Focus Or Civic
Discussion
Hi,
I have decided to buy a second hand car and my budget is around 7.500£. For this budget it seems I can get a Ford Focus Mk3 (1.6 125 bhp) from 2011 or Honda Civic Mk8 (1.8 138 bhp) from 2009 or 2010. Both cars around 40k-50k miles.
I used to have the Ford Focus 2 facelift and it was a very reliable car and fun to drive.
Do you guys have any opinions about these two cars? I haven't tried any of them.
Reliability is the most important for me. I don't have kids(yet), is just me and my wife.
I really like the Civic but I read some reviews and it seems that it is not as reliable as people think.
The Focus looks a little dull but I am more interested in how it drives and how easy it is to live with it.
Thanks
I have decided to buy a second hand car and my budget is around 7.500£. For this budget it seems I can get a Ford Focus Mk3 (1.6 125 bhp) from 2011 or Honda Civic Mk8 (1.8 138 bhp) from 2009 or 2010. Both cars around 40k-50k miles.
I used to have the Ford Focus 2 facelift and it was a very reliable car and fun to drive.
Do you guys have any opinions about these two cars? I haven't tried any of them.
Reliability is the most important for me. I don't have kids(yet), is just me and my wife.
I really like the Civic but I read some reviews and it seems that it is not as reliable as people think.
The Focus looks a little dull but I am more interested in how it drives and how easy it is to live with it.
Thanks
I bought an 18 month old 2007 CDTI Civic and have put on about 80,000 miles (taking it to 115k). Aside from servicing, pads/discs, wiperblades, etc it has needed:
Clutch at 66k (there was a problem with the first lot of clutches and I expect the replacement one to last a lot longer). Cost was £600 fitted.
Satnav unit needed fixing. Done at Alpine (the manufacturer) - cost £175 although I removed and refitted the unit myself.
Pressure relief valve on fuel rail - cost £125 (fitted myself).
Drop links. Done these twice now - cost about £30 for a pair and 20 mins to fit.
It's a great little car for hacking around in. The base of the rear seats fold up so you can fit a couple of bicycles or a flat screen TV behind the front seats. The only downside is access in and out of the rear seats can be limited.
Clutch at 66k (there was a problem with the first lot of clutches and I expect the replacement one to last a lot longer). Cost was £600 fitted.
Satnav unit needed fixing. Done at Alpine (the manufacturer) - cost £175 although I removed and refitted the unit myself.
Pressure relief valve on fuel rail - cost £125 (fitted myself).
Drop links. Done these twice now - cost about £30 for a pair and 20 mins to fit.
It's a great little car for hacking around in. The base of the rear seats fold up so you can fit a couple of bicycles or a flat screen TV behind the front seats. The only downside is access in and out of the rear seats can be limited.
I've run a 2007 Civic Type R GT for 15 months and over 25,000 miles. All it's needed is 2 services, tyres and rear brake pads. It's been untterly reliable so far and a joy to own. I also get mid 30's MPG if driven sensibly and have seen 40mpg on a long run.
I paid £7,800 a year ago for it when it had 32,000 on the clock with full Honda SH.
You can read about my ownership in detail here: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Go on, buy a Type R!
I paid £7,800 a year ago for it when it had 32,000 on the clock with full Honda SH.
You can read about my ownership in detail here: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Go on, buy a Type R!
I've had my 59 plate FN2 Civic Type R since August, and it's had a few niggles (fortunatley all sorted under warranty as I bought from a main dealer).
- Creaky clutch pedal (common issue, new slave cylinder sorts)
- Sat nav unit packed up (had to be sent back to Alpine for refurb)
- Trim doesn't seem especially durable - I've already had one piece drop off and several others that seem to be working their way loose on the inside of the tailgate. Numerous creaks and rattles. Exterior door handle is also working loose.
I'm sure all the basics are fine, and whilst the interior initially looks nice, but it does seem to be built down to a price.
- Creaky clutch pedal (common issue, new slave cylinder sorts)
- Sat nav unit packed up (had to be sent back to Alpine for refurb)
- Trim doesn't seem especially durable - I've already had one piece drop off and several others that seem to be working their way loose on the inside of the tailgate. Numerous creaks and rattles. Exterior door handle is also working loose.
I'm sure all the basics are fine, and whilst the interior initially looks nice, but it does seem to be built down to a price.
What is worth checking on the civic if you do lots of city driving is parking,is rearward visibility. It is terrible, made worse by spoiler splitting rear window, high side window line, no rear wiper and parking sensors not standard. A very dull response, but as someone who sells cars, its amazing how often it gets overlooked on testdrives and only becomes an issue first time the wife tries to park it....... 
both foci and civic give very little trouble in petrol form, i would say the focus is a better suited car to pootle about in, the civic needs to be worked quite hard to get the best from it, but it is a little more exciting aestheticaly .
both foci and civic give very little trouble in petrol form, i would say the focus is a better suited car to pootle about in, the civic needs to be worked quite hard to get the best from it, but it is a little more exciting aestheticaly .I wish I could buy the type R but since this is my first car in the UK the insurance is going to be quite expensive with the normal Civic and in my budget I will not be able to find a type R.
Regarding the parking issues, it seems that many civics already have parking sensors fitted so I guess I am covered.
Regarding the parking issues, it seems that many civics already have parking sensors fitted so I guess I am covered.
sorin1987 said:
I wish I could buy the type R but since this is my first car in the UK the insurance is going to be quite expensive with the normal Civic and in my budget I will not be able to find a type R.
Regarding the parking issues, it seems that many civics already have parking sensors fitted so I guess I am covered.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Milano-red-civic-type-r-GT-48k-/141531819492?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item20f3f42de4Regarding the parking issues, it seems that many civics already have parking sensors fitted so I guess I am covered.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/07-Reg-HONDA-CIVIC-2-0i-...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2007-HONDA-CIVIC-TYPE-R-...
All in budget!
No harm in getting a quote is there?
However, the TypeSs and standard Civics are just as good. I've been recommending them to people since I bought mine and a couple have followed through and bought one and have been very happy.
There is no spare wheel on/in a Civic.
I stopped for a chat with a man down the road who had one and he said he liked it and nothing had one wrong with it, but he was retiring soon and it was going. His wife has one of the early current shape Jazz's and he said it was a better car, so they were keeping it instead of the Civic. When I went to buy my Jazz the salesman didn't try to steer me to a Civic when I said I was half interested in one.
I stopped for a chat with a man down the road who had one and he said he liked it and nothing had one wrong with it, but he was retiring soon and it was going. His wife has one of the early current shape Jazz's and he said it was a better car, so they were keeping it instead of the Civic. When I went to buy my Jazz the salesman didn't try to steer me to a Civic when I said I was half interested in one.
I have the Civic
And I made just this choice some years ago.
In short, the Focus drives better (better steering, brakes and ride). The Civic has very nice steering, which is lovely and direct. The gear change is very good, it doesn't leave you guessing. The ride, even on the smallest wheels is very fidgety and knobbly though and it absolutely swan dives into even the smallest pot holes. On glass smooth road though its good.
The Civic, for me, looked far better than the Focus and was just a that little bit more exciting a prospect, especially the interior (which on the 09+ cars should be improved quality wise over the earlier cars). I also felt the petrol engine was also much better than what ford offered.
Its not rapid by any stretch and the engine note can sound a little harsh in that typical jap four-pot way, but it does provide a nice turn of pace, loves to rev out and yet is rather frugal (you'll see an easy 40 MPG + on a motorway haul at 70 mph) and so far, in five years of ownership its never gone wrong once. Not a single refusal to start nor a stray dash board light. Barely uses any oil (normally only get through 0.5 to 1 L of top up oil between services). It has really only ever needed the usual consumables of tyres, brakes (one set of discs and 2 sets of pads in 5 years and the car was second hand when I got it).
Its a chain driven engine too so no real worries about cam belts (though they do check the chain and tensioners at certain services).
I will say the interior cloth isnt as hard wearing at whats in the Focus so you need to take car of it. The plastics are on a par, but some, like the cool visor thing that covers the rev counter is actually very soft, so don't take anything other an a micro-fiber to it! Also the stereo is quite weak (my 16 year old volvo with tape deck is miles better!!) and will be especially so if you can get a Focus with the SONY head unit.
If you do go for the civic I would heartily recommend going for the ES spec (or whatever that changed to in 2009). The S is spartan-mans (and I think only available on the 1.4) and the SE isn't much better. The sport has bigger 17 inch wheels and Xenon HID headlamps, but due to the harsh ride I'd recommend the ES with its smaller wheels but with the benefits of:
The glass roof
Auto wipers (and as these things go I find them very well judged)
Auto Light (again very well judged)
Cruise control
Any questions please dont hesitate to ask on here or via PM!
And I made just this choice some years ago.
In short, the Focus drives better (better steering, brakes and ride). The Civic has very nice steering, which is lovely and direct. The gear change is very good, it doesn't leave you guessing. The ride, even on the smallest wheels is very fidgety and knobbly though and it absolutely swan dives into even the smallest pot holes. On glass smooth road though its good.
The Civic, for me, looked far better than the Focus and was just a that little bit more exciting a prospect, especially the interior (which on the 09+ cars should be improved quality wise over the earlier cars). I also felt the petrol engine was also much better than what ford offered.
Its not rapid by any stretch and the engine note can sound a little harsh in that typical jap four-pot way, but it does provide a nice turn of pace, loves to rev out and yet is rather frugal (you'll see an easy 40 MPG + on a motorway haul at 70 mph) and so far, in five years of ownership its never gone wrong once. Not a single refusal to start nor a stray dash board light. Barely uses any oil (normally only get through 0.5 to 1 L of top up oil between services). It has really only ever needed the usual consumables of tyres, brakes (one set of discs and 2 sets of pads in 5 years and the car was second hand when I got it).
Its a chain driven engine too so no real worries about cam belts (though they do check the chain and tensioners at certain services).
I will say the interior cloth isnt as hard wearing at whats in the Focus so you need to take car of it. The plastics are on a par, but some, like the cool visor thing that covers the rev counter is actually very soft, so don't take anything other an a micro-fiber to it! Also the stereo is quite weak (my 16 year old volvo with tape deck is miles better!!) and will be especially so if you can get a Focus with the SONY head unit.
If you do go for the civic I would heartily recommend going for the ES spec (or whatever that changed to in 2009). The S is spartan-mans (and I think only available on the 1.4) and the SE isn't much better. The sport has bigger 17 inch wheels and Xenon HID headlamps, but due to the harsh ride I'd recommend the ES with its smaller wheels but with the benefits of:
The glass roof
Auto wipers (and as these things go I find them very well judged)
Auto Light (again very well judged)
Cruise control
Any questions please dont hesitate to ask on here or via PM!
djfaulkner said:
Did you mean the mk3 1.6 - 125 focus or the 1.0 - 125
I meant the mk3 1.6 ti-vct 125 engine.I like the Civic better but I will keep an open mind. Being a second hand car I will look around and try a few of them (civic and fords) and get the better car.
Also, do you think is better to buy from dealers or to try find a private seller? I had 3 cars before I moved to UK but I have no mechanical knowledge... Is it safer to buy from dealers?
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