Just supposing I had £5k to spend on a car...

[Fox]

I don't like the Focus interior either, but I still think it's a great car.

I would, however, never, ever buy one. I just don't see the point - the wonders of supply and demand mean you can get the next car up in the range, the one that cost thousands more new, for less when you buy a used Mondeo. Quite why you'd want the Focus instead when you'll pay more money for a smaller, older car with less kit is something I don't understand, but appreciate that others do. People cite running costs but thats kinda irrelevant when you've just stumped up an additional £1500 just to buy the thing.

Still, if you must have a medium sized hatch, a Focus is about as good as you'll get.

[Konan555]

Quite why you'd want the Focus instead when you'll pay more money for a smaller, older car with less kit is something I don't understand, but appreciate that others do. People cite running costs but thats kinda irrelevant when you've just stumped up an additional £1500 just to buy the thing.

You must have had someone say "It's too big". Personally, I've yet to work out in what way it's 'too big', so I ask them. More often than not, the person with this opinion says "It's just a bit big"

[Rave]

Personally I'd drop £2k or so on something cool and save the £3k to see it through whatever repairs it needs/ extra cost of fuel and insurance etc. I bet you could run, say, a Celica GT4 for 3 years for about the same amount overall as a three year old Focus would cost you, and you'd have way more fun doing it. It does depend on how many miles you do a year though I suppose.

[Butuz]

How about a Nissan 200sx S14a ? You could pick up a 99 model with under 50,000 miles for about 5k easy, and insurance is very cheap too because they are a very underrated and rare car (only just over 5000 sold here in 10 years)

As for reliability - well my 1995 one is just about to crack 151,000 miles and nothings fallen off it yet.

Just a suggestion incase you fancied a sporty, rare, cheap to run 2 door 2 litre turbo coupe rather than the boaring focus mondeo type. I sold my 99 focus 2.0 ghia to buy my 200sx and i've never looked back

Butuz

[nameinuse]

Fox - So you'd choose the mondeo over the focus for the money? I've not ever driven a mondeo, but I just get the impression they're not so good to chuck around country lanes as the focus.

Butuz - That's just the kind of thing I was hoping people would suggest. It's going to be reliable, too, I assume, as Nissan seem to know how to put cars together. Why aren't they more popular, though? Seems like it's got all the same things about it as an MX-5 without the removable roof, and that one sells loads.

[Butuz]

I don't know why they are not more popular to be honest. It perplexes me and every other 200sx owner that most people are happy to spend more, on less car.

Still - i'm not complaining. The fact that they are not popular or well known, compared to the Skyline for instance, means i benefit from far cheaper insurance, and greater depreciation. You may be picking one up for £3000-6000 - but they were £25,000 new the day they were driven off the forecourt.

Butuz

[Konan555]

Fox - So you'd choose the mondeo over the focus for the money? I've not ever driven a mondeo, but I just get the impression they're not so good to chuck around country lanes as the focus.

I've seen a focus thrown aroud coutry lanes. Can't say it was all to impressive.

[Fox]

Fox - So you'd choose the mondeo over the focus for the money? I've not ever driven a mondeo, but I just get the impression they're not so good to chuck around country lanes as the focus.

I did chose the Mondeo over the Focus and I've never once regreted it. I'll explain why I did.

Firstly, don't get me wrong. I love the Focus, it's a great car, and I'm more than happy to recommend it to anyone who wants that sort of car. You can't really go wrong with a decent Focus.

However, for me, it made no sense. Unlike most people, I am utterly unconcerned with how big my car is. It just doesn't bother me. I am a full time student who doesn't really need anything bigger than a 106, but it still doesn't bother me. As far as I'm concerned, the space is there if I need it and I've certainly not paid any more for it if I don't need it. I cannot speak for other people but I don't have issues parking etc, and they are not actually THAT barge-like - the Focus and the Mk2 Mondeo are suprisingly very similar in terms of weight.

The Focus was designed and built to be sold at a certain price. The Mondeo was designed and built to be sold at a certain price that was higher than the Focus. Thus, you get a nicer interior, you get more gadgets and gizmos, you get a bigger range of engines and you get a car that's more capable on longer journeys. Becuase of the curious way in which supply and demand works, the cost issue is reversed on the used market. There is HUGE demand for Focus sized cars and smaller. They are seen as ideal - cheap to run, easy to park, easy to handle. Thus, lots of people want them. Meanwhile, people discount the larger stuff. Yes, they know Mondeos are popular but they don't need a big car. They don't need a car that might cost a hundred or so a year more to insure. So, they all go and look for Focus and friends and don't even consider the Mondeo.

So what happens? The price falls - it has to, as demand falls, so does price. So we now get into the rather curious situation whereby if you want a decent V reg Focus 1.8 Zetec, you'll pay between £3500 and £4500 depending on mileage. Yet if you want a decent V reg Mondeo 1.8 or 2.0 Zetec, which has equal or better specification depending on engine size, you'll pay between £1800 and £3000 depending on mileage. That's quite a saving. And as for running costs - with the exception of insurance it's largely the same. This is quite logical, the 1.8 and 2.0 litre engines found in the Focus are exactly the same as those you'll find in the Mondeo. And they both weigh about the same, so fuel costs etc etc are very similar, as are repair costs becuase many of the parts, although not the same, are similar in terms of cost.

