Damsel In Distress - Ecoboost Reality

[Kateysan]

Hi, new member and would really appreciate some help. I am trading in my old faithful 04 Focus LX. I am currently looking at both 1.25 82PS and Ecoboost 1.0 100PS.

Yes, yes, we all know the performance of option 2 has way more oomph, is more responsive, and mpg averages the same on both versions, despite what Ford claim and depending on how you drive the car.

What I would be interested in is hearing from drivers of both cars to hear their experiences, good and bad. The Ecoboost isn't that popular yet in Ireland so nobody I have talked to knows much about them. I am reading more and more about clutch issues and the turbo being cooked in the Ecoboost model but just wondered what the reality is?

Muchos thanks in advance 😄

[GingerFlame]

I don't own either, but from what I've seen, tonnes of people have bought the 82ps ones thinking it was an ecoboost and hated it. They've complained about a lack of power & it being horrid to drive.

If you got an ecoboost, they were released in 2013 so surely with a 3 year warranty there's nothing to worry about even if you bought second hand?

[Kateysan]

Im looking to buy new so yes the warranty would be a great factor.

I guess I was just looking for real persons experience of both before taking the plunge. I have read the 1.25 82 PS 'wouldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding' but coming from a focus LX with under 80bhp and 124 torque I am not sure I would notice the difference personally in performance. Unless of course I go Ecoboost 100PS with 150 torque in which case I could be lethal

I do about 54km a day, split equally between country roads, motorway and town.

[GingerFlame]

Road tax for the ecoboost is next to nothing too!

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[Kateysan]

The Irish government love to squeeze tax out of us all. It is one of the lowest rates but still comes in at €170 per annum! Still a whopping saving on my current and €100 less than the 1.25

[Leezer]

I went from a 1.2 corsa to a 1.0 100ps ecoboost and I love it. The car handles amazingly and you can really feel the power difference. Great car. Also if you even get bored you can always remap it to 137bhp with a bluefin ;) You won't regret getting the 100ps. Go for a test drive.

[GingerFlame]

I went from a 1.2 corsa to a 1.0 100ps ecoboost and I love it. The car handles amazingly and you can really feel the power difference. Great car. Also if you even get bored you can always remap it to 137bhp with a bluefin ;) You won't regret getting the 100ps. Go for a test drive.

The 1.0 ecoboost can be pushed to 200bhp+ reliably with a hybrid turbo and 1/2 extras :)

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[Mac9577]

Hi Kateysan, I would definitely recommend the 1 litre EcoBoost, just make sure you get the 100 or 125 (like mine).. If you were to get the 80, that is without the turbo (just the Eco.. No boost!). It's just one of these things that on a small car with a small engine, it's worth having a little power there just in case you need it. I don't drive like a mad man, but if you'd accidentally cut someone up, you can easily get up to speed and apologise! I agree with Leezer, go for a test drive.. You won't look back

[GingerFlame]

Get the 140 zetec S ;) same engine different Map

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[Kateysan]

Thanks guys, would you believe there are no cars in either bracket available to test drive in my neck of the woods! Over here the 1.25 60PS reigns supreme (must be all the nuns we have) so to make the scrappage deal in Jan I am just going to have to choose 'blind' and hope l make the right decision.

[MPX309]

The general consensus is 82ps isn't enough power to pull the skin off a rice pudding.

[GingerFlame]

Thanks guys, would you believe there are no cars in either bracket available to test drive in my neck of the woods! Over here the 1.25 60PS reigns supreme (must be all the nuns we have) so to make the scrappage deal in Jan I am just going to have to choose 'blind' and hope l make the right decision.

Can't you grab a ferry over to England for a day out?

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[Kateysan]

How easy is it to drive? I won't know myself with all the extra torque compared to the current 124nm I have. Does it take a bit of handling? I've read it performs well on lower gears but could do with a 6th gear? Guess you get used to any new car you drive though.

[Kateysan]

Can't you grab a ferry over to England for a day out?

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I wish! Sure at least there wouldn't be all those 60PS-ers blocking my path

[Kateysan]

I went from a 1.2 corsa to a 1.0 100ps ecoboost and I love it. The car handles amazingly and you can really feel the power difference. Great car. Also if you even get bored you can always remap it to 137bhp with a bluefin ;) You won't regret getting the 100ps. Go for a test drive.

