My Shed Mk1 Focus Ghia

[Benton]

Nice car OP! They look good in that shade of green, not available later on sadly.

I bought a 2003 1.6 Zetec as a stop-gap car back in 2012. Planned to keep it 12 months or so. Had it 7.5 years now and have no plans to part with it. Heading towards 130k, still looks and drives very well. Serviced every year, oil changed at 6 months, premium tyres and everthing works. No "shedding" here

I'm not ashamed to say I love the thing.

[greenarrow]

V6todayEVmanana said:

Press the accelerator, it was immediate response and made the car feel so much more than the 100bhp I believe it has.

What a relavation, was great to drive, steering felt very responsive too. For a 18 year old car it was great to drive.

This is very true - the car is very responsive (although being a light car a couple of passengers makes quite a difference tbh - I've come to it from a 2 litre 160PS Insignia Diesel which was obviously very torquey. Using 3rd gear and most of the rev range, I am surprised that this little Focus can overtake dawdlers just as well (one up at least) as my old Insignia, on the A road I use for work. I'm surprised.

The steering is very good after the Vauxhall, no more vague wanderings in a straight-line! The handling good, although it shows its age in terms of the softness of suspension and squidgy high profile tyres on this particular early Ghia which only has 14 inch wheels. Lateral grip is only average by modern standards, but turn in and resistance to understeer in corners really quite impressive, so it flows down windy roads very well indeed.

[thebigmacmoomin]

rickygolf83 said:

We had a 2000 X Ghia in Aquafrost (cant tell if yours if green or blue)

It's green and on the Mk1 only. There wasn't a light blue on the Mk1 until the facelift.

My 1st car @ 18 was Aquafrost. It was a 1.6 Zetec Climate. Loved it as it had the older Zetec-S Yamaha developed engine not the newer Zetec-SE. It loved to rev, just needed more than the 99bhp it had, though mine had a s/s exhaust and a massive dyno'd 106bhp.

Edited by thebigmacmoomin on Friday 7th February 14:14

[thebigmacmoomin]

greenarrow said:

Not sure how long I will keep it tbh. My wife hates it. She has a chronic bad back and says that non sporty Fords lack any sort of lumbar support. She simply hates riding in it! She has a Fiesta ST with the recaro seat and so I've been looking for a tidy 5 door Mk1 ST170 - but they just don't seem to be about - all the ones that pop up seem to be knackered....

The Zetec spec seats were a lot better than the Ghia spec seats. The Zetec ones are the same as the Focus RS seats just with a different headrest.

[greenarrow]

thebigmacmoomin said:

greenarrow said:

Not sure how long I will keep it tbh. My wife hates it. She has a chronic bad back and says that non sporty Fords lack any sort of lumbar support. She simply hates riding in it! She has a Fiesta ST with the recaro seat and so I've been looking for a tidy 5 door Mk1 ST170 - but they just don't seem to be about - all the ones that pop up seem to be knackered....

The Zetec spec seats were a lot better than the Ghia spec seats. The Zetec ones are the same as the Focus RS seats just with a different headrest.

That's interesting because I've also owned a Mk1 Zetec in the past and the wife said the seats were bad on that one too. Are you sure it has similar seats to the RS? They look pretty similar to Ghia ones to me, just without the velour covering.

[thebigmacmoomin]

greenarrow said:

That's interesting because I've also owned a Mk1 Zetec in the past and the wife said the seats were bad on that one too. Are you sure it has similar seats to the RS? They look pretty similar to Ghia ones to me, just without the velour covering.

The Zetec seats had bigger bolsters. I dad 2 & dad went from a Zetec to a Ghia so it was rather noticable. One of mine then had ST170 half leather but not sure if those seats were different again, I dont think they were.

I was told many years ago the Zetec seats were used for the RS but they just added the headrest section. Sure there was a photo aswell as someone took a seat cover off.

