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Ford and the griffin.


bub2006

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23 hours ago, bub2006 said:

Has anyone else noticed an increase on super to standard 95 unleaded?

I've always ran my more powerful petrol cars on Momentum 99, Esso 99 or vPower 99 and they are always the better for it both MPG and performance wise. My Leon Cupra 300 ran noticeably better on 99, it even warned you in the handbook performance was restricted on anything sub 98

I tried a tank full in the family wagon (modern turbo petrol) and our old Citigo and it made bugger all difference so it doesn't apply to everything. The more cooking engine'd VAG stuff I've had doesn't seem as sensitive to fuel quality. 

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23 minutes ago, Liggle said:

I've always ran my more powerful petrol cars on Momentum 99, Esso 99 or vPower 99 and they are always the better for it both MPG and performance wise. My Leon Cupra 300 ran noticeably better on 99, it even warned you in the handbook performance was restricted on anything sub 98

I tried a tank full in the family wagon (modern turbo petrol) and our old Citigo and it made bugger all difference so it doesn't apply to everything. The more cooking engine'd VAG stuff I've had doesn't seem as sensitive to fuel quality. 

Some mondeos of the era of my focus can't run e10 at all. Certain 1.8 engines I think. A few folk on focus pages have said the 1.6 and 2.0 seem better on super but the 1.8 doesn't make much difference .

For a litre or so less for 30 quid I'm happy to keep chucking super in it. A zetec auto doing mid 30s isn't bad in my opinion and I also live by the Derbyshire dales so everywhere round here is a hill!

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2 hours ago, bub2006 said:

Some mondeos of the era of my focus can't run e10 at all. Certain 1.8 engines I think. A few folk on focus pages have said the 1.6 and 2.0 seem better on super but the 1.8 doesn't make much difference .

For a litre or so less for 30 quid I'm happy to keep chucking super in it. A zetec auto doing mid 30s isn't bad in my opinion and I also live by the Derbyshire dales so everywhere round here is a hill!

Just the 1.8 sci. But they’re practically extinct anyway 

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On 12/31/2021 at 7:51 PM, bub2006 said:

A quick question regarding fuel. I've been using super unleaded for past couple of tanks and I've noticed a signif6rise in fuel economy. Its risen from 28.5-30 on computer to between 33 and 34.5. Driving style hasn't changed nor has the area I drive in. Seen it rise to nearly 37 on bypass at 70 once too but fell back down to between 33 and 34 in town.

Has anyone else noticed an increase on super to standard 95 unleaded? 

Thanks

It's because super E5 is more energy dense than standard E10.  Ethanol is about a third less energy dense than petrol. So your standard petrol has dropped in energy density by a 2-3%. It doesn't sound like much but it's enough to drop fuel economy a good 10%. My daily is suffering exactly the same thing.

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1 hour ago, Tommyboy12 said:

It's because super E5 is more energy dense than standard E10.  Ethanol is about a third less energy dense than petrol. So your standard petrol has dropped in energy density by a 2-3%. It doesn't sound like much but it's enough to drop fuel economy a good 10%. My daily is suffering exactly the same thing.

Thats the scientific side behind it! For a litre or so less it's definitely worth using super. Car feels better to drive too. 

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On 24/12/2021 at 21:39, Jazoli said:

Not when you compare like for like, my friends 2.0TDI Scirocco is about as quick as my 2.0 petrol turbo Saab until he has to change gear at 4.5k, then it isn't, exactly the same as when his tdi golf could keep up with my tfsi A3 for a bit, then it didn't, the only benefit to having a diesel is fuel economy and cheaper running costs until something goes wrong, I understand why a lot of people have them and there wasn't the same choice of boosted petrol engines in common cars until recently but in the real world a turbo petrol is far superior in most ways to a noisy vibratory heavy oil burning lump.

Someone else in a nice new 430d thought that against my 18 yo WRX. Now he knows better!

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  • 1 month later...

