Ford Focus TDCi 1.8 Ghia (2004)

Advantages: High MPG, Comfortable, Quite and plenty of leg room.
Disadvantages: Extra costs hidden in services

...During the second years service (2006) the dealer discovered the scuttle cover was warped and needed replacing. New scuttle cover / pollen filter cover was fitted, and anti-bacterial spray treatment applied - the cost was over £44.00. (Removal of the scuttle destroys the seal and it has to be replaced). As the car is less than 2 years old I suggested it should come under a warranty replacement. The dealer said I would have to take the issue up with Ford. This I did and the Ford customer service department stated they have no history of there being a problem with the Focus scuttle cover, the scuttle cover is part of the trim and is therefore not covered under any warrantee agreement, and they would not honour any refund to me. I said that I have the part that was removed and would be willing to send the part to them...

BAZ1951 05.12.2006 · Read review
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Review of Ford Focus 1.8 TDCi Hatchback

Focus 1.8 TDCi - a great not so little car

Advantages: Fantastically economical for its class
Disadvantages: High torque from engine can be expensive on tyres

...I've had a Focus 1.8 TDCi for a little over a year, following a two year stint from a Fiat so I may be a little over enthusiastic about the Focus! However, I've been driving for over 20 years (Oh God that long...) and have driven a silly number of cars over this time. I think I've found a car I finally can settle with for at least the rest of the finance term!!! Which is unusual as I get bored very quickly! The feel of the car overall is one of comfort but without the disconnected feel you can get in some larger cars and you really can have the confidence in the motor to pull hard when you need it. Inside, the car feels roomy for its class and the seats seem to hug you quite nicely. I used to have to sit at a slight angle in many of my older cars to reach pedals and steer yet in the Focus I can sit in a relatively normal position...

S1monPage69 12.09.2008 · Read review
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Review of Ford Focus 1.8 TDCi Hatchback

  Why I'm not fussed about the Focus

Advantages: Lots of them around. Cheaper now in the old shape
Disadvantages: Please see below

...When I got rid of my Fiat Punto 1.9 JTD this time last year I was in the market for a slightly larger vehicle. I was having a love hate relationship with the back end of the Renault Megáne and the Citroen C4 was not released then (what it is about me and French cars I don't know!) although I thought that would be the ideal car. Nothing much was doing it for me (it's all about emotions when I buy a car) so we decided to go and have a look at Ford, in particular the Focus. We had heard great things about the Focus and it seemed only natural to go and see what they had on the forecourt. On arrival at Ford we were greeted with the sight of a Ford Focus Zetec 1.8 TDCi in silver with the climate pack for just over 10 grand (with 15K miles). We test drove the car and it's higher powered brother (the one with 115 horses as opposed to...

josarah 09.06.2005 · Read review
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Review of Ford Focus 1.8 TDCi Hatchback

My trusty Focus estate.

Advantages: Frugal, spacious, built well, handles brilliantly, looks pretty good...
Disadvantages: Not the quietest of diesels.

...Last month I got myself another car. I wanted something economic as I do a hell of a lot of mileage so I wanted a diesel. In the end I got the car I'm writing this review on: A 1999 (V) Ford Focus 1.8TDdi [AC] LX Estate. It cost me £1,600. Got 104K miles (106K now) and had had a full service history til 79K, with a cambelt change at the last service. And to be so blunt, I'm chuffed to bits with it. Anyway, so lets get down to business. - The engine. On the Focus timeline there are two types of diesel engine. The TDdi and the TDci. The latter came along later to be the diesel engine now used in new Fords, it's more powerful, slightly more economic and basically a more refined engine. Well, I couldn't afford that, so I've got the old engine instead. And when I say old, I mean it's old, you find it as far back as the Mk3 Fiestas, although...

Ant309 27.04.2009 · Read review
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Review of Ford Focus Estate 1.8 TDCi Duratorq

My Ford

Advantages: All
Disadvantages: No

...grouped in easy-to-follow trims; Style, LX, sporty Zetec and luxurious Ghia, with a racy ST hot hatch range-topper. Three-and five-door variants are offered, with three-doors taking a sportier stance, to the detriment of driver visibility. Engines include a gutless 1.25-litre and preferable 1.4-litre petrol, plus two TDCi diesels - 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre. Again, the larger unit is better. Toping the range are 1.6-litre and 2.0-litre petrols, the latter with 150bhp. No Fiesta is particularly well equipped though, and high-tech features such as voice activation and Bluetooth telephone all cost extra. But interior finish was much improved in 2006 when the car had a mild facelift. Owning: Retained values of the Fiesta are average, but economy is good (even the 1.4-litre petrol averages 45mpg) and insurance ratings are OK. Servicing from a Ford...