[greenarrow]

Had one of those life affirming drives home from work on Friday in the shed focus, the sort which you store up in the "great drives" memory bank. I'm blessed to live near some really great drives living in Dorset and working in Salisbury. This drive (see above link) involved the A354 Salisbury to Blandford road and then cross country on the B3081 and B3078, two very fast B roads with some wicked fast and slow bends chucked in. Its the first time I've really stretched the little Focus and it showed again what magic Mr Parry-Jones infused on that chassis all the years ago. Also makes you question progress of cars in recent years. The Focus has by modern standards pretty soft suspension and also high profile tyres, which just soak up bumps and surface imperfections. Also, epic steering feel by modern standards, so you can lean on the grip that is available, knowing exactly how much you have in reserve. This winter has left the B3081 in particular in a sorry state, but never once did I feel the need to slow down on the worse bits. I just flew along those roads, overtaking several dawdlers en-route and arrived home in that sort of excited state that you can only get after a really good drive when everything has come together and I didn't need to reach silly speeds to get that fix.

All in a car that cost just over £500.... makes you think doesn't it......

Edited by greenarrow on Monday 17th February 10:12

[CousinDupree]

greenarrow said:

Had one of those life affirming drives home from work on Friday in the shed focus, the sort which you store up in the "great drives" memory bank. I'm blessed to live near some really great drives living in Dorset and working in Salisbury. This drive (see above link) involved the A354 Salisbury to Blandford road and then cross country on the B3081 and B3078, two very fast B roads with some wicked fast and slow bends chucked in. Its the first time I've really stretched the little Focus and it showed again what magic Mr Parry-Jones infused on that chassis all the years ago. Also makes you question progress of cars in recent years. The Focus has by modern standards pretty soft suspension and also high profile tyres, which just soak up bumps and surface imperfections. Also, epic steering feel by modern standards, so you can lean on the grip that is available, knowing exactly how much you have in reserve. This winter has left the B3081 in particular in a sorry state, but never once did I feel the need to slow down on the worse bits. I just flew along those roads, overtaking several dawdlers en-route and arrived home in that sort of excited state that you can only get after a really good drive when everything has come together and I didn't need to reach silly speeds to get that fix.

All in a car that cost just over £500.... makes you think doesn't it......

Edited by greenarrow on Monday 17th February 10:12

Certainly does! It's like Ford continued on good work done by Peugeot on the 205/309/405 models, amongst other fine handling / riding French competition.. The 405 in particular was a strong influence on the first Mondeo and I guess the Focus from there on. Both a massive step on from the Sierra and dismal FWD Escorts.

[greenarrow]

So I've done some sums today, 4 months into ownership to see how I'm faring against the leasing alternative. I figure that after 4 months and 3500 miles during the wettest grimiest winter in living memory, the car would have manifested any major faults by now, so a good time to compare.

So my car = £575 purchase price + £145 for 6 months VED + £92 for 2 tyres, £83 for battery, £70 for mechanic to fix the dodgy idle valve, £14 for a hub cap and £21 for new wipers.

Total: £1,000... hmmm... shame I had to pay out straight away for a few faults, but overall, still bloody cheap motoring.

Alternative Ford Focus Mk4 lease car.... currently CarWow quote a Ford Focus 100 Style model listed at £1,766 down and £197 per month incl VAT for 10K miles a year. So after 4 months that would be £1766 + £197 x 4 = £2,554.

Factoring back in petrol, the Mk4 would in my experience do about 7 MPG more than my car (I had a MK4 hire car last year) Over 3500 miles that's a saving of about £65 and the VED is £79.75 for 6 months rather than the £145 I paid, so that's £65 + £79.75 in favour of the lease car.

However, if I sold my Focus today, I reckon I could still get £500 for it.. the lease car of course is not owned so nothing back.

So overall - Focus MK1 costs are £1,000 + £460 fuel = £1460 less the £500 resale - £960.

Lease car = £2554 + £79.75 VED + £395 fuel - £3,028.

The old shed wins by over £2,000* that's £500 per month! ............. (*not included insurance as don't know what the newer car would cost, but I suspect more).

Of course with a 20 year old car you don't know where the next bill is and you have to put up with in my case, a droning draftshaft bearing, whereas the new car is nice and quiet. Also, a 4 month period goes against a lease car due to the down-payment and the gap may narrow over a year, but so far so good.

I'm at the stage where I may move the car on and buy something a bit more interesting.... I'm looking at Civic EP3s just now and these are pretty old too, but also at the stage where depreciation is almost zero... fun and interesting times, but I think this older shed project shows you can motor cheaply with a bit of luck and choosing a fairly basic and proven car.