Hi Kateysan, I would definitely recommend the 1 litre EcoBoost, just make sure you get the 100 or 125 (like mine).. If you were to get the 80, that is without the turbo (just the Eco.. No boost!). It's just one of these things that on a small car with a small engine, it's worth having a little power there just in case you need it. I don't drive like a mad man, but if you'd accidentally cut someone up, you can easily get up to speed and apologise! I agree with Leezer, go for a test drive.. You won't look back

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How easy is it to drive? I won't know myself with all the extra torque compared to the current 124nm I have. Does it take a bit of handling? I've read it performs well on lower gears but could do with a 6th gear? Guess you get used to any new car you drive though.

[Mac9577]

Hi Kateysan, don't worry it's dead easy to drive.. It's not a sports car, it's just enough that every time you change up it will put a smile on your face. It's a very tiny but efficient turbo, so you never get turbo lag (delay in power) or torque steer.. You will get a minimum of 40 mpg.. You should come over and buy one then take it home!

[Kateysan]

Hi Kateysan, don't worry it's dead easy to drive.. It's not a sports car, it's just enough that every time you change up it will put a smile on your face. It's a very tiny but efficient turbo, so you never get turbo lag (delay in power) or torque steer.. You will get a minimum of 40 mpg.. You should come over and buy one then take it home!

So between you and GingerFlame I am getting loads of places to stay on my trip to UK?

Was just onto my bro whose pal is a Ford mechanic and he said they are a lovely little engine, guess I was just a little nervous of relatively new technology whose longevity hasn't been proven yet as I intend to drive this car for quite a few years.

Do you know can you override the start/stop? The one bit of advice I was given was to let the engine idle for a minute before switching off to let the turbo cool down, wasn't sure how you'd do that with stop/start technology.

[GingerFlame]

I'm on the opposite side of England haha

There is a button to disable stop start but you have to press it again everytime you start the engine

The car monitors temperatures, pressures, voltages, fuel level, traffic & other bits to determine wether it's beneficial to stop the engine or not :)

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[Kateysan]

I'm on the opposite side of England haha

Sure if I'm going over to pick up my new Ecoboost it sounds like I'd get from one side of England to the other in a blink of an eye

I'm actually over in March touring from Bristol to Banbury to Sussex so it will be a great run for my new car (if it gets delivered on time)

[Mac9577]

You only need to look at all the awards the engine has received to know its pretty special :-)

Leaving the engine idle is actually true on all engines with turbos, but nothing you should have to consciously think about.

I've been after a South East meet anyway, but best of luck with the car!

Its all about helping out other FOC Members :-)

[Kateysan]

Thanks for the help guys. Really appreciate the responses.

Think I need to stay off the internet. Just reading a thread from pistonheads site where a load of people have had issues with head gaskets failing, plastic pipes cracking and flooding the turbo with coolant, and even a recall on the focus Ecoboost.

Time to put the internet away and instead embrace the power!

[GingerFlame]

I haven't seen any of those issues on here! Pistonheads is mostly full of idiots ;)

I've seen the plastic pipes breaking but that's it

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[Kateysan]

I haven't seen any of those issues on here! Pistonheads is mostly full of idiots ;)

I've seen the plastic pipes breaking but that's it

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Apparently Ford have switched to rubber pipes so hopefully this is the case in the 2016 fiesta. Good to know as can make sure pipes have been checked during services.

Also will have to check how available 5W20 oil is here seeing as nobody has these cars!

[GingerFlame]

Apparently Ford have switched to rubber pipes so hopefully this is the case in the 2016 fiesta. Good to know as can make sure pipes have been checked during services.

Also will have to check how available 5W20 oil is here seeing as nobody has these cars!

Import the oil via parcel motel

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[Eatonm112]

Both me and my other half have the 125Bhp eco boost engine mine is in a Fiesta and the other ones in a Focus I have found the engine to be great in both cars although seems to be faster / more nippy in the Fiesta although that is not much of a surprise due to the Fiesta lugging less weight.

The Focus ( new shape Sept 2015) is very refined on the motorway as it has a 6 speed box it is also much smoother than the Fiesta both cars have done very low miles 9000 Fiesta and 2250 Focus before my other half had a 2012 Fiesta with the 100 Bhp Eco Boost which she done 20000 miles in and it never went wrong, it shouldn't have with that sort of use I guess.

Before, I bought the Fiesta I looked around on the internet hard for issues relating to the Eco Boost and I only learnt of a few issue's one was a coolant pipe to the turbo breaking which has been fixed by Ford before the engine was put into the Fiesta and the other was that the clutch pedal gets stiff after 20 - 30 k miles but that I was not worried about as all clutches seem to get a bit stiffer with use.

To sum up - If you are buying brand new you cant go wrong as others have said just pick the 100 Bhp or above if you are going for a Focus I think the 125 comes with the 6 speed box so check that as you may like that for longer trips as it lowers the engine revs.