Ecoboost. What s the score with them now?
Discussion
Thinking ahead to replacing the car and narrowing down the shortlist.
One of them is Ford with the 1.0t 125bhp ecoboost with a manual box. Car will be new or maybe a year old so it seems it’s chain driven rather than belt. I had an Ecoboost before for a few years when they first came out over a decade ago and it was fine and I’m very aware that proper servicing with correct oil is a must as is keeping a hawk eye on coolant levels but has the engine reliability improved in the intervening years? Is it now a safe choice to make without much thought?
I know they have a terrible reputation online but people tend to post bad experiences which can lead to forming an incorrect view on things so opinions and thoughts welcome!
One of them is Ford with the 1.0t 125bhp ecoboost with a manual box. Car will be new or maybe a year old so it seems it’s chain driven rather than belt. I had an Ecoboost before for a few years when they first came out over a decade ago and it was fine and I’m very aware that proper servicing with correct oil is a must as is keeping a hawk eye on coolant levels but has the engine reliability improved in the intervening years? Is it now a safe choice to make without much thought?
I know they have a terrible reputation online but people tend to post bad experiences which can lead to forming an incorrect view on things so opinions and thoughts welcome!
valiant said:
Thinking ahead to replacing the car and narrowing down the shortlist.
One of them is Ford with the 1.0t 125bhp ecoboost with a manual box. Car will be new or maybe a year old so it seems it s chain driven rather than belt. I had an Ecoboost before for a few years when they first came out over a decade ago and it was fine and I m very aware that proper servicing with correct oil is a must as is keeping a hawk eye on coolant levels but has the engine reliability improved in the intervening years? Is it now a safe choice to make without much thought?
I know they have a terrible reputation online but people tend to post bad experiences which can lead to forming an incorrect view on things so opinions and thoughts welcome!
My wife has had twoOne of them is Ford with the 1.0t 125bhp ecoboost with a manual box. Car will be new or maybe a year old so it seems it s chain driven rather than belt. I had an Ecoboost before for a few years when they first came out over a decade ago and it was fine and I m very aware that proper servicing with correct oil is a must as is keeping a hawk eye on coolant levels but has the engine reliability improved in the intervening years? Is it now a safe choice to make without much thought?
I know they have a terrible reputation online but people tend to post bad experiences which can lead to forming an incorrect view on things so opinions and thoughts welcome!
First was a brand new Fiesta, kept it 4 years, no issues as you'd expect
Second was a 6 year old Focus. Planned on keeping it until it died, spent over £1k getting the wet belt changed and less than 2 weeks later the engine went. Car scrapped
It's put us off Fords for good, wouldn't touch one with that engine
flight147z said:
My wife has had two
First was a brand new Fiesta, kept it 4 years, no issues as you'd expect
Second was a 6 year old Focus. Planned on keeping it until it died, spent over £1k getting the wet belt changed and less than 2 weeks later the engine went. Car scrapped
It's put us off Fords for good, wouldn't touch one with that engine
Is there any chance the belt change wasn’t done correctly? First was a brand new Fiesta, kept it 4 years, no issues as you'd expect
Second was a 6 year old Focus. Planned on keeping it until it died, spent over £1k getting the wet belt changed and less than 2 weeks later the engine went. Car scrapped
It's put us off Fords for good, wouldn't touch one with that engine
Simon_GH said:
flight147z said:
My wife has had two
First was a brand new Fiesta, kept it 4 years, no issues as you'd expect
Second was a 6 year old Focus. Planned on keeping it until it died, spent over £1k getting the wet belt changed and less than 2 weeks later the engine went. Car scrapped
It's put us off Fords for good, wouldn't touch one with that engine
Is there any chance the belt change wasn t done correctly? First was a brand new Fiesta, kept it 4 years, no issues as you'd expect
Second was a 6 year old Focus. Planned on keeping it until it died, spent over £1k getting the wet belt changed and less than 2 weeks later the engine went. Car scrapped
It's put us off Fords for good, wouldn't touch one with that engine
Andy86GT said:
Simon_GH said:
flight147z said:
My wife has had two
First was a brand new Fiesta, kept it 4 years, no issues as you'd expect
Second was a 6 year old Focus. Planned on keeping it until it died, spent over £1k getting the wet belt changed and less than 2 weeks later the engine went. Car scrapped
It's put us off Fords for good, wouldn't touch one with that engine
Is there any chance the belt change wasn t done correctly? First was a brand new Fiesta, kept it 4 years, no issues as you'd expect
Second was a 6 year old Focus. Planned on keeping it until it died, spent over £1k getting the wet belt changed and less than 2 weeks later the engine went. Car scrapped
It's put us off Fords for good, wouldn't touch one with that engine
I bought our B Max with the 125 Ecoboost brand new in 2015. We’ve still got it. It’s not high mileage but it is high use. Lots of short journeys and the odd trip across the country. It’s only recently being used everyday and is now in 45000 miles. Always had the correct oil. Serviced by Ford for 9 years and then by myself onwards. Changed the belt myself. Always use the proper Ford oil.
