Most Economical Focus

[thewelder]

I currently have a Mk2 Ford Focus 1.8 Diesel I rarely do motorway Mileage and want to upgrade my car, looking at replacement diesel they all come with a DPF filter
and my concern is doing short journeys like i do is it could get clogged and they are not cheap to replace and i could just do without the Mither.
Due to lack of funds i am after the most economical option fuel/ insurance/ tax. I could be pushed into buying a ford fiesta but would prefer a focus.
Any tips or advice is most welcome.

Chris
 

[TomsFocus]

Most economical petrol Mk3 Focus will be the 1.0 EcoBoost 99ps.  Pretty slow though and can have big bills if things go wrong.  

1.6 Ti-VCT will cost a bit more to fuel & tax but there's less to wrong with them.

Overall cheapest to run by far is the 1.5TDCi but not worth the hassle of constant DPF regens if you don't do the miles.

The 1.0 125ps costs slightly more in fuel and a tenner more tax than the 99ps version, and has more to go wrong, but it's a bit more appropriate for modern traffic.  This is the one I'd go for...and just hope nothing major breaks.

[zain611]

Was about to say a 1.6 TDCI fiesta mk6 until you said about fiestas. I own the zetec s version which is sporty. The trip computer says I average around 50mpg when driving normally on 30mph roads. Showed I averaged around 71mpg when driving down a dual carriageway and with me booting it. Road tax is only £30 also. The 1.4 diesel is around the same in running and same road tax but slower so better to get the 1.6.

There's no DPF to worry about on the mk6 also. 

[isetta]

is there any reason why you need to get another car? is there anything really wrong with yours. More modern car means more complex stuff to go wrong. Not sure when they stopped the 1.8tdci - what about 2009 mk2 facelift (mk 2.5) 1.8tdci  or are you thinking much much newer

[dezwez]

3 hours ago, thewelder said:

I currently have a Mk2 Ford Focus 1.8 Diesel I rarely do motorway Mileage and want to upgrade my car, looking at replacement diesel they all come with a DPF filter
and my concern is doing short journeys like i do is it could get clogged and they are not cheap to replace and i could just do without the Mither.
Due to lack of funds i am after the most economical option fuel/ insurance/ tax. I could be pushed into buying a ford fiesta but would prefer a focus.
Any tips or advice is most welcome.

Chris
 

how about a petrol 1.8 🙂

[mjt]

I just renewed the VED on our 1.8HE petrol. It was £230. The 1.0L 125ps Ecoboost was £30. On mostly non-urban driving we get about 35mpg on the 1.8 and 45mpg on the Ecoboost.

[FatHead1979]

On 2/26/2019 at 2:05 PM, dezwez said:

how about a petrol 1.8 🙂

Drinky, drinky when it comes to the old petrol, let alone the road tax compared to a 1.0 EB.  Although clearly how many miles are going to driven each year also needs to be considered.

[FatHead1979]

On 2/26/2019 at 12:28 PM, zain611 said:

Was about to say a 1.6 TDCI fiesta mk6 until you said about fiestas. I own the zetec s version which is sporty. The trip computer says I average around 50mpg when driving normally on 30mph roads. Showed I averaged around 71mpg when driving down a dual carriageway and with me booting it. Road tax is only £30 also. The 1.4 diesel is around the same in running and same road tax but slower so better to get the 1.6.

There's no DPF to worry about on the mk6 also. 

Is the 1.8 TDCi in the MK6 Fiesta the same unit as is fitted in the MK2 Focus i.e. the infamous one that's rather too susceptable to excessive carbon build up, oil starvation (bang goes the turbo) and often breezing through a set of injectors at less than 75K miles?

[zain611]

6 hours ago, 1979Damian said:

Is the 1.8 TDCi in the MK6 Fiesta the same unit as is fitted in the MK2 Focus i.e. the infamous one that's rather too susceptable to excessive carbon build up, oil starvation (bang goes the turbo) and often breezing through a set of injectors at less than 75K miles?

The 1.8 never came on the mk6 fiesta which I wonder why as a 2 litre is able to fit in there. Like you said though that engine ain't really reliable. It looks good on stats. My dad used to own a mk1 focus saloon with the 1.8 TDCI. The problem he had from what I remember is the starter motor jammed so kept turning and nearly set fire before he disconnected the battery and he had stalling issues with it which put him off manuals and he actually got an automatic next. 

[isetta]

Where 1979Damian mentions :Is the 1.8 TDCi in the MK6 Fiesta the same unit as is fitted in the MK2 Focus i.e. the infamous one that's rather too susceptable to excessive carbon build up, oil starvation (bang goes the turbo) and often breezing through a set of injectors at less than 75K miles?

was it a typing error and he meant 1.6tdci as the description sounds like 1.6tdci.

Yes it's the same engine, but in the Fiesta it was only 90bhp version with no dpf . In the Focus I believe they did the 90bhp with no dpf which i think people have said is fine, but they also did a version with about 110bhp(not sure exact bhp) which had dpf.  I have heard it said that it was that version which had all of the problems because dpf was right next to oil feed pipe to turbo and the heat was not good for it. But I don't know if all this is scientifically proven or not, just what I have read on the forums over the years. I had 2007 Fiesta mk6.5 1.6tdci and it did not have those problems

[FatHead1979]

30 minutes ago, isetta said:

Where 1979Damian mentions :Is the 1.8 TDCi in the MK6 Fiesta the same unit as is fitted in the MK2 Focus i.e. the infamous one that's rather too susceptable to excessive carbon build up, oil starvation (bang goes the turbo) and often breezing through a set of injectors at less than 75K miles?

was it a typing error and he meant 1.6tdci as the description sounds like 1.6tdci.

