logiclee

As a drivers car there is simply no contest the Focus wins hands down.

The seating position in the Focus is high but feels totaly natural after a while which is helped by the handling, ride and the perfect steering feel.

If its the Zetec model you are buying the climate pack is a must. Aircon, heated screen, electric mirrors etc. I would also make sure it has the rather good 6000 CD system fitted as the standard 4000 Radio Cassette is crap.

On paper the Astra looks quicker in reality at any speed in any situation other than a traffic light grand prix the Focus will destroy the Astra. The Focus TDCi torque figures are impressive on their own but it gives a 30 second overboost facility should you need it for overtaking or powering out of bends, it would leave the Astra revving its nuts off trying to keep up.

I get to drive Astra's and Focus's often due to me using loads of hire cars through work. The TDCi Focus is by far the best small family car (non-hot hatch/RS) you can buy today IMO.

As an owning prospect the Fous retians more value than the petrol Astra and is far more economical as well. Focus is two groups lower insurace than the 1.8 Astra, the TDCi Zetec is only a group 6.

The Ford direct deals are pretty good. 6 month old full spec cars for £11500.

example..
1.8 TDCi (115ps) Zetec 5dr Metropolis blue With 9,000 miles from new and including Air conditioning,alloy wheels,Quickclear heated windscreen,front fog lights,power and heated door mirrors,electric front windows,remote central locking,front airbags,front fog lights and compact disc player.2002 MODEL YEAR 52 Reg




Lee



[Edited by logiclee - 5/1/2003 3:15:36 PM]

SCOSaltire

a low milage Puma 1.7 would be good
esp as it costs about 4k lower!

i must be looking in the wrong places....

[Edited by SCOSaltire - 5/1/2003 10:12:30 PM]

SCOSaltire

thinking of one of the above...

astra will be 3 dr
focus will be 5 .. just coz of the way they are...

so... which is the better drive and buy?

its a mainstream car so that i dont have to spend loads servicing and repairing.. and so that they eat some 15k miles a year...

m8 says to me the focus... he says its a better car...
ive tended to stay away from ford. aint very keen on the dash
but have been in a m8s petrol zetec... and it seemed quite good.

ive owned 3 astras... and the 1.8 would probably be cheaper to run than the 2.2. and attract less attention... and less insurance (tho anything is cheaper than the scooby in that case! )

RS Grant

You can get hold of Zetec 3dr TDCi's...

Try www.quicks.co.uk

The Focus is a much better drive than the Astra, the Astra will be quicker off the mark but through the gears, the Focus TDCi matches the ST170 for pace and so will easily out-pace the Astra.

The Focus will keep more value because of the New Technology Diesel engine and you will save more on running it because of the huge improvement over the Astra in terms of MPG...

The Focus looks a whole load better than the Astra as well, and although you might not be a huge fan of the dashboard, the ergonomics are extremely good, with everything you need perfectly within your reach...

Just a couple of wee things I wanted to get off my chest!! LOL

Cheers,
Grant

Flat 4x4

£for£ it has to be the Focus, but if you can buy a same age and spec SRi for a lot less buy that.

Remember if you need more grunt that the Focus will chip up very nicely from 115bhp (I presume you know that they're selling a 100bhp TDci as well?) to 130-140 and a lot more torque.

SCOSaltire

so focus beats the astra for reliability?
im test driving a TDCi tomorrow
aye... know about the 115 and 100..
this is a 115

i drove a LS focus once before... didnt like the seating as i was waaay to high.
hope the zetec is better.

id also throw in the ibiza 130 sport...
tho that would be new... and another 3k ish
driving that on saturday

SCOSaltire

+ for the astra is cruise control...
and i know i like the seating in it...

but then i like diesels... esp for the torque and relaxed driving and economy

ohhh i love dilemas

davyboy

My good lady has an Astra Sri, although I take this ****, it is rather a good drive.

If you want a good 2nd hand deal, just let me know.

SCOSaltire

davyboy
is it a 1.8 or 2.2
how is the driving experience?

davyboy

Driving Experience? I am no journalist.....but here goes.

I put petrol in it, it gets serviced and it goes and nothing goes wrong with it. What more can you ask for.

