When to change my Ford Focus timing belt?
When should timing belt be changed on July 2011 Ford Focus 1.6 diesel with 60,000 miles on the clock?
Anne Hanlon (Dublin)Feb 2019 Filed under: servicing
Expert answer
Hi Anne,
Our information shows that the recommended change interval is 140,000 kilometres (about 87,000 miles) or every 10 years, whichever comes first.
Which new crossover or SUV for me?
Hello,
Which crossover/SUV would you recommend? I do circa 25-30k kilometres per year, mostly motorways, but also a fair bit of urban driving.
Roseanna
Roseanna Gorman (Bray)Dec 2018 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Roseanna,
First things first — if you’re doing mostly urban and motorway miles, you really don’t need an SUV. A more conventional hatchback, saloon, or estate is going to be more comfortable, better value, more economical and a better-engineered vehicle all round. If you’re looking for something with practicality then the likes of a Skoda Octavia Combi estate, a Volkswagen Golf Estate, a Kia Ceed SW, or the new Ford Focus Estate all have much bigger boots than any small-to-medium SUV (more than 600 litres, all of them, compared to around 450 litres for, say, a Nissan Qashqai), and they’re all better to drive and more frugal.
However, if you’re hooked on SUVs then we’d recommend a SEAT Ateca (plain wrapper, but it’s roomy, comfy and nice to drive) or a Toyota C-HR (small on the inside, relatively, but hugely stylish and the hybrid version is frugal). If you’re looking to ‘posh-up’ a bit, then the incoming new Audi Q3 is a bit of a stunner, or if you want something smaller and more affordable than any of those, try the updated Fiat 500X, which is kinda cute and charming.
Here are our relevant reviews for you to read more:
Ford Focus, Opel Astra or Hyundai i30?
I intend to replace my car soon with something more powerful than my 1.0-litre Corsa. I've been looking mostly at an Opel Astra, Ford Focus, or Hyundai i30, and my budget is up to €10,000. Would there be an obvious standout to buy in those three, or any major issues with them? Also, I cover about 650km/week between commuting and life, 90 per cent of which is on good regional roads. Would you have a recommendation either way on whether to choose a petrol or diesel engine?
Thanks
Colm McGrath (Kildare)Aug 2018 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Colm,
OK, first off, with that kind of mileage you’re well into the sort of levels that would justify a diesel engine, although the best of the down-sized turbo petrols are still certainly worth looking at. Of the three cars you’ve selected, I’d leave the Astra, as your €10,000 budget won’t get you into a new-shape model, and the older Astra was pretty dull. Of the other two, the Focus is the best, by far, to drive, and has solid reliability, but the i30 is better for interior space, and would be the more reliable in the long run.
Is the Ford C-Max a wise investment?
Thinking of changing my 2010 Ford Focus Style 1.6 TDCi hatchback for a 2012/2013 Ford Focus hatchback of similar engine size. Or maybe a Ford Focus C-Max of similar age. Any advice on what would be best? Wondering about selling on the C-Max in a few years - is there much demand for them with the wide variety of SUV/crossover vehicles available now?
Fiona O'Rourke (Cork )Aug 2018 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Fiona,
A C-Max would possibly not be a great plan — demand for MPVs is definitely on the way down as people make the switch to SUVs. I think a regular Focus could well be the better bet — unless you need seven seats, it’s not that much less practical, and it will definitely be easier to sell on again later.
Should we get a second EV for towing?
Hi, a question about a second car. What would be a good choice for a second car for travelling to work that does small mileage (10-20 miles) daily? Our main car is a Nissan Leaf, which we use for the majority of our driving. A car that can tow a small trailer would be ideal, something with low tax and running costs. Budget is about 6-7 thousand euro, with the intention of trading in the car in a few years time for a newer model. Have thought of buying another electric car, but not sure about having two electric cars in household until longer range cars are available or charging network improves.
Thank you for your help.
Barry
Barry Slye (Cork)Jun 2018 Filed under: electric cars
Expert answer
Hi Barry,
The problem with electric cars is that, generally, they’re not rated for towing (I think that the new Nissan Leaf is one of the first with a towing rating), so you’re probably going to have to switch back to petrol or diesel for this one. Probably your best bet is to go for something very conventional, such as VW Golf or Ford Focus, and maybe go for the estate version of one of those to give yourself a little extra versatility. A Toyota Auris Hybird would also work well, and would at least keep you going on half-electric power. Plenty of them around in your price range.
