Sheepsplitter

I need to buy a cheapish car to run as my company car this year and run the Scooby as my own car for tax purposes.
Has anyone tried the Ford Focus TDCi ?
Trade Sales are selling them for between £11 and £13K and I've heard some good things about them for a refined engine (for a diesel) and good(ish) handling.

Anyone experienced them?

Clearly in this car I am not expecting it to be anything like the Scooby, I just want a reliable, economical, cheap to run motor that will not be constantly in the garage if I run up high miles.

Devil's Refugee

Watch that Trade-Sales are selling the 115bhp and not the 100bhp models.
Apart from that, I've heard nothing but good reports about them (albeit from the FFOC bbs!)

Pick up quite well and get good fuel returns, can't complain about that I guess.

Sheepsplitter

I thought the 115BHP model was better?
Or did you mean it the other way around?


Thanks

ChrisB

SS,

I was about sold on the 115bhp TDCi Focus until I took out an Ibiza TDi Sport.

It's quicker (130bhp), 6 speed box, it out spec's all the Focus's (Foci?) bar the Ghia (Climate control, CD, front+side airbags, traction etc etc), it's not as common on the road

My Ibiza should be with me in January

Chris.

Sheepsplitter

ChrisB: How much did you pay for your Seat (if you don't mind)?

Stuart Taylor

I have just picked up the TDCi 115 Ghia. I PX'd the scooby as the running costs were getting a bit silly.
I am still running it in but I am very please with the way it picks up. The fuel consumption is awsome. I am getting 49 mpg and its still only done 700 miles. I paid £13300 from a Ford dealer. I have read all the magazine reports and they say its the best small diesel as an complete package. The Golf 130 is faster in a straight line but not so good around the bends. I am not sure how it compares to the Ibiza.

Stuart

ChrisB

£13,200 after a bit of discount (no part-ex).

Downside of the Ibiza is that the 130PD engines and 6 speed boxes are restricted by VW (or so I'm told), so expect a 12 week lead time from new.

Or find a dealer with a car in stock - there is a few about the Seat dealer chain. If not, ex-demo or some 2nd hand ones are appearing on AutoTrader.

Then take it down APR Europe in Daventry for a £450+VAT remap to give around 180bhp and 300lb/ft torque

RB5#295

I'd go for the Ibiza too M8 (well, I did actually). It'll probably hold its value better as well as being scarcer and faster and 6-speed. Mine was the first customer APR chipped one as well, and at 1,000 miles a week it has now done 6k on the chip with the only problems relating to a seat belt pretensioner.

I don't know why but I was looking at Foci(?) this morning on the M5 (and there are plenty of them to look at) and the mess of shut lines and angles etc. around the back lights caught my eye. I'm no designer and it's taken me until now to notice, but it looks bloody awful.

I paid £11,995 for an ex-demo BTW, Milton Keynes SEAT had one for £11,800, but they didn't value the Scooby as well.

Fen

[Edited by RB5#295 - 12/20/2002 10:57:07 AM]

Sheepsplitter

Thanks for all your suggestions gents.