Mk 1 focus - rot box or not?

[Bren]

Looking at one of these to replace other half's fiesta.

 

It's no secret that they can get a bit scabby, however seen a few advertised that have had advisories at MOT time on crusty body work that may need welding for another MOT.

 

The reason for chopping the fiesta is simply it is in good condition, however I want rid before it's starts needing welding repairs, but if the focus is just as bad, there is'nt much point, unless I consider something like an Astra, as these seem impervious to rot.

 

Any mechanics / testers care to comment or offer their experience?

[greengartside]

I know the door bottoms on these can rot quite badly. The tailgate can rot too, especially on Ghia models with the chrome strip where the Ford badge sit as they trap water.

 

 

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[Lacquer Peel]

My aunt's 1999 Focus estate was in a bad way a few years ago - sills and door bottoms were see through.

[D-Dubya]

As before, door bottoms and tailgates plus bits you can't see. At the time ford wasn't rust proofing like a lot of manufacturers were. I had an 03 fiat stilo and at 5 years old when I got rid there was no rust anywhere, whereas my mates 03 focus needed a new door and the boot lid started to bubble under the glass.

 

It's not just the focus, it's across the ford range, although focus and Ka seem the most visible.

 

Btw I'm not promoting the stilo as I got rid of that due to terminal gearbox issues, engine and drivetrain wise the focus 100%, but even though it was pampered the focus rotted

[KruJoe]

Better the devil you know, Shirley?

Just get some underseal slapped on it, nice and thick.

[Vince70]

Living by the seaside I see some real horrors when it comes to rotton fords..

 

There's one around the corner from where I live and it's been looked after by the elderly couple (washed and waxed each week etc) and it's on a 51 and it's had the sills done on both sides..And there's another knocking around in such bad shape that I've never seen anything so bad since 70s Jap chod, it's more rust than car..

 

If your old fiesta still hasn't had any welding your doing well...

 

My sister in law just had her fiesta welded up on the sills and inner sill and the lower rear wheel arches from a local garage who did a fantastic job for under £200 so it's not the end of the world.

 

I would say better the devil you know if it's a good little motor.

[fordperv]

Sills rot like buggery, the Ford underseal on the sills peels away letting water sit underneath to rot them away, doors and tailgate rot as well,

[EssDeeWon]

Probably safe to say if your replacing a fairly old Ford with a fairly old Ford then its going to be like for like. Best alternative for a Focus that isn't rusty is going to be a MK4 Golf 1.6, plenty about at a smidge more than Focus money.

[Talbotman]

More than bodywork on early focus's you've got to check up on the front subframes as they are now starting to rot out. As in the above posts any other rot will be very much visible.

As unfashionable as they are probably the most unrot prone hatch of that era is the Citroen xsara.

[dugong]

Get one that was built at Halewood and delivered to Liverpool. 
The scousers sent all the pre-rusted ones east. 

[CortinaDave]

I'll take an old ford needing a bit of welding any day over some of the better rustproofed alternatives with their never ending electrical issues.

 

At least if it's just a bit of welding you know where you stand.

[Hendry]

Mk4 Astras don't seem to rot very much, my uncles mrs has my old 52 plate which has upwards of 100K on it and its just going on the rear arches, the rest is spot on.

 

Go for the "facelift / mk1b" Focus from 2002 onwards, these seem to be a bit better protected against rust, seen a few that are still tidy, only the abused ones of those seem to rust, plus surely the later mk1s being 10 years old they must be starting to get cheap? They have reached the stage most Fords get to where they get old and worthless before they get old enough to get hit with the OMGFORDSCENETAXYO! And got back up in price

[Talbotman]

"]I'll take an old ford needing a bit of welding any day over some of the better rustproofed alternatives with their never ending electrical issues"

 

I'll take it your referring to the Mk4 Golf then! Lol! I actually think now is the time to pick very clean early Focus's as their starting to dissappear fast. A definite modern design classic.

[Pillock]

I think they still look clean, each facelift has muddied the design and put more into what was a very fresh face. And they've only really twatted around with lights and stuff since 1999 or whenever it was they were introduced, no need really. ST170s especially look proper nice next to a Mk2.5 ST with it's trying-too-hard orange paint and too-big wheels.