Can I fit electric seats to my Focus?
Hi guys.
I have just purchased a set of black leather seats for my 2009 Ford Focus Zetec model. They came out of a Ford Focus Titanium of the same year. The driver's seat on the Titanium is electric and that in my Zetec is not! Will it be ok re working etc?
Many thanks. Peter.
Peter Tilling (Ruislip, Middx)May 2018 Filed under: seating
Expert answer
Hi Peter,
I think you may have a few issues there, unless you find it's easy to swap the manual adjustment mechanism from your old seats to the new ones. I suspect that won't be a simple task, unfortunately. And you'd need a lot more wiring, etc. to get the electric seats to work.
What's up with my Ford Focus spec?
I have a 2016 Ford Focus Titanium with no DRLs. My mate has one with them. Mine has keyless entry while his has a touch handle thing. They are the same age and model. When yoou look on the Ford website for spec it says DRLs as standard. Why are mine missing? Puzzled!
Many thanks
Steven Hodgson (Manchester )Mar 2018 Filed under: optional extras
Expert answer
Hi Steven,
We’ve had a quick word with Ford about this, and it seems that there are two potential answers. One is that it’s possible that one of the cars was originally a UK model and there may be some spec differences there, and the other possibility is that one car was registered in 2016, but may have been a 2015-built car, which was taken from storage to be registered. If you can provide us with the car’s VIN number, we can do some more digging.
What compact saloons are worth a look?
I love saloons (memories), but my wife says they are too big. What saloon, up to four years old, would look not much bigger than an Opel Astra hatchback?
Frank D (Dublin)Mar 2018 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi F D,
Well, the good news is that there are plenty of mid-size saloons that are more or less the same size as an Astra — yes, they have a big boot slung out the back, but the difference in overall length is usually only a few centimetres. The best is probably the VW Jetta; it's plain looking, but good to drive and really well made. Ditto the Toyota Corolla. There’s a Ford Focus saloon too, and a really lovely Mazda3 saloon (which is actually nicer looking than the hatchback). There was also an Astra saloon, but to be honest it was a bit awkward looking if you ask me. If you do like the Astra hatch, though, it might be worth seeking one out. Here are a few relevant reviews to read:
Does a 2015 Focus have parking sensors?
Does a 2015 Ford Focus Zetec 125 Powershift five-door automatic have rear parking sensors?
Rob Wegg (St Austell)Feb 2018 Filed under: parking
Expert answer
Hi Rob,
According to Ford, no, not as standard, although an individual car may of course have been fitted with them as an option.
Is a 1.0-litre engine ok for a family car?
Hi,
Just wondering if you have much knowledge or feedback on the new 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engines? We are looking for a good reliable family car, but ideally want to go with petrol based on our mileage and daily driving routes. However, I am slightly nervous that a 1.0-litre might lack power and be very noisy or "revy" on motorway drives when travelling at greater speed. The sales people say these turbo engines feel more like a 1.6-litre. But then they are trying to sell so would be great to get some independent feeling on them in your experience. Any in particular you would recommend as there are not as many petrol options in family cars.
Many thanks, Peter
Peter Hogan (St Austell)Jan 2018 Filed under: petrol vs. diesel
Expert answer
Hi Peter,
In this instance, the sales people are being entirely truthful — the new 1.0-litre turbo engines are indeed equivalent to an old 1.6 or even 1.8 engine in the way they drive. You certainly won’t find them too ‘revvy’ on the motorway, as the small turbo increases low-down torque and makes the car feel very relaxed and easy to drive. Certainly that’s true for the Volkswagen Group, Ford, Honda and Renault-Nissan engines anyway. The best ones to go for, in our experience, are the VW Golf or Skoda Octavia (both using the same engine, of course), the Honda Civic (which should be the most reliable in the long term) and the Ford Focus (which can be a little on the thirsty side). Read our reviews below for more detail:
Volkswagen Golf 1.0 TSI review