MickyG1982 Posted November 1, 2016 Share Posted November 1, 2016 (edited) £375 used to get you an awful lot of car for your money and, well it still does! I took a chance and bought myself a 2001 X (Must have been a pre-registered dealer special) Ford Focus Mk1. And to be fair, she seems to be a wee cracker & outshines my previous pug 206 SW by a wide margin (not least because it actually starts and runs without hesitation). She does have some bad points, most of which relate to her age I.e: Poor paintwork, rust on the rear doors (though fairly clean in the usual areas). Wheel trims (smashed at that). Central locking that only works fully with the key in the passenger side. Indicators that don't self cancel. But mechanically there is nothing to fault it having just passed its MOT with an almost clean sheet. Heck even the air con works and is as cold as ice. She drives straight, starts first time and doesn't even seem to have any major rattles or knocks. She's so good I might even decide to spend some money on her to modernise her (tastefully) next year. But first, I'll look at sorting those rusty doors! (And scour a few of the guides) Edited November 1, 2016 by MickyG1982 Added a sentence 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devonboy Posted November 1, 2016 Share Posted November 1, 2016 £375 for a Mk I, at that that price it's worth doing up, lets face it, anything has to be better than a Peugeot. Just got shot of my Pug 207. In the broader sense, don't those two words - "French and reliability" - in the same sentence, seem to raise questions? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MickyG1982 Posted November 1, 2016 Author Share Posted November 1, 2016 Well, the pug lasted 3 years before any (major) faults started to show. Unfortunately it hadn't even reached the 100,000 mile mark when it did. Then they all came at once, clutch, gearbox, electrical issues, starting issues and finally suspected HGF and a preference for 2-3 out of the 4 cylinders available in the engine... Got in the slightly tatty looking, high mileage focus I've just bought and it was like a breath of fresh air. Turned the key, it started straight off, went for a drive and no hesitation, no misfiring no lack of power. I bought it there and then. I think, given a bit of TLC, this car could be on the road for some time yet. She certainly beats the other 2 fords I've had since I started driving in 1999: 1991 Ford Fiesta 1.1 Popular Plus, I'm not sure I could think about anything popular or plus about that one. However, it was my first car, I do have fond memories of it. 1992 Ford Escort 1.8d, 55 bhp and someone saw fit to put a wing on it, and a 16v badge... I have very few fond memories of that one, other than driving it about the car park after taking the keys out of the ignition... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisroberson99 Posted November 1, 2016 Share Posted November 1, 2016 2 hours ago, Devonboy said: £375 for a Mk I, at that that price it's worth doing up, lets face it, anything has to be better than a Peugeot. Just got shot of my Pug 207. In the broader sense, don't those two words - "French and reliability" - in the same sentence, seem to raise questions? We had a 207 for nearly 3 years and 30k miles, all it needed were consumables and a new exhaust in that time, was far more reliable than our previous German car... Anyway, that Focus sounds like like a great bargain and nice to see one being saved from the scrapyard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isetta Posted November 1, 2016 Share Posted November 1, 2016 ah ... but the road tax cost 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TitXlover Posted November 1, 2016 Share Posted November 1, 2016 Had 2 Mk1s, great cars. Last one traded in after over 10 years good service, with minimal repair cost. Bargain to someone with only 5.5k on the clock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MickyG1982 Posted November 1, 2016 Author Share Posted November 1, 2016 3 hours ago, isetta said: ah ... but the road tax cost True, it is about twice as much as my pug was... Speaking of which, I wish the askmid database would hurry up and update. Got stopped by the old bill taking my grandmother to a hospital appointment because according to their records it wasn't taxed, insured or MOT'd... It was, and I had proof of all 3 (luckily) so all ended well. Just as well we left an hour early, and it wasn't an emergency... Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining about the police officer that pulled me over (he was doing his job), just slightly annoyed that it took more than 24 hours (a full weekend for the MOT) to update. If I'd asked for my documents to be sent through the post (instead of e-mail) I would have been up poo creek without a paddle so to speak! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MickyG1982 Posted November 5, 2016 Author Share Posted November 5, 2016 Todays task(s) were simple, put some new wheel trims on her, fit the stereo properly, & fix the remote central locking (I thought that was completely dead!). The trims, they seemed to have welded themselves to the hub & I quite literally had to destroy them to remove them off the wheel, They were the ford originals & had bee with the car for almost 16 years however. The stereo, well I made an absolute schoolboy error with that one (I bought an adapter for a Focus Mk 2)... So off I went to Halfrauds for one that fits, it did, perfectly. The stereo (A single DIN JVC model with bluetooth) still looks a little silly, but it beats the one that came with the car & was simply taped in with electrical tape... The final task was to fix the central locking. With my car, it only worked if I unlocked the car from the passenger side with the key, the remote fob part simply refused to work. I found a guide here (go for 4 times in six seconds) & the problem was fixed. At the moment, the only issue I have left to deal with is rust on the rear doors, everything else works as well as the day the car was built, I'm properly impressed with this 16(ish) year old car! (gratuitous picture added) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MickyG1982 Posted January 6, 2017 Author Share Posted January 6, 2017 Uh oh Houston w have a problem. I've had her for a couple of thousand miles now (in fact 3k) but she seems to be rather thirsty on the old oil, in that 3k I've had to put about 2l of oil in her! The problem is that she isn't dropping it, doesn't seem too smokey (not more than any other car I've driven on cold winters days) & the coolant is as clean as a whistle. The MOT did pick up an oil leak but given the amount of oil it's taken I'm quite surprised that she isn't dropping any of it onto the floor. Gonna have a proper look this weekend to see if I can gauge where its coming from (or going to). Hopefully it's something cheap! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomson Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 7 minutes ago, MickyG1982 said: Uh oh Houston w have a problem. I've had her for a couple of thousand miles now (in fact 3k) but she seems to be rather thirsty on the old oil, in that 3k I've had to put about 2l of oil in her! The problem is that she isn't dropping it, doesn't seem too smokey (not more than any other car I've driven on cold winters days) & the coolant is as clean as a whistle. The MOT did pick up an oil leak but given the amount of oil it's taken I'm quite surprised that she isn't dropping any of it onto the floor. Gonna have a proper look this weekend to see if I can gauge where its coming from (or going to). Hopefully it's something cheap! Pull your plugs, see if any of them are coated in oil... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MickyG1982 Posted January 6, 2017 Author Share Posted January 6, 2017 Is that going to hint at something more expensive than the whole car? Lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomson Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 8 minutes ago, MickyG1982 said: Is that going to hint at something more expensive than the whole car? Lol. If any of your plugs have oil on them you will know which cylinder/s is eating the oil but would mean some major work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MickyG1982 Posted January 6, 2017 Author Share Posted January 6, 2017 30 minutes ago, Tomson said: If any of your plugs have oil on them you will know which cylinder/s is eating the oil but would mean some major work. Well, hopefully, it's not going to be that!I guess it'll mean holding off on making her look pretty (or at least more "modern") :-( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
v530anh Posted January 7, 2017 Share Posted January 7, 2017 The rust in the rear doors, can easily be removed. First autosol it clean it, and paint away with paint brush. Body is better looking than mine, though mine has a grunge look including a wrist band around the side mirror hiding tie-ins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjt Posted January 7, 2017 Share Posted January 7, 2017 12 hours ago, MickyG1982 said: she seems to be rather thirsty on the old oil, in that 3k I've had to put about 2l of oil in her! The problem is that she isn't dropping it Could be collecting on the undertray . . . . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert27 Posted January 7, 2017 Share Posted January 7, 2017 How many miles has she done? My 1.6 tdci 08 focus is at 140,000 and still nothing major gone; only my own calamity issues learning how to change basic parts :D How long will these engines go on for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert27 Posted January 7, 2017 Share Posted January 7, 2017 On 01/11/2016 at 2:00 PM, isetta said: ah ... but the road tax cost :D My old man always used that point as justification for spending 12k on a new car instead of 5k on a decent used one. Never could get through to him that he'd never make up the 7k in road tax savings & better mpg! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrRedman Posted January 7, 2017 Share Posted January 7, 2017 I used to think my mk1 1.6 was using oil as I was always topping it up then when I changed car I decided to pull the dipstick and oil filler cap off to get a true reading ie no air lock.Dont seem to put much in my current car this way,my theory being did I need the oil in or was I over filling it and it was burning it off? Guess I'll never know lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MickyG1982 Posted October 9, 2017 Author Share Posted October 9, 2017 Well, I'm on 1 year of ownership now & just put her through her MOT. The only things I've done is put fuel, oil (oil stop leak too, seemed to work), some STP fuel treatment & injector cleaner before the MOT & a pair of new boots on the front. She passed with 4 advsories, Brake lines corroded, rear exhaust corroded, number plates in poor condition and a tire at the limit. My pug - I bought this old girl as a stop gap until I fixed that one, is still broken & quite honestly, is unlikely to ever be fixed, she needs a new clutch that's going to cost more than the whole car is worth, on top of an engine that I suspect has a dodgy head gasket, coil issues, timing belt etc. It's sat at around 75,000 miles & i'm considering scrapping it. My stopgap Focus, well, it's still going strong, I think I'll keep her going for another year, maybe even 2, or 3 or... Best stopgap ever. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FatHead1979 Posted October 10, 2017 Share Posted October 10, 2017 Good news mate, keep up the good work! (You know you don't want to go back to your PUG) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vibeone Posted October 10, 2017 Share Posted October 10, 2017 I had a couple of mk1s. One mk1, one mk1.5 diesel with climate control. For whatever reason, the Mk1 with "manual" air con was always ridiculously cold. Never found a car with better to be honest. I loved them :) Shouldn't have got rid of the 52 plate when I did - clutch pedal was leaking fluid and used it as an excuse to trade in! It's still on the road! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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