MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
Last year I got rid of my mk1 focus, rust was setting in, started using oil, was just about to start costing too much to look after.
It was the 1.6 zetec, 3dr - amazing car, handled well, looked nice, powerful enough 90% of the time, cavernous for carrying kit, ultra reliable, just fantastic, I did 100,000 miles in 5 years, sold it on 145k. Cost me £3100 when 5 years old, only ever had a new rad and a wiper motor other than general servicing/wear and tear parts. Sold for £600.
I bought a mk2 focus as a replacement, 1.8 zetec, it's got 25hp more but is bigger, heavier, no faster, worse on fuel, and has several niggly, annoying issues that can't be traced/resolved. As a result, I want rid.
So, I want something more like my old focus, what is there? mk7 fiesta? 1.4 or 1.6 zetec
Low mileage Mk 1 Focus ? 😉
I've got a Mk 7 Fiesta, nearly 80,000 miles & it's 3 years old in September. I've not tried putting Bike stuff in but I'm sure it's big enough with the seats down to get a bike in with front wheel off.
Would it be 1.4 or 1.6 Petrol or Diesel ?
Mines the 1.4 Diesel.
Mk3 Mondeo 2.0 diesel. Cheap, lots of kit, chain driven, economical, good handling, masses of boot space
Mk1 Focus was great, next generation ones became fat and lost what the original Focus was.
I do like a mk1 focus. Future classic i reckon, the handling compared to an escort is night and day. I would either look for a low miles mk1 again or look for a mondeo as dunc says. The mk3 is a fantastic car imo, the chassis is very good and there are millons to choose from, get a titanium and you get all the toys. Cheap too. Massive boot.
OK, so it's not just me then.
I had a go in rented Mk1 for a few days and thought it was brilliant. So when the time came, I bought a Mk2. But it's just not the same. It's OK, nothing you could point to, but it's just a bit meh.
Sorry, not really much help OP. In the end I bought an MX5....
I had a mk1 focus but the face lifted one with the indicators in the headlights. It was a lx estate. One of the best cars we've ever had. I think they made them up to 04 ish. You can't replace what was undoubtedly the best car ever made at the time. VW have only just caught up with the very latest golf and even that still struggles on the chassis stakes. Control blade rear suspension 10 yrs ahead of anybody else. If you can get a well looked after 170 ST they are superb cars.
At least it's not just me then!
My mk1 was genuinely brilliant, I did navigational scatter rallies in it, took it to France, took it off road, hammered it on shit roads, in forests, just abused to be honest (but did service it myself twice a year and keep it up together), it never once broke down. Mine was the facelift model on a 53 plate.
The mk2 is just meh, that's the perfect description.
I want a petrol really, only do about 15,000 miles a year now, petrol's seem a safer bet these days as non turbo are just simpler and cheaper to maintain than diesels, I also do a lot of pootling about back lanes and short trips driving around building projects.
I think I either need something tank like, or light, nimble, and kinder to itself than the lumbering mk2 focus.
£4.5k to spend max
Seat Leon? I had a 55plate 1.9 td and that was a blast to drive.
Last of the old Avensis or newer 1.8 TR - according to Honest John about as simple as a modern car can be. Not likely to make you Stirling Moss, but comfy and reliable.
I wouldn't touch anything based on a mk4 golf chassis that includes Leon's and octavia's. Fiesta 2.0 ST simple engine chain driven an easy 150bhp in a small light weight body.
Just get another Mk1 Focus 🙂
Look at this: the lead-out model in Edge trim, looks good to me (no rust, from the photos anyway), in great nick:
http://www.gumtree.com/p/ford/2004-ford-focus-1.8-edge-new-mot-full-history-superb/1122735898
£990.
Bargain.
I'm not the seller btw, that was just a very quick rummage on Gumtree.
We are mad for buying new cars when there cars like this for sale. That one will have the 125bhp 1.8 engine. That's a lot of car for the money.
We sure are. If I was looking for a car right now, either one of them would be perfect.
We've had 2, still got LX estate, very reliable just keeps passing MOTs and so comfortable, love ours.