out. Other than that no problems at all and it's been great. Changing the oil is a pain, which gets only slightly easier after a few goes.

It's very economical. That's the main reason I bought it. Mrs Mc boots it on short trips and gets about 50MPG. I always do much better than her, rarely less than 55. I can tickle it on long trips and average over 60 if I keep the speed down and never accelerate or touch the brakes. I once ran from Surrey to Suffolk and averaged 67, but I was focussed on the MPG and did a bit of slipstreaming also. Long trips to France/Spain with a big roof rack load 3 bikes behind, and pretty disregarding the economy (75..80MPH), I get about 43. (Bikes on the low towbar mount are worth about 6MPG). It also depends on the fuel. Last BH weekend we did 600 miles and I was disappointed to get only 53, but that was with a big roofrack load and unbranded diesel fuel which I suspected was rubbish.

I've got a 06 1.8tdci estate and it gets about 45 round town and anything up to 70 mpg on a long run. Mostly it gets between 50 and 60. The only problem we've had with it is other people seem to like driving into it when it's parked – but that's probably more of a London thing.

I've had my 52 plate LX TDci for 3 years, put 50,000 miles on the clock since then its now at just over 101,000 miles.

Only problems have been

The aforementioned cam sensor which the local Ford dealer ripped me off to the tune of £300.

Sticky hand brake cable

sticky seals on rear brake calipers causing excessive pad and disc wear and some spectacular smoking!

worn out bushings on front anti roll bars.

poor cold weather starting due to a knackered battery, replaced with a nice high capacity calcium battery and now no problems even at -10.

achieves 40mpg easily

Mate has one… cheap to buy, cheap to run. Done well over 150k miles and still starts first time and has never given him any trouble. His only expenditure is on normal wear and tear.

In my experience they've got a big boot, reasonable room in the back but a bit cramped in the front. The interiors are low-rent compared with a Passat or Octavia. I recently drove a 1.6 diseasel on holiday and it was gutless, so avoid that.

Can't fault my X reg 1.8 turbo-deisel estate either – well, not in any major way…. Now just shy of 90,000 and a few bits and bobs need mending occasionally.

Bodywork beginning to rust round the sills – I've just kurusted them and resprayed – looks as good as new. Brake pipes ara a wee bit corroded – some sections will want replaced before next year's MOT.

All in all though, a solid, very dependable performer with decent bike swallowing capacity (I've had four in the back with wheels off).

Drive a 55 plate 1.6tdi. It had only done 25k when I bought it last year and I've done about 15k so far. Long term mpg is about 51 mpg (I'm have a spreadsheet that tracks mileage against fuel), short term depends on how I drive. Most of the driving has been short trips (10-20 miles). It seems to sit quite happily at 75-80 mph, push it harder and fuel economy takes a hit. Roofrack & bike racks are permanently fitted.

Only problem has been a crack in (I think) the boost pipe (where the bracket off the engine attachs), but this is steel and my local garage welded it up no problems.

I've just bought an 05 1.6tdci with 98000miles on it for 3700, it's great to drive and has a big boot – until I get a towbar on it for a bike rack I'm lobbing bikes in the car, I piled two in yesterday without having to take wheels off. which was nice.

I think you get the old shape for under 3k generally, your regional price structure may vary.

No one has said the 'M' word!

Are they better then?!