Ok, more of a general question here. The old Focus went in for its MOT yesterday, and failed on an "indicator bulb being wrong colour". Fair play, when he took the bulb off some of the orange lacquer had come off. However it got me wondering, is there a set value on how orange it should be or is it just the tester going by eye. Apart from that, its in very good nick for a slightly scruffy, soon to be 12 year old Focus with only one other advisory for a slightly corroded rear coil spring. Tester said the under body was in brilliant condition (same couldn't be said for the 55 plate LX being tested at the same time)!

On an unrelated note, I've got yet another person asking me about buying a Mk2 Focus. They've been looking at an 07 plate Focus Sport S apparently with the 1.8TDCi in in. First, I wasn't sure what the Sport S actually is, so if anybody could shed light on this that'd be great. Also, I think I'm correct in saying the 1.8TDCi has no DPF, how would this work with the new MOT regs about failing cars with no DPF. Is this lack of DPF noted somewhere, or is it a case of persuading the tester this is true. It does look very nice, 84k with full service history for £1650 on a private sale.

Hopefully some light can be shed on these questions!

orange bulb, it's just down to the MOT tester's opinion on the visual look of how orange. I often see cars driving where I can see the bulbs are barely orange. The orange coating just flakes off the bulbs. 

If the car model/engine combination  was sold new without DPF then it won't be a MOT problem. It was the same situation when some cars had catalytic converters and some did not (I think it was early 90s where the last petrol cars were sold without cats, every year my MOT tester would go to his office to look up my 1992 Escort to check it was OK to not have a cat.)

Sport S is a very poverty model, only made in 2007 as a limited run to use up surplus stock.  It's basically just a Sport with a nice set of alloys.  Doesn't even have a Quikclear windscreen, which is half the reason for buying a Ford lol.

16 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Sport S is a very poverty model, only made in 2007 as a limited run to use up surplus stock.  It's basically just a Sport with a nice set of alloys.  Doesn't even have a Quikclear windscreen, which is half the reason for buying a Ford lol.

I wouldn't say half the reason, more a third on my part, other two being the heated recaros and the engine power

51 minutes ago, STJAY said:

I wouldn't say half the reason, more a third on my part, other two being the heated recaros and the engine power

Haha, fair point, but you could've got those 2 in a Golf...the heated screen was Fords USP at the time.  

23 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Haha, fair point, but you could've got those 2 in a Golf...the heated screen was Fords USP at the time.  

Mmm, I agree, but the Golf interior is either all leather or all cloth, I'm not a fan of the VW full leather seats, plus they are nowhere near as bucket like as the Recaros lol. My dad has a MK7 GTD its proper lovely, but the Fiesta seats outdo the Golf ones any day.

I’ll tell them to stay clear of the Sport S then, I know the Sport is a poverty spec one but wasn’t sure if the S may have had a few goodies. They do want the 1.8TDCi now, so thanks for clearing that up. 

Also thanks isetta for answering that, was curious lol!

@dtulip8 this recent thread has some information on the 1.8 TDCi and 2.0 TDCi MK2 Focus engines that you might find useful in terms of picking which engine to go far and what to look out for.

With the 1.8 TDCI engine as long as you change the fuel filter every year and keep an eye on the intercooler hose for splits then it's bomb proof and very reliable.

Sent from my SM-G965F (S9+)

4 hours ago, 1979Damian said:

@dtulip8 this recent thread has some information on the 1.8 TDCi and 2.0 TDCi MK2 Focus engines that you might find useful in terms of picking which engine to go far and what to look out for.

Thanks Damian, that's perfect!

3 hours ago, Stoney871 said:

With the 1.8 TDCI engine as long as you change the fuel filter every year and keep an eye on the intercooler hose for splits then it's bomb proof and very reliable.

Sent from my SM-G965F (S9+)
 

Cheers Stoney, I'll pass this info on to them.

How do I check on ETIS whether the 2.0TDCi has no DPF? I read on that thread that some have no DPF as an option.

On the primary section, under 'emissions' it'll usually say 'Euro IV + DPF' if it has a DPF.  

 Cheers Tom