Picked up a Focus TDdi.. are these any good?

[CortinaDave]

Bought this purely as I happened to spot it online, it seemed bloody cheap and i was drunk at the time . its done 95k, is a TDdi and seems to be quite decent, if unspeakably dull. Have to be honest, I know very little about them other than apparently I'm much less likely to suffer expensive misery than I would be with the newer TDCi engine.

 

Standing me £530.. Taxed til end Oct and MOT Sept, and theres quite a few service stamps in the book. Initally i thought I'd just punt it on and try and make a few quid on it but I've been knocking about in it for the last couple of days and there doesn't seem to be much wrong with it at all really - its doing about 50mpg so I'm thinking about keeping it as my daily and flogging the Saab instead.

 

Anyone got any experience of these? Should I run away now before I'm awash with massive bills or are they alright? Can I feed it veg?

 

 

 

[atomic punk]

My current one I've had for 132,000 miles in 8 years - apart from the usual servicing I've had one starter motor and a clutch slave cylinder - and nowt else at all. Pretty much indesructible.....

 

Even had 80k out of the current discs & pads ....

 

In fact the only thing wrong with it is its a focus......

[phil_lihp]

I know a few people who've had these as used cars plus I used to drive one new, they seem to be consistently strong, reliable and economical. A guy I used to work with ran a 2003 TDCi Focus saloon which under his ownership did 30k miles a year, was given a basic oil change once a year (if that) and made it to about 170k on that neglect before the turbo imploded on the motorway. With a new one, it was still running when he sold it with 190k on the clock. The downside I'd say is that they're often as prone as most Fords are to niggly little electrical gremlins.

[dollywobbler]

About as good as Ford diesel engines got. Less complication than later units. I rate the Focus as a car too. Yes, not exactly exciting but they do the job well enough and can rack up ridiculous mileage - last one I drove was a TDdi estate with about 230,000 miles on it. Aside from gear lever wear, there was no way of telling. Rear arches rot though.

[Lacquer Peel]

My aunt's Focus, also Inverness registered, was extremely rusty.

The engine seems quite good, hers died with a diesel pump issue but it had covered a lot of miles.

I think these have a Bosch VP30 pump, in theory good for veg (mechanical pump with electronically controlled fuelling, etc., but they're direct injection so use veg with care, keep an eye on the oil level for veg contamination.

[Danblez]

I've got a 150k tdci and it drives really well. Feels like a car with half the miles and as well/better screwed together as any VW. I don't know why people seem to dislike these. The ride is superb, handles well and the tdci flies!

 

Had no niggles with ours but have had turbo failure and a new clutch ££££££. Hoping it will make it to 200k++ to repay me for the money it cost! THe thermostat housing has just starting leaking too as it is made out of crappy plastic.

 

If you keep it take the rubber trim off from the bottom of the front doors, it will be rusty there but hopefully not makin it's way through to the front skin yet.

[CortinaDave]

Having done a bit of research it seems it is likely to be the VP30 pump so I may try a 20-30% veg mix and see how I get on. Seemingly if the pump goes on one of these though its an £800 replacement as it has to be coded to the car by Ford - which would make the car effectively scrap.

 

There is a bit of rust on the door bottoms and rear arches, but I have a painter mate who is tidying it up for me today for £60 which cant be bad at all.

 

Now I have the dilemma of Interesting (the saab 9-3 convertible ) versus sensible and cheap to run (the focus). Hmmm...

 

I love the Saab but despite the fact its in really tidy condition its been one problem after another since I bought it so I'm tempted to bail out, keep the focus and spend the spare cash on putting the cortina back on the road.

[skattrd]

If you're not 100% certain a car will be fine on veg then I say don't risk it.

Saving 40p a litre is great, but when there's a chance of an £800 bill it's not worth the risk.

[RichL]

A solid engine in a solid car. The Di has less power than the TDCi but I prefer it. No DMF or common rail make it more reliable and cheaper to fix. Thermostat housings can and do leak but yours may well have the earlier metal one which won't. I wouldn't bother with veg TBH fuel economy is excellent even when thrashed... which you won't because threre's no point. Can be difficult to start from cold in the winter usually the starter or weak battery. The little intercooler hoses can blow and cost more than you think but the Di's run less boost so are less affected. Chassis and interiors seem to stay tight even after mega miles. I bought an '04 plate 1.6 with 75k on it not intending to keep it long, that was four years go, I still have it and it's not going anywhere

[Split_Pin]

I don't know much about Focii but the dash is one of my favourites of cars of this era.

 

Is definitely say get this, give that Saab the bum's rush and get that fine 'S' back on the road.