Ford forum

[Pool100]

The focus has got good a chasis as used on the mazda 3... so the handling is not bad. But other than that, it's really not worth the price Regent is selling. Note it's still using the old 4-speed transmission which is unheard of in this price range. And FC for the engine is pretty high too. My friends driving the focus are all getting around 10km/L. Very high for a 1.6L.

 

The pickup is pretty bad too because of the low BHP and torque.

 

Resale value is very bad for focus too. Try selling it after 6 months and you'll be lucky to get 75% of what you paid.

 

Basically Regent knows it's very difficult to sell the focus, but yet they still price it so high in hope that some suckers would actually buy it.

[Ferraricalifornia]

if you really want an estate, do consider the i30 estate too...selling at $61,499 now...

 

the ford focus itself is already underpowered, the heavier estate makes it worse...floor the accelerator and the car still not going any faster despite making more noise...

 

Ford Focus has the best damping in class...though the ride is firm, it makes you want to push the car much harder in corners and is very stable even on uneven road surfaces...

 

but build quality of the Focus is still nowhere near as the VW Golf Mk6...there are still hard plastics in the Ford especially on the doors and the bottom part of the dash...so you won't get the premium feeling compared to VW, which incidentally commands a much higher price from $86,800...

 

so you still get what you pay for...

[Miles]

I am considering getting the Ford Focus stationwagon, but wasn't too sure on its long-term reliability. Would you then recommend getting it?

 

I have a budget of <$80K, so the Alfa, Volvo, SAAB, Merc stationwagons are all out of my consideration.

 

There is a Chevrolet Optra stationwagon, but its made in Thailand, so I shall pass.

 

Only other option would be a PI Toyota Felder ..... but PI and taxis don't really impress me.

 

So its back to the Ford Focus 1.6L stationwagon. I might just get that, only if Regent makes its price-OMV ratio more palatable.

 

I am driving the Focus MkII Wagon now. 4.5 years old.... solid car, fantastic reliability, sweet ride and handling (did 180km/h on NSHW .... stable and confidence inspiring... could have gone faster, but accelerator is already on the floor), but like i said before, the engine is its main achilles heel.

4 speed gearbox (though only 4 speed) is smooth and reliable. 4.5 years of ownership gives me almost zero problem.

Car is still under warranty since all Fords come with 5 years warranty.... but i only change 1 part under warranty since delivery.... one was their PDI oversight.... drove back immediately after collecting the car.... the other part was autobox relay cable which snapped when i was in Malaysia last month.

 

Interior -- built quality is high... but perceived quality is not. The car interior now (after 4.5 years) is still solid, nothing came loose, hard plastic no doubt,... but its made of highly durable material. Unlike my previous VW, the nice soft touch rubbery plastics came off and look horrible after only 3 years.... not to mention it creaks more than the Ford.

 

FC -- I'm on 215/45/R17 with a heavy right foot.... i average 8.6-9.0km/L

 

Regent Motor's service ..... well, let's say comparing to VW (my previous car), its much better.... but not as good as Cycle & C, and Tan Chong.

 

BUT.... now i'm on the verge of trading in the car, i was offered trade-in value at scrap paper value + a $400-500. Makes the depreciation per year after 5 years ... as much as some premium contis.

 

Would i buy another Ford?

Yes, if,

1. OMV is higher .... never mind the high asking price if OMV is high enough to match it, since there is no resale value anyway... scrap value must be high.

2. RM brings in the ECOBoost direct injection/variable valve timing/LPT engine + dual clutch powershift gearbox

3. Slightly better interior would be nice

 

 

I'd like to keep it this way,.... nobody likes Ford, ... it will be exclusive on the roads... and i dont have to worry about people car jacking me in Malaysia. :)

[Pool100]

Wow the depreciation for Ford cars is so high ah... now wonder that day I saw a MKll Mondeo (2007) selling for 38K only... that's about 50k+ loss over 3 years!!! I haven't seen another bread and butter car that gives that kind of depreciation...

[Opelgts]

I'd like to keep it this way,.... nobody likes Ford, ... it will be exclusive on the roads... and i dont have to worry about people car jacking me in Malaysia. :)

 

 

Totally agree!

RM, please bring in the Titianium Mondy again. Im a hungry ghost for it.

[W210k]

Thanks for sharing your ownership insights on the Focus Wagon.

 

I guess you have confirmed both my thoughts about the car and my concerns too.

 

Relatively good build quality, with long-term reliability (and dependabilty), though the 1.6 engine's ain't nothing much. That's all good.

 

But with such a steep price-OMV spread, depreciation goes down the drain the moment you take the car from RM on Day-1.

 

$50K depreciation over 3 years?!!!!!

The BMW I had just sold depreciated $60K over 3 years (nearly the same as your Ford!)

 

My previous Merc (under the old PARF scheme) depreciated only $35K after 2 years.

 

So until RM revises its price-OMV spread (i.e, lower its prices for Ford cars) ..... which may never happen, I will have to look elsewhere.

 

Someone mentioned Hyundai i30 wagon. Yes, I did consider that, but it only comes with a sunroof. I don't like that ...... just asking for trouble after 2-3 years when the rubber gaskets start to leak and it will be drip, drip, drip. Been there, done that. Stayed away from sunroofs ever since.

