Expert answer

Hi Birenda,

Prices for the parts and the labour will vary wildly depending on where you bring the car, so our best advice is to shop around before you decide.

It's unlikley that you'd change just the clutch plate if the gearbox is off in any case, so factor in replacing the pressure plate, thrust bearing and maybe even the dual-mass flywheel.

Likewise, with the timing belt, you'd likely also replace the water pump at a minimum, possibly a tensioner too depending on the car's age.

In total, we'd suggest somewhere in the region of €1,200 for all this work.

Expert answer

Hi Frank,

It's the timing belt itself that you've heard about most likely as, on some versions of the 1.0-litre Ford EcoBoost engine, it is what's called a “wet belt”. That means the timing belt actually runs in oil, where most timing belts do not.

Ford isn't alone in having problems with them. The rubber in the belts can degrade due to many issues including use of the wrong engine oil and impurities in the oil as it gets older.

The good news for you is that, while earlier examples of the 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine did use this setup (though not all), and Ford dropped it from 2022 on, the MHEV engines always used timing chains instead and they should therefore be more robust.

However, even those later engines use a rubber belt to drive the oil pump and that still runs in oil so potentially has all the same issues. It is too new for those problems to have come to light and Ford believes it is designed for the life of the engine because it is under far less stress than the timing belt was.

All we can advise is that you carry out oil changes a little sooner than recommended and that you always use the correct specification of oil.

Expert answer

Hi David,

Unless the timing belt broke, leading to you getting this work done, then I see no reason why the garage would have removed the cylinder head while replacing it. That is not routine.

It also is not possible to skim a head gasket, so presumably the mechanic said he skimmed the cylinder head itself. If they removed the cylinder head to do that as well as replace all the parts associated with the timing belt then the price doesn't sound unreasonable, but I'd question why the cylinder head was removed if this was supposed to be a regular timing belt change.

Expert answer

Hi David,

Every garage has its own labour rate and fees for work such as changing a timing belt, so you should shop around and get a price before handing the car over.

For your information, the work itself should take about three hours, though the parts are not inexpensive as it's not just the timing belt that requires replacement, but also the auxiliary belts, the timing belt tensioner and the idler pulley, along with the water pump.

Expert answer

Hi Padraig,

Though there's likely to be very little difference between the two cars in terms of reliability and safety (assuming other things like age, mileage, condition and service history are equal), you're most likely correct in terms of more expensive servicing and parts for the Audi. 

And make sure you get an insurance quote before you commit to any car.

Expert answer

Hi Aubril,

The Focus estate in general is pretty decent, but the 1.8-litre diesel engine was not Ford's finest hour and unless it has verified low mileage and/or a detailed service history showing regular oil changes, it's best to look for an alternative. The 1.6-litre diesel is a far superior engine from Ford, for example.

Expert answer

Hi Dana,

It really sounds related to the charging circuit and, before going through the list below, perhaps check that the battery was replaced by a 'silver-calcium' one that is compatible with the so-called “Ford Smart Charge System”. A regular lead-acid battery is not compatible.

We'd have hoped that a good mechanic would have tried the below things already, but if not:

Bad ground or wiring issue

- A poor ground connection or corroded cables can cause intermittent charging problems.

- Check and clean all ground connections (especially the engine-to-chassis ground and battery-to-body ground).

- Look for damaged or frayed wiring between the alternator, battery and fuse box.

Alternator not charging properly

- Even new alternators can be faulty. A voltage drop test should confirm if it's truly charging.

- With the engine running, check the voltage at the battery terminals. It should read around 13.5-14.5 volts.

- If it's much lower, the alternator isn't charging properly, or something is disrupting the circuit.

Smart Charge System

- The Ford Smart Charge system can fail and cause charging problems.

- Check the three-pin connector going to the alternator - if it's loose, corroded, or damaged, the alternator may not work correctly.

- Try disconnecting the Smart Charge system (forcing the alternator to work as a standard one) and see if the problem improves.

Parasitic battery drain

- If something is drawing power while the car is off, the battery might not have enough charge when you restart.

- A mechanic can do a parasitic draw test by pulling fuses one by one to find a circuit draining power.

Faulty ECU or sensors

- If the ECU isn't regulating voltage properly, it could be sending the wrong signals to the alternator.

- Some Ford owners have reported a faulty crankshaft position sensor or bad engine ground causing similar symptoms.

Fuse box or relay issue

- Check the engine bay fuse box for water damage or corrosion - this is common on older Fords.

- A failing alternator fuse or relay could intermittently stop charging.

Expert answer

Hi Frank,

That won't be very easy to do, and would likely be quite expensive as well. We wouldn't recommend it.

Expert answer

Hi Gary,

We'd definitely advocate for an estate over an MPV or SUV as they're more space efficient, more fuel efficient and generally better to drive, especially as you clearly spend quite a bit of time on the road.

Assuming you're on the motorway for much of that, then a diesel probably makes the most sense, though if you're generally at lower speeds, it's well worth considering a hybrid instead to keep your maintenance bills down.

Within budget are some lovely premium estates, such as the Audi A4 and A6 Avant, along with the BMW 3 Series Touring, Volkswagen Passat and Skoda Superb, though you might have to compromise and go for high-mileage examples.

There are a few diesel Ford Focus estates around as well, along with the underestimated Kia Ceed estate. On the hybrid side, there's an estate version of the Toyota Corolla to consider as well.

Come back to us if you'd like help narrowing down your search, as you have loads of choice with €20,000 to spend.

Expert answer

Hi Aidan,

Unless the engine has been modified, the best thing to do is go to a Ford dealer parts department and give them your car’s chassis code. They can then look up the correct part for you. Most large motor factors should be able to do the same.