Thats comparing two like for like cars. What happens if we don't compare like for like? Well, it gets even better. V reg Focus 1.8 Zetec, about £3.5-4k. V reg Mondeo 2.0 Ghia X - about a grand less. But it's a considerably higher specification - the Focus isn't bad, you get electric windows, remote locking and PAS as standard - but the Mondeo has climate control, 4 airbags, cruise control, heated leather seats, electric drivers seat, 6 CD changer, onboard computer, ABS, Traction Control, map reading lights etc etc. More kit, same age car.... less money. And if you want even more go, the Focus is available with up to a 2.0 litre engine. We'll ignore the ST170 and the RS becuase they are far, far over budget. The Mondeo is also available with a 2.5 litre V6 in both 170bhp and 200bhp forms. The 200bhp version unforutnately bucks the value trend becuase it's very rare and desireable, but it looks pretty cool.

I prefer the interior of the Mondeo as well. The Focus is easily as well, if not better, in the build quality department - the design is 2 years newer (Focus released in 98, Mk2 Mondeo 96), but the styling is a bit like marmite. It's very angular and... new age. The thing that annoys me the most is the way the dash doesn't blend in with the centre console area. It just stops, leaving a huge big gap of irritating empty space. It bothers me, it may not you.

So, when I was looking for a car 18 months ago, I chose the Mondeo. I picked an ex fleet 2.0 Ghia X, 1 owner from new, all the toys, just 4 years old, and paid under 3 grand for it. Since then it's passed two MOT's with no advisories. It's a fantastic car and the extent to which I enthuse about these cars on various forums should go some way towards saying how please I am with it.

What are the downsides? Well, I'd have to be wearing rose tinted spectacles to say the Mondeo is better than the Focus in every way, becuase it's not. There are downsides. First, is image. Now this might not seem that popular but it's another reason for the difference in price. Tell your mate down the pub you drive a Focus, and he'll either not care, or he'll be mildly interested. Tell him you've got a Mondeo, and he'll stereotype you and assume you are some sort of carpet salesman. Even if you've got the 200bhp ST200. Of course this all changes once you give said mate a lift or whatever, but that initial image is not exactly eh best in the world.

Secondly, styling. The Mondeo is not an ugly car, but it's not exactly fair to say it's beautiful either. The Mk2 is considerably better than the Mk1 in the looks department, but it's not as radical and 'fresh' as a Focus. There is a way to fix this - the higher spec models were available with a factory supplied bodykit which really makes the car look damn smart, but they are quite rare and limited to 2.0 16v and 2.5 V6 models.

Next, handling. Now, the Mondeo is actually, compartatively, a decent handling car. It's always been the drivers car of its class, and of the competition its the one you'd get most pleasure from hustling down a back road. But it's not a Focus. The Focus is a car which handles far better than it really should, and it shines as a result. Best thing to do is drive both and make your mind up but the Focus *is* the better handling car.

Lastly, size. Now I've no idea why this is a problem for so many people but clearly some people have difficulty with things like parking and a car thats perhaps another 50cm long poses them with huge problems. I park on-street daily for Uni and don't have any issues, but you might, so bear it in mind.

I got a bit carried away there, but never mind - thats my view anyway

Here is a picture of mine:

[Konan555]

Straying off.... I actually prefered the MK1 looks (the saloon in particular) over the MK2. But then, I suppose the MK2 would be widely thought of as the 'nicer' looking.

No accounting for peoples taste.... you've got ST24 4 spokes

[Fox]

They came with the car and I don't dislike them enough... yet... to throw £1000 of 18" Oz Super T's at it

[nameinuse]

Well for the £5k I could get the Mk3, and I see what you mean about the amount of extras you get for the money. I think it'll be a hard sell on the missus, though, as she's never driven anything bigger than a Yaris and will likely be worried about it.

I suppose there's less chance of her oversteering into a tree than in a 200SX though...

That's four for the (increasingly long) shortlist then, Mondeo, 200SX, Focus, Leon.

[jamena]

we await the choice with baited breath!
You could let me take it for a spin to get a second opinion when we're at B.T.'s place Should be more exciting than the hirecar I'll be driving whatever you choose...


I vote for the 200sx - probably just because I think it looks a bit more interesting than the other cars!

[Fox]

If size is a concern the Mk3 Mondeo is bigger again than the Mk2. And, becuase it's a current model still, the price difference between it and the Focus is reduced, but you should still be able to get a same age model for the same money or less.

[Howard]

throw £1000 of 18" Oz Super T's at it

Yuuck I hate those alloys Your current wheels suit the car's design soooo much better

[Andeh13]

Fiat stilo 1.6, cheap car and has the looks(well i think so) more reliable then previous fiats but there are still a few bad ones.

I drive a saxo and it is quite good nippy little car, but they are small and they are cheap for a reason.

[nameinuse]

I had a Fiat punto for a while, which was an expensive and unpleasent experience, so despite the Stilo's cheapness and abundance of toys, I'm not sure I fancy it. My punto used to do about 1500 miles to the head-gasket, which was rather an expensive habit to maintain. Also, Fiat dealers and specialists all seem to be a bunch of cowboys (possibly because they have so much work on!), which would make looking after it difficult.

I'm going to have to have a massive test-drive-athon once I've got the list together and see what suits me best (and eliminate any I don't fit into - I've slight concerns over the 200SX in that direction, but we shall see).