Ford Focus 2.0 Ghia

[mart2710]

Hi All ,

Im looking at changing my Ford Ka for a 2.0 Ghia Focus on a 99 plate , the car looks immaculate ..My mate has a garage and he says he will keep it for me if i want it ...It certainly looks and drives lovely but are there any issues to look out for before i buy ? whats the MPG ? good /Bad ? .

Thanks

Martin

[catch]

Focus

Ka

As for MPG figures, word of advice....my Mk2 Focus 1.6 official figure combined is 42.20mpg, same as the figures for the Ka spec I've linked to. But in the real world I get 32.84mpg, so you will have to factor in a bigger fuel bill, along with road tax which will go from £125 to £205 per annum. And insurance.......have you had a quote for the Ghia yet?

If you can afford the extra cost in running the Focus, I'm sure you will enjoy it.

edited: to correct combined mpg figure [according to brimmed tank data monitored other 12 months]

[starfield]

you need to look out for defective screen washer jets. they might leak on the inside when activated.

as for mpg I am getting 25 urban (south london) and 38 combined.

[catch]

you need to look out for defective screen washer jets. they might leak on the inside when activated.

as for mpg I am getting 25 urban (south london) and 38 combined.

I had a T plate, reg March 1999 Mk1 Focus 1.8 Zetec and I never had any problems with the washer jets leaking, all the time I had it. Your not thinking of the rain water leaking "past" the washer jets problem on the early build Mk2 Focus? I've had that on my current Mk2 Focus but sorted it out.

Never got anything like 38 mpg combined, I'd have guessed nearer 30 mpg, but your running a Mk2. On the Mk1 its 27.4 urban 37.2 combined official

I have looked at the official figures for the Mk2 Focus 1.8 [yours]and it is 29.4 urban and 40.4 combined so I reckon your doing well getting 38 combined [that's 95.05% of the official figure] considering your only achieving 25 urban.

All I can say is with our Mk2 1.6 over the year we are getting 32.84 mpg combined. Given that the official figures are 32.5 urban 42.2 combined it's way off. But in any case the OP is getting a 2.0 Ghia, so mint imperial really. All I will say is, I would be very cynical about achieving anywhere near the official figures.

Anyway mpg aside, during my 3 years of owning a Mk1 Focus [bought at 6 years old with 57k on the clock] Body wise in it's ninth year it started to bubble on the apex of one of the rear wheel arches [rusting from behind] a common Mk1 Focus rot fault. Other than that we had it 2 months short of three years and it clocked up another 22k. and apart from tyres I only had to replace one rear wheel bearing. Must say ten days before some bugger wrote it off in a head on collision, I did have the clutch changed as it was beginning to slip. Bur as the clutch in our car prior to the Focus was a Mondeo it's original clutch lasted circa 80k, so I reckon the focus was on it's original clutch...so not bad really.

To the OP, it depends how many miles it's clocked up being a 99 model, has it had it's cam belt change done. But other than what is scheduled to be done being done, it should be an OK car really. Like I say it's all down to the difference in running costs, road tax and insurance really.

[mart2710]

Thank you for your replies up to now ..i am currently paying approx £250 a yr in Insurance for the Ka and have had a quote of £377 for the focus ..The car has just over 100k on the clock , the belt will be changed if a want the car , it just looks and drives well ..I dont do a lot of miles a year however do some motorway miles every so often and feel the Ka struggles with the higher speed ..As for the MPG i would have thought 35-40mpg for the focus would be good ..Just miss my comforts in the Ka as it is a great little runner however very basic ....Does anyone know if the Focus has a heated front screen ?

I have a Galaxy too and that is a Ghia x and that has a heated screen

[catch]

That's good getting the cam belt done, I see it has traction control as well looking at the spec. Not sure about the heated windscreen, but I doubt it.

As for achieving 35-40mpg, well you can live in hope I suppose, the official figures are 23.9 urban 33.2 combined. And like I say with age has come cynicism, and I find it's served me well over the years. Doing predominantly free flowing motorway runs you may well get top end 30's.

Forget the Ka, you will love what the 2.0 Ghia Focus has to offer.

Now in the pound notes department, cars are like houses. In that they are by and large, aspirational purchases and as such many people let their hearts rule their wallets when it comes to buying. I popped a T reg 99plate 100k in Wisebuyers and it came up with a retail price of £1,800 tops.

I don't know what your paying excluding any part ex, but remember there are more cars out there chasing buyers than the other way around, and think on its a twelve year old car.

As to negotiating with car dealers, I have yet to meet one that on shaking his hand, thanking him very much for his/her time, and then walking away. Always resulted in them finding a lower price they could do a deal at. Not saying it was always low enough to tempt me to do a deal.If that was the case I'd leave them my phone number and see if they come back to me in a couple of days with a better offer. Never let them think your in love with the car they have on their forecourt.

I don't mean to come over to anybody as "teaching granny to suck eggs" I'm just offering my experiences over many years of car buying.

[mart2710]

That's good getting the cam belt done, I see it has traction control as well looking at the spec. Not sure about the heated windscreen, but I doubt it.

As for achieving 35-40mpg, well you can live in hope I suppose, the official figures are 23.9 urban 33.2 combined. And like I say with age has come cynicism, and I find it's served me well over the years. Doing predominantly free flowing motorway runs you may well get top end 30's.

Forget the Ka, you will love what the 2.0 Ghia Focus has to offer.

Now in the pound notes department, cars are like houses. In that they are by and large, aspirational purchases and as such many people let their hearts rule their wallets when it comes to buying. I popped a T reg 99plate 100k in Wisebuyers and it came up with a retail price of £1,800 tops.

I don't know what your paying excluding any part ex, but remember there are more cars out there chasing buyers than the other way around, and think on its a twelve year old car.

As to negotiating with car dealers, I have yet to meet one that on shaking his hand, thanking him very much for his/her time, and then walking away. Always resulted in them finding a lower price they could do a deal at. Not saying it was always low enough to tempt me to do a deal.If that was the case I'd leave them my phone number and see if they come back to me in a couple of days with a better offer. Never let them think your in love with the car they have on their forecourt.

I don't mean to come over to anybody as "teaching granny to suck eggs" I'm just offering my experiences over many years of car buying.

Thanks for the advice ..My mate that owns the garage took it in p/x ..i have done him a few favours over the last month or two and he says i can have it for what he gave for it so i am getting it for just over £700 .He has been using it himself since he swapped his Subaru for a new Rally car ..It is Taxed and has 12 Months MOT ..on top he will do the belt so overall i feel i am getting a good deal ...and if i find it doesnt suit me then i can always sell on in the knowledge i wouldnt lose out

[catch]

You getting a bargain then, and I'm sure you will be well suited with it.

And like you say, having only paid trade for it, if you don't like it [but you will] not a problem shifting it on.