Hi,

Im looking to get a 23 plate Focus MHEV 155 50k miles, it is a manual so i know it is more reliable than the Auto variant and the gearbox isnt that strong and might struggle with the 150 brake.

My question is how reliable is the gear box is it only if you blast it loads or is it still possible to fail even if you drive conservatively?

My second question is regarding the extending warranty i got the documents today and it mentions alot that past 70k miles some quite expensive repairs wont be covered. Is that just stuff that has failed due to wear and tear or once you pass 70k miles there isnt any point getting extended warranty?

Just fyi ill only be doing 8k miles max a year, please let me know if this is going to be a big no no.

TIA

Edited January 29Jan 29 by JWP

Hi,

The thing that wrecks gearboxes (as well as clutches and DMFs) is torque. So low RPM hill climbing for one thing, which is presumably quite frequent in Yorkshire. Towing is another. It's not high revving that ruins these if that's what you were hoping to hear.

Don't think I can comment on the warranty without seeing the exact wording. I haven't seen a 70k cut-off mentioned before.

Hi Jordan,

Some points covered in this recent thread:

https://www.fordownersclub.com/forums/topic/165594-2022-focus-10-mhev-155ps-mechanically-sound/

10 hours ago, JWP said:

My question is how reliable is the gear box is it only if you blast it loads or is it still possible to fail even if you drive conservatively?

We saw a similar issue with the earlier gearbox on the previous model Focus/Fiesta, especially the140ps version. Breakages did seem to occur more frequently with those that were driven "enthusiastically"**, but failure still occurred, though to a lesser extent, to cars driven more carefully. We thought the current 6 speed would prove to be more durable, but that does not seem to be the case, especially the MHEV versions.

Most warranties will not cover items considered "normal wear and tear". Any specific exclusions should be detailed in the documentation. It's not uncommon to limit cover after a certain mileage, but not seen 70k specifically.

Really all you can do is get various quotes, based on your personal requirements, and compare very carefully. It's always a balance between paying for one, and just having your own fund for unexpected emergencies. We all have different circumstances.

A 23 plate should still have a few weeks/months of the original Ford warranty. You don't say what warranty you are considering but you can get a quote for the Ford scheme: https://www.myfordprotect.co.uk/warranty.htm

You don't mention how long you are intending to keep the car but the wet oil pump belt should be replaced at 10 years (earlier to be prudent) and is an expensive job (probably approaching £2k by then).

Annual oil/filter changes are strongly recommended.

(**As Tom mentions its not necessarily revving the nuts off, its wide throttle from low speed that seems to do the damage.)

38 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

So low RPM hill climbing for one thing, which is presumably quite frequent in Yorkshire

We have a few gentle inclines........

5 hours ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

Hi Jordan,

Some points covered in this recent thread:

https://www.fordownersclub.com/forums/topic/165594-2022-focus-10-mhev-155ps-mechanically-sound/

We saw a similar issue with the earlier gearbox on the previous model Focus/Fiesta, especially the140ps version. Breakages did seem to occur more frequently with those that were driven "enthusiastically"**, but failure still occurred, though to a lesser extent, to cars driven more carefully. We thought the current 6 speed would prove to be more durable, but that does not seem to be the case, especially the MHEV versions.

Most warranties will not cover items considered "normal wear and tear". Any specific exclusions should be detailed in the documentation. It's not uncommon to limit cover after a certain mileage, but not seen 70k specifically.

Really all you can do is get various quotes, based on your personal requirements, and compare very carefully. It's always a balance between paying for one, and just having your own fund for unexpected emergencies. We all have different circumstances.

A 23 plate should still have a few weeks/months of the original Ford warranty. You don't say what warranty you are considering but you can get a quote for the Ford scheme: https://www.myfordprotect.co.uk/warranty.htm

You don't mention how long you are intending to keep the car but the wet oil pump belt should be replaced at 10 years (earlier to be prudent) and is an expensive job (probably approaching £2k by then).

Annual oil/filter changes are strongly recommended.

(**As Tom mentions its not necessarily revving the nuts off, its wide throttle from low speed that seems to do the damage.)

Hi it was the Ford Protect Gold Mechanical & Electrical Breakdown Warranty.

