In celebration of the unexceptional - A Mk1 Focus
Discussion
I’ve been around PH for a while. I’ve been around all sorts of fast/old/new/expensive cars too. I have a small fleet of my cars and a few I’d still like to acquire one day.
This post, however, is in celebration of one that every single one of us would walk past without a second glance and would undoubtedly not remember we saw. Yet for me, right now, at this point in my life, it could not be more perfect.
A few years ago I was fortunate enough to be in a position to buy my dream house. It has all the character you could imagine and a garden that you can drive around and will take me a lifetime to nurture. I’m lucky enough to have two young daughters too so all and any time I once had for playing with cars is gone.
This is where this little gem comes in. A Mk1.5 Focus 2.0 Ghia. Purchased from an old boy who’d kept it garaged for the last ten years and pottered around in it. He was very firm on his £600 which felt like a decent deal to me as I’d just spent double that an annual service.
The Focus has full history, cruise control, remote locking, Bluetooth, air conditioning. It has a heated front windscreen which is a wonderful invention, such a shame more cars don’t. It’s quiet. Steadfastly reliable, has a reasonably dynamic chassis and appears to be pretty good at wading. What more could I ask for for my new commute that involves bouncing off hedges along dark country lanes as well as having to sometimes pass through one of the areas in the country with the most uninsured drivers ( Luton drivers )
Since I bought it two and a bit years ago it has been driven off road, into hedges, through fords, used as a van, family transport, dog wagon and reliable commuter. I have had people drive into it and I am on my third wing mirror (£20 delivered, huzzah for Ford parts)
I feel completely spoilt by how little it costs vs how much it gives. I have never owned a car that works so very well and yet I never need to worry about, wash or even lock. It is true automotive freedom!
This post, however, is in celebration of one that every single one of us would walk past without a second glance and would undoubtedly not remember we saw. Yet for me, right now, at this point in my life, it could not be more perfect.
A few years ago I was fortunate enough to be in a position to buy my dream house. It has all the character you could imagine and a garden that you can drive around and will take me a lifetime to nurture. I’m lucky enough to have two young daughters too so all and any time I once had for playing with cars is gone.
This is where this little gem comes in. A Mk1.5 Focus 2.0 Ghia. Purchased from an old boy who’d kept it garaged for the last ten years and pottered around in it. He was very firm on his £600 which felt like a decent deal to me as I’d just spent double that an annual service.
The Focus has full history, cruise control, remote locking, Bluetooth, air conditioning. It has a heated front windscreen which is a wonderful invention, such a shame more cars don’t. It’s quiet. Steadfastly reliable, has a reasonably dynamic chassis and appears to be pretty good at wading. What more could I ask for for my new commute that involves bouncing off hedges along dark country lanes as well as having to sometimes pass through one of the areas in the country with the most uninsured drivers ( Luton drivers )
Since I bought it two and a bit years ago it has been driven off road, into hedges, through fords, used as a van, family transport, dog wagon and reliable commuter. I have had people drive into it and I am on my third wing mirror (£20 delivered, huzzah for Ford parts)
I feel completely spoilt by how little it costs vs how much it gives. I have never owned a car that works so very well and yet I never need to worry about, wash or even lock. It is true automotive freedom!
Cracking cars, had a couple of 1.6 petrol's in the past. First one was written off (not my fault), the 2nd I still miss, we traded it in at 150k miles / 15 years old as we fancied something newer but there's a part of me which wishes we'd just run it on a few more years as there wasn't really anything wrong with it.
We had one, back pre kids, I used to drive all round the country in it for work, 2001 1.6 Zetec 3 Door, I think the 3 doors really suited it, loved the HFS in it.
Only annoyance was someone decided to key the drivers side door one night when left in the road outside our house, a pain especially as it was a metallic.
Would definitely have another as a shed / runaround car
Only annoyance was someone decided to key the drivers side door one night when left in the road outside our house, a pain especially as it was a metallic.
Would definitely have another as a shed / runaround car
A hugely significant car. Jackie Stewart taught Richard Parry-Jones how to drive and assess cars, RPJ built and trained a team who questioned, analysed and overturned almost everything about how Ford used to engineer cars. The Focus encapsulated this, Control Blade suspension pushed through when RPJ's boss was on holiday at a cost of another $50 a car, but huge benefit to ride and handling.