I really wouldn't recommend buying a new one as the value has dropped a fair bit over the year or so we have owned it.

DMC12

A friend recently got a Focus TDCi Zetec as company car...

It's incredibly refined for a diesel. You know the VW advert where they need reminding it's a diesel... It should have been used by Ford. My A3 TDi sounds like a bus in comparison.

The spec is quite poor. You have to pay extra for the Winter pack (Aircon and Heated front screen) and the Reflex pack (ABS and rear disk brakes). I'd look out for these options on second head ones.

Cheers.

Steve.

vindaloo

I had two Astra's for company cars and they were fine. A S reg. 1.8 sport and a 2.0 SRi on a W reg.

I don't know what the 1.8 SRi is like for driving but the 1.8 sport was more dynamic than the 2.0 SRi (though slower overall obviously). The 1.8 left me wanting more power. The 2.0 left me cold unless I was going too fast.

Only ever drove a Focus now and then as a courtesy car. Drove well enough but didn't leave me feeling privileged to have driven it.

Would you add the Audi A3 130 BHP diesel to your list? (old shape, 2nd hand).

Vindaloo.

PG

*cough*
Racing Puma
*cough*

logiclee

PG,

You'd have a constant headache doing 15000 miles a year in a Racing Puma.

He did say cheap insurance and he'll want a bit more space I think.

Lee

john banks

I picked up an 18 month old Puma 1.7 with CD/AC/heated windscreen/adj heated mirrors and c.20K miles in January for £7600. It doesn't cruise as well as a Focus and it doesn't have the space, but other than that is excellent - she's very happy with it. I think it is frustratingly slow and needs three times as much power though

SCOSaltire

lol Paul

lee... hes been on at me about a racing puma... standing joke...

drove the focus tonight.. very nice!
bit lacking in the feeling of speed...
didnt get a long enough drive
but
car feels solid
seat isnt that adjustable.. but is kinda..
brakes squealed
and it didnt have any packs on it.. so i think i may have to look elsewhere for an other... will see.

just checked out some insurance... 290 quid!!
wow
astra 1.8 sri is 390
and 2.2 astra sri is 550

hmmmmmm

if only i could find a focus with the nice packs on it and low milage...
the ford direct website keeps crashing on me

logiclee

Try www.matlockford.co.uk

Lee

logiclee

I agree about the lack of feeling of speed. I put it down to the high gearing.

Lee

SCOSaltire

bought a focus
drove the astra... non event really
good road holding.. but the engine was really poor.
didnt seem to do anything.. tho it was the 2.2

then drove the seat ibiza - nice n quick ...
then drove the focus.... much more grown up... better ride...
and still enough pull...

logiclee

Good Choice.

chrisp

I have a 02 Focus 1.6 Zetec and its a great little car. Does nearly 40mpg even with my lead foot . Not driven the diesel but its suppose to be really good. The climate pack is £650 and includes air-con, heated front screen and heat washer jets and metallic paint is 300. I brought mine as an ex-demno model and save thousands it it had metallic and the climate pack.

The salesman told me most people walk in wanting the LX because it has the air-con and quickclear but leave with a zetec and climate pack as the pirce different a couple of hundred but you get all the sporty bits on the zetec.

If you can afford the insurance and mpg the second hand bargains are the V6 Mondeos.

vindaloo

What Focus did you go for in the end? TDCi or something else?

logiclee

Your not wrong M8.

I have been looking round for a friend.
Found a 10month old V6 GhiaX, 12000miles, 17" Alloys, Leather electric heated seats, electric eveything, cruise control, climate control, multi cd, fuel computer etc. etc. all standard spec. In addition it has Sat Nav, parking sensors and xenon headlights.
Over £23000 list new.
Sold under the Ford Direct system so 2 years full Ford warranty with RAC cover, 30 day exchange policy, RAC inspection and preparation etc.
Only £12999. A lot of car for the money but your going to have to keep it, what do you reckon worth £6-7k in 3 years?

Lee

SCOSaltire

aye.. focus zetec tdci 115ps


cant wait!!

8 weeks tho
but least it will be exactly as i want it...