Yes it's the same engine, but in the Fiesta it was only 90bhp version with no dpf . In the Focus I believe they did the 90bhp with no dpf which i think people have said is fine, but they also did a version with about 110bhp(not sure exact bhp) which had dpf.  I have heard it said that it was that version which had all of the problems because dpf was right next to oil feed pipe to turbo and the heat was not good for it. But I don't know if all this is scientifically proven or not, just what I have read on the forums over the years. I had 2007 Fiesta mk6.5 1.6tdci and it did not have those problems

LOL, you got me!  I just noticed the notification, I can't believe I put "1.8 TDCi" when describing the DV6 

[FatHead1979]

1 hour ago, zain611 said:

The 1.8 never came on the mk6 fiesta which I wonder why as a 2 litre is able to fit in there. Like you said though that engine ain't really reliable. It looks good on stats. My dad used to own a mk1 focus saloon with the 1.8 TDCI. The problem he had from what I remember is the starter motor jammed so kept turning and nearly set fire before he disconnected the battery and he had stalling issues with it which put him off manuals and he actually got an automatic next. 

I've not come across the starter motor issue being mentioned on here before.  Generally the 1.8 TDCi is considered to be virtually bulletproof, although certainly not the the height of modern refinement (it's definitely sounds like a tractor and is rattly, I don't envy my engine mounts!).  The only vaguely recurring issues I'm aware of from being on these forums over the years are:

1. The crappy batch(s) of injectors Siemens supplied 2008 to early 2009 (they tended to be well and truly dead by 60000 miles)
2. Ford changed the lower chain to a belt in 2008, most people/garages don't know about it so only the cambelt tends to get changed and...(I'm sure you can guess what happens next)
3. The EGR is integrated into the exhaust manifold so removing it to replace or clean it is a right 
4. A specific 90' boost hose tends to fracture over time as it becomes brittle which causes a boost leak (a £6 eBay silicone replacement fixes that problem permanently)

So really only points 3-4 are design issues, point 4 is easy and cheap to fix and point 3 is easily prevented because the Lynx engine doesn't seem to mind having the EGR blanked off, no EML etc.  That said I wouldn't want to be the person that HAD to remove the manifold because the EGR was never blanked and had finally croaked it, that's not likely to be a good day at the office.  And it'd be expensive because you're having the purchase the manifold as part of the replacement EGR.

Although it's just my own anecdotal experience, my 2005 MK2 1.8 TDCi is currently 159K miles and:

• Original clutch and DMF
• Original high pressure fuel pump
• Original injectors
• Original turbo

A couple of other potential advantages over some of the alternatives from back then are:

• No DPF to worry about (especially now gutting a DPF isn't so easy to get away with from an MOT perspective anymore)
• Cast iron head so it's extremely durable

Other than the original cambelt/pump swap, the engine is as it left the factory (with the exception of a silicone hose replacement and a Spider Arachnid tuning box for a bit of extra grunt).

Personally I think it's a shame that the DV6 had so many inherent issues because having driven one in a MK2 Focus I thought it was quite a nice, smooth engine.  Performance wise it seems to remap pretty well as well but the fact that most garages (certainly in my area) won't touch replacing the turbo on a DV6 engine, even though they can thoroughly rinse the customer due to all the labour and replacement bits as per the Ford TSB.  They all seem to be of the opinion that even if the job is done as per the TSB, it might be less than a month (in some cases) before the new turbo also goes bang.

[thewelder]

Thanks for all the replies, really helpful.

 i am steering more towards a MK6 fiesta to be honest if that doesn't have a DPF filter, am I correct this is up to 2008 ? also is there anywhere online i can check  the fiesta models so i can verify DPF status before i buy a car. 

TIA

Chris

[FatHead1979]

On 3/2/2019 at 11:24 AM, thewelder said:

Thanks for all the replies, really helpful.

 i am steering more towards a MK6 fiesta to be honest if that doesn't have a DPF filter, am I correct this is up to 2008 ? also is there anywhere online i can check  the fiesta models so i can verify DPF status before i buy a car. 

TIA

Chris

you can register free f charge for "Ford ETIS", you have to mess about saying you're a business but it's all free to do.

[Lenny]

Have you considered Berg? 

Duo chopper or mustang super eco boost 

[thewelder]

23 hours ago, Lenny said:

Have you considered Berg? 

Duo chopper or mustang super eco boost 

Thanks for insightful suggestion, but sadly not my colour at all.

[wilto]

On 3/4/2019 at 9:07 AM, Lenny said:

Have you considered Berg? 

Duo chopper or mustang super eco boost 

Lenny showing off his version of  j Lenno's collection 😋

[shiwarrior]

its false economy changing your car if theirs nothing wrong with it, stick with what you have, unless you have / need to change it ?

 

i was considering of changing mine but weighed up all the options, its better to keep with what I have got because i know how reliable it is