The Missymobile: Ford Focus - Keeps on Truckin'

[Missy Charm]

Here we have a Ford Focus from the year of our Ford 2006.  Unremarkable in every way, but has been in the family a long time.  She's a 2.0 litre petrol Zetec Climate, which doesn't mean that climate control is fitted.  Everything works, presently, other than the air conditioning and the car still offers reasonable performance thanks to the Mazda engine.  Handling is as good as anything not particularly specialist.  Today I have checked all fluid levels, lights and tyre pressures and have topped up the screenwash.  Feeling satisfied, I then washed and polished the car as well as dusting and vacuuming the interior with my trusty Henry.  Here are some photos, however be aware that they are kind to the car.  There are various issues with the bodywork, which should get sorted after the MOT.  

 

[tooSavvy]

Ooof! Purple Checker Mats 4Winnahs..

Neet 🧐

[sierraman]

Don’t often see many with the 2.0 Duratec in, surprisingly economical as well.

[Sham]

Almost identical looking to my old 56 plated one - except mine had the 1.6 and autobox. Kept it for 7 years and just under 100K, it was so good. Was also a Zetec with Climate pack - which as you know just means Aircon and heated washer jets on top of the normal Zetec trim. A thoroughly decent method of transportation.

[treehugger]

Far too tidy inside. Unlike mine, full of stuff. 

[bezzabsa]

Tax is out of date  

[grogee]

I cleaned the Brokus yesterday. Today I let Mrs Grogee drive us home from Gloucestershire. 

- Drove too close, in the spray of everything CHECK

- Didn't avoid the big puddles CHECK

- Used the windscreen washers every five seconds CHECK

- Overtook a lorry in a 30 zone CHECK (although TBF it was pissing me off too)

At least she can't be in the wrong gear in an auto. Think her next car will be an auto as she struggles with choosing the right gear at the right time...

[Flat4]

I love a Mk2 Focus. I learned to drive in one. Yours looks in great condition!

[carlo]

I like your driveway layout with the garage and (conservatory?) nice and close.

[warch]

I like the lack of arsed with the tax disc still on display seven odd years after it expired. And the 22 year old AA Book of the Road in the driver’s seat pocket. 

I haven’t taken the tax disc holder off my Speed Triple yet either. 

[tooSavvy]

@grogee.... "..At least she can't be in the wrong gear in an auto. Think her next car will be an auto as *she struggles with choosing the right gear at the right time.."

Aye... Slushbox relives all responsibility for "ratio indecision".... hahaha

👍

[Missy Charm]

3 hours ago, tooSavvy said:

Ooof! Purple Checker Mats 4Winnahs..

Neet 🧐

I bought them as a stopgap about five years ago and have never bothered to replace them with a proper set!  Annoyingly the front driver's side mat has split, so replacements will be needed soon.  

3 hours ago, sierraman said:

Don’t often see many with the 2.0 Duratec in, surprisingly economical as well.

I don't know why it wasn't a more popular choice; the fuel economy really isn't bad and it's fairly underworked so is reliable.  Perhaps the OMGGGG TOO LEEETA is MASIV and JOOSEY mentality was still in place at the time.  

1 hour ago, Flat4 said:

I love a Mk2 Focus. I learned to drive in one. Yours looks in great condition!

The photographs make the car look a lot better than it really is.  The bodywork has seen better days and bits of the interior are on the tired side.  Makes me feel old, too 😿 there were no Mk2 Focuses when I was learning to drive!

1 hour ago, carlo said:

I like your driveway layout with the garage and (conservatory?) nice and close.

Thank you.  We call it a conservatory, but whether it is or not is open to interpretation!  It's part of the house proper, a single storey extension, rather than a separate structure.  

56 minutes ago, warch said:

I like the lack of arsed with the tax disc still on display seven odd years after it expired. And the 22 year old AA Book of the Road in the driver’s seat pocket. 

I haven’t taken the tax disc holder off my Speed Triple yet either. 

I paid good money for that tax disc holder and I'm going to get as much use out of it as possible.  The AA book is still in use too, it's all right for main routes.

[treehugger]

I'm still on the 1991 road atlas in the boot. And I use it too. 

[808 Estate]

4 hours ago, tooSavvy said:

Ooof! Purple Checker Mats 4Winnahs..

Neet 🧐

I initially read that as "4Wimmins".  And thought, "yeah, I can see a girl going for that".  

 

[warch]

I outed my dad still using a 1970 Reader’s Digest AA Book of the Road to get about only 9 or 10 years ago. 

[Dobloseven]

Are you sure about the engine being a Mazda unit? Thought it would be a Ford/PSA engine that was also used in some Mazdas of that era. Happy to be corrected though as always. 

[sierraman]

7 minutes ago, Dobloseven said:

Are you sure about the engine being a Mazda unit? Thought it would be a Ford/PSA engine that was also used in some Mazdas of that era. Happy to be corrected though as always. 

The 1.8/2.0 petrol is a Mazda unit.

[Missy Charm]

MOT and service booked for a fortnight's time.  Eeep. 

