Daily driver - Zetec S? Sportka? Focus?
Discussion
(I've put a post in the GG, but thought seems a bunch of the front runners were Fords I'd see if anyone here could offer some informed opinions!)
I'm looking for a frugal, cheap to insure, reliable daily driver. It must do close to, if not over, 40mpg on the motorway and there must be room for a mountain bike (dismantled!) in the back. Something fun to drive would be a bonus.
My first thought was a Sportka, but I wonder if the bike would fit in? Secondly, I wasn't sure how the running costs would compare to other warm hatches and what motorway refinement would be like?
Next up was a Focus of some description. Possibly a 1.8 or 2.0 mkl? The quoted fuel economy seems fairly even across all models strangely...
Finally, I wondered about a previous-generation Fiesta Zetec-S. A friend had one years ago and it seemed to be quite good fun. Not sure on fuel costs and finding a good one though.
Any thoughts?
I'm looking for a frugal, cheap to insure, reliable daily driver. It must do close to, if not over, 40mpg on the motorway and there must be room for a mountain bike (dismantled!) in the back. Something fun to drive would be a bonus.
My first thought was a Sportka, but I wonder if the bike would fit in? Secondly, I wasn't sure how the running costs would compare to other warm hatches and what motorway refinement would be like?
Next up was a Focus of some description. Possibly a 1.8 or 2.0 mkl? The quoted fuel economy seems fairly even across all models strangely...
Finally, I wondered about a previous-generation Fiesta Zetec-S. A friend had one years ago and it seemed to be quite good fun. Not sure on fuel costs and finding a good one though.
Any thoughts?
Hi Chris,
While not the most exciting car in the world (ok, not at all), i personally say you are probably best with the focus as a good all round daily driver. We are running 2 at the minute, one is a yr 2000 1.6 petrol and the other is a 06 1.8 TDCI. In terms of MPG i mainly do heavy town driving and the tdci will give me about 38-40 mpg over about 2 weeks driving and will easily get to high 40's / low 50's on the motorways. The 1.6 petrol on the other hand is really quite poor on fuel around town, i'd probably estimate it to be lower than 30, possibly 25ish but as i say thats solid start stop town driving, although it does improve a bit on motorways but not a great deal.
Im terms of fitting a mountain bike in the back, i often carry 2 and sometimes 3 in the back with the seats down. They fit into either the older shape or the new shape with no problem at all, i just remove the front wheel. The newer shape does have a fair bit more room than the older one.
As an everyday car there quite good, parts, servicing tyres etc are really quite cheap
While not the most exciting car in the world (ok, not at all), i personally say you are probably best with the focus as a good all round daily driver. We are running 2 at the minute, one is a yr 2000 1.6 petrol and the other is a 06 1.8 TDCI. In terms of MPG i mainly do heavy town driving and the tdci will give me about 38-40 mpg over about 2 weeks driving and will easily get to high 40's / low 50's on the motorways. The 1.6 petrol on the other hand is really quite poor on fuel around town, i'd probably estimate it to be lower than 30, possibly 25ish but as i say thats solid start stop town driving, although it does improve a bit on motorways but not a great deal.
Im terms of fitting a mountain bike in the back, i often carry 2 and sometimes 3 in the back with the seats down. They fit into either the older shape or the new shape with no problem at all, i just remove the front wheel. The newer shape does have a fair bit more room than the older one.
As an everyday car there quite good, parts, servicing tyres etc are really quite cheap
Interesting. I'd assumed the fuel economy difference between the petrols and diesels would be reltaively small at motorway speeds, so I thought the price of fuel might make petrol the way to go.
Any ideas on motorway figures? I could only find examples for the mk2 Focus, but they're all quoted at 40+ on the combined cycle I think.
I'll definitely keep my eye out for any nice Zetec-S's. Is there anything in particular to look for, or just signs of the contents of Halfords stuck to it? My mates example seemed like great fun (although we were about 19 at the time!)
Would consider a Puma, but I've looked at them before and bike space is rather tight.
Any ideas on motorway figures? I could only find examples for the mk2 Focus, but they're all quoted at 40+ on the combined cycle I think.
I'll definitely keep my eye out for any nice Zetec-S's. Is there anything in particular to look for, or just signs of the contents of Halfords stuck to it? My mates example seemed like great fun (although we were about 19 at the time!)
