Mk1 Automatic Gearboxes

[freddieflintoff]

Hello, new potential owner here with a question for any Mk1 Focus (and Mondeo?) owners with automatic gearbox knowledge.

Basically, the Mrs owns a Citroen with a sensodrive gearbox which has now got a fault which means it keeps breaking down. Citroen quoted £980 for new actuator, local garage quoted £600 for new clutch but these might not fix the problem. Plus about £1100 to fix binding brakes, new timing belt, exhaust, tyres, wheel bearing.

Long story cut short: we need a new automatic car for around the £2000-£2500 mark, which brought us to the Focus as we like them and have heard good things but not much about the gearbox.

As we've had box problems on the Citroen, we'd like to get something with a generally good box.

Any experiences of failures or high miles with no problems? Or what should we look out for when buying. Can't afford another lemon!

Thanks!