what is the most reliable sort of newish ford focus there is? 

things i definitely need:

crusie control

seat warmer

petrol

that is it really.

i really want to stick with ford focus but seen a seat leon which looks nice too 😄 

 

many thanks guys 🙂

been looking at st ones too.

Might be helpful to define how new you mean by "newish"?😀 

And by "ST ones" do you mean "full fat" Focus STs (Seat Leon equivalent = Cupra) or "ST-Line" (Seat Leon equivalent = FR)?

2 hours ago, froggy8 said:

what is the most reliable sort of newish ford

These Fords are always well liked 😉

i was thinking along the lines from 2016 and upwards.

something like this:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202505192577288?

10 hours ago, froggy8 said:

something like this

But with heated seats.🙂 

Looking at the MOT history on that one it doesn't seem to have been well looked after. Advisory notices on every MOT.

All I think when I see that is how uncomfortable it would be...  Stiff suspension and 18" alloys, urgh!

At least the friction between the seat and your a*se should negate the need for heated seats I suppose.    Must admit I thought STLX did get heated seats at that age.  Is it possible they're controlled through Sync without the need for a physical button?  

Headlights are manky old halogens on that one as well.  Titanium X would be my choice for comfort & spec.  If you want an ST then buy a proper ST.  

Quote

Must admit I thought STLX did get heated seats at that age.  Is it possible they're controlled through Sync without the need for a physical button? 

less temp control passngr seat
less temp control driver seat

many thanks guys

going to look again at some other garages by me.

are the ecoboost the ones to avoid?

32 minutes ago, froggy8 said:

are the ecoboost the ones to avoid?

Not necessarily.

1.0 EcoBoost is worth avoiding.

1.5 EcoBoost has fewer problems though, and no wetbelts.  Cooling issues is the big one on those, so get it nice and hot on a test drive if possible.

If you look at Mk4s then both 1.0 & 1.5 EcoBoost have revised engines with chain cams but one small wetbelt for oil pump.

There isn't a non-EcoBoost petrol at the age range you're looking at.  1.6 Ti-VCT wasn't available on UK Focus from about 2016 onwards.

17 hours ago, froggy8 said:

I was thinking along the lines from 2016 and upwards.

That sort of age range would cover Mk 3 Seat Leons, since you mentioned them. No wet belts there, a 1.8 Tsi FR 180ps would give similar performance to that Focus ST-L X you linked. In fact I bought one myself in preference to a Mk 3 Focus.

I know Tom had one also, a slightly later auto version which was 190ps 2.0 by then. We had different views on the ride though! I had 17s and found it perfectly ok, Tom had 18s and didn't. As ever, get the best test drive you can as we all have different views (and different "issues").

Main alternative engine is the 150ps 1.4 Tsi, later upped to 1.5. Some "kangarooing" issues with the early 1.5s, should have been sorted by software revisions under warranty though. A sorted one (found in most VW group cars these days) is a nice engine imo.

Many thanks guys 😊

Problem is there's not many focus around here but quite a few Leon. 

Decision decision. 

I will put up some of the cars later on here as I am going to look at more garages in about 20 minutes 

My Leon also had adaptive suspension, but sadly that couldn't soften the ride on the 18's.  My own fault though, I've had to avoid sports spec for years due to health issues.

The other issue I found on the Leon was noise.  They seem to have left all the sound deadening out of those.  The 18s rumbled through the chassis even at car park speeds!  Not a fair test as I always had smaller wheels on Focus's but never had that much road noise coming through.  The Golf is considerably more comfortable and quieter than both Focus & Leon so I ended up with another Golf in the end.  Just comfort spec though, not GTI sadly, mainly due to comfort concerns after the Leon.

(I haven't been able to drive at all for the last 4 years, so my opinion is potentially irrelevant by now anyway. )

2 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

The other issue I found on the Leon was noise. 

I didn't find that at all with mine on 17s with Continental tyres.

By contrast my Audi A3 on Michelins was very noisy, as have been both my Mk 8/8.5 Fiestas on Michelins.

Still can't figure if this is due to road conditions**, tyres, suspension, or just that ears, like bad backs, are all different!😀

**I still favour this explanation. On my routes most travelled, the current Fiesta is very noisy, even taking into account I wouldn't expect limo-like silence from an ST. Been driving in a different area this week though, and it's noticeably better.

2 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

The Golf is considerably more comfortable and quieter than both Focus & Leon

I have also found Golfs, in most specs I've tried, to be pretty comfy. I've never bought one, though - probably more down to the utter uselessness of the local dealerships than the cars themselves!

 

 

 

Had to change it to diesel as its quite hard to find a petrol. 

Have seen this:

https://www.gumtree.com/p/ford/2017-67-ford-focus-st-line-tdci-1.5l-diesel-manual-5-door-ulez-red-fsh/1489806574

I didn't know about the 1.4Tsi but the three pot in the up! I was plagued with was a fantastic little beasty. Not only did it go like stink but I crossed the Low Countries in it at 93 MPG. And in the up! It flew. It was smooth and revvy a d, quite frankly kicks the ***** out of an Ecoboost and is wasted on the diabolically horrible thing that us the up!

Sorry are you talking about a seat Leon? 

That Focus diesel has been hanging about a while. Last taxed October 24. Last MOT it needed 4 new tyres, I wonder if it got them. Nearside rear shock absorber has light misting of oil. No heated seats on that one either.

Edit to add: Also no cruise control.

So none of the things that you said you definitely needed in post 1. 

Very hard to find cars with heated seats, I do like that feature but if it hasn't got one then I will learn to live without it. 

It's not hard to find heated seats and cruise control.  All of the Titanium X Mk3.5 got those.

ST-Line is a very basic spec.

That 1.5 TDCI engine is a decent one though.  Dry cambelt.  And only 8 valve so no additional chain like the later 1.5 diesel got in Mk4's.

Shame that particular one is too late to get cheap tax.  Would be £20 a year if it was a few months older.

1 hour ago, froggy8 said:

Sorry are you talking about a seat Leon? 

I think so. The Leon was available with the VW group 1.0 Tsi 3-cylinder in some trim levels.

I haven't driven one in a car that size but it performs well in the Polo/Ibiza sized cars. 

It really is a beautifully engineered little engine. I wish you could get it in a mk8. In days of old, you could have done it but the software patch needed to match it in nowadays would be horrific.

Thank you very much guys

I'm still looking, really want a black one lol 

this thread made me go look at Focuses for sale and I nearly fell over on road tax

 

1.6 vvti manual £265
1.8 and 2 ltr manual £315
2ltr auto £395

1.3 yaris 0 to 60 faster than any of them £35