I’m new here as I’m in the market for a Ford Focus Estate and I’m hoping if any of you are interested you can help me find the right spec engine I should be going for.

My partner has just bought a 2011 low miles titanium mk7 fiesta and I’ve realised it’s about time I stopped paying ridiculous amounts of tax on high powered poor emissioned cars . I’m your typical motorsport fan and like something a bit old school - but I’m also growing up (31 this year) and about to start a family. I want an estate that is cheapish to run.

I have sold my Rover 75 Connoisseur SE 2.5 V6 - which I love and is very comfortable - but the tax was £540(!) a year. It just seems absolutely pointless paying that for what I need a car for.

So there’s the first requirement - no silly tax amounts - my absolute limit is £180 a year. I’m obviously aware of the ecoboosts - but more on that in a minute.

This unfortunately categorically rules out an ST estate.

I do a commute of around 18 miles total a day and do the odd weekend away throughout the year down to Weston or Brean or somewhere similar. A sixth gear is not an absolute essential but would be nice.

The mpg on my rover was around 25 daily  - so any mpg from a Ford engine that fits the tax band above is considered an improvement.

Whatever I buy will be considered a long-ish term family investment (being an estate) - I’m not convinced a hatchback will be suitable (I’ve had one for a few weeks) and despite the budget I don’t have money to throw around - for me, I have to get this right first time and have it last a good few years.

So this leaves me currently with a list of wants (which I think? are sensible and low risk - you tell me)

- Petrol engine

- Manual

- Mk3 or above only - don’t want a 2011 for some reason - happy with 2012 onwards but my budget requirements mean I stop at 2015

- budget - originally budgeted £7k - but i’ve realised I really need to extend it to £10.5k - deep down I’d prefer something bang up to date with DLR’s and touchscreen but I know this stretches above £10.5k 

- Titanium at the minimum 

- obviously want to avoid outstanding Technical Service Bulletin’s - the age of cars I’m looking at are well out of manufacturer warranty - any big jobs - my problem - have I overlooked any? 

- preferably below 30,000 miles - would consider going up to around 38,000 miles but no higher 

- annual road tax limit no higher than £180

- Colour - basic colours on earlier MK3’s let’s it down - will only consider black but I really like the frozen white having seen one recently 

After doing my research - What I don’t want :

- a 1.0 ecoboost - especially pre 2014 for the obvious reason - but also put off all age 1.0 ecoboosts by what people have said about mpg - just left at thinking what’s the point of taking on the risk of servicing the turbo engine and it’s unquantified future into high mileage 

- a power shift gearbox in any shape or form - sound a nightmare 

- a 1.5 petrol 2015 era ecoboost (clutch slippage TSB) - I thought I’d cracked it with this engine - I have found this age (2015) currently on sale with this Petrol engine with outstanding TSB’s showing on Etis - don’t want the cost of potentially replacing a clutch - am I over worrying? I know the TSB is a software update - but it “could” lead to a dealer blagging me I need a new clutch, presumably a clutch change in something like this will be well over £500? Don’t know 

- basic trim models not wanted - no edge, Zetec - I much prefer the Sony headunit on the earlier mk3,s - and it’s more a case that I hate the buttons on the Zetec one - which means titanium. Later model with touchscreen obviously not an issue (looks modern) but still like the titanium trim and extras 

- preferably not a diesel given my commute distance but should I care about this? Am I being “anti diesel project fear” by turning away from these? If I did want a diesel - What Diesel engines should be avoided? I’m not clued up on TSB’s or any horror stories from diesels - I take it they all have dpfs?? Not sure - need someone to educate me on focus estate diesel - there are loads more diesels available in the Focus estate market - so this route might make my quest easier. What Euro rating are the Diesel engines? - especially the earlier ones - are we in risk territory for smoke out the back and MOT failure??

All this has me arriving at:

1.6 Petrol Ti-Vct - seems to be less problems with these engines?

However - I’m struggling to find one in estate that fits:

A) titanium 

B) below 30k miles 

C) Manual 

D) decent colour (not deep dull red, silver or midnight sky)

The lack of availability for what I need has made me question  - am I going for the right engine? Because if I start looking at diesels - this seems to open up availability of the estate in the Focus estate market.

Give me your thoughts and stories. 

I know it’s possibke to get what I want in budget (just missed a lovely 25k mile 2012 frozen white manual 1.6 ti-vct titanium at £7800) but the combination of manual and 1.6 ti-vct low miler is proving difficult.

shoukd I hold firm or turn my head to another engine??

 

 

You'd be better off with a 1.6 EcoBoost than a 1.6Ti-VCT imo.   Ti-VCT might be a bit more reliable, but it's a boring old engine, only as powerful as a 1.0 EcoBoost, but with less torque and all the running costs of the 150bhp 1.6 EcoBoost and no turbo...  Some of the 1.6 EcoBoosts even came with 180bhp...'grown up' cars don't have to be boring...  1.6EB Titanium estate would suit your needs perfectly imo.  Just make sure there are no outstanding recalls and it should be fine, even if there are recalls, they're free anyway.

