2007 57 Focus 1.6 petrol - anything to look out for?

[Smudger]

The car is used to go 5 miles a day to work and back, with occasional 10-20 mile trips at weekends. A total annual mileage of less than 5,000 miles meant that it didn't really make sense to hang on for a diesel. Yes, if there had been one at the same price, we'd have probably gone for that, as the TDCi is a very good engine, but we'd probably have had issues with the DPF, yes. I thought that all diesels after 2004 had these things now? There was a bit on Watchdog about them choking up in Fiat 500s and such.

Anyway, it's all a moot point cos we've bought it now, and having driven diesels for the past six years, I'd forgotten how much you have to rev a 16v petrol to get it to go anywhere...

[kalniel]

Yeah the new Euro V regulations (~2010) are so stringent that even the cleanest/smallest diesels need DPFs, even Euro IV (~2005) were enough for many to need them (I was lucky enough to be able to get a car that didn't, though passing the smoke test in MOT is a little nervy sometimes).

The watchdog article was nothing us clued up people would think of as surprising, but it did make the point that fuel prices are driving people to buy diesel cars even for city use - especially given cars like the Fiat 500 and mini are targeting such buyers.. yet you face costly regeneration or even replacement bills if you do just do city driving, a point WD were claiming dealers weren't getting across well enough.

Diesel is great for a number of things, but lower mileage and short runs is an area petrol really is king.

[huwwatkins]

Yeah the new Euro V regulations (~2010) are so stringent that even the cleanest/smallest diesels need DPFs, even Euro IV (~2005) were enough for many to need them (I was lucky enough to be able to get a car that didn't, though passing the smoke test in MOT is a little nervy sometimes).

The watchdog article was nothing us clued up people would think of as surprising, but it did make the point that fuel prices are driving people to buy diesel cars even for city use - especially given cars like the Fiat 500 and mini are targeting such buyers.. yet you face costly regeneration or even replacement bills if you do just do city driving, a point WD were claiming dealers weren't getting across well enough.

Diesel is great for a number of things, but lower mileage and short runs is an area petrol really is king.

True there have been a lot of issue with low milage and dpf's, the renault formums are full of them. I think the biggest issue is sales men not being up front with cutomers when they come to buy a new car.

[Butcher]

Small diesel engines like my 1.5 dont have dpf's (at least on a 2009) plate. Your mpg figures are a bit off.

My mileage figures were much like yours - made up on the spot for effect.

That said you don't get good mileage on diesels (or indeed petrols) if most journeys are around 5 miles. The engine is barely warm and you're pulling up at your destination so it's always running rich while warming up.

[abaxas]

You are going low miles and short journeys. Hence you need a small capacity petrol and definitely not a diesel.

In terms of the focus.... do the engines have the infamous ford 'dual mass flywheel' ? AKA the clutch breaker.

[huwwatkins]

My mileage figures were much like yours - made up on the spot for effect.

That said you don't get good mileage on diesels (or indeed petrols) if most journeys are around 5 miles. The engine is barely warm and you're pulling up at your destination so it's always running rich while warming up.

Thanks - but my milage figures were not made up. I can easily get up to 70mpg on anything other than short jounrney. I topped 80.1mpg on a 209 mile trip to York last month.



Hull to manchester

[Butcher]

Good for you.

[dave87]

Good for you.

I'm inclined to agree.

I had a 2006 2.2 iCTDi Civic for a little over two years. When blasting up and down the motorways the economy was either excellent (near 60) very good (50+), or good (40+) depending on how quickly I wanted to get to my destination and how much I wanted to stay out of the trucker & numpty lane.

In town, and on short journeys however, it was an entirely different story. I think my worst over a tank was 26/7mpg. The Civic seemed to take an eternity to get warm (feature of modern diesels it seems - Honda checked it for me on multiple occasions) and drunk diesel whilst doing so. Once up to temperature it was fine - a good engine. 140bhp, some torque to go with it and a propensity to destroy cheap front tyres that dealers like (Kumho Ecstas - rapidly changed to Goodyear Eagle F1s).

I found myself doing a lot more of the town side of things and a lot less long distance driving, and so my annual mileage plummeted. Of course this meant I had to do the sensible thing - I sold the diesel and bought a 3 litre automatic petrol BMW.


In the OP's position I'd do the same - the diesel just simply isn't worth the additional cost, hassle and complexity that comes with modern diesels - a 1.6 petrol is the simplest, cheapest route at that annual mileage.

[kalniel]

In town, and on short journeys however, it was an entirely different story. I think my worst over a tank was 26/7mpg. The Civic seemed to take an eternity to get warm (feature of modern diesels it seems - Honda checked it for me on multiple occasions) and drunk diesel whilst doing so. Once up to temperature it was fine - a good engine.

Seems to vary by manufacturer - my 2001 Astra diesel took an age to get warm - at least 20 minutes of fairly fast driving in normal temperatures - in winter even longer. My 2005 Audi takes 5 minutes almost regardless of external temperatures - but then again it has temperature controlled radiator slats so presumably it keeps things shut in until it's warm. I think more recent cars have slat on or near the exterior for the same purpose, as well as improving aerodynamics.

I found myself doing a lot more of the town side of things and a lot less long distance driving, and so my annual mileage plummeted. Of course this meant I had to do the sensible thing - I sold the diesel and bought a 3 litre automatic petrol BMW.

Spot on!

[huwwatkins]

Good for you.

THanks - it is! I felt the need to provide proof baring in mind your doubting my statement!

Town driving over the last few days my average is 48.1.

Admittedly, when I had a 2.0 diesel it was appalling in town. 32mpg average so It varies a lot on the particular engine.