Would consider a Puma, but I've looked at them before and bike space is rather tight.
Leftfield? - A mountain bike will go in the back of Puma with the wheel removed and the seat back folded. Did it at the weekend.
The 1.7 variable cam timing motor is a gem - handling ride balnce a total winer for everyday motoring and Evo ***** - Any more persuasion reqd? 37mpg easy on combined cycle.
Think Zetec-S (but a bit quicker) wit ouut da rude boyz stigma innit etc.
The 1.7 variable cam timing motor is a gem - handling ride balnce a total winer for everyday motoring and Evo ***** - Any more persuasion reqd? 37mpg easy on combined cycle.
Think Zetec-S (but a bit quicker) wit ouut da rude boyz stigma innit etc.
Hmm, yeah, the Festa image isn't exactly encouraging me, but there does seem to be a useful increase in space over the Puma. I looked at one before and didn't think I'd get my bike in. Insurance may differ too, but I'll look into it...
Speaking to a few of my colleagues (I actually work for Ford, but in a rather different area) they reckoned the best compromise of performance, economy and space was a 1.6 Mk1 Focus, so I'll be looking into one of those too.
edit: What sort of ecomy can you get from the 1.7 Puma? Quite tempted now...
double-edit: Ok, just read the above Is that a minimum figure for motorway work? If I could get it over 40 it might be the solution...
Speaking to a few of my colleagues (I actually work for Ford, but in a rather different area) they reckoned the best compromise of performance, economy and space was a 1.6 Mk1 Focus, so I'll be looking into one of those too.
edit: What sort of ecomy can you get from the 1.7 Puma? Quite tempted now...
double-edit: Ok, just read the above
Is that a minimum figure for motorway work? If I could get it over 40 it might be the solution...Edited by Chris71 on Wednesday 9th July 14:38
If your into your bikes then the sportka should be fine. I can fit an Orange 223 with 888's in the back of my ka, all it needs is the front wheel taken off (and the back seats down!). The sportka should easily get 40mpg on the motorway and i havent heard of any problems from them. My ka hasnt missed a beat.
Stedman said:
If your into your bikes then the sportka should be fine. I can fit an Orange 223 with 888's in the back of my ka, all it needs is the front wheel taken off (and the back seats down!). The sportka should easily get 40mpg on the motorway and i havent heard of any problems from them. My ka hasnt missed a beat.
Ah.... another Orange man! My Sub 5 should fit in fine then. Tempted by the Puma for a bit of extra refinement though. I think it comes down to one of those or a Focus. Heard conflicting reports of the Puma economy - some say over 40mpg, others that you'd have to be driving like a nun to get that. I suppose the Focus (or Fiesta) would have a bit more luggage space too.
Either way, I may no longer be the only person who can immediately spot their car in the work (Ford) car park!
Chris71 said:
Interesting. I'd assumed the fuel economy difference between the petrols and diesels would be reltaively small at motorway speeds, so I thought the price of fuel might make petrol the way to go.
Any ideas on motorway figures? I could only find examples for the mk2 Focus, but they're all quoted at 40+ on the combined cycle I think.
I'll definitely keep my eye out for any nice Zetec-S's. Is there anything in particular to look for, or just signs of the contents of Halfords stuck to it? My mates example seemed like great fun (although we were about 19 at the time!)
Would consider a Puma, but I've looked at them before and bike space is rather tight.
I have an 02 Zetec-S, and i will obviously vouch for them. They are tough, fun, relatively inexpensive cars. The 1.6 Zetec is a strong engine, very reliable and takes a lot of punishment. Any ideas on motorway figures? I could only find examples for the mk2 Focus, but they're all quoted at 40+ on the combined cycle I think.
I'll definitely keep my eye out for any nice Zetec-S's. Is there anything in particular to look for, or just signs of the contents of Halfords stuck to it? My mates example seemed like great fun (although we were about 19 at the time!)
Would consider a Puma, but I've looked at them before and bike space is rather tight.
Things to watch out for if you buy.
Look for a Phase 2 model ( Black rocker cover, says Zetec SE ), much stronger bottom end, floating crankshaft etc.
Check for rust around the rear arches and door seals, they are famous for it, but are covered by the 6 year Ford warranty.
Heater control valve is another common problem, not an expensive one, but if you do drive, go at 70 with the heater on cool, to see if it overheats.