The diesels of the age you're looking at are Euro 5 and all have DPFs.  Quite a tight smoke limit on MOT since the new regs.  If you do the mileage for them it shouldn't be an issue but if you don't, petrol makes much more sense.

I would still have a 1.0 ecoboost 2014/15 onwards.  Fuel economy is dependant on driving style , 1.6 ecoboost isn't any better fuel wise. 

I looked at estate focus before I bought my hatchback, but there were so few of them 4 years ago. 

Interestingly I had a 1.6 LX and 1.6 VCT here, same year and miles, and the VCT was always noticeably 'peppier'. BUT, it should be remembered that, as I have found out personally, the 'ticking' time bomb with the VCT engines are the solid (non hydraulic) tappets which need to be adjusted manually by shims as and when they become noisy. This job involves removal of the camshafts to change the shimsn and you'd be a fool not to change the cam belt/tensioners and possibly water pump. Add in the labour (big DIY job and not for the feint hearted) and it is a not inconsiderable sum.

 

 

Thanks for your replies - usually I wouldn't reach out on a forum to decide what car I want to buy - but the process with the Focus at the moment feels hit and miss at best if i'm honest. Show me the Rover K Series family of engines - and I know exactly what to tell you and which is best - but Fords are new ground for me. I'm at the point where I see so many of these cars on the road (hatchbacks at least) - but I need to hear about them. Done plenty of reading and I do appreciate the ratio of cars made to bad experiences. Looking out on the road certainly seems to back this up and whats sucking me into the Focus Estate is its by far the best looking estate in its class and for the money i'm looking to pay - the titanium interior cant be matched. If I can invest in one and do as much as possible to avoid any bad experience - i'm in.

Looking for a Focus inline with what I want in the used market I can tell you becomes a minefield, even if you only have a vague idea of what to look into. A lot of the cars out there seem to be jacked in at a certain mileage - possibly due to finance or fleet - and therefore I assume thats maybe why TSBs are outstanding. Either that - or people have had the letter about the clutch slippage on the ecoboosts and been scared off - then part ex.

So having done a scout of Auto Trader for a few 1.0 ecos and 1.6s - its becoming apparent it might be difficult to avoid the TSB for "clutch slippage" - I initially thought it didnt affect the 1.6 eco - but appears it does. I suppose that was one advantage of the Ti-VCT - but I also didn't mention that any Ti-VCT 2012 will need the cambelt doing year after next - so its stuff like this i need think about. I need to look into the particular TSB for clutch slippage and see what the real world results are with Ford - I cant understand how they are servicing that need at the moment - surely the numbers must be huge and cars in the used market with these blatantly outstanding doesn't fill me with confidence to be honest - especially low milers. If the clutch slippage TSB was easy to get it done - why hasn't it been done?? Was it just someones part ex'ed it - or is it a bigger problem? The end result for me is I can do a clutch test on any potential car - but buying a car with a TSB o/s is off putting. Need to find one without it.

I would say the ones I have seen the o/s TSB's on - one is a private sale - so to be expected. Two more were with non Ford Franchised Traders. I need to check a few used reg's on Etis that are on sale from authorised Ford franchises I think - if Ford dealers aren't clearing the TSB's as part of their "57 point checks" (or whatever its called and that they allegedly do on useds)  - that tells me something surely.

Its probably fair to say - even before your replies - Diesel was a stupid idea. I bought a petrol Rover for my last car for the exact reason of avoiding the new MOT regs as I knew about the regs long before they hit the mainstream press. Any colour smoke out of the exhaust for MOT fail is just too risky - I noticed a flood in the used market for Diesel Rover 75's recently - perhaps this is why i see so many Focus Estate's as well - combined with the fact at point of manufacture - the Diesel was the more popular choice. Knowing they are Euro 5 helps - so thank you for that.

7 hours ago, iantt said:

I would still have a 1.0 ecoboost 2014/15 onwards.  Fuel economy is dependant on driving style , 1.6 ecoboost isn't any better fuel wise. 

I looked at estate focus before I bought my hatchback, but there were so few of them 4 years ago. 

All your comments are great food for thought but Input like the above is spot on.

My average speed with the driving I do daily is not going to be higher than 28mph - I commute in and out of Birmingham city centre - trust me when I say you'd be a lunatic to break the speed limit around Birmingham - even if you got the chance it would be way too risky and dangerous with all the obstacles around. This sort of stuff has eventually taught me its pointless having something like a 2.5 V6 - even if it does sound nice. So any turbo in an ecoboost I have would not be getting thrashed.

I think what i should say to clarify is it really is the mechanical side I want to cover off rather than cost and mpg - but even just someone saying they'd have an ecoboost again gives a bit of confidence - even I believe they cant be all bad! The long term capability and mileage of the 1.0 eco concerns me a little though - just how long can it go on mileage wise.

