What has happened to ford
Discussion
GroundEffect said:
Significantly? That's stretching things a bit as far as I've experienced! The Golf 7 is a solid platform with very few complaints, but the latest Focus feels sharper.
I haven't driven a 3 so I can't comment.
Agreed. I had a 63-plate and 14-plate Golf, both nearly new, both 1.6 diesels.I haven't driven a 3 so I can't comment.
While the Golf may have felt slightly more 'refined'. the Focus was definitely more involving to drive. Hard to explain exactly, but it just felt like a more connected car, the Golf felt a bit sterile in comparison.
smithyithy said:
Which models had IRS? Mine was a Mk7 (current model) but base trim, like an S..
Rather oddly, I think it's determined entirely by engine choice; basically anything with more than about 150bhp seems to have it. I'm sure someone will be along with the exact details though. 
f1nn said:
C7 JFW said:
Agreed with the OP.
An AWD Focus RS is the product to really lure me back to the brand. A decade ago I flatly refused to buy a Mk1 Focus RS purely on the basis that it was Front Wheel Drive & the Mk2 Focus was no different. I drove a Mountune Mk2 ST a friend owns and was embarassed for the brand by how poor the experience was.
I've had 3 Fiestas and the Focus was the natural progression for me.. but not Front Wheel Drive. Maybe now that will change.
I know this has been done to death, but the refusal to buy a car because of if being 2wd seems odd, especially given its likely use.An AWD Focus RS is the product to really lure me back to the brand. A decade ago I flatly refused to buy a Mk1 Focus RS purely on the basis that it was Front Wheel Drive & the Mk2 Focus was no different. I drove a Mountune Mk2 ST a friend owns and was embarassed for the brand by how poor the experience was.
I've had 3 Fiestas and the Focus was the natural progression for me.. but not Front Wheel Drive. Maybe now that will change.
The Mk1 Focus RS was what, 212BHP? I can't see that it needed, or indeed would benefit noticeably from being 4wd. Infact, I'd suggest it would have been slower, duller, thirstier and less communicative.
.... stands back...
ks spouted at all!I bought my first ford, a 2009 mondeo in 2009. this is after decades of driving. hated fords with a passion. I fail to see the love for 70's- 90's fords- they were awful.
I've had all sorts of cars, including many VW's, which to be honest were never that great.
I needed a big family car and was very surprised about it, the spec and so on.
Anyway, nearly 6 years on, its been faultless. its taken the battering from kids, building gear, gardening gear and my job.
everything works 100% and its still doing 40mpg urban and 55 mpg on a run.
I see it as purely a white good, its a throw away item. However I think Ford are producing some good looking cars.
The new mondeo looks absolutely stunning, although the flagship "vignale" has an awful white/cream type leather interior I will admit.
I've had all sorts of cars, including many VW's, which to be honest were never that great.
I needed a big family car and was very surprised about it, the spec and so on.
Anyway, nearly 6 years on, its been faultless. its taken the battering from kids, building gear, gardening gear and my job.
everything works 100% and its still doing 40mpg urban and 55 mpg on a run.
I see it as purely a white good, its a throw away item. However I think Ford are producing some good looking cars.
The new mondeo looks absolutely stunning, although the flagship "vignale" has an awful white/cream type leather interior I will admit.
Roger Irrelevant said:
Whereas if you get a VAG everything feels solid, but it may well break! Slightly tongue in cheek, but the impression I get is that people generally think Fords aren't as good as they really are, and think that VAGs are better than they really are.
Whatever, I agree with the op - I've never owned a Ford before but right now they make two of the three cars I would actually buy new (and which I have a realistic chance of owning). I'm going to get myself a new car as a prezzie on an upcoming significant birthday, and the blue oval is looking very likely to get the cash.
Sums it up fairly.Whatever, I agree with the op - I've never owned a Ford before but right now they make two of the three cars I would actually buy new (and which I have a realistic chance of owning). I'm going to get myself a new car as a prezzie on an upcoming significant birthday, and the blue oval is looking very likely to get the cash.
I had a Passat after falling for the VAG soft touch plastics and would rather have a Ford with slightly less posh plastics any day!
I covered 100000 miles in my Focus with nothing inside breaking or falling off, it didn't even have any rattles. It was a 100% reliable car.
After 90000 miles in the Passat I had windows that would go down but not back up, central locking that only locked doors when it felt like it, interior plastics falling to bits such as the glovebox handle breaking off, knackered cd multi changer....the list goes on.
This was on top of corrosion I didn't think was possible in this day and age, and a blown turbo, and a duff gearbox. You can keep your soft touch plastics and perceived quality!
Ford the definition of average. They are the baseline which all others are judged. Better is an excellent car, worse is an awful car.
Occasionally they pop up with something inspired (like the mustang), would still rather have a rhd charger or camaro though.
My mk2.5 Focus fell to bits over 30k miles, so I'm a bit biased.
Occasionally they pop up with something inspired (like the mustang), would still rather have a rhd charger or camaro though.
My mk2.5 Focus fell to bits over 30k miles, so I'm a bit biased.
sato said:
Dont forget that the Focus replacement is imminent, so it is effectively a generation behind it's rivals now.
Given that each generation as been worse than the previous to drive (albeit better in just about every other way) that's not necessarily a good thing for enthusiasts. I'd imagine the current model has a good couple of years to run yet, anyway?