 

[Spanly]

Yeah... I second on the quality of Ford... my previous Focus didn't give me any major problems throughout the 4.5 yrs that I've owned it. Can only think of 2(happened after almost 4 yrs).

 

The first being engine warning light turn on & the car seem to lost power during my drive up the NSH to Genting... however, still mangaged to drive it up & back to S'pore; though didn't dare to stress the engine too much; keeping speed around 110-120 km/h. Send to Regent & they fixed it saying is due to vaccume hose. Second issue being the auto window couldn't wind up which i think is a pretty common problem as the car aged.

 

The Focus plastic dash still in very good condition when the car was sold; no de-colourisation.

 

Have to agreed on the below avg FC & poor pick up though... however, once at cruise speed, the car is indeed stable & rides well. Attacking corners are never an issue

 

 

[Miles]

Acutally, there are a few stationwagon you can consider.....

 

1. Skoda Octavia Combi - great 1.4TSI + DSG, good Golf V chassis, high OMV.

2. Opel Astra Wagon

3. Used Volvo V50 (this one will cost more,... but uses the same chassis as Ford Focus) ... the new ones come with 2.0 engine + powershift dual clutch gearbox (same as C30 and S40).

 

 

another thing i forgot to mention, the rear seats of the Focus is more comfortable than my wife's A170. ... and definitely more comfortable than Golf and even E90 3 series hard rear seats.

[W210k]

Acutally, there are a few stationwagon you can consider.....

 

1. Skoda Octavia Combi - great 1.4TSI + DSG, good Golf V chassis, high OMV.

2. Opel Astra Wagon

3. Used Volvo V50 (this one will cost more,... but uses the same chassis as Ford Focus) ... the new ones come with 2.0 engine + powershift dual clutch gearbox (same as C30 and S40).

 

I guess I did not mention this earlier. I don't like TC engines and their attendant lower reliability for the long-term and I'd stay away from VAG's DSG, at least for now (too many issues). So the Skoda's out for me.

 

My budget is <$80K. I don't think I can get any new Volvo for that price. So that's out too.

 

But will check out the Opel Astra wagon. Didn't know that they carry a stationwagon model ... Thanks!

 

[Jetabout777]

Just to share with you that my 3+yr old Focus has slight engine cranking problems since day 1. Will occassionally have weak starts here and there till date. We thought it was a battery problem so we brought it back for a check. Technician had it charged or something like that and improved. However, after 1 week or so, the poor cranking problem started again. Alternator then failed. Experienced a loss of power and electricity in the car then had to tow the whole car back to RM. Till date, the engine still doesnt crank well. RM also cannot explain why.

[BigFrenlyGiant]

Thanks but it's impossible to register because the picture verification thingy doesn't work... you try to register and you'll know what I mean...

 

 

I have the same problems!!! Is it closed already??

[Axela72]

If you are interested in the current Mondeo 2.3,... well, if you can wait till 2012, I believe they might bring in the 1.6 ECOBoost engine (direct injection turbo charged) with Powershift (dual clutch) gearbox. 180bhp/245Nm/ possible 14km/L with start/stop technology ...

 

The Mondeo is a wonderful car, good reliability, one of the best front wheel drive chassis, .... only thing is , the engine is not efficient enough ....

 

 

No need to wait until 2012. We will be getting the Opel insigma with Ecotec this year. The 2L one is giving 220 bhps with 350Nm torque. Not sure they will also bring in the 1.6L one with 180bhps.

 

The only concerns is the realibility of Opel. Any idea how is Opel reliability vs Ford reliability?

[Loo]

There arent many fords in SG though

[BigFrenlyGiant]

There arent many fords in SG though

 

 

i loike

[Pool100]

The new Ford Mondeo is actually a damn blardy good car to drive. Handling is top notch, refinement is evident and build quality superb. I took the car on a high speed corner at 90km/h and it stayed planted throughout. A really good car and Ford engineers must be proud of their works. And the best part, the new mondeo is so much nicer than her predecessor. A well rounded car I must say.

[Alpinto]

Hat

[BigFrenlyGiant]

The new Ford Mondeo is actually a damn blardy good car to drive. Handling is top notch, refinement is evident and build quality superb. I took the car on a high speed corner at 90km/h and it stayed planted throughout. A really good car and Ford engineers must be proud of their works. And the best part, the new mondeo is so much nicer than her predecessor. A well rounded car I must say.

 

I did it with S-Max fully loaded with 6 passengers and bags and shopping stuff while exiting NSH into Singapore bound highway, its a sweeping corners and did it 110km/h on 16" wheels ... i din realize the speed cause felt so much confident driving it, until my wife mentioned it. I still think its too dangerous to do that and will be careful next time but its handling and powers are

 

[MadDog70]

Dear BigFrenlyGiant,

 

I saw your posts everywhere in this forum about how happy you are with your new S-Max, you really are very excited about it.

I'm also interested in this ride, just wanting to wait a little while for the 2.0 EcoBoost engine to arrive (not sure when).