Focus And Long Commute

[lee1987]

Hi guys,

Just after a bit of advice. I currently doing a long commute to work, (southend on sea to brent cross every day) so am covering around 550-600 miles a week.(around 25k a year)

Would a focus diesel , say sometihng like this

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201209453262742/sort/default/usedcars/price-from/2000/fuel-type/diesel/price-to/7000/maximum-age/up_to_7_years_old/model/polo/make/volkswagen/onesearchad/used/onesearchad/nearlynew/onesearchad/new/postcode/ss24lf/page/1/radius/1500/keywords/bluemotion?logcode=p

be good enough for the job, or would i be better with a fiesta of the same year.

Requirements

- Cheap to run (fuel ) what does these get , i stick to 60 and currently in my mg zr td achieve 58mpg on my journey (combined is 53mpg)

- Reliability

- Comfort

- Tyres costs

- Servicing general

- Insurance cant see being any higher than the MG

Many thanks

Lee

[Oxide]

The link seems to be to a 1.4 VW Polo.

[Stoney871]

Sorry mate, the link takes me to a VW.

[lee1987]

http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/for-sale/search/ford/focus/hatchback-2005/usedcfs-228934530997127/

sorry :)

Mainly looking at what the costs will be with regards to my commute ,

[salsheikh]

i personally think a fiesta would be better as its smaller and lighter but the difference wont be much if you stick to a 1.6tdci.

the works focus 1.6tdci gets a good 55+mpg when being driven hard. taking it easy i have seen 65mpg.

[lee1987]

so sticking to the 1.6 deisil focus would be a better idea, thinking the focus as bigger car n could take bumps better , guessing more comtable than the focus

[johnH]

i drive a 1.8tdci and see 55mpg - 67mpg on an average run down the A1 from gateshead to darlington travelling at 70mph.

as for the price on the other items such as tyres and servicing well thats down to you and how you drive....if you drive the car like you stole it, taking corners too fast and braking last second etc etc then of course your going to go through tyres, brakes and other parts like crazy and thats where the cost comes in. wheras taking it easy then your parts and tyres will last. i have had the same set of tyres for over 6 months and they still look new!

I am in no way a grandad driver, i have just realised that driving like a crank costs too much money nowadays on fuel and parts.

the main issue regarding the 1.6tdci is the DPF. when you reach 37.5k miles then you need to refill the additive and get the computer reset (which can be pricey). at around 75k miles you then need the additive refilled and DPF replaced/cleaned and computer reset. which again costs money.

if you can get your hands on a 1.8tdci then you dont have the above. the 2.0tdci (pre 07) also doesnt have the DPF (sometimes)

the main issue is now, due to current regulations regarding emissions. then the DPF is found in most modern diesels.

in essence you might want to do a bit of research on the Diesel Particulate Filter and how to look after them etc etc before buying a car and developing issues later due to not looking after it. after all DPF and additive are very ££££!!!

[Pitmonster]

Having driven 25k miles per year commuting in the past, I would say a Fiesta is not as well suited as a Focus. (I had a Citroen Xsara HDi)

Don't get me wrong, the Fiesta is an excellent car, but the larger Focus will be more comfortable on long journeys and it's surprising how important that is when driving so far every day. Factors like the longer wheelbase etc make it better over bumps, plus as cars go up in size they have more sound absorption.

It's the difference between arriving home feeling refreshed, and arriving home feeling tired and grumpy.

I have a 1.8 TDCi and on good motorway runs can easily get 60mpg. I have no doubt that I could easily get 65+ if I try (you mention that you drive at 60mph). The 1.8 doesn't have a DPF, and was very popular so there is more choice available in the secondhand market.

[Stoney871]

1.8 all the way but I am biased.

Lovely drive and very comfortable on long runs.

[Pitmonster]

PS insurance for the MG will likely be higher than the Focus for two reasons:

MG is seen as a 'sporty' brand, and in particular one that appeals to Max Power readers, which means its more likely to be stolen or driven in a manner likely to result in more claims. This is no reflection on any owner (including yourself), it's just the way insurance companies calculate risk.

MGs are no longer made, so spare parts (body panels) are becoming rare. This means it's more expensive to repair after an accident, which pushes up insurance costs. (cost of repair is a factor in calculating premiums). The single most replaced body part on cars after an accident is the front bumper, and I once read that there are no new front bumpers available for the MG ZT so they have to use salvaged parts. Ford parts are available off the shelf, which keeps repair costs down and in turn this helps to keep insurance costs down.

If you want to get a true comparison, 'borrow' a registration number for a suitable car from an Auto Trader advert and put it into a price comparison website.

[Pitmonster]

I just had 4 new tyres fitted to my Focus for £217. They were a budget brand but one that got excellent ratings on tyre review websites - better reviews than some GoodYears.

A guy with a Jag XF paid more than that for one tyre...

Servicing costs for a Focus are very reasonable, and any garage would be able to do it. Popular cars have cheaper parts prices due to economies of scale, and most independent garages will service Focuses every other week due to their popularity, so you'll have loads of choice on where to get the work done.

Just make sure you use the correct specification of oil - this is critical to the health of your turbo. If you are using an independent you may wish to buy the oil yourself and give it to the the mechanic - it ensures the correct oil is used (rather than whatever he has in stock) and may even be cheaper.

If you are doing 25k miles a year you'll be gettin your car services every 6 months (intervals are 12,500 miles)

[lee1987]

sounds like the focus will be the ideal car for me then. Id be looking for the newish shape one say an 05/06 plate. what models should i got for. Ideally id like cruise control ,alloys,aircon , the sony stereo would be nice. Maybe a sporty look

[Stoney871]

For cruise you'd need to look for a Ghia.

[Pitmonster]

Shamelessly copied from Wikipedia:

* Studio (Base model)

* LX (as Studio, adds air-conditioning)

* Style (as LX, adds alloy-style wheel trims, front fog lights and a sports steering wheel)

* Sport (as Style, adds alloy wheels)

* Zetec (as Sport, adds Sport Suspension, sport seats and various interior/exterior styling enhancements)

* Zetec Climate (as Zetec, adds Quikclear heated front windscreen)

* Ghia (adds auto-dimming rear-view mirror, Quikclear heated front windscreen, a number of interior styling enhancements and only model to have Cruise Control as standard)

* Titanium (adds Sony CD/MP3 player as standard, privacy glass and sports seats)

-------

All models have a CD, ABS, Front Elec Windows, Central Locking.

Zetec and Titanium have darkened headlights which give a nice sportier look.

Ghia & Tit have elec rear windows.

Bizarrely, the Sport model does NOT have sport seats or sport suspension, while the Zetec & Titanium do (but it's not uncomfortable suspension, just the right side of firm while still having a good ride)

I would suggest the Zetec (or Zetec Climate) as the minimum to go for - its a very popular model, there are loads available, and it seems to have what you want apart from cruise - or the Titanium if you can find one.

[Brigante]

I'd recommend the ghia if you want the gadgets, i do love me cruise control. But the ghia does have the mingingest alloy wheels. You can always retro fit cruise control to other models if you can source the parts.