Ford Focus Mk1 - what to look for when buying?
Discussion
I have had a Mk1 1.8 for the past 4 years, it's done me well. One thing I will advise you to check though is the speedometer. The Mk1s are known for having a fault with the speed sensor where the speedo will just cut out and drop to 0. It is intermittent though so it will start working again, it's just a bit of a PITA
rustywillard said:
Coil pack. My 54 plates been through 3 of em. Its a 1.6 petrol.
Aftermarket coil packs are s
t I've tried many different makes & none last put a oe one on & you won't have any more issuesThe oe ones normally fail due to spark plugs not being change often enough I'm still on my oe one after 105k
Inc what had already been mentioned look for flickering dash lights when all the electrics are on (poss alternator or wiring fault both common) headlights that have crazed over bonnet lock works properly (make sure you undo it regularly or they seize)
Also consider the 1.8 petrol engine as it's a better engine overall the 1.6 is ok but most use a bit of oil & if not kept topped up it ruins the bottom end
Also consider the 1.8 petrol engine as it's a better engine overall the 1.6 is ok but most use a bit of oil & if not kept topped up it ruins the bottom end
I ran a 2000 (X reg) 2.0 Zetec for 3 years. Sold it last year on 105k and was still going well.
My dad bought it new, other than the usual maintenance stuff the only other things that went wrong were an abs sensor failing and snapped a front spring.
Ultimately a bit dull but you can't go wrong with a focus.
My dad bought it new, other than the usual maintenance stuff the only other things that went wrong were an abs sensor failing and snapped a front spring.
Ultimately a bit dull but you can't go wrong with a focus.
I ran a 2004 TDDi Estate for four years, bought it with 100,000 miles and sold it with 175,000 miles on the clock. It was an ex police patrol car. I put 40,000 miles on it in that first year as I bought it to be a cheap to run motorway slag. In that time it needed the injectors cleaning as it failed an MOT emissions test, and a couple of suspension related parts, wheel bearings etc. Brake pads and tyres too obviously.
The only actual fault it developed turned out to be a common one, the passenger footwell started to collect water after heavy rain. Turned out to be a blocked pollen filter. Dead leaves follow the rainwater drainage path and get lodged in one of the channels and this diverts the water to the passenger compartment. Was a fairly easy fix I think.
Changing the headlight bulbs is unnecessarily difficult and almost single handedly makes you hate the MK 1 Focus. Worst design of any car I've come across. Halfords refuse to fit your bulbs if you have a MK 1 Focus! Oil changes are a pain too as there is this enormous plastic undertray held on by about 300 torx head screws.
A great car that despite having only 90bhp(!) I managed to hustle along at a great lick and do my best to tailgate as many 90mph Audi S-lines on my commute as possible. It could also maintain very high speeds during cornering but that was mostly down to the decent Continental tyres on it. It would eventually wash into understeer but felt generally very well balanced.
The seats were horrid and used to give me lower back pain until I borrowed a lumbar support cushion. The quick clear windscreen was excellent on winter mornings, used to turn the engine on, go back inside and finish my tea and it would be completely defrosted in a minute or so, I miss it badly.
The only actual fault it developed turned out to be a common one, the passenger footwell started to collect water after heavy rain. Turned out to be a blocked pollen filter. Dead leaves follow the rainwater drainage path and get lodged in one of the channels and this diverts the water to the passenger compartment. Was a fairly easy fix I think.
Changing the headlight bulbs is unnecessarily difficult and almost single handedly makes you hate the MK 1 Focus. Worst design of any car I've come across. Halfords refuse to fit your bulbs if you have a MK 1 Focus! Oil changes are a pain too as there is this enormous plastic undertray held on by about 300 torx head screws.
A great car that despite having only 90bhp(!) I managed to hustle along at a great lick and do my best to tailgate as many 90mph Audi S-lines on my commute as possible. It could also maintain very high speeds during cornering but that was mostly down to the decent Continental tyres on it. It would eventually wash into understeer but felt generally very well balanced.
The seats were horrid and used to give me lower back pain until I borrowed a lumbar support cushion. The quick clear windscreen was excellent on winter mornings, used to turn the engine on, go back inside and finish my tea and it would be completely defrosted in a minute or so, I miss it badly.
I've just bought a tidy 2002 1.6 Zetec for £800, few little rust patches in the usual places, but overall it's cracking little motor. I had a 2004 1.8 Ghia for four years, and it had to have a new alternator fitted, and the footwells flooded due to a poorly sealed pollen filter (after the garage had fitted it!).
There's plenty about so you can afford to be choosy, also the 1.8 although a little more powerful than the 1.6, there's not much in it in day to day driving.
I recently clocked a steady motor way run of 39mpg, the best for the same run I had in the 1.8 was 33mpg. Road tax is a little cheaper on the 1.6 too.
There's plenty about so you can afford to be choosy, also the 1.8 although a little more powerful than the 1.6, there's not much in it in day to day driving.
I recently clocked a steady motor way run of 39mpg, the best for the same run I had in the 1.8 was 33mpg. Road tax is a little cheaper on the 1.6 too.
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