mk1 Focusesses. Are they nice?

[Brodders]

I hated the cupholders. I have one of those thermos cup things, and it would inevitably and without fail tip itself out of the cupholder and spill all my coffee all over the passenger footwell.

I find all of this talk about the cupholders being bad a bit odd, as the ones in my mum's Focus are the perfect size for my travel mug and the perfect depth to keep it and its contents in one place when the car accelerates and brakes, unlike the ones in most cars which are either too narrow to get the mug in or too shallow, which would result in the mug tipping over, resulting in a damp carpet, which is a pain in the arse, or my balls being burnt by my coffee, which is even more of a pain, when I go around a corner in a rather spirited manner.

[Slartibartfast]

Mine looked something like this:

http://s147.photobucket.com/user/SpacekidUK/media/084fe6b3.jpg.html

Maybe there was some sort of insert missing or they were different on different trim levels. My thermos mug looked something like this:

 

 

The combination of the two meant coffee in my footwells.

[smellypoo]

If I remember correctly, the cupholders changed at facelift and the newer ones were designed a fair bit better - it was a mostly rubber insert and was just the right size and depth to hold most cans or fast-food drinks steady.

[Brodders]

If I remember correctly, the cupholders changed at facelift and the newer ones were designed a fair bit better - it was a mostly rubber insert and was just the right size and depth to hold most cans or fast-food drinks steady.

You are probably right as hers is a 54 reg one (and as such, one of the facelifted models), where as most of the ones mentioned here were earlier, pre facelift, models, which would have the different cupholder.

[Braddon81]

Mk1 Focus's are great cars. A game changer in many ways..and it is the car that Peugeot really should have built to replace the 306. I think though nearly 17 years down the line as good as they were..finding a Mk1 Focus that won't give you some form of mechanical pain or niggles is unlikely....but then that's what the love of older cars is all about! The last Mk1s were built 11years ago now and really tidy ones are becoming few and far between. Of all the modern era Ford's the Mk1 focus and puma have the potential to be shrewd buys. I'd say find a nice early Focus in Zetec spec, keep it well maintained and it in good nick and it's a sure fire future investment come ten years down the line when all the tat has been scrapped.

[Cleon-Fonte]

Only here would someone consider replacing their entirely serviceable XM with a MkI diesel Focus.

 

I don't quite understand people saying that they should be avoided as good ones are few and far between, though. Surely the fact that they're all now shagged and a bit fusty makes them prime shite candidates?

[mrbenn]

I've had my 03 plate 1.6 Zetec for nearly 4 years now. I keep thinking about a change (want to try a Panda 100HP) but can't bring myself to get rid of it for a few key reasons:

 

- if it breaks it is straightforward to fix and parts are dirt cheap

- it's good at everything; it'll potter around town, make progress around country lanes or sit on the motorway quite happily

- it's super easy to live with, like no hassle at all, which means a lot to me

 

In 4 years and 32k miles (now on 92k) mine has needed:

 

- rear wiper motor (£15 posted, s/h)

- alternator (£15, newly reconditioned, taken from a scrapyard car)

- starter motor (£12 posted, s/h, original still worked but started sticking and for the price I just replaced it)

- idle control valve (forget the price of this, was new so a few quid)

- bit of welding to the rear n/s recently (£100 - 2 hrs labour)

- one expensive failing - a valve went in the engine that needed the head removing to sort, it was just bad luck and don't think the diesels suffer with that issue

 

Plus servicing, a set of tyres, exhaust bits (full system was original).... and I think thats it. Air con works well, heated front screen works perfectly, still looks presentable. Obvs mine is petrol, but in terms of spare parts, driving and ease of living with one I really don't think you can go far wrong.

[HH-R]

I was thinking of this thread, the Focus and its rivals today for some reason. Of the Fuckus, Migrane, Ashtray, Golf and Rover 400/45, I'd have probably chosen the Migrane, but that's the least likely to have survived of the lot, they're pretty much extinct now.

[Honey Badger]

We had a TDCI for 3 years, in that time we had to replace the fuel pump/fuel pump circuit board twice under warranty thankfully. We were told it was almost a grands worth per pump, 3rd one was on its way out when we chopped it in for the S2000.

 

It was a good drive otherwise though.

[Slartibartfast]

Also:

When I first saw that video it had only recently been posted, and there was no further information, I was sure all the occupants of the car were dead. I remember thinking there must have been children in there because of that spinning pink thing that looks like a child's lunchbox. Turns out it was just the driver, a 25 year old woman, and she survived.

Probably more fluke than the design of the car, but who knows?

[Rusty_Rocket]

Good God.  Too close to the truck before pulling out.  

 

I would say sheer luck the driver survived...

[mikebee]

some o ye mention odd handling characteristics.it had passive rear wheel steering @ 5 degrees built into suspension.might have been this ye felt.

[trigger]

There's a X reg 2.0 Ghia thats been for sale oppersite mine for a few weeks now at £500ono, i did a quick mot check on it this morning, 2012/13 was a busy year for it!.

 

[sierraman]

For £500 though what do you want. You aren't buying a lifetime ownership, if it looks like it'll last a year or so without any major grief you've done ok. On balance though I'd avoid the 2.0, it's quite thirsty, the fuel economy is worse than the 2.0 Mondeo which defeats the object somewhat.

[Lankytim]

Why are all mk1 Focii saloons Ghias? Always wondered that.

[mrbenn]

There's a X reg 2.0 Ghia thats been for sale oppersite mine for a few weeks now at £500ono, i did a quick mot check on it this morning, 2012/13 was a busy year for it!.

 

 

Bloody hell! Makes you wonder if the clocks died and were replaced with a part from another car?!

[steveo3002]

whats the score with rusty filler necks ?  can it be accessed without major dismantling to check /grease 

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

For £500 though what do you want. You aren't buying a lifetime ownership, if it looks like it'll last a year or so without any major grief you've done ok. On balance though I'd avoid the 2.0, it's quite thirsty, the fuel economy is worse than the 2.0 Mondeo which defeats the object somewhat.

 

But for another 500 quid, you could cherry pick a really nice one and have it for 3-4 years.  A rusty old Ford with a 12 month lifespan is £250 afaic.

[mrbenn]

whats the score with rusty filler necks ?  can it be accessed without major dismantling to check /grease 

 

The filler tube is visible with the o/s/r arch liner removed, not sure if further dismantling is required to release it from the tank.

[mrbenn]

Why are all mk1 Focii saloons Ghias? Always wondered that.

 

All the saloon Focuseses round here seem to be driven by older owners, I reasoned that perhaps they have more money to spend when buying a car. A peasant like me has to make to with the Zetec

[sierraman]

But for another 500 quid, you could cherry pick a really nice one and have it for 3-4 years. A rusty old Ford with a 12 month lifespan is £250 afaic.

True. There's a 02 plate one near me at one of those garages that must trawl the breakers for stock. It's tested for until January, decent tyres all round, looks fairly presentable it's £350. So long as it starts, steers and stops you can't really go wrong at that money. But yes I see what you say for £7-800 you could get something with a bit of life left in it but if you wanted something to get you by for a short period of time the £350 does the trick.

[Lacquer Peel]

All the saloon Focuseses round here seem to be driven by older owners, I reasoned that perhaps they have more money to spend when buying a car. A peasant like me has to make to with the Zetec

I think that's the way Focus saloons were marketed in the UK, to affluent and conservative elderly buyers who wanted an Orion Ghia really.

[sierraman]

I think the lowest spec they came in was LX and then only in 1.6/8, 2.0 and the diesel. No base spec models in that shape or the 1.4.