So in line with the above - if I did have an Ecoboost 1.0 - I wouldn't be wanting to drive it like Colin McRae (god rest his soul) - so don't worry about the Fuel usage - i'll be OK with that.

Definitely agree the 1.6 Ti-VCT is boring - but that helps me in two ways - one I "might" be able to find a good one more easily and two it wouldn't appear I'd run into any TSB's - there just in general appears to be less that can go wrong with them or its at least minimising the risk - I'd just need to find one that drives straight(!)

6 hours ago, wild_one said:

Interestingly I had a 1.6 LX and 1.6 VCT here, same year and miles, and the VCT was always noticeably 'peppier'. BUT, it should be remembered that, as I have found out personally, the 'ticking' time bomb with the VCT engines are the solid (non hydraulic) tappets which need to be adjusted manually by shims as and when they become noisy. This job involves removal of the camshafts to change the shimsn and you'd be a fool not to change the cam belt/tensioners and possibly water pump. Add in the labour (big DIY job and not for the feint hearted) and it is a not inconsiderable sum.

 

This is an interesting one to look out for - but I would assume this only happens with some serious mileage covered? - what mileage did this happen at? When you say same years and miles do you mean 2012 and around 30-40k Miles? Really interested to know when that happened.

For the meantime - I keep searching and keep all options open (well, except Diesel) - I hope some owners of some Eco's (even hatches of course) can chip and my thread stays alive.

I have to admit the thought of a 1.6 eco sounds great - but i have to cover off this clutch slippage TSB if I'm going to do that - and on that point could someone clarify . . 

I thought if the car was out of warranty - you had to pay for TSB's yourself? Is that correct? Anything on 2015 will probably be out by now and this is the risk . . if the software update doesn't cover it and the clutch is knackered - you are looking at replacing a new clutch on a car that has just already cost you ten grand(!) and I hear thats "if" Ford have the parts?! The "if" part sounds lunacy to me. I will search the relevant threads for that TSB - but if anyone could jump in here I'd appreciate it - because this elevates the Ti-VCT again if it is true.

Off to search through around 7 pages of Google for "used ford dealers" stock . .  :s

Not gonna lie...I didn't read all that...

But just wanted to say the clutch recall is VERY recent, it only came out a couple of weeks ago.  It affects a lot of cars with the 6 speed manual, hence the 100ps 1.0EB and the 1.6ti-vct not being affected. The dealer's can't get through them quick enough atm...I've been told it's a 4 week wait at one place!  A lot of private owners also still genuinely don't know.  Plus independent dealer's don't own the cars they're selling they won't receive the letter and may not know either, especially if the car has been in stock a while.

However the recall is free, although it's a bit of hassle getting the car there and back, it's not a massive issue.

The recalls I'd be more worried about are the coolant related ones on both the older 1.0s and 1.6 EB...they are old recalls and should all have been done by now.

 

there seems alot of concern about this clutch recall. to put it into perspective, less than 1% of vehicles are expected to need a clutch. the software update is a preventitive measure incase the clutch does start slipping due to normal wear and tear like any other vehicle out there. 

if slippage is detected above a certain amount the engine power is limited and engine light comes on. 

obviously if slippage continues excessivly the clutch can potentially break up and cause issues . 

so its aimed at the person who carries on driving it until it wont go anymore.

as for the 1.0 ecoboost the early ones were a problem with the coolant loss due to the degas hose bursting. but 2014 onwards a newer design hose was fitted and seems reliable and extra cyl head temp sensor was fitted as extra warning of coolant loss. 

as an owner of 1.0 for nearly 4 yrs and remapped, its been reliable for me and now on 67k . probably keeping it for another 5+ yrs, then change it for another one around the 2017 age (before the car tax went up, yes im tight at £20 a year) 

I have the Zetec S Turbo 1.6 Ecoboost 182 - Estate. Finished in Metallic Midnight Sky.

Have enjoyed mine the last couple of years but a very thirsty car. Roughly 220-240 to a tank on short drives - I do 10 miles a day.  Can achieve 45 MAX on a long long drive but usually 39-42mpg otherwise. (Responds very well to V-Power)

looks great with the kit on and have fitted ST seats etc, but definitely worth the juice it drinks! £140 a year tax and has proven cheap to insure with mods declared. - Paid £9,995 for it in 2016 with 37k on the clock. Ex-demonstrator so quite a large list of toys, but not all. -  Similar models can be found on Auto Trader for 7-8k with similar mileage and worth the money. I’ve had the 1.6 Ti-VCT and my wife currently has one in her Zetec S - great engine that loves to scream but not the most powerful and torquey unit. You’d be better off with a 1.0EB as stated above. And tax is £220 annually.

not heard of the TSB for the clutch since owning it? Where have you sourced that info? My dad has the newer estate with the 1.5 Ecoboost and also reports no problems but much better MPG.