The RS's have always been great, the new Focus does look amazing and if I wasn't welded into my Fiesta I would be trading it in for one.
I have a 63 plate Fiesta Titanium Ecoboost and its a great little car, quick enough for now and a bit of fun when I want it to be. Cheap to run too.
Some of the mainstream stuff is a bit boring, I can't believe they dont make any convertibles. That said, the last Focus convertible was awful.
I have a 63 plate Fiesta Titanium Ecoboost and its a great little car, quick enough for now and a bit of fun when I want it to be. Cheap to run too.
Some of the mainstream stuff is a bit boring, I can't believe they dont make any convertibles. That said, the last Focus convertible was awful.
Rammy76 said:
Sums it up fairly.
I had a Passat after falling for the VAG soft touch plastics and would rather have a Ford with slightly less posh plastics any day!
I covered 100000 miles in my Focus with nothing inside breaking or falling off, it didn't even have any rattles. It was a 100% reliable car.
After 90000 miles in the Passat I had windows that would go down but not back up, central locking that only locked doors when it felt like it, interior plastics falling to bits such as the glovebox handle breaking off, knackered cd multi changer....the list goes on.
This was on top of corrosion I didn't think was possible in this day and age, and a blown turbo, and a duff gearbox. You can keep your soft touch plastics and perceived quality!
Absolutely.I had a Passat after falling for the VAG soft touch plastics and would rather have a Ford with slightly less posh plastics any day!
I covered 100000 miles in my Focus with nothing inside breaking or falling off, it didn't even have any rattles. It was a 100% reliable car.
After 90000 miles in the Passat I had windows that would go down but not back up, central locking that only locked doors when it felt like it, interior plastics falling to bits such as the glovebox handle breaking off, knackered cd multi changer....the list goes on.
This was on top of corrosion I didn't think was possible in this day and age, and a blown turbo, and a duff gearbox. You can keep your soft touch plastics and perceived quality!
We have company Passat's and A4's and over 90K miles the legends on the buttons wore off, various bits of trim came away not to mention annoying and expensive injector issues.
They're white goods, designed to perfection for 3 year leases.
I walk past my local Ford dealer's forecourt a couple of times a week. I think the current range stacks up well. A visitor parked up in our drive recently in a 15 plate Mondeo. I had not realised how big these cars are now. I reckon they are bigger than the old MK11 Granada which IMO was the last large Ford that looked the part.
ChasW said:
I walk past my local Ford dealer's forecourt a couple of times a week. I think the current range stacks up well. A visitor parked up in our drive recently in a 15 plate Mondeo. I had not realised how big these cars are now. I reckon they are bigger than the old MK11 Granada which IMO was the last large Ford that looked the part.
Yes, the current Mondeo is bigger than the mk2 Granada in all dimensions. That's hardly a surprise though, it's pretty much the norm for car with a particular name to shift up a size category every three or four generations. There is a reason the Fiesta is the best selling car in the UK, well a few,
Brand Loyalty
Lack of imagination
However, they look good, drive well, dealers are all over and are available in many different guises. The ST is the best of that sized hot hatch
They aren't actually all that cheap when you look at it, spec one up and you are soon into Audi A1 territory, but will obviously get less for your money.
Trim is acceptable, its not stunning to look at or super solid but you get the feeling it will last the cars lifespan, the rest of it seems to be built very well, like pretty much every other modern car, people rattle on about Audi build, but they mean interiors and yes, the A1 has a nicer interior than a Fiesta, not sure whether the suspension arms are better grade metal or whether the crank is made to a finer tolerance.
The new Mondeo is a handsome thing, however, Mondeo man is now 3 series/A4 man, usually with spinal issues from S Line/M suspension, the germans make nice cars but to be honest, I dont think a lot actually give much thought to the Mondeo, its a bit like the wooden spoon in the company car park but I think like Apple no longer having the cachet it had, some might go back to the Mondeo, but I can see why a lot go german as there isnt anything in it in the lease costs, if anything the Mondeo works out dearer.
I think as the Mustang and Focus RS appear on the roads, Ford will have the halo models they need.
Brand Loyalty
Lack of imagination
However, they look good, drive well, dealers are all over and are available in many different guises. The ST is the best of that sized hot hatch
They aren't actually all that cheap when you look at it, spec one up and you are soon into Audi A1 territory, but will obviously get less for your money.
Trim is acceptable, its not stunning to look at or super solid but you get the feeling it will last the cars lifespan, the rest of it seems to be built very well, like pretty much every other modern car, people rattle on about Audi build, but they mean interiors and yes, the A1 has a nicer interior than a Fiesta, not sure whether the suspension arms are better grade metal or whether the crank is made to a finer tolerance.
The new Mondeo is a handsome thing, however, Mondeo man is now 3 series/A4 man, usually with spinal issues from S Line/M suspension, the germans make nice cars but to be honest, I dont think a lot actually give much thought to the Mondeo, its a bit like the wooden spoon in the company car park but I think like Apple no longer having the cachet it had, some might go back to the Mondeo, but I can see why a lot go german as there isnt anything in it in the lease costs, if anything the Mondeo works out dearer.
I think as the Mustang and Focus RS appear on the roads, Ford will have the halo models they need.
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