Focus tdci

[Bren]

I have a bit of interest on an 04 plate focus tdci on shitebay.

 

118k claims to have had a cambelt and clutch.

 

Apart from rot and water entering the cabin anything else I should look for?

[Danblez]

As you have said rust, rear arches, bottom inner of the front doors (hidden by seam sealer until it bursts through the front) and around the outer of the spare wheel well. Nothing other than the clutch is particularly fragile as far as I know. Watch out for slow starter motor which can get knackered up from a poorly DMF. We have had our 52 plate for 6 years and have done 80k, now on 160k, it still drives well, uses no oil or water. It has had a turbo @ 100k (ouch) and clutch @ 125k and that's about it.

 

Water enters the cabin via the pollen filter on the nearside bottom of the windscreen and pools in the passenger footwell, normally because some numpty hasn't replaced it correctly after fitting the filter, silicone sealer does the job nicely.

 

Having said that in the last 3 months the AC, electric window switch, rear wheel bearing have gone and the thermostat housing (common problem with them being plastic) all need sorting.

 

Really well built cars which are good to drive, just dont ask Billy for his thoughts!

[CortinaDave]

no experience of the focus version but the mondeo tdci suffered heavily from DMF woes.. rest your foot on the clutch at idle and if you can feel a judder through the pedal walk away.

 

As said above when the DMF starts to go its slow disintegration fouls up the starter motor and knackers it.

 

They also suffer from injector problems... when an injector goes the replacement has to be re-coded by Ford - ££££

 

I really liked the mondeo when I had it though! good economy too, it was pushing the late 40s no problem, i can only imagine the lighter Focus will do even better

[twosmoke300]

im breaking one here for bits cos of random eng mgt issues.

Check rear wheel bearings for noise and general corrosion underneath. Mainly on suspension componants rather than bodywork

If its a mk1 then make sure the clocks arent doing silly things.

[Pillock]

Nothing more to add. They rust from the bottom up so if the bottom of the doors are OK, it's likely to be mostly rot-free. I don't think all diesel Focii had a DMF at 04, so check the invoice for the clutch to see if it gives clues.

 

They get damp, the interiors aren't amazing quality and there's billions of them so unless it looks good I'd keep looking.

 

It should handle well, they're a good setup so any clonks or fuzziness will be an issue rather than "they all do that sir"

[trigger]

I used it have a 04 plate TDCi 115 Ghia, I wasn't impressed with mine, it kept cutting out all the time and the engine wasn't the smoothest. Mine you it was a £6000 car then so I was a lot more critical of it.

[Cavcraft]

Rust, wheel bearings, stupidly small boot, nasty inside, DMF fail etc.