[In The Pit]

I've been considering getting a MKI Focus to replace my Audi A4.  I've never driven a Focus but fancy trying one as everyone raves on about how good they are to drive.  Even though the earlier ones rust they are galvanised (mind you so is my A4 and that has rusty arches).  I've generally heard good things about the Focus as far as reliability goes, a friend of mine has had two an early MKI on an S reg and a MKII on a 55 reg and she's never had a problem, she only got rid of the MKI because her grandfather was retiring from driving and gave her the MKII,  when she sold the S reg it didn't have a drop of rust.  Also a lady in the village has a T reg one she's had for years and that still looks good.

 

I think with Ford and rust it depends which factory they are built in, the German and British built cars are the best, the Spanish built ones are the worst.

 

The MKIV Golf rusts although not as bad as the MKIII which was an absolute rotter.  If rust is your main concern i'd buy something French as they are the most rust resistant (but be prepared for electrical gremlins).

[EssDeeWon]

My grandad had a 2000/X plate Focus 1.8 from almost new until last year, nothing major to report other than some sensors and the odd electrical gremlin, he was happy to keep it until forever but rust got the better of it, and it must of been bad for my granddad to part with something, had done about 110k IIRC.

[Hendry]

A Peugeot 306 is a much better drive in my opinion though the build quality is pretty poor. I've driven a few mk1 Focus's? and reckon the 1.6 is a pretty good middle ground between performance and economy. The 1.4 is dire. It's slower than a Ka and thirstier than the 1.6 Focus. Even though they like to rattle and bits seem to fall off I'd still take the 306.

^^^^^ agreed!

 

I'd completely forgot about the 306, I honestly think its one of the best looking cars I've ever seen, not sureWTF went wrong at Peugeot but after the 206/306/406 ranges they totally lost their way design wise. The new 308 and the 508 look alright but not a patch on a 306.

[nacho man]

When I was younger my older cooler cousin had a 3dr mk1 2.0 in black , and I think they have 16 inch instead of 15 inch wheels and I though it was the "da bomb" we went on a blast in it a few times and they was great handlers and pretty quick. I would love to have a go in one now to see if they still have it. A nice mk1 focus or mondeo is on my hitlist when my 306 gives up.

[Pillock]

2.0 are pretty quick for a shopping hatchback, 1.6 are good for economy. A 1.8 seems to offer the speed of the smaller engine but the economy of the larger so is the one to avoid.

 

The handling is good, even the later models can be thrown around. I've got the 1.6 diesel which is a proper skinflints car, no real go to it so I just don't slow down for corners or roundabouts.... It's a bit like driving a Fiat Panda where you make up for straight line speed deficiency by droving everywhere at full throttle and slinging it into bends.

[srad34]

My son has a 51 plate Mk11.8 Zetec, its never cleaned and usually looks like a tramp lives in it but not a spot of corrosion anywhere, spotless underneath too!

 

In contrast, my dads 51 plate estate is a rot-box, great 2.0 engine tho! 

[RichL]

I have just parted company with a 2004 1.6 Zetec 5dr. Bodywork wise there was no sign of any rust, apart from some surface stuff around the OSR arch and on the bonnet where the paint had chipped off and not been touched in.

 

As already mentioned though the suspension arms/subframe, particularly on the rear, were looking worryingly rusty. The bushes can't have been in great condition either, and there's a lot of them in that multi-link rear axle.

 

Probably just me being picky though, the thing was well screwed together, not one rattle despite it's 10 years and 90k miles. I've always preferred the 1.6/1.8's with the IB5 gearbox over the 2.0. Interior was mint; they seem to ware well if not abused. Rear wheel bearings are a common fail but not an expensive fix.

[Split_Pin]

I see a lot of cheap ones on eBay with fading clutches but that could just be that end if the market for cars in general. My mate had 2 2000 1.8 models when they were new and they went and handled so well that no other car seemed to measure up. Even now the dash looks great. As said you know where you stand with a bit of rust.