[stuboy]

On 1/1/2022 at 10:23 PM, Dobloseven said:

Are you sure about the engine being a Mazda unit? Thought it would be a Ford/PSA engine that was also used in some Mazdas of that era. Happy to be corrected though as always. 

my 1.8 duratec rings went and became smoke signal machine

[High Jetter]

Seat position suggests not overly tall? Lose 5 points for hosepipe in shot, washing in the rain is the new 'eco' thang.

[bub2006]

My mk2 I had on a 2005 05 reg was a zetec climate also. The climate part refers to the climate package as ford calls it which is air conditioning,heated mirrors,heated washer jets and quickclear front screen. I've never seen a early mk2 with climate control in even on the titanium spec models. Looks rather tidy though. I've seen a lot of this shape focus with rotted front wings on low mileages.  My friend had a 1.8 zetec climate with about 96k on clock on a 57 plate that had the wing corrosion and mine was about 12 years old with 60 odd thousand on and had the same issue. 

Edit.

 So much for scan reading as sham had said what the climate part means already. Sorry!

[Missy Charm]

9 hours ago, High Jetter said:

Seat position suggests not overly tall? Lose 5 points for hosepipe in shot, washing in the rain is the new 'eco' thang.

5'5" (and a little bit).  Never heard of washing in the rain, it sounds unpleasant!

46 minutes ago, bub2006 said:

My mk2 I had on a 2005 05 reg was a zetec climate also. The climate part refers to the climate package as ford calls it which is air conditioning,heated mirrors,heated washer jets and quickclear front screen. I've never seen a early mk2 with climate control in even on the titanium spec models. Looks rather tidy though. I've seen a lot of this shape focus with rotted front wings on low mileages.  My friend had a 1.8 zetec climate with about 96k on clock on a 57 plate that had the wing corrosion and mine was about 12 years old with 60 odd thousand on and had the same issue. 

Edit.

 So much for scan reading as sham had said what the climate part means already. Sorry!

I think it might have been possible to get climate control on the Ghia, but that was probably a very rare option.  You may as well have bought a Mondeo for that sort of money.  Was yours a 2.0 litre?  If it was you'd have received the sports pack; mine's got it, even coming with an upper strut brace!  The wings are rusty, of course, but you can't really see it in the photographs.  My intention is to have them done fairly soon; the car has been in the family for many years, so it's worth keeping for the fact of the history being known.  I also dislike driving modern cars, too, so can't think of anything to replace the Focus.

[sierraman]

My front wings are rusty, not at the front but down the bottom near the sills. It’s not rusted through but it feels a bit crispy on the inside, searched for used rust free wings and there are none that are any better. I’m thinking I might, while it’s not completely compromised to have the wing off, rust kill the surface stuff and grp it from the inside. A bodge yes but it buys me a few years before the wings are flapping. A pair of wings plus blending it in would be expensive.

[bub2006]

26 minutes ago, Missy Charm said:

5'5" (and a little bit).  Never heard of washing in the rain, it sounds unpleasant!

I think it might have been possible to get climate control on the Ghia, but that was probably a very rare option.  You may as well have bought a Mondeo for that sort of money.  Was yours a 2.0 litre?  If it was you'd have received the sports pack; mine's got it, even coming with an upper strut brace!  The wings are rusty, of course, but you can't really see it in the photographs.  My intention is to have them done fairly soon; the car has been in the family for many years, so it's worth keeping for the fact of the history being known.  I also dislike driving modern cars, too, so can't think of anything to replace the Focus.

Minw eas a 1.6 manual. The mk1 I have now is 2.0 with digital climate control. 

[LoftyvRS]

I still look at these and think they're pretty new cars, it's only when you look at the number plates that you realise...

a.) That they're not

and

b.) I'm an old fuck

 

Nice car by the way OP.  Snazzy Mattage.

 

[AnnoyingPentium]

40 minutes ago, LoftyvRS said:

I still look at these and think they're pretty new cars, it's only when you look at the number plates that you realise...

a.) That they're not

and

b.) I'm an old fuck

I do the same thing with most cars of that era. Most just seem to not have aged much.

[chodweaver]

I do the same thing with most cars of that era. Most just seem to not have aged much.

That decade is the last one from which i can reliably identify the cars. These days i can't tell a new focus from a new astra, or kia, or hyundai etc without looking for the badge.

Tl:dr i have become my dad.

Alternatively, mainstream car styling has gone to the dogs.

[Out Run]

A well cared for old bus, @Missy Charm. Still looks very tody, to me!

I hope the boot and other common water ingress points are as dry as your sense of humour.

You can't beat a good Ford! [Insert unintended  water related joke]

[Missy Charm]

20 hours ago, Out Run said:

A well cared for old bus, @Missy Charm. Still looks very tody, to me!

I hope the boot and other common water ingress points are as dry as your sense of humour.

You can't beat a good Ford! [Insert unintended  water related joke]

The car has always been bone dry inside, possibly another reason for keeping it!

[sierraman]

6 hours ago, Missy Charm said:

The car has always been bone dry inside, possibly another reason for keeping it!

What even from the heater matrix O rings?! There’s usually the standard coolant dripping into the footwell under the carpet. I keep meaning to do ours properly, I just slathered the joint in RTV 3 years ago and it’s been fine since. I know I should have fixed it proper but it was a temporary job that’s sort of lasted.