[rickygolf83]

Good result so far 👍

If going ep3, try for a type r for even more fun times and ability to shift easily come sale time

[greenarrow]

rickygolf83 said:

Good result so far ??

If going ep3, try for a type r for even more fun times and ability to shift easily come sale time

Yup, I'm looking for an EP3 at the moment.

[Limpet]

CousinDupree said:

Certainly does! It's like Ford continued on good work done by Peugeot on the 205/309/405 models, amongst other fine handling / riding French competition.. The 405 in particular was a strong influence on the first Mondeo and I guess the Focus from there on. Both a massive step on from the Sierra and dismal FWD Escorts.

I remember reading somewhere that the Peugeot 306’s chassis was benchmarked by the Focus development team. I’ve done lots of miles in both, and there’s a lot of similarity in how they drive.

[greenarrow]

Limpet said:

CousinDupree said:

Certainly does! It's like Ford continued on good work done by Peugeot on the 205/309/405 models, amongst other fine handling / riding French competition.. The 405 in particular was a strong influence on the first Mondeo and I guess the Focus from there on. Both a massive step on from the Sierra and dismal FWD Escorts.

I remember reading somewhere that the Peugeot 306’s chassis was benchmarked by the Focus development team. I’ve done lots of miles in both, and there’s a lot of similarity in how they drive.

There's definitely a french feel to how the Fords of that era drive and yes I think Ford did benchmark the 306 with the Focus and the 405 with the Mk1 Mondeo. The key difference is lift off oversteer. The Focus feels like its on your side, whereas the 306s I drove felt like they might want to throw you off the road backwards if you took liberties!!

[greenarrow]

So with the UK in almost lockdown status, I've decided to hold onto what I consider to be a bit of an "armageddon proof" car. I discovered a small puddle of water in the drivers footwell yesterday and have traced it to what appears to be a loose bit of sealing around the windscreen, so will sort that later.

Had to go to Keele in Staffs to pick up my daughter from Uni yesterday. It was a 415 mile round trip from my Dorset home and I was in truth a little nervous about doing it in such a cheap old car, bearing in mind I've not serviced it yet and don't know if a cambelt has ever been done! I needn't have worried. The little Focus made the trip with no effort at all. The 75-80 MPH motorway cruising highlighted the lack of a 6th gear (5th is quite long but its still revving at 3.1K at 75) and so pegged the MPG back to around 42 I reckon. I guess the little Zetec has to work fairly hard compared with modern 6 speed economy geared turbos at that sort of speed. One thing that struck me is that it didn't lack for pace. The 1.6 is often slated for being gutless, but with the revs above 3K in top it pulls willingly. Reinforces my view that in many ways the humble 1.6 petrol Mk1 Focus is the ultimate shed motor. Its quite happy buzzing around town, tearing up a B road or sitting at 75 for hours on a motorway....

Edited by greenarrow on Friday 20th March 13:28

Edited by greenarrow on Friday 20th March 13:32

[Gallons Per Mile]

I borrowed a friends Mk1 Focus 1.8 last year because my Golf ate its cam shaft. It had been sat on the drive as a tip-run car not used for months, only doing 1 or 2k miles a year anyway, cam belt never been changed that we know of. I proceeded to do 100ish miles a day for a month while I fixed the Golf and it never skipped a beat. It didn't do a lot more than 30mpg though, but that might have been something to do with the month long Italian tune up I gave it By way of payment, I fixed a few broken bits on it and gave it a good clean inside and out Good cars, these!

[Cads]

I genuinely get more pleasure from a decent shed thread than the latest supercar or my Aston is great thread.

Great shedding mate and in these uncertain times I’d rather be shedding than stuck in a lease/PCP situation.

[VR99]

greenarrow said:

So with the UK in almost lockdown status, I've decided to hold onto what I consider to be a bit of an "armageddon proof" car. I discovered a small puddle of water in the drivers footwell yesterday and have traced it to what appears to be a loose bit of sealing around the windscreen, so will sort that later.

