Hi all, to preface this I've tried doing my own research already and I've read at least 20 different threads/articles but it's confused me more than before I started. I'm off to look at this new car tomorrow, please help.

 

TLDR- Interested in buying a 2018 68-plate Focus Titanium X with a 1.5L 150hp Ecoboost petrol engine. The listing for this model on Autotrader lists it as a 4-cylinder model (apparently being 3 or 4 cylinder makes the difference), Parkers doesn't give the cylinders unfortunately. I want to be sure it doesn't fall under the 'ecoboom' umbrella or any other horror stories.

I was originally under the impression when looking to replace my Fiesta that I only had to avoid the 1.0L engines. Does this engine also have problems? Does it have also have an expensive-to-replace and potentially-unreliable wetbelt?

If it DOES have the wetbelt, is it 'safe' as long as it gets replaced in time? Or does it truly deserve it's reputation of going spectacularly? I assumed that any issues with my 2013 model would have been sorted by late 2018?

 

More context- I currently own a 2013 1.0L 125hp Ecoboost petrol Fiesta, and honestly love it. When I was researching cars at the time it stood out as being great on mileage whilst still being nippy enough as a 1.0 and I was very happy with it. I only found out later that people would look horrified that I'd bought an 'ecoboom' and that the 1.0L ecoboost engines had a reputation for either catastrophic failure, or very expensive wetbelt replacements. While I love the car, it's now at 104,000 miles, over 10 years old and due a new wetbelt. Cheapest option I can find is about £1000 and I realistically need a bigger car with a bigger boot anyway as I'm hoping to start a family soon.

Cue my next purchase and the 2018 1.5L Focus Titanium looks great. Still very good mileage, has a bigger boot and some new toys. I want this car to last a while so I want to be sure this one doesn't have any reputation around it.

People seem to go back on forth on only 1.0 engines being the issue, or that the 1.5 is fine but only after 2019, or a hundred other things that have thrown me.

Sorry for the lengthy post but I appreciate any help ya'll can offer.

Thanks everyone

That is a Mk4 and is a 3 Cylinder Engine and is a very good Engine to drive compared to the 1.0 one, I have one myself.

The ones built in the few months before 2019 had a Chain and the Oil Pump was driven directly via the Crankshaft, the ones built after that had a Chain but the Oil Pump is driven from a small Wet Belt.

I have heard about some failures of the Oil Pump in the earlier cars because of a Tensioner failure I think but I don't have any details. There may also be some failures of the later Wet Belts but the details are also sketchy.

Changing the Oil Pump Belt on the later Engines would involve the same amount of work as changing a Wet Camshaft Belt on a 1.0 Engine.

That Mk4 1.5 is the same engine as in the Fiesta ST, it's a very good engine

being a very early car, you may have the better, independent, rear axle too

Everything else as Tizer has said, just make sure you change the oil regularly, ignore Ford's two year rubbish and it will be OK

Providing it has full service history, buy it.

The 1.5 in the MK3.5 (Previous) Focus was a four cylinder, MK4 is a three pot

Early MK4's had some dodgy software in them, make sure everything works OK 

If you're planning on keeping it long term, think about having all the software updated, especially the engine, camera, door controls, body control and radio (to say it easily) as these were the modules with bugs in the early cars

Make sure the door seals aren't coming off and that the bonnet opens and the headlamps work correctly too👍

 

I just sold my Mach-E EV and I am tempted to go back to a 1.5L Mk4 Focus, it was so good. I had the 1.5L 182ps variant remapped to 200ps and it was a great car. Independent rear suspension was noticeable improvement too compared to the others I had test driven without it.

At least you've seen sense 😍

8 hours ago, Tizer said:

I have heard about some failures of the Oil Pump in the earlier cars 

Yes, I've seen the odd case on early cars mentioned on other forums. Apparently the drive gear is not solid steel as you might expect but a steel inner and outer connected by a rubber (?) insert and it is this which has failed.