Monica020783 24.10.2009 · Read review
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Review of Ford Focus 1.8 TDCi Hatchback

best car i've had is a focus

Advantages: lots of room, good engine, mpg
Disadvantages: none

...alarm and immobiliser for optimum security. The car also has side impact air bags and passenger and driver airbags which gives and added sens of safety. The engine being a 1.8 turbo diesel is very punchy although I have done 90mph in it I wouldn?t say there would be much left over 100mph. From 0 to 30 mph the car isn?t to nippy but when the turbo kicks in at 30ish the car sits you back in your seat. The best part of this car and engine is the fuel consumption I can get between 45 and 55 mpg which is very good compared with other cars I have had. I bought the car for £6000 second hand , brand new the car ranges from £8995 to £11995and found it a good investment the tax isn?t the lowest bracket at £95 for 6 months due to it being diesel. I like this car and even with it being a common car this tell me it must be good and I can see why; I...

dingoo 23.02.2004 · Read review
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Review of Ford Focus 1.8 TDCi Hatchback

Focus makes 'Va Va Voom' a reality not a promise

Advantages: Fast ,precise handling,quiet and purposeful
Disadvantages: some water leaks

...My Focus TDCi Ghia purchased last year as an import via a car suprermarket. It is my first brand new car and I am delighted with it. The TDCi engine is a standard bearer for modern diesel engines.The car,fitted with the more powerful 115 ps engine,has proven to be exceptionally quick and powerful in that all important mid speed range. The official quoted figures show that it is quicker 30 to 70 than the equivalent two litre model. In addition the serious level of low torque at very low revs (1750 rpm) gives the car exception pulling power. It is quite able to tow my caravan at 60mph in an absolutely effortless fashion.Solo it is quite possible to obtain better than 53mpg at legal and 'supra legal' motorway speeds... Urban motoring means that 45mpg is a more realistic figure with 34 mpg being possible when towing. The car has been...

kandmf 12.07.2004 · Read review
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Review of Ford Focus 1.8 TDCi Hatchback

Focus - does exacally what it says on the tin

Advantages: Average, cheap to run, cheap to buy, does what it says on the tin
Disadvantages: small boot, sensitive about biting point for a diesel

...The focus is my 3rd car.. My first was a echonimical 106 and my second a racy, alfa spider.... So the focus is a bit dull and a bit boring. It offers no exitement when driving compared to some other cars. But, the focus is a cheap to run cheap to maintain, sensible car. It really does everything it is supposed to do. I brought it for miles, and I have driven about 15,000 in just over 6 months and no problems. I like the focus, its like the friend that listens to all your problems and never causes you grief or stress, the focus is comfortable to drive, it has good all around visibility, you can park it dead easy, you can drive it dead easy. The only thing I find it that when its cold its especially easy to stall, and this is a diesel which is unusual, but not something cronic to put you off buying the car. I find the focus is...

krissharm 14.12.2006 · Read review
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Review of Ford Focus 1.8 TDCi Hatchback

Ford Focus LX 1.6 TDCi Estate

Advantages: Comfortable, good handling, nice driving position, economical, good load carrier, 3 year warranty - no servicing required.
Disadvantages: Not a lot of "extras as standard", no ISOFIX for child seat,

...the local Ford dealer where they promptly identified that the steering rack was faulty. In this case I was just unlucky as this doesn't seem to be a common problem (according to Ford). Actual cost would have been approx £700. One very good point, however, is that the standard 3 year Ford warranty covered a lot of areas of the car and did not require the vehicle to be serviced. So, not a lot of problems and already that's the negative part out of the way. Oh, I've just changed all 4 tyres as they were close to the legel limit (1.8mm - 2mm left). So, effectively they've managed about 30000 miles. One small niggle is that when you put the fan/heater on and select the windscreen demist setting, the air con automatically comes on. You then have to switch it off if you don't want it. If the selector is left in this position, then...

bferg 25.01.2008 · Read review
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Review of Ford Focus Estate 1.6 TDCi

  Outstanding Oil Burner

Advantages: Comfortable, versatile, economic. Good resale values.
Disadvantages: Lack of boot space. It's STILL a diesel!

...~ ~ I might have known I wouldn?t get what I had asked for! What am I talking about? The seeming inability of car hire companies to give you the car you have booked with them. This year it was the turn of Budget Car Hire at Toulouse Airport in southern France. ?Sorry sir. We don?t have a new model Renault Megane available this morning. We?ve given you a Ford Focus diesel instead.? Ah well. You can?t crib really (at least not TOO much) as it does state in the hire contract that they can substitute a car in the same group as you have booked. Thus it was that the mad cabbie and family ended up driving around in a Ford Focus for a fortnight while on holiday down in the Basque region of France. (St. Jean de Luz, just south of Biarittz) Or more specifically, a brand new Ford Focus 1.8 LX TDCi with just over 1,000 kilometres on the clock...

the_mad_cabbie 12.07.2004 (24.08.2004) · Read review
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Review of Ford Focus 1.8 TDCi Hatchback