Ecoboosted - Focusing on my First Car

[ChrisR99]

Not a very PH car but thought some of you might be interested...

I've owned my little Focus since May, turned 17 in June and have been driving it ever since! (well, when I get the chance )

Spec wise it's a 2014 Focus 1.0 Ecoboost (125ps) Titanium Nav in Candy Red, with a few options such as privacy glass and keyless entry. Registered at the end of Feb 14 (3 days from the 14 plate!) it's only on 12k miles. Should do me for a while yet, so long as I don't crash it! :P

Here it is in all it's glory...







(Sorry for the crappy pictures, they had to be resized!)

I specifically wanted Candy Red for this particular reason, IMO it looks stunning in sunlight, and being a cost option it's not a common sight either!

Plans are to keep it fairly standard, but want to add some DRL's, a dash cam, rear spoiler (Ford) and 18" alloys from the appearance pack. Most importantly though, I plan to drive it!

Edited by ChrisR99 on Wednesday 10th August 23:16

[Cupramax]

Nice, kids these days dont know their luck, my first car at 17 in 1983 was an 11 year old Hillman Imp that was totally shagged

[RC1807]

Lovely car OP, even for a much older person, let alone a 17 y.o!

Cupramax said:

Nice, kids these days dont know their luck, my first car at 17 in 1983 was an 11 year old Hillman Imp that was totally shagged

S'what I was thinking! 1987 in an 11 year old Poxhaull Viva. It did 50mph flat out.

[Freds]

Nice first car ! I started off in an Fiesta 957cc Pop of 1984 vintage.

[bungz]

Looking back I am quite glad I didn't have a quick car in my youth, a 59hp Astra with 5 friends ( one in the boot) was enough to keep the speeds down

Nice motor though OP.

[Mr Kitten]

Freds said:

Nice first car ! I started off in an Fiesta 957cc Pop of 1984 vintage.

Snap... although mine was an '86. With just one wing mirror... never understood that.

[familyguy1]

don't want to scare you OP but this engine and output appears to have a weakness that you might need to check sooner rather than later

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=144...

but NICE 1st car, mine was a a four door cabriolet, with an air cooled boxer engine (2CV 602cc)

[bob1179]

Lovely car and colour combo OP.

My first car was a nine year old Peugeot 309 back in 1996. It was positively new compared to my mates cars!

Oddly enough, twenty years later I am basically driving the same car...

[ChrisR99]

Thanks guys. I'm really pleased with the car, it's really easy to drive but is also fun at the same time. It seems modern cars are becoming more and more popular with young drivers, most of my friends (who have cars!) have ones that are less than 3 years old. My Focus is bigger and more powerful though.

Plus red makes it go faster!

I'm even going to do my driving test in it next month, let's hope I pass!

[Rangeroverover]

Mine in 1978 was riley 1500 for £22, changed up to an opel manta , the nice Mk1 version for £400. Tragic the youth of today, I gather you cannot do handbrake turns with an electric handbrake, how will they ever pick up gurls

[barnstormer86]

Some of those first car's make great reading!
Mine was a 4 year old Saxo VTS. Paying £3500 a year insurance only to fubar it 4 months later. lol

Nice car OP. Wouldn't be my personal choice but I can certainly see the appeal and lovely colour too.

[familyguy1]

barnstormer86 said:

Some of those first car's make great reading!
Mine was a 4 year old Saxo VTS. Paying £3500 a year insurance only to fubar it 4 months later. lol

That rings so true of me, I bought a VTR brand new with one years free insurance and pranged it after 10months !

[barnstormer86]

familyguy1 said:

That rings so true of me, I bought a VTR brand new with one years free insurance and pranged it after 10months !

Ahh mine was mechanically related. The diff decided it fancied a change of career, maybe a paperweight or something, I don't know, but it took the gearbox along for the ride and I let it go for mere pennies. Kinda wish I hadn't now but hey ho.

[Dannbodge]

Awesome first car, amazing colour.

My OH has a 1.6 one and loves it and tbf they are brilliant cars

[Zaim]

Look at all those toys! My first car had a choke and wind-up windows as toys, plus keyless entry (any key would unlock the drivers door).

Mk1 Fiesta 950cc with a bodykit to look like a 1.3 Supersport, along with the 4 spoke alloys. White on the outside and yellow on the inside and under the spoiler. Carried a hammer with my to show the starter motor some love on occasions.

[ChrisR99]

Thanks all! It's really interesting to hear about all your first cars, shows how much times have changed. Buying old cars for first time drivers isn't really that prevalent anymore, which in a way is a good thing. Generally new cars are safer and more reliable, plus it saves some of the modern classics or bangers from being written off.

FYI my car has a manual handbrake, so handbrake turns are possible! Don't want to wear out my tyres though. My black box might not be happy either!

[Löyly]

Black box? Oh, new car or not, you'll not be having the fun we did as new drivers.

My first proper car was a 1.6 Zetec Focus. I remember testing it's top speed on a deserted A road coming home from work in the early hours of a midsummer morning. 110mph never felt so fast, but I never reached the true top speed.

[Funkycoldribena]

Freds said:

Nice first car ! I started off in an Fiesta 957cc Pop of 1984 vintage.

Mate had one of those years ago.He rolled it.

[Jimmy Recard]

I reckon that's probably nicer than any car I've ever bought

[ChrisR99]

Haha thanks!

Main reason I got one of these was because I've always wanted a red MK1 Focus, but my dad wouldn't let me! So I thought I might as well have a nice car instead.

The tracker isn't so bad, it makes you more aware of speed limits, which is good for a learner driver as I don't think I'll be allowed to speed on my test! The box isn't fussy driving at 80 in a 70 for example, but I try to limit that.