A story with lots more detail from Dr Uli Eichhorn who was a key member of the team
https://www.the-intercooler.com/library/features/t... (£)
A story with lots more detail from Dr Uli Eichhorn who was a key member of the team
https://www.the-intercooler.com/library/features/t... (£)
66HFM said:
We had one, back pre kids, I used to drive all round the country in it for work, 2001 1.6 Zetec 3 Door, I think the 3 doors really suited it, loved the HFS in it.
Only annoyance was someone decided to key the drivers side door one night when left in the road outside our house, a pain especially as it was a metallic.
Would definitely have another as a shed / runaround car
The 1.6 Zetec was one of the best handling cars I've driven (I've owned an S1 Elise and currently own a MK8 Fiesta ST). I had a 1.8 diesel MK2 as well that was good but the MK1 1.6 Focus was amazing fun in the twisties.Only annoyance was someone decided to key the drivers side door one night when left in the road outside our house, a pain especially as it was a metallic.
Would definitely have another as a shed / runaround car
A friend I played 5-aside football with went from a 306 Rallye to an ST170 Focus. I remember him saying he never thought he’d find a cheap car as good as the 306 but couldn’t believe how good the Focus handling was - a lot easier to find parts for too. Still get them for a decent price too
I love the mk1 Focus.
We got one when they were first launched.
1.8 Zetec with the climate pack for air con and heated screen.
It was a brilliant car and one my dad always said was one of his favourite cars.
Look after the arches and sills for rust but otherwise they are a brilliant car.
£600 is a bargain for a car that’s been well looked after.
We got one when they were first launched.
1.8 Zetec with the climate pack for air con and heated screen.
It was a brilliant car and one my dad always said was one of his favourite cars.
Look after the arches and sills for rust but otherwise they are a brilliant car.
£600 is a bargain for a car that’s been well looked after.
Mk1 Focus is a great car, not least for how well they drove.
My sister had a 1.8 Zetec for over 10 years. It was only moved on to WBAC when electrical gremlins appeared that were going to cost more to fix than it was worth.
BTW I see what you mean abut your house - it looks stunning.
My sister had a 1.8 Zetec for over 10 years. It was only moved on to WBAC when electrical gremlins appeared that were going to cost more to fix than it was worth.
BTW I see what you mean abut your house - it looks stunning.
samoht said:
A hugely significant car. Jackie Stewart taught Richard Parry-Jones how to drive and assess cars, RPJ built and trained a team who questioned, analysed and overturned almost everything about how Ford used to engineer cars. The Focus encapsulated this, Control Blade suspension pushed through when RPJ's boss was on holiday at a cost of another $50 a car, but huge benefit to ride and handling.
A story with lots more detail from Dr Uli Eichhorn who was a key member of the team
https://www.the-intercooler.com/library/features/t... (£)
Great post, thank you. I knew that a lot had gone into the suspension on these and had looked one out because of the the praise when they were new. A story with lots more detail from Dr Uli Eichhorn who was a key member of the team
https://www.the-intercooler.com/library/features/t... (£)
Enjoyed reading that link
s m said:
A friend I played 5-aside football with went from a 306 Rallye to an ST170 Focus. I remember him saying he never thought he d find a cheap car as good as the 306 but couldn t believe how good the Focus handling was - a lot easier to find parts for too. Still get them for a decent price too
A 306 rallye or GTI6 has been on my radar too as I have fond memories of them being great to drive when we hired them in Corsica. They seem to be that bit more expensive though and, potentially, not quite as reliable which is a shame as I think they’re a great design. That 306 convertible was definitely one of the prettiest of its kind too. Great to hear that your friend rates the Focus at the same level. Wish there were more 170’s out there with cruise control!
Kwackersaki said:
I remember hiring a mk1 and drove it from Heathrow to Devon.
My personal car was an Opel Manta which I thought handled ok but the Focus was something else, especially on the country roads.
About seventeen years ago there was a girl I was seeing who had one. I drove it one night from Hertfordshire down to a house in Devon and remember making great pace all the way. It was probably what planted the seed for me looking one out now. Was a fantastic ride.. My personal car was an Opel Manta which I thought handled ok but the Focus was something else, especially on the country roads.
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