Hi all. Have not been back to the forum for about 2 years but time to return. My 54 plate MK1 Focus has done me well in the time I've had it but it has now developed a situation whereupon it's time it went. My brother used it to go to work last week, drove it less than 300 yards, turned left at a junction and BANG, the front nearside coil spring broke and now when you turn the steering from left to right there is a very pronounced banging noise, drove it 8 miles to my tame mechanic and found that the front brakes were binding, on arrival at the garage I could smell the brakes, like a burning clutch and you could boil a kettle on them. I could claim off my insurance but the insured value and the excess plus parts will make it non-economical so I've traded it in for a Fiesta. This car is a 57 plate registered in December 2007, covered 69037 miles, 2 previous owners, 5 door 1.4 petrol Fiesta Zetec Climate in Pepper red. Everything is electric on it, I think it's a top spec model, it has privacy glass rear door and hatch and is in pretty much mint condition. In the last 3 years it has had no advisories and previous to that only minor ones such as wiper blade rubbers, tyres on the limit, a bulb out, headlamp aim, sort of things you expect. I am picking it up tomorrow and am looking forward to driving it and getting used to it, it can't be much different than the Focus so shouldn't take long to master it.

Update on the Focus, both front coil springs were broken, one in two places and the other in four places with a section of the coil completely missing. The seizing front brakes were due to the calliper pistons seizing which had nothing to do with the broken springs, just a coincidence that it happened at the same time.