Ita going to be a 4 year lease so the car will be 7 years old when i give it back.

In my opinion it is the high engine torque that causes the manual 6-speed MX65 transmission to fail.

The manual 6-speed MX65 transmission was designed as a cost-effective replacement for the overengineered and much more expensive to manufacture B6 transmission. Durability and refinement were clearly not a priority during the development of this transmission. To reduce costs even more the dual mass flywheel was also discontinued and replaced by a much cheaper solid flywheel.

In my opinion the 155 HP MHEV engine and the manual 6-speed MX65 transmission is the worst possible combination. It has the biggest potential to suffer from transmission damage (usually the gear/synchronizer of the 1st/2nd gear). I would actually prefer the 7-Speed Powershift dual clutch automatic transmission that is fitted to the 155 HP MHEV Focus MK4.5.

2 hours ago, JWP said:

Ita going to be a 4 year lease so the car will be 7 years old when i give it back.

Then that's another can of worms altogether and you should consider the terms in great detail.

Who will be the actual legal owner of the vehicle?

Unless things have changed dramatically since I had a leased company car normally it would belong to the lessor, so provided you comply fully with your responsibilities under the terms of the lease, if it goes bang that's their problem.

22 hours ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

Then that's another can of worms altogether and you should consider the terms in great detail.

Who will be the actual legal owner of the vehicle?

Unless things have changed dramatically since I had a leased company car normally it would belong to the lessor, so provided you comply fully with your responsibilities under the terms of the lease, if it goes bang that's their problem.

Ford will be the owner as its a lease but i will be the registered keeper

I wad under the impression if it goes bang without warranty that my issue and i will have to pay for repairs and pay for the rest of the contract term.

If thats not the case tyen that will set my mind at ease

Yes, it all depends on the terms of the lease, hence my suggestion to study them very carefully.

It may well be that the lessor (Ford) is offloading total responsibility for any and all servicing and repairs onto the lessee (you).

Leasing a 3 year old car doesn't sound like a brilliant idea in all honesty.

How much is the monthly cost out of interest? Have you checked costs for hire purchase or even an upfront loan instead? Thinking there can't be enough value left by 7 years old to make a lease return worthwhile.

Yes, I'm also thinking that way.

Obviously my personal experience is based on my company having a lot more clout than an individual, but a major factor was to shift the risk/cost of breakdowns etc into someone else's lap.

This basically seems like the lessee takes all the risks while paying for the use of a car they will never own.

Of course, we don't know how the figures stack up versus outright purchase, personal loan, HP, PCP, etc.

Given that reliability is a major concern, I can't help thinking about makes such as Toyota with their warranty extendable to 10 years, if serviced in the dealer network.

Whether it is a good idea or not fully depends on the exact type of lease contract.

A financial lease is mainly based on depreciation and interest. The monthly payment typically covers only the use of the vehicle. Maintenance and repairs, tyres, and other running costs are not included and remain the responsibility of the user. The financial risk (unexpected repairs, residual value risk, etc.) lies with the user.

An operational lease is also based on depreciation and interest, but usually includes maintenance and repairs. Depending on the contract, it may also include tyres and breakdown cover. The financial risk (unexpected repairs, residual value risk, etc.) lies with the lease company.

Apart from these two main lease forms, hybrid or customised contracts also exist, where some services (for example maintenance or tyres) are added to a financial-style lease.


Which option is preferable really depends on what you’re looking for.

If you want predictable costs and as little hassle as possible, an operational lease is usually the safer and easier choice. Most costs are fixed, risks are limited, and you don’t have to worry much about repairs or depreciation.

A financial lease can work out cheaper if things go well, but you take on all the risks. Any unexpected repairs, higher depreciation, or resale issues are yours to deal with.

Whether leasing is a smart idea at all depends on mileage, how long you plan to keep the car, and how much risk you’re comfortable with. Leasing is mainly about convenience and peace of mind, not necessarily about getting the cheapest deal.

On 1/30/2026 at 6:39 PM, JW1982 said:

The manual 6-speed MX65 transmission was designed as a cost-effective replacement for the overengineered and much more expensive to manufacture B6 transmission.

Even then, I recall the comments regarding the B6 on this thread:😀