GSM

Don't understand how half these monkeys get these jobs...

Funny example: I phoned those ChipsAway mob a few months ago just for a quote - they come out and fix chips/scratches on yer car, etc, and it's a franchise so you deal directly with the guy who does the repairs when getting quotes etc, so you'd expect these types of guys to know a bit about cars.

Anyway, I phoned up and the guy was asking questions about the car. Here's how the conversation went:

Him: What's the make, model and year?
Me: It's a 2006 Ford Focus.

Him: Okay, is that the one with the long back or the one with the curved back?
Me: What?
Him:You know, I'm just trying to get an idea of what the car looks like.
Me: It's a hatchback if that's what you mean.
Him: Ah, right, yes, that's what I meant. Where is the damage on the car?
Me: It's on the driver's side at the rear quarter where the wheel arch meets the back door.
Him: Back door?
Me: Yes, back door.
Him: I thought you said it was a hatchback?
Me: Yes, that's right, it is.
Him: If it's a hatchback it can't have 4 doors (he said this in a sort of mocking tone).
Me: Eh, actually, yes you can... the word "hatchback" relates to the style of the rear of the car, not how many doors it has.
Him: Right okay. You sure it's not a saloon?
Me: Look mate, the Ford Focus is probably the most common car on the road, and the hatchback is probably the most common type of Ford Focus on the road, and most of them have 4 doors. If you, as a guy who supposedly fixes cars all day everyday, don't know what one looks like, then I don't think I'll be needing a quote from you. 

Then I hung up.

Beggars belief.

P.S. my response when I read your first line about smashing your window whilst accidentally slamming the boot was similar to the response I have when I hear about somebody getting booted in the chuckies.

Thanks guys just double checked my sensors and they seem to have four foamy rubbery strips at 12,3,6 and 9 o clock position so hopefully this should just wedge in. Now the hard part begins of where to drill the holes... Can anyone confirm green and yellow is the correct wire on a cmax?

I just ordered a solder kit and heat wrap as I keep reading horrible things about Scotch locks...

Trace the wire and see if it heads to your reverse bulb, only way to be sure without ripping the wire open and testing it.

As I said a few posts ago, I would actually recommend using crimp connectors and a crimping tool as opposed to soldering or scotch locks. Unless you're a soldering efficianado which you're probably not if you've only just bought yourself a soldering kit. Soldering can be tricky, especially having to do it in the boot of a car instead of on a nice working bench, and it takes a bit of practice and skill to get any good and making strong, robust, reliable connections that you won't have to re-do in 6 weeks. 

Crimp connectors are easy as pie, safer and more reliable than scotch locks, but requiring nowhere near the skill level of soldering for a good robust connection.

Mine had 3/4 rubber wedges embedded around the circumference of each sensor - so providing the hole you drill is snug, they will keep them in place indefinitely.

No need to glue them.

Heres the sprayed grill fitted anyway

 

 

Missus don't like it n proffered the chrome

 

But I think it looks loads better and butches up the front end loads

 

Now I just need to get round to spraying the fog surrounds n it'll be lookin a lot more stealthy n go nicely with the head lights

Hmm, not sure how I feel about it... I like the chrome. Just looks like a lower trim level now that gets the plastic grill instead of the chrome.

Also, your car's beginning to look like a black and white picture of itself! No blue badge and now no chrome lol. Just smoke your indicators and it'll look like a silent movie Focus!

Thanks for the info!

 

Also I seen you said about the earth point being on the left hand side of the car while the reverse power lead comes up on the right of the MK2 models, so should I just split the black and red power lead and have the box in the middle? Thanks again!

Don't think it's the case with all MK2s, but it is with the Ghia - a few people have mentioned a few minor design differences/component locations/wire colours for the Ghia compared to other models.

With the sport you should be fine to follow the original guide. But I might be wrong.

If you do find that the live is on the right and the earth is on the left like mine, then you could house it in the middle and split the wires (like I did), or you could just use the earth wire from the reverse light. Just means more cutting and crimping of wires, rather than having the convenience of a nice earth point.