Obviously look for FSH as if they are run low on oil, bye bye bottom end.
Slight other problems include, suspension bushes and wheel bearings.
However, these hardly ever occur, mine has never missed a beat. Don't be put off by little mods, these are fun cars and have a lot of potential. ZSOC is a friendly place and all of the cars are treated extremely well.
They are great to drive, one of the best handling FWD cars, along with the Puma ( same chassis ).
If you have any other questions, feel free
Sim
Depending on your budget try and find an ST170 estate that will swallow your bike and be a total hoot to drive.
Zetec S and Sport Ka perform very similarly but KA will be a laugh on twisties. 1.8 and 2.0 focus don't perform much differenly to each other and have similar economy.
I think for what you want to use a car for the focus will provide more for your money.
Zetec S and Sport Ka perform very similarly but KA will be a laugh on twisties. 1.8 and 2.0 focus don't perform much differenly to each other and have similar economy.
I think for what you want to use a car for the focus will provide more for your money.
My focus 1.8 gets me about 44mpg at 75 ish mph on the mtorway and 34mpg in town, which is about the same as the 1.6 while providing better performance to complement the fine handling. Also the 1.8 has an iron block unlike the 1.6 (aluminium in this one I think) so may be more durable. The 2.0 is meant to be quite a bit more thirsty than the 1.8 with no real performance gain.
I test drove a Mk1 Focus last night - I forget the name of the special edition (it had leather and a few other goodies), but it was basically the 1.6 Zetec. The steering was every bit as good as I remember and the handling was taught, albeit at the cost of a slightly crashy ride (certainly a good compromise). However I found it rather lethargic - you really had to rev it to get any 'go' and even then it didn't feel particularly lively.
To be fair, it probably is the best compromise of space, handling and economy. I'd quite like a Puma, but once I lose the practicality of a hatchback it almost ceases to make sense having two cars. The Zetec-S may be a distinct possibility - the same dealership has a mint example, so I might go and investigate one of those tonight.
Beyond that, dare I say it, I might have to try a diesel. I've always found the Focus TDCi a little nose-heavy and good as modern diesels are, I'm still not entirely happy with the engine response, but it may be the best way to get more straightline shove with reasonable economy.
...Or is it? A colleague told me this morning that you have tod do 17,000 miles a year for three years solid to see an appreciable difference. Doh. I'm confused again.
To be fair, it probably is the best compromise of space, handling and economy. I'd quite like a Puma, but once I lose the practicality of a hatchback it almost ceases to make sense having two cars. The Zetec-S may be a distinct possibility - the same dealership has a mint example, so I might go and investigate one of those tonight.
Beyond that, dare I say it, I might have to try a diesel. I've always found the Focus TDCi a little nose-heavy and good as modern diesels are, I'm still not entirely happy with the engine response, but it may be the best way to get more straightline shove with reasonable economy.
...Or is it? A colleague told me this morning that you have tod do 17,000 miles a year for three years solid to see an appreciable difference. Doh. I'm confused again.
Obviously I'm biased by this, being a Zetec-S owner and all, but I can categorically say that the Zetec-S is great fun to drive! Nippy, responsive and surprisingly hard to kill... mine's barely missed a beat (new clutch at 66k, plus the Heater Control Valve problem - HCV = £3 from a scrappy from any mk4/5 Fiesta or Ka of the same age).
Fuel isn't fantastic on the ZS (30's at a guess) if they're driven enthusiastially, however if you're sensible you'll be able to stretch 320ish miles from a 40 litre tank.
The space is ok in them, you'd get the bike in with front wheel removed + seats down.
The only issue is that infernal chav-racer image. There are plenty of good ones around, driven by 'older' drivers, so as long as you use discretion in looking for traces of 'Ripspeed' stickers then you can't really go wrong.
Fuel isn't fantastic on the ZS (30's at a guess) if they're driven enthusiastially, however if you're sensible you'll be able to stretch 320ish miles from a 40 litre tank.
The space is ok in them, you'd get the bike in with front wheel removed + seats down.
The only issue is that infernal chav-racer image. There are plenty of good ones around, driven by 'older' drivers, so as long as you use discretion in looking for traces of 'Ripspeed' stickers then you can't really go wrong.
i used to have a sliver zetec-s from new, great handling little car and im sure nippier than a 1.6 focus and you can get them for peanuts nowadays. my sister has a sportka and it is a great little car with leather seats and a bit quicker than the fiesta but very girly image. depends if you mind about something like that as it is probably a marginally better car but i wouldnt personally want to confess to owning one. cant you stretch to a 1.8 or 2.0 focus? even a diesel one with a remap could be interesting. depends how much you want to spend too.