Update time. I seem to have acquired a caravan. Advertised for for collection so I went to have a look. Bloke owned it for 30 years and dry stored when not in use. Needs some covers on a couple of cushions and that's about it. Focus did a sterling job of towing it too.

received_328377655914060.thumb.jpeg.7b80fd637d93686372bb72ec5fa9cf7c.jpegreceived_3009617489368044.thumb.jpeg.c39004e2fc3520cff30d026524eb966a.jpegreceived_326525889423232.thumb.jpeg.89fdca40607e25c02ea44a98fcd05d31.jpegreceived_671201620587803.thumb.jpeg.fd60d22bd8d4726c3249d71945298c21.jpeg

 On the subject of towing,my driveway no resembles a caravan site. With the river derwent bursting it's banks and my friends garage being on the banks of the derwent I had to rescue his trailer tent and caravan as he hasn't a towcar at the minute after some tosser torched his family car. 

These are photos he sent me of the entrance to the unit.

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Focus retrieved his van to safety of my driveway. 

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2 caravans,1 trailer tent and a small trailer as well as the focus on the drive. Still have room for more if he needs to bring a car or 2 up here. 

Paid 600 quid for this focus and so far have done tyres,brakes and cambelt. All serviceable items anyway but it's never faulted or gave me grief. Bought it in October with 44k ish on clock and now nearly at 50k. Fuel prices upset me a little but its worth it for a decent car for a change. 

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  • bub2006 changed the title to Ford's finest. Towing rescue duties

Good to see it's doing you well. I don't think there are many cars that fulfil "an car" duties better than these, especially for the money. That's why I kept mine so long despite wanting something sportier, they don't really seem to be bad at anything so you just keep driving them.

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Mines a 2.0 ghia automatic. Quite a rare model being a mk1 with auto box and estate. Magnum grey is seen more on the st170 too. Thing is its 19 years old now,when autoshite was started that age was mid 80s sierra age but yet folk down seem to see that in more modern cars. 

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  • 8 months later...

Well it's been a while so thought I'd update. To long term shiters who know me,you may be surprised to learn I still own the focus. Just over a year now and it's doing well reliability and mpg wise. Still around low 30s. As some may have read the focus is a low mileage car with 2 former keepers. Was on 44k when I bought it having only done 8500 miles since 2011. In the past year of my ownership I've done just over 20k. 

The caravan was sold a few month ago as even the the focus towed it ok we had a bit of a bad snake on the m62 coming back from Wales and put my wife off touring u till we get a bigger car. We both don't want to part with the focus so it may well end up being a summer only car in another year or so.

We have purchased another car though,a little runaround for town duties and for me to use after I sold the bike. Enter stage left the little Japanese shoebox.

20221014_123440.thumb.jpg.d54b0c7cd797b0c5aea30b885d44c1e9.jpg20221014_123430.thumb.jpg.d4701084c869c8bb0fdc06d6773087fe.jpg

here we have a 2004 suzuki ignis 1.3 vvt in GL trim. 2 former keepers,1 from 2004 till 2006 and 1 keeper from 2006 till middle of October when I bought it from Doncaster when previous owner passed away.

The car had just over 100k on it when I bought it. It's a decent trim level with front fogs,electric windows and mirrors but no central locking,or so I thought. After speaking to some people we found it it should have central locking and after going to my friends garage for investigation we found the module had a blown capacitor. Ebay second hand part fitted and an ebay remote locking kit bought it back around to working fine. The car had when I bought it only done 1300 ish miles since its mot in 2020,I though have done 1400 miles so far in my ownership. Tyres on it were dated 2007 so new tyres were fitted and as of today its had better bulbs fitted in the headlights as they were next to useless.

Hasn't used a drop of oil or water since purchased and it doesn't sound like a vauxhall with the cam chain rattle either. Had it up on the ramps and found its recently had new brake lines,rear wheel bearings,hubs and shoes as well as front discs and pads and an engine service. It has a little leak of oil on the gearbox around the drain plug which could be running down from the fill plug or it could be a seal. Not properly investigated it yet but will do so at some point.

That's all for now folks.

Take care. 