Had to go to Keele in Staffs to pick up my daughter from Uni yesterday. It was a 415 mile round trip from my Dorset home and I was in truth a little nervous about doing it in such a cheap old car, bearing in mind I've not serviced it yet and don't know if a cambelt has ever been done! I needn't have worried. The little Focus made the trip with no effort at all. The 75-80 MPH motorway cruising highlighted the lack of a 6th gear (5th is quite long but its still revving at 3.1K at 75) and so pegged the MPG back to around 42 I reckon. I guess the little Zetec has to work fairly hard compared with modern 6 speed economy geared turbos at that sort of speed. One thing that struck me is that it didn't lack for pace. The 1.6 is often slated for being gutless, but with the revs above 3K in top it pulls willingly. Reinforces my view that in many ways the humble 1.6 petrol Mk1 Focus is the ultimate shed motor. Its quite happy buzzing around town, tearing up a B road or sitting at 75 for hours on a motorway....

Edited by greenarrow on Friday 20th March 13:28

Edited by greenarrow on Friday 20th March 13:32

I'm in the same boat was meant to be looking for a new car to replace my 2004 focus but will hold off....had a full service done in Jan so might well just carry on using it for a bit longer...and pray that it gets though another MOT with a clean slate like last yr!
Agree the mpg is rubbish but mine is the 1.8 manual petrol...it feels so chuckable compared to many modern cars that one can't help themselves! Hard to believe it's only 113bhp but I assume the relatively lightweight engine and chassis helps.

Edited by VR99 on Friday 20th March 16:10

[MC Bodge]

Cads said:

I genuinely get more pleasure from a decent shed thread than the latest supercar or my Aston is great thread.

Same here.

I'm also an evangelist for '00s Fords.

I had a nearly-new, similarly blue, W reg Focus 2.0 Zetec ESP(oooh!) estate. It steered and handled really well. It was a bit thirsty and probably little faster than the 1.8. The primitive ESP system was the worst aspect of it.

The Initial throttle response of the 2.0 (different engine to the 1.4/1.6) was improved a lot by filling the outer dimple with JB Weld and smoothing out the inner bore of the plastic throttle body. Do a www search.


The responsiveness of even the 1.4 Zetec in my wife's current, again, similarly Tonic blue 56 reg Fiesta is a delight. The Fiesta chassis (even with rear torsion bar suspension) is superb too.

Edited by MC Bodge on Friday 20th March 15:23

[greenarrow]

MC Bodge said:

Same here.

I'm also an evangelist for '00s Fords.

The responsiveness of even the 1.4 Zetec in my wife's current, again, similarly Tonic blue 56 reg Fiesta is a delight. The Fiesta chassis (even with rear torsion bar suspension) is superb too.

Edited by MC Bodge on Friday 20th March 15:23

Same here, mainly by chance our family has 3 of the things. My W Reg Focus, my wife has a 2005 Fiesta ST150 and my daughter a 2006 Ford Ka.

I think a really cracking car would be the Focus Mk1, with the wife's ST150 engine in it, mated to a gearchange as sweet as the Ka. The Focus gearbox is "ok" but not brilliant for a Ford. I just love driving my daughter's Ka and rowing it along - it has the sweetest gearchange of any car I can remember driving!

I had the latest Focus Mk4 on loan for 3 weeks last year and I can tell you the Mk1 Focus is miles more chuckable. The extra weight and girth on the newest car has killed that agility somewhat. It still handles and rides very well, but you just cant fling it around like the Mk1. Steering isnt a patch on it either. With my Mk1, I always known when i'm getting near the limit of grip.....

[jase_llan]

greenarrow said:

Same here, mainly by chance our family has 3 of the things. My W Reg Focus, my wife has a 2005 Fiesta ST150 and my daughter a 2006 Ford Ka.

I think a really cracking car would be the Focus Mk1, with the wife's ST150 engine in it, mated to a gearchange as sweet as the Ka. The Focus gearbox is "ok" but not brilliant for a Ford. I just love driving my daughter's Ka and rowing it along - it has the sweetest gearchange of any car I can remember driving!

Well, the good news is you can mate the Ka's gearbox to the ST150 engine... They're actually pretty much the same box anyway, just with different ratios and with the ST150 having shot-peened gears for 1st through 3rd.

Household of Ford lovers here as well, I've currently got two MK6 Fiestas and my dad is in a Mondeo in drag (X Type 3.0 Sport) having had at least a dozen Mondeos and Escorts in the past. My mum's first car was a 1.1 MK3 Fiesta IIRC as well.