I drove a Zetec S at lunch time. Good fun - same impressive steering feel as the Focus, but smaller, lighter and blessed with rather more poke. It's a little bit noisier, a slightly harsher ride and potentially thirstier too though. Hmm.
Going back to the Focus - my budget is quite flexible - a bigger petrol engine or a diesel is an option, but I'm not sure what the economy compromise would be like. Some people say the 1.8 is noticeably quicker, with little difference in economy, others say completely the opposite.
They all seem to be bloody silver too. I know it's a deeply girlie way of looking at things, but if I could find one in a slightly more interesting colour I might be sold!
Going back to the Focus - my budget is quite flexible - a bigger petrol engine or a diesel is an option, but I'm not sure what the economy compromise would be like. Some people say the 1.8 is noticeably quicker, with little difference in economy, others say completely the opposite.
They all seem to be bloody silver too. I know it's a deeply girlie way of looking at things, but if I could find one in a slightly more interesting colour I might be sold!
Chris71 said:
I drove a Zetec S at lunch time. Good fun - same impressive steering feel as the Focus, but smaller, lighter and blessed with rather more poke. It's a little bit noisier, a slightly harsher ride and potentially thirstier too though. Hmm.
They all seem to be bloody silver too. I know it's a deeply girlie way of looking at things, but if I could find one in a slightly more interesting colour I might be sold!
The thirst will most likely be greater, simply because you'll 'boot it' a little more, it's virtually inevitable.They all seem to be bloody silver too. I know it's a deeply girlie way of looking at things, but if I could find one in a slightly more interesting colour I might be sold!
Imperial Blue is the way to go with colour ;-) looks nicest, lasts longer before going crappy.
- Panther Black: Scratches are really obvious
- Colorado Red: Non-Metallic and looks tacky
- Silver: Boring
Chris71 said:
I drove a Zetec S at lunch time. Good fun - same impressive steering feel as the Focus, but smaller, lighter and blessed with rather more poke. It's a little bit noisier, a slightly harsher ride and potentially thirstier too though. Hmm.
Going back to the Focus - my budget is quite flexible - a bigger petrol engine or a diesel is an option, but I'm not sure what the economy compromise would be like. Some people say the 1.8 is noticeably quicker, with little difference in economy, others say completely the opposite.
They all seem to be bloody silver too. I know it's a deeply girlie way of looking at things, but if I could find one in a slightly more interesting colour I might be sold!
My brother in law used to work for Jaguar and so I've driven quite a few different Mk1 Focus's (!?) From memory the (new) price of a 1.6 and 1.8 was pretty similar. However, the 1.8 was much quicker and was quite a nice spritely car. Like you say though, if you want a silver Zetec version, you're spoilt for choice, but you may struggle for other colours.Going back to the Focus - my budget is quite flexible - a bigger petrol engine or a diesel is an option, but I'm not sure what the economy compromise would be like. Some people say the 1.8 is noticeably quicker, with little difference in economy, others say completely the opposite.
They all seem to be bloody silver too. I know it's a deeply girlie way of looking at things, but if I could find one in a slightly more interesting colour I might be sold!
On a sort of side note, I had the 1.8 engine in my Mk1 Mondeo and thought it was a cracking engine...reasonable performance and economy (although that was in an auto) and it ran for over 160,000 fault free miles.
I used to have a mk1 Focus 1.8. Absolutly perfect allrounder. Zetec-S Fiesta is nippier up to about 50 ( the wife's got one), but once into the meat of third, the 1.8 pulls away. Great size, and wonderful handling balance (ZS is like a go-kart, but can be a bit tiring on the motorway ). Buy one you won't regret it!
Zs is what I'd go for. Cheaper than the other options so you can afford to cane it a bit more and use more petrol. My mates got one and having driven it a few times can vouch its great fun and handling. Also we've squeezed 2 mtb's in the back before along with a driver and front passenger so wouldn't worry about space. Worth searching around for a good one mind my mate spent about 3 months looking for his and had to travel for it but got a mint car in the end at a good price.
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