 

 

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  • bub2006 changed the title to Ford meets suzi
3 minutes ago, Noel Tidybeard said:

has the focus got a bulldog or similar on the towbar?

shouldn't get a snake so much with one fitted

Yes it has. Old style leaf spring bar. Tyres on car and van were at correct level and the van was also loaded correctly and not overweight. It was a bit sketchy,just got hit with a cross wind and it scared the wife. As I said on paper the focus can tow it but I think it hasn't got the weight. Being auto too it needed to be kept on the boil especially with hills.

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4 hours ago, mk2_craig said:

Good to see an update! I'm actually quite jealous of your Focus, that's pretty much my ideal spec and now they're getting a bit rarer their character is becoming a bit more evident. Hope it continues serving you well!

Joseph Lloyd did a video on it and he seemed to like it too! Insurance is funny though. Last year the insurance online form auto filled in the valuation at 950 when we purchased it for 600.  Just renewed the policy and the value they've auto filled on the online page is now £2025. Having seen the prices of good condition mk1 st170s are going and even the lower models are starting to rise too I can well believe ut could be close to that if I was to sell. Highly doubt it will get sold though as the wife has took a shine to it. 

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4 hours ago, sierraman said:

Not many that look as tidy as that. Worth getting some rustproofing behind the felt lining in the arches. 

The focus I guess you are referring to? I'm planning on next spring pulling the liners and rustroofing with some wax oil or similar. It's had something like ziebart on it underneath from an early age and the sills have tiny holes evenly spaced both sides of the car. The holes on inner sill have tiny grommets in them and the ones on the outer side don't so i'd assume its had some form of wax injection?

It's got some surface corrosion starting on the spare wheel well under the car which I'm also going to rectify as well as getting the scuffed front bumper and wing sorted and also the rear bumper repaired. It has a slight bubble starting above the chrome boot trim too but I'm led to belive that's quite a common thing on the cars with chrome trim. 

Regards rust too,we went on holiday to Kent  a couple months back. I brimmed the car the night before we left and could smell fuel when I got home. The thinner pipe that runs above the main filler neck had a pinhole in it and when the tank was full caused a little leak.  Drained aome fuel out to bring it to 3 quarters so not using the overflow pipe and kept it around a half tank while we were away. Replaced the whole filler pipe when we came home. Ford only part and they wanted over 480 quid so ordered one from ebay for 60 brand new. 

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  • 1 month later...

New clutch had to be fitted to the suzuki. Looks like the old boy owner was the type to rest his foot on the clutch.  Started slipping then lost all drive in the space of 10 miles. Slipped then grabbed on a steep hill then started slipping again. The thrust bearing was sticking on the shaft too. Tried to limp it home but lost all drive at the end of my road. Wife had to come out with the focus to drag it home. I wasn't pushing it uphill nor was I ringing the AA for such a short distance. Dave of dcd autos sorted it though. Good having a decent mechanic for a friend! 

Third gear still a bit awkward and the gearbox itself is rather "clicky" 

Can see on the pics there is a lot of wear on the plate from the thrust bearing too.20221129_123557.thumb.jpg.2623da7394dcf66cc126aff033ef2017.jpg

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  • 2 months later...

Right folks. A small update. The Ignis bit the dust on December the 23rd. The gearbox was always notchy and the clutch didn't help matters at all. Lost 3rd gear completely and second and fourth weren't far behind. Sold it in boxing day to someone for 300 quid so all wasn't lost.

The focus is still in my ownership and still going strong. 16 or 17 month ownership now and coming up to it's second MOT in my hands in April. Back when we had the caravan I replaced the rear end and the shocks kept leaking. Had 3 sets in 10 months from same manufacturer. The last set the super said he'd do an upgrade to a better brand so now the focus is sitting in a set of KYB gas shocks.  

After selling the Ignis I was left with a space on my driveway and a need for a second car. I fetched this from the Wirral. Just over 72k on clock. Started life I think near Newcastle and spent nigh on 23 years there before it moved over to the west coast later last year and it's now down in Derbyshire.

1.6 single point injection 8v in LS trim so has cd player,velour seats and air con yet surprisingly doesn't have ABS. Remote locking still works fine and overall it's a tidy old car. Drives lovely and getting high 30s mpg round the doors.

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my driveway now resembles a lower middle class household circa 2005.

 

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  • bub2006 changed the title to Ford and the griffin.

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