The family have two on the go. A 2013 with 144k and a 2020 with 167k, both from new and serviced as spec pls interim oil change. Belts were changed within the time/mileage and touch wood will keep for as long as they work. The 2020 has averaged 50 mpg+ over the miles according to the trip computer and brim to brim suggested so also. That said 50% has been motorway miles.
Wife has a 2015 fiesta ecoboost with 20 k miles on it.
Had it about 3 years and had the wet belt changed by Ford (£1800) a couple of years ago.
Great car to drive round town and MPG is fantastic.
Think the key with them is to keep them serviced and get the wet belt done before the 10 year recommendation time slot.
Out of interest, feedback from Ford was that the existing wet belt was in good condition when they removed it
Had it about 3 years and had the wet belt changed by Ford (£1800) a couple of years ago.
Great car to drive round town and MPG is fantastic.
Think the key with them is to keep them serviced and get the wet belt done before the 10 year recommendation time slot.
Out of interest, feedback from Ford was that the existing wet belt was in good condition when they removed it
Bazil Bush said:
Wife has a 2015 fiesta ecoboost with 20 k miles on it.
Had it about 3 years and had the wet belt changed by Ford (£1800) a couple of years ago.
Great car to drive round town and MPG is fantastic.
Think the key with them is to keep them serviced and get the wet belt done before the 10 year recommendation time slot.
Out of interest, feedback from Ford was that the existing wet belt was in good condition when they removed it
This is what I find totally mental with these engines. Had it about 3 years and had the wet belt changed by Ford (£1800) a couple of years ago.
Great car to drive round town and MPG is fantastic.
Think the key with them is to keep them serviced and get the wet belt done before the 10 year recommendation time slot.
Out of interest, feedback from Ford was that the existing wet belt was in good condition when they removed it
A quick scan of Auto Trader says a 2015 Fiesta Ecoboost with sub 20k miles is around the £7-8k mark depending on spec.
A quarter of its value spent on what should be seen as a routine maintenance item. Crazy!
(The engine design, not you. I appreciate that once you've got one of these you have to throw the money at it otherwise it could implode but still to my mind a traditional cambelt on a car of that type/age/value should be a 500 quid job tops).
All that aside, the 2018 Ecoboost onwards is a timing chain engine but still has a wet belt for the oil pump, so they only really solved half the problem.
I've seen stories online of that oil belt losing all its teeth at 50k miles. Replacement means you "might as well do the timing chain whilst in there", as it is false economy to ignore it.
A quick Google suggests anywhere between £900 to £1200 at indies to do both timing chain and oil pump wet belt.
Edited by Shooter McGavin on Tuesday 28th April 11:29
Shooter McGavin said:
Bazil Bush said:
Wife has a 2015 fiesta ecoboost with 20 k miles on it.
Had it about 3 years and had the wet belt changed by Ford (£1800) a couple of years ago.
Great car to drive round town and MPG is fantastic.
Think the key with them is to keep them serviced and get the wet belt done before the 10 year recommendation time slot.
Out of interest, feedback from Ford was that the existing wet belt was in good condition when they removed it
This is what I find totally mental with these engines. Had it about 3 years and had the wet belt changed by Ford (£1800) a couple of years ago.
Great car to drive round town and MPG is fantastic.
Think the key with them is to keep them serviced and get the wet belt done before the 10 year recommendation time slot.
Out of interest, feedback from Ford was that the existing wet belt was in good condition when they removed it
A quick scan of Auto Trader says a 2015 Fiesta Ecoboost with sub 20k miles is around the £7-8k mark depending on spec.
A quarter of its value spent on what should be seen as a routine maintenance item. Crazy!
(The engine design, not you. I appreciate that once you've got one of these you have to throw the money at it otherwise it could implode but still to my mind a traditional cambelt on a car of that type/age/value should be a 500 quid job tops).
I toyed with moving it on shortly after purchase when I became more familiar with the “ecoboom” piece but after doing the maths on what it cost us, what we’d get for it and what we’d need to pay for something else the belt change cost was slightly more palatable.
Local indies wanted £1500 to do the job but we went with Ford in case there any issues afterwards.
As mentioned, they’re a great little